Chapter 05 | The Cronqvist

On Friday morning, Matthias opened the group chat.

A family group chat. Of course.

An office worker and his two immortal wives from a previous life hardly made a typical family. But Belial and Astreal were no strangers to messaging apps or group chats. He was the one still getting used to having a family to message.

Bringing a friend home tonight. Could we have a small feast? It's Friday, after all.

He read it once, then added another message.

Thank you.

Belial answered within forty seconds.

👌👌👌👌

Astreal followed four seconds later.

Acknowledged. Adjusting the inventory.

Matthias put down his phone and returned to his spreadsheet.

Planning dinner with two immortals was becoming alarmingly easy.

Aki Cronqvist stopped in the front yard and looked up at the house.

"Nice. Whoever chose it knew what they were doing."

"She'll be pleased you said that."

"She?"

"Come inside."

Aki followed with his hands in his pockets. Tall and broad-shouldered, with short dark hair and an easy smile, he looked ready for the usual Friday evening of beer and cards.

For five years, he'd been Matthias's closest friend.

The surname hadn't belonged to a hero when Matthias first learned it. It had belonged to the man who could beat him at cards while complaining about work.

Now, as he opened the door, he remembered Belial saying it outside the florist.

Cronqvist.

He glanced at Aki.

Too late.

Belial stopped on her way out of the kitchen. The cloth slipped from her shoulder, and she caught it without looking down.

Her smile vanished.

At the far end of the room, Astreal turned toward the door.

Gold light flashed.

A silver staff appeared in Belial's hand, its cross-shaped tip rising toward Aki. Astreal's fingers closed around a golden tomahawk.

Matthias stepped back on instinct.

The twins moved into the space in front of him, blocking his view of his friend.

"Cronqvist," Astreal said.

Her grip tightened on the weapon.

Aki took two slow steps back and raised his hands.

"How did you find this house?" she asked.

"And why were you with him?" Belial demanded.

Matthias stared at the staff. A moment ago, she'd been carrying a kitchen cloth.

"I invited him."

Neither twin looked away from Aki.

"You're both perceptive," Aki said. "Yes, I'm a Cronqvist."

Astreal moved before Matthias could draw breath.

The tomahawk stopped beside Aki's neck.

Aki went still, his palms remaining open.

"Attempt anything," Astreal said, "and I will remove your head."

"If I wanted him dead, he wouldn't be standing here."

"Astreal, stop!"

Matthias stepped up beside her.

"Move it away from his neck."

Her eyes stayed on Aki for another moment.

Then she withdrew the blade.

Matthias released the breath he'd been holding.

"I've known him for five years. He's had plenty of chances to hurt me."

"Master, his family—"

"I heard him."

He turned to Aki.

His friend still had both hands raised. Matthias had seen those hands shuffle cards, carry drinks, and wave him over to a lunch table.

"You knew?"

Aki's smile faded.

"Yes."

"About me?"

"Yes."

Matthias swallowed.

"How long were you watching me?"

"Three years."

Matthias began sorting through old evenings before he could stop himself. Aki asking about his weekend. Aki suggesting another drink. Had he been good company, or simply easier to watch across a table?

He hated that the same memories could suddenly support either answer.

The answer surprised him, more than he expected.

"Didn't you even find that boring? I am not exactly a high-profile figure to begin with."

"It is boring, yeah. Why do you think I slacked off?" Aki said and made a nonchalant shrug.

Matthias could not help but made a soft chuckle.

Belial shifted her staff.

"Why stop? Why would a Cronqvist leave him unwatched?"

Aki glanced at the weapon, then back at Matthias.

"Because I watched him file reports, buy the same lunch, and go to bed before eleven on weekdays. Eventually, I had to accept the evidence."

"Which was?" Astreal asked.

"He's about as likely to revive a demon empire as he is to take up competitive yodeling."

Matthias stared at him.

"Wow, you think I will take yodeling?"

"You apologize to the printer when it jams."

"It was a bad week."

"For the printer, certainly. For yodeling, maybe not."

Belial's eyes flicked toward Matthias.

He refused to look at her.

"Whatever he was before, this is who he is now," Aki said. "I decided beer and cards with my friend were a better use of Friday than watching him heat up rice."

"And the friendship?" Matthias asked.

Aki met his eyes.

