Chapter III-B. Demon Friends

Isabelle, Ryūko, and Iruma were about to leave the mansion on another day of school. In front of the entrance gate, they see Asmodeus, Lavande, and Clara waiting to pick them up.

"Morning, sunshine!" Greeted Clara while doing some random dancing.

"Good morning/Good morrow, my lieges. Very good morning to you." Greeted Asmodeus and Lavande bowing.

"Wow. You're full of energy today." Said Iruma.

Sullivan was behind the twins with a cup of tea in his hand.

"How wonderful." He said, "My darling grandkids and tenant has already three new friends!"

"Huh?! Er, actually, we're not sure if we'd call them friends." Said Iruma, "We just sort of play together and talk."

"Pardon, but I thought that was exactly what you called 'friends" in the human world." Said Sullivan, "How odd. Was I mistaken?"

"See, how would they feel we must do." Said Ryūko. 'Besides, we don't know whether humans and demons can be friends.'

"Hey, the faculty is deciding on classes today. So I'm heading to school. See you later." Sullivan sang while walking off to school.

With that, the group went off to school and have conversations as they walk.

"Milady, may I say, that dark uniform of yours is flawlessly soul-slaying." Said Lavande referring to Ryūko's new gothic uniform, "As expected of Lady Ryūko, recreating her mental image onto her uniform presenting her true colors."

"Thank you, Lavande." Said Ryūko, "The standard uniform was not my style and hair color's suitability anyways."

Ryūko's new uniform consists of a white collared dress shirt with a white gold jabot, a black military uniform style jacket with white trims and gold chains and buttons and a black skirt with a white ribbon sewing through the folds of the skirt and white lace on the hem, along with the matching jacket accessories. She still wears the same black tights and black Japanese school shoes as always. Similar to Asmodeus' jabot, she pins the pleated fabric with the demon eye gemstone from her previous uniform.

The group decided to go to the cafeteria as there aren't any set plans for today. There was a variety of food to choose from the menu. Ryūko and Iruma are still wary of the Netherworld cuisine, but surprisingly taste good and they haven't suffered from any side effects after eating such. Iruma looked at a purple crest next to the selections and asked Asmodeus what it is.

"That's a rank crest." Explained the demon, "All of your performances at Babylus are ranked, and the food you're allowed to order depends on where rank those rankings."

"I see." Commented Ryūko. "Ranks must be very competitive in the Netherworld."

"As of now, we are yet to be ranked so, we may only ask for those here." Said Lavande pointing at a selection under a red title.

"But there's barely anything!" Commented Iruma.

"Not to mention, the school lunch is free for everyone, and you can even buy other items at the school shop nearby." Isabelle added.

"Well, they all look so good, I can't even pick just one." Ryūko said.

"Would you help us decide?" Iruma asked Asmodeus and Lavande.

"Yes. We'll make some random selections and bring them over to you both." Said Asmodeus.

"If there is something out of your satisfactions, do share it with us as we are more than happy to do so." Added Lavande.

The siblings took their seats and Clara went... who in the Netherworld knows where?

'Share. Just like a real friend...' Iruma trailed off in his head as Ryūko and Isabelle played with Iruma's hair strand that was cutely moving from his happiness.

"Sis, Isa. Stop playing with my hair strand." Said Iruma.

"Why don't you make us?" Isabelle replied as she let out a cheeky smile.

"It looks cute when moving like that." Ryūko added as she giggled.

"Sorry for the wait." Said Asmodeus and Lavande approaching the table. "We had trouble deciding what to get you-"

Lavande's cat ear twitched and brings her tray off the table immediately along with Asmodeus's tray before a big amount of food was dumped on their group's table.

"Did you bring everything?!" Asked Asmodeus.

"Well, someone ordered 100 servings..." Said one of the adult demons.

"100 servings? Who in the Netherworld would order this much food?" Questioned Isabelle.

That question would be answered now as Lavande's left cat ear drop-points her head to three certain demon students snickering, must have been a prank.

"Should've guessed." Isabelle said as she furrowed her eyebrows in silent anger.

"Such a lowbrow prank..." Complained Asmodeus. "My lieges, allow us to dispose of this-"

Lavande and Asmodeus were at a loss for words when Iruma and Ryūko managed to complete the one hundred servings divided amongst themselves, fifty for each of them. A rather impressive feat, this caused them to gain more attention.

"They're eating so much..."

"That's a ton of food."

"But they're so tiny..."

"That's hot."

"Slim girls with big appetites are actually cute."

Ryūko finishes her set and start to shift her ruby and sapphire irises to Iruma.

