Chivalry of a Hollow Cryo Dragon Devil Knight

by Gaevontracey24

Ayato Kurozakuro Sparda will enter the world of Devils and learn more about himself as Rias Gremory's Pawn & Stella Vermillion Gremory Phenex's Queen , along with his mysterious family past which allows him to wield a legendary demonic sword... and he's the next Red Dragon Emperor. Harem with Stella,Rias and Mio being the main girls.

3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"" - Talking

'' - Thinking

{} - Satan

...

Ayato entered one of the empty classrooms of the old school building, intent on using this place to do a bit of training as he closed the door behind him before sitting down cross legged as he followed Satan's instructions {Now…Cup your hands in front of you and concentrate…magic is all about will and imagination}

Ayato kept his gaze on his hands, taking calming breaths before a purple ball of magic started to form, stopping once it was the size of a huge snooker ball. {Good…now you need to decide on what you want to use it as…}

"Oh my…I didn't think you would be taking up magic so quickly" Akeno spoke from the now open doorway, the huge ball of magic in Ayato's hands disappearing due to his surprise as he spoke "Akeno-san…? How did you ?"

"I sensed your magic…" Akeno answered with a smile, moving to kneel down opposite him as she added "You have a good start but you should practice to summon it easier"

"Right…" Ayato spoke, turning his focus back onto gathering his magic together again, the purple wind ball forming in his hands before looking up as Akeno spoke "So do you know what you want to use it for…?"

"Not really…" "Well…I would suggest Cryo dragon magic considering the colour shows your strong points…" Akeno spoke, turning her gaze to the doorway as she smiled at Stella.

Ayato was surprised he'd been snuck up on by both third year & first year as she spoke "So this is why you didn't head home then…? If you wanted to start training you just had to ask, Ayato"

"I didn't want to be in any trouble and Satan knows enough to help me get started," Ayato replied embarrassed, scratching his cheek with his forefinger.

"It's no trouble, Ayato. You are my cute servant and wanting to be prepared for anything is a good sign" Stella spoke with a smile as she looked to Akeno as she added "I'll leave this to you then Akeno" His crimson haired master left the room, leaving Akeno to teach Ayato about magic after she'd put barriers around the walls of the room to avoid him destroying anything.

…

Ayato appeared out of the magic circle as he looked around the empty room. He was here for a contract but no one seemed to be here to meet him which he found odd, trying to sense for any humans, only to find nothing aside from the growing bad feeling in his gut.

{Stay alert} Sparda spoke up, Yukio nodding in agreement as he spoke quietly

"Hello…? I'm a Devil from the G's household…Is the client here?" Yukio finally realised he was in the kitchen as he headed to the door, taking a moment to poke his head out to look around only to find no lights around the entire house until his eyes were drawn to the door opposite.

Moving slowly and carefully to the door he pushed it open, picking up the candles which brightened the room. Yukio took a few steps into the room, his eyes picking up the sofa, table and such that would be found in a living room.

His nose picked up something disgusting, Yukio quickly covered it as he turned, his mouth dropping open in shock at the corpse that was nailed upside down to the wall. 'Who…Who could do such a thing?' Yukio thought, failing to hold back his gag reflex and vomiting onto the floor, coughing a few times to clear his mouth as Sparda spoke {We need to get out of here} Yukio eyes knitting in confusion as he picked up the writing on the wall

"It's written as "Punishment for those who did bad deeds!". I just borrowed the sentence from someone important." A young male voice spoke up behind him, Yukio turning to see a foreign teenager with white hair, dressed as a priest. An evil smile grew on his face as he spoke "Hmm. Well, well. If it isn't a Devil-kun!" He sounded happy although there was a creepy tone to it 'Damn…Exorcist' Yukio thought, as he slipped into a fighting stance as he started to sing "I'm a priest. A boy priest. I cut Devils. And I laugh while cutting the head of you Devils. Lalalala"

Yukio wondered what was wrong with the exorcist who continued to speak "My name is Freed Sellzen. I belong to a certain Exorcism group. Oh, just because I introduced myself, you don't need to introduce yourself. Please don't. Because remembering a Devil's name is a waste of my memory. It's okay. You are going to die soon. I will make sure of it. It might hurt at first, but later you will feel so good that you will cry. Now let's open the new door!"

{He's insane…} Sparda spoke, Yukio mentally agreeing as he gulped before speaking nervously "How could you kill that person?"

"I killed him. Because he was a regular criminal who has been summoning Devils. So I had to kill him." Freed spoke as if it was nothing, smirking as he picked up on Yukio's shocked look "Huh? Are you shocked? Aren't you running away? That's weird? Weird indeed. I mean humans who make a pact with Devils are scum. Scum indeed. Can't you understand that? No? Is that so? Well you are scum, Devil."

"I thought Exorcists were only supposed to kill Devils…?" Yukio asked "Huh? What the fuck is that? A Devil like yourself lecturing me? Hahaha. I will laugh at this. You probably could get a reward for being funny. Okay then. Listen carefully you shitty Devil. Devils use humans' greed to survive. If you live by making a pact with a Devil, then you are no longer a human. It's the end. That's why I killed him. I make a living by killing Devils and those that are contracted to a Devil. That's my job." Freed retorted angrily before Yukio fired back "Even Devil's won't go this far!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? Devils are trash. It's common sense. Didn't you know? Seriously, you should start your life back from a toddler. Wait, it's useless to tell this to a reincarnated Devil like you. More like, I have to kill you. Hahahaha. It's awesome, isn't it?" Freed spoke as he pulled out a sword that had no blade and a gun, the air vibrating with a bang as the sword gained a blade of yellow energy as he continued. "You kind of irritate me, so can I cut you? Can I shoot you? Is it okay? Okay then. Now I'm going to stab your heart with this light sword, and I'm going to blow your head with this cool looking gun! Man, I'm seriously going to fall in love!" The priest sprinted towards Yukio, slashing his sword at him. Yukio using Ryuuzetsu with the red gauntlet he had summoned previously appeared around his forearm. Yukio raised it just in time to block Freed's blade of light and push it back, thus freeing himself from the wall. Freed tried stabbing him again and again, but Yukio kept raising his gauntlet to block each strike. "Damn it, how the hell is this psycho so fast?" For something that looked like a toy, the Sacred Gear was surprisingly durable.

Maybe it was a defensive type Gear.

"Would you stop dodging and just die already!" Freed complained. "I've got other shit planned for tonight y'know!"

"Go to hell! As if anyone would just hold still and die just 'cause someone asked them." Yukio shot back. "And hate to break it to ya, but your "oh so busy schedule" isn't important enough to me to change my mind!"

Ayato then rushed in, Freed saw him get close and brought down his Sword for a final strike, however Ayato was waiting for that and used the Sacred Gear to block his strike and raised his Blade, knocking Freed's blade upwards and Freed off balance. Seizing the opening he created, Ayato let's loose a fierce slash on Freed's neck, launching him across the room and making him hit the floor with a loud thud.

This time Freed got up much slower, and blood was leaking from his jaw. "Augh, you son of a bitch." Freed groaned, clutching his face. "How'd you even do that?"

"Well sir, I used a very effective method of fighting called STRATEGY!" Ayato answered annoyedly, explaining something as simple as two plus two. "You'll find it's a lot more effective than randomly swinging your Sword around like a psychopath."

"Hmm, interesting theory, okay let's try it, how about instead of trying to use my Sword up close." Freed then smirked and raised his gun. "I stand at a safe distance, and blast you full of holes with my gun, how's that for a strategy?"

Ayato paused, realizing what he'd just done. "Umm, on second thought, strategy is overrated." Ayato tried to reason. "There's not much wrong with what you were doing before, you should stick to that."

"Normally I'd agree with you, but I always believe in trying new things. So let's try it."

Freed then fires rounds from his gun at Ayato in rapid succession. Ayato dashes around the room, doing whatever he can to dodge the bullets, whenever he felt he could see one of them coming but couldn't dodge it he'd use his Device to Slice it. However, even that could only work for so long.

"Y'know you were right!" Freed said while still firing, having a great time. "This whole strategy thing really does work."

"Oh, I'm so glad I could help!" Ayato responded sarcastically while dodging.

"Well, you really did, and to show my appreciation I think I'll shoot you in the head!"

"You don't have to do that." Ayato said.

"I insist!"

Freed then concentrated his shooting at Ayato's head, planning to end this with a head shot. Ayato knew he couldn't keep this up, dodging his gun fire was extremely difficult for him in such a closed space and while he was being weighed down by his weights.

Ayato decided he had to go for broke if he wanted to survive this, and so when Freed opened fire again after taking a moment to aim, he heard the click of Freed's gun. He began his desperate charge and rushed towards Freed in a straight line, using his Sacred Gear to block or deflect the bullets fired at him. Unfortunately, one of them got past his notice and struck him in his right arm.

"Augh!" Ayato felt intense pain from the light that successfully hit his flesh even through the Thickness of his icy wind armor, however he fought through the pain. Once he was right in front of Freed he reached out and grabbed his gun.

Once his hands were on the weapon, both of them were in a struggle to steal it from the grip of the other.

"Ahahahaha! Devils and humans can never coexist! Especially humans that are from the church for whom Devils are the biggest enemies! Also, we are a group of heresy that was deserted by God. Asia and I are humans that can't survive without the support of Fallen Angels"

"Anyways I don't actually care about that but I need to kill this trash here to finish my job. Are you ready?" Freed spoke as he thrust his sword towards Ayato again, the silver haired teen starting to build up magic into his gauntlet as he thought

'Guess I've got to see if I can pull that move off now' Putting his gauntlet clad fist up in front of his chest he readied himself to attack, his eyes widened as Asia stepped in between him and the Priest with her arms spread out in an attempt to protect him. "Hey, hey…Are you serious? Asia-tan, do you know what you are doing?"

"Yes, Father Freed. I do. I beg you, please forgive this person. Please let him go." Ayato looked speechless as his leg gave way under him, wincing as he mentally cursed himself for not having good enough control as his magic dispersed as Asia continued "I can't stand it anymore…You can't kill people just because they are entranced to a Devil. You also can't kill Devils. It's wrong!"

"Haaaaaa!? Don't talk shit, bitch! You learnt that Devils are trash at Church! Seriously, you have issues in your brain!" Freed seemed to be annoyed at the Sister who quickly replied "There are good people, even among Devils!"

"There aren't, moron!" "That's what I thought until recently….But Ayato-san is a good person. That fact doesn't change even after I found out that he is a Devil! Killing someone is unforgivable! God won't allow such acts!" Asia spoke, surprising Ayato that she was standing up for her beliefs to the priest.

Freed hit her with the side of his gun and something snapped inside Ayato, magic starting to gather in his hand as his eyes glared at Freed as Satan spoke up {Don't Ayato the Fallen will sense you!} Ayato still gathered energy into his hand as he mentally replied 'That bastard deserves it!'

"The Fallen Angel girl insisted that I don't kill you. But I'm getting a bit pissed. I can't kill you but maybe I can rape you? If I don't, I won't be able to heal my heart. But before that, I need to kill that trash over there." Freed spoke annoyed, turning just to see Ayato back on his feet, his hair covering his eyes, his Sword Created a small slashing ice Vortex It was called.

