Non Serviam: Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Your Guardian Angel

“I need your help,” I said.

Mittelt’s gaze tracked to my right, before a smirk broke across her face. “My help.”

At my side, Rias pouted audibly. “Mouu! Taylor!” She stomped a foot. “Just because I didn’t agree with you doesn’t mean I won’t help.”

“Of course,” I replied.

After Riser and Diodora had left, I’d immediately spoken with Rias. Diodora Astaroth and the nun at his back had twigged my intuition, but without evidence, Rias had informed me that she couldn’t exclude him from her territory after she just invited him to spectate the rating game school. I’d suspected that invite was the entire reason for the visit, and that Diodora’s offer at the end was a careless overstep. I had no interest in turning Asia over to another devil.

Which is also about when I’d realized that Mittelt had vanished the moment the summoning circle appeared in the room, only to return with a knowing smile after. So I decided to recruit her, once again.

Rias sighed. “I’ll make sure you and Asia are protected. We have a lot of powerful retainers in town, you know! Diodora’s no Kokabiel.”

Mittelt shrugged. “It’s true. Lord Kokabiel would smear that rat bastard with a flick of his wrist.” She pressed herself into my side. “But tell me more about what you need, lovely.”

I caught her wrist before she could start pawing at my sternum. “First, rat bastard?” I asked. “Rias gave me the impression that Diodora was well respected in the underworld.”

Mittel sniffed. “Not to disparage the underworld.”

Rias huffed, arms crossed. “You could sound less sarcastic…”

“But after…‘taking in’ the local scene, I’ve discovered what devil men find impressive, and the list is not particularly ‘long’.”

I sighed at the blatant double entendres. “Your point?”

Mittelt giggled, squirming playfully in my grip. “Like I said, devils have almost no imagination, which means they miss things.”

“No imagination?” Rias frowned playfully. “I am plenty imaginative, thank you very much.”

Mittelt flapped her free hand at Rias. “You picked the rarest combination of hair and eye color, darling, but rarity doesn’t earn artistic merit.”

Rias’s frown turned a shade confused. “I didn’t pick my hair color. Gremorys have red hair.”

“And you wonder why I don’t respect your imagination,” Mittelt replied.

“What does my appearance have to do with that?” Rias asked.

“We’re getting off topic.” I picked up the fallen Angel by the shoulders and set her down a step away. “Mittelt just has a complex about devils’ appearances.”

“If you make light of my clear and valid concerns,” Mittelt said, “I’ll make you regret it.”

“Your information about Diodora.” I turned my head. “Now.”

“Oho, I like that look.” Mittelt smirked. “And while I was never high enough in the fallen to get access to our best intelligence reports, Diodora’s nun fetish was something even I heard about.”

I turned back to Rias and pointed at the fallen angel. “You don’t think the nun fetishist asking about Sister Asia is something to worry about?”

“Taylor, unlike me, most devils have a much more mercenary relationship with members of their peerage,” Rias said. “It’s not unusual to trade newer members, or ones that aren’t fitting in with your established dynamic.”

“And I have a whole host of problems with that.” I took a step forward. “But before I can worry about the system, I have to make sure Asia doesn’t get kidnapped. If you can come up with a reason to keep Diodora far away from her, that’s great. Otherwise, I’m going to ask you to let me do my own thing.”

Rias looked at me for a moment, then sighed. “I trust you, Taylor,” she said. “I’ll let my people know about our suspicions. But also, a bit of talent sniping between peerages is part of the game.” She wrinkled her nose. “I hate that even more than you, but I can’t kick another member of the 72 pillars out of my territory on those suspicions alone. Not without giving him a better way to weasel back in.”

“You do that,” I replied. “And I’ll—”

A knock at the door cut me off. Akeno and the others came back into the room with what remained of their snacks. Koneko had a fresh crepe in each hand.

“We’re back, Prez.” Akeno shot me a suspicious glance before returning to her mistress’s side. “My, did something unfortunate happen?”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Asia’s eyes flash around the room.

“Of course not,” I said. I smiled at Asia. “How was your adventure?”

She brightened immediately. “It was great! I uh—”

Gaspar tittered behind a hand. “Someone got you a present.”

