"You promised me the girl…"

"I didn't promise you anything. I merely said the girl would be yours if the operation went as planned – which it didn't. Raynare refused to carry out the ritual and failed to kill the boy as ordered."

"How is she supposed to be mine if the girl was reincarnated in that ghastly form!?"

"Forget about the girl, Astaroth!... We need to get back to our original goal of getting the house of Gremory out of the picture. Since we now know they have the power of the Vanishing Dragon on their side, things have become much more complicated."

Another man entered.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance…"

Volume 2: Dragon of the Pressing Engagement

"So, how was it like having Rias Gremory's chest against your back?"

"Okay, what!?" I exclaimed to Aika in response to that completely random question.

I guess she may be referring to that time the other night where Rias hugged me from behind while I was getting over Asia's death, "Weren't you out when that happened?"

"Someone told me about it…"

"Akeno?"

She nodded. Of course, Akeno would tell someone something that scandalous.

Then I realized why Aika would blurt out something like "How was it like having Rias Gremory's chest against your back?" as Matsuda and Motohama were suddenly surrounding me.

"Bro, how could you do this to us!?" Matsuda cried.

"Since I guess you're that intimate with the ORC," Motohama commented. "I have a question."

"Bring it."

"I've never gotten close enough to Akeno Himejima recently to get a read on her sizes. Do you have an idea of what they are?"

"Didn't you get her sizes a couple months ago?"

"C'mon. A man of culture like me has to be current on these things. Girls our age are constantly changing, y'know, maturing!"

"Okay. Fine," I said. "Huge-Average-Probably Average"

"C'mon. Be a bit more specific than that. That might be someone else's"

"I need to reach Level 20 Pervert to unlock that. I'm currently Level 5 right now."

"Oh, so you are a pervert."

"Good grief. That's not what I meant."

"Did she say new transfer student?" Matsuda suddenly blurted out as the homeroom teacher was making an announcement that I wasn't paying attention to.

Asia then arrived in the room. After the other night, she was transferred into the school as a fellow second-year.

"She's so cute!" pretty much everyone in the room said. Matsuda and Motohama, in particular, were practically drooling.

"B-b-b-blonde?!"

"83-55-81…" Motohama muttered.

I had half a mind to blow them up right now with my new powers.

"Hi…My name's Asia Argento. It's a pleasure to meet you!" she softly said, awkwardly bowing.

This appeared to have won the hearts of the entire classroom, or at least the ones who weren't already swooning right next to me.

I was happy they seem to have taken a liking to her already, but my brotherly instincts are starting to kick in, which is crazy considering I'm an only child.

Is she going to fit in with the rest of the students?

Is Matsuda and Motohama's extreme libido going to scare her off?

I need a quiet place to think about how I'm going to ease her into this brave new world known as Japanese High School.

After the lunch period, I decided that the best place to do this was the club room during my next period. It was English, so I can afford to skip that.

Big mistake.

Little did I know, Akeno was in there. She was wearing a bathrobe, appearing to have just showered, and she had her hair down.

She was looking even more alluring than usual, which, of course, is a perfect environment for a teenage guy like me to focus.

"My, my. Cutting class again, I see…"

"That's rich. Don't you have class too?"

"No. I have a free period. I forgot to shower this morning, so I decided to use the one in here."

Yeah… "forgot."

Speaking of which, I almost forgot there was a shower in the club room. Looking at it, it doesn't really give much privacy.

Considering they're devils, I don't think that would be much of a concern.

"You're usually out in the courtyard," she commented. "What brings you here?"

"I just need somewhere quiet…"

Before I knew it, she had snuck right behind me and was rubbing my shoulders.

"My, you're awfully tense today."

Something tells me she's not wearing anything under that bathrobe.

"Hey, I'm an angel, remember?" I said, backing away. "You getting that close in nothing but a bathrobe is making something else tense…"

"Is it? Would it help if I took it off~?"

"NO! KEEP IT ON!"

If only I had a mirror to see how red my face was getting.

"My, my. I kid," she insisted. "You're just too fun to mess with."

"Yeah," I replied. "Just like everyone else you meet."

"Not exactly," she said. "Yuuto, for one, is so popular with the ladies that he's pretty much used to girls hitting on him.

But you're so aloof that reactions like that are priceless."

"Aloof?" I asked. "Where did you get that idea?"

"I think you just answered your own question."

"By the way," I added. "How did you end up as Rias Gremory's servant?"

"Funny story. It involves your mother, actually."

"My mother?"

"By the way," she changed the subject, "I wasn't kidding when I said you were tense. Is there something going on?"

I had to think about that for a second.

"Nothing. I'm just a bit nervous, that's all," I replied. "What, with being a master and everything…"

"Well maybe it will help to join your servant in class,"

"Fair point," I chuckled as I left the club room for my next class.

