It's True Love 76

"So, I know you guys have technically met each other in the past, but... I feel like a reintroduction is in order."

Mostly because Akiha had all but confirmed to have all but forgotten the poor woman. Which was a bit mean in his opinion, Noel was many things, but he wouldn't call her unforgivable, that was for sure.

Her big ass already made her unforgettable!

Akiha nodded. "Very well." She was actually a bit embarrassed. How did she forget this woman!?

Sure, she did not look exactly special, especially since she wasn't particularly beautiful or striking like many of Yuta's acquaintances, but still! As the heir of the Tohno... and as a polite and refined woman in general, this was not good!

She crossed her arms. "I am Akiha Tohno, I'll be relying on you for today." She thought about bowing, especially after her previous mistake, but such a thing was beneath her.

Noel's eye twitched. "I'm Noel, I'll be doing my best..." This little brat had totally forgotten all about her! That's why Yuta was now introducing the two of them!

She couldn't wait until she got the job done and was able to go home so she could send messages complaining about it over to Aoko. Oh no, her only friends at this point were the two most insane mages in the planet...

Yuta interjected with a smile. "Now that introductions... re-introductions are over, what do you have for Noel-Sensei?"

The executor cleared her throat. "Nothing too insane, I assure you." She would never try anything crazy when Ciel wasn't around to cover her mistakes.

With that said... she couldn't believe that bitch had the audacity to take a break. It made her so pissed off she couldn't even put it into words. Nonetheless, she couldn't exactly argue against her, and she knew trying to bring Ciel's little monster pet project to her side would be impossible too.

"All we will do for today is clear out a few undead, it will be just like what you guys missed yesterday." Noel raised a finger. "Although we can never know if something more dangerous shows up, so keep your guard up."

Yuta smiled. "Will do! Me and Rika are always prepared!" More or less.

Akiha glared at her. "As am I. However, do keep in mind that we haven't missed everything that happened yesterday." Well, she sort of did, but Yuta didn't!

Noel sighed. "Right." This girl completely forgotten about her, and still had the nerve to talk back...?

A demon indeed.



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This time things had more or less shifted completely.

"She... she really is into this, isn't she?" Yuta wasn't doing much to contribute. Not because he was scared or anything of the sort, but mostly because he was awed. Well, that and a bit worried.

Noel hesitantly nodded. "Yes... well, she is a demon, when she gets into it, she gets into it, I suppose." She more or less understood the concept.

Akiha could act normal all she wanted, but when something made her blood excited, she showed her true colors. Although Noel couldn't deny that the girl didn't exactly hide being a bitch even in normal situations anyways.

Yuta scratched his cheek. "I see, but it's still quite a sight."

Rika interjected. "You're turned on by it, aren't you?"

"Read me like a book, Rika." Was there any point in even trying to deny it?

He shook his head. "We should get to work though. Let's go!" Or at least Rika and him should go, he doubted Noel would do much of anything besides awkwardly stand on the side. She truly was a wise woman.

Not that her help was exactly needed. Before long the warehouse was cleared and...

Akiha tried to swing on him, which he thankfully had the reflexes to duck under. "Woah there, calm down Akiha!" He was pretty sure a blow like that would have taken off his head if it actually landed.

Rika glared at the girl. "Seriously!" She would have normally killed her immediately for pulling a stunt like this, but...

Akiha did actually stop immediately. "I... Sorry!" It was like someone had thrown cold water at her.

Yuta tilted his head. "It's... um... fine, I think?" He nodded to himself. "Yep, it's all fine. Actions from cute girls are easy to forgive, seeing as they are cute and all."

Rika sighed. "Well, you have gotten his forgiveness, but I would like some explanation before giving mine." She had higher standards than Yuta. Although one could easily cheat and gain it, by simpling being Yuta.

Akiha looked away. "I... I got a bit too into the battle, and had difficulty realizing when it ended." She bowed. "A grave mistake that I shall not repeat."

Yuta raised an eyebrow. "We pretty much put that together due to..." He pointed at Noel, who was decently far away. "Scaredy cat over there, but is this really normal? Do you need another good ol' dose of Kohaku?"

Which Kohaku was apparently fine with giving out. It went without saying that if she wasn't then Yuta would have looked for another solution. It wouldn't surprise him if Akiha was reluctant to suggest it however, which is why he had brought it up.

The girl looked down. "No, I do not currently need another dose of..." She grimaced. "Just please do not call it that." And now the idea was stuck in her mind. Just what she needed.

Yuta nodded. "Okay then." It was a great way to call it though! "And if you're saying this is normal, then I guess it's normal." He had decided to accept Akiha, demon blood and all.

