High School DxD: The Lucifer's Devil Trigger — Chapter 69

Chapter 69: The Puppet Maker

Ryougi Shiki had her own room, and Levi had his.

After days of constant activity, the separation meant Levi could finally get a proper night’s rest. But when he opened his eyes the next morning, he immediately noticed a soft weight resting against his chest.

The delicate, flawless face of the Ouroboros Dragon stared back at him. Her obsidian eyes were wide open and completely unblinking. Ophis never slept. She was simply nesting in his arms, curled up quietly like a stray cat that had finally claimed a permanent den.

“You are awake.” Her voice carried its usual flat, emotionless cadence.

The soft warmth of her breath brushed against his collarbone, instantly scattering the last remnants of his drowsiness. Logic dictated he should sit up, untangle himself, and ask what exactly she was doing. Instead, his arms remained exactly where they were.

In the past, he would have bolted upright immediately. But ever since Ophis had pulled him back from the edge during his breakthrough to an Ultimate-Class Devil, his resistance to her presence had crumbled.

Forget it… this isn’t so bad.

“Ophis, why are you here?” Levi asked, making no move to let her go. “Don’t you not need to sleep?”

Ophis didn’t retreat. Instead, she shifted, burying herself deeper into his embrace to find a more comfortable angle. “You do not need to, either.”

She had a point. Levi’s current physical state had long surpassed the frailties of ordinary humans. With his internal circuits permanently anchored to the Root, he could function perfectly without food, water, or rest. It was just that the ingrained habits of his humanity were difficult to shake.

“…But you don’t usually do this,” Levi murmured. “I’m just curious.”

Ophis pressed her face against his sternum, rubbing gently against the fabric of his shirt. “Here. Peace of mind.”

When Levi had first awakened Ryougi Shiki, Ophis had felt an unfamiliar void in her chest. As Levi spent time helping Shiki adapt to her Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, that emptiness had only grown sharper. It felt as though someone had snatched away her favorite possession.

It was a completely alien sensation for the Dragon God. She understood the theory behind the emotion, but processing it was another matter entirely. When she had finally asked Levi about it, he had simply told her that if she felt empty, she should lean on him.

So, she did. She had picked an angle and wedged herself into his arms. Just as he promised, the radiating warmth provided an indescribable sense of stability—a deep quiet that mirrored the absolute silence of the Dimensional Gap. The long-lost comfort had kept her in a daze until dawn.

Levi didn’t press the issue. If holding her gave her peace, he was fine with it. Truthfully, he was rather enjoying himself. The only minor issue was the faint, sweet fragrance clinging to her skin, scratching at his composure. At this point in time, Ophis had not yet been poisoned by Samael, the Dragon Eater. She retained her full, terrifying power, yet physically appeared as a delicate young girl around his own age.

His heart, having just overcome its initial shock, began a steady, traitorous thumping.

The tranquility shattered a moment later. The doorknob clicked. In the fraction of a second it took for the door to swing inward, Ophis dissolved into a tear in the dimensional rift.

By the time Ryougi Shiki stepped into the room, Levi was lying in bed alone.

“Hmm?” Shiki poked her head through the doorway, her sharp eyes scanning the empty space. “I could have sworn I heard you talking to someone. Do you have a habit of sleep-talking?”

Levi sat up slowly, running a hand through his hair. “I was talking to someone.”

“Oh?” Shiki leaned against the frame, a faint, teasing smirk playing on her lips. “Is it that phase boys your age go through? An imaginary wife? A secret little lover?”

“It’s nothing like that.” Levi sighed, throwing off the covers and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. “Just assume it was my informant. The target I’ve been keeping an eye on finally made a move.”

The excuse brought Ikuse Tobio to mind. The wielder of one of the thirteen original Longinus—Canis Lykaon.

Levi had been monitoring the boy for a while. Beyond the fact that Tobio had naturally awakened his Balance Breaker, the Night Celestial Detective, Levi was deeply intrigued by the Longinus itself. The weapon shared a distinct conceptual similarity to Yamato. It was a blade designed to sever gods, capable of cutting through concepts, energy, and spells. While fundamentally different from Yamato’s demonic heritage, it was an undeniably lethal tool.

If the Balance Breaker didn’t transform the user into such a chaotic, monstrous state, Levi might have considered extracting the Longinus for Sakura. An external-control physical attack Longinus would suit her perfectly, requiring minimal magical output while drastically boosting her lethality. But Canis Lykaon was too volatile. It was prone to going berserk, and it housed the souls of two notoriously dangerous entities. Handing Sakura a ticking time bomb was out of the question.

Still, Tobio’s compatibility with the Longinus was exceptionally high. Levi had no intention of binding him as a servant through the Evil Pieces. Instead, much like the Grigori using human operatives, Levi wanted to build an external strike team independent of his peerage.

Ikuse Tobio was the perfect candidate. He was good-natured, currently weak but brimming with potential, and burdened with obvious, easily manipulated attachments. There was no better tool available. The main plot surrounding the boy wouldn’t begin for another few months, but Levi planned to establish contact early.

Shiki gave him a lingering glance before stepping back into the hall. “Breakfast is almost ready.”

Just as the door was about to click shut, she added, “Make sure to chat more with your imaginary lover named Ophis. And remember to eat.”

Levi stared at the closed wooden panel, rubbing his temples. He had no idea why Ophis felt the need to flee the moment Shiki appeared. Whatever. I’ll have to introduce them eventually anyway.

Hidden within the dimensional rift, Ophis watched the exchange with blank, unreadable eyes. She tilted her head, processing the interaction.

