"The Angel that presided 'oer my birth said, "Little creature, form'd of Joy and Mirth, "Go love without the help of any Thing on Earth.”"

  “Alright. I’ll be down the hall, but I don’t want you running over to me every time there’s a break, got it? Try to be cool, make some friends, and look alive!”

  Having an older sister wasn’t exactly something I had on my agenda, but at this point, I could only force a tight-lipped smile and nod. As Kira left, I turned to face the classroom, took a steadying breath, and walked in.

  Being in second year meant I recognized a few faces right away: Yuuto Kiba, Momo Hanakai, Genshirou Saji, and even Issei Hyoudou—everyone was already there. I made my way toward the back of the room, hoping to slide in unnoticed. But before I could sit, a girl with gold-colored eyes and lightly tousled brunette hair, tied into loose braids on each side, blocked my path—Aika Kiryuu.

  "Where do you think you're going, fresh meat?" she asked, leaning forward with one hand on her hip. She adjusted her glasses with a quick push, her other finger jabbing lightly at my chest. “Hmmm… That’s odd. Five foot… one. A hundred and ninety pounds…” She pushed me again. “But you don’t look heavy. Can you walk a bit more? I need to check something.”

  “Aika! What are you doing?!”

  The voice belonged to another girl, who came rushing towards us with urgency. This one I didn’t recognize—taller, with light-brown hair pulled into long pigtails.

  “Oh, Murayama! I was just taking the new guy’s measurements. His body’s... strange. I can’t tell if he’s sucking in his gut or shredded under that uniform!” Aika said with a big grin. “But I know one way to find out.”

  “Can… we talk for a second?”

  The girl— Murayama, gave me an apologetic smile before forcefully dragging Aika away by the arm. Luckily, being a Devil had its perks—good hearing, for one. I caught every word of their whispered conversation.

  “Listen to me,” Murayama hissed. “I want some chance of living out a normal college romance, so I’m not about to let you ruin this for everyone by sexually harassing every new guy that walks in. The last thing we need is to end up stuck with the Perverted Trio again. It’s a miracle Kiba puts up with you.”

  Aika waved her off with a smirk. “Relax, relax. I’ll be quick about it, I swear. It’s just... taking me a bit longer than usual. Let’s just say he’s got a lot to take in.” She flashed a smug grin, clearly too pleased with herself.

  Murayama shot her a disgusted look before releasing her arm, turning back to me with a wide, friendly, innocent smile. “Hiiiii! I’m sooo sorry about that! My name’s Ame Murayama. When they told us we were getting a new classmate, I didn’t expect him to be a foreigner. I really like your eyes! Are you from Europe?”

  I tried not to laugh. How do you even fumble being in this class?

  I never really thought about it from the girl’s perspective, but now I understood why they always gathered around Kiba. These girls were THIRSTY. I guess the lack of men in the school was something that played both ways as long as you weren’t literally insufferable.

  But before Murayama finished talking for me to give an answer, another figure approached.

  “You must be Nyx, right?”

  And speaking of the Devil... there he was. Kiba Yuuto himself, smiling politely as he extended a hand. I gladly took the opportunity to escape the infinite question and accepted his handshake.

  “Were you waiting for me?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

  Kiba scratched his head, chuckling. “I was asked to keep an eye on you. Thought I should step in before things got... out of hand.” He smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, they mean well. You’ll get used to it soon enough. It happens to every guy who transfers here.”

  “Every guy?” I joked, knowing that wasn’t exactly true.

  He gave me a sympathetic shrug. “Well... let’s just say you’d have to make a real effort to get them to lose interest. Expectations are… pretty low.”

  Before long, the teacher entered, and the morning class began without further incident. Sitting back in a classroom felt... nice. I really didn’t have many memories of my past life, but something about being here felt natural, like slipping back into an old routine. It had been years since I’d been surrounded by humans, and though there were whispers flying around after I’d spoken to Kiba, most of the students didn’t seem too concerned with me.

  Devils were typically sharp, calculating, always playing some cruel game. Here, though, it was different. These people were only focused on surviving the semester, and it was refreshing to be in a space where that was the biggest concern, with everyone on the same page. I found myself relaxing as the lesson continued, letting the familiar sounds of the classroom wash over me. I didn’t need a refresher on basic math or chemistry, so I could afford to coast through the class without taking too many notes, resting my eyes every once in a while. For the first time in a long while, I could just... exist around people.

