I Sealed Sukuna’s Finger#495+496: Gossip Girl, Serafall is Thrilled

She didn't forcibly demand her sister accompany her.

Scene switch—Serafall appeared inside the hotel's internal café located below the residential floor.

Already past nine p.m.—at this hour, people either prepared for sleep or had just begun nightlife with friends not long ago.

Either way, the hotel café at this hour was exceptionally empty.

Serafall currently sat beside the café entrance's floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing at the equally quiet hallway outside. Before her sat a latte no longer emitting steam.

More accurately, she'd been sitting here quite a while already.

"So slow... not here yet..."

As if muttering to herself, the magical girl propped up her chin mumbling.

However, speak of the devil—the next second just as Serafall's words fell, she saw a young man's figure in the distant café hallway somewhat abruptly enter her vision, purposefully walking straight toward her location.

Undoubtedly Bokue.

Completely different from afternoon attire at the old school building—the young man made no attempt hiding where he'd come from. Directly wearing hotel-provided bathrobe, he entered the café from outside. After declining the waiter's guidance, he came straight to Serafall's booth and sat down.

"I'll have the same as her, thanks."

Casually ordering to dismiss the menu-holding waiter, Bokue adjusted his sitting posture on the sofa slightly before turning toward the magical girl in the opposite seat. After brief pause, he cleared his throat lightly.

"Inviting me here—aren't you going to say something?"

"Invite? Your sister doesn't understand~"

Serafall lifted the long-cold coffee before her for a sip, cutely turning her head aside humming.

"Are you a child..."

Bokue was completely speechless.

"Deliberately scattering your ice magic at the entrance, leaving such heavy elemental magic power—already hinting this obviously, just speak directly okay?"

"Fine, fine, fine~"

Seeing the young man seemingly unwilling to play along, Serafall waved her hand somewhat disappointedly.

"Honestly, I didn't expect you'd come this slowly, Bokue. Originally thought after ordering coffee, by the time it arrived you'd just arrive too. Who knew this wait became almost half an hour... mmm, could it be after we left, you had another round in the room with Venelana-obasama and Grayfia-neesan?"

"No."

Glancing diagonally backward, seeing the waiter just carrying coffee from the back kitchen, Bokue paused momentarily. Not until after coffee was served and the waiter departed far away did he continue.

"After their 'last round' ended, they directly fell asleep. But some cleanup work still needs doing."

"Like?"

"Like bathing, wiping bodies clean, sending them into bedding, then preparing water and food in advance, plus leaving note messages telling them I'm at the café meeting you. These all take time."

"Ooh!!"

Serafall continuously nodded, clearly listening seriously.

"Didn't expect our Bokue has such a considerate side! Quite good at caring for people. This way, your sister is relieved~"

"...So what exactly do you want to say?"

Bokue lifted his coffee for a sip.

Honestly, en route here he'd imagined countless purposes for Serafall inviting him. But ultimately couldn't reach an answer.

If following film plot developments' most common pattern—naturally Serafall felt she'd obtained leverage on him, preparing to threaten him with this, etc.

But that made absolutely no sense. Serafall had no need and couldn't possibly do this—unless insane.

When this largest possibility's probability approached infinite zero, other possibilities became even more impossible.

"Well~ actually nothing much. Just purely satisfying your sister's personal gossip heart."

Serafall smiled and waved her hand.

"After all, earlier listening outside the door, Sona-chan was completely shocked. Probably never imagined Venelana-obasama and Grayfia-neesan having such sides."

"So your sister is very curious—your relationship with Venelana-obasama and Grayfia-neesan, do Rias-chan and Sirzechs-chan know?"

"No."

Bokue directly gave a negative answer.

"I see."

Serafall nodded as expected, then smiled cheerfully.

"Don't worry, don't worry! Since the parties involved haven't intended announcing, your sister will definitely absolutely keep secrets and won't spread rumors."

"...Thanks."