"Blade Ice Vortex"

"Eat this…!" Ayato roared, pointing his palm at Freed, Storming-ice winds blasting the priest into the wall as Ayato took a few moments to regain his breath. Freed's clothes were sliced all over the front as he remained standing with a creepy grin on his face which turned to confusion as the floor glowed blue and white, speaking up in surprise

"What is this?" The magic circle of the Gremory household appeared on the floor before the others appeared as Ayato dropped down to one knee as he panted tiredly, his eyes turning as Yuuto spoke up with a smile

"We came to rescue you, Ayato-kun"

"Oh my, this is awful" Akeno spoke looking at Ayato

"Priest…." Koneko spoke, narrowing her eyes at the priest, who grinned despite the wound in his stomach which was covered in blood.

"Wowoooof! Here's a present for a group of Devils!" The priest spoke up as he started to slash his sword, Yuuto blocking the priest's attacks with his sword as the sound of them clashing filled the room. "I'm sorry. He's one of us! We can't let you lay a finger on him!"

"Wow, wow! A touching word coming out from a Devil! What are you guys? Devil Rangers? That's nice. I can feel the heat. I'm getting turned on! So how is it? Are you doing it?

Is he the one bending? So are you guys in this kind of relationship?" He asked as they continued to clash swords, the priest with his tongue sticking out as Kiba looked back at him with anguish as he spoke back "What a vulgar mouth…It's hard to believe you are a priest…Oh, that's why you are an "Exiled Exorcist", right?"

"Yes, yes! I'm vulgar! I'm sorry about that! Because I'm an Exiled! I was kicked out! That's why, screw the Vatican! I'm alright as long as I get to cut Devils whenever I feel like it!" Freed was laughing and enjoying the fight while Yuuto was staring seriously at him with a calm expression as he spoke

"You are the type that is the hardest to deal with. Someone who feels like they are living by cutting Devils….To us the most harmful type"

"Haaah!? I don't want to be told off by a Devil! I'm trying to live now just like other people! I'm not in a position where pests like you can talk down to me!" "Even Devils have rules'' Akeno spoke while smiling but with serious eyes, showing signs of wanting to fight Freed who spoke back to her with a smirk

"Nice. I like those passionate eyes. Big sis, you are amazing. I can feel your urge to want to kill me. Is this love? No. I think it's a killing intent! Superb! This is great! I love the feeling of intending to kill and getting intended to kill!"

"Then disappear." Stella spoke seriously as she stood next to Ayato, turning her gaze to him as she looked over at him and apologised " Ayato. I'm sorry. I never expected the Exorcist to visit this client's house." Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the wound on Ayato's leg before asking " Ayato…Did you get wounded?" "Yeah…He shot me…but I got him back" Ayato answered sadly, expecting to be told off later.

Rias & Stella looking at the priest with cold eyes, picking up the burnt clothes Ayato had caused as she spoke in a low and scary tone

"Looks like you have been looking after my cute servant?"

"Yes, yes. I have been playing around with it. I was planning to cut his body all over but he sliced me with a Ice Tornado and then I was interrupted. It finished as if it was a dream." An explosion roared through the room, a piece of furniture behind the priest being blown away by Rias & Stella' balls of magic. "We will never forgive those who harm our servants. I especially can't forgive a lowlife like you damaging my personal possessions.

"She spoke seriously pissed off at him, waves of magic power surrounding her."Buchou! There seems to be a group of Fallen Angels heading to this house. At this rate we will be at a disadvantage" Akeno spoke up as if she'd detected the Fallen Angels coming towards them, Rias gave another stare at the priest as she spoke "…Akeno, retrieve Ayato and prepare the transport. We will go back to our headquarters ``

''Yes" Akeno stated as she started to cast a spell, Ayato looking to Asia for a moment before turning to Rias as he spoke "Buchou! We have to take her with us as well"

"It's impossible. Only Devils can use the magic circle to transport. Also, this magic circle can only transport me and my servants" "But she saved me from being in an even worse condition, Buchou…please" Ayato replied, his gaze meeting Asia's as she smiled at him as she spoke

"Ayato-san, let's meet again" "Asia!" Ayato called, reaching out to her as the floor started to glow blue again, as Freed shouted "Like I will let you escape!" He started to slash towards the group, Koneko throwing the sofa at him. By the time the priest evaded it with his sword, the devils were already transported to the club room.

{Few Hours Later}

Five wild-eyed boys pushed through the ring of girls to stand before Ayato, and one conspicuously tall boy among them spoke with the overpowering voice from before. "You seem to be quite popular, but don't you think flirting with all the chicks in class is going too far?" Ayato's monopoly over the girls was apparently getting on the guy's nerves, if the vein popping on his temple was any sign. Their classmates didn't take that attitude, though.

"What's with you, Manabe!? Are you jealous?" "Don't start sulking just because you're not popular! You're the worst!" Their words seemed to set off the rest of the guy's group.

"Whore, what did you just say!? Don't go spouting shit at Makun!" Manabe's followers were now threatening the girls, but if they wanted to pick a fight, Ayato thought it was best if he remained their target. He bowed before them slightly, trying to calm them down. "If I bothered you, I'm sorry about that. Causing a racket after school certainly isn't appropriate, like you said."

"The hell is this? Are you trying to play decently, you're a fraud?" "Fraud? What do you mean?" "Even if you can trick these idiot girls, you can't trick me. There's no way a Half breed can beat an A-Rank. That match was probably fake, to get popular like this." "Err, I haven't tricked anyone. And you're being rude to Stella."

"So you're still saying you beat an A-Rank? That's pretty shameless. If you're so strong, then let's spar a little right now and see." At his words, the five boys started to circle Ayato like hyenas surrounding prey, and the four with Manabe summoned their Devices. Kagami yelled out at that sight.

"Hey wait! Are you guys serious!? You'll be suspended if you use Devices here!"

"Shut up, bitch! Get back if you don't wanna get hurt." Manabe's four followers ignored her warning and brandished their weapons. Judging from their ferocious expressions, they weren't using illusionary form.

But even in this situation, Ayato held his composure and tried to control the situation.

"No, we can't do this here. As Kusakabe-san said, fighting in the classroom is against school rules. Our powers as student knights are restricted in this academy, and we're not allowed to use them outside of designated zones. If you'd like to fight, let's go somewhere else. I'll play along with you until evening in one of the practice fields."

Ayato was saying he could spar at one of the training arenas. He would accompany these boys even though they weren't worth fighting and he'd rather go find his sister. He was acting as a senior, indulging his juniors.

"You bastard…." Yet another vein popped on Manabe's temple, because Ayato had made a blunder. What Manabe and his followers wanted wasn't to spar, but to see an A-Rank coward crawl at their feet and beg forgiveness for using deceit to make himself popular with girls.

Instead, this A-Rank said he wanted to fight after switching locations? That was pure insult.

"Don't be cocky, you damn Half-breed! Get him, guys!" Huh? Did I say something wrong? It was too late to wonder. The boys could no longer be stopped from trying to cut Ayato down, and the girls screamed at the unfolding scene. This was no longer a mess he could resolve peacefully. Ayato sighed. He had to use force now.

"Senpai! I'll vouch for your legitimate self-defense, so stomp them good!" Kagami urged him to fight and promised to absolve him if the school authorities investigated.

That was a nice proposal, but― "No, there's no need." No need, because he wouldn't wield his Device in this scuffle.

In an instant, Ayato focused his sight. He didn't need color, so Ayato cut off that detail, and seeing the world moving in gray, he transferred the acuity of his color sense to his motion perception. As he did so, the movements of the world around him slowed. This was no special power, just the boost in cognition that even regular people would receive from danger, except that Ayato could activate it consciously since, obviously, he couldn't reach the level of concentration needed to win a fight in under a minute without this sort of ability.

The gray world around him slowed and dimmed as if sinking to the bottom of the sea, and Ayato analyzed his surroundings. There were four enemies to his left, right, front and back. The fastest would be the one wielding a Japanese sword and coming directly from the front. Seeing that, Ayato gently used the back of his empty right hand to hit the center of the sword, and with a completely relaxed motion, he changed the trajectory of the swing.

"Eh―?" Surprise emerged on the face of the boy who swung the sword. His blade flew horizontally past Ayato and at the same time, Ayato used one leg to trip him.

"Waaah!" As he tripped, he crashed into his compatriot coming at Ayato from behind with a longsword-shaped Device, and they both tumbled crashing into some nearby desks.

Two down.

"You son of a biiiiitch!"

"Diiieeeee!"

Two boys on his left and right attacked him simultaneously with axes. They were both aiming for Ayato's head, so responding was simple. "Hup―" Ayato folded his knees and ducked. A second later, the clear sound of steel on steel rang above him. That was the sound of a clash between two parties giving their full strength. "Gaaaaaaaah!" Both boys fell screaming. The jolt of impact had completely numbed their arms. One left.

"Sh-Shit!" Manabe's haughtiness was nowhere to be found. He couldn't comprehend how his friends were defeated so easily, so he summoned his Device in confusion. It was a large-caliber revolver, an unusual Device for an Easterner, and he aimed the muzzle at Ayato.

He could fire a magic bullet with just a squeeze of the trigger. Ayato was already moving. He grabbed an eraser from someone's desk close by and flicked it upward with his thumb. The piece of rubber hit the ceiling, bounced down, and―wedged itself in the space between the gun's hammer and percussion cap. Manabe raised a voiceless scream as if he saw a ghost.

Ayato had disabled the gun in a totally unimaginable way. Ikki stepped into the now defenseless Manabe's blind side, and

― *Bam!* ―clapped his palms together before Manabe's eyes.

"Hii―" But that was enough. Though Ayato had only clapped once, Manabe fell down on his back and stared at Ayato with trembling eyes.

And why not? Right before those eyes, an empty-handed A-Rank had defeated five Device-wielding Blazers like it was nothing. There was no way Manabe would have any fight left in him, so Ayato didn't need to give a finishing blow. No battle using Devices had happened. No combat had even occurred.

At that outcome, Ayato looked downwards with a smile that, according to Kusakabe, was sure to spark a girl's feminine instincts. "Let's get along, since we're going to be classmates for a whole year." Manabe could only nod his trembling head.

The classmates around them also stood stunned after seeing Ayato disable five Blazers without injury.

"E-Eh? Stella, isn't the mood a bit too cold?" "Naturally! What do you think happens when you show off so much power?"

"Show off? I thought I held back enough not to hurt them though." "Isn't that exactly what everyone's so surprised about?" Stella sighed in amazement.

But at that moment―

*Clap clap clap* Applause came from the classroom entrance. Everyone turned, wondering who it was, and saw a small girl standing in the hall. She had short silver hair and jade-green eyes, showing enough charm to fascinate everyone, and she wore a light smile on her flower bud-like pink lips.

"Overwhelming strength that never lets weaklings approach. That's just like you, Onii-sama." Her refined voice resounded like a song. Onii-sama. At that word, Ayato's eyes widened.

"You can't be…." No, he didn't need to ask. The tone, features, hairstyle, and everything else about her had changed so much, but only one person in the world called him so. She was the sole resident of the vast Kurogane estate who put him at ease, his one and only little sister that followed him around with small steps.

