Author Notes:

Well, guys, here I am again. But this time I didn't come to publish a new chapter. No, I came present a revised version of Chapter 1. Which was wrote by m and beta-tested by my new associates, who have my eternal gratitude for helping me in this project.

Special thanks to my Beta-Readers:

· Ivan Tridelan

· Sultan Asil Arslan

· Zaralann

PROLOGUE

"My Daily Life in an Anime World Sucks, As I Expected."

|Kuō Academy; Student Council Office|

(?)

Hah, school life!

That beautiful stage in the life of any teenager where you learn more about your future aspirations and receive the tools to ensure acceptable performance in society and obtain a new understanding of what 'Love' and 'Friendship' are.

In these moments that I took my time to reevaluate how exciting and amazing life is and ponder on what marvelous future awaits me. Never forget to spend time with my dearest friends to strengthen our bonds of comradely.

Truly, what a lovely second life this is! And like any good reincarnated soul, I ought to never waste my time with pettiness or ignore the marvels of life.

"Sugimoto-kun, please stop spacing out."

At least that's what I wanted it to be.

"Huh…?" I blinked owlishly as I snapped off my thoughts to look at the person in front of me.

Right now, I was sitting in a rather uncomfortable chair while facing one of the most frighteningly intimidating persons within this school, which also happened to be one of the prettiest and most popular girls too.

This person was a young bespectacled woman with a slim, shapely figure, black hair styled in a short bob cut, and striking violet eyes that were capable of freezing the wildest flames with that cold glare they sent.

Ever since I reincarnated, it always surprised me how pretty were the women in this world. Perhaps the mana particles enhance the developing bodies of young girls to become finer and more attractive.

"Sugimoto Hiroshi-kun, stop spacing out."

Now she is giving me a rather ugly stare worthy of an Ice Queen. On top of that, she used my full name so she is dead serious. Better fix this up now before she loses her cool.

"Sorry, Shitori-senpai. I wasn't paying attention because of how charming you look today." Using my best skills at the utmost limits, I employed an old-fashioned apology and a compliment to lessen the pressure in the room.

Hopefully, she will take the bait and will stop pestering me…

"Compliments will get you nowhere, Sugimoto-kun. But thanks." Damn, she is one tough cookie.

Well, that's our prez for ya! Oh, pardon my rudeness! Allow me to introduce you the President of the Student Council and one of the smartest women in the school, Shitori Sōna-san— also known as Sōna Sitri, the heiress of the Sitri Clan.

Oh, don't look at me like that. If not like I could pull a Kirito and power my way through any problem with brute strength alone. I mean, seriously, this woman not only was the Heiress of one of the most prominent Houses of the 72 Pillars in the Underworld, her sister was a goddamn Maō for goodness' sake! If I upset her too much, Serafall will possibly do something about it.

Hah…! Living a humble life in the world of 'High School DxD' is more troublesome than most people would think. Ideally, I'd have preferred to stay under the radar but since I somehow got the attention of the Sōna Sitri, my whole existence has become a hot topic in the school.

Being popular was never my intention but apparently being a 'good-looking' loner with a tongue as sharp as a spear ruined my plans of having a dull, normal teenage life. Who would've thought?

"Anyhow, what were you saying anyway? I fear I haven't paid enough attention to your lecture for the past… five minutes." I asked politely while muttering my sassy remark under my breath.

Ever since I re-awakened my old self's memories, my life had become a mess, and as a byproduct, my sassiness reached new highs. There were so many unfortunate events in this second life that I couldn't help but develop a smartass attitude.

Not only that though, but there was also another thing that's been bugging me for years by now.

[Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Danger Perception LV 2] has become [Danger Perception LV 3].]

And here you have it! An operational Gamer System was gifted to me as part of this stupid reincarnation cycle!

Wait a minute. Wuhhh?!

Did she just Leveled-Up one of my Perception Skills with her killer intent alone?! Color me surprised, I didn't know she could pack such a punch! The amount of proficiency points her cold gaze provided must have been ridiculously high! Too bad this was not enough to put me on edge though. I kept my deadpan stare without missing an eyelash.

"As always, that sharp tongue of yours is infuriating." She muttered before pushing up her glasses. She narrowed her eyes dangerously at me, clearly bemused. "It's about the essay you wrote. Your teacher requested me to deal with you." Sighing exasperatedly, she sat down and gave me a disapproving look. "Now, let me ask you something, Sugimoto-kun. What was the homework your teacher assigned you in class?"

"Uh, it was to write an essay on the theme of reflecting on my life in high school."

"Very well. So, pray to tell me, why this sounds likes the prelude to a school massacre as well as an anarchistic plot against society? Are you trying to be seen as a terrorist?" Sōna questioned me with an expectant look.

"It's that bad?" I couldn't help but ask, finding the whole subject a bit unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

Sadly, it seemed like our lovely prez didn't share my opinion.

"The content of this essay is way too cynical and it would make most people raise a few eyebrows in regards to your mental stability. There is even a passage where you literally threaten the Governor." She deadpanned at me without batting an eyelash.

"It was an honest observation, that guy is bad at his job."

"This isn't a joke, Sugimoto-kun." My response made her mad and I thought she was gonna sent me to the principal's office, but her eyes mellowed a bit.

"I wasn't joking though, just stating the facts." I replied with a huff, knitting my eyebrows in mild annoyance. "I hardly see why you're so worked up. I mean, sure, most students and teachers would find it odd but it's just my first year here. This will become old news in the next semester."

In retrospect, perhaps I should've used a different wording because my spidey sense began to send shivers throughout my spine.

[Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Danger Perception LV 3] has become [Danger Perception LV 4].]

'Thanks for stating the obvious, Sherlock!' A tiny vein popped on her forehead.

