Chapter 266: The Hidden Shrine
"Ah... it has been a long time since I last set foot here."
Akeno’s voice trembled with a rare, raw emotion as they materialized at their destination. Instead of teleporting to the lavish Gremory or Sitri estates, Finn had brought her directly to her true home: the secluded Himejima shrine hidden deep within the woods of Kuoh Town.
This was the very place where she had grown up. It was also the exact spot where her mother had been brutally murdered. It held terrifying, blood-soaked memories, but beneath that dark trauma lay the sweet, precious warmth of her early childhood.
"I’m home..." she whispered softly. She leaned her lush, voluptuous body against his side, her large, soft breasts pressing warmly against his arm as she squeezed his hand. "Thank you so much, Finn-sama."
"There is no need to thank me," Finn replied, his large hand wrapping protectively around hers. "I should have brought you here much sooner."
Seeing the sheer vulnerability melt through her usually seductive, teasing facade made him realize his mistake. He had kept her away, assuming she didn’t want to look back. He knew she was deeply devoted to him—that she would happily follow him to the ends of the earth without a single complaint—but a girl never truly forgets her first home.
Finn knew Akeno would never ask for anything that might inconvenience him. After all, Finn originally considered himself just a background character—a "Mob-B" whose name wasn’t even meant to be written in the main story. But just because he had been reincarnated as a terrifyingly powerful High-Class Devil didn’t mean he wanted to arrogantly shatter the main timeline.
The core plot was dangerous. A generic protagonist could somehow survive blindly charging into massive villains, but if Finn carelessly triggered events without the safety net of "plot armor," things could get messy. Take Diodora Astaroth, for example—Ajuka Beelzebub’s little brother. If Finn openly crushed Diodora right now, the political fallout could erase him, even if Diodora was technically weak and relied on stolen snake powers from a terrorist group.
Fortunately, Diodora was a pathetic, talentless fool who couldn’t even secure a special ’King Piece’ from his own brother. Finn didn’t need to waste his mental energy worrying about him. Yet, thinking of Diodora naturally brought a specific, gentle face to his mind.
Wait... where is Asia Argento? Finn realized he hadn’t seen the cute, blonde nun among Rias’s peerage. Did something alter her timeline? Was she still suffering in the Church?
"Finn-sama?" Akeno’s sweet, breathy voice pulled him from his thoughts. She looked up at him through her long lashes, a soft, inviting smile on her glossy lips. "Should we clean up the shrine a bit?"
"Of course," Finn nodded.
They could have easily summoned familiars or hired a cleaning crew to do the manual labor, but Finn knew this was deeply personal for Akeno. She wanted to care for her mother’s home with her own hands, and he certainly wasn’t going to just stand around and watch her work.
As they wiped down the wooden floors, Akeno paused, her heavy chest heaving slightly from the light workout, drawing Finn’s golden eyes. "Finn-sama... did you secretly buy this land?"
"I did," Finn admitted smoothly, admiring the spotless, peaceful Japanese architecture. "I purchased it a while ago and hired a private crew to maintain the grounds."
"You really are..." Akeno giggled, a deeply affectionate, hot flush coloring her cheeks. He was so overprotective and prepared.
"Isn’t it a bit dangerous?" she asked, her tone turning slightly teasing. "You are blacklisted in this country, after all."
"It’s completely fine. I used an anonymous holding company," Finn replied, keeping his explanation simple. "Besides, this isn’t central Tokyo. The land is cheap, and the local Pantheon won’t notice. There are eight million forgotten gods in this country struggling just to survive. Nobody is paying attention to an abandoned shrine in the woods."
Akeno’s heart swelled. She knew how incredibly cautious Finn usually was. For him to take this risk just to preserve her childhood home proved exactly how deeply he treasured her. Overcome with affection, she leaned in close, the sweet, intoxicating scent of her perfume wrapping around him as her soft, plump lips brushed tantalizingly against his ear.
"By the way... can we go somewhere else after this?" she purred.
"Where to?" Finn asked.
"Just follow me," she smiled playfully.
They gathered a small basket of fresh flowers and incense, walking shoulder-to-shoulder down a narrow, hidden path deep into the woods. When Finn saw the simple, weathered stone marker resting quietly under the trees, he instantly understood. He didn’t need her to explain.
It was Shuri Himejima’s grave.
He was genuinely glad he had grown strong enough to bring Akeno here safely.
"Thank you," Akeno whispered. Her usual seductive, deeply lewd teasing completely melted away. She squeezed his hand, tears pooling in her beautiful violet eyes as she looked at her mother’s resting place.
Curiously, the grave was completely free of weeds. Someone had been actively keeping it clean. Finn had a very good idea of who that might be (likely Baraqiel), but he kept quiet as he helped Akeno lay out the flowers and light the incense.
"I’m back, Mother," Akeno murmured softly, crouching gracefully in front of the stone.
Finn sank into a low crouch right beside her, offering his silent, steady presence. She didn’t speak aloud anymore; she simply closed her eyes, letting the fragrant smoke carry her silent, heartfelt prayers up to heaven.
As a Devil, Finn briefly wondered about the mechanics of human souls. He had never actually seen one pass on. With enough raw power and the right mythical artifacts, true resurrection wasn’t entirely impossible in this world. But speaking of such world-breaking magic carelessly was foolish.
"Thank you. Please take good care of her."
Finn blinked, his eyes snapping toward the gravestone. He wasn’t entirely sure where the gentle, ethereal voice had come from, but he didn’t question it. He simply tightened his warm grip on Akeno’s soft hand, silently making an absolute promise to the spirit of Shuri Himejima.
Yet, while Akeno had finally found a powerful, loving man to protect her...
Far away, in a dingy, dilapidated corner of the city, a lonely young girl with blonde hair stared longingly out the window at the vast blue sky, desperately waiting for a miracle.
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