Chương 241: Heaven Realm
Before Eriri could answer, Gabriel was quick to respond.
"Nee-chan, I really like Eriri, and we're in a relationship," Gabriel declared firmly, wrapping her arms around Eriri in an embrace.
As she had resolved before, Gabriel had no intention of hiding her relationship with Eriri from her sister. And as for Eriri, hiding was not in her vocabulary; she met life head-on.
"That's right. I'm dating Gabriel," Eriri said, embracing Gabriel back and gently kissing her soft, pink lips.
They'd already kissed in front of Vignette before, but neither of them minded a repeat display. Though the kiss lasted only a few seconds, when they parted, a faint thread of silver connected their lips. This bold display left Zelel momentarily stunned.
Off to the side, Vignette couldn't help turning red again, transforming once more into a blushing mess. Despite having seen a more intense kiss earlier, she still couldn't suppress her shyness.
"Y-you two are really…bold," Zelel managed, blushing herself.
"I think it's fine. It's just a kiss, after all," Gabriel replied nonchalantly. By now, kisses with Eriri were as natural as greetings to her.
Zelel was taken aback by Gabriel's casual attitude, questioning if perhaps she was the one who was out of touch.
"Alright, I won't say much about it," Zelel sighed, regaining her composure. "Just make sure you're happy together." A touch of sadness lingered in her eyes, though she knew this was bound to happen eventually.
After a moment, she returned to her original question, "Gabriel, Eriri, could you tell me more about the other universes?"
Eriri had been planning to discuss the multiverse concept from the moment Vignette had first asked, so she explained everything to Zelel and Vignette, detailing the concept of a vast, interconnected multiverse and the system of power levels.
Both Zelel and Vignette were left awestruck, their horizons expanding by countless dimensions. Eriri continued, revealing her own true power level.
Naturally, hearing that Eriri held the strength to destroy an entire universe left both of them completely floored. Zelel began to see why Gabriel was so unconcerned about safety.
"But…how did you two even meet? I remember that day in the cafeteria; Gabriel left the school so suddenly," Vignette asked, her curiosity still burning.
Zelel nodded in agreement. "Yes, I'm curious about that, too."
"Well, that's thanks to a special chat group that connects people from across the multiverse."
At the mention of a chat group, Vignette perked up in excitement. "A chat group? Like a message board for chatting with a bunch of people? I had no idea something like that could connect entire universes. That's amazing!"
Having been in the human realm for over a month, Vignette was familiar with the concept of group chats, since she'd joined a class chat group organized by the other girls.
"Yes, exactly like that, though this particular group is alive," Eriri explained. "It has many useful functions, with the most basic ones including the ability to improve members' power and travel across the multiverse."
Eriri's explanation only made Zelel and Vignette yearn even more to be part of such an extraordinary group.
"Um…is there any way to join this group?" Zelel asked hesitantly.
At this, Gabriel became alert. If Eriri agreed to invite Zelel now, her own situation would undoubtedly be exposed. Her entire plan would fall apart, as she'd have to delete every piece of group memory of herself, talk individually with each member, and still maintain her perfect angel persona if Zelel were to come looking.
To preemptively avoid any invitation, Gabriel quickly replied, "Nee-chan, there's an invitation tool called a 'Designated Invitation,' but it's only available once a month. I'll invite you when I have enough points to draw one."
Understanding Gabriel's strategy, Eriri refrained from suggesting that Zelel join immediately, allowing Gabriel the freedom to manage things as she wished.
"Oh, I see," Zelel nodded, abandoning her immediate desire to join the group. "In that case, I'll look forward to your invitation. But don't feel pressured. Take care of yourself and only do it when you're ready." She gently patted Gabriel's head, her eyes warm.
"Gabriel, why don't you come back to heaven for a bit? Haniel is still worried, and the headmistress of the angel academy should be informed about your time spent training in another universe."
"Alright," Gabriel agreed readily. She had planned to return to visit her family anyway. She turned to Vignette and said, "Vigne, once I go back to heaven, I'll be leaving with Eriri afterward. I'll visit you next time I come around. Since this place might be cleared out by then, don't worry about cleaning it anymore."
"Alright. Just don't forget to come back, okay?" Vignette replied with a reluctant smile, holding back from mentioning that she worried Gabriel might get too into gaming to remember her.
With that, Zelel took Gabriel and Eriri directly to heaven. To avoid trouble, they bypassed the main gate's inspection process entirely.
Heaven was like a realm straight out of a fantasy world. Rows of fairytale-like homes lined the streets, a stark contrast to the modern human world.
Gabriel and Zelel's home was nestled in a scenic area. A crystal-clear river ran in front, with lush grass and wildflowers lining the road.
When the three entered the house, a young girl with short golden hair immediately greeted them.