"Sugimoto-kun, I'd appreciate it if you stop making such remarks and take this seriously. What's the point of this smart-ass essay? If you have an excuse, I'll hear it now." The Student Council President glared at me with so much intensity that I could hear the air being pierced by her gaze.

Damn girl, your glare was particularly powerful!

…

I gotta be honest, she actually looks kinda scary. The fact that she managed to level my Skill using only her killing intent and a dead glare was probably a big fat red flag. Maybe I shouldn't be so antagonistic to her.

"I did reflect on all topics that entail school life, you know?" Too bad I was well-known in this school for my trademark's witty retorts!

"Usually for this kind of thing, you should reflect on your own life." She argued back, knitting her eyebrows as she gave me a rather vexed look.

"Well, the teacher wasn't clear enough when he assigned this task to us. He never did tell us to reflect on our lives specifically." I countered with a cheeky grin, which only prompted her to frown.

"It was implicit for everyone in the classroom."

"Oh really? How weird, I didn't realize—"

"Are you aware this teacher could talk with the Headmaster and force a harsh penalty on you?" Sōna asked with a dead-serious tone, cutting me before I could even finish. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they expel you."

Yes, I know the staff would do that. I ain't stupid — which is one of the reasons I wrote the damn thing in the first place! Considering the fact that I can't just write a letter and request to become an exchange student or try to enroll myself into another school due to my shitty old man's schemes, I need to be 'mindful' with my methods when it comes to escaping from this Supernatural Magnet of a town we call Kuō.

Granted, I could've been less obnoxious about it and use another tactic that wouldn't make me seem like a psychopath in the making. If it wasn't for the fact these Devils weren't such a pain in the ass, always plotting a new scheme to turn me into their servant, that is! For a long time, I've been trying to get away from here and by a simple process of elimination, I opted for this route!

No matter how much you want a new member for your group, there is no way you'd risk the lives of your subjects and you own by housing a guy who may as well be an anarchist ready to chop a few heads if less unsupervised.

What? Too extreme for your tastes? Yeah, I know that this can become a black stain in my résumé but that's nothing a good session of hypnotism and hacking can't solve~!

Huh? You wanna know why I didn't do that earlier? Simple, I didn't have such amazing skills when I first got enrolled here. Not to mention, now I possess the required money to bride the right person. Brilliant, isn't it?!

There were so many plans I have to make sure me being expelled from such a prestigious school won't cause so many troubles for my future. I only need those bureaucratic assholes to give their approbatory seal and presto. No more sleepless nights being overwhelmed with unfathomable paranoia!

"Luckily for you, I have a simple solution that can solve this issue without any troubles." If only this idiotic Devil Heiress would stop pestering me already!

Also, can you be more obvious with your schemes!?

Just when I was about to face some nasty repercussions, she shows up like a benevolent 'Angel' ready to save the day. Do us a favor and spare me from these mind-games and get to the goddamn point, you insufferable woman.

"Very well. You got my utmost attention, Senpai." I said with a despondent sigh.

Even though I found this plot stupid, it's not like I could just reject her out of blue without making her grow suspicious or more persistent with her ploys. The least I can do is to hear her out and see if it benefits me.

"Tell me, you haven't tried joining any clubs, have you?"

"…" Whatever sassy remark I was prepared to shot was cut off the moment I heard her asking me such an off-putting question out of blue. Instead, I merely blinked owlishly.

"Have you…?"

"Umm… No." Of course, I haven't joined any club. Most of them were exclusive for women and those who admit boys were either full of distrustful women, have horny bastards for members, or were a place where Supernatural Entities gather for who-knows-what.

Hey, woman. Where did this come from? In what manner does this silly question is related to my little "problem" here, huh?!

"Do you have any friends?" She asked again, closely cornering me between the spade and the wall.

"…" Suffice to say, my silence was answer enough.

Again?! Another unrelated question?!

By the way, I know what you're thinking and NO — I was a Loner, not an Anti-Social Emo. There is a difference, ok! Sure, I was more comfortable by being alone and preferred to not deal with people most of the time but even I know that creating a solid bond of comradeship was indispensable, hence why I always go out of my way to make a decent impression and showed great professionalism whenever we're tasked to work in a group.

'I mean, yeah. I don't have actual friends, so what? Friendship is overrated for a future Corporative Slaver, King of Business like me!' I thought with a vexed frown but before I could sulk further on my perfectly reasonable modus operandi, I was interrupted by Sōna's voice.

"Just as I thought. I could tell the minute I saw those rotten, sordid eyes of yours." The Sitri Heiress commented with a light giggle, finding my distressed expression delightful to watch.

"I know my eyes aren't particularly pretty but I can't help it." I scowled at that insult, finding myself more and more annoyed.

"Ah, pardon me… It wasn't my intention to insult you so callously." Sōna apologized with a serene, faint smirk. I didn't buy that half-hearted excuse, of course. She deliberately said that to get a reaction from me. "Now, answer this last question… Do you have a girlfriend or anything?"

…

Excuse me?!

"What did you just imply by 'or anything'?!" I choked at that accursed comment of hers and the implications it has. Just what do you take me for, woman?! I will never go to the dark side. It's not like I have anything against gay people but I am attracted to women, thankyouverymuch!

"Are you—?"

"I don't have a girlfriend right now." I interrupted mid-sentence before she could get any funny ideas while at the time included an emphasis on the words 'right now'.

You can't be too careful.

"I see…" She nodded in satisfaction… and for some reason, her eyes seemed to lit up at my answer.

I'll just assume it's because she found a new subject to tease me.

"You… see?" I repeated, barely containing my widening frown.

