Guardian of My Heart

Chapter 25: The Science of Love

Iruma's POV:

I awoke to the warmth of the comfortable blankets surrounding me, my body giving off an involuntary purr as I snuggled into the bed further. I would have loved to stay that way for a while, away from the rest of the world safe in my own bed. Alas, the rumbling in my stomach was stronger than my desire to remain asleep. So, I resolved to begin the day properly. Things were pretty normal all things considered; My uniform felt the same, Mom's food was delicious, Grandpa was jovial. But the lingering conversation Ruin had initiated at this table the night before weighed on us all. I trusted that he was keeping my best interests at heart, considering he would be harmed if I was harmed. But I still had some trouble fully believing him. Kirio didn't seem like a bad person to me, in fact he reminded me a lot of how I was around other people. He was nervous, shy, soft-spoken, and did his best to stay out of the way of others. Ruin said it felt like he was acting, and maybe it was. But I couldn't put much blame on his shoulders. I was all too familiar with putting on a good act for my peers. Mom's voice broke me out of my train of thought. "Remember, Iruma, you're going to be joining the Magical Apparatus Battler. Even though this is more so an undercover observation, you should still make sure to treat these Battler meetings properly and try to actually utilize your Battler to improve your rank." I gave a swift nod, making sure to wash down my own nerves and doubts with a quick swig of water. "Right, of course!" Mom gave me a reassuring hug on the way out. "You just have fun. Ruin, I'm trusting you to be on observation duty, but please, let the staff and Student Council deal with the situation should things turn physical."

If we're in danger, all bets are off. "He says he'll be on his best behavior." Part of me wondered whether Professor Balam's bloodline ability would count that as a lie or not, but thankfully Mom decided to send us off to school without prodding me. Their face remained expressionless as we waved goodbye to each other, but just before I lost sight of them, I noticed their ears fold down slightly as a look of stone crossed their face and their eyes narrowed slightly. Not wanting to be late for class, however, I continued on my trek to school. Despite absolutely loving the ability to fly, I would often walk to school. Not a lot of demons chose to walk to Babyls, meaning that the paths were clear, and I was free to be left alone in my thoughts. It was a luxury I think many demons take for granted. I'm sure Professor Kalego would agree with me at least. Best to keep that to yourself for now. "Goodmorning, Iruma!" "Iruma-chi!" I smiled as my best friends ran up to join me for my morning walk. "Hey guys! Glad you could make it." As we walked, I made sure to text Ameri about Ruin's suspicions of Kirio and that I'd be joining his Battler. We wouldn't be visiting homeroom today, so telling Kalego wasn't something I'd be able to take care of until tomorrow. Although, it's entirely possible that Mom could have contacted him already. "What's a Magical Apparatus Iruma-chi?" I pulled my phone back before Clara had a chance to read my messages any further. "Uh, well, they're um . . ." "Stupid Clara! Magical Apparatuses are devices capable of producing and amplifying magic for demons who lack the natural mana reserves for more powerful spells. You'd know this if you studied those history sections on the Abyssal War against the Nephilim Kalego assigned two weeks ago!" "What's a Nefalm?" "Ugh!"

I just rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment as Azz and Clara bickered back and forth. Eventually, Azz composed himself and turned to address me. "So, are you planning on joining the Magical Apparatus Battler, Iruma?" "Um . . . yeah. I still have a lot to learn about magic, but I'm decent at working with machines." It has been a few years though. Does trying to disable an eclectic collar count as working on a machine? Actually no, I'd rather not think about that. I felt Clara's hands grab my own, and the sad look in her eyes made me realize that I had been rubbing the nearly healed scar around my neck without knowing it. "Heh, sorry to worry you. Old habits die hard I guess!" My poor attempt at a joke seemed to have the opposite of my intended effect. "It shouldn't have to be a habit, Iruma-chi! It's not fair!" "Hey, it's okay. Really! I'm fine now. I've got family looking out for me, through blood and through bond. Mom, Grandpa, Balam, Kalego, Henri, Ameri, Sabnock . . ." I pulled Azz into the hug, not noticing he had already begun to move closer. "And especially you two. My best friend, and my boyfriend." The both of them blushed heavily at that, but the hug was nice regardless. As we made our way through the halls of Babyls, Azz and Clara suddenly let go of my hands. "Guys? Where are you going?" "Apologies, Iruma. Clara and I have some business we need to discuss with the Student Council briefly. We will join you at lunch and to the Magical Apparatus Battler room thereafter. Be sure to send Kirio Senpai our Regards!" "Oh. Okay then! Tell Ameri I said hi!"