"What a good night to have a family dinner."
"The situation called for it, brother."
Kalego remembered that his brother once told him that, if he wanted to make a decision in a new field or in certain things that he had doubts about, he could talk to him without problems. And although the Narnia that he had in front of him now wasn't the same Narnia that he had seen as a child, he knew that at the end of the day he was his brother, of course, until he did anything bad or stupid directly against his students.
He needed his word of confirmation on an issue that he had had doubts about for a long time, and although he knew that he was someone capable of making decisions without problems, what was pending was an issue that indirectly involved his family.
And now, on that table, were three important demons. Kalego, Narnia and Momonoki; who was the special guest and the demon who was going to be the center of the conversation.
"It's nice to see you again little brother, seriously. Although I know you understand that my duties have been heavy since I had to take on new positions and I can't be at home much, your message about this being a family topic caught my attention."
"I'm glad you understood. And yes, it is a situation that involves our blood."
"And I see you brought a guest. Professor Morax Momonoki from Babyls, right? A pleasure to see you here."
Momonoki jumped a little in surprise upon hearing her name.
"G-good night Mr. Narnia." Momonoki said nervously since she was talking to one of the 13 crowns.
Kalego helped Momonoki to introduce her to his brother, who had had a different image since he took over one of the 13 crowns. He explained to her about his history and his achievements, in addition to being one of the most important members in the Naberius family now. While they were talking, the chef arrived with food ready for the three demons, high-quality food that Narnia and Kalego could order very easily thanks to their family being linked to the crowns.
They began to eat the freshly baked chicken, slowly enjoying the taste of the food as if it were the last dish they were going to eat. The aroma of the food made anyone instantly hungry, and none of the demons could deny that they were enjoying a feast at that moment.
"Ok, you can say that's what's going on. I'm all ears." Narnia said, knowing that the dinner had a special purpose.
"Alright. Momonoki, you have the word."
Once Kalego gave Momonoki the pass, she took a breath, preparing to speak.
"Well, the reason is that... let's say that Kalego and I were... dating as a couple for quite a while. You know that relationships in the Netherworld have a lot of value these days in big families like ours, and we understand this too. However... we haven't had any problems, he is probably the best man I could have ever met in my life, and he thinks the same as me, and therefore, we both made a decision. We want to take our relationship to another level... and we are going to get married."
"Ok?"
Narnia's response was direct, and unlike other members of Kalego's family, he didn't sound very surprised per se. Momonoki felt like she had said something wrong, but she continued talking.
"Now, I would like you to accept this marriage. Kalego told me how important you have been to his life and knowing that his response is important not only to me, but to Kalego especially, I wish that... you would accept the decision he makes with me."
Narnia continued eating, not expressing much emotion at the time. Compared to Momonoki, he seemed very calm. Once he finished eating his share of his chicken, he spoke again.
"Oh, it was only that?"
"I think you can see how important this is to me and all of us, so I wish you would say a proper response on this, brother." Kalego said.
Kalego had enough that his brother had something to do with certain incidents in Babyls, but he couldn't bear that on a topic as delicate as his marriage he responded in a very... disrespectful way. Protecting the dignity of his treasures was something he always prioritized, and he wasn't going to let his brother speak in a brusque manner in front of Momonoki who was trying very hard to tell her future dreams to him.
He felt like summoning Cerberus, until his brother decided to continue the conversation.
"Well, it's about time my little brother finally had a wife."
The answer surprised the couple. They thought he was going to be someone who was about to be against their relationship, but it turned out to be just the opposite.
"Look, I honestly thought it was a worrying issue like a smear against our family. But if it's something that will make not only you but our family happy and it doesn't result in something with unexpected or negative consequences, then I don't see anything wrong with accepting that both of you can be a couple of married demons. You could have told me this on the phone to save time, you know?"
Narnia's way of responding was nothing compared to the way Kalego always saw in his brother since he was a child. Always a lone wolf, almost without feelings, even at that moment where Kalego wanted him to have a clear opinion about his plans with Momonoki. However, the answer, although poorly expressed, was positive. That meant that all the Naberius accepted Kalego marrying Momonoki.
"And I'm glad at least that you marry a high-ranking demon from an important family in the Netheworld; besides, Momonoki, you seem like someone who genuinely loves my little brother. Kalego, I imagine that the whole family has already given the positive seal, including my uncle."