Asia gasped. “Gaspar! I—”

“A present?” I slipped closer and ignored the knowing glance Rias and Akeno shared. “For me?”

Asia nodded, digging the toe of her buckled shoe into the floor. “I…thought you’d really like the crepes so…” She presented a wrapped treat from behind her back, holding it out like an offering.

I laughed. “It looks almost as sweet as you.”

Asia blinked, shifting in the face of the compliment.

I took the crepe. A tingle of warmth ran up my fingers, and for a moment, I became aware of the Psalm of Beelzebub in my pocket. I covered a moment of surprise with a bite of the wrap. I still wasn’t used to Japanese, but this one was excellent.

The book, on the other hand, had been taking all too much pleasure from flipping people to my side…

“Thank you, Asia.” I smiled at her. “I’m glad you had fun. Your happiness means a lot to me.”

Asia nodded several times, unwilling to make eye contact. I sighed internally; perhaps a bit too strong. I wanted to make sure Rias and Mittelt kept our discussion to ourselves for the moment.

Mittelt torpedoed that plan immediately. “We were just talking about you, Asia.”

“…You were?” Asia peeked up through her fringe.

I turned around with a venomous glare. It did nothing.

“Yes.” Mittelt slipped around me, trailing a finger down the sleeve of Asia’s habit. “I was telling her how we all need new clothes.”

I rubbed my face. “I don’t need—”

“I can see your ankles,” Mittelt said. “And those are dress pants.”

I glanced down.

Akeno laughed behind me. “It seems someone hit her growth spurt.”

“Better up than out, I think,” I replied.

Koneko stepped forward, staring up at me with accusing yellow eyes. “Stolen height.”

My mouth dropped open.

Mittelt smiled and leaned towards Asia’s ear. “Don’t you want to see Taylor in some pretty clothes at the mall?”

Asia seemed torn, for a bare moment, between the sin of excess and spending time with me, until Mittelt mentioned the mall.

“Kuoh has a mall?” Asia turned toward me, eyes sparkling. “…Can we?”

Behind her, Mittelt’s smile lengthened into a smirk. She mouthed ‘Payment’.

I turned a groan into a laugh. “If I had a nickel for every time a blonde blackmailed me into buying chic new clothes…”

“You’d have a million dollars?” Rias asked.

“No, I’d only have two nickels,” I replied. “But it’s weird that it happened twice.”

“If you say so.” Mittelt held out a hand. “Shall we?”

I looked over my shoulder. “Rias?”

She brushed us indulgently towards the door. “Go, go. I’ll handle everything else.”

Asia pressed against my side like a magnet, and Mittelt wrapped herself around my other arm to counterbalance. I held in my seventieth sigh of the day and let them drag me out the door. Asia, I had begun to realize, was one of those people who only grew more energetic the more social interaction she had. Even though Gaspar had looked ready for a nap after their trip, Asia was brighter than ever, practically skipping down the stairs as she went over everything she’d seen between Kuoh High and the secret crepe stand.

At the door, she paused. “Oh, Taylor?” she asked.

“Yes?”

“What’s black mail?”

Mittelt snickered into my sleeve.

“It means Mittelt convinced me using less than honorable means,” I replied.

Asia frowned. “Isn’t that…bad?”

“Yes, but that’s a fallen angel for you.”

Mittelt huffed. “Racist.”

Asia seemed to struggle with that information, glancing around me to look at Mittelt. Her gaze looked almost…hopeful.

Mittelt sighed, looking up at the sky as we exited the building. “You may ask, child.”

I was about to bristle at that, but Asia replied immediately. “What was heaven like?”

“It is more than your silly little priests and cardinals could ever express,” Mittelt replied. Her voice was oddly flat.

Asia nodded seriously, and I found myself drifting back to call for a ride even as the two began to talk more seriously. “Then why did you—” Asia caught herself. “I’m sorry, asking that is probably…very rude.”

Mittelt laughed. “A sister, offering courtesy to a fallen angel? It’s been a while since I’ve seen one of you.”

Asia tilted her head. “Everyone deserves…to be heard. God teaches that all things can be forgiven.”