That woman… does she also do this for peace of mind?

She thought she understood.

The meal laid out on the table was simple, but the moment the food hit his tongue, Levi froze.

“I thought this was just a quick morning meal,” he said, looking down at his bowl. “I didn’t expect the standard to be this high.”

In his previous life, Levi had hailed from a neighboring country with a rich culinary history. He had even worked in the food industry, and his palate was exceptionally refined. When Grayfia Lucifuge had first arrived at the Lucifer Territory, it had taken her and the estate’s head chefs weeks of relentless effort to produce meals that merely satisfied him. His standards were notoriously ruthless.

Yet, Shiki’s casual cooking easily cleared the bar.

Shiki held her own bowl, resting her chopsticks against the rim. “Who are you going to see today?”

“A woman named Aozaki Touko,” Levi replied, leaning back in his chair. “A Magus. She specializes in crafting human puppets. Quite famous in the underground circuit.”

Shiki didn’t press for details immediately. She finished her last bite of rice, set her chopsticks down with a soft click, and dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Alright.”

“You aren’t going to ask what I need from her?”

“Would you tell me if I did?”

Levi smiled, a dry, amused curve of his lips. “I wouldn’t hide it. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. We’ll be staying in this city for a while, so it’s best to establish contact with the local heavyweights.”

Shiki stood, gathering their empty dishes and carrying them to the sink. “Then let’s go.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Wait for me to change.”

Levi nodded. Shiki disappeared into her bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar. From the living room, Levi listened to the soft rustle of fabric and the sliding of wardrobe doors.

A few minutes later, she emerged. She had changed into a deep crimson kimono, secured at the waist by a slender black obi. Her dark hair cascaded loosely down her back, held back only by a simple wooden hairpin.

“Let’s go.”

Levi looked her over, his gaze appreciative. “That suits you.”

Shiki offered a faint hum of acknowledgment, and they stepped out into the morning air.

The sunlight was mild, casting long shadows across the quiet streets. Levi led the way, with Shiki walking at a measured, unhurried pace beside him.

“This Aozaki Touko,” Shiki broke the silence. “What kind of person is she?”

Levi considered the question. “Highly capable. Her mastery over Magecraft is top-tier, and she’s ruthlessly decisive when it comes to business. But her temper is… eccentric.”

“More eccentric than yours?”

“Significantly.”

Shiki let out a soft, airy laugh.

Levi pulled out his phone, verifying the coordinates before turning down a narrow, shadowed alleyway. At the very end stood a weathered, dilapidated apartment building. Third floor. The door on the far left.

Levi rapped his knuckles against the wood. Silence. He knocked twice more, the sound echoing in the empty stairwell.

The door cracked open an inch. A single, sharp amber eye peered out from the gloom.

“Who is it?”

“A prospective client,” Levi answered smoothly. “Miss Aozaki.”

The amber eye scrutinized him for a long moment, then flicked to the woman in the crimson kimono standing behind him. The chain unlatched. The door swung open.

Aozaki Touko stood in the entryway, a lit cigarette clamped between her lips. She wore a crisp white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and the top two buttons left undone, revealing the sharp line of her collarbone. Her long black hair fell in messy waves over her shoulders, and a pair of wire-rimmed glasses hung loosely from her collar.

“Come in.”

The apartment was a chaotic workshop. Blueprints, scattered tools, and alchemical reagents cluttered every available surface. In the far corner, a pile of disembodied, semi-finished puppet torsos stared blankly at the ceiling.

Touko swept a stack of papers off a worn leather sofa, claiming an armchair for herself. Levi and Shiki took the cleared seats opposite her.

“So?” Touko exhaled a thick plume of gray smoke, her amber eyes narrowing through the haze. “Speak. I’m a very busy woman.”

Levi matched her bluntness. “I need you to construct a puppet for me.”

“What kind of puppet?”

“An exact replica of myself.”

Touko’s hand froze halfway to her mouth. The cherry of her cigarette burned bright orange in the dim room. She stared at him in heavy silence for several seconds.

“Interesting.” She flicked the ash into a nearby tray. “And the purpose?”

“A body double,” Levi stated calmly. “When I inevitably run into fatal trouble, it will die in my place.”

Touko pulled the cigarette from her lips, tapping her finger thoughtfully against the filter. “I can take the job. But you should know that crafting a flawless replica—matching your exact physical and magical density down to the cellular level—does not come cheap.”

“Funding is not an issue.”

Touko’s gaze shifted, lingering on Shiki. Shiki sat perfectly still, her expression entirely neutral, but her sharp, predatory eyes never left Touko’s hands.

“The girl you brought with you isn’t exactly normal either, is she?” Touko noted dryly.

“Consider her a colleague.”

“Fine.” Touko crushed the cigarette into the ashtray, exhaling the last wisp of smoke. “Since you know exactly what you want, I won’t waste my breath. The construction will take one month. I require a fifty percent deposit upfront, with the remainder paid upon delivery.”

Levi stood and extended his hand.

Touko eyed it for a second before meeting his grip. Her palm was warm, her handshake firm but measured.

“I’ll need your exact data,” Touko said, pulling a retractable measuring tape from a cluttered drawer. “Height, weight, and structural density need to be flawless. For the finer details… take off your shirt.”

Levi didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it aside.

Touko stepped into his personal space, her movements brisk, clinical, and highly professional as she began mapping his musculature. From the sofa, Ryougi Shiki watched the entire process in absolute, unblinking silence.