"Shizu…ku?"

"Yes. It's been so long, Onii-sama."

"Shizuku!" Ayato rushed over to his sister and took her hands. "Wow, it's really you! You've grown up so much, I didn't recognize you!" "Of course, since we haven't met in four years. It would be more odd if I didn't change." "Ahaha, that's true. But still, I'm so happy! To think that Shizuku would come for me! I was going to look for you myself, but I had a bit of trouble in class and―no, that doesn't even matter, right? Sorry, I'm getting too excited." He wanted to say many things, to apologize for suddenly leaving home, to share his joy in this reunion. But all those things tried to leave his mouth together, so he couldn't speak properly. It was quite troubling.

"Hey Ayato. Could she be the sister you mentioned this morning?" Stella's question was a lifesaver, giving Ayato a chance to pull himself together. "Eh? Ah! Yes! Stella, I'll introduce her to all of you―"

But when Ayato turned to the class, Shizuku grabbed his sleeve to draw his gaze back, and pulled him closer. "Onii-sama… I've wanted to see you so much…

At this heedlessly public kiss, the rest of the class screamed. "WHAT THE HELL―!?"

"W-Wait a minute! Ayato Y-Y-You! What do you think you're doing!?" Of course, Ayato was the one most confused about getting kissed by his little sister. He quickly removed Shizuku's hands from his jacket.

"I-I-I don't know what happened either! Shizuku! Just now, what did you…!?" "What? …It was a kiss, you know?" "I know that! I'm surprised because I'm totally clear about that! But why did you kiss me!?"

"Does there need to be a reason? A kiss is proof of deep love, something done even by people sharing the shallow, fickle, and crude bond of romantic love, so isn't it natural for siblings of the same blood to kiss? Rather, it's odd for them not to. Besides, kissing is simply a greeting in other countries." "Eh? Is that true? Stella, am I the weird one here?"

"Of course not! Why are you following her pace!? First of all, mouth-to-mouth is an inexcusable greeting even in other countries! Is Japan a nation where siblings kiss!?" Their classmates recoiled at Stella's question and began to mutter among themselves.

「No, that's definitely wrong.」

「Totally impossible.」

「I'd throw up just thinking about it.」

"Oh, then Shizuku, you're the one who's weird. The voters were unanimous." Shizuku laughed softly at that.

"There's no problem at all, Onii-sama, because they are them, and we are us. I'm sure the sibling bonds of everyone else here are as cold as tundra. Our modern era is sick like that. But you and I are different. Such a kiss can't even express the love I've felt for four long years. Even if we have sex right here, it'd be no more than a greeting."

"…What a noisy person. Fine, even if―let's pretend if―it's odd for a sister to kiss her brother, and I've done something contrary to common sense… why does it matter to you?"

"Err…." "This issue is between him and me. A small-minded princess who's not involved in our affairs should stay away." Shizuku said that with a half-lidded gaze, and Stella winced. This little sister's resolve came from a great longing for her brother Ayato after 10 years of separation.

Stella certainly had no direct connection, and she shouldn't be pricking at their reunion from the sidelines, but― "Onii-sama, there seems to be a hindrance here, so let's go somewhere quieter and reclaim the years we lost."

―but this wench wasn't acting like a little sister. She was speaking to Ayato in a manner that crosses beyond right-minded blood relations, and Stella couldn't leave that kind of person alone with Ayato. So Stella braced herself. "…If it's a connection you need, then I have one." Her face was dyed red as she said it. "We have a relationship, so him kissing you, I can't allow that!"

"Eh!?" Those words shocked Ayato, because Stella had just declared it wasn't okay for him to kiss another girl. Does that… by any chance… mean Stella, towards me― "Because Ayato is my master! If my servant turns into a perverted sis-con and gets thrown out of society, it would obviously bother me!"

"That's your reason―!?"

"Shizuku, I'm begging you to calm down a bit and we'll talk this over―" "―who only has large breasts near you? You're not to blame. You're just captivating and dreamy. So it's all this woman's fault. It's all this woman's fault. That's why I'll set you free. Shower me, Yoishigure

Ayato could only stand there with a blanched face as Shizuku summoned her kodachi-shaped[16] Device, Yoishigure.

"Oh please, Onii-sama. I am listening. How can Shizuku not hear something Onii-sama said? That's more impossible than the world spinning backward. I might be the runner-up among the first-years and a B-Rank inferior to Stella san, but my element is water, the natural counter to her fire. Still, I'm thankful for your worry. I love you, Onii-sama."

"You're obviously not listening at all! You've been talking nonsense since the beginning!"

"Serve my will, Lævateinn."

"Wha!? Why is Stella getting aggressive too!?"

"Sorry, but unlike you, I'm not so soft I'd hold back while someone points a Device at me. If she wants to fight, then I'm ready and willing." By the time Ayato realized it, neither Shizuku nor Stella were looking at him any longer. Only the enemy was reflected in those jade and ruby eyes. He could no longer stop them with words, now that they were set on beating each other. "Okaaay! Everyone, please go out to the hall. If you stay here you'll die, you know~!" Kagami had already started the evacuation, showing the great adaptability of a journalist. Soon, the only other people remaining in the classroom were the two girls glaring at each other.

"But still, you have such a modest Device… just like your chest."

"And you, a weapon with no elegance at all, just like your vulgar breasts. Both are only uselessly large. They fit you well."

"Someone so deprived can't help but speak of her bias, but I shall forgive it, since I'm a woman whose heart is as big as her chest."

"…Fatty."

*Snap* Ayato heard an unpleasant sound from Stella's direction. Ahh, it's hopeless. Ayato left the room with his shoulders slumped, and the unavoidable tragedy began.

"I'll kill you!" Those two Blazers turned Year One Class One to rubble.

Needless to say, having a classroom destroyed was a catastrophe. The teachers conferred, and decided the punishment for the two culprits: one week of house arrest―and so the top two incoming first-years were both suspended on their first day of school. This scandal became the inaugural story for Kagami's wall newspaper and spread through the student body like wildfire. Well, Ayato was happy to be spared the 『Squirm on My Chest! Princess and Savage Locked in Room Almost 72 Hours!』 story, but― "…She really wasn't like that before."

He was shocked about many things, and he didn't stop sighing even after returning to his room that night. Shizuku really had been a sheltered, severely shy little girl. She always followed Ayato with light footsteps, and hid whenever something embarrassing happened―a truly obedient child. How did she turn into such a wickedly alluring teen? Stella, now under house arrest, complained beside him with a displeased voice.

"Maybe not, but you sure looked happy about it. Weren't you actually delighted?"

"That's not true."

"Yes it is. If I hadn't stopped her, you would've kissed twice."

"Ugh." If not for Stella, he certainly would've been kissed a second time.

"B-But it wasn't like I didn't try to move because I wanted to be kissed. How do I put this… Shizuku seemed so mature and feminine that I became overwhelmed."

"In other words, you were fascinated by your little sister who turned out to be so pretty after ten years."

"No, I'm saying it's not like that…"

Shizuku was still Ayato's sister. He had never thought of her as more than that and he absolutely never would. But today, seeing her again after four years… those alluring wet eyes, lightly blushing face, and lonely lips… if asked whether he saw Shizuku as a woman now, he couldn't deny it with full conviction.

"…maybe."

"Sis-con."

"Erk."

"Pervert."

"I… have no excuse."

Oh no, maybe I was hungry for girls after all. To be charmed by my little sister after ten years…. Stella glared as he stumbled toward their shared bathroom.

"And where are you going?"

"I'm gonna cool my face in the shower a bit." He had taken too many jolts today. Washing up and going to bed early would be best.

"So irritating." After Ayato entered the bathroom, Stella bit her lips and pouted. What was that "maybe"?

He should've denied it with all his strength!

"…Even though you said I'm beautiful."

But to be distracted by his sister? It was so vexing that she couldn't settle down. Despite saying he wanted to be friends and sharing the same room, why was he still not approaching her yet? Stella had prepared for Ayato, waking up before him every morning to mend her bed hair so he wouldn't see her unsightly appearance, and she was ready every night for him to engage in that legendary Japanese "yobai" tradition.

Wait, it's not like I want to do that! If it happened, then of course I'd refuse! I'd kick him! A princess can't have a premarital sexual relationship! But…. But she couldn't bear to leave things as they were.

"Even though you called an unmarried girl beautiful! Even though you told me you wanted to get along better!" What was the big idea, spitting out all that nonsense and then leaving her hanging? Was this what they call "not feeding a fish that's already been caught"? She wanted an explanation, and he had better apologize for being mesmerized by his sister after getting kissed.

"Ah, dang it! Idiot! Ayato, you idiot! Sis-con! Just die!" Stella felt like crying as she hit her pillow, spouting abusive language all the while.

What if Ayato wasn't interested in Stella as a woman? What if she wasn't what Ayato wanted?

What if he was more interested in loli-type girls like Shizuku?

That was bad, because even though Stella wasn't tall, she'd been confident in her mature body, but what if Ayato got so caught up in being a siscon he turned into a lolicon too?

Then Stella's figure would be completely incompatible with his tastes. That would be terrible. She didn't want that. She couldn't allow that.

"―Alright."

So Stella hatched a plan.

「Siscon.」

"Haaaa…."

Ayato sank deeper into the bathtub after remembering Stella's words, and his feelings sank with him.

"Maybe she hates me now…."

「Pervert.」

"Wow…."

Was there a man not disheartened by a girl calling him a pervert? Honestly, it was quite unbearable, especially since those harsh words came from Stella. Ayatorespected Stella Vermillion as a real knight, because despite her great talent, she always aimed higher and never went easy on herself. Could he do the same cause He was similarly gifted…

Of course, she was a fascinating woman too, and being hated by someone he admired both as a knight and a woman left him quite depressed.

He had to sweep away this bad impression as soon as he could.

"But I should also talk with Shizuku tomorrow." While changing Stella's impression was important, he also had to make Shizuku understand she was no longer a child, so she couldn't go around kissing her brother.

There was nothing good in Shizuku growing up so cute only to ruin their joyful reunion that way. Just as Ayato thought that, Stella―wearing a bikini―charged into the cramped bathroom.

"I-I'm coming in."

What could this be? For some reason, Ayato felt he had made some great mistake, like thinking he just saw a whale in a pond. Ah, of course. It was strange for Stella to wear a swimsuit in the bathroom. Strange, and improper, and even impractical. A towel, even if it seemed embarrassing, made more sense―

"―No no no no no!"

Ayato almost flipped upside down at this suddenly nonsensical development.

"That's not the issue but it's weird by itself! First of all, why would you even come in here!? I don't get the situation!"

"W-What!? You don't have to be that shocked, right?"

"I'm shocked anyway! Of course I'd be! Seriously, what's going on!? Why would you put on a bikini and enter the bathroom that I was already in!?" "You… can't tell?"

"I can't guess at all!"

"That… I-I was thinking of washing Ayato's body…."

Dizziness struck him.

His head was spinning. His body boiled. He must be hallucinating. Stella wants to wash my body? Hahaha, yeah right. What kinky video game did I fall into?

"Sorry Stella, it seems I'm not quite myself right now. I think I heard something absurd. Could you repeat that?"