  It was fun.

  But once the shift came to an end, it was business hour.

  I stepped out of the classroom, scanning the hallway until my eyes landed on the person I had planned to meet today. But just as I’d hoped for, my short walk was interrupted just after two steps.

  A gentle hand rested on my shoulder, and I turned to see the vibrant red hair of Rias Gremory. Despite knowing she would be there—planning for it, I couldn’t hold back some surprise. Rias was tall, curvy, elegant and unique all in a single package, making it seem as if the academy’s uniform was designed just to cling to her body.

  Her confident grin faltered slightly, revealing a flicker of curiosity that she tried to mask. With a graceful motion, Rias pressed a hand to her soft chest.

  “Greetings,” she began. “I am Rias Gremory, as you likely know—the current heir of the Gremory clan. May I ask for a moment of your time?”

  “Rias, what’s the meaning of this?”

  Sona’s sharp tone came from behind me, her small stature overshadowed by the authority in her gaze. Her glasses caught the light, giving her an even more commanding presence. The heir of the house of Sitri looked far from amused, but even that wasn’t enough to completely erase her looks. She was adorable, like a kid playing pretend on her mother’s shoes.

  Rias blinked, momentarily taken aback. “Oh, Sona…” She offered a sheepish smile. “I was merely hoping to extend a warm welcome to our new student. After all, Kuoh City is still Gremory’s territory, and I should be in charge of welcoming our fellow… outsiders.”

  Sona’s eyes narrowed, her posture rigid as she spoke with icy precision. “I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your invitation,” she said, her voice edged with haste. “This student has already arranged an audience with the Student Council right after class—as all new arrivals should. Therefore, as anything concerning Kuoh Academy falls under my jurisdiction, I’ll handle things from here.”

  Rias made her absolutely best effort to remain amicable, but I could see a vein on her forehead about to pop. “That is unfortunate indeed. I’ll leave you two to it then, but please…” She gave me a small piece of paper before stepping back. “I would be most pleased if you could find a moment to reach back to us. I feel like we have much to discuss.”

  “I will,” I replied, bowing slightly. “Apologies for any trouble my presence has caused. I did not know you’d be waiting for me.”

  Rias inclined her head, her eyes lingering on mine a moment longer, as if seeking something unspoken. Then, without a word, she turned and walked away, leaving behind a palpable tension, like the ripple of a stone dropped into still waters. I’d given her more to think about, and not a single answer.

  I straightened up and turned to Sona, who merely nodded and began walking, expecting me to follow. Without a word, she led me through the building, up to the second floor. As we entered the private Student Council room, the quiet hum of activity was replaced by the stillness of a formal meeting. Kuoh Academy thrived on an image of pristine order, and this room was no exception, everything meticulously arranged, as if chaos had never dared touch its floors.

  At the far end of the room, Tsubaki Shinra, Sona’s Queen, sat silently on a sleek black couch, her eyes closed in calm detachment. Her presence was a sentinel’s—quiet but vigilant. We paid her no mind as we took our seats, though her silent watchfulness was a reminder: this was a private conversation, but I was still an outsider. Some precautions were inevitable. They did not trust me, and I was okay with that.

  Sona’s voice, broke the silence. “First of all, allow me to formally welcome you to our institution. Have you found it to your liking?”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “I have,” I admitted. “I never expected the human world to suit me so well.”

  She nodded, her expression unchanged as she opened a thick tome resting on the table between us. It was old, its worn pages edged with dust. “Cervantis… A name not spoken in over two hundred years. From Transylvania to the Underworld… To our door.”

  Of course, I hadn’t expected the sister of Leviathan to come unprepared.

  “A name no one has needed of for two centuries,” I replied calmly. “But that’s something I intend to change.”

  Her brows lifted, though her interest remained low, almost clinical. “And am I to believe you’ve come offering something worth our interest?”

  “On the contrary,” I said with a faint smile. “Since I’ll be living in the area, my intention was simply to knock on your door and ask for a cup of sugar.” With a very slow motion, I extended my arm, manifesting a swirling torrent of solid blood. Both Sona and her Queen tensed for a fraction of a second, then relaxed again, their eyes fixed on the display. “My gifts are painfully obvious,” I continued, nonchalant. “I have some talent with them, but there’s something I’ve yet to master, something I believe you could help me with.”

  “And what would that be?”