Bokue truly didn't know what expression to use facing this magical girl's extremely candid attitude.

Serafall basically directly told him: Yes, I eavesdropped. Correct, I already know everything. But I'll absolutely keep your secret.

Wasn't this slightly too cooperative?

"Though this way, Bokue is really quite popular."

Serafall propped up her cheeks, pouting as she muttered.

"Look—first the Gremory family goes 'all out,' then the Phoenix family. If this continues, your sister wants to hand Sona-chan over to you~"

"...What?"

Bokue raised a large question mark.

Gremory family going all out—he didn't deny. But afterward inexplicably dragging in Phoenix family—what the hell?

Plus...

"Ah, or does Bokue actually prefer your sister's type more?"

Before the young man's internal monologue finished, Serafall's index finger lightly tapped her lips as she leaned her upper body forward slightly, closing the distance between them somewhat.

"Oh right, I heard Japanese anime has this popular magical girl theme. Even some improper anime include this element, designing scenarios where magical girls are defeated then violated by monsters—does Bokue like such plots?"

"...Aren't you a Maou?"

Bokue had absolutely no idea what to say anymore.

Why would a Maou be so interested in such things?!

"Right, your sister is indeed Maou. But simultaneously also specifically responsible for diplomacy."

Serafall tilted her head humming.

"Actually, nearly all Underworld governance is handled by Sirzechs-chan. Beelzebub handles research development. Your sister handles diplomacy—naturally understands mortal realm matters extensively."

"Oh right, incidentally—if this three-way conference proceeds smoothly reaching consensus, afterward your sister will remain in the mortal realm as Underworld diplomatic ambassador."

"Then we can meet daily~"

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Like this, nearly twenty minutes had passed since the two sat facing each other.

Bokue glanced at the nearly finished coffee before him, raising the cup.

"Alright, if there's nothing else I should head back..."

"Hmm?"

Hearing the voice, Serafall stopped her hand movements. She pulled her head from the just-ordered strawberry parfait, blinking her large eyes toward the young man across from her. A bit of white whipped cream still hung from her lips.

"Don't rush, don't rush! Chat a bit more. Back in the Underworld, I had no friends nearby to talk with. Sirzechs-chan is busy daily with Underworld governance. Sona-chan is studying here in the mortal realm. As for me... Keikain-kun, you should know a little, right? Though nominally doing foreign affairs minister work, actually I have absolutely no room to contribute."

Fair point, honestly.

After all, since that great war, the three factions—devils, angels, and Fallen Angels—had maintained extremely tense relations. Back then, the ending wasn't so much mutual agreement on ceasefire, but rather all three sides had nearly died out. Continuing would've caused extinction, forcing them to stop.

Afterward, though small frictions continued constantly, formal official contact between sides never happened again.

Precisely because of this, Underworld foreign affairs activities also completely stagnated.

After all, diplomacy's prerequisite was both sides having willingness to communicate. But if meeting meant red-eyed death matches, no diplomatic feasibility existed whatsoever.

"Oh right, right! Haven't finished gossiping earlier."

As if wanting to embody this gossip spirit, Serafall licked clean the parfait spoon and waved the empty spoon with shining eyes.

"So have you figured out how to announce your relationship with Venelana-obasama and Grayfia-neesan? Mmm... especially to Rias-chan and Sirzechs-chan."

"...Not yet." Bokue shook his head honestly.

"I thought so." Hearing this, Serafall cupped her cheeks with both hands, sighing lightly as expected.

"After all, such matters are truly hard to explain. Even though Sirzechs-chan and Grayfia-neesan only share pure comrade relations, Venelana-obasama's situation is... hard to imagine how Sirzechs-chan would react knowing this. At least if it were me, my brain would explode directly."

"Either way, let's take it one step at a time."

Bokue cleared his throat lightly.

"More than that, aren't you the Underworld's foreign affairs minister, Serafall?"

"Yes I am. Why?"