"That part was real. Still is."

Matthias stood quietly for a moment.

The secret would take longer to settle. But he knew the man waiting in his doorway, and he wasn't ready to throw away five years because of a name.

He couldn't make himself certain that every evening had meant what he'd thought it meant. He could remember looking forward to them, and Aki showing up.

For tonight, he would start there. The questions would still be his to ask afterward.

He looked at the twins.

"I trust him."

Astreal lowered her arm. The tomahawk dissolved into gold light.

Belial held Aki's gaze a moment longer, then let her staff vanish too.

"Then we will trust your judgment," she said to Matthias.

Aki slowly lowered his hands.

"Good. Can I take my shoes off now?"

At the table, Aki looked from Belial to Astreal.

"The family accounts described you as striking."

Belial set down a dish.

"Did they?"

"For once, an understatement. Two of the demon lord's top lieutenants. Formerly human priestesses. Or so the records say."

Steam rose between them. Beside it, Belial's golden hair seemed to carry its own light, while Astreal watched him with eyes as clear and red as cut rubies.

Matthias couldn't argue with the assessment.

"Flattery won't make us fall at your feet," Belial said.

"I'm aware. I'd like to keep my head, though."

Astreal handed him a bowl.

"Then eat before it gets cold."

"And we are not that old," Belial added. "If that was what you intended to say."

Aki accepted it.

"Excellent advice."

The first few minutes passed to the bubbling of the hot pot and the clink of chopsticks.

Belial served everyone. Astreal watched Aki reach for his drink.

He noticed, paused, and lifted the glass slowly.

"Just beer."

"I can see that."

"Good. We're making progress."

Matthias nearly choked on his rice.

Belial hid a smile as she reached for the ladle.

After that, the conversation became easier.

Aki told them about a game Matthias had lost despite insisting he understood everyone's strategy. Matthias corrected enough of the story to make Belial laugh.

Then Aki glanced toward the garden.

"I counted the cameras on the way in."

Astreal looked up.

"And?"

"I assume the lawn is under house arrest."

The corner of her mouth moved.

"Only the relevant section."

Aki raised his glass to her.

By the time he asked for another helping, Matthias had stopped worrying about sudden flashes of gold.

Aki leaned back and looked around the table.

"You're lucky, you know."

"I'm aware."

"I mean it. They spent three thousand years preparing for you. A house, a car, all of this."

He gestured at the food, then let his hand fall.

"Most people would be happy with someone remembering to save them dinner."

Matthias looked at Belial. She was listening with the ladle resting against her bowl.

"I know," he said, more quietly.

Astreal lowered her eyes to her plate.

For a little while, nobody needed to fill the silence.

Then Aki set down his glass.

"There's something else you should know."

Matthias sighed.

"Of course there is."

"Another descendant lives in this city. Yuki Strauss."

The ladle stopped moving.

"Strauss," Belial repeated.

Aki nodded.

"Half-German. She's lived here for a few years. We keep in touch because of our families."

Matthias put down his chopsticks.

"I want to meet her."

The words surprised him less than the certainty behind them. He had nearly watched his closest friend lose his head in his doorway because everyone knew something he didn't.

Waiting politely for the next revelation no longer seemed especially sensible.

"Master—"

"I'd rather speak to her, Astreal. Before she turns up unexpectedly and someone reaches for a weapon."

Aki touched the side of his neck.

"A sound policy."

Astreal ignored him.

"We don't know her intentions."

"Then let's find out," Matthias said. "Just like Aki, she probably knew about me, and has been keeping watch on me for some times now."

He paused.

"Better to get to know her stance now, than to let the unanswered plague my life with uncertainty."

She held his gaze, then nodded reluctantly.

"I can arrange it," Aki said.

Belial folded her hands.

"Does she take her family's duty as seriously as you do?"

"Less, if anything."

"Less?"

Matthias looked at him.

"That's possible?"

"She's more interested in Gothic fashion, coffee, and the occasional cosplay event."

"Than a reincarnated demon lord?"

"Considerably more. It makes her excellent company. Quite a hardcore otaku, I'd say."

Matthias picked up his glass.

"We'll see."

Belial exchanged a glance with her sister.

"The Strauss line always did have eccentric members."

"Still does," Aki said.

He reached for the hot pot.

"You'll understand when you meet her."