Troubles

[Morning — Occult Research Club, Kuoh]

"Akeno?"

"Yeah?"

Sitting on the couch of the Occult Research Club, I wondered as I stared at the girl pouring tea.

"Doesn't your back hurt?"

My question made her pause mid-serving. "What do you mean?"

"Just curious, do you have back pain?"

She didn't catch on to what I was insinuating but instead thought deeply about it.

To be fair, it was a genuine question as well. Well, partially genuine.

"Standing for long periods or staying in a position like this," she referred to the bent posture she had while pouring tea, "I sometimes feel like my back gets stiff, but not necessarily pained or anything like that."

So, Devil physique does have quite the benefits.

And it honestly makes me wonder if it's a devil genetic thing. I mean, Rias and Akeno both stand out quite a lot, even among the group of girls they hang around with.

But then my eyes fell on another person sitting opposite me.

"What are you staring at?"

Yep, not a devil genetic thing.

"Don't be rude, Koneko." Finally, the club leader and the King of the two girls walked in, wrapped in a towel, making my eyes twitch. "He is still your senior."

She turned to me, a pretty smile on her freshly dried face. "I hope you don't mind her. She can be a little cheeky sometimes."

"Well... I don't."

Koneko being annoyed was the last thing on my mind at the moment.

Why?

Because this girl was barely dressed, wrapped in a towel that could fall off any moment, barely large enough to somehow cover her body, given the size of her breasts that threatened to pop out of the towel.

Was it intentional?

Was it the devil's temptation?

This had me genuinely baffled, but I wasn't stupid enough to ask.

Instead, I took the cup that Akeno had just filled and took a small sip of the hot and fragrant tea.

"Wow," and once again, my focus shifted to an entirely different thing. "This tea is amazing."

This made Akeno happy. "We have the tea leaves imported from a connection of Rias, and I prepare the leaves for brewing myself."

It wouldn't be a lie to say that it was one of the best teas I have ever had.

The best being one that my father's friend once gifted us. But that was ages ago, so maybe it was nostalgia that forbade me from putting anything above it.

And as I enjoyed the tea while feeling a little bit of nostalgia, I saw Rias sitting opposite me, next to Koneko Toujou—the underclassman who had been staring daggers at me.

She too was a devil, but there was something very interesting about her.

Maybe this wasn't the best time to ask, so I should talk to her some other time.

And coming back to Rias, my eyes twitched again. This time it wasn't the towel, but the way she sat.

I swear, if she moves her leg even a tiny bit to her other side, everything would be visible.

"Anyway, I suppose you know I called you, even though you don't have class at this hour, for a reason, right?" she asked, looking anything but serious in that outfit, despite her efforts to appear so with her facial expressions.

"You were quite anxious during last night's call, so I am aware."

This made her exhale sharply. "Then you should also know it's for a reason."

Finally, after calming my mind and getting rid of all the distractions—somewhat—I too decided to partake in the conversation.

"What exactly is this Yuuma girl looking for?"

I already knew she was hostile from the quest, and I knew she was supernatural.

But hostility in most cases required a reason.

"Her name is not Yuuma." Rias' response surprised me.

"It's not?"

But after I asked the question, I realized how obvious it was.

No supernatural being that wanted to harm someone would give away their name so easily, would they?

"Her name is Raynare, a low-level fallen angel who is part of some larger ploy. And that ploy is also why we haven't gone directly against those Fallens yet. We need to figure out what they are planning before we face them." Her forehead pressed into a frown. "But we know that she is hunting down people with Sacred Gears, and maybe it's because she thinks you have a gear that she is targeting you."

"Your magic doesn't poke out like that of a magician's but feels more like a Sacred Gear," Akeno added. "So, it is most likely why she is after you."

"What will she do with the Sacred Gear?"

"That is the question whose answer we are looking for as well." Rias rubbed her forehead. "And honestly, it has been a large pain."

"We advise that you stay at home for some days, or maybe stay around us for a while," Akeno suggested. "Until we figure out this Sacred Gear and Fallen issue, you are at risk."

This was unfortunately not something I could do. I had a quest to fulfill.

"How about another solution?" I suggested, not risking missing out on my quest.

"I don't think we have that many options, but what do you suggest?" Rias asked, not very hopeful.

"To figure out their plan, you will have to enter their base or have one of the Fallen reveal their plots to you. You need to infiltrate them, which is impossible for you as devils."

"Don't tell me..." Both Rias and Akeno somewhat understood what I was suggesting. "Don't tell me you are planning to enter their base."

"Come on now." However, their words instantly made me chuckle. "I am not that stupid."

"Then..."

"I don't plan to enter their base; that's suicidal."

No matter how many forms of magic or skills I had, I had never used them against anyone. I had absolutely no experience when it came to real fights, so I had to be really careful.

"But if it's only one Fallen that is after me, and if she is low-level as you said," there was a solution that could be favorable for them and me, "it should not be impossible to make her confess. And even if she tries to kill me after she reveals the reason, I can at least defend myself. As for after that, you should be able to handle her and the Fallens, right?"

Not necessarily what I was planning, but I couldn't tell them that.

"That..." Akeno thought about it. "Sounds possible, but could be dangerous in practice."

"Do not underestimate her just because she is low-level, Reo," Rias said sternly. "She is still a Fallen, and Fallens are extremely dangerous."

I could understand her concern, but I didn't think they had a better plan either.

"If I don't go on this date, she might try another way, and that way would be unexpected. What if she brings more of her Fallen subordinates?"

This had the girls in deep thought.

"We know about this date. If they try something, I can be prepared. But on other days at other times, I cannot be prepared for every unexpected thing."

"That... is true." Rias didn't have much of a counter.

"Can you handle the risk?" Akeno asked. "If you go out with her, we can help you, but it won't be instant. We might be late, which I hope we aren't. But it is a possibility."

She had a point. Even if she followed behind, she couldn't just react at light speed, now could she?

"I am not very confident in fighting Fallens," I answered honestly, "but I think I am capable of at least protecting myself until you can help out."

I looked at Rias. "If you do help me, we can figure out everything that you are looking for."

Rias was in deep thought, contemplating if it was even safe to let me go out with Yuuma née Raynare.

"Rias," Akeno looked at her King, "this is risky, but... but it might be the only way we can handle this situation. And possibly with the least amount of risk."

Even Koneko, the one who had been staring silently from the side, chimed in.

"He isn't a normal human or someone who is oblivious to his powers either. He can at least use them and maybe even protect himself with them," she said. "It is better to have him carry out this plan than have a random human with a Sacred Gear be sacrificed."

Her words did sound a little rough, but she had a point.

"If... if only you can promise that you won't do anything stupid and follow what we plan ahead, then it is possible to maybe let you go there." Rias, very hesitantly, agreed. "Though please be careful. We do not know what they are planning or how many will be hiding in the background."

So... do I take it that she agreed?

She just did, didn't she?

"I promise I will."

But...

Well...

Just as we finally came to an understanding, I heard the familiar voice of Kiba barging into the room.

"Rias!"

His voice echoed even within the soundproof room.

"We have a problem!"

And even before any of us could turn to look at him or ask him about the issue, he dropped a bombshell.

"The Fallens, they... they just contacted Issei too."

Huh?

"What?" Everyone gasped together.

As for me, I was amused.

Just why can't this boy seemingly stay away from trouble?

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