  “Water.” I flexed my fingers, turning the blood into a sluggish stream that drifted along my hand. “I can manipulate blood as a weapon, but I can’t make it flow the way water does.” The stream twisted around my fingers, but it was thick, slow, and clumsy, lacking the fluid grace of a true current. “Blood, like water, needs to flow freely. If it stagnates, it rots. My family has suffered enough from that kind of stagnation, and it’s a mistake I don’t plan on repeating.”

  “And you expect the heir to the house of Sitri to simply drop her responsibilities and come to your aid, because…?”

  All or nothing.

  “Because both strays and Fallen Angels roam the human world as they please, and if half the rumors I’ve heard in the Underworld are true, they might drain your little human farm dry before you complete your peerage.”

  For a heartbeat, the room was silent, the words hanging in the air. Then, outrage swelled.

  Sona shot to her feet, her face flushed with anger. “You forget your place if you think we require your help!”

  “Do I?” I leaned back in my chair, smiling slightly. “Can you promise me that not a single one of your students will be butchered for their Sacred Gears before the year ends?”

  Her teeth clenched, and she looked away, refusing to respond.

  “I’m not mocking you,” I said, my tone softening. “But if Azazel’s out there hunting for new toys—”

  “There’s no proof of that,” she cut in, her voice a little calmer now as she sat back down, adjusting her glasses. “And I can’t base an alliance on your word alone.”

  “Perhaps not. But we both know your enemies are real, and you’re too proud to call Leviathan for help if things go south. So why don’t we take a chance on each other now, instead of waiting for the time to come?”

  Sona closed her eyes, weighing the offer in silence, thinking. “That little stunt outside the classroom—was it just a coincidence?”

  “That would be Satan Lucifer’s doing.”

  Her eyes snapped open, surprised. “Lord Sirzechs? What does he have to do with this?”

  “He asked for an audience right after I received my Evil Pieces. He spoke of restoring the bond between our families and, when he learned of my plans to attend Kuoh Academy, he suggested…” I hesitated, letting the weight of my next words sink in. “He suggested I might be a good match for Rias Gremory, better than Riser Phenex at least. I assume that’s why she was looking for me.”

  For the first time, I could tell I had both girl’s full attention. Tsubaki pretended not to pay any mind, but her elegant body had moved to the edge of her seat. Meanwhile, Sona’s eyes had grown deep and troubled.

  “And what do you think of that offer?” she asked carefully. “Needless to say, you'd make some powerful enemies.”

  “I gave him the same answer I’ll give you—I won’t marry someone I don’t know. But if a chance for me to get to know Rias Gremory presents itself… I won’t reject it. And, I’ll admit, she is very pretty.”

  Sona tilted her chin, scrutinizing me in silence, her thoughts seemingly turning over my words. After a moment, her lips pressed together. “So, I take it your goal is to gather favor with the Four Satans?”

  “With two of them, I’ve already spoken. I had hoped your sister would be the third.”

  Finally, she let out a deep sigh. “Very well. You’ve given me enough to trace back your intentions. If it’s knowledge you seek, you’ve come to the right place. However,” her voice hardened, “I cannot afford to waste my time on those who show no potential. Tsubaki will oversee your training. Prove your worth, and we may speak again.”

  I looked over at the silent Queen and smiled. “Do you think I’ve managed to pique her interest?”

  “I will fulfill my duties to the best of my ability,” Tsubaki said, calm, formal. “It is up to you whether that will be enough to bring about progress.”

  It wasn’t exactly high praise, but it was a victory nonetheless. I had gained what I came for, and I felt a subtle wave of satisfaction rise within me. Just as I was about to take a much-needed breath of relief, a sharp knock interrupted the moment. Sona and I exchanged puzzled looks before the door creaked open on its own.

  A figure stepped in. Saber—clad in one of her new formal dresses, though it was clear from her expression that playing the role of maid didn’t suit her in the slightest. She stood with her usual grace, yet there was a tension in her posture, a reluctance to be here.

  “Master, my apologies for the intrusion, but there are matters that may require your immediate attention,” the Servant said, bowing slightly.

  I turned to my hosts, offering a small nod. "I must apologize for this," I said, gesturing toward Saber. "She’s the only maid I brought with me, though her current role is more of a bodyguard. I recall instructing her to simply observe from a distance… apparently, that didn’t go as planned."