"I mean… that… you know? I'm your slave, right? Then washing my master's body is my duty as a maid, yeah."

"Oh-ho, so that's all it was. Being a maid sure is tough."

…What!?

"N-No, w-wait a minute! I never asked for that!"

"I'd do it even without you asking! Didn't Hideyoshi warm up Nobunaga's sandals even though he didn't ask!? It's like that!"

"What are you even talking about!?"

"Anyhow! This is my duty as your slave! So hurry up and sit!"

"There's no way I can do that! There's no way I can have you do that! All this stuff about masters and slaves is definitely wrong! First Shizuku, and now Stella, what the heck happened to a girl's sense of virtue!?"

"It's fine if I say it is! Just do as I tell you! If you don't―" Stella paused for a moment, and fire started to scatter from her hair.

"I'll boil you!"

*Rub rub rub*

Stella, princess of the Vermillion Empire, was currently wearing a swimsuit and kneeling before Ayato, washing his body that only had a towel around his hips. W-What was going on…? Ayato's head was about to go haywire. Or maybe it went bad a long while ago. If not, he wished it had.

"Be sure to keep your promise. I'll play along with this prank for today, but I'll definitely not do so from tomorrow on."

"I-I get it already. I'm not going through with this because I want to, you know. I lost, and became your slave, so that's why it has to happen." …Why can't you just not do it? But asking her would do no good, not after his last few requests. According to Stella, washing was supposed to be a slave's duty, so she wouldn't settle down without carrying it out at least once. Ayato didn't understand, but with her royal pride fired up, he couldn't easily argue her reasoning. Anyway, just today. I'll bear with it just for today and then forget it all…! Ayato swore that to himself while Stella washed his body.

However― "…Uh."

His eyes were drawn to Stella's bikini-clad body. Reason was telling him not to stare, but his instincts wouldn't listen. He pretended to look away, but his emotions forced him to peek. Right now, he was looking at the flawless figure of this charming roommate he couldn't understand. Stella was far more exposed than when he saw her half-naked that first day, exposing the pale shadows of the collarbone at the bottom of her long but thin neck, her tightly straightened shoulders, and her hips that drew a sweet line to the edges of her long and tender white legs. And among her striking features, the most outrageous was… her breasts.

White and massive breasts, colossal enough to bulge tightly from her bikini.

Fully ripe and peachy fruit that couldn't be hidden by her uniform. Bulges that swayed left and right while squishing every time Stella moved her body even slightly. Seeing them, Ayato felt his brain empty of blood, and his throat burned with thirst.

This is… impossible to take…. There was no way he could turn away or shut his eyes. Ayato was more temperate than most boys, maybe even too serious, but he was still a healthy sixteen-year-old lad. He wasn't adult enough to remove his attention from the bewitching body of a younger girl right in front of him. He couldn't help but stare furtively at every nook and cranny of her alluring, seductive limbs.

Thank goodness Stella hadn't noticed it. …Still, Stella really is beautiful. Of course, Stella was beautiful as a woman, but her body was also beautiful as a knight. Ayato could see how Stella tormented herself to get that far. She had an unyielding will despite possessing so much talent. Her body could be a sculpture of her soul. Really beautiful.

It was the first time Ayato realized her figure was this lovely. It was also the first time he wanted to touch it so badly. Of course, he knew that touching would be unforgivable, but― At the same time, from Stella's perspective…. He's been staring so hard for a while now…. Stella had noticed Ayato's peeks long ago, since a woman was sensitive to a man's eyes, especially those of a man on her mind.

It was probably that thing called "a woman's intuition", a sense that men didn't have, and hers immediately felt Ayato's feverish gaze and told Stella,

``Oh no! He's looking! He's looking!

"…Uu…fu…uu."

She was aware of that intense gaze, and her body started to heat up feverishly. His line of sight crept from her nape to her collarbone, breasts, navel, and thighs―as if he was brushing her whole body gently.

So embarrassing… I'm gonna faint….

But Stella didn't mind. No, she was relieved, because this was proof that Ayato didn't dislike her figure, or at least he wasn't indifferent to it. Seeing Ayato's body had unsettled her, and seeing hers had sent Ayato's heart thumping the same way. Stella was reassured by this, and very happy. She wouldn't lose. She definitely wouldn't lose to that little sister.

"Then, next… your back. I'll wash it…."

Stella turned towards Ayato's back after finishing his torso. Of course, she wasn't going to wash his bottom half. It was still too soon for that. Right. Not just yet.

"Y-Yeah, I'll leave it to you."

Ayato took care not to mention Stella ignoring his waist. If the situation called for him to take off his towel, he was prepared to escape even if he had to smash through a wall.

Only the back left. It'll all be over after that…. As long as he didn't look at Stella's body, controlling himself was quite simple. Having his back washed made him a little uneasy, but he didn't need to move his chest or abdomen. He could endure. He could pass this mysterious ordeal.

And then he'd forget it entirely, never recalling what happened here today or speaking a word of it to anyone. May it lie buried and abandoned in the deepest corner of his memories. As Ayato resolved himself, Stella suddenly spoke behind him, her voice as soft as a butterfly's wings beating.

"Hey, Ayato."

"What is it?" "

Um. You, see… erm, I mean, there's something… I'd like to… ask you…."

"Sure, that's fine. What is it?"

"Ayato… you… do you like… girls with breasts?" Ayato felt a hammer hitting the back of his head.

"Wha! Ah, you―! W-W-What are you…!"

"I mean… weren't you staring at mine,rias & akeno a while ago?" Waaaaaaah! He'd been caught! She caught him stealing glances! Ayato wanted to die. Disappear. Let him turn to the wind this instant.

"I'm sorry! I knew it wasn't good to stare like that! But you have to understand―!"

"Y-You don't have to apologize. Just answer my question."

The question? He'd rather cast himself face-first onto the ground before her than answer that. To be asked about his preferences by a girl right behind him, what kind of crazy penalty game was this? Terrible, it was just too terrible. Had he called down some god's wrath?

"I may not be as bad as Issei, but….I like them. Yours, Rias' And Akeno's.

"I see…" Stella said, looking away for a bit. And then, a few minutes later, Stella went bold as her breasts were now on Ayato's back.

Incomprehensible. Everything had happened behind him in his blind spot. No matter how excellent his vision,Ayato couldn't see somewhere he couldn't look. But even if he were fully blind, he'd still know what had happened.

"S-Stella… just now… you…!" Before he could demand an explanation, Stella dashed from the bathroom with lightning speed, her face red to her ears.

"Why!?"

First Shizuku, and now Stella. Just by being the other gender, do people really become that hard to understand!?

Ayato couldn't comprehend a single thing that had happened since waking up this day. But one thing he could say for sure: he'd never forget that sensation.

Shizuku Kurogane had a man she loved. He was the only person who showed her a kind smile among the grim-faced adults of her childhood, her one-year older brother by Half blood, Ayato Hosomaki.

Shizuku loved him, so she suddenly kissed him at their reunion. But Shizuku didn't see Ayato that way at first. Ten years ago, she loved him only as a younger sister would, and though her feelings changed when he left home, that separation hadn't formed romance in her heart. No, it only made Shizuku realize how her Father, eldest brother, and other relatives except Her Mother & Step Father & Sister had ignored Ayato. Why didn't she notice her brother's pain before he disappeared, even though she was so close to him? She'd been tormented by unending regret, which turned to fury toward her family for hindering her gentle brother even after he severed ties, simply because he can't control his talent. Simply because "Producing a Generation would disgrace the family name."

So Shizuku Kurogane decided, who cares about "taboo"? Who cares if their father, their grandfather, if the whole world no longer loved Ayato? She'd love her brother in their place, enough that no one else in this world would be nearly so loved. But then something intolerable appeared: Ayato's self-declared slave, Stella Vermillion. Shizuku knew just by looking that Stella was interested in her brother and seducing him under pretext. That girl, that eyesore, was recklessly trying to cross the line with him.

Even today, after Shizuku's house arrest was lifted and she invited Ayato to the movies as a celebration, Stella intruded and demanded to join them. Shizuku couldn't stand this.

Her brother, being the kind of person he was, allowed Stella to tag along after hearing an excuse like "I don't know this country well so I'd like to find out more". Shizuku had been upset, but of course she was upset at Stella, not at Ayato, because Shizuku considered her brother the most wonderful of men. And that was why she couldn't tolerate Stella coiling around Ayato.

"…That sow."

Shizuku's roommate, Nagi Arisuin, smiled at her griping.

"Oh my, I'm in such a bad mood today too. Did something happen to the princess again?"

"…Yes."

Fresh from the bath, Shizuku replied in a seething rage while Arisuin combed her hair. She usually spoke politely, even with Stella and of course with her brother, but she wasn't so reserved around Arisuin. Her expression wasn't as aloof as usual either; she was pouting, which Arisuin could easily see.

"Haha. A maiden in love sure has it rough." Shizuku had already explained it all to her roommate. She naturally despised others regardless of gender, because her shyness had turned to mistrust after Ayato left home.

Who was she supposed to trust in this world where parents could feel nothing for their children? Yet she told Arisuin about her love even though she met this person only a week or so ago. It seems kind of fun to just talk with Alice…. Arisuin listened to what others had to say, and let others speak as they pleased.

When Shizuku was delighted about something, Arisuin also became happy, but never meddled in matters Shizuku didn't share. Shizuku had brothers, but Arisuin was the perfect model for an older sister, so Shizuku sometimes simply told Arisuin too much.

"Hey, Alice."

"Wh~at?"

"…Do you think it's strange for a sister to love her brother?" Shizuku knew she was being childish, so why did she ask this unnecessary question? It was because she wanted Arisuin to guess her feelings, and give a different answer.

"Under common sense, of course it is. I don't think society can accept something like that. You should know it even without me saying so, right? But if you love him anyway, then I think it's a real and splendid love." As usual, Arisuin guessed right.

"Sorry, Alice. I asked something pathetic…." "My my, isn't it just fine? Seeing you think of him so much, I feel your love is something truly beautiful."

"Thanks. I'm not the least embarrassed about how I feel. But still, I'm worried whether Onii-sama will accept me."

"That's a contest of patience, I think. If he cherishes you as a sister, then it would be quite hard to become a woman in his eyes. The princess has an advantage in not having to jump that hurdle."

"Ooh…." Arisuin's calm analysis turned Shizuku gloomy. In truth, Shizuku wasn't so devoid of common sense. She knew she shouldn't push herself on her brother, but she needed to approach him even if it meant loosening the screws in her head a bit. She needed to turn herself from a sister into a woman for Ayato, overwhelming him if that was what it took. The distance between them had broadened after ten years, and if she didn't close it now, she'd have no chance at all. But even an overwhelming attack would repel her brother if it lacked charm. He might not even love her as his sister someday. Shizuku was so uneasy about it, she could break into tears at any moment. Arisuin sensed Shizuku's depression.

"Don't make that disheartened face. Your rival does have her own obstacles in social position, after all. And there's no man who'd hate being approached by an assertive girl. If the girl's as cute as you, that's all the more exciting."

But is that really true…? Shizuku didn't know if she was the kind of girl Arisuin described, but if Arisuin said men were like that, then that was how they must be. Arisuin definitely understood men better than she did. "Thanks, Alice. I feel a lot better now."

