Life 1. My First Work with a Devil

Part 1

After leaving school, my stepfather took me to Grigori to continue my training. Once I arrive, I met with the other two humans on my group.

On one hand, there is Yami Konjiki, a second year girl who possesses the Sacred Gear [Staring Red], which allows her to create red-coloured light-based arrows. On the other hand, Akai Asagiri, a third year who possesses the Sacred Gear [Night Reflection], which allows him to redirect attacks using shadows.

"Oh, Rito! Come here to train with us!"

Yami is being as energetic as always, but Akai gets close to me and tells me something.

"Ignore her, you can just stay there and look at us for the moment."

"You're looking down on me again, don't you?"

"You're the one who has the least experience with Sacred Gears out of us, so I think you should obey what your senpai says."

"Yeah, you know that even when I never used my Sacred Gear on a proper battle doesn't mean I don't know how to use it, right?"

"Just sit down."

My senpai and I have a pretty weird relationship. Normally, we're close to each other forgetting who is senpai and who is kohai, but when he wants me to do anything, he is firm on the fact that he is my senpai both in school and in Grigori.

Just like he says, I sit down and look at them.

"Ok, let's make a bet. If I win, you will allow me to battle Rito."

"Sure, but you won't win."

As soon as Akai says that, Yami shots multiple arrows. However, all of them are caught by senpai's Sacred Gear.

"I told you, that trick will never work on me."

Several light-arrows are directed to Yami's back, all of them hitting her. Akai's shadows soon turn into a row of blades, being directed to Yami in all directions.

"I'm going to battle Rito!"

Yami shots her arrows to the blades, but two of them hit her. Just like always, Yami goes straight forward instead of thinking her moves like Akia-senpai does.

"Why are you so obsessed with battling Rito?"

"Ever since he joined Grigori, I haven't been able to fight with Rito; only you and the Fallen Angels-sama have been able to battle him. I want to join that list!"

Yeah, since my stepfather is a cadre of Grigori, they don't allow me to battle much, but it's not like I'm against it, after all, without my Sacred Gear, I lack any special abilities of my own.

Senpai's shadow turns into tentacles and hold Yami's limbs. Just like always, the battle is over even before Akai gets hit.

"Checkmate."

With that word, the room's healing properties were applied to Yami, restoring her from the injuries.

"With this it is Akai-senpai 79, Yami 0."

Yami looks in mixed state of sadness and rage, but it cannot be helped. Akai changes his expression from his "senpai look" to his "normal look", so clearly wants to chat with me.

"So, Rito, do you have plans for tonight?"

"Actually, I do."

"Oh, so what is it?"

"I was assigned to work with a Devil."

Both Akai and Yami have pretty serious looks, but if one of them told me that, I would react that way too. Devils are dangerous beings. That is what the Fallen Angels always tell us.

"Don't put that serious face, she is pretty nice, and if she tries to do anything evil, I can use my stepfather's technique."

I point fingers like my stepfather told me, and they relax their faces.

"Ok, if you say you can defend yourself, I'll believe in you. However, there's one thing I don't understand."

"What is it?"

"Cadre-sama has been married to your mother for years, why do you call him stepfather? Haven't you bonded with him after all these years?"

"Just because he married my mom 4 years ago doesn't mean he has the right to be my father, that name belongs to only one man-"

"That is dead."

Sigh, he's right. My dad died 5 years ago, he never liked my stepfather, and neither do I.

"Just because he's dead doesn't mean he stopped being my dad."

"You should move on that Rito, but if you don't accept Cadre-sama as your father, you're going to regret once you grow up."

I don't want to talk about this anymore, so I change the topic to the first thing that came to my mind.

"Yeah, yeah… but, what card will you pick?"

I show him my deck of cards. 21 in total, they represent the tarot. Akai takes one of them, and shows it to me.

"That's [Number V: The Hierophant], so that means a magic boost."

Akai receives a boost on his magical abilities after taking my card.

"And now, it's Yami's turn."

She also takes a card and shows it to me.

"That's [Number XVIII: The Moon], so that means you can read your opponent's mind."

After grating that ability to ability to Yami, I declare the beginning of the second round.

Part 2

I have been waiting at the part since 5:30, but now it was already 6:15 and she was nowhere to be seen. I even started to play with my cards waiting for her.

I did this a lot when I was a kid, but now, if I play with these cards, then I'm not ok.

"Rito!"

As someone called out my name, I turned back and saw her. It was Ram; she finally came.

"Sorry for being late."

"No worry, I wouldn't start without you."

And so I took out my notebook to write what she says.

"The [Evil Pieces] are special objects created to increase the number of Devils by reincarnating other beings; however, they cannot be used on gods. They are 15 in total and are divided in 4 classes: 1 Queen, 2 Rooks, 2 Knights, 2 Bishops and 8 Pawns. Each of these classes have a cost, using a single Pawn as the base for this system: 1 Knight is worth 3 Pawns, 1 Bishop too, 1 Rook is worth 5 Pawns and the Queen is worth 9 Pawns; the number of "Pawns" used to reincarnate someone changes based on their strengths, talents, and skills, with the exception to this being the [Mutation Pieces], which can reincarnate someone with only one piece no matter what."

"… Is that all?"

"Yes, that's pretty much it."

Wow, Devils are so complicated.

"And you own some of these, right?"

She takes something out of her purse. It is a chess piece, a Pawn to be exact.

"Yes and this one of them."

It looks exactly like a normal chess piece. That is disappointing.

"How many of them do you have?"

"I already used my Queen, 2 Bishops, 1 Rook and 1 Knight, so I still have 1 Rook, 1 Knight and all of my 8 Pawns."

"The work of a Devil must be hard, huh."

"Well, I don't think working with Grigori is easier."

What?

"Eh?"

"You are a member of Grigori, am I wrong?"

My secret… is known by a Devil?!

"How do you know that?"

"Let's say that a little bird told me."

I start running out of the park. I cannot let a Devil know about my secret. I push the emergency button Grigori gave me to call a Fallen Angel-sama.

"Where are you going?"

That voice wasn't a feminine one. There was a blue haired man in front of me.

"Who are you?"

"He is Silverage Lucifuge, my fiancé."

Fiancé?! So Devils do engagements.

"More importantly, why are you here Silverage?"

"Now I cannot visit my future wife?"

Silverage kisses Ram's cheek… I didn't see that coming.

A magic circle appears before us. I know that pattern, is she!

"You don't have to fear anymore, I'm here Rito."

Penemue-sama! Her beautiful purple hair really stands out.

"One of the Cadre of Grigori is here, huh. Ram, what did you do this time?"

"Nothing, but you don't need to act like a charming prince coming to save your princess every time, you know?"

"I know, but as your future husband, I need to protect you from any danger."

Their love makes me sick. Not because I dislike love, but because I haven't had a girlfriend in my whole live.

"Penemue-sama, can we get out here?"

"Ok; take warning Devils, if you get close to him again, then I and my group are going to show you the overwhelming power of Grigori."

"It doesn't matter if you bring 2 or 20, I'm going to defeat as many humans as you can bring; also, she is immortal."

"Hey! I can fight too!"

"I know sweetie, but you know how much I love to fight."

As those two argued, Penemue-sama and I left the place.