It would be awful of him to get scared of a little demon blood.

That said... "But you know, if you were affected because of the battle, we can talk about it." Probably not with Noel watching them though. That would make things a bit awkward.

Akiha raised an eyebrow, almost offended. "Affected because of the battle? Just what do you mean by that?"

He flinched. "It's just that you know... blood was flying everywhere and—."

Rika interjected. "He's calling you a pussy." Just with nicer words. "You froze yesterday, so it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that you now completely reversed how you act towards it." Or at least that's what Rika guessed had happened.

Akiha's face became red. "Have some class, curse!" Couldn't she have just called her a coward like a normal, educated person!? "And as for Yuta's concern, I did not suffer some... breakdown over a fight."

He took a step back. "Nobody is saying that..." He was kind of saying that.

And Akiha could totally tell. "Then what is exactly that you are trying to say? Because you have no cleared that up yet." This was so damn shameful.

In the first night she had done nothing. Now in the second night she had done too much. To the extent that her friend was now worrying about her mental faculties!

Yuta sighed. "It's just that... it can be both you know? That you're shocked at this, and it's also your demon blood showing up." In fact, maybe the demon blood made her even more shocked.

She pouted. "Well, it is just the latter. Although I suppose I have some appreciation for your concern." She huffed and began walking towards Noel.

Rika muttered. "It's totally both, isn't it?"

"Yep. She's a pretty refined lady after all, not exactly the type who goes around in places like these." His Akiha was meant to be the Ojou-Sama in a dating sim, not meant for horror.

Akiha stopped walking. "I can hear you two fools, you know that!?"

He chuckled. "My bad!" And began walking towards Noel as well.

Once all four were together, Yuta raised up the question of the day. "So, where to next teach?" He was still brimming with energy. Not surprising, considering energy was his thing.

Though maybe that didn't apply to Akiha... Sadly, he was pretty sure that if he tried the same offer he tried with Ciel, she would actually punch his lights out. In a way, Ojou-Sama's were horror itself, after all.

Noel smiled. "Back home! Everything is pretty much done at this point!" And she didn't even have to raise a finger. How wonderful.

His eyes widened. "Seriously!? Already!?" They hadn't done much. At least not as much as he had expected.

Akiha was in full agreement. "I barely started though!" She had decided to make up for her shameful behavior yestarday, by excelling today and yet she had failed again!

And now she was not even gonna get a chance to keep going! It was as unfair as something could be.

Rika tilted her head. "I'm with hot head in this one..." She was still raring to go!

Noel sighed. "It's... great that you kids have so much energy to waste, but it's not like I can just conjure undead out of nowhere to sate you guys' blood lust or whatever." She felt unsatisfied too of course, but it was for a totally different reason.

She couldn't exactly torture those bastards with these dumb kids watching. It would be more trouble than it was worth. What a shame.

It didn't matter too much though. "Ciel... and I, had handled almost everything the other day, so we are just cleaning up the scraps." Really, Ciel had no excuse to take a break. Bitch.

Yuta frowned. "Ah, so that's why she didn't fight against it as much as I thought she would..." His Senpai was way too kind.

Noel squinted her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

He put a hand to his chin. "It's just that I convinced Senpai to take a break, but I'm pretty sure the only reason she took it was because she knew there wasn't much work left." It was admirable.

Or at least he could consider that if she was someone he didn't know or care about. However, right now all he could think about was how she was a damn stupid girl who would somehow work herself to death even though she was literally immortal.

Noel muttered to herself. "Ain't no excuse..."

"No excuse for what?" Now it was his turn to be confused.

Noel contemplated whether she should answer or not for a bit. Her senses were telling her no, but she was frustrated enough to ignore them. "Ain't no excuse to skip out on work. So what if there was little left? She should have come here and finished it."

"I feel like we are in different wavelengths here..." He wanted Ciel to skip out on work that was actually hard to do, so she could take a rest.

Noel nodded. "I can't deny that. Still, I'm mad at you, so let me give you some Noel brand council. Executor work is important, people don't get to take breaks, or go on vacations or whatever, because if they do people could die." She didn't care much about that.

However, it also meant that those pieces of shit who wandered across the night could survive. Which was absolutely unforgivable as far as she was concerned.

She continued. "For today I'm just mad at Ciel, since she's supposed to know better, but that can change. This is your warning, brat, don't forget it." She had never raised her tone of voice, but it was clear that she was mad.

Yuta wasn't. His confusion had just grown stronger. "That's... I can see where you are coming from, but it's not like her job is going unfinished." He pointed at himself. "We are all here. It's fine for Senpai to take a break."