Hey, why are you giving me such a patronizing gaze all of sudden?! I am a grown-up man, albeit mentally, — not like she knows that but still. And while I was trying to feel less anxious, Sōna finished her own pondering.

"Very well, I heard everything I needed to know. You'll do your report over and then apologize to your teacher."

"… Ok."

It seems like I won't get expelled any time soon, nor I'll get thrown into a reformatory, huh?

Thanks to our charming and gorgeous prez here I have the chance to prove all those people how wrong they are for labelling me as a nutcase and become an exemplary member of the society!

Lucky me, I guess.

—Except that this is not what I wanted! I did all this on purpose so the higher-ups could exile me from this school and possibly the city too, you know! Why did this capricious princess have to meddle in my affairs and ruin everything I have so meticulously planned, huh?!

I bet she's having the time of her life seeing me squirm like a worm, thinking she has absolute control over the situation and ready to add her own stipulation to the deal so she would have a greater advantage.

"Still, you were callous and your insubordination towards the authority and loner nature is troubling. Such a worrisome topic must be attended after all." She said with a scheming smirk, giving me an appraising look. "As an additional punishment, you will be forced to do social service by helping the Student Council for this year as a temporary member."

Called it! Fucking called it! I already knew she would pull a stunt like this but come on! How bold of her to assume someone like Sugimoto Hiroshi-sama would bow and do the bidding of a Spoiled Princess from Hell!

"Don't worry, I won't make you do anything unreasonable or beyond your capabilities." Ignoring my scowling look, the Devil Heiress simply chuckles with a humorous smile. "Also, it's not like this won't become beneficial for you since you will learn management and administrative skills and teamwork from this experience. Not to mention, it will become a fine addition to your résumé. As a future businessman, it's not a bad deal."

"…" Ugh, what should I do?

Interacting so much with major characters like Sōna Sitri will raise a few red flags in the future given the amount of importance she has in the plot. Even though she didn't receive much on-screen attention like Hyōdō and his mindless cheerleaders with zero personality, Sōna was still instrumental in the story. And as a neutral force in this whole mess, I totally don't want to involve myself in the Canon Events unless it's something strictly necessary.

I'd be perfectly fine playing the role of a clueless human student and live the rest of my life oblivious of whatever mumbo-jumbo affair of the supernatural world.

Sadly, going for the Anonymous Route is impossible right now. This woman pulled many strings so the staff won't report my 'condition' and sent me to a goddamn psychiatrist office, and was offering me a 'chance' to improve my standing within the upper echelon of the educational system and dismiss any possible doubts they could have of me being a 'ticking time bomb.'

But I knew better. This is a big, fat red flag for me because it means that Sōna not only was invested in my future, she was willing to break the rules just to get me under her thumb!

Sōna fucking Sitri breaking the rules in a fit of seemingly irrational whims is NOT a good sign, for me. Why can't these people understand that I don't want to associate myself with them?!

"Well, what are you going to do, Sugimoto-kun?" Not wanting to waste more time than needed, Sōna pressed the subject with a more authoritative tone.

Maybe this was the price to pay for that stunt.

…

Eh, I guess it can be helped.

"Alright, fine. I will take your offer." I accepted her offer, letting out an annoyed sigh.

"Very well. We will integrate you as a temporary member at the end of this month." Pleased with my decision, she looked at with an amused smirk. "I expect you to behave appropriately and show professionalism."

"Yeah, whatever you say. Not gonna make any promises though."

It isn't like the offer won't benefit me in the long run. A win-win situation indeed.

That doesn't mean I'm gonna play fair and gave her any room for leverage, I'm pretty confident of my Meta-Knowledge and planning skills. No matter what you do, DxD-Universe, there is no way your 'Canon Characters' can do to make me break my silence!

…

Dammit! Did I just jinx myself?!

…

…

…

You know what, fuck it. I'm not up to deal with this shit anymore. I'll go back home and take a nap after I deal with this.

(...)

|Sugimoto Household|

After a rather eventful day full of troublesome situations, there is no place like your home to find a relaxing atmosphere. There is a saying about 'a man's home is his castle'. Well, this humble house was my own personal haven where the nonsensical drama of Real Life could ever touch me.

This is my sanctuary and right now I could forget about my troubles.

It was only at times like these that I could relax without worrying my ass about any existential crisis issues or the old-fashioned teenage romance drama.

However, this day things were different.

Just when I was finally relaxing, I heard the most stupid line in my entire life in this world.

"Hey, Hiro-kun. I have been meaning to ask but, tell me, what do you think about the idea of having a little sister?"

"Huh?" I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the weird question my not-so responsible adoptive father shot at me. We were having a nice dinner here but this dimwit just soured my mood in less than one minute?

'Huh, that's a new record.' I thought in bemusement, which was misinterpreted as confusion by the shitty old man who now was about to elaborate further on his question.

"You know, a cute young-looking girl who would give you…"

"I heard you the first time." But of course, I interrupted him brashly and without missing a beat. I'm too tired to deal with his bullcrap. "What's exactly your point with that type of question?" I replied with a frown at my legal guardian's nonsense, and when I opened the lid of the rice cooker.

"Now, now. You don't need to be so rude to your old man. It's just an innocent question." He shot back with a goofy grin, completely unaffected by my response as he continued. "Besides, it's a little sister we're talking about here, you know, a little sister. It's something guys want so bad that they start drooling."

The man seemed to be in his own World and said even more nonsense.

"Ok, that's it. I'm going to my room." I sighed in exasperation as I rose up from my seat with clear intentions of leaving him babbling alone.

However, the old man seemed to be way too invested in this topic and have no intentions of giving me a damn break. He took my plate from my hands before I could even blink so he would get my full attention.

"Hey, let's talk a bit more enthusiastically about a little sister." He showed a smug smirk.