"Do the stares of others make us uneasy?" Asked Ryūko.

"Master Iruma? Miss Ryūko?" Wondered Asmodeus.

"Oh, were we not supposed to eat this?" Asked Iruma, "Sh-Should we spit it back out?"

Ryūko face-palms with what her brother said.

"This was a prank that three other students pulled on us." She said, "They ordered a hundred servings for this prank. Lavande, Isabelle, please deal with them, but verbally scold them and don't physically threaten them."

"No problem./Yes, milady." Obliged Lavande and Isabelle, the former bowing to Ryūko and the latter nodding before going towards the students pulling the prank.

"Well, no, it's just... you two seem awfully hungry..." Said Asmodeus to Iruma.

"You think so?" Asked Iruma.

"Seems to me that these two haven't had a decent meal outside the mansion for quite some time." Isabelle deducted.

"If we see you plot a foolish trick upon our superiors/housemates once more, there will be a punishment to pay." Scolded Lavande with a serious eye appeal and threatening tone. "Got it?"

The three pranksters were shivering in fear from her statement but couldn't say anything.

"I said, 'Is that clear?'" Isabelle continued for Lavande, with her horns burning in blue fire.

They nodded before cowering off in fear.

"Save us!" The pranksters called.

The knight and the cambion let out huffs of relief before escorting herself to Ryūko.

"As you commanded, milady, Lady Isa and I made sure the lot who made this humiliation promise not to disgrace your and Sir Iruma's images again." Said Lavande bowing to the twins.

"Thank you." Thanked Ryūko bowing back to the cat, "You only spoke with a threatening one amongst them, correct?"

"Uh-huh. And besides, physical retaliation can still lead to trouble and we should know." Replied Isabelle.

Ryūko was fine after fifty servings but Iruma kept ordering seconds for himself. So much, that he made the chef collapse from exhaustion.

"The chef's down!" Said another staff member.

"He broke the chef!" Exclaimed one of the students.

"Ryūko even ordered her knight and her housemate to threaten the ones who pranked her and Iruma!" Said another student.

After Asmodeus praised Iruma and Ryūko, something else seems to occur.

"Take with you." Said a small, chubby demon in a purple monster costume holding a bamboo spear. Looks like he captured Clara.

"You must be Come-Come, the school shopkeeper." Said Ryūko.

"That's right." Said the little demon.

"Wh-What in the world?" Asked Iruma.

"Yay, he played with me!" Said Clara, "He does it whenever I come to the school store. I love him!"

Isabelle, Ryūko, and Lavande sigh from the excuse.

"Not play. Threaten. Threaten!" Said Come-Come as he put Clara down. "You banned from store. Her power replicates what she sees. Same as stealing. Must beware of this demon! Shoplifter stabbed with a spear."

"So violent!" Exclaimed Iruma.

"Silence." Kalego showed up after being bedridden a few days ago, "Honestly. I finally come back to work, and some fool is rash enough to cause trouble-"

By the second he saw Iruma, he stopped in his tracks.

"Ugh!"

"Hi there, Professor. Are you feeling better now?" Asked Iruma.

"How dare you ask me about my well-being?" Yelled Kalego.

Kalego Naberius, an instructor Iruma made his familiar, making Kalego despise him.

'Of course, it had to be the last person I wanted to see.' Cursed Kalego in his mind.

"Um, about the other day..."

"I don't care! Listen well, Iruma. I won't be your familiar, not now nor ever." Threatened Kalego. "Don't get a big head just because you restrained me!"

"U-Understood, Sir." Said Iruma.

"What's all this rigmarole about, anyway?"

The teacher looked around before Ryūko decides to tell him to ask Clara while Isabelle pointed at the aforementioned demon.

"Don't ask the rest of us. Just ask the girl with green hair and curled horns above her ears." Said Ryūko. Savage much for a girl.

'What fresh hell is this?' Thought Kalego. Clara doesn't seem hesitant to address him.

"Hi, I'm Clara! So, I went "kaboom" in the school store and got in trouble, but Azz-Azz gave me snacks!" Said the energetic child who Ryūko is pulling off from the teacher, "Do you like chocolate, Eggy-teach? I'll put some in your pockets!

Obnoxious + Brash + Spectacularly inconsiderate = The type of person Kalego hates the most.

"I'm leaving." Sighed Kalego before turning away, but Clara stops him from going home.

"Wait, Eggy-teach! Is it true you're Iruma's familiar?" Asked Clara. All the other students gave a "Wait, seriously?!" from what Clara exposed.

"Valac! You're not supposed to say that!" Said Ryūko.