He continued, this time he pointed at her. "And let's not forget how you of all people did take a break after Arcueid spooked you up." He didn't dislike her for it or anything, but he felt that proved his point.

Noel scowled. "That's completely different."

"How so?" He didn't get it.

She crossed her arms. "Because I'm not a monster like you two." Disgust was radiating off her in waves, although... she was radiating fear as well. She had crossed a line she knew she shouldn't have.

She had always thought of Ciel as a monster. Ciel had always known Noel thought of her as a monster. It had never been said out loud however, and Noel had also certainly never dragged her little pet monster project into it.

Akiha immediately got mad. "You have a lot of nerve, executor." She would not simply accept insults hurled at her future husband.

There was something strange going on however. Akiha expected Rika would be the first one to react in a situation like this, but the curse had stayed surprisingly quiet. Maybe it was because Yuta had as well?

Noel gulped, but at this point it was too late. "You're a monster too, brat." She was a coward, but at this point there was no taking it back things either.

"Have you seen how you treated that fight? That's not normal. And the way Yuta talked about isn't it normal either..." She was becoming more and pale as she talked. "Losing yourself to blood lust isn't normal."

"Getting it over a few seconds later and bantering with your boyfriend as if nothing had happened is even more strange. It's messed up, fucked up. You three are fucked in the head." She was different from them.

Because when she had been put in similar situations, she did the normal thing. She broke, she changed forever, she didn't manage to go back to the usual as if nothing had happened.

And even more, she didn't casually join in battles. She stayed away if the opportunity arose. She was a normal human, a survivor. Not at all like these freaks.

Akiha put her hands on her hips. "I am perfectly sane, thank you... It just seems to be like you are a coward, shaken as you are." Noel was like a leaf, Akiha was pretty sure a strong gust of wind could take her out right now.

The executor's eye twitched. "Being cowardly is normal! Don't you get it!? This is what I'm talking about!" Of cours she didn't get it? Why was Noel even expecting something different?

Monsters were monsters in the end.

Akiha rolled her eyes. "So I was right. You are a coward indeed, and one that cannot understand why the rest of the world isn't one as well." She smirked. "At least now I understand why I forgot you, it would have been a waste to remember."

She chuckled. "Honestly, it seems time has proven me more and more right with each moment that passes. That Ciel woman wasn't particularly impressive, but you are even worse."

"Does the Holy Church not test their executors at all?" If they were accepting trash like this...

Noel winced. "You bitch...!" This was exactly what she had expected from a demon.

Sure, she wasn't a Dead Apostle, but she was still filth. Just a different flavor of it.

Yuta pinched his nose. "Oh boy..." It was probably about time he intervened, but Noel was a complicated mess to deal with as ever. "Noel-Sensei, please don't fight Akiha." Not even because Akiha would win.

But because she was a teenager! Noel was getting humiliated by a teenager!

Noel glared at him. "And there it is, that pity filled look of yours! You think I'm pathetic, don't you? And you don't even try to hide it. You must think it's hilarious to pull that seductor routine on me."

"It's not that I think you're pathetic..." He did make tons of jokes about her, didn't he? "It's that I think you're lost, and that you know that." In a way this had all been coming for a while.

He knew it ever since that day where they talked inside her apartment, or perhaps even earlier than that. There was no denying that a aura of sadness surrounded his teacher, even the stupidest man in the world would have been able to notice it.

He continued. "Which is why I'm hoping you will get yourself back together..." He put a hand on her shoulder. "If you need a break just like Ciel did, just ask it. I can fill in for both of you." At least with Akiha here.

The executor slapped his hand away. "I don't need your pity." She needed it, and she hated herself for it. "Lost? I'm the only one here who actually has her priorities straight." Did she? She just refused taking a break from this awful job to win an argument.

To her surprise, Yuta smiled. "Welp, if you wanna keep working, that's fine by me. Since we dealt with the last warehouse, I'm gonna be pretty lost from now on." Or at least the last warehouse they knew of.

Noel slowly tilted her head. "That's... it?" No more comments trying to defend himself from being a monster?

He gave her a thumps up. "That's it." There was no point in trying to scold her or whatever, it would only make things worse.

In the end all he could do was keep offering her his support when he was available. Like when he had promised to kill Roa, or when he cleaned her apartment, or when invited her to the beach. Noel probably wouldn't just change suddenly one day.

The woman crossed her arms. "G-good." She didn't expect this...

She actually got away with all that!? Yuta didn't even give her a scare!? She knew he wasn't like the rest of the Holy Church, but she expected more of a brat who suddenly became God's favorite boy. She knew she would have done more with that power at least...

"Akiha is still pissed though, you should watch out for her."

"You will pay for this insult." Ah.