"... You won't stop pestering me if I don't respond, are you?"

"Nope~!" Oh for goodness' sake, man! Are you kidding me?!

Sometimes I wonder who is the adult here — By the way, I haven't introduced this shitty old man to you. Meet my godfather, Tōjō Jin. A tall middle-aged man with long, shounen-styled brown hair with matching eyes and glasses, sporting a simple white shirt along with dark pants and brown shoes.

All in all, he seemed like the epitome of the average-looking vagabond.

BONK!

"Hey! What was that?! Were you saying I look like a vagabond?!" He shouted with a frown as he hit my head with a newspaper magazine.

Ah, I forgot to mention he hates to be called that and apparently has some sort of a six sense for this. Sometimes I wonder if he's a psychic of sorts.

Anyway, right now he was trying to discuss the so-called 'merits' of a little sister over the dinner… despite my absolute lack of interest in the subject. I grunted under my breath, resisting the urge to make an ugly face in this situation I found myself in. But since it's kind of obvious I was tied here, I've to comply.

"Before I tell you my response, let me ask you a question if you don't mind; what's the big idea about this? You talk about this whole 'Little Sister' issue as if it was the greatest blessing in the world."

"Well, let me enlighten you! It's one of the most beautiful memories I'm fond of. It was before you became such cynical and moody guy." He said gleefully, beaming with a bright smile. "You see, it all started a few years ago. When you were around ten-years-old, you used to tell me: "I want a lil' sis!" with sparkles in your eyes and…"

"Like hell I did!" He raised his hand in a 'calm down' motion in an attempt to avoid my wrath.

"You don't need to be so worked up about this. I can attest it's a wonderful thing. After all, a little sister is nice, cute, kind, and soft. She'll wake up in the mornings, prepare you a nice breakfast, and even allows you to do all the perverted stuff you want!"

"Fuck that shit! That's the job description of a housewife! Just what type of fucked-up, trash fetish are you trying to force on me?!"

"Aw, you're no fun. No wonder you don't have a girlfriend." He sighed in resignation once he realized how pissed I was. "What I'm trying to say is: Would you like or hate the idea of a little sister?"

"… Real Life little sisters aren't that great. They are cheeky, rude, boisterous, and bratty midgets that love to be bossy all the time and enjoy the suffering of others as if it's divine nectar. They're the bane of all boys." I shot back with a calm tone, expressing my inner thoughts without any care.

"Yikes! Now that's a gloomy perspective."

"Beat it, old man. You wanted my honest opinion, didn't you?"

"Yeah… Should've figured it out myself but still..."

"Look, as much as I would love to indulge myself in talking about nonsensical shit with you, I'm way too tired for that so please tell me the goddamn point." I snapped angrily, not bothering to hide my displeasure any longer.

"Uhh… Well, the thing is… I decided to marry this lovely woman, which happened to have two little girls…"

What.

"And perhaps, I told them you're overjoyed by the news and wanted to meet them as soon as possible."

Say what now?!

"Congratulations, you will become a big brother, Hiro-kun~!"

…

…

…

Oh, you son of a bi—

(...)

|A Few Days Later|

Ah, what a nice day.

The weather was nice. The cicadas were chirping as the temperature reached a new historical record. The birds sing their songs as they soar the sky in beautiful motions.

It seemed like the most perfect day to slack off.

"Yeah — like hell is it!" I shouted in indignation, glaring at the source of my problems with all the hatred I could muster.

Last night, Jin brought up the topic of a sister. That was a flag for his second marriage.

And today just happened to be our first meeting with that woman and her daughters. It was like an early introduction before the wedding of our parents so things won't turn less awkward for us. Forget the fact that my old man was dating a total stranger and decided to marry her out of blue without telling me, I wanted to slack this day off like a normal teen!

"Stop sulking already… When I called them, they said that they wanted to meet you as soon as possible. It would be rude to delay a meeting anyway."

"Well, excuse me from finding this whole situation extremely suspicious! For all I know, they're probably leeches wanting to steal all our money!" I couldn't contain myself and snapped at his nonchalant attitude.

"Geez! Calm down, Hiro-kun. You are making a scene here." Just as Jin said, my little outburst attracted the unwanted attention of all people around us.

"Hm… Whatever, I'll go to the bathroom to wash concerns out." Without waiting for his reply, I stepped out of the table and went directly to the aforementioned room.

This situation was too damn suspicious if you ask me.

Pervert nature and nonchalant attitude aside, Jin wasn't the kind of man that would pursue a relationship with some random woman out of blue. There must be something else I ain't seeing and I'm planning on finding out what's the deal with this lady and her daughters.

"I gotta say that I'm curious about what kind of girls those women are." I mumbled under my breath as I opened the door to the toilet and set a step inside…

"Ah…!"

"Hm…?!"

… But I froze up when I noted there was another person inside — a girl.

The girl in the toilet was a breathtakingly beautiful red-head with a voluptuous and soft-skinned body whose curves surpassed those of the models' in most Light Novel of the ecchi genre. Her attire consisted of a yellow t-shirt that barely contained her humongous pair of "sisters", a short shirt that emphasized her round and firm butt as well as exposing her long, beautiful legs, and a pair of sandals.

All in all, I would even say she is more beautiful than Rias Gremory herself.

Aaand she was practically nude in her lower zone.

'Oh, shit.'

The girl had bent slightly forward, had rolled up her shirt, and had both her thumbs in her white panties, as she was either pulling it down or pulling it up. She was also looking up at me completely dumbfounded by my sudden apparition.

"…"

"…"

There was an awkward, pregnant silence that fell onto the small room. Neither of us dared to speak or make a move.