"Yes, only you were missing. And don't ask how I was able to summon him to talk to me."
It had been a great odyssey to talk to each member of the Naberius family. Kalego wanted everyone to know the value of the girl with whom he was going to form a new life, and he needed them to meet Momonoki, knowing that they had kept their relationship a secret for a long time. Everything had gone well, but when they learned that the last one to convince was Narnia, they thought they were going to have to have a big argument. They were somewhat afraid because at the end of the day, he was one of the 13 crowns; he indirectly had a greater range in family decisions now.
However, it seemed that everything had turned out well.
"Well, if you both want to live a life as a couple, who am I to stop it?" Narnia said, keeping his tone serious, but accepting the future Kalego wanted to take.
Kalego wasn't smiling, but at least he appreciated that his brother had considered Momonoki within the family. Narnia raised his glass of wine that he had poured himself at the beginning of dinner, inviting the two demons in front of him to toast.
That was where Narnia fixed his eyes on Momonoki, maintaining that empty and serious look, but already with a sure answer after everything he heard.
"Welcome aboard, Momonoki. I hope you are that girl who cheers up my little brother."
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Although one family had already safely confirmed their relationship and future marriage, now they had to face the other family who was even harder to convince.
Kalego thought that Momonoki was going to have problems talking to his family about their marriage, but everything turned out to be the opposite. The Morax, when they received the surprise that Momonoki was dating Kalego, had very mixed and surprising opinions. Some fainted at the news, others were shocked, while some celebrated Momonoki's achievement. It cost him an entire dinner and even personal outings with certain members of his girlfriend's family, but everyone was already accepting that Kalego was the right man for Momonoki.
Now, only the most key member was missing, Momonoki's grandfather, Professor Morax. He was practically one of the main heads of the family, so Kalego knew it was going to be a challenge to talk to him.
"So, this is my granddaughter's suitor. Naberius Kalego, what a big surprise. I thought you were only dedicated to reading and being serious with the students."
"I have different things I do to de-stress. Someone taught me that, although the important thing is to teach, sometimes you need some peace and fun to have balance in your life."
Just like they did with Narnia, Momonoki and Kalego arranged a small personal dinner with Morax. Same dishes, same elegance, but this time the one in front of the couple was a different demon with a unique personality and someone who did take the topic of marriage very seriously.
"I don't know what your intentions are with my granddaughter, Kalego, but you don't give me confidence."
Momonoki told him the story she had with Kalego during certain years, years where they kept their relationship a secret. She showed him certain gifts he gave her, told him about times when she enjoyed being with him, and even showed photos she took on her phone. Kalego wasn't one to love being in photos, but he knew how much she enjoyed it, so he always hung out at her side when he was available.
Morax wasn't convinced. He began interviewing Kalego, wanting to see if he was someone worthy of holding his granddaughter's hand. Although Kalego thought they were going to be simple questions to answer, Morax asked others that caught Kalego by surprise.
"What was her most notable achievement when she was in third grade?"
"How many hair styles did she had since she went to school?"
"What had been the first word she said when she was a baby?"
"What generation of her family taught her basic fire spells?"
"Who was the one that bought her first demon history book?"
Kalego knew about Momonoki's personal life, but not as precisely as his grandfather mentioned. In fact, he felt that, if there was a chance to answer those questions, he would sound like a stalker and it might bring him a bad image, so, in part, he was relieved to be left blank on those questions.
Still, it was going to be difficult for him to convince the most important member of his girlfriend's family. He could tell that Morax didn't accept that Momonoki was growing up.
"And tell me, are you someone who seriously thinks that can be with someone sweet like Momonoki? I know your resume Kalego, and you don't look like someone who has great affection for his loved ones."
"People have always had that perspective of me." Kalego said jokingly. "But I know what affection and appreciation is with someone. I know the value that certain demons have with me, demons that I would be able to protect with my life. Momonoki is one of them. You may see me as someone hostile, but she trusts me because she knows me. She knows how I've been with her since we met at Babyls, that's why we decided to start an adventure together. And now, we want to go further."
He had no way to contradict that point. Kalego was right. Momonoki never spoke negatively about him, plus it would make no sense for her to show discomfort with a boyfriend who treated her well. He remembered the photos she showed him on her phone and the small gifts she received from him to realize that Kalego really loved her. Even her granddaughter was smiling.
