Issei took a deep breath, trying to suppress his amusement before he knocked on the door of the Student Council Office. He was aware that dealing with Sona was going to be a tad harder than dealing with Rias, for a few reasons. Sona didn't try to get him into her peerage based on lies, so she lacked a huge sense of guilt that he could leverage into interesting situations. Nor she was invested in his development.
Of course, she was smart enough to try to maintain a good relationship with the holder of the Boosted Gear, but that was barely enough to make her meet him. After all, despite his potential, he was just a low-class devil, and nothing else. Moreover, he was a part of Rias' peerage, so an outsider would assume that it was better to curry favor with Rias rather than directly with him.
Still, Issei wasn't hopeless. At the end of the day, Sona was another arrogant heiress who had been protected by the overbearing presence of one of four Satans —Leviathan in her case— which meant that like Rias, she was grossly overestimating her abilities, especially with her overwhelming pride.
"Come in," called a cold, professional voice when Issei knocked, grating his nerves. It was the same voice he had heard every time he was late, every time a teacher had sent him to the council room with a complaint about his lack of attention, every time he had been caught doing some perverted stuff. Every time, it was Sona that stood in front of him with a dismissive attitude like he was not worth more than a discarded bottle destined for a landfill, giving him another disparaging lecture, threatening to kick him out.
Issei was offended.
Yes, he had been acting in those times, and her lectures were ultimately justified. However, after spending years communicating with Ddraig, he had adopted an approach that was closer to dragons. Much milder, of course, but considering that it was relative to Ddraig's own pride, which made him prioritize attacking his rival even when three biblical factions allied to fight against them, it wasn't exactly a glowing recommendation of Issei's ability forgive offenses, whether knowing or unknowing.
"Sitri-san, good afternoon," Issei said as he walked in, finding Sona sitting behind a rather impressive desk, her queen Tsubaki standing next to her. "Shinra-san, beautiful but overdressed as usual," he added with a wider smirk as he turned to Tsubaki, Sona's bespectacled helper. His smirk widened when Tsubaki's normally cool expression shifted in anger, no doubt remembering the time Issei managed to peek at her while she was using the communal showers. The naked sight of the demure beauty was still in his mind.
"Hyodou-san," Sona answered, though she gestured Tsubaki to stand still, clearly unhappy with her reaction. "What do I owe the pleasure."
"Couldn't I just visit because I missed you, President?" Issei said with a smirk. "It has been a while since we have last talked. Maybe you want to berate me for being late to class."
"Fortunately, that's not my responsibility anymore," Sona answered in the same tone that she always used, which suggested that she was better than him. Issei couldn't wait the moment she realized the truth. "Your new king will be responsible for your discipline."
Issei sighed exaggeratedly. "I guess I have to act better not to shame Buchou."
"You better," Sona said, letting a touch of anger to color her tone for the first time, accompanied by a sense of magical pressure, conveying that she cared about Rias' reputation more than she cared about his life.
Issei barely held himself back from snorting. Sona was like a little tiger cub, unaware of her own cuteness, thinking herself intimidating just because others let her believe so because they feared the tiger behind her. Leviathan was one scary devil, not just because of her power, but also for her reputation for not caring about the long-term consequences.
The room stayed silent for a moment before Tsubaki spoke. "Why are you here, Hyodou-san?" Tsubaki asked after Sona gestured her. A little power play.
"I'm here on behalf of Buchou, to discuss the visitor slot for the Familiar Forest," Issei explained smugly even as he pulled a chair without asking them, crossing his legs comfortably as he leaned back.
Sona looked displeased with him sitting without asking, but she had more important concerns. "So, you're here to convey the conditions for a deal," Sona stated after he stayed silent for a while. "Explain!"
Issei's smirk got wider. "Not exactly," he said, his words lingering. "But before I go, would you mind preparing me a cup of tea, Tsubaki-san," he said, shifting to her first name without asking for permission. Tsubaki looked at him angrily, but Sona was smart enough to realize that he had a reason for his sudden confidence, so she subtly gestured her to hold herself.
"Of course, Hyodou-san," said Tsubaki, unable to suppress her anger completely.
"Call me Issei," he said before leaning back further, enjoying the oppressive silence of the room while Tsubaki prepared a tea. Though, she used a quick western method rather than a tea ceremony, probably as a subtle snubbing.
Issei said nothing until Tsubaki prepared the tea, and even then, he just thanked her as he slowly drank his tea. He let several minutes pass until Sona's usual impervious state was tinged with annoyance and a touch of anger before continuing. "About the Familiar Forest," Issei murmured. "Since I had shown great development since I become a pawn, I had shown a great promise. So, Buchou gave the slot to me as a reward," Issei said.
"So, you're going there to get a familiar," spoke Tsubaki angrily. "Then why-" she tried to continue, only for Sona to stop her with another gesture. Tsubaki blushed, no doubt unhappy with her own reaction. When Issei let his gaze dance over her body with a lecherous smile that shouted his memories about seeing her naked, she looked even more frustrated.
