Chapter 29 - A Breakfast of Consequences

The first rays of morning light peeked through the massive windows of my mansion, casting a warm golden hue over the polished floors. The scent of freshly made breakfast lingered in the air—toast, eggs, something sizzling on the stove. Not a bad way to start the day.

I sat up, stretching lazily as I stared at the ceiling. Last night had been… interesting. I'd officially thrown a wrench into the plot. Issei wasn't dead, meaning no resurrection scene, no naked Rias revival, and likely a whole chain reaction of unintended consequences.

"Well, let's see how much I broke the script."

Rolling out of bed, I dressed in something effortlessly stylish. Presentation mattered, after all. A quick glance in the mirror confirmed what I already knew—I looked damn good.

Stepping into the dining room, I was greeted by the familiar sight of Mittelt and Aika seated at the long, polished table.

Mittelt, still wearing her neatly fitted maid uniform, poked at her food with a grumpy expression, her wings twitching slightly whenever she thought no one was looking.

Aika, far more relaxed, munching on toast as she scrolled through her phone, barely acknowledging the world around her.

I raised an eyebrow at Aika.

"Wait a second—"

"You didn't go home last night?" I asked, pulling out a chair across from her.

She took a slow sip of her tea, her golden eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Told my parents I was staying at a friend's place."

I narrowed my eyes. "And they just believed that?"

Aika smirked, biting into her toast.

"You'd be surprised how easy it is to manipulate adults. A well-timed 'I'm studying' works wonders."

I leaned back, crossing my arms. "Huh. Dangerous."

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Mittelt's wings twitch again, but she kept her gaze stubbornly fixed on her plate.

I smirked.

"This morning's off to an interesting start."

—————————

The moment I reached for the toast, Mittelt suddenly appeared beside me, placing a plate in front of me with practiced indifference.

She didn't say anything. Didn't even meet my gaze. But I caught it—the faint twitch of her body, the stiffness in her shoulders. Like she was trying too hard to act indifferent.

I picked up my fork, grinning.

"I must say, Mittelt, I never expected such excellent service from a former assassin."

Instant reaction.

Mittelt stiffened, her fingers tightening around the tray she still held. A light flush crept onto her cheeks, but she quickly turned away, wings ruffling aggressively.

"Shut up and eat, you damn human!" she snapped, voice a little too sharp to be convincing.

I chuckled, enjoying this way too much.

"Aww, no need to be shy," I teased, taking a slow bite of my food. "If you wanted praise, you could've just said so."

That did it.

Mittelt spun around, her glare sharp enough to kill.

"I don't care about your stupid opinion!" she huffed. (Lies.)

From across the table, Aika, who had been quietly enjoying the chaos, let out an exaggerated sigh before sipping her tea.

"Are you always this insufferable in the morning?" she asked dryly.

I shot her a lazy smirk.

"Only when I wake up to two lovely ladies at my table."

Mittelt scoffed, face still slightly pink, but didn't retort. Aika just snorted, shaking her head.

The morning had barely begun, and I was already having fun.

———————

Breakfast wrapped up soon after, and I grabbed my bag, stretching lazily.

"Alright," I murmured, rolling my shoulders, "time to see how much I've messed with the canon."

As I turned toward the door, I caught Aika watching me.

She wasn't being obvious about it, but her gaze lingered—longer than usual.

Like she was trying to figure something out.

Interesting.

Meanwhile, Mittelt stood near the table, arms crossed, watching us leave. Her expression was unreadable, but I could feel the irritation rolling off her in waves.

"Damn human," she muttered under her breath. "Always acting so smug."

I almost laughed.

She tried so hard to sound annoyed, but there it was—that little flicker in her posture, that almost imperceptible hesitation.

She wasn't just watching me leave.

She was reluctant to watch me go.

I grinned as I stepped outside into the morning air, feeling the warmth of the sun against my skin.

"This day's gonna be fun."

—————————————

The morning air was crisp as Aika and I strolled toward Kuoh Academy, the quiet hum of the city in the background.

The streets weren't too crowded yet, which made the familiar, excited voice that suddenly cut through the air stand out even more.

"Malrik!"

I barely had time to process before a grinning idiot all but bounced toward me.

Issei Hyoudou.

His entire face radiated excitement, his brown eyes gleaming with barely-contained glee.

"Guess what?" he blurted out, practically vibrating. "I made friends with Rias and her club members!"

I blinked.

Then I fought the urge to laugh.

This guy really doesn't even realize I just robbed him of his 'naked Rias' moment.

A brief, wicked thought crossed my mind.

(If I told him that, would he try to kill me?)

Before I could say anything, Aika casually stepped in with her usual sharp tongue.

"Oh wow, Issei," she drawled, stretching her arms above her head. "Friends? Or are they just keeping you around for comic relief?"

Issei froze, his grin faltering.

"Oi!" he pouted, hands on his hips. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Aika smirked. "Just saying… you're probably the club mascot."

I chuckled. "She does have a point."

Issei groaned, running a hand through his messy hair. "Man, you guys are ruthless!"

Aika tilted her head, looking at me. "Should we go easier on him?"

I pretended to consider it. "Nah."

Issei threw his hands up. "Unbelievable!"

As we walked, the conversation naturally shifted—Issei bragging about how 'close' he was getting with Rias, Aika throwing in sarcastic jabs, and me just watching with amused detachment.

The poor fool had no idea what he was in for.

Before long, the school gates loomed ahead.

And standing right at the entrance, waiting with poised elegance—

Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima.

I smirked.

"Well, well. This just got interesting."