Chapter 30 - Smile First, Ask Questions Later

The moment we stepped through the school gates, the atmosphere shifted.

Standing ahead with their usual poised grace were Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima—

The infamous Two Great Ladies of Kuoh Academy.

For most guys, that sight alone would've been enough to short-circuit their brains.

For me?

It was an opening.

I smirked, sliding effortlessly into flirt mode.

"Good morning, my lovely crimson princess~ and my electrifying shrine maiden~."

Akeno's lips curled into a playful smile, violet eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Ara~ starting so early, Malrik-kun?"

Rias sighed, but the slight tug at the corner of her lips gave her away.

"You're impossible."

Behind me, Issei choked on air.

I could feel the sheer panic radiating off him like a dying Wi-Fi signal.

"H-How—What—WHY?!"

I shot him a lazy glance over my shoulder, then turned back to Rias, grin widening.

"So… did he join your club?"

Rias blinked, caught off guard for a second.

"Yes," she said, nodding. "I've recruited him."

I raised my brows in mock surprise.

"So that means… he's a devil now?"

Another nod.

"That's right."

My smirk deepened. "Interesting."

That's when I noticed Rias eyeing Aika.

Her gaze lingered just a second too long before returning to me.

"Wait… does she know?" Her tone was light, but there was a subtle edge to it.

I tilted my head, letting my grin turn wolfish.

"Jealous, Rias?"

Akeno giggled, hiding her mouth behind her fingers.

"Ara~ jealous already, Buchou?"

Rias stiffened, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks.

"T-That's not what I—"

I leaned in, voice dropping just enough to tease.

"If you wanted my attention that badly, all you had to do was ask."

She looked away, crossing her arms with a quiet huff.

Akeno, on the other hand, looked like she was watching her favorite drama unfold live.

Issei, meanwhile, looked like he was trying to reboot his brain.

"Wait—wait—WAIT!" He flailed his arms like a malfunctioning NPC. "Does that mean Malrik and Aika are also from the supernatural world?!"

Still flustered, Rias nodded.

"I actually tried to recruit Malrik," she admitted. "But he declined."

Issei's jaw dropped like a broken vending machine.

"So that's why you went from fat to fit overnight?! Like in an anime?!"

"Correct," Rias confirmed.

Aika finally stepped in, smirking as she flipped her hair.

"Oh, and Malrik told me about the supernatural world too." She looked proud. "He's been teaching me magic."

That made Rias and Akeno pause. They exchanged a look—clearly surprised.

"You're teaching her magic?" Rias asked, curiosity sharpening her tone.

I shrugged. "She's a fast learner."

Before she could press further, Issei practically launched himself at me.

"BRO!" he cried, grabbing my shoulders like I was a lifeline. "Can you teach me magic too?!"

I raised an eyebrow.

"What's your score in math?"

He blinked. "Huh?"

I crossed my arms. "Math. Your grades."

He tilted his head, looking genuinely confused.

"Uh… I've failed every math exam I've ever taken!"

He grinned like it was some kind of achievement.

Aika burst out laughing, nearly doubling over.

"Oh no, Issei," she said between laughs. "If you wanna use Malrik's magic, you need to learn math."

Issei froze mid-thought.

His face contorted in slow, dawning horror.

Then—

"WHAT?! MATH?! NOOOOO!"

I shrugged, thoroughly amused.

"Tough luck, buddy."

—————————

Just as Rias opened her mouth to speak again, another presence cut through the noise.

Sona Sitri.

And right behind her, Tsubaki Shinra.

The Student Council President moved toward us with her signature calm authority, glasses flashing in the morning light.

Tsubaki trailed a step behind, her posture precise, gaze cool and analytical.

Their arrival shifted the atmosphere instantly.

The idle chatter around us faded into background noise.

Sona didn't bother with small talk. Her eyes locked onto Rias.

"You seem troubled," she said, adjusting her glasses with a subtle motion. "Care to explain?"

Rias hesitated, lips tightening before she gave a slow nod.