"You're welcome~

…But still, a kiss like that right after meeting him is a bit too much, you know. I know it was also meant to fix your resolve, but if you do something so grand right from the start, you'll make your partner defensive instead."

"…I'm regretting it too."

"Then it's fine. You have to melt a guy's conscience slowly and carefully… just like melting a piece of candy with your tongue. Now leave tomorrow's date to me. I'll give you a makeover like you've never seen before― "

"That's right. I have Alice with me. I won't lose to that person."

If her rival was going to exploit being Ayato's slave, then Shizuku would use her status as Ayato's sister to the utmost. She wasn't about to give up, not when she was the only one who could understand her kind and lonely brother. She couldn't leave him to that girl. Strangers cared only for themselves, but Shizuku would never betray her brother. She'd never make him sad. She'd stay by his side forever, and her feelings would last even longer. That was why she had chased him this far. Never… I'll never let that girl have him. Arisuin's words gave Shizuku courage, and she regained the energy she lost when Stella intruded on their date.

"I'll do my best!"

"That's the spirit. Okay, it's done." Arisuin turned off the dryer, and Shizuku's silver hair rustled when she tilted her head. It was completely different from when she styled it herself. When Shizuku learned of Arisuin's amazing skills, she stopped fixing her own appearance and allowed Arisuin to completely spoil her. I want to do something for Alice too, but…. But what could she offer? Shizuku thought of something and turned around.

"That's right. Hey Alice, how about going with us for tomorrow's movie?"

"Oh, is that okay? Won't I be in the way?"

"It's fine. The date was ruined the moment that person joined."

"Haha, that's true too. Then please let me come along. I was hoping to chat with the brother you're so proud of at least once." Good, Alice seems happy about it. Shizuku quickly sent her brother an e-mail. Ikki was bringing his own roommate, so he should understand.

"Looks like tomorrow will be fun. If he turns out to be a good man, maybe I'll try for him too."

"Eh? Sorry, I didn't quite hear that. Could you repeat it… if you can, that is?"

"No, I'm sorry! That was a joke so please stop pointing Yoishigure at my Neck.

It was fine as a joke, but if Arisuin was being serious, Shizuku couldn't help but draw blood.

(The Next Day)

On the morning of the day they arranged to see a movie with Shizuku, Ayato Hosomaki and Stella Vermillion standing waiting at the academy's main gates. They weren't in their usual uniforms; Ayato was wearing burgundy jeans with a silver chain drooping down over them and black leather chaps with three bands encircling his right calf, and black shoes with black buckles,while Stella wore a cardigan that had a springtime feel to it, on top of an elegantly trimmed white blouse.

"They're late, Ayato. What are they doing?"

"We could've left together if we were in the same dorm, but…." Ayato and Stella lived in student dormitory number one, but Shizuku was in dormitory number two on the opposite side of campus, with the main school building located between them. That was why they were meeting near the gate, but the time for their rendezvous had passed long ago and Shizuku was still nowhere to be seen.

"Well, I think they'll be here in a moment. I never figured Stella to be interested in movies, though." When Shizuku asked him out, Stella had immediately jumped up shouting

"I'll go too! I'll definitely go! I'll go even if you tell me not to!" It had been an astonishingly vigorous reaction.

"Leaving you alone with Shizuku in a dark cramped space is way too dangerous."

"Eh? Why is it dangerous?"

"And so is how you can't notice the incoming disaster! Did you forget what happened on the first day?"

"Ah―" There was certainly no way Ayato could forget that. In truth, it had been his first kiss. "If that's what you're worried about, didn't Shizuku apologize the next day? She said she was overcome with emotion after meeting me after four years, and that she's reflecting on it. Besides, I'm just her older brother so I won't be eaten alive like that again.

.

"…If you don't want to be eaten then don't get so close to her…."

"Huh? What was that?"

"I called you a sis-con."

"I-I'm not a sis-con! No, Shizuku is my precious little sister and I love her very much, but how many times do I have to tell you she's just my sister? Related by blood! I definitely won't start seeing her as a woman just because we've been apart for four years!"

"Really? You won't be captivated anymore?"

"Yes!" There's no way he'd get excited after seeing his sister. It was painful to deny something so obvious, but as Ikki lamented how little Stella trusted him, the one they were waiting for arrived.

"Sorry to make you wait, Onii-sama."

"Ah, Shizu―"

"You're so late. What were you…." Ayato and Stella turned around to reply, and their expressions froze as Shizuku apologized with her head bowed. "I'm sorry, I took too long picking out what to wear." For some reason Shizuku looked even prettier than usual. She was wearing a Gothic Lolita outfit that made the best use of her silver hair and small build, greatly raising the charm of a girl who was originally like a bisque doll. She looked much better in these clothes than in her school uniform. Still, Shizuku had worn this style in childhood, and Ayato was already familiar with it, so he shouldn't have felt anything special about such clothing. But the magic Shizuku gave off didn't allow that.

…B-Beautiful. Shizuku stood before him under a halo of sunlight, and the scenery around her seemed to dim. What kind of devilish magic had she cast to draw his attention so much? Ayato fell silent and the back of his tongue went dry… but looking more carefully, he quickly realized the source of this witchcraft: makeup.

Her eyes were painted with light eyeshadow, and there was a faint crimson on her lips. Her eyebrows were curled flawlessly, and each strand of silver hair was dancing in the breeze so together they gave off a faint argent radiance, as if Shizuku herself was shining. All these changes improved her appearance without diminishing her charm―no, they raised that charm many times over, making Shizuku look not like a sister, not like a child, but as a fascinating woman.

Stella howled at this sight

"W-What is this!? It's cheating! This appearance, it's no amateur work! Did you call a stylist!?"

"I'm not a princess so I wouldn't cheat, and I don't know any stylists. My roommate was the one who helped me."

"Roommate?" Ayato blinked.

"Ah, was it Arisuin-san who's coming with us today?" They had already learned the name from Shizuku's mail. According to Shizuku, Arisuin was an "older onee-san" type of person.

"Yes, Alice should be here shortly." And just as Shizuku spoke, Arisuin appeared behind her.

"Jeez, you left too quickly, Shizuku. If you trip, the makeup will be ruined, you know?" But― "Eh?" Stella and Ayato's expressions once again froze, because no matter what angle they looked, the person who did Shizuku's professional-level makeup was… a boy.

"Hahaha. Nice to meet you, and thank you for inviting me today. I'm Shizuku's roommate, Nagi Arisuin. I'm not much for being called by my full name, so I'd be happy if you call me Alice― "

The boy with the tall and lean figure was dressed like Shizuku, with a visual kei type of appearance. He took off his bowler hat and greeted them with a smile, reaching out for a handshake.

"E-Eh, erm, nice to meet you too."

"Ah, yes, how do you do…?" Ayato and Stella nervously returned the greeting, but they couldn't hide their unrest and started whispering to each other.

"H-Hey wait Ayato, what's going on?"

"Err, it troubles me too, you know."

Both of them had thought Arisuin was a girl, but no matter how they looked, that wasn't true. He might be a little thin for a guy, but not enough to mistake him for a woman. And he was taller than Ayato, probably past 180 centimeters.

"His speech and gestures are girlish, right? Is this a gag? Should I laugh?"

"I'm telling you I can't answer these questions."

"Hahaha. Look, Shizuku, they both seem mesmerized by my beauty."

"What's with that positive thinking!?" Stella and Ikki retorted in unison, then Ikki scratched the back of his head.

"Erm, Alice-san?"

"You don't have to use '-san'. I'm bad with formality."

"Then, Alice… are you, erm… an okama?"

"Not at all. I'm just a maiden born in a man's body."

"W-What's the difference, Stella…!?"

"Don't you start asking me!"

Looking at the two who were obviously uneasy, Shizuku spoke.

"Does it really trouble you?"

Since their confusion was seen through, Ayato awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Aha, haha. Well, I knew people like that exist, but this is my first time actually meeting one, and I'm not sure how to talk with them, so… sorry."

"Oh, you don't have to apologize. I'm used to it. But Shizuku wasn't bothered at all, you know." Shizuku glanced to one side.

"Because I don't really care about genders that much―"Ayato was deeply moved by how easily Shizuku declared she didn't mind Arisuin's circumstances, even though he couldn't hide his own bewilderment at meeting someone from the tribe called okama. I haven't seen Shizuku in so long, but she sure has matured a lot. Having the heart to allow things that go against common values, it was something he needed to learn.

"―since it doesn't matter whether they're male or female. I simply dislike humanity in general." Praise retracted. Someone please find the glue to mend his sister's splintered heart.

"Well, Alice isn't a type you'd come by often, but she considers herself a woman and I do likewise. Both Onii-sama and Stella-san, if you can, please think of her as a woman as well, and treat her so." "I'll try my best."

"Thank you, but you don't have to push yourself. I'd hate to make things awkward, you know." Arisuin was quite smooth, giving them an escape route like that.

"Anyway, this means everyone's gathered, so we should head for the movie theater." Ikki nodded.

"That's right. Just standing here is boring too."

"There's still a while until the movie starts, so let's take our time, Onii-sama." Shizuku proposed that after looking at her wristwatch, and entwining her arm with Ayato's as if it was completely natural. It was a position she took while walking with Ayato, back when they were kids.

"Whoa!" Ayato yelped. His hardened resolve was already about to break, and frankly the possibility that Shizuku would bewitch him today was strong. He wanted to pull away, but….

"Mmm, it's been a long time since we last walked like this. Right, Oniisama?"

"Eh, y-yes. That's… right." He couldn't say anything when Shizuku smiled so happily as she remembered the past. Shizuku yearned for his love as a sister, and wished to stand beside him like this, but he couldn't see her as his sister.

His heart was too uncool. But even if Shizuku wished for nothing more, there was no way Stella could quietly let it pass. She suddenly cut in between them.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing so suddenly!"

"What? This is just simple skinship between siblings. We used to walk like this a lot."

"Ah, erm. Ahaha, that's true."

"Th-Then me too―"

"I thought you'd say that, so I prepared just the thing. Here, a leash. Please use this to enjoy a slave's skinship to the fullest."

"Oh, how thoughtful―yeah right! Just where is your mind turning!?"

"But walking beside your master lacks propriety, you know. You said you snapped at me only because you're Onii-sama's slave, yet you don't honor that relationship correctly? I think I see the real Vermillion princess."

"Um―"

"No, it's alright. If you want to hold hands with Onii-sama then shouldn't you just go ahead? It's fine since he has two hands. But wanting to do this with a boy, do you have special feelings for him? Could it be that Stella-san, towards Onii-sama―"

"Th-There's nothing like that! I simply lost a duel with him and became his slave, that's all! That's our relationship―"

He looked at his hands as he wondered what he'd done against the priest, he didn't understand what Cero was or even how he knew how to do it, even his talks with Satan seemed distracted as if the spirit was working on something else as he answered questions from him and even then it felt like he wasn't getting the whole story.

"Asia….?" Ayato spoke in disbelief while walking with Alice,Shizuku,& Stella.

Ayato smiled as he watched Asia with Alice,Shizuku,& Stella get confused in front of the register, as the employee asked troubled

"Umm, what would you like to order…?"