Now, this kind of situation seemed like something straight out of an Ecchi Anime series— and following that train of thought, then the stereotypical eroge protagonist 'accidentally' entering the girls' bathroom would either be rewarded handsomely with a nice visual material for lonely nights or simply lose their cherry right away.

I bet most guys would love to be in a similar situation.

Well, too bad for you— because this wasn't a goddamn eroge despite the appearances!

Most likely, this situation would turn into a huge mess I would rather not deal with— namely, being labeled as a perverted scumbag, get banned from the restaurant and have a nice trip to the nearest police station.

Not an ideal situation for me. If anything, it will give our charming Prez the needed ammunition to put me a tight leash on my neck and treat me like some high-risk delinquent.

Damn it! Why the hell does something like this have to happen to me?! Why was this girl in the men's side?! You gotta be some slutty girl asking to be banged or a stupidly oblivious brat to make such a blunder!

…

Hold on. This isn't the gentlemen bathroom but the unisex bathroom, right? The one with a defective lock? If that's case, she should've flipped the hanging tags at the door from 'Free' to 'Occupied' to avoid deep shit messes like this one.

Maybe she was in a hurry or simply didn't even noticed for some reason?

Yeah, that seems to be the most logical conclusion I can come out with.

Geez, talk about bad luck. I should've paid more attention.

"A-Ah…!"

Oh crap. It seems that while I was pondering about how shitty this situation is, the redhead beauty finally came back to her senses and was about to launch the special technique passed down from immemorial times to deal with peeping scumbags; The 'Kyah!' Banshee Scream.

Time to make a counterattack before this get out of hand.

"I won't do that if I were you. It will ruin your reputation with the townsfolk, ya know." I instantly asserted the situation and spoke with a calm, icy-cold tone to mask my inner panic.

"K… Hm?" My seeming lack of reaction and cold tone caused her to double-check.

Not expecting me to give her such a warning without losing my head out of shame. Good, she took the bait. Now for the hook.

"Think about it. Do you really want to bear the embarrassment of everyone else in this restaurant?" I replied without missing a beat. "Rumors are a pretty funny thing. I mean, if a person uses the correct wording they could indirectly label you like a horny teen."

"Huh…?!" She widened her eyes when she realized she was as screwed as I was.

Stories tend to be warped and twisted depending on the person relating them, sometimes exaggerating the events out of proportion or dismissing key details.

It's safe to assume she is the typical 'new girl' who moved in just recently. Therefore she wouldn't want to stain her barely existing reputation with a silly story that portrays her as a horny bitch that did lewd things with a teenager in the bathroom of a restaurant.

It could destroy her public image if she were associated with such acts.

"How about this…? I will leave you alone for, say, five minutes or so. That way nobody would suspect you're involved in any suggestive activity and both of us will come out clean. Deal?"

Usually, I would avoid using this distasteful strategy to get what I wanted but I didn't want more trouble than necessary. The only response I get was a glare full of anger and scorn but I didn't let that affect me. She knew she was cornered and any intention of making a scene would result in a Social Suicide. She sighed in exasperation, apparently deciding to accept the deal, and raised up her hand…

[Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Danger Perception LV 4] has become [Danger Perception LV 5].]

… And she slapped me right on the face.

'Did she just attacked me?! What the hell?! Had the negotiations failed?!' I thought with widened eyes as I received the strike.

-0 HP!

The blow was rather strong when compared to the average human's. It seems like the girl sure has a mean hook — it didn't hurt me though, but it really made me lose the balance.

I bumped into the door and tumbled outside. There, I fell on my backside.

"First you peek on a pretty girl like me in the toilet, then you get inside, and then you have the gall to make demands!" The one who land the first hit, the big-breasted redhead muttered with a cold tone as an evil aura surrounds her and her bangs shadowed her eyes. "Put a hand on your heart and think well about what you have done — in the other world."

As if trying to give me the finishing blow, she raised her leg to give me a mighty blow in the head. Well, damn. This girl shattered the stereotypes with that stunt! Instead of selecting option 'A' or 'B', she opted for the 'C' — beat the hell out of the molester, me, herself.

Such a decision was… not so illogical. On hindsight, it was possibly the best decision. If you could show the enemy it was a bad idea to piss you off, then people will think twice before messing with you. Damn. The girl has guts.

… Wait, am I really gonna die at the hands of an angered woman? Well, can't say I didn't expected this outcome.

"The heck is happening here?" Oh, look at that!

Tōjō Jin, my legal guardian, had come to the rescue! His timing is perfect! Now I can relegate him the task to deal with this stupid, big-breasted gorilla!

"Jin-san, what a relief! E-Erm… Could you go back to your table, please? This creep was peeping on me and I was about to give him a piece of my mind! I'll be with you and your son when after killing this scumbag!"

Wait a minute… Does the red muscle-head knows him?!

"Mio-Chan… The guy you're about to kill is my son."

"E-EHHHH?!"

Opposed to the red-headed girl who expressed her shock with a cliché-ish Anime-like exclamation, I merely stared at the two of them with wide eyes and a hanging jaw.

Seriously, what the fuck is going on here?!

Fifteen minutes later, we returned to our table after Jin solved that misunderstanding between me and the redhead. That certainly was the best outcome considering I was about to be skewed by the said big-breasted girl in a fit of murderous rage.

That fixed the initial situation but in turn in brought a new issue in our table, literally.

"So…! You mean to tell me that this big-breasted gorilla was one of the girls you told me of?!" I could hold a grudge, so it was expected for me to trade insults with this buxom dimwit.

"GORILLA?! Take it back, you creep!" And understandably, the redhead was ready for a good round of the verbal fight.

I was about to refute with her but (un)luckily for me, the shitty old man intervened.

"Ahaha! It's good to see you two are getting along so well."