"Nothing, just wanted to ask—since the conference is tomorrow, has there been word from the Fallen Angel and angel sides?"

"Mmm... if you really want to know, Azazel's side did contact us."

Serafall lifted her face, staring at the ceiling overhead as she thought seriously.

"He said he'd already contacted the angel side too. Confirmed they'll arrive tomorrow. Then Azazel's side will bring one more person. As for the angels, probably only Michael will come."

"Bring one more person? Oh, you mean Vali."

Bokue nodded lightly.

As possessor of the White Dragon Emperor's Light Wings, he had some impression of him.

"Ah no, not that White Dragon Emperor kid."

Serafall tapped her forehead with her index finger, eyes closed as she struggled to remember.

"I can't quite recall who he said he'd bring. Maybe Azazel didn't even say. Anyway, besides that White Dragon Emperor kid, he'll bring one more person."

"Afraid we're setting a trap feast, so planning to bring extra bodyguards?"

"Probably... not?"

Serafall also felt somewhat uncertain.

"Well, doesn't really matter. This time both Sirzechs-chan and I came. Mmm... plus Keikain-kun. Even if angels and Fallen Angels secretly agreed to join forces, our advantage remains infinitely massive!"

"After all, angels and Fallen Angels have zero favors from Keikain-kun."

"Favors?"

Bokue raised an eyebrow, not understanding how the topic suddenly connected to favors.

Serafall reacted with an "oh" sound: "Sorry, misspoke. Not favors—lovers."

"??"

This correction seemed even stranger.

The magical girl shook her head humming as she explained: "First, our Underworld side has Rias-chan plus all Rias-chan's peerage members, plus Venelana-obasama and Grayfia-neesan. Comparatively, angels and Fallen Angels don't have even one insider close to Keikain-kun. So if fighting really breaks out, which side you'd stand on is absolutely obvious, right?"

"Oh wait..."

Serafall touched her chin, lightly hissing.

"Wait wait, what if tomorrow during the meeting they offer tributes to Keikain-kun on-site? If your sister remembers correctly, Heaven's side has someone called Gabriel—possessing flawless supreme figure and super mega huge breasts..."

"Didn't you just say Heaven's side only has Michael coming?"

Bokue reminded while facepalming.

"Hmm? Don't talk nonsense! That wasn't me saying it—that was Azazel saying it."

Serafall rapidly waved her hands, clearing relations.

"I'm just relaying what Azazel said. If Michael arrives tomorrow with other angels, I can't say for sure. Maybe that super busty Gabriel might be among them."

So are these angels or pimps...

Bokue thought speechlessly.

"Plus, what do you mean 'tributes'? I'm not some lustful demon emperor."

"Emmmm~"

Serafall slightly drew out her tone, her expression somewhat subtle.

"Alright, if there's nothing else then I'm heading back first."

No longer wasting time, feeling they'd chatted enough, Bokue drained his coffee in one gulp.

Serafall didn't voice objections, just blinked.

"Going back to continue with Venelana-obasama and them?"

"Depends on the situation."

Bokue didn't deny it. After setting down the coffee cup, he made a "see you later" gesture before vanishing directly.

The café that had some human voices from their conversation fell silent again.

Serafall still sat motionless on the sofa, her girlishly slender yet voluptuous legs crossed beneath the table. Not until confirming the young man truly left did she separate them, placing them flat on the floor.

"Whew..."

The magical girl exhaled softly. Her right hand at an angle no one could see used the motion of smoothing her skirt hem to let fingertips touch that small soft fabric.

When she returned her hand to the tabletop, under the lights crystalline traces clearly adhered to it.

"Seriously, how am I supposed to go back like this..."

Serafall muttered somewhat helplessly to herself, shaking her head.

"Originally wanted to come out for coffee to calm down. Yet after chatting this long, still in this state."

"Whatever, better return later. Gives Sona-chan more time too... Waiter! Another parfait!"