Nine Astra Skies - Chapter 1 - The Eighteen Houses of Lianyun

A continuation from where High School DxD Volume 25 left off.

In the original story, the male lead accused his ex-wife of abusing him when he was younger. But unlike the original story, I raised my young husband as if he was my brother.

When my husband went to war, I started preparing for a divorce. Because if the original story is true, the male lead will fall in love with the princess of the ruined country and bring her back!

That’s why instead of following the road that leads to defeat, I intended to get a decent divorce.

While preparing for that, I took some money and earned quite a fortune. I’ve also developed a cure because I didn’t want to die of incurable diseases like the original villainess. All that’s left is getting divorced!

***

My cute little husband came home and grew up to be such a fine man! But don’t worry, I’m all set to divorce you! Oddly enough, the reaction of my husband is a little strange.

“While I was fighting on the battlefield, you were prepared to run away.”

He smiled dangerously, whilst wrapping my waist with his big hands.

“Are you having an affair?”

Unlike the pretty corners of his mouth, his eyes were burning hot.

No….. you know, I’m ready to get divorced…..

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.