"…" Normally, I would snap that blatant pile of bullcrap but since this was a formal meeting with his future wife, I decided to put aside my personal opinions for now. I needed to be the adult here… but damn, the smug look on that cow redhead's face was so infuriating!

By the way, the name of this girl was Naruse Mio and she was one of the daughters of the woman Jin was supposedly engaged with.

The other one appeared shortly after I went to the bathroom and informed Jin that Mio was using the toilet— the same one I went to. And knowing this was bad news, he decided to save his only kid from suffering a horrible death at the hands of a busty redhead.

Uwaah! That sounded so lame!

Anyway, back with the younger sibling… She was a rather cute petite girl with long silver hair and purple eyes. She has a black dress that has white frills and what it seemed to be a functional keyhole on her collar, black leggings, and boots.

According to Jin, her name was Naruse Maria— Mio's younger sister.

Huh. I guess that if the bratty redhead was like an epitome of hotness, then this girl was the epitome of cuteness. She fits perfectly the image of a charming and innocent young girl.

The only thing that set me off was that look in her eyes. For some reason it makes me feel very uncomfortable, almost as if Kiryuu-san herself was appraising my sex appeal.

Should I be worried?

Eh, maybe it's just my paranoia playing tricks with my mind again. There is no way this innocent-looking girl was something as outrageous as a succubus.

Nope. Totally impossible.

"Hiroshi-san, on behalf of my sister, I'd like to apologize for the whole misunderstanding." The petite girl bow slightly as she gave me a friendly smile. "I hope her mean hook didn't harm you that much."

"Well, it's good to see that someone has a functional brain… Unlike someone else." I greeted the purple-eyed girl with a bow, not before taking the chance to get under the skin of the big-breasted gorilla.

"Like you are any better! You were peeping on me!" Mio replied with venom in her voice as she sent me a mean look.

"I wasn't even aware of your existence until after opening the door, honey. It was an accident." Again, I tried to explain the situation without missing a beat and gave her my trademark poker face to emphasize how serious and honest I was.

"Still making excuses, aren't you?" And, again, this damn girl was being irrational as hell and refused to listen.

Well, it seems I need a different approach.

"I could say the same about you, you know? You could've flipped the hanging sign to make others know the toilet was occupied and this mess wouldn't have happened in the first place… but you didn't. Do you have any excuses for your lack of common sense or are you just that dumb?"

"Huh?!"

"No wait, perhaps it's not a case of stupidity. Maybe you are just a masochist at heart? Yeah, somehow, you strike me as that type of girl." I continued attacking ruthlessly while giving her a shit-eating grin.

"HUH?!" She's about to explode at any moment. Her expression changed to one full of embarrassment and anger. Good, keep taking the baits.

"My, it seems like he's pretty bold and blunt with his words." Maria mumbled in surprise for some reason. Lady, I'd have you know I'm a magnificent bastard when it comes to being creative with this sharp tongue of mind.

Heh. How much I wanted top retort at her comment but sadly for me, the shitty old man beat me by a punch.

"Hey, now. Why don't you let her be? As man, you need to take responsibility for your actions." Jin, trying to act like an adult for once, decided to act as the mediator and ruined my fun.

"… Fine. I apologize for being so inconsiderate." I said with a forced smile, looking at the smug girl with hidden hostility.

If it wasn't obvious, I didn't really mean it but nobody seemed to realize or care so the whole issue was finally dropped when Mio muttered 'Ok, I forgive you.' but we already know she didn't believe anything I just said. Nonetheless, it seems like she is willing to let her grudge aside for the sake of this meeting. We decided to introduce each other as per Jin's request. It was a way to get to know who we are and what our likes and dislikes were.

"Well, I guess I should go first." Red spoke up after taking a sip of water. "My name is Naruse Mio, I'm sixteen years old. I like to see romance movies, small and cute animals, and have nice picnic days with my family." So far, so good. She even smiled in a charming way and I could feel the honesty in her words. Huh, maybe she is not so bad. "And my dislikes are perverts, creeps, and mean people!"

Forget what I said, this girl is such a snobby brat!

Maria and Jin both looked at me and Mio back and forth, smiling awkwardly at this situation without knowing what to do. Maria took the first step and spoke up…

"O-K… I guess is my—."

… but I interrupted her like a pro.

"My name is Sugimoto Hiroshi, and I'm your usual sixteen-year-old teenager like everybody else. It's a pleasure to meet such beautiful ladies~!" I stated with my best smile as I greeted these charming and lovely girls, note the obvious sarcasm. "My likes are something I won't talk about. My dreams are mine to know. And my dislikes are dimwits, noisy brats and chunni dumbasses~."

"Chunni?! How dare you! And what's with that introduction?! You only talked about your dislikes!" Mio snapped, raising her voice with evident indignation at my nonchalant demeanor. "Take this seriously, you creep!"

"Yeah—nope. I don't wanna."

"Is that how you greet people?!"

"Only those I find annoying or too troublesome to deal with."

"What?!"

At my dismissive response, her face reddened in anger and she started to yell at me for my rudeness and callous attitude.

"Geez…! So much for a peaceful lunch as a family. We're here to form a bond of trust not to make enemies out of each other." He muttered with a sigh of resignation. "Chihaya-san will not be happy at all."

"Ah, that reminds me. Where is the woman you're supposed to wed?" I wisely ignored his laments and focused on the elephant in the room.

This was supposed to be a remarriage meeting in which both families will introduce their members. By sharing a nice meal in a neutral territory both parties considered comfortable and likable, we could segment the first step in forging a new bond as a family.

This is a standard strategy employed by single parents' couples. However, the plan itself goes to waste when one of the key members in one of the parties is missing.