They were all standing in a fast food restaurant in the business district. Given that Asia was probably used to living in Churches, Ayato found it understandable that she'd never been to somewhere like this as he decided to help despite her earlier protests that she'd be fine.

"Sorry. She will have just a hamburger and some fries" Ayato spoke up, the cashier smiling as she took the order

"Okay" Asia looking shocked as she spoke

"Ouuu. I'm ashamed. I can't even buy a single hamburger by myself…"

"Don't worry about it… you'll be fine once you get used to Japanese" Ayato replied with a friendly smile.

They all sat down in a booth once they had got their meals, Asia looking surprised at the small pile on Yukio's tray as he answered her unasked question.

"I skipped breakfast this morning" Asia nodded as she turned her attention back to her own food, looking at the hamburger with intrigue while Ayato spoke

"You can eat that by taking the wrapping off like this" He demonstrated for her as she looked amazed at him as she spoke

"There's actually a way to eat like that!? Amazing!" Ayato smiled as he kept an eye looking out for any unsavoury characters, a small part of him realising that he was acting like his older sister when he'd been younger, stifling a laugh as she looked at him confused

"What's the matter?"

"Oh…it's nothing really…just remembering how my older sister acts around me when I was younger" Ayato answered turning his attention back to her as he realised she'd not eaten any of the fries yet as he added

"You can also eat the fries like this"

"Oh my!" Asia replied as she watched him eat fries before Ayato added

"Why don't you try?"

"Oh ok…" She spoke before taking a small bite of the burger, chewing it for a few moments before her eyes started shining as she spoke

"It's delicious! This burger is very delicious!"

"Well enjoy your first burger, Asia" Ayato spoke with a smile as Asia nodded before replying

"Yes, I will…" She started to eat her meal while Ayato was quick to polish off most of it, only leaving him with a strawberry sundae which he was savouring as he wandered over why Asia seemed relieved to see him, deciding to not ask her while she was enjoying herself.

"Ayato-san, can I have a try at that?" Asia asked as she looked still half full sundae, Ayato with a plastic spoon in mouth as he curled his head to the side, giving her a nod as he handed over the spare spoon he'd brought over. Asia smiled as she took a tentative spoonful of the cold treat into her mouth, shivering slightly as she ate it before speaking

"Wow….that's so sweet" Ayato pulled the spoon from his mouth as he spoke

"Yeah…there are a few places that do it better then here but I'm not really fussed" He took a moment to think wondering over what he should do next as his smile grew at Asia taking another spoonful of sundae as he decided that he should show her around for a bit

"Asia?"

"Ah, yes?" She asked, a line of ice cream over her top lip as Ayato handed her a napkin as he spoke

"You've got some ice cream on…" He signalled where it was as Asia blushed before wiping it away as he continued

"…would you like me to show you around for a bit?"

"Really?" Asia asked surprised as Ayato nodded as he replied

"Yeah…it'll be fun"

…

{I stay quiet for half the morning and you've got and got yourself on a date with the Sister & your Friends}

Satan spoke as Ayato helped Asia play on an arcade machine in front of him as he thought back embarrassed

'It's not a date…I'm just showing her around'

{Sure you are…}

Satan replied with a disbelieving tone as Ayato heard the machine make an electronic explosion, signalling that it was game over as Asia spoke

"You did good, Asia," Ayato said as they started to walk outside; he'd helped her with some of the games although he wasn't very good at most of them. He noticed her gaze drawn to one of the crane games as he spoke up "What is it?"

"Hahaha! No, nothing….It's nothing" She replied trying to deceive the silver haired teen, who started to walk over to the crane game as he spoke

"Oh…ok then…I'm just going to play this for a little while alright?" Asia blushed as she looked at the dolls inside the machine, following her gaze to see that she was looking at a "Rache-kun" doll inside.

"Anything I should aim to get Asia or…?" Ayato asked as he slipped the coin into the slot as she started to sputter slightly

"Umm…No…it's…."

After five tries he managed to get Rache-kun doll, picking it out before turning to give it to Asia as he spoke with a smile

"Here you go…" Asia blushed in surprise as she accepted it as she asked "How did you…?"

"Oh…I noticed you were looking at it" He answered with a friendly smile as she held it tightly to her chest as she smiled as she spoke

"Thank you very much Yukio-san. I will take care of this doll"

…

(a Few Hours Later as Asia,Stella,& Shizuku waiting for Ayato & Alice to come out of the Bathroom)

Two men wearing black combat uniforms and gas masks entered the washroom where Ayato and Arisuin were hiding.

「Good, all that's left is this men's room. I'll go search the stalls. You wait here.」

「Bah, why do we gotta check them one by one?」

「H-Hey!」

The man with the frivolous tone ignored his partner, aimed the muzzle of his M4 assault rifle towards the stalls, and swept the room with full-auto fire. By the time the gunshots stopped, all the stall doors had been blasted to ruin. Nobody there could come out unharmed, but blood didn't flow from any of the half-destroyed stalls.

「You see? Nobody's in.」

「Don't do stuff the lazy way! We're supposed to take the customers hostage, dammit!」

「I just wanted to fire a gun. Ain't it okay, since there's no blood anyway? So they're empty. Hahaha.」

「…If Bischof-san kills you, it won't be my problem.」

The sound of disturbing laughter followed the two men's exit, leaving only debris and a burnt smell in the restroom, but from the shadows cast by fluorescent ceiling lights, Arisuin and Ayato popped their heads up as if out of black water. After confirming that their enemies had left, Arisuin raised himself from the shadows.

"Hmm, looks like they're gone." In his hand, a dagger shone with dark gray radiance.

"That's my Darkness Hermit. Quite handy, right?"

"A power to manipulate shadows? It's certainly useful."

"Well, in a brightly lit field without any obstacles to make those shadows, it's not quite so good."

Ayato had guessed the same. This power was better suited for assassins than for knights.

"But if someone found out that you used your Device outside campus, you'll get in trouble."

"Harsh situations demand risky moves. I didn't have a choice here. It's okay if you don't tell anyone though."

Arisuin offered his other hand to Ayato, and when Ayato grabbed it, Arisuin pulled him up.

"I won't say anything. Thanks for saving us. Just who were those guys?"

"Rebellion." Ayato's eyes widened at Arisuin's unhesitant reply. Rebellion was the world's most infamous crime syndicate.

They called Blazers humanity's new chosen breed while deeming all others inferior, and they wanted to destroy society so they could build their own paradise where the chosen few ruled over the common people.

"I was dragged into something like this where I used to live, and the equipment is exactly the same. More importantly, I'm worried about Shizuku."

"Yeah, but there's something we have to do first."Ayato took out his student datapad and dialed an emergency number he registered beforehand. The call immediately connected and the familiar face of Hagun Academy's board chairman,his Aunt, Kurono Shinguuji, appeared on screen.

「I'm aware of it.」 Kurono immediately dispensed with explanations. It seemed the problem was already known outside the mall.

"That helps a lot. Then please give Ayato Hosomaki, Stella Vermillion, Shizuku Kurogane, and Nagi Arisuin permission to use their Devices outside campus."

「Very well, I authorize you four to use your abilities off school grounds.」

"Great. That takes care of the most critical thing."

After Ikki finished, Arisuin spoke up as well. "Chairman, can you tell us what you know of the situation?"

「The culprits are the Rebellion, about twenty to thirty units, all equipped with weapons. Their objectives are ransom money and the goods and cash in the mall. Long story short, this is their periodic fundraising.」

"Have there been casualties?"

「A few people were banged up while escaping the uproar as it first occurred, so just some light injuries. Still no dead or heavily injured. According to images we took from security cameras, Rebellion has gathered about fifty hostages in the food court.」

"Food court… where we had our crepes?"Ayato nodded.

"Yeah, that drafty plaza."

"I can reach that far with my Shadow Walk. We can get there immediately."

"Then we'll first move to a place with concealment and observe the situation. Stella and Shizuku & Asia are probably there too." Those three would never abandon the hostages and run away. They should've mixed in with the hostages while hiding their magic power & Asia's.

「I think you already know, but the safety of hostages comes first. Don't go overboard using your seal.」

Acknowledging Kurono's advice,Ayato turned off the datapad to make sure it made no noise. "Okay, let's move."

"Leave it to me." Arisuin clasped Ayato's extended hand, and they immediately sank into their shadows.

Connecting shadows with one another like waterways, Shadow Walk could only be manipulated by Arisuin, the user of Darkness Hermit, so Ayato held his breath and swam through like Arisuin did.

"We're here."

After swimming in the darkness for a short while, they reached a place overlooking the food court, the shadow of a pillar in the third floor atrium that gave a bird's eye view of the whole area. Leaving Shadow Walk and reconnoitering, Ayato and Arisuin confirmed Kurono's info. Hostages were gathered below, encircled by about ten people wearing the same black combat uniforms they saw before.

"Ayato, there." In the direction Arisuin was pointing, Shizuku's figure was visible along with the hostages.

"But I don't see Stella-chan or Asia."

"…No, there They are beside Shizuku, the one with the large hat & a white veil over her head with light blue accents, She's famous as a knight so she's concealing herself & Asia is known as the Holy Maiden."

"Now that you mention it, she's appeared in newspapers, right? But the situation's not too good."

"Yeah, the hostages are placed too close to the criminals. If we break through recklessly, the hostages will definitely get hurt. And besides, the number of Rebellion troops doesn't add up."

"Maybe they're acting in squads? We have no choice but to wait for now."

Even if the Rebellion was acting in squads, the ratio of hostages to Rebellion troops was a little too high, which would be a problem for the troops if the hostages tried to escape. There might be opportunities using that oversight, so they decided to stay put and keep watching for the time being―but the situation changed in a way they couldn't have imagined.

「Don't bully my mother―!」

Suddenly, a boy around the age of a kindergartner rushed toward a gun-toting Rebellion soldier. Oh no! This was bad, but they were in no position to stop the boy, who screamed and threw the ice cream he held at the man, splattering the man with white. That couldn't possibly bring a man down, but it was more than enough to provoke.

「You braaaat!」

The soldier screamed in rage and kicked the boy―who wasn't even tall enough to reach his waist―in the face without hesitation.

「Ahh, Shinji!」

A woman in her twenties, probably the boy's mother, dashed out from the ring of hostages. Her abdomen was large, but she moved so quickly that one wouldn't think she was pregnant, and she desperately moved between the boy and the soldier.

「Out of the way, woman! Don't butt in!」

「I'm sorry, I'm sorry, he's still just a child! Please forgive us!」 Another Rebellion soldier looked toward all the noise.

「Hey, what the hell are you doing!?」

「This fucking brat got ice cream on my clothes! I'm gonna kill him!」

「What's the matter with you!? How many times have I told you not to touch the hostages, dammit!? You can go die by yourself, but if you piss off Bischof-san he ain't stopping till he kills a dozen people. Don't get us involved in your mess!」

「Shut up! There's a lot of 'em so it won't matter if we shoot one or two!」

After that, the soldier turned around and pointed the muzzle of his rifle towards the boy and woman.