For a freshman... or "fresh-woman", Ryūko has the guts to stand up for the scary Kalego.

"Wanna see! I wanna see! I wanna see you be summoned!" Exclaimed Clara with excitement.

"Release me!" Ordered Kalego.

"Clara, stop!" Isabelle said as she attempted to pry Clara off of Kalego's coat.

"Iruma-kins, grab that sticker!" Instructed Clara to Iruma. "You too, Ryūko-kins! I heard you have a cute familiar too."

"Unfortunately, Valac, you are, by any means, no superior to me." Refused Ryūko with the coldest voice she has and putting her hand out in a 'stop' formation, "As I am neither your servant or subordinate in whatever way, ranks especially, you cannot tell me what to do."

"OOOOHHHHHHHHH!" Yelled the other students from hearing her serious side.

"You heard her! You can't tell her what to do and what not to do, Clara!" Isabelle exclaimed in agreement.

"She sounds dead serious!"

"What a savage demon!"

"But her eyes make her special; a red and blue eye on different sides..."

"She's a kinda special demon too."

"That's how a superior demon should sound like!"

"As expected of Miss Ryūko! This is how the superior demon should behave! A truly aristocratic manner!" Praised Asmodeus as Lavande nodded.

Iruma however, was shocked that his sister refused to do something. Anyways, he follows Clara's instructions: stick the sticker on your hand and throw your hands up.

Kalego was alarmed. "Wait, no! Don't! That'll-"

"Huzzah!"

Too late, Iruma makes Kalego shift into his familiar form.

"He really is a familiar!" Said the other students in surprise.

Now, Kalego is trying to prevent Clara from touching him since he looks cute as a familiar.

"I told you to stop, you fool! Hey! Damn it! Ugh!" Said Kalego in irritation.

Clara told Iruma that was a summoning sticker he placed on his hand, the mini size costs 333 bills.

"Hey, clap your hands!" Said Kalego to Iruma who apologized.

"Huh? You want me to clap a rhythm?" Asked Iruma.

"It'll undo the summoning, you dunce!" Replied Kalego, already having enough of this nonsense.

Iruma was about to clap his hands, but he was interfered by Come-Come nearly stabbing him with the trusty bamboo spear.

"Stab! Punish shoplifting!" Shouted Come-Come.

"Damn it! Why did you listen to her, Iruma?! The summoning sticker was merchandise!" Yelled Ryūko inwardly.

She was about to pay 333 bills for the sticker, however, Come-Come kept thrusting his spear at her group and they had no other choice but to flee the cafeteria.

Horrified in a rush, Iruma forgot about Kalego, unhappy to be left, not being transformed back into his demon form.

"Hey, wait! Undo the summoning first!" Shouted the little bird. Eventually, he was caught in a net by the shopkeeper.

"Pay me or you're stuck here."

Now, Iruma's group was resting on a lawn from the scary moment.

"Man, that was totally scary." Said Iruma.

"Well, thank goodness there was a decoy, then." Said Asmodeus.

"But shouldn't we leave Professor like that?" Isabelle sounded a little bit worried, despite having some slight animosity with Kalego.

Clara then picked up six ice cream cones, which she said were from the floor.

Now Ryūko is wondering whether they should be more worried about confronting Come-Come again or the stuff that Clara picked up from the ice cream. Iruma said that they should pay for those later.

"Yay, we have six of them! Cheers, everyone!" Said Clara, "Here's hoping that we all end up in the same class!"

"Do they announce that tomorrow?" Asked Iruma.

"Hmph. It's unthinkable that our lieges, milady, and I will be in separated." Said Asmodeus.

"And don't forget me!" Exclaimed Clara.

"I'm fine with any class, as long as you guys are with me." Isabelle added.

"Uh-huh... I hope we'll be in the same class together, too." Said Iruma.

"Wait, that last person. Who were you referring to?" Asked Ryūko.

"Why, of course, the beautiful knight of our group." Answered Asmodeus, referring to none other than Lavande. The said knight was now blushing with her ears dropped down in embarrassment.

"I-I am not too sure about my appearance, Sir Asmodeus." Stammered Lavande shyly, "Beautiful I might not be."

"Oh, Sis. Why did you refuse Clara earlier?" Asked the spiky-haired boy.

"We're not who and where we used to be, Iruma." Said Ryūko with a small cute smile before taking Iruma's free hand into her own, "This is the Netherworld we're in. Our so-called parents aren't ordering us around anymore and we don't need to be forced to work ourselves like we used to. We get to make our own decisions, these decisions you make will also lead you to your fate or ambitions. I've wanted to fulfill my ambitions and surely you wanted to be free of our stupid parents. At least we are here and... not up there."