While both Mio and Maria were present, their mother wasn't. And that was kind of suspicious if you ask me because we've been talking for more than ten minutes. It's ridiculous to assume she was still looking for a parking place for her car or that she was in the bathroom.

So that bears the question, where is that woman?

"Erm… About that…" Oh great. Knowing how slimy Dad is, I bet he will come out with a rather convenient excuse to justify the woman's lack of presence. "Their mother— Chihaya-san is currently working overseas."

Called it! You need to learn new tricks, Old man, you're running out of ingenuous lines! At this rate, your whole value wouldn't be any different than that of a mob's!

… Wait a goddamn minute. Did he say she was working? As in, right now? Just what kind of moronic bullshitting excuse is that?! This raises more than a few red flags! The whole situation seems like a plot for assassination and burglary! Instantly, I motioned him to come closer so I could mutter my thoughts on his ear without having those two girls hearing it.

"… Are you sure you're not getting tricked?"

"Haha! As distrustful as always! Don't worry my badmouthed child, your old man isn't that easy to trick!"

… Should I be saddened that my legal guardian is such a nonchalant dimwit or completely pissed off at his total carelessness? Geez, he sure is a piece of work.

"Hiroshi…"

In that moment, the old man changed his expression from a goofy smile to a serious stare. Naturally, I assumed whatever he was gonna say must be something serious since he rarely, if ever, make such a straight face…

"Now that you saw these two girls… What do you think? Aren't they cute?"

It turned out he just continued to speak bullcrap as usual! Hey, be more considerate with my inner turmoil, will you?! I thought you would say they were VIPs from a Demon Lord or something like that!

"… They are cute, I suppose?"

"Now, that's a weak reaction. Are you sure you're even straight? Not like there is anything wrong if you feel attracted to other men but…"

"Say one more word and I'll stab your crotch in the middle of the night."

"Hey, take it easy! It was an innocent joke!" Recoiling back in slight fear, he mumbled a few reassuring words while rising his hands in a defensive manner. "I only wanted to know what you think of these girls. You know, as a man."

Well, if that the case then I couldn't get mad at him. Maybe I should elaborate my answer to satisfy his curiosity.

"I think they are quite cute, or gorgeous in Mio's case. Even with that vexing personality, she is still a beauty. However, I hardly see the importance of such a question. We are not gonna live together." I responded with a dismissive shrug, giving him my honest opinion.

I admit that they are beautiful girls in their own right and I would feel very uncomfortable if we were to live under the same roof. One of the many downsides of inhabiting a teenager's body was this stupid libido.

Thankfully, that's totally not the case and therefore I have nothing to worry about.

"Well, it's quite unfortunate you think that way." Of course, Jin had to be the bad news giver and destroy my expectations.

"Let me guess, these two will be living with us as part of a cohabitation project to build trust and closeness between us, right?" I guessed with a deadpan look, inwardly count to ten so I wouldn't end up strangling the man. Hopefully, this was just one of his typical pranks.

"Yeah, pretty much." Or maybe not.

"…"

I had no words, mind went blank at this blatant BS.

Never mind the fact that these two and their 'mother' may as well turn out to be potential robbers, and maybe even plot for an assassination attempt! This situation is too troublesome for my liking!

Something is off and I'm planning on discovering what dark and ominous secrets are dwelling in the shadows. I just need to use my Intel-gathering [Skills] to find the answers to my many questions. I don't care how unethical this may be seen but my security and hers were my top priority.

Let's start with Mio…

Silently casting one of my most useful abilities, [Appraisal]. While this skill is commonly used to analyze objects, I found out it isn't solely limited to it. I can use it to gather information from living beings too, as long as I have enough aptitude and my targets aren't skillful enough to block it somehow. There are other limitations but that's the gist of it.

Soon enough, I received information in the form of a Status Window. My HUD displayed all basic Intel and… What the hell…?!

Name: Naruse Mio
Race: Hybrid (Half-Human Half Devil) | Level: [Non Applicable]
Status: ["Sealed Power"]

HP: 800/800
MP: 2,350/2,350
SP (Yellow): 500
SP (Red): 500

P. ATK: 80
P. DEF: 125
M. ATK: 650
M. DEF: 575
SPEED: 42

SKILLS: […]

TITLES: [Devil Slayer], [Foul Eater], [Monster Slayer], [Satan Descendant]

…

…

…

Ok, this is bad. This is really, really bad for me.

Just who the heck did you pick when I wasn't looking, Jin?! A goddamn descendant of a Satan?! I thought the only half-human descendant in the series was Vali!

What kind of bullshitting plot twist are you even trying to pull off, Ishibumi?! First, you give us Issei's nonsensical power-ups and nerfed Best Girl Ophis, and now this?!

If you're gonna introduce a new hybrid Satan Descendant then at the very least you should use that magnificent brain of yours and give her an original design! Why did you make her look like the sexier long lost sister of Rias Gremory?! One annoying redhead is enough for us, ya know!

On the other hand, her tsundere-ish attitude and high specs make her a better Main Heroine material than Rias. She has the air of a classic aristocratic girl with a bossy personality but actually possesses the power to back up her words and a hidden caring heart.

Huh, she kinda reminds a bit of Tōsaka Rin… except Mio is quite stacked.

"H-Hey… what's with that look you are giving me, you perv?!" Mio seemingly noticed I was staring and gave me an annoyed look full of scorn.

"Woman, please don't flatter yourself so much. I ain't some sexual deviant and even if I was, you're nowhere near my strike zone." I shot back without missing a beat, earning a really unamused glare.

"Oh? Then are you more into girls like me?" Maria asked me while giving me a sultry look. "It's not something you should be ashamed of, don't worry. Moreover, it's not like I mind. I know plenty ways to please my partner."

