The Fallen Dragon (DxD)

Chapter 10: Serpent

In the quiet of the Norwegian night, Issei lay on the couch, lost in his thoughts, contemplating the potential Longinus he was about to discover. Meanwhile, Rossweisse, lying on the bed, found her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Issei.

Observing his peculiar behaviour, Rossweisse pondered, "The way he acts is so different; if I ask him, will he answer?"

Summoning her courage, she called out to him, breaking the silence, "Hey, Issei."

"Hm? What's up?" he responded, turning his attention to her.

Selecting her words thoughtfully, Rossweisse ventured, "Issei, I've been carefully observing your interactions, and I've noticed a distinct change in your demeanor when we're together compared to your interactions with others. There's a subtle detachment and reserve that emerges in those moments."

"By others, you mean Rias and the rest, right?" Issei asked, seeking clarification.

"Yeah," Rossweisse confirmed.

Issei contemplated for a moment before admitting, "I guess I'm more open around you as opposed to the others."

Curious, Rossweisse probed further, "Oh, is it just me?"

"No, not really," Issei replied. "There's Azazel, Ddraig, Ravel, and you."

A sense of understanding settled between them. Rossweisse, her curiosity piqued, asked with genuine concern, "Will there come a time when you can truly forgive them, Rias and the others?"

Issei fell into a thoughtful silence, causing Rossweisse to grow slightly nervous, the weight of his unspoken words hanging in the air.

A few moments passed in tense silence before Issei found his voice.

"Did you also see my memories through Azazel?" he asked, his eyes searching for answers.

Rossweisse, her expression serious, replied, "If we're talking about that day when you confronted the Devil trio outside the ORC clubhouse, I was there. I witnessed the whole thing."

Issei's frustration bubbled beneath the surface, evident in his grumbled response, "Who else saw aside from the ORC and yourself?"

"Including me, Sirzechs, Grayfia, Zeoticus, and Venelana," Rossweisse answered, her voice steady despite the weight of the revelation.

Internally seething, Issei couldn't help but lament in his thoughts, "For fuck's sake, why does almost everyone I know have front-row seats to one of the most pathetic scenes in my life?" He rubbed his face in agony, grappling with the painful memories.

Taking a deep breath, Rossweisse listened intently as Issei began to explain his perspective. "When that attack occurred," he started, "from my perspective, it seemed as if Rias and the others were the ones who orchestrated that assault against me."

Rossweisse's eyes widened in shock, but she kept silent, urging Issei to continue before jumping to conclusions.

"At that moment," Issei continued, his voice shaking with the weight of his revelation, "I couldn't fathom why such thoughts crossed my mind, but I suppose it stemmed from the trauma inflicted by Raynare. It seemed as though my role within the ORC and Team Gremory had become dispensable, prompting their decision to eliminate me."

His words hung in the air, heavy with betrayal and confusion. "Pleading with Rias to resurrect Asia and appointing her as Rias's bishop, saving Rias from her forced marriage, and actively participating in foiling Kokabiel's bid to incite another Great War—these actions contributed to the establishment of peace among the three biblical factions and the forging of alliances with other pantheons, such as the Norse. It was reminiscent of how Raynare manipulated me, drawing close, only to ultimately end my life when I no longer served a purpose. The sense of betrayal I experienced in that moment far surpassed what I had felt with Raynare; I began to doubt them and their professed feelings to the extent that my hatred for them grew immensely."