Shinmai Maou no Testament: The Village

Part Twelve: The Demon of Death

They go outside and stretch, and then Basara scoops up Yuki and Kurumi and begins flying! He drops them at the field and then goes back for Mio and Sakaki.

"Onee-Chan, what's it like being with him, I mean, you know, REALLY with him?" Yuki gets a little smile on her face and says, "Like nothing else in this world." She glares at her little sister and says, "You aren't thinking about doing this and that with Basara, are you?" Kurumi blushes and looks at the ground and says, "Well, maybe..." Yuki moves so she is facing Kurumi. She tilts Kurumi's head up so they are eye to eye and with an emotionless expression says, "You are still only 14, and you are my precious little sister; I love you Kurumi-Nee. Please don't do anything that will test that love..."

Kurumi is startled by Yuki's words. It's true that Yuki and Basara are very close, and has been for a long, long time, but she has been friends with him too! And honestly, she can't think of any guy she has any interest in at all other than her defacto Onii-Chan.

Its two weeks until her birthday, so even though it will be hard, she will avoid chasing after him until then.

About this time, Basara gets back with Mio and Sakaki. They land, and everyone stretches out. Basara says, "Maria and Keita-San will be here in about 15 minutes, she said something about working out some details at home before they left." Mio smirks; more like working out a little extra this and a little extra that... She sighs as she thinks about Maria getting what she wanted; someone to call her own.

She isn't concerned about all that, in fact she is happy for Maria; she is much more concerned about how Maria tricked Sakaki into getting into a Master/ Retainer contract with Basara. It's been hard enough dealing with Yuki being a love rival. She manages, and so does Yuki. But now they have a very pretty rival who is as enamored with Basara as she and Yuki are.

It would be easier if it was some country bumpkin that she and Yuki could strong arm to back off. But Sakaki is her best friend after Maria as well as being good friends with Yuki, and she wants the best for her. But why is the best for Sakaki the same as the best for her and Yuki?

Whatever, Maria will pay sometime in the future; right now it's time for training. Mio causes a wind current to rise under her feet, and flies into the air! Kurumi does the same, and the two of them zoom off and hide in the trees. Today's practice is finding them and grounding them so their melee skills can influence a battle.

About this time Keita and Maria show up, and are filled in. Hitori walks over to Sakaki and says, "The hero village sent something to me that I need to give to you. If you could show me your belly button please." Sakaki looks around in confusion, but sees that Yuki and Kurumi are both smiling at her. Yuki nods, and Sakaki raises her T-shirt.

Keita puts a disc about the size of a shoe polish container on her belly just below the belly button, and presses a button on top. Sakaki feels a bit of itching and tickling, and then it stops. Keita moves the disc away and there is not a scratch on her skin.

"That's the Empirical device. It will prevent you from getting pregnant until you are ready to do so. Even though you are not part of the hero clan, you have bonded to a powerful ancient weapon, and the elders felt that you would want to be in control of such things. If you decide to give up the sword, or are ready to have children, just put this device on your belly on the same place I did and click the two buttons on the side."

'What a convenient device' thinks Sakaki! It must be available to her because she is carrying the sword and has had a series of strengthenings. Once she grasps what was done, Keita forms a team with Sakaki and Yuki since they are all skill types, and Maria goes with Basara, since they are both essentially power types.