"I'm pretty sure kids of your age shouldn't know about such a thing." I said with a raised eyebrow, perfectly masking my shock at her words.

At that response of mine, she went stiff and silent for a few seconds. "… How old do you think am I?" Maria asked slowly with a hollowed tone, her smile wavered and her eyes turned dull.

"I dunno… Nine years, perhaps?"

"HAH?! I'll have you known I'm the same age as you!" Oh wow. Now she looks stunned, as if her whole world was turned upside down.

"Doesn't look that way."

"Hey, what's your problem?! You don't have any right to bully Maria like that!" Mio then slammed both hands on the table and leaned forward to invade my space, looking ready to murder me if I keep "making fun" of the petite girl.

"I wasn't bullying here though."

"Hey, don't mind him. He may look tough and mean on the exterior but he is a big softie." And naturally, Jin took the opportunity to say something stupid.

"So he is an S?" Maria, already recovered from the initial shock, asked out of blue.

"Yeah, pretty much."

Dammit, do you guys ever shut up?

At the very least Jin's obliviousness and somehow humoristic attitude helped them to chill out. Right now I'm not in the mood to deal with a bratty Devil Princess and that Tsun-Tsun attitude any longer.

No Heroine worth her salt should show such a flat personality, you know? Even Maria is giving you a run for money considering how well she is playing her role by making a clever usage of the Moe Gap factor. You on the other hand only show a single trait.

Can't you show us something than this annoying moody personality if only for the sake of appearances?! Where is our Dere factor?!

In all seriousness though, I can't help but find this all a bit confusing. Why the heck are these two impersonating human girls just to get into this town instead of meeting with either Rias or Sōna-senpai? I mean, I'm pretty sure that Satan Descendants are big shots in devil's society (kinda like royalty) and therefore be guarded by elite bodyguards.

Wait. Vali was a Satan Descendant too and yet he remained unclaimed by those fuckers from the Old Satan for years. Opting to hide with the Fallen Angels instead of siding with them because... reasons?

Maybe he escaped due the scorn he most likely faced due his status as half-human and whatnot. Can't tell for sure since the man never had a solid background and I wasn't even fond of the DxD Anime to begin with.

Nevertheless, his situation is awfully similar to Mio here. Perhaps she escaped and was currently seeking aid from the current government, otherwise she wouldn't have come here.

Does that means the Old Satan Faction is persecuting her like the arrogant Platinum Edge Lord? That's a possibility.

She could be a runaway… or a double-agent trying to get some information out of the two heiresses overseeing Kuō. Her level is too low to be the later but that could be a calculated risk to avoid suspicions.

Either way, both scenarios are bad news… for the devils, that is.

However, this is nothing to worry about.

Sōna-senpai can take care of this situation perfectly since she's smart and aware enough of her limitations to call for reinforcement from the higher-ups should the situation warrant it. And let's not forget the Gremory Group and their BS of a Plot Armor.

If these two want to use us for their little cover then I'll play the role of the oblivious human host for the time being. No way in hell I'm going to throw away what little I have of a normal life just to get involved in supernatural affairs. Not when I've total ownership over the Legendary Title: Minor Background Character.

Doesn't mean I have to like it though. Oh well, at least this won't get more troublesome in the future.

"By the way, Jin-san. Where are we gonna sleep?"

"Hmm?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Maria raising a very important point for this cohabitation project, more specifically our sleeping accommodations. Our house has a few rooms to spare, right? I think won't have troubles with that.

"If you we have to share rooms then I call dibs on being with Hiroshi-san for the night!"

—Or so, until Maria said something outrageous. The hell are you suggestion now, you brat?!

Can someone speak some sense to this precocious child?!

"Well, I don't see a problem with that. If anything, it would benefit my boy here to get some experience with girls." Jin, no one asked for your useless advices. "If something do happen then… well, we have rooms to spare so there wouldn't be an issue should we deal with any additional member for this small family of ours."

Hey, how fucked up is your brain? You do know that what you just said is a MAJOR Red Flag to the authorities present in this establishment, right? You could end up in jail for prostituting your (adoptive!) son!

Is it so difficult to ask for someone with an actual functional brain here (other than Sōna-senpai of course)?!

"Wha—! Maria?! Do you have any idea how improper is what you're suggestion?! You can't sleep in the same room with a teenage boy!" Mio seemed to have the same thoughts as me. Finally! It's good to see you have a somehow rational mind behind that moody, overaggressive exterior full of rudeness and pettiness. You got +100 Hiro Points for being the straight woman in this situation. "Specially this guy! He is a creep, you know! He'll definitely do something extremely sickening with you!"

… Forget what I said. Go and rot in hell for all I care, you stupid Gorilla Redhead! I may be kinda mean but I'm still way better than the likes of the Perverted Trio! Stop giving me such an ugly glare already and do something about Jin and Maria instead!

"Why are you so mad anyway? The legal age for consent in this country is 14, and I'm already 15. If Hiroshi-san decides to go for it than I'd gladly welcome him~!" Maria, please don't make the situation more awkward than it already is for me.

"I'm perfectly fine with my boy getting such a loving girl like Maria-chan… so long as you're discreet about it, that is." Naturally, Jin has back her up. "And besides, he just admitted he does think you two are indeed lovely to the eyes."

Oh, you sonu da b—

"Eh?! So you WERE looking at us that way, you pervert?! I knew it, you really are scum?! I should've killed you when we were at the bathroom!"

Why was I surrounded by idiots?! If this some sort of curse?! Was there no redeemable soul in this goddamn world?! No wait, rhetorical questions. Of course the stupid universe we're residing in was full of perverted scumbag and moronic dimwits!

As expected, my daily life in this accursed town is such a drag!

← To be Continued