I highly recommend you re-read the previous chapter if you read it before January 10, 2021! As I rewrote half of the chapter!

I also would like to apologize to the people who were utterly confused, befuddled, angered, or indignant by my writing in the previous chapter and when I tried to respond to them. In all honesty, I was caught in my arrogance as I assumed with a clear mind in the morning that whatever I had written at 1 AM was something that was written well.

It was only when criticism ramped up and I reread the work that I understood my hubris. Again, I apologize for my failure to proofread my work.

Chapter 26

Suspicion


Illya watched with minor exasperation as her new friends and their friends fawned over a blonde guy.

"Yuuto!" Katase yelled.

"He looked this way! I can die happy!" Maruyama gushed.

She will admit that this Kiba Yuuto was charming but compared to Shirou, Michael, or even Gilgamesh?

While she was absorbed in her thoughts, she did not realize that Maruyama, Katase, and their little group had run off in pursuit of the blonde.

I wonder if he's the protag- "Eh?" She looked around in utter confusion. "Uh..."

The sound of the school bell ringing echoed through the halls.

She stood there dumbly, all frozen stiff by such a sound. "Eh... Ehhhhh!" Suddenly, she burst into action as she hurriedly made her way to where she assumed to be her classroom.

Unfortunately, her confusion prior had lead to her mind going all fuzzy as a lot of stress passed through her head. I knew I should've tried to learn the map!

This fuzziness and her inattentiveness eventually led to her colliding with someone, causing her and the person to fall.

"Ouch..." she muttered as she rubbed her head. "Are-" With her head somewhat cleared from the impact, she was able to think properly. With this newfound clarity, she had paused her Japanese words and switched to German. "Alles klar? (You alright?)"

"Uh... Yeah," the person she bumped in with replied as he got up. "Ich bin gut (I am good)."

"Danken- (Thank-)" Illya paused as she realized something, the person spoke German. "Deutsch? (German?)" She then got a good look at the person, whose identity was the Red Dragon Emperor, Issei Hyoudou.

"Eh? Oh... Uh..." Issei fumbled as he looked around to find an escape.

Illya was frozen stiff as she realized who she had bumped into. On my first day?! I am most definitely caught!

She finally snapped back when the second bell rang. Old instincts kicked in as she started to panic again and disregarded her previous shock. She hurriedly asked, "Nevermind! Do you know the way to class?!"

"Uh... Oh shit! Class!" Issei too disregarded his shock and nervousness as he got up and sprinted to the classroom, to which Illya followed.


The classroom door slammed open as Issei took a deep breath. "Forgive me for my tardiness!" he said as he bowed.

"U-Uh... Excuse me for- Er... Excuse me!" Illya said as she too bowed right next to Issei.

The teacher gave both of them a glare. "Hyoudou, in the hall. Einz-bern, I'll excuse you since it's your first day," she said, briefly struggling with Illya's famly name.

Issei deflated while Illya breathed a sigh of relief.

The Einzbern then made her way to her desk, trying her best to ignore the stares given to her. As she sat down, Maruyama and Katase half turned around.

"Did the pervert do anything to you?" Maruyama inquired with venom in her voice. "If so, I'll sock him for you."

"Nein, (No)" Illya replied, with a cringed expression. "I ran into him."

It would seem her words fell onto deaf ears as the duo brewed with vengeful thoughts regardless of her words.

"Don't worry, we will make sure no pervert touches you, again," Katase whispered as she sent a glare to Issei's fellow perverts.


Meanwhile, having been sent outside in the hallway with two buckets of books in each hand, Issei was pondering on something.

It was when he had bumped into the new transfer student, he felt something weird. No, it wasn't his libido acting up as he very much knew what that felt like. If anything, it felt a bit hot in where he touched.

Lifting his arm to his view, he looked at it curiously. There weren't any marks per se but he remembered the sensation well.

It felt like I was touching the flame of a candle.

He sighed deeply as he lowered his arm and picked up the bucket again, which he must say was lighter today. Perhaps she has a fever?

"Hyoudou," his teacher called out from the classroom doorway, "you can re-enter."

As he re-entered the class, he sent a glance at the small, white-haired Germanic transfer student. The said girl was staring back at him as she gave him an uneasy smile. She seems fine.

But then he felt the dual glares sent to his way by the two girls who always took charge in distributing punishment to him.

Nervously, he seated himself down. I might not join Motohama and Matsuda today... Sorry, guys.

He wanted to see the light of day tomorrow after all.


Illya sent discreet glances all around her, scanning the area. She couldn't shake off the feeling she was being watched.

School had ended just half an hour ago and she was making her way to the apartment in downtown Kuoh which Cao Cao had provided. She heaved a sigh as she sat on a public bench.

While she could walk for hours more as a servant, she couldn't stave off the stress that was getting to her. If only I could just dematerialize and just fly... she inwardly groaned.

If she wasn't trying to draw attention to herself, she would've just done so but lo and behold, she was doing a mission.

Suddenly, an idea popped up in her head and she took out her phone. "Let's see... Bicycle... Rent... Ah hah!"

She then made her way to her new destination, the stalker following her every move.


Rias Gremory spun in her chair as she looked through the eyes of her familiar. "She has to travel that far back and forth?" she inquiry curiously with a tone of worry laced in.

"You are quite enamored by the new transfer student," Sona Sitiri, more commonly known as Sona Shitori, commented as she sipped her tea. "Your tea is as good as ever, Akeno."

"My, my. I am flattered, Student President," the queen of Rias replied.

Meanwhile, Rias spun around a bit more before disconnecting her connection to her familiar. "Who wouldn't be interested in such a cute face?" she gushed.

"I suppose collecting every pretty thing is your hobby... Anyhow, have you discovered anything in your stalking session?" Sona inquired.

"That's not a nice way to put it," the redhead pouted. "But I did find something interesting."

"Oh, please do tell."

"It would seem our new cute transfer student can speak better Japanese than she showcased here."


Illya sneezed violently, causing her to stumble.

"Excuse you. Anyhow, how many hours did you rent the bike?" Archer inquired as he finished up his cooking.

Using a tissue to wipe the snot, Illya took a few seconds to respond. "Uh... 10 hours, I think..."

Archer raised an eyebrow as he curiously asked, "You think?"

"I dunno... I think I lost the receipt..."

"Just return it when you head back and buy a bicycle afterward," he said as he set down Illya's plate. "We also may need to cut down on food for a week so eat up."

"Okay..." Illya deflated a bit at the reveal before digging in.

After all, food was no longer a necessity as long as they were supplied with mana from their mysterious source.

"Er... Did you find any clues?" she asked.

"Not even a lead," Archer huffed in annoyance.

Their conversation soon devolved into little things until Illya finished eating to which they watched movies and animes, played games, and did work throughout the night.

After all, servants do not require nor need rest.

And fate may or may not shine upon their future.


Chapter 26 End

Not much to say but I again apologize.

Also, I should probably stop releasing stories at midnight and instead do it in the day...

Heh.

SaveTheWeak, out... Maybe for a long time or short time.