DxD: I Sealed Sukuna’s Finger, Now They Want My Number

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Since they still had to get home and cook lunch, time was a little tight. So once the shopping was done, Bokue and the girls headed straight back.

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Scene shift.

The bus engine rumbled to life as it pulled away from the station, stirring up a thin layer of dust. Three figures, loaded with bags, stepped off and onto the sidewalk beneath their apartment complex.

"Finally back. Damn, it's hot out today."

The second she stepped off the bus, Nagisa couldn't help but bounce in place twice—trying to shake off the stiffness after sitting still for half an hour.

Her shopping bags looked modest enough. Not too heavy, and they didn't seem overstuffed at all.

But that was only because the first bag had already been packed to the brim, forcing her to start a second one.

As for the bulk of the haul?

Bokue was carrying all of it.

"Ahaha~ I guess I might've gotten a little~ carried away again. Sorry for making you carry so much, Big Bro."

Nagisa stuck out her tongue cutely at Bokue, then turned toward her friend who had just gotten off the bus behind her.

"Hey Yukina-chan, wanna come over for lunch today? I bought way too much stuff, and it'll go bad if we don't cook it soon."

"Huh…"

Yukina glanced at her own bag, which wasn't much smaller than the ones Bokue held.

"I actually bought quite a bit too. I need to get it all sorted and into the fridge as soon as I get home…"

"Aww, yeah, okay. Then maybe dinner instead."

Nagisa didn't push. It wasn't like she absolutely needed Yukina to stay for lunch.

Her original plan? Invite Yukina over under the pretense of lunch, then rope her into staying for a nap. Two girls sharing a bed wouldn't raise any suspicion. Once Yukina fell asleep, she'd sneak out to the living room and start going at it with Big Bro.

Ideally, she'd time it just right so that when Yukina woke up and walked out—bam!

She'd get to witness a full-on, mind-melting scene right there on the sofa.

Hell, if everything lined up perfectly, Yukina might walk out just as Nagisa was getting taken for a wild ride on the peak of ecstasy.

Then all she'd need to do was go, "Yukina~ come join us~" and…

Yeah. That was the dream.

But alas… plans change.

Or maybe this was a blessing in disguise. Who said that was her only shot? She could come up with a new tactic later.

Either way—one thing at a time. Hehe~

While the gears turned noisily in the True Ancestor girl's head, Yukina remained completely oblivious to the scheming going on right beside her.

With each person harboring their own thoughts, the three of them entered the apartment building and took the elevator up.

Ding—

The soft chime sounded as the elevator reached their floor, and the doors slowly slid open. Yukina, as usual, took the lead with her bag in hand.

But the very next second, she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Eh…?"

She blinked, staring in disbelief.

"What is it?"

Bokue stepped out after her—only to freeze just like Yukina did.

Because right in front of the apartment next to Nagisa's—which happened to be the one he and Yukina were currently living in—there were two lions.

Yes. Lions.

There was a moment of brain lag. Bokue felt like he'd just dropped into a slice-of-life sitcom and accidentally run into Frieza...

Wait—was there even a zoo on this island? And if there was, why the hell were lions chilling in the hallway of a residential building?

Before he could wrap his head around it, the two lions slowly rose and began walking toward them.

Not charging—just a calm, deliberate saunter.

That's when he noticed: these weren't real lions.

They had lion-like shapes, sure, but their entire bodies shimmered with a metallic sheen. One gold, one silver. Even their eyes looked like they were made from molten metal.

…Familiar beasts? No, more like shikigami?

Bokue narrowed his eyes, ready to act—until Yukina quickly reached out and tugged on his sleeve.

"It's okay, Bokue-senpai. Those are messenger shikigami from the Lion King Agency. They're non-aggressive."

"You sure about that?"

The words had barely left his mouth when—

THUD.

The heavy footfalls of apex predators suddenly echoed down the corridor.

Yukina spun around in alarm.

The gold and silver lions had broken into a full-on sprint—roaring as they charged straight at them with fangs bared.

"What the—?!"

She couldn't believe it.

Those were definitely official shikigami from the Lion King Organization. They weren't supposed to be able to attack anyone.

"Step back."

Bokue calmly stepped forward. A tidal wave of golden energy exploded outward.

And just like that—

The two shikigami were shredded on the spot, disintegrating into glittering fragments of light and ash.

As the aura faded, a single black envelope fluttered down from midair.

Bokue caught it with one hand. "What is this?"

He turned it over.

Given the lions had been coming straight for them, this letter had to be meant for them too.

No sender name, though.

Only a silver wax seal holding it shut—stamped with an emblem of two serpents coiled around each other.

The design might've meant something. But Bokue had no idea what it was.

"Wait… could that be—" Yukina's voice cut in.

While Bokue stared blankly at the seal, Yukina's eyes lit up in recognition. He handed the letter to her.

"You know this symbol?"

"I… think so." Yukina took the envelope and examined it closely.

"No doubt about it. This is the seal of the Principality of Ardeal. One of the autonomous regions under the Lost Warlord Domain."

"Ah…"

Now that made sense. Bokue turned to Nagisa, who had just exited the elevator.

"Looks like it's for you."

"Huh? What's it say?" Nagisa tilted her head curiously.

After getting her okay, Yukina broke the seal and pulled out the letter.

"'To the esteemed Miss Fourth Progenitor: You are formally invited to attend the Lost Warlord Domain's evening banquet aboard the luxury cruise ship Oceanus Grave, docked at the port of Itogami Island. Tomorrow. 7 p.m.' Signed—Dimitrie Vatler."

"…Who the hell is that?"

Bokue blinked.

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