「No, please! Spare us!」

「You people might as well be pigs in our utopia, but you dare dirty an honorary citizen like me? You'll pay for that with your life!」

He put his finger on the trigger without any hesitation, and a lead bullet burst out from the barrel. To block it, the pregnant mother covered her child with her back. How futile. The bullet would penetrate the woman's body and hit the child behind her too. But the bullet never reached the mother―because Stella's flames burned away even the specks of dust that flew from the muzzle.

「It's best if I go out by myself… I would've been found out sooner or later… It's alright. If they know who I am, they won't kill me right away… That's why you should keep hiding and make preparations just in case.」

After stopping Shizuku with these words, Stella scorched the bullet by casting fire into its path, and the Rebellion soldiers fell into confusion at the sudden threat.

"A Blazer!?"

"Shit!" They turned towards Stella reflexively and fired their rifles at her in unison. A storm of bullets shot forth.

"Empress Dress."

Stella's feathered robe of flame vaporized all the bullets before they even reached her. But―

"Aiiieeeee!" ―the hostages started to panic because of the sudden gunfire. M4 rifles didn't have perfect accuracy. At this rate, the hostages would also end up being hit.

"Everyone settle down!" A voice filled with dignity rang out above the sounds of gunfire and screams, and caught the attention of everyone present whether they liked it or not. The hostages who were preparing to flee froze, and the Rebellion soldiers tensed up like scolded children.

"I don't want to fight you all, so please calm down and listen to what I have to say." That takes care of the panic for now. Stella felt relief as she spoke.

In Japan, she was merely a high-schooler, but she was also a princess of the Vermillion Empire.

She knew quite a bit about the international crime organization Rebellion, including how it organized its units.

Even though Rebellion was widely known as an organization of Blazers, in truth the majority of its members were non-Blazers referred to as Adherents'.

In the new world order that Rebellion wanted to create, the 'Apostles', who were Blazers, were actually a minority. Rebellion units were composed of this small group of Blazers commanding the non-Blazers as soldiers.

Every single Rebellion soldier here was an Adherent, so the Apostle leading them was probably somewhere nearby.

There should be only one Apostle for an operation of this level. I really didn't want to move rashly before he came out though.

Showing herself in this situation was a major disadvantage. With that in mind, Stella once again cast a sharp glare towards the soldiers.

"I'll represent the hostages here and negotiate with your leader."

"W-What the hell's this girl saying!? You, how dare―"

It seemed like the soldiers hadn't recognized her yet, so Stella removed the hat she borrowed from a store.

"I am―"

"Oh dear oh dear~? It looks like we have one hell of a VIP mixed in here."

A voice interrupted Stella before she could reveal her identity. Looking toward that voice, she saw a man standing with a group of around ten fully armed soldiers. When their eyes met, the man smiled, twisting the tattoo drawn on his face.

"Well, if it ain't the Vermillion Empire's second princess. Hehehe."

"Full black clothing and a gold-decorated overcoat… an Apostle's robe. It means you're the boss of these fools, right?"

"Hehehe, so pleased to make your acquaintance. Yes, that's exactly right. I go by the name Bischof. The honor is mine, Princess."

The man―Bischof―bowed respectfully towards Stella, then turned towards his subordinates encircling the hostages and gave an offended expression.

"Hey, what the devil are you bastards doing? Can't you even babysit properly?"

"Tha―"

"Didn't I tell you to wait? Didn't I tell you not to touch the hostages? Didn't I?"

"W-We tried to stop him! But that bastard Yakin wouldn't listen!"

"Ya~kin. Was it you causing this mess?"

"N-No wait, th-that brat dirtied my pants and―"

"Huh!? You went nuts just because of… no."

Bischof turned around with a thoughtful look.

"…Hehehe."

"Bischof-san?"

"Ahh, Yakin. That must've been a disaster. I sympathize, really."

Bischof's attitude changed suddenly and he patted the soldier who had ice cream spilled on his pants, then pulled out a gun and pointed it at the boy who the mother was protecting.

"Rest easy. I'll balance the scales for you, my honorary citizen."

Stella spoke up in shock.

"W-What are you doing!?"

"What? Ain't it obvious, Princess? I'm gonna have this kid take responsibility for what he did. Responsibility is important, no?"

"Didn't you say you weren't going to touch the hostages!?"

"Well… that would be true if they stayed still, but this brat didn't. Ahh, he ain't an adult yet so we can't judge him too hard, but… what the kid did was still a sin. He trampled the dignity of this honorary citizen here, so he has to pay with his life.

Penance for sin, forgiveness for penance, that's my motto, you see!" Bischof suddenly squeezed the trigger a little. He was really going to shoot, so Stella didn't hesitate to manifest Lævateinn.

"Haaaaa!" She leapt forward and slashed at Bischof.

Seeing that, Bischof smiled. He baited me!?

But no matter! She wouldn't give him time to summon his Device.

Bischof was only holding a handgun. There was no way he could block Lævateinn with something like that!

Stella slashed the man with his gun, but Bischof stopped that slash with only his index and middle finger.

"Wha―!"

"Hehehe, oh dear. You're fast and strong like the rumors say about A-Ranks. But alas, you don't know how wide and terrifying this world can be."

Stella couldn't hide her surprise. A slash with all her might had been completely blocked with only the fingers of one hand. That was no human technique; the finger and the arm should've been torn off together. Even if the slash had somehow been blocked, the arm would still be burnt by Lævateinn's flames. But Bischof was completely unaffected by both force and heat, stopping her sword casually.

How? Faster than the answer could come, Bischof's right hand struck Stella's abdomen.

"Guh… uh…!?"

It was an offensive power that completely shattered her Empress Dress. Stella collapsed with just one hit.

How?

He didn't look that strong a Blazer…!

What was with this crazy attack power?

Stella almost fainted in agony, but she looked up at Bischof and realized the secret behind his attack.

"Those… r-rings!"

Bischof was wearing a ring on the middle finger of each hand, and they emitted an ominous red light. They might look like simple accessories at first glance, but―

"This is my Device, Judgment Ring. Its specialty is dealing with "sin" and "penance". The left absorbs all attacks towards me, while the right converts it into a magical power and returns upon my enemy. Hehehe, in other words, the stronger my enemies, the stronger I become."

"…I see, so I was hit by my own full power."

"You really shouldn't jump in when you don't know what power your opponent holds, dear princess~."

"…Aren't… you the one… who made me do it?"

"Hehehe, oh, you're quite right. Against the Crimson Princess, I really couldn't afford to be picky with my tactics. I'm so sorry about that. But well, I'm impressed. You, the princess of another country, could've stayed nicely hidden, but you chose to shield some brat. It's truly touching. Is this what they call noblesse oblige? I, Bischof, am truly in awe, so I'll tell dear Princess Stella a way to save that kid."

"What… way?"

"There's a very simple method, you see, a method of repentance everyone knows: apologizing after doing something wrong. But your highness, you must apologize in the kid's place―kneeling while stark naked! Ha ha ha ha!"

At Bischof's demand, Ayato boiled with anger. He wanted to leap out from the hall above and cut the man to pieces, but―

…No!

If he did so, it would result in chaos, and the hostages would suffer casualties. He had to avoid that at all costs.

"Hehe… of course, I won't force you. How could I ever order a princess around? I won't mind if you refuse. But if so, I'll have this brat take responsibility as planned."

What a filthy man!

Ayato bit his lips hard to suppress his anger,drawing blood from him. Bischof thought that Stella couldn't accept that demand, so he gave her the option just to humiliate her. But Stella's reply was exactly as Ayato expected.

"…I understand."

Stella dispelled Lævateinn and released a sigh of surrender while concealing her vexation.

"In return, promise me the hostages won't take a scratch."

"Of course. I, Bischof, am a man known for not breaking his word, so rest assured. Well, the ransom money and our successful escape must also be guaranteed."

"…As you promised, then."

After confirming, Stella stood up. Her knees were shaking, probably from the damage she took before, but her hands removing her clothes were shaking not from pain, but from agitation.

"Ahaha! Damn, a princess is stripping for us!"

"Brilliant idea, Bishou! That's why you're the boss!"

"Get naked, bitch! Hahaha!"

The disgrace of baring her naked body in front of these heathens painted Stella's face red as she removed article after article of clothing. First came her cardigan, exposing her petite shoulders. Next, her skirt slid off, revealing her enchanting legs for the crowd to see. Then, she unbuttoned her blouse, the fabric trembling as it opened up to show her navel. After all that, the only thing covering her skin was her white lace underwear.

"Whew, check out those titties!

Them ain't high school titties."

"Hot damn!"

"Bishou, can we take pictures?!"

"Quit your yapping, you premature ejaculators.

The real show is about to begin. Heeheehee!"

Forced to listen to their filthy, unbearable voices as they gawked at her body, Stella shuddered. Ikki, watching in anger, saw something shimmer on her cheek—it was a tear. When he saw that tiny, glistening tear, he heard the snap! of not only his teeth breaking the skin of his lips, but also that of the rope of reason keeping him from jumping into the fray.

Stellaaa! Ayato's mind urged him forward, but his body didn't react. It wouldn't move.

"Stay calm," came a voice next to him.

"Ngh." He let out a grunt, but his body still wouldn't budge. It was as if he'd been bound by something. Glancing to the side, he saw Alice's Device, Darkness Hermit, stabbed into his shadow. Alice was using her Noble Art, an ability that prevents the target's movement: Shadow Bind.

"You have to remain calm," she told him.

"There's no merit in revealing yourself right now."

"But if I don't go now, then Stella—!"

"It's okay. I have a plan," she claimed, but Ayato simply looked at her in disbelief. "Shizuku is already acting, so just keep waiting."

"She is?"

"Yes. She's concealing her magic, but she's setting up a water barrier to protect the hostages." Ayato

looked down into the hall again, searching for signs of magic. "I don't see anything like that.

"Well, of course not. As a Rank B knight, Shizuku's other abilities may be inferior to Stella's, but she's the clear winner in terms of magic control this year. In that field, she's definitely Rank A."

Ayato was shocked to hear that. Magic control was a measure of how skillfully a Blazer could handle their magic output; those with exceptional magic control could perform actions using as little as twenty to thirty percent of the magical power normal Blazers would. They could also use their magic to camouflage themselves and their spells. Shizuku Kurogane happened to be a master of that art.

"Nobody can see through camouflage created by someone as skilled as Shizuku," Alice stated.

"Then how do you know what she's doing?!" She showed Ayato her student handbook, set to silent rather than being turned off, in response. On the screen was an email from Shizuku.

"Makong boumdsry. Qill givw sugmal." The message was full of typos. She was probably typing without looking, keeping her eyes on her surroundings instead. It got the message across, at least.

Shizukuuu! Ayato delightedly screamed his sister's name in his mind.

"Shouha Suiren!" she cried as if responding to his call. The barrier of water divided the captives from the Rebellion soldiers. That was the "sugmal".

"What?!" Only a Blazer could create a wall of water like that; there must have been someone other than Stella present. Working off that hypothesis, Bishou barked,

"If you can't behave, I'll just have to kill you all! Soldiers, open fire on the hostages!" On his command, Bishou's Followers pulled the triggers on their weapons, aiming for the barrier. The hostages, panicking from the sudden wall of water and the sound of gunfire, began to curl up and scream, but the deafening cascade stopped every bullet in its tracks.

