The Bonds we Break 2 (Patreon)

The Bonds We Break 2 - (Post-Shinmai Maou no Testament OC-MC)

A new day was upon Naruse Maria as she happily strolled around the school.

Yesterday had been quite mundane due to Jo-nii feeling sick and thus not being around to make the boring classes fun to entertain. And while Basara was quite fun to play with, the little Succubus preferred to play regularly with her big brother since he was more receptive to her childish moments.

It was a small element in her daily life that Maria had come to cherish, and, while it wasn’t sex, it was definitely a grand pleasure to have from time to time. Yet, for some reason, something stuck to her mind that yesterday’s sudden bout of sickness Jo-nii displayed was different than usual.

He had looked so healthy earlier in their interaction and it just happened so suddenly.

The little succubus didn’t put much thought into it, expecting for it to be some sort of random morning mess but… but something really stuck to her about today’s early hours.

As she paced towards school, chasing after a tired Basara being dragged around by Mio and Yuki, Maria felt that today was not going to be a sunny day. Clouds had started to hide away some of the sun, darkening the sky and also the world.

Rain? She was sure the forecast had barely mentioned any clouds to begin with but… stuff happens. The forecast wasn’t always precise after all.

Maria’s next clue about today’s unpleasantness spread as she realized that Jo-nii was nowhere at school. Maybe he had been caught in a bigger situation so he couldn’t make it.

Without hesitation, she resolved to pay him a visit once the classes were over, maybe also nagging him for more skittles since he had been ‘missing’ on paying her the due price of ‘being a good girl’. The uniform was nice, but Maria preferred her dark dress better.

As hours went by and it was time to get back home, everyone in their close group of friends and lovers was pretty much surprised when Basara paused and moved to approach someone that should have been busy in those days.

Toujou Jin… didn’t look happy.

In fact, Maria was only able to perceive some trickling anger that was pouring out of his emotionless mask when he regarded his son and-

“We are all going home at once. We need to talk and… I have to show you something.”

That was not good. Did they overdo something? It was possible. Or maybe Jin had noticed something Basara did wrong in training. Or diplomacy really. But as the group got back home, they were all surprised when Jin had the TV prepared to play the video and…

There’s Jo-nii there.

Upon first inspection, it appeared he was on a bus, holding a few bags on the side… but where was he?

Her questions were put on hold as they all took a seat, and Maria noticed that Lucia was there too. Usually her older sister was quite stoic, but even she could sense some annoyance within the older succubus’ mind.

What is going on?

“I want you all to watch this video in its entirety. It will explain many things that will change from now on,” Jin added, further confusing the girls as they all sat down and watched the video.

“So… this is going to be a rather serious video despite the lack of ‘serious music’ or… nah, you know what? I will just say this is the most serious thing I will say. All those minutes? None will be pleasant to anyone.”

That was not that great, especially when Maria could sense some strange ‘hurt’ coming from Jo-nii’s voice. He rarely sounded like this, and yet this time- it was so intense. It felt so wrong. Where is he?

“I wish to start this video with some congratulations that are quite needed. Nana-chan, congrats on such an early motherhood,” Jo-nii proclaimed with a strangely ‘weak’ tone, one that few noticed as the rest of the girl looked at the bespectacled vampire and, while the news was nice, the reaction the girl had to these words was indeed perplexing.

Nanao was hardly one that ‘panicked’ in a silent way, yet the way she reacted – with her eyes wide open and her face paling a lot before these words – it was clear that there was a hidden reason as to why she wasn’t that positive over this news.

Likewise, Basara looked usually nervous. It was as if he had been caught ogling at someone he wasn’t supposed to, but also… worse. Much worse. It was the first time Maria saw her cousin/step-brother react in such an intense manner.

“I am sure that took a while to muster- you know, the courage to get where you got. Especially when that relied on ignoring a big issue that was that someone had been trying to get with you and you know that already for a long while.”

These words finally added context to the reaction. Nanao had an admirer? That made little sense since the only one that could have…

Maria felt her world freeze up a moment, her eyes widening in horror as she realized what was going on. And it was far from good.

“You see, when I heard the truth on why you were spending time with Basara, I thought you were unaware. But then I realized you came up with the ‘private lessons’ excuse to skip on time we could have spent together. And I realized that you had lied because you knew it would have hurt me. You just decided that it would be best to try with him- I don’t know why, but I sure hope you are happy with the end result because, as far as I am concerned now, I am not going to bother anymore about that.”

The Dhampir flinched at these words, and the other girls were confused. It was Maria that shed some light with a dry tone.

“Nana-chan was the one that Jo-nii was trying to hook up with, the one that he told us he was trying to get together with,” The young succubus’s words were instantly understood by the rest of the audience. “Nana-chan-”

“I am sorry,” The bespectacled girl muttered weakly.

“Alas, this video is not intended just for Nanao. As I mentioned, I can’t care any less about this since it is her decision to know who she should fall in love with,” Jo-nii continued, sounding quite angry all so suddenly. “Oh no, I am talking about someone that has made this a must. And someone that should, for once, face some real-life repercussions for a decision he willingly took despite knowing the truth for many years. I am talking to you Basara.”