As soon as she saw Gabriel, Haniel's face lit up with joy, and she rushed over to her. "Gabriel, you're finally back!"
"I'm back. Sorry to make you worry, Haniel." Gabriel smiled and gently patted her little sister's head.
In response, Haniel shook her head. "It's okay, as long as you're safe, Gabriel."
Noticing Eriri standing beside Gabriel, Haniel's eyes widened in surprise. "You're so pretty, Onee-san! Are you Gabriel's friend?"
"Hello, Haniel! You can call me Eriri." Eriri crouched down and pinched Haniel's cheeks gently. The resemblance between Haniel and Gabriel immediately endeared the little one to her.
"Alright! Eriri-nee!" Haniel beamed, though her gaze remained curiously fixed on Eriri.
At that moment, Zelel, who had entered a few steps behind Gabriel and Eriri, caught Haniel's attention.
As soon as she saw her, Haniel joyfully darted over. "Zelel, you're back too!"
In the time Zelel had spent using her divine vision to search the lower realms for Gabriel, she'd rarely been home.
"Yes, I'm back. Have you been a good girl while I was gone?"
"Mhm. I was just worried about Gabriel," Haniel answered sweetly, "But now that she's back safely, Mom and Dad will be so happy!"
Seeing this gentle little sister, Eriri couldn't help but imagine Gabriel must have been much the same when she was younger—before the lure of gaming had turned her into who she was today.
And who knew? Haniel might just become another Gabriel once she experienced the human realm.
...
After spending a little time at home, Zelel left to report to the palace at the very heart of heaven—the dwelling place of God.
Being an angel known as the "Hand of God," Zelel naturally had a direct connection with God and trusted her fully.
Upon hearing about Eriri and the multiverse from Zelel, this version of God—who had never appeared in the original series—specifically visited Gabriel's home to meet Eriri. Knowing Eriri's strength, she greeted her with great respect.
Eriri was surprised to find that the God in Gabriel's world was also a woman, much like the God of the Bible from the world of High School DxD. However, unlike that world's youthful loli goddess, Gabriel's God took the form of a gracefully built blonde woman with a gentle demeanor, reminiscent of an older sister next door.
And though God in most Biblical descriptions appeared male, both versions Eriri had encountered were different.
Gabriel's God was warm and approachable, entirely unguarded and welcoming. Eriri couldn't help but wonder if the demon lord in this world was also a woman—and perhaps even a chuunibyou.
During this time, Gabriel's God had also made an exhaustive search of the universe for Gabriel's whereabouts.
After a brief conversation to check on Gabriel, she left Eriri's presence, providing her with an official status in heaven. Now, even if Eriri wandered around, no one would be alarmed that a non-angel was in heaven.
Since Reina planned to invite three of her classmates to the house that afternoon, Eriri didn't stay long in Gabriel's world, making it back to the Saekano world by lunchtime.
Originally, Gabriel had planned to return with Eriri, but upon seeing Haniel's hopeful gaze, she promised to spend the day with her in heaven, intending to return to the Saekano world the following day, just in time for the launch of Sword Art Online.
...
A little after noon.
Not far from Eriri's home, a luxurious black car moved steadily toward her villa.
Inside the car sat three young girls besides the driver: a girl with black twin tails, a girl with a white hime cut, and a girl with shoulder-length black hair.
"Shio-chan, Haguro-chan, what should I do? I'm feeling a little nervous!" the hime-cut girl said, clutching her hands tightly.
"Ah, now that you mention it, I'm getting nervous too, Mei-chan. It's all your fault," replied the black twin-tailed girl, giving her friend a sideways glance.
Meanwhile, the black-haired girl was quietly glancing around, her wandering eyes betraying her own nervousness.
These three were Reina's close friends from school: Misaki Shio, Kuki Mei, and Haguro Kosaka.
A memory flickered in Haguro Kosaka's wine-red eyes as she recalled last night's conversation with her older sister.
When Haguro had received Reina's invitation to visit, she'd eagerly shared the news with her sister, Akane Kosaka, who had just returned home from work.
At first, Akane hadn't paid much attention to the matter, simply offering her usual caring advice for Haguro to be safe. But when she heard that Haguro would be visiting Eriri's villa, Akane's expression changed. To Haguro's surprise, her flawless and admired sister looked almost…envious. Though jealousy and resentment were absent from her gaze, the longing was clear.
Haguro had thought Akane envied her simply for having the chance to visit a friend's house, so she had suggested that Akane take the weekend off from her hectic job to relax and go out with friends.
But her sister's look of bemusement suggested otherwise.
Now, Haguro was still puzzling over why her sister had reacted that way.
Before she could think further, Mei interrupted her thoughts, tugging on her arm.
"Haguro-chan, what do you think?"
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