Cursed Inheritance (DxD x COTE)

9) Unknowns

Kiyotaka’s Point of View.

The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, bathing the room in a warm and silent glow. I opened my eyes slowly, feeling the weight of a warm body beside me.

Hinata was wrapped around me, completely asleep. Her breathing was calm, steady, and a small line of drool slid down the corner of her lips as her cheek rested against my chest. For a moment, I just watched her. Her expression was so peaceful that it was hard to associate her with the Hinata I knew from yesterday—the one who could unleash a storm with a single strike.

“Cute…” I thought, unable to stop a faint smile.

I gently stroked her hair, trying not to wake her, and sat up slightly. The silence of the room was broken only by the soft rhythm of her breathing. For a second, everything seemed perfect. Too perfect.

My mind slowly returned to reality.

“It’s strange…” I thought as I stretched a little, staring at the ceiling. “By now I should’ve received some kind of signal from Issei.”

I reached for the small talisman resting on my nightstand. It was the counterpart of an emergency seal, one I had personally given to Issei before his mission. A single thought would activate it and call me in case of danger.

But the talisman remained inert. Not a single crack. Not the slightest change.

“Did everything go well?”

I sat up a bit more, watching the sunlight spill across the wooden floor. If Issei hadn’t used the talisman, it meant things hadn’t gone too far. Perhaps… he had managed to handle it himself.

“If he followed my instructions…” I mused, “he must have reached an agreement with Ddraig. Giving up part of his body, accepting his draconic heritage…”

My gaze drifted toward the window. The reflection in the glass showed a calm face, though my mind was still calculating.

“Becoming part dragon isn’t a small sacrifice… but if he did, his power must’ve increased significantly. And if neither he nor Rias have contacted me so far, it means they’re alive. That everything is under control.”

I felt a slight movement beside me. Hinata stirred beneath the sheets, hugging me tighter, as if trying to stop me from getting up.

Hinata: Mmm… Kiyo…

She murmured sleepily, barely audible.

I smiled again. There was no point in disturbing her peace with my worries. I stayed still, letting her breathing fall back in sync with mine.

For now… I could allow myself this small moment of peace.

---

The aroma of freshly made breakfast filled the dining hall. The girls’ voices mixed with laughter, lighthearted chatter, and the warm sense of a routine that, in a way, already belonged to them.

Hinata walked beside me, immaculate as always, her hair still damp from the shower and her expression calm, betraying nothing of the previous night. We descended the stairs together, and as soon as we crossed the dining room door, the noise stopped for a second.

Sato: Well, well…

Sato smiled with a mix of mischief and annoyance as she set a tray on the table.

Sato: I heard you two went on a date.

Hinata blinked, trying to keep her composure, though a faint blush colored her cheeks.

Kiyotaka: Who told you that?