At least I was reassured from one of my worries as I saw her chatting with some of the girls in my class.

Later that evening, Rias decided to throw a welcoming party at, you guessed it, my house, for Asia.

"I'm glad to have everyone here tonight…" my mother announced. "As you know, my son, Makoto finally found himself a partner."

"Servant," I corrected.

"Anyway," my mother continued without paying attention to what I just said. "Any you want to add, Miss Gremory?"

"It's great to have you with us, Asia."

"Thank you, President."

As the cake was coming out of the oven, Asia's attention drew to a photo on the mantlepiece.

It had my mother in front of our old house carrying a baby. To the right of her was a man with dark blue hair and blue eyes.

"Oh wow. Is that you as a baby?" Asia asked me.

"Yes. And that's my father, Hikaru," I replied, pointing to the man next to her.

"I'm sorry if this is a touchy subject for you," said Asia. "But where is he?"

"If you like that picture, you should check out Makoto's other baby pictures!" Mother interrupted.

"Oh, yes, please!" she replied. Aika was already prying.

"Can I see them too?" Rias asked, who was in the Kitchen decorating the cake.

"Did someone say, 'Makoto's baby pictures'?" Akeno inquired.

"Not interested." Koneko commented as I was heading to my room.

I couldn't answer Asia's question.

Not because my mom interrupted me, but because that exact type of thing happens when I attempt to ask Mom about my father.

While I was tossing a piece of scrap paper up and down on my bed, Akeno entered my room.

"Akeno? What are you doing here?"

This is bad. She's probably here to tease me some more. Nothing good comes from a boy and a girl are alone in a bedroom, especially when it involves Akeno.

"Your mother was wondering where you were."

"Well, this answers your question – My room."

"It was the question about your father, was it?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I lost my mother when I was very young, so I can see why someone bringing up your father would upset you."

Hold on. She's getting all sentimental. This wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting her to seize this opportunity while we're alone to try something lewd.

"Well, anyway, Rias wanted to see you in the yard," she said, after an awkward silence.

I followed her out and, sure enough, Rias was already out there.

"What do you need me in the yard for?" I asked.

"I just wanted get a bit of a training session in," Rias replied.

"Oh. Sure. What do you have in mind?" I said. "Fair warning – I'm allergic to manual labor."

She placed a slab of wood several feet from where I was standing.

"See If you can destroy this with your Power of Retribution."

I planted myself flat on the ground, preparing myself to annihilate my adversary – a plank of wood.

I thrust my arms at the plank.

Nothing.

"That's strange. It was working a couple days ago…"

I tried using my anime super move again.

Nothing.

"What's going on? Why can't I shoot fireblasts?"

"You might just be tired," Rias replied. "We can try again tomorrow."

This blows. How am I supposed to be a master if I can't master my own abilities?

"So how was your 'training' with the President?" Aika asked as she was walking home through the park with me and Asia.

Asia seemed to be oblivious to Aika's meaning of the word "training."

"More mundane than you think," I replied, to Aika's disappointment.

"But there's more. I think I've lost my stuff."

"What did you lose?" Asia replied. "I can help you find it!"

"It's not like that," I replied. "You know that power I used against Raynare?"

"I was unconscious, but the President told me about it…" Aika replied.

"Well, I can't seem to use it anymore."

"Oh no," Asia exclaimed. "Do you know why?"

"No idea," I replied. "Rias suggested it might be because I used so much energy last time that I need time to get it back. We're working on it some more this afternoon."

As we were near the pond, we encountered a strange-looking man with slick, dark hair, wearing a cloak.

"Pleasure seeing you again, Asia Argento," he said.

"Was he in the church with you?" I asked Asia.

"On the contrary," he stated. "I simply owe my life to her,"

"Head on home," I said to Aika. "I think he wants to speak to Asia in private."

Me and Asia followed him to the side of the pond, where he opened his shirt to reveal a massive scar.

"That's…" Asia exclaimed.

"So, you're the devil that Asia healed," I said.

"Correct. My name is Diodora. Heir of the Astaroth clan."

"It's… nice to finally meet you," Asia replied.

This guy is seriously giving me the creeps. Much more than Matsuda and Motohama getting hot and bothered over her. At least they were honest. Too honest.

Something about his demeanor, the way his eyes are perpetually closed. This may be a man who can't be trusted.

"But I have to ask," he said. "After what they've done to you, why do you still serve a man of God?"

"I owe my life to Makoto."

"You could say the same thing about the church, but they still stabbed you in the back."

"Hey!" I exclaimed, "Don't say things like that to my servant!"

I felt myself starting to glow white. Do I still have the power?

"Don't fall for it, Asia. He's using you just like the church did," he said, and outstretched his hand. "I can set you free from them."