"Tsubaki, please go and help the rest of our team in their training," Sona said sharply. Tsubaki looked like she was about to argue, but when she saw Sona's stiff expression, she nodded helplessly.
It was smart from Sona's end. Tsubaki's bursts of anger were understandable —Issei was the first and the only man that saw her naked, a rather big shame for a traditionally-raised shrine maiden— but also they were weakening Sona's hand greatly in a friendly bargain.
"Of course, President," Tsubaki said. "Hyodou-san, good afternoon to you as well," she added, the same tone others might use to declare their undying enmity. Not only Issei had damaged her virtue by seeing her naked, but also he made her lose face with her king.
"So, Sona-chan," Issei continued smugly after Tsubaki left. "You don't mind me calling you Sona-chan when we're alone, right?" he suddenly added, as he had just realized the weight of his words.
"As long as we're alone," Sona answered, his tone slightly heated. In her, it was the equivalent of slamming the desk in anger.
"Excellent," Issei said, though more about the implications of her allowance rather than anything. Issei understood her reasoning. The Young Devil Gathering was just around the corner, and Issei knew for a fact that two of her peerage members still didn't have a familiar. This slot was probably the only chance for those members to get familiars before the competition. Especially since Sona was famously too prideful to ask her sister's help.
Issei used her first name to measure her desperation for the event, and her acceptance suggested that she might be even more desperate than he had first assumed. Understandable, considering several famous youths were going to take part, making the challenge much harder. Sona needed every advantage she could get.
"So, Issei-san," Sona said, managing to mostly contain her anger despite her obvious distaste. "I'm guessing you have some ideas about the Familiar Forest."
Issei shrugged. "Kinda," he said lazily. "I don't really see a big need for it, and since Rias-chan mentioned that my good friend Sona-chan might be interested in the slot, I came for a visit." He smirked. "I might be interested to trade them for something interesting…" he said as he let his gaze trail her body.
"Impossible," Sona said immediately, unable to contain her anger, though she managed to calm herself in a moment. "You need to come up with something more reasonable, or we will simply not deal with it."
Issei sighed. "And I'm guessing I can't borrow Tsubaki-chan for a night as well," Issei said, only for Sona to look even angrier. "Okay, okay," he said, waving his hands amusedly even as Sona glared at him, her glasses gleaming. "Maybe a competition, how about a variant of chess."
That earned a scoff from Sona. "That would be acceptable for me," Sona said. "I'm even willing to give you a handicap."
"No need, we can play it equally," Issei said with a smirk. "Though I have to admit, I'm surprised you're willing to play a round of strip-chess with me," he said.
"S-strip chess!" Sona said, finally realizing that his choice of variant didn't match hers. "Impossible!"
"If you say so," Issei sighed pointedly as he stood up, walking toward the door. "It was nice talking to you," he said as he started walking toward the door, opening without hesitation. Not because he was sure that Sona would accept it, but because he didn't care much either way. It wasn't the only way he could manipulate the heiress of the Sitri household.
"W-wait," she stammered. "How about some changes?" Sona said.
"Like what," Issei said with a smirk as he turned to face her, but rather than the blush he was expecting, he found a determined expression.
"Simple, we don't remove anything in the first three pieces," Sona said determinedly.
"On one condition," Issei answered. "I was planning to ask for one favor if I win, but this time, I'll ask for three favors. And no restrictions. Also, accessories like glasses and hair clips don't count."
"Sure," Sona said with a scoff dismissively even as she waved her hand and a chess set appeared in front of her.
Issei smirked as he sat in front of her. Having a reputation as a pathetic pervert was annoying, but occasionally, it really turned out to be useful. Without that reputation, Sona would immediately realize that he had accepted too easily, and suspect alternative plans. But from her perspective, he was the same Issei that suffered the continuous beat down of the kendo club just to get a glimpse of their naked bodies. Sona was sure that Issei didn't understand the full value of the trip for the Familiar Forest, and risking it to get a glimpse of her skin.
Moreover, she was feeling confident about beating him easily, losing only a few pieces. After all, she was a chess genius.
So, when Issei conjured his Boosted Gear, she stammered in shock. "W-what is that," she stammered. "Why are you using your Sacred Gear."
"It's a part of my skills, so I'm going to use it," Issei answered even as he boosted his mental capabilities several times in quick succession. It didn't make him more intelligent in the theoretical sense, but it increased his mental calculation speed, like a computer that was parallel computing. "Don't tell me you're afraid to even after the advantage I had given. So much for the legendary chess player," he said with a scoff.
"I'm not afraid," she said in a cold tone as she sat down once more, her face deadly cold.
Devil sins were so convenient, Issei thought even as he chuckled. Sona might be calmer compared to Rias, but she was still vulnerable against someone poking at her pride, especially if that someone was a recently-converted pawn with rather annoying habits.