  Saber, clearly apologetic, dipped her head. "Miss… your sister has joined the kendo club’s practice today, Master." She hesitated, glancing between us before continuing. "And, well… how to put this delicately… it seems some of your classmates are quite interested in, and I quote, admiring the sweet, hot cocoa buns she brought to school."

  For a moment, nobody dared to share a thought. Sona’s face turned a deep shade of red, and she buried it in her hands, her expression one of pure, mortified pain. Even Tsubaki, ever composed, looked away, her jaw tightening slightly in clear shame.

  “There have been… incidents,” Sona admitted quietly. "Some of our students have remained difficult to manage."

  I resisted the urge to react, but a sharp stab of irritation shot through me. It was like a hot needle being hammered right into my skull. "I’ll handle this," I said, already getting up. "Saber, lead the way."

  “Wait!” Tsubaki’s voice rang out, her arm snapping out as though to stop me. “Academic matters are to be handled by the Student Council—”

  I didn’t break my stride, nor did I bother to look back. “Negotiations are over,” I answered, final. “As a gesture of goodwill, I promise not to cause any permanent damage. But please, learn to control your humans. If you can’t manage that, what’s even the point?”

  With that, I followed Saber out of the room, the door closing loudly behind us.

  ?

  My plan was simple—avoid Issei Hyoudou. Forever. Or at least until the day he died. It was the best way to ensure everything unfolded the way it needed to. There was no logic in meddling with the timeline by stepping in to tweak minor events.

  That being said, I was currently considering how to avoid cracking his skull open by accident.

  It wasn’t that I held a grudge against the guy... well, aside from the fact that he was a borderline sex offender who got away with it because he had a dragon in his gut. That, and he was a bit short in the brains department from time to time. But overall, he didn’t particularly bother me. If anything, I had to begrudgingly admire just how lucky one guy could get in a single lifetime.

  But reading about someone peeking on naked girls and actually having to deal with it in real life were two very different things. Specially when trying to take care of someone who really shouldn’t be exposed to any more sexual harassment during this lifetime.

  “Saber, are you sure this is the room?”

  From behind the door, I heard Issei’s unmistakable voice, faint but clear enough. “Hey! That’s not fair! Do you know how long it took me to turn that crack into a hole worth using?!”

  Saber nodded, visibly uncomfortable. “Yes, it seems they’re making use of a concealed spot behind a poster of Beetch Vollebrrrr.”

  How she managed to say that with a straight face, I will never know. But I wasn’t about to correct her. If I was lucky enough, she might say it again in front of other people.

  I was about to walk in on the three stooges when the door to the girls’ bathroom beside me swung open. Out stepped Murayama, the same girl I’d seen before. Her chestnut hair was tied into a high ponytail this time, giving her a more serious look. And, speaking of chest… well, the kimono she wore certainly did her figure justice, as she filled it up to the brim.

  “Murayama, heading to practice?” I asked casually.

  She turned, startled. “Y-Yes! The girls and I are just getting ready. Do you want to come take a look?”

  "I was hoping you could lend me your wooden sword for a moment. I think I heard some rats inside."

  Murayama looked confused at first, but as I pointed toward the door, she moved closer, and it became clear. Issei and his friends weren’t half as sneaky as they thought.

  “M-Move aside! I want to see the new girl too!”

  The girl let out a tired sigh, clearly exasperated. She unhooked the practice sword from her waist and handed it to me with a small smile. "If anyone asks, I never saw anything."

  Good girl.

  With the fake weapon in hand, I opened the door and stepped into the dark, dusty supply room. It was basically just a janitors closet, probably build right beside the bathroom to store all the cleaning products nearby.

  All three of them froze in place, turning slowly to face me, caught in the act. Issei, predictably, was the first to speak, taking a step ahead.

  "Ah, the new guy! Another blonde asshole here to steal all the girls just because he's new, handsome, smart, or works hard, huh?" He pointed a thumb toward the wall with pride. "Well, let me tell you something! I had to dig this wall with a spoon for three whole weeks to make that crack! So if you want to take a peek, you better pay up."

  Matsuda and Motohama grew in confidence as they stood behind him, crossing their arms and nodding along.

  I had almost forgotten that being genuinely disgusting wasn’t just something for Devils.

  ?