"You don't have the right image for my granddaughter. I know everything she likes; I know about aspects that you don't know. You haven't been able to answer everything I asked you. I don't know why you want to be with my granddaughter if you have zero knowledge of her."
"That's why I want you to give me the opportunity to marry her, to get to know her better and be a man who can continue with your goal, Morax. Your fear is big because of the affection you have for your granddaughter, I understand it, but I assure you that, even if we get married, you will continue to be that important person in Momonoki's life. This is not a request for her to leave her home permanently, but rather a request for us to form a new generation that will make us and her entire family happy. You are someone who will be part of our plans, because I understand that you have been the closest family member of your granddaughter, and I assure you that this will not ruin the family bond that you both have."
Morax expected Kalego to say something cold or selfish, but the words were very convincing and genuine.
"Damn it!" Morax didn't know how to respond to that. "No, I don't think you have the same goals as me. We worked together, but I... no, I promised that I would protect my granddaughter until the end after everything we went through, and I won't let her go with any man who could harm her..."
"I know how hard it is to make a decision, Morax." Kalego said keeping his composure. "But I assure you that since I know her, she has the same priority as my students. She is being honest with her words about how happy we are. And I think that you, as a Babyls teacher, know that we sacrifice ourselves for our treasures. And Momonoki... she is a special treasure for me, one that I plan to be with and love with all my life. So please, I ask you to place your trust in me so that we can have a good marriage."
Morax couldn't help but let out a few tears, which made Momonoki come over and hug him. Kalego continued sitting in his place, maintaining a calm and patient look. He understood Morax's position at that moment, so he accepted if he was going to take a while to respond.
"How come my granddaughter is already about to get married?"
"Aww grandpa, you know that in the end I will still be your granddaughter. Don't worry about it."
Their grandfather-granddaughter relationship was unique, there was no doubt about it. Morax remembered when as a child she always listened to his adventures, and she hid in his room when her parents scolded her for unsatisfactory school results. He was always that grandfather who cared for her with all his heart, and it was hard to think that Kalego was now going to take that role. However, Kalego's words were sincere and from the heart, just as he once told himself to protect his granddaughter from all danger.
Morax turned his gaze once more to Kalego, this time being more direct with him.
"You're not lying to me, are you?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Morax." Kalego said. "Momonoki's safety and happiness will be in my hands because I know how important she is to you and me. I assure you that I will take care of her and love her until the end of my days."
He knew that Kalego had never had the image of being someone who was lying or disrespectful. He always showed a dark, but elegant and sincere image in Babyls. He would never understand why his granddaughter fell in love with him, but he decided that she should continue with her future, because at the end of the day, she had to take new steps in her life. And furthermore, Kalego understood that Morax was an important person in Momonoki's life. He wasn't going to leave him out of their plans, because he knew that their grandfather-granddaughter relationship was something unbreakable.
He sighed deeply, before turning to his granddaughter and saying his response.
"Alright honey. I will accept the request of your... your... future husband." Morax found it difficult to say that word, there was no doubt about it.
Momonoki hugged his grandfather with happiness, and Morax couldn't help but cry lightly. The girl wiped away his tears, assuring him that everything was going to be okay, and that at the end of the day he would still be the grandfather she loved so much.
"Thank you very much for giving me your trust, Morax." Kalego said.
He waited a while for Morax to finish crying to receive another response from him. Once the old man wiped his tears, he turned his eyes towards him.
"However, I hope you don't dare to do anything inappropriate to my granddaughter, because if I found that you did something against her, I will personally take care of torturing you and making your life a nightmare. Don't you dare hurt her because I swear, I will be looking after you until the end of time."
"It won't happen, I assure you."
The three demons continued eating at the table, with Momonoki talking more to her grandfather about how she wanted to plan her wedding with Kalego. He listened to her attentively, even saying certain rules to prevent Kalego from doing something "strange" on that special day. However, Kalego knew that it wouldn't happen because he understood, like Morax, the importance of a marriage.
Momonoki and Kalego were happy. Their families had accepted their wedding, so they were already assured of a new future ahead of them. Their dream of being a happy family was coming true. Now only the most important thing was missing.
A wedding.