The direct accusation stunned those around as they all focused on Basara.

“When I first met you, when I first shook your hand and helped you out of that depression you had at losing your home- I didn’t do it because I wanted something out of you. I saw someone just like me, someone that felt loss, and that needed someone to lean on. I did so because I was in better shape than you, and I decided to help you willingly without expecting anything back from you. For many years, that was how I worked with you, how I felt we were brothers in trying to overcome the troubles in front of us. You were the muscle, but you needed someone to keep you fighting. Someone that wasn’t out there because of a contract, or a necessity, but because cared outright for your survival without needing anything in return. I did all of that, and… I guess that was my biggest mistake yet.” Jo-nii muttered with shaking fists, his harsh words shocking the entire room.

Basara was silent, but Mio was pestering him for answers on what was going on. Zest had mixed feelings as she knew this was a very complex situation, while Yuki and Kurumi appeared outright upset at Nanao. Chisato was stunned, trying to discern the full truth from Jin but the man was distracted by his own thoughts. Celis appeared quite off-put by the topic itself and was staring blankly at the TV’s screen and… finally, there was Maria.

She was unsure of how she failed to see this. How she, someone that prided herself to know all people’s secrets and be able to weave diplomatic ties to avoid fallouts of this kind, didn’t see this major red flag.

How? How did I let this happen?

The worst part was that she had personally told Jo-nii that Nanao was doing things with Basara. And it explained the sickness he felt. The horrid betrayal shredding into his guts and leaving him empty at once.

Horrible. Truly horrible.

“But there is something I always asked you as I supported you. Something that I kept on asking you because I was worried it could have sparked this very problem. I asked you when we were twelve “Basara, do you like Nana-chan?” and your answer would be “No.”. I then asked you this when we were fourteen, sixteen and just five months ago. The answer was always unchanged,” Jo-nii leaned closer to the camera. “If you think that lying to me about what was going on was all about ‘protecting me’, then you are up for a wake-up call: the only one you wanted to protect was that bond you were milking from me. All those years of being your friend, of being your brother- you never cared, did you? All those times you were busy with training and shit and I had volunteered to help the girls go through the many troubles they were experiencing emotionally- it was all cheap labor you wanted to push on my back.”

“It’s not true-” Basara weakly muttered, but Jo-nii wasn’t done.

“I never asked you anything back, Basara. I never did. But that doesn’t mean you are allowed to take, take, and take! You did this so willingly and perhaps thoughtlessly. But this situation warrants consequences. And I am done playing this role for you, but rather than just ‘plan a revenge’ or just stay and take the beating, I don’t wish to either be the slave or the monster,” The young man said, revealing he had been wearing a familiar necklace. “This here is a special necklace that Lady Sheila gave me to hide my presence. I will not be found. I am leaving, I am done being your cheap servant. I am done fixing your harem’s problems, I am done trying to be the one caring for you through the worst times, I am done being your brother! Don’t look for me, because I am fucking done with everything in this place!”

The video ended there. No goodbyes, no ‘ciao’s nothing that would suggest a ‘coming soon’. Maria was stunned stiff as her mind just digested what happened. Jo-nii… he was no longer here. He was gone, he was gone forever!

“Wh-Where is Jo?” The succubus asked, and Lucia appeared somewhat dreading answering this question.

“He is gone. I had been told by Jin that there had been reasons why he had sent a formal resignation to his job at the Moderate Faction. He mentioned ‘emotional troubles that could have impaired his judgment within the workplace’, and I can safely say that his reasoning does sound acceptable for a positive confirmation.”

“W-Wait, you can-” Maria jumped in, tears rolling as she turned to Chisato. “Y-You can track him, right? You are a God so you can… right?”

Chisato flinched at the panicked begging. “I… I can’t. The necklace is working as intended and-”

“We need to find him,” Kurumi interrupted, turning to look at Jin. “You know where he went?”

“Why? Why should I tell you that?”

Kurumi paused at this counter-question, but her sister was soon answering this.

“So that Basara can apologize and make amends for what he caused.”

That sounded reasonable enough, but Basara was very quiet about this, and Maria stood up from her seat and walked up to then stand in front of him.

“You’re going to apologize to him, right?”

Basara didn’t answer her. He wasn’t distracted or anything. He just looked at her, unable to think of a proper response to this and… the reaction stunned him and the rest.

Maria slapped him.

And then she fell on her knees, grasping her throat as the Master-Servant Vow reacted to this act of disloyalty. It was a brief moment, but Maria didn’t seem truly shaken by the sudden choking as she had been aware of this end result.

There were no words shared despite Mio trying to reach for her, with Maria turning to the nearest exit and just running back to her room.

Today was not a good day for Naruse Maria.

—----d-d-d-d—-------

AN

Next time, we keep up with canon as Jo finds a new job prospect… Did you know that the Hero Clan has various ‘Villages’ all over the world? And that the US has one tied with big government agencies?