  Kira spun around playfully, making her kimono flare with the movement. Kendo wasn’t exactly her kind of thing, but why not? When in Rome… Besides, the other girls had been surprisingly welcoming. Even as she adjusted the outfit and glanced at herself in the mirror inside the locker room, she could hear whispers behind her. They made her feel slightly self-conscious, but in a good way. Everyone was paying attention—not out of malice, just curiosity. She was new, different, and allowed to enjoy it.

  Then it happened.

  First came muffled screams, followed by a loud crash as something slammed into the wall behind her. Before she could fully register what was happening, the thin partition collapsed, and a boy came tumbling into the room. He was bald, a bit ugly, and clearly dazed. Kira instinctively stepped forward to see if he was okay, but the girls around her erupted into panic and shrieks.

  “Again?! This is the last time. Girls, get him!”

  Five of her new classmates descended on the boy without hesitation, kicking him and stepping on him while he remained on the floor. Meanwhile, the rest of the girls rushed toward the hallway, where the commotion seemed to have spilled over. Kira followed, her eyes widening as she stepped into the corridor and spotted Nyx standing with his back to her. In front of him, on the ground, lay another boy—this one with messy brown hair, groaning in pain.

  For a split second, Kira considered stepping in to break up the fight, but then she realized the crowd wasn’t discouraging it. On the contrary, everyone around was cheering. Even Katase, who had struck her as the gentler type, was shouting with enthusiasm.

  “Beat him up! Beat him up! Beat him up!”

  Nyx tossed a wooden kendo sword at the boy on the ground. “Pick it up.”

  Issei groaned, clutching the sword and using it to push himself to his feet. He staggered back, barely managing to assume a defensive stance. “Ha... You really are one cocky bastard—”

  Nyx moved first, throwing a punch. Issei tried to parry with the sword, but it didn’t matter. Nyx’s knuckles connected hard with Issei’s face, the impact sending a sickening crunch through the air as his nose took the brunt of the blow.

  “If you think this is enough to stop my hunger for the sight of bouncing, soft brea—”

  Another punch cut him off.

  “Tits are my... religion... and I’m going to—”

  And again. And again.

  “Yo’, what the fuck are you doing?!” Kira finally yelled, pushing through the crowd to intervene.

  Nyx turned towards her, his expression impassive as he calmly wiped the blood off his white gloves. “These guys were…” He stopped himself. “They were up to no good, that’s for sure.”

  “So you decided to beat the shit out of them?! It’s our first day of school, Nyx! I can take care of myself! Why do you have to get yourself in trouble and act like it’s for me?!”

  Her words came out in a rush, frustration and irritation lacing her tone. As her voice echoed in the now-silent hallway, Kira realized that all eyes had turned to her. Flustered, she turned around and hurried back into the changing room, sinking down onto one of the benches, her face burning with embarrassment.

  But the attention followed her inside. A moment later, Katase slid in beside her, a mischievous grin on her lips.

  “So…” she purred, pressing closer. “New girl, new guy... why didn’t you tell me? I think he’s really cute! A bit creepy… I’m into that.”

  Kira groaned, burying her face in her hands.

  “You shouldn’t be mad at him,” another girl added. “Those guys deserved it. I wouldn’t complain if it happened more often.”

  “I thought he was a little scary at first, but honestly? Nothing’s worse than the creeps we already have. If they don’t do anything about it I might switch schools.”

  In an instant, the atmosphere shifted. Kira, who had felt the attention before with a sense of pride, now wanted the ground to swallow her whole. The whispers returned, but this time, they stung a bit.

  “Girls, calm down. He’s my fucking brother!”

  Katase gave her a deeply confused look, clearly not sure what to make of it, but said nothing.

  “Half-brother…” Kira added quietly, as if that would make any difference.

  It didn’t. In fact, it was like pouring gasoline on an open flame. The murmurs only grew louder, and as the changing room began to clear out, Kira knew this was one rumor that wasn’t going away anytime soon.

  “Well, if your brother ever wants to join us for practice, I’ll make sure to help him polish his sword before we fight,” Katase said, almost purring.

  “Katase!” Kira snapped, mortified.

  “What? It’s important to take care of the family sword. Can’t let it get rusty… I’m just saying!” the girl replied with an exaggerated innocence that only made it worse.

  “Katase, shut the fuck up!”

  “Stop trying to protect me in front of my friends, step bro! Oh, gosh, it’s not like I like it when you fight for me or anything!”

  “I’m gonna beat your ass!”