"Let's go home, Makoto."

"Yeah," I replied. "Let's."

"My offer is always open."

In the evening, I continued my training with Rias and Akeno.

After a felt a flare-up during my confrontation with Diodora, I was feeling confident I can get it to work.

I still couldn't. What was the hold-up?

"I have an idea," said Akeno. "You were able to use it against the fallen angel, right?"

"Yeah. What do you have in mind?"

"Maybe if you imagine her as the plank of wood, maybe that could trigger it," Rias suggested.

"Good point."

I closed my eyes and pictured my enemy.

All of a sudden, I felt a wellspring of untapped energy about to burst from my fingertips and I unleashed it all in the direction of the plank.

When I opened my eyes, I realized I not only defeated the plank, but also the lawn as well.

Akeno summoned a deluge of water to put the fire out

"I'm so sorry," said Rias, "I didn't know you were still hurt over Raynare."

"It wasn't Raynare," I said.

"It was Halja."

"She took everything my mom held dear. She took Asia's life away from her! I will never forgive her for what she did!"

"It's okay to be honest with your emotions, Makoto," Rias said. "Because of it, you were able to awaken your power."

"You saw what happened. I had no control. It was blind rage."

"You can control your power, Makoto. We believe in you," said Akeno. "You sent Halja running once and you can do it again."

I was about to nod, but then I noticed something familiar – The white gauntlet on my right arm.

"This again…" I exclaimed.

"That's a Sacred Gear!" Rias exclaimed. "I never knew you had that."

"I didn't know either. I just know it suddenly appeared before when I fought Halja and her goons.

When I defeated Freed with it unknowingly equipped, it was like his energy suddenly transferred to my own."

"I knew you had a lot of untapped power," Akeno said, feeling up the Sacred Gear that was on my arm as I was staring at her nervously, "But I didn't know you had this~"

I retracted the gauntlet from my arm, to her disappointment.

"Well, that's more reason to continue mastering your powers," Rias said. "That Sacred Gear might be the key to defeating the Goddess of Death."

"I understand… President."

"My, my," said Akeno. "Whatever happened to calling her by her first name?"

"I don't think I respected you properly in the past," I stated. "But now I urge you, President. Help me to be the best master that I can be."

Rias giggled, "I accept… on one condition," she then moved close to my ear and whispered, "Please just keep calling me by my name, I kinda liked it."

Sometimes I am reminded of just how devilish she can be…

"Okay, Rias, I will…"

Later that night, I was having trouble sleeping.

I didn't know if it was that creepy Astaroth guy or if I was still stressed from the training.

Or maybe it had something to do with this weird vision I keep getting with a white dragon.

It sure as hell wasn't the upcoming exam in English class.

I went down the stairs to the dining room where I overheard my mom talking with Rias.

"Normally if I did it without following that tedious procedure, I would be finished, but since I was married to him, I was free to have at it."

"I never heard of that loophole, before."

"Most angels dedicate their entire lives to service, so marriages are extremely rare."

Rias noticed me as I was coming down, "Can't sleep, either?"

"Nope."

"Good," Mother said, "Come sit with us."

My mother continued, "There's not much we can do last minute, in terms of ceremony, but we can definitely make it work."

"I'm willing to just go through your court, if we must, so we can handle it as soon as possible."

"Make what work?" I asked, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry this is so short notice, Makoto," Rias said to me, "But I need to ask you something very important,"

As she was saying that, a flash of light filled the room as a Gremory summoning circle appeared.

However, the young woman who appeared through the circle wasn't anybody I recognized.

She had silver hair and was wearing a maid outfit.

"Oh, you must be Grayfia." mother said to the young woman.

"Indeed, I am, Lady Gabriel. It's an honor to meet you in person."

"Did my family or my brother send you?" Rias asked Grayfia, "Or is this just a social call?"

Rias didn't look too happy about this. What was it she just interrupted?

"Bit of both, actually." Grayfia replied, "I just wanted to warn you that the family would not react too kindly to you breaking your agreement."

"Isn't that decision mine to make?"

"I'm sorry, but as the heir to the house of Gremory, you can't afford to be cavalier in making that decision."

Rias sighed in defeat.

Grayfia then turned to me.

"I apologize. You must be Lady Gabriel's son, Makoto."

I nodded.

"Word has it that you are rumored to possess the Vanishing Dragon."

"I guess that's just a rumor right now. I have no idea what that is."

"Forget I asked you that question earlier," Rias said to me, and then spoke to Grayfia, "I'll listen to what you have to say in my office. Mind if Akeno joins us?"

"Of course not."

And they teleported out.

"I know I must be living under a rock, but what was that all about?" I asked my mother.

"Rias is being engaged to someone she doesn't want to marry."