Issei chose black, and Sona started with pushing her king pawn two steps, an aggressive opening that would keep her options maximum. Considering the constraints, it was understandable that she chose an aggressive strategy. Issei replied by pushing his king pawn one step, adapting French defense. It was an opening that was rarely used because it was famous for clogging the game for the black, but luckily, he didn't need to win, just extend the game as much as possible.
He had a decent knowledge of chess —it would be irresponsible not to learn anything considering the obsession of the devils with the game— but it was nowhere close to rival Sona, not even with the assistance of his boosted gear. However, with the increased calculation capabilities his boosted gear gave him, he was confident enough to extend the game, especially if he forced unnecessary exchanges as much as possible.
First ten moves, Sona was rather confident. Despite the defensive stance Issei took, she had managed to put her queen in a dangerous spot, about to threaten his king. And she managed to do that only by exchanging two pawns and one knight. Then, Issei shocked her by pushing his queen forward, threatening her assault in a way a professional player would never do, mostly because the exchange he forced was not beneficial for him.
Sona looked Issei with a mixture of frustration and shock as she took his queen, followed by his bishop, and in exchange, lost only a queen and a pawn. Two points lead in such an early stage was an amazing benefit, especially considering Issei's passive position. However, it also caused the loss of her shoes. Then, Issei forced another two pawn exchanges, stealing her socks, leaving her naked. A pity that it forced his position to weaken even further.
Luckily, he had a way to even up the game. "You have beautiful feet, Sona-chan," he said even as he made a show of leering, earning a blush that was a part shame, part anger.
She said nothing, just pushed her rook forward aggressively, but her blush persisted. Issei responded by pulling his bishop back to cut her way, but at the same moment, he also used one of his new tricks. He cast a subtle spell through his Sacred Gear, doubling Sona's arousal.
"Not bad, Sona-chan," Issei commented as Sona launched an amazing assault, taking his rook just by sacrificing a knight. Still, she looked angry as she pulled her necktie, the neck of her shirt widening slightly without it. Issei cast another doubling at her arousal.
This time, she gasped audibly, her eyes firmly on the chessboard. "Continue playing," she ordered angrily, though she was probably angry at herself.
"Give me a minute," Issei said as he made a show of examining the board before turning his gaze at her, making her even more frustrated. He was amused, because he was surprised by the effect doubling her arousal had. She was getting visibly aroused, which meant she already had feelings in that direction before Issei used his trick.
What a naughty girl, he thought as he pushed his other rook forward in another imbalanced assault, forcing her to prevent it rather than continue with her assault. It was another tricky move that was only possible through the incredible calculation capabilities of his boosted brain, which made Sona shocked. Even better, her arousal increased even further without using his Boosted Gear.
Apparently, Sona's famous love for chess was not only an intellectual affair.
Sona stayed silent for a couple of minutes, her fingers dancing over the board in the calculation. And since her victory was a certainty at this point, it was clear that she was looking for a quick way to finish the game, no doubt through a complicated assault.
Issei decided to make her job a bit harder, and used the boosted gear to increase her arousal further, though this time, his focus was less intense than directly doubling. With her arousal noticeable levels, the sudden spikes in her emotions might be suspicious.
"Take this," she murmured angrily as he pushed her rock forward, choosing to ignore Issei's assault in favor of finishing the game earlier. And since her victory was almost certain, Issei decided to push forward. He replied to her assault by forcing another exchange, which caused her to lose her school jacket, revealing her white shirt.
"Nice pokies," Issei leered as he focused on her chest. Impressively, her nipples were visible despite her bra.
"Play quickly," she gasped as she put her arm on her chest, hiding her pokies from the view.
"Well, I still have a lot of time," Issei said as he leaned back, not looking at the board, but her instead. Even without using his boosted gear to assist, he could feel her arousal climbing forward steadily, along with her shock. However, her distraction gave him hope of extending the game just a bit, so, he was also calculating wildly even as he examined her beautiful body. Five minutes later, he pushed a bishop forward, threatening to fork her two rocks.
It was a simple thing, she just needed to push a pawn forward to block that assault. Of course, then Issei would take that pawn and force her to remove another piece of clothing. However, considering her remaining clothes, it would mean the loss of her shirt.
Instead, after a brief consideration, she pushed her rook forward.
The moment her fingers left the stone, she gasped, but it was too late. Issei immediately grabbed his bishop and threatened her with a check.
"N-no," she stammered while Issei gleefully laughed. Sona had just made a very basic, but very costly mistake in her hurry. It wasn't checkmate, but to avoid that, Sona needed to sacrifice her rook for nothing, suddenly making the game much more equal in terms of points. The loss of her offensive position was just a bonus.
The game suddenly got a lot more interesting, Issei thought with a smirk…
Author notes: And just like that, Sona is about to learn a lesson about overconfidence...
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