Chapter 691 - 691: [691] : Watch Your Step, Sister—That's a Cliff

Griselda Quarta.

Now that was a familiar surname.

Standing in the hallway outside the living room, Bokue and Rias exchanged a glance. Because they had exactly one other "Quarta" in their circle: Xenovia. Xenovia Quarta.

Combined with Sona's briefing yesterday about a nun arriving from Heaven, plus Griselda's own self-introduction and the fact that she'd asked for Xenovia by name, the math was straightforward.

"Forgive me for asking, but are you Xenovia's...?"

Rias left the question open, her tone tentative.

The voluptuous nun shared Xenovia's surname and was clearly older, though "older" here was relative. Griselda's face was strikingly youthful. Judged purely by features, she could pass for twenty-seven or twenty-eight at most.

But the energy she projected was worlds apart from Xenovia's still-in-school girlishness. Where Xenovia was blunt edges and raw power, Griselda was warmth, patience, and the kind of gentle authority that made you want to confess your sins even if you hadn't committed any.

In a word: maternal.

"If I had to describe it, I suppose 'adopted older sister' would be closest."

Griselda tilted her head with a smile.

"I looked after Xenovia for a time when she was growing up in the Church. Half guardian, you could say."

"Oh, I see..."

Rias's eyebrows rose.

Griselda's expression softened further. "So, about Xenovia..."

"Oh! She's in the living room right now."

Rias caught on and stepped aside with a welcoming gesture.

"Please, come in. Since we have the meeting tonight, most of our people are already here."

"Wonderful. Thank you."

Griselda followed the red-haired girl inside.

But when the three of them rounded the corner into the living room, the scene waiting for them made Bokue's eyebrow climb.

Irina, who had been sitting primly on the sofa mere seconds ago, was now draped over the armrest, her upper body hanging off the side, head angled downward. She appeared to be whispering urgently at something on the floor.

"Come on, Xenovia, get up! I think someone just came in~"

"No. I'm staying here. And Irina, you're literally pointing an arrow at my location right now..."

What is this, a conversation with Plankton? At that height, she had to be talking to someone on the floor behind the sofa.

Curiosity got the better of him. Bokue leaned sideways to peek around the armrest.

There she was. The blue-haired, greatsword-wielding holy sword user was crouched on the floor behind the sofa's arm, knees drawn to her chest, arms wrapped around her shins, wedged into the gap between the furniture and the wall like she was trying to become part of the architecture.

From the living room entrance, the sofa's armrest would've blocked the view. But take two steps in any direction and the illusion shattered instantly. Xenovia was 166 centimeters tall with long legs and a generous chest. No amount of determined curling could compress her into a space that small.

"It's been a while, Irina."

A familiar voice from behind made Irina's twintails bounce. She scrambled upright, spun around, and her face lit up.

"That voice— Griselda-nee!"

"Urk!"

The instant Irina abandoned her post and threw herself at Griselda in a full-body tackle hug, a strangled groan of despair rose from behind the sofa.

"Wahhh~ I can't believe it's you! I'm so happy!"

Irina squeezed the voluptuous nun tight and nuzzled against her with unabashed enthusiasm, then turned to Bokue and Rias.

"Oh right, I never mentioned this! Griselda-nee was actually my direct superior back when I was with the Church."

"That's right."

Griselda stroked the girl's head with a tender smile.

"So when I heard you'd left the Church, I was quite shocked, you know. But Lady Gabriel told me that Lord Michael had confirmed you were doing well here on Itogami Island, and that you hadn't abandoned the Church's principles. That put my mind at ease."

"Ahaha, well, about that..."

Irina laughed awkwardly.

Griselda didn't press. She gave the twintailed girl's head one more affectionate pat, then raised her gaze to scan the room.

"Now then—where's Xenovia?"

"Huh? Oh, she was just here a second ago..."

Rias blinked, genuinely puzzled.

"As for Xenovia..."

Irina winced, her eyes drifting toward the sofa corner.

But before she could say anything, a shock of blue hair rose above the armrest. Then Xenovia's entire body followed, unfolding from her hiding spot. She stood, squared her shoulders, cleared her throat, and brushed off her uniform as if absolutely nothing unusual had just occurred.

"D-don't bother looking. I'm right here."

"Xenovia!"

Rias stared.

"Why were you sitting on the floor?"

"It's... nothing."

Xenovia coughed, mumbling something about dropping her phone and needing to lean down to retrieve it.

You don't need to wedge your entire body behind the furniture to pick up a phone. That excuse wouldn't fool a toddler.

Bokue kept the thought to himself.

Griselda, however, was considerably more direct.

The voluptuous nun crossed the room in three strides, rounded the sofa, and seized both of Xenovia's cheeks between her fingers. She squeezed.

"Xenovia. I believe I taught you that lying is a sin."

"Ngh..."

"Were you trying to avoid me?"

"That's not... it's just..."

With her cheeks pinched, Xenovia's words came out slurred and muffled.

"Just?"

Griselda gave her zero breathing room, each question landing before the last answer was fully formed.

The transformation was swift. In the space of ten seconds, Xenovia went from "playing it cool" to "head slowly drooping" to "scolded elementary schooler standing in front of the teacher's desk."

"I'm... sorry for not answering your call..."

"Huh?"

Irina's eyes went wide.

Griselda-nee had called Xenovia ahead of time?

Oh—wait. Now that she thought about it, yesterday afternoon right after class, someone had called Xenovia's phone. A European number, too. And Xenovia had shoved it into her bag without answering.

So that's what that was about.

"Good. That's more like it."

The interrogation pressure evaporated the instant Xenovia apologized, and Griselda's expression melted back into its default state of maternal warmth.

"Since we're all together again, why don't the three of us go get dinner afterward? You too, Irina."

"Mm-hm..."

Xenovia offered zero resistance.

Then Griselda turned her gaze toward Bokue, who'd been watching the entire spectacle from the doorway without saying a word.

"I'd love it if you'd join us as well, Keikain-san. Both Lady Gabriel and I have heard quite a bit about you from Lord Michael. I have to admit, I'm very curious~"

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