The hostages were completely unharmed, protected solely by Shizuku's Noble Art, Shouha Suiren. If one were to fall from high up, water's incredibly high resistance to impacts would make it feel more like hitting concrete than water. A high-speed object like a rifle bullet would be crushed the moment it made contact with the water due to the opposite force being exerted on it—and that was true of regular, everyday water.

With Shizuku's magical power reinforcing it, her water became like an iron shield. Lead bullets had no hope of piercing it. But Shizuku wasn't the only one who began to move. The moment Shizuku erected Shouha Suiren, Ayato activated Ittou Shura. He leaped from the top of the staircase and carried out his assault on Bishou.

"Tch! You had even more friends waiting up above?!" Bishou was a terrorist, however; he had plenty of experience treading the line between life and death. He reacted quickly to the surprise attack, reaching his left hand—the same hand he had stopped Lævateinn with—out toward Ayato as he swung Ryuuzutsu. The Judgment Rings' Crime half was guided by a natural law that could nullify any attack, including Stella's earthshaking strikes. Ayato's swordplay was faster & stronger than hers, but that was the extent of it.

A Stronger Attack such as his could hope to break a law of nature. His surprise attack would succeed, and his swing would be converted to a punishment to be turned back on him. Assuming he could stop the attack, that is.

Bishou couldn't believe his eyes. A geyser of blood was erupting from his left arm. He could stop any attack that he caught with his left hand, but it was impossible to stop an attack that he couldn't see. Ayato used that to his advantage, swinging his sword with a speed that far surpassed the processing abilities of the human brain.

In that case, he would bet everything on the fastest single strike he had. Preparing his sword from the limit of his swing was for that sake. What he was about to release was the godspeed sword passed down in Kyokujitsu Isshin Ryu.

Naturally, every muscle in his entire body was used, it even used the rebound of the joints and bones in his body by returning his posture from its twisted position to the original one to accelerate, it was exactly a sword released with his entire body and spirit.

There was no preparation or counter after releasing that one strike. It was just speed alone was principle. Cutting alone was justice.

That was truly── "Kyokujitsu Isshin Ryuu・Jin no Kyoku. ──Amaterasu!"

"I'll take the cronies. Ikki, you'd better disarm that boss monkey completely."

Ayato did exactly as Alice commanded. His godspeed slash, Amaterasu, had cut off Bishou's crime-absorbing left hand, so he followed up by severing the right as well. Even if Bishou's Device had some other hidden power, it wouldn't be of any use to him without either of his hands.

"Gaaaah! My hands! Damn you!"

"Quit your yapping."

"Ah…" Bishou's complaints stuck in his throat when he looked at Ayato.

"I was holding back. Thinking back on what you did to Stella, maybe I should have cut off another limb or two for good measure. After all, an iPS Capsule would be more than enough to completely undo what I've done to you so far."

Ayatoi shut Bishou up with his cold dragon glare before turning his eyes away from the filth in front of him. No hostages seemed to be injured. Their assault was a success.

Evening was setting in as the pair walked the streets laughing. The day had been fun for both given that they'd looked round the other shops which had interested Asia to no end. Ayato winced as he sat down on a low wall, Asia looking concerned at him as she spoke

"Yukio-san…that wound…Is it from the Other day?" She crouched down and started to check the injury as she asked

"Can you lift your trouser leg up?"

"Oh…you don't have to, Asia" Ayato spoke with a smile as she shook her head as she replied

"I want to repay you for all the fun I've had today" Ayato sighed at the seriously look as he pulled his trousers up to show it, Asia placing her palm over the bullet mark before a green light covered it, the warmth soothing Ayato as he watched her focus on it before asking

"How is it?" The light disappeared and she urged him to move to check it had been healed, Ayato moving it fine without any trouble as he spoke

"Thank you Asia…You really are amazing…It's a Sacred Gear, right?"

"I've got a Sacred Gear…well two but one's sealed and the other I've no idea how to work it"

"Ayato-san, you also have a Sacred Gear? I didn't realise it at all" Asia spoke surprised

.

"We've done it." Alice patted Ayato on the shoulder. "Did you wrap up things on your end, Alice?"

"They were already wrapped up, actually. That girl really is amazing."

What girl?

Ayato once again tilted his head in confusion, but then spotted the girl in question out of the corner of his eye. All of the soldiers had fallen; not one of them remained standing. There was, however, one figure still standing on the battlefield.

"Stella…" The Crimson Flaming Princess, enveloped in a dress of flames. In one hand, she held Lævateinn, still scattering light. Even after the blow she took and the shame she was forced to endure, she was still the first to move when the going got tough. Stella had already taken down every soldier in the room, not even giving Alice the chance to join in.

Cool, calculated decision-making combined with so much excess power that even being seriously injured didn't hinder her in the least. Alice wasn't kidding when she said Stella was amazing. There was just one problem.

"You can all leave," Stella told the hostages.

"I'll report the news to everyone outside."

"Thanks," came their collective response. She's pushing herself too hard!

"Stella!" Ayato ran over to her, hugging her as she turned to face him.

"Gah! H-Hey, wh-what are you doing?" Stella was panicked and confused over the sudden embrace, but Ayato didn't care; he just wanted to hold her, so he hugged her tightly, hiding her bare skin with his own body. He didn't want such a kind, brave girl to feel any more shame.

"Sorry. If only I'd come to help you sooner, you wouldn't have had to go through this."

"Ayato…!" Stella seemed to understand his feelings, surrendering herself to the embrace as she trembled. Ayato tried not to look at her face, but never loosened his hold on her.

"Big Brother," Shizuku called out to Ayato.

"Thank you, Shizuku. Your boundary was really helpful. Did you get hurt at all?"

"Of course not. I would never make such a blunder," Shizuku said, and indignantly thrust the clothes Stella had taken off toward her.

"I brought your clothes. How long are you going to stand around half-naked like that?"

"Th-Thanks. I'm surprised you did that for me."

"How rude. Which one of us is the reason you're not fully naked, again? Honestly, I can't believe you just jumped out there without a second thought. Your recklessness will be your downfall one day."

"Oh…"

Stella uneasily averted her eyes from Shizuku's reproachful look.

"But I guess you're not all bad."

"Huh?"

"I wouldn't have been able to save that family. It's good to know there are people out there who are willing to risk their lives for complete strangers."

"Th-That's not such a big deal. But I would've been in big trouble without your boundary. You're really amazing.

Both Stella and Shizuku shifted their eyes uncomfortably, clearly embarrassed by complimenting and being complimented by someone they saw as an enemy. But at the very least, they had found some common ground.

I hope they can be good friends after this.

"I think your powers are amazing, Asia…being able to heal anything" Ayato spoke with a soft smile, Asia looking confused back at him before turning sad and starting to cry. Ayato felt bad for what he said as he led her to somewhere they could sit down properly.

Asia then started to tell the story about the girl who was called the "Holy Maiden"

In a certain region in Europe, there was a girl who was discarded by her parents. She was raised in a church nearby by a nun along with other orphans. The girl who was a strong follower of the Church received a special power at the age of 8. She healed a wounded puppy, and a person from the Catholic Church witnessed it by chance. From there on, her life changed. The girl was taken to the main Catholic Church and she was symbolised by many as a "Holy Maiden'' because of her healing power. She used her power to heal many believers. They were told it was a power of divine protection. Rumors brought rumors and she was respected as a "Holy Maiden '' even without her approval. She had no dissatisfaction for how she was treated. People from the Church were kind and she didn't hate healing people. She instead was happy that her power was of use. The girl was thankful to God who had given her that power.

But she was a bit lonely. She didn't have any friends she could talk to. Everyone treated her nicely and was nice to her. But there was no one willing to become her friend. She understood why. She knew that they were looking at her as something irregular. They didn't look at her as a human but as a creature that could heal humans.

But one day, it changed. By coincidence, there was a Devil nearby, and she healed it. She thought that even if it was a Devil, she had to heal it if it was injured. It was her kindness that made her take such an action. But that changed her life forever. One of the people from the Church saw that incident and notified others of the Church. The higher ups of the Church were shocked about it.

"A power that can heal Devils!?"

"Something absurd like that cannot happen!"

"The power of healing is only to heal the followers of God!"

Yes, there were several people who had the power to heal. But the power to heal the Devil was out of the question. The people of the Church thought it was common sense that the power to heal doesn't work on Fallen Angels and Devils. Apparently, a similar incident had happened in the past. The power to heal Fallen Angels and Devils that were not protected by God. But that was feared as the power of a "witch". So the people saw her as a heretic.

"Damn witch that heals Devils!"

The girl who was respected as a Holy Maiden was now feared as a witch. So the Catholic Church kicked her out. The group that picked her up was a group of "Exiled Exorcists". In other words, she had to get divine protection from the Fallen Angels. But the girl never forgot to pray to God. She also never forgot to thank God. But the girl was still cast away. God didn't save her. What shocked her the most was that there was not even a single person that was willing to defend her. There was no one who cared about her.

"It's because I didn't pray enough…See? It's because I'm clumsy. I'm so stupid that I can't even eat a burger by myself" She spoke as she wiped her tears away, Ayato not sure what to say as he sat next to her, she'd been cast out cause she was kind to everything, even devils.

"This is also a trial that God gave me. Since I'm a clumsy nun, God gave me this trial so I have to endure it." She spoke with a laugh as if she was talking to herself as he gently took hold of her hand. Asia looking at him confused as Ayato smiled speaking softly as he wiped some of her tears away

"Asia…You're not clumsy…you've just led a live where you didn't get the chance to experience things outside of the Church…Anyone else in your position would be the same"

"Even if I am a Devil, it's alright. I won't take anything from you…You can call me whenever you feel like it. I should give you my number as well" Putting his hand into his pocket to pulled his phone out as Asia asked nervously

"…Is that a pact with a Devil…?"

"It's not…We are going to be actual friends. We can put all the other things aside and talk when we want to, and we can spend time together when we want to…go shopping or play games…Okay?" Ayato spoke, squeezing her hand gently as she put her other hand on her mouth and started to cry for joy

"Ayato-san. I have no common sense" She spoke between tears as Ayato nudged her slightly as he replied

"We could learn by going around the city…I'll help you as much as I can"

"I can't speak Japanese and I don't know Japanese culture" Asia spoke as Ayato chuckled quietly as he replied

"I'll teach you. We could even go to museum to look at Japanese national treasure"

"...I don't even know what to talk about..."

"What have we been doing today then…? Anyway I already think of you as my friend" Ayato asked, Asia smiling back at him

"Really…?" Asia asked Ayato, nodding as he smiled. It faltered as a new yet familiar voice entered the conversation

"It's impossible" Ayato's eyes narrowed as he looked for the owner of the voice, finally settling on a slender girl with black hair as he spoke annoyed

"You…" She laughed over Ayato's voice before speaking

"Heh. You survived. And to add to that, as a Devil. Are you serious? That is the worst."

"…Raynare-sama…." Asia spoke, Yukio figuring that was her name as he spoke seriously

"What does a Fallen Angel like you want…?" She sneered as Yukio's question as she retorted looking at him with disgust

"I don't want a filthy low-class Devil like you talking to me…That girl, Asia is my personal belonging. Can I have her back? Asia, it's useless to run away."