Iruma was moved by his sister's speech.

"Although I said I want to achieve the best of my school years, it doesn't put the sibling bond I keep with you after fourteen years being put through every unfortunate thing. That's why... I vowed to be with you, both in-person and heart to another heart. Will you feel the same?"

Iruma couldn't help but felt a heartbeat stronger than usual. He places his hand on his heart feeling the sensation before looking at her sister's eyes again.

"I will feel it with you, Sis. And always will love you as my sister who protected me all these years." Said Iruma before embracing Ryūko.

She embraced back and as they pull apart, she takes his left hand and kisses his knuckles, not romantically, but this is how a strong sibling relationship should be.

Meanwhile, Asmodeus, Lavande, Isabelle, and Clara are excited to start having classes with Iruma and Ryūko. Their smiles look so genuine that it warmed the twins' hearts.

"So, can Ryūko and I call you four... o-our friends, rights?" Asked Iruma.

"Yeah." Isabelle replied immediately. "Right, guys? Guys?"

The unexpected bit is where the other three demons stared at them with dazed looks, almost as if they... It can't be... Or does it?

"Pardon me, Iruma, sir, but what are these "friends" you and your sister speak of?" Asked Asmodeus.

"Like mochi?" Asked Clara.

"What? You don't know?" Asked Ryūko.

"To be truthful, we do not know of this and are ashamed." Said Lavande with her tail's tip going side to side.

"Ooey-gooey mochi?" Asked Clara only thinking about Japanese sweet rice cakes.

'No wonder. Pure demons don't know the concept of friends in the first place nor first sight.' Thought Ryūko in realization.

"Tell us right now. What are these "friends"?" Asked Asmodeus.

"What are these ooey-gooey mochi mochis?" Asked Clara.

Without hesitation, the twins decided to explain what friends are to them.

"Friends are people you play with and eat meals with, and they're really important to you... I think/You may say." Explained Iruma and Ryūko, "So that would make you our friend number one, friend number two, friend number three, and friend number four."

"Sweet! I'm number one!" Claimed Clara.

"What?! Don't undermine me! It's patently I'm number one!" Opposed Asmodeus.

"I'm number one. I've known Iruma and Ryūko longer than you guys." Isabelle countered.

Ryūko settles the fight by giving them the title "Friend No. 1".

"Glomp!" Clara hugs Iruma and Ryūko suddenly, Asmodeus yells at Clara to keep her hands of them, she refused. Isabelle and Lavande just watches the fight between Asmodeus and Clara.

'This feels like quite a big family.' Thought the feline, 'Wait, why did I think of such? Don't make yourself think of this such thing. Not as if Sir Asmodeus would propose to be my soulmate, anyway. Perhaps... not at all.'

'There's still so much these two don't understand about their lives in Babylus, and this world is still full of doubts and surprises to them. But with me, Asmodeus, Lavande, and Clara, I think they might be able to enjoy their new lives at school a little more. I just hope things will continue to be peaceful.' - Isabelle Abaddon

During The Faculty Meeting

"So, I assume there are no objections after this faculty meeting." Said Sullivan, "This officially concludes the class assignments for the new students. Valac, Asmodeus, Abaddon, Félin, Iruma, and Ryūko will be joining the Misfit Class for problem children. That's the only acceptable option for them, obviously."

Sullivan then stamps the profiles of Ryūko's group.

~Interval~

The group apologized to Come-Come for the accidental shoplifting earlier and Asmodeus paid for the summoning sticker and ice creams. The shopkeeper seemed appeased.

"You just be more careful next time." Said Come-Come. "What a bad day. I didn't get to finish my meal."

"Your meal?" Asked Iruma.

"That birdie... Roasted." Explained Come-Come, "But he turned into a demon halfway through and ran away."

That bird he was talking about must be none other than Kalego, still in his summoned form.

To pay for the troubles, Ryūko and Isabelle give the shopkeeper a delicious lunch set they made with some human world taste.

"Is this for me?" Asked Come-Come.

"You said you didn't get to finish your meal. That was Sir Kalego as Iruma's familiar." Said Ryūko.

"And as the school shopkeeper, you must've worked hard. Go on. Consider this as compensation for the troubles." Continued Isabelle.

Come-Come thanked Ryūko and Isabelle for the lunchbox.

By the way, the effects of the familiar summoning stickers wear off after a short time. Iruma made sure to apologize to Kalego for all the trouble he caused straight afterward. Ironically, he requested Iruma to tell Ryūko that he likes her new uniform, which he did.