Something weighed on her—something heavy enough to draw Sona in.

"Something… or someone stopped a Fallen Angel before she could kill Issei."

That single line froze Sona in place.

Her composure didn't break, but her eyes sharpened.

Tsubaki's posture shifted subtly beside her.

Aika stood quietly at my side, her expression blank.

But I caught it—that flicker.

The quick glance.

A whisper of suspicion in her eyes.

She knew.

But she said nothing.

Just like we agreed.

Sona's gaze drifted across us all, measured and observant.

"I see…" she murmured, the gears clearly turning behind her calm exterior.

Rias folded her arms, tone thoughtful.

"This wasn't a coincidence. Whoever intervened was powerful. And precise."

Sona studied her carefully, then turned her gaze to me—just briefly, but enough.

There it was.

The curiosity.

The suspicion.

Time to steer the conversation.

I stepped in with a smooth grin, voice shifting from cool to charming.

"Well, well… if it isn't my favorite Student Council President."

Sona blinked, momentarily disarmed.

Her brow arched.

"You flirt with everyone, don't you?"

I smirked wider.

"Only the beautiful ones."

She sighed and adjusted her glasses again, trying to hide the faint twitch at the corner of her mouth.

Tsubaki glanced away, ever composed—but the faint pink brushing her cheeks didn't escape my notice.

Noted.

Rias groaned softly, massaging her temples like this was already too much.

Akeno, as usual, looked delighted—her smile dancing with mischief.

But Sona?

She wasn't one to be easily thrown off.

That calculating gleam in her eyes never fully left.

Something about last night was bothering her.

And I could feel it—the weight of her unspoken questions.

Still, for now?

I'd bought some time.

The bell rang, sharp and echoing, cutting through the courtyard chatter.

Students shuffled off toward their classrooms, their conversations resuming, their footsteps hurried.

Well—

Most of them.

One, in particular, remained completely frozen.

Issei Hyoudou stood statue-still, mouth hanging slightly open, eyes locked on the now-vacant space where Rias, Akeno, and I had been just moments ago.

Not moving.

Not blinking.

Barely breathing.

It was like watching someone trying to load an emotional update on dial-up.

Then—

"ISSEI!"

Two voices shouted in unison as Matsuda and Motohama came crashing into view.

They lunged at him, hands on his shoulders, shaking him like he owed them answers.

Matsuda's face was a cocktail of confusion and panic.

"BRO! WHAT THE HELL DID WE JUST WITNESS?!"

Motohama pushed his glasses up dramatically, his voice nearly cracking.

"HOW. THE. HELL. DID YOU GET CLOSE TO ALL THESE BEAUTIES?!"

Issei blinked.

Once.

Slowly.

Still buffering.

Still trying to process the full-on supernatural social detonation that had just gone off around him.

Meanwhile—

The whispers had started.

The Male Students

Furious.

Some stood in clumps, glaring in the direction I'd walked off.

"This isn't fair!"

"What kind of harem protagonist bullsh*t is this?!"

"He was FLIRTING with Sona-kaichou too!"

"And Tsubaki-senpai BLUSHED!"

A few of them clung to denial like it was a lifeline.

"Tch. They're probably just using him for something. No way a guy like that is actually popular."

Others?

They just looked crushed.

One poor soul slumped against the courtyard wall, sliding down like his spirit had left his body.

"My dream… my high school dream… it's over."

The Female Students

Less hostile.

More… curious.

A girl leaned close to her friend, whispering behind her hand.

"Malrik-kun really is smooth, huh?"

Her friend smirked.

"And confident. Guys like that are rare."

A small group of second-years gathered by the fountain, watching like they were observing a new school legend in the making.

"I wonder if he flirts with everyone," one of them mused.

"Or just the famous ones," another chimed in, grinning.

"Maybe we should test it~"

Aika, walking beside me now, let out a low chuckle as we strolled toward class.

"Looks like you've stirred up the entire school."

I gave her a sidelong glance and smirked.

"What can I say? It's a gift."