Mittelt’s face went flat. “That’s only true for you little girl.” She stepped forward, dark wings flaring out of her back. “His favorite children. So beloved that he should give his only son so that your sins could be…forgiven.”

I took a step forward, and Mittelt glanced at me. “Don’t worry, boss. I got over my anger centuries ago.” Then to Asia, “You want to know why I left? I took something I was sent to destroy, because I wanted it in my heart. My wings turned black and I fell from the sky, and no forgiveness was offered either then or hence.”

“I’m sorry,” Asia said. She stepped forward, which sent Mittelt leaning backwards with her eyes fluttering rapidly. Mittelt’s face twisted, into something sharp and hurt, and she made to speak.

But Asia only took the fallen angel’s hands in her own. “That’s not fair to you. I have sinned so many times, even before I was…” Asia swallowed. “I was excommunicated. No…no one should be judged by their weakest moment. And I’m sorry.” I saw her green eyes grow blurry with tears. “I can only hope that you are here for a reason, even if I know that’s selfish!”

Mittelt looked away, clutching at the tattered remains of her detachment. “I don’t need Theodicy from a nun.”

“Okay,” Asia said. “I…could I hug you now?”

“What?”

“I don’t…really understand when it’s okay to hug people. But I like hugs a lot!” Asia said. “So I want to give you one.”

Mittelt shot a look at me. I smirked. She planted her hands on her hips diffidently, looking away. “I hardly think—” she began.

With the barest breath, I whispered, “scared?” Asia didn’t hear it, couldn’t hear it. But Mittelt? She whipped around, eyes glaring. I smiled unrepentantly.

Mittelt turned back to Asia with a huff. “Will it make you less insufferable?”

Asia shifted. “If you don’t want a hug, that’s okay, Miss Mittelt.”

“No, please, hug away.” Mittelt spread her arms. “I insist.”

Asia smiled shyly. Mittelt frowned. “Well? I’m—” She grunted when Asia glomped onto her with an audible pamph.

The fallen stood, cold and distant as she could. Her arms were spread wide, wings spread wider. She most emphatically didn’t hug back. The whole time, she glared at me over the top of Asia’s head like I’d personally cast her down from the pearly gates.

Asia didn’t mind, of course. She just wrapped her arms tighter around the fallen angel’s middle and squeezed for all she could. Mittelt made no move to escape. She seemed content to stay there until the second coming. No doubt she would have attempted it, if Asia wasn’t just as contented. Asia had buried her face in the crook of Mittelt’s neck, and she was giving every inch of herself into the hug.

It was some minutes before a maid could bring around a car, Rias preferred to play at being a normal girl. I smiled at Letty as she got out and opened the back door for her passengers.

“Miss Taylor,” the woman whispered. Today, her hair had been pulled high into a needle straight ponytail. “Were we going somewhere?”

“Give it a minute,” I replied. Letticia raised a single eyebrow at the display, but she was too refined to make any other remark.

Asia didn’t notice.

I let Mittelt glare at me, arms folded behind my back. Eventually, she rolled her eyes, huffed, and draped a single wing across Asia’s shoulders.

Asia pulled back and smiled. “So warm.”

“Hmph.” Mittelt looked away. “What’s a bit of body heat shared between apostates?” No doubt she meant it as an insult, but Asia just ducked back in for another hug.

“If I can be forgiven, you can too,” Asia murmured into Mittelt’s dress. “I know it!” Then she stepped back.

It took Mittelt a moment to pull back her wing.

Asia turned and saw the new arrival. “Hi, Miss Letty!”

Letticia inclined her head. “Miss Argento. It is a delight to be your driver for the evening.” Asia giggled and all but skipped towards the car. At the last moment, seemingly on impulse, she darted to the side and squeezed Letticia around the middle. The devil blinked before resting on hand gently on Asia’s head. Then the girl darted into the car before anyone could say a word.

I made to follow, but Mittelt caught my wrist after a single step.

“I,” she said, “am going to put you in the sexiest, most utterly heartbreaking badgirl aesthetic you mortals have ever dreamed of. And you will pay for all of it.”

I smiled. “I don’t have any money.”

“Oh, believe me.” Mittelt smiled back. “You do.”