Back again, eh?
I'm sorry for the wait, I don't know why this one took me so long compared to the others; I had to have gone back and rewrote some of these scenes over and over again because they weren't working the way I wanted them to. It was incredibly frustrating, and recent events outside of this were no help either.
On a positive note, thank you all once again for the continued support! The constructive criticisms and the suggestions from the previous chapter have given me a lot to think about, and I truly appreciate that. And that's on top of the people just showing their encouragement! You guys are awesome!
I decided to update Chapters 1, 2, and 3 again after some issues were brought to my attention. I figured it would be better to fix them sooner than later. I don't want to get into the habit of constantly updating older chapters, but once you see a problem that you missed, it's hard to look away. From here on, all future updates listed will not include the ones that come with new chapters; those will be a given.
Disclaimer: I do not own High School DxD, nor do I own Type Moon or any of its intellectual properties.
Published: February 6, 2021
Updated: May 18, 2023
…
Chapter 5 – Cutting Deals
Wednesday morning at Kuoh Academy started like any other for the President of the Student Council. Assorting documents, keeping the peace on campus, coordinating yearly school events, and filtering out pointless calls and letters from Serafall Leviathan. It was nothing she hadn't done for over a year now.
She loved her sister, but there were times where the woman was just too much to deal with.
What set this one apart, in Sona's mind, was the message she received last night. She and Tsubaki were wrapping up their daily duties and were about to adjourn for the day when Rias's familiar appeared at the window. She let the little creature inside, where it promptly dropped an envelope in her hands and flew right back out. Very concerning, since it only ever did that when there was a big problem.
Reading the letter, she understood why.
–––––
Sona,
I apologize for the abruptness, but an urgent situation has come up. A stray exorcist brutally murdered a client of mine and wounded one of my servants.
I'm in the process of healing my servant as you read this, so I'll come by your office in the morning to explain and give full details of the incident.
Keep your peerage safe in the meantime.
Rias
–––––
Taking the warning to heart, she called her servants back and informed them of the situation. Naturally, they were shocked that something like this had happened so close to home. Sona then forbade answering any contracts until her meeting with Rias in the morning.
She and Tsubaki arrived at the office much earlier than usual to prepare, while the rest of the Council went about their business as usual. By the time Rias arrived at 7:00 A.M., only Reya, Momo and Saji remained.
"Good morning, Sona, Tsubaki," Both Rias' expression and voice seemed exhausted.
"Good morning, Rias. How is your servant?"
"She's fine now. The wound was painful, but treatable."
"I'm glad to hear it. Now, what's going on?"
Rias gave her an abridged version of the previous night's events, starting with Issei meeting Asia and Connor, then disciplining Issei's judgment, to the trap set by the murderous exorcist, the fight with said exorcist, and the strong possibility that there was more than just the one. Throughout the story, the work being completed by the Council members slowed to a halt as they listened in out of curiosity.
Sona sighed and brought her hands in front of her face, lacing her fingers together. "It's unfortunate that it's come to this," she grimly remarked.
"Yes, but there's something else you need to know, Sona."
"And that is?"
"Connor Lochlainn is a magician."
For a brief moment, one could have heard a pin drop onto a desk in that room.
"Wait, what?" Reya whipped around, almost knocking the papers on her desk onto the floor.
"That's impossible, Rias. I've checked already. Lochlainn-san's magic levels are normal for a human."
"So you didn't know?"
"Didn't know what? Rias, what are you not telling me? How do you know he's a magician?"
"I know this because no normal human can fight a Fallen Angel in melee combat and survive."
Sona's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"
"Last Sunday, the same night I reincarnated Ise, Lochlainn-san was fighting a Fallen Angel in a one-on-one duel close to where Ise was killed. I didn't see the end of the fight, but he was certainly making his enemy work for it."
"Why am I only hearing about this now?" Sona asked, her brow furrowing.
"You said that you didn't want me poaching your prospects, so I stayed my hand for as long as I could. Considering that members of your peerage were already familiar with Lochlainn-san, I thought that you were working towards recruiting him, but it seems to me that you really didn't know what he is. If you didn't make your move soon, I was going to invite him to my peerage, but now…"
"Rias, we had an agreement."
"I kept my word, Sona, but that was before I saw him fight a Fallen, and before Akeno saw him heal himself with magic."
Sona stood from her seat. "If you were there to see the fight, why didn't you try to stop it?"
"Because they weren't alone. There were three other Fallen there maintaining a barrier. They had plenty of opportunities to kill him, but they just stayed back and let him fight. It still doesn't make sense to me."
"And you left him there? Rias, what were you thinking?!" Sona demanded. "If I recall correctly, it was your father that recommended him here! Do you realize how it would look for this town, this school or even us if an international transfer student was murdered within a month of their enrollment?"
"I didn't have time to think about that, Sona!" Rias shouted defensively. "I wanted to help him, I really did, but Ise was fading too quickly. I had to reincarnate him before he passed on completely. You know why I need this, Sona! Riser just pushed the deadline up, and my parents won't listen to me!"
Sona fully understood the stress that came with a marriage that was arranged before you were ever born. She had been set up for one as well, but had it revoked when she defeated her fiancée in a chess match years ago. Rias, on the other hand, had no such opportunities, in no real fault of her own. Riser Phenex was a very shrewd man, and knew his way around agreements and the loopholes therein. All of her previous attempts to stop the marriage were quickly shot down, and judging from her attitude now, she was out of time and desperate.
So desperate that her actions almost endangered their positions as dual Governors of Kuoh. If their families, or Satan forbid, their siblings heard about this, the fiasco could ruin them.
Rias and Sona glared at each other. The two heiresses hadn't had an argument like this in years, and everyone in the room sat still for several moments, not wanting to make themselves the focus of the Kings' anger.
"Um… Kaichou," Reya broke the silence, "that bruise on Connor-kun's face last week. He told me that he fell on Sunday evening. If Rias-sama is telling the truth, then-"
"He lied to keep Reya-chan from asking any further," Momo finished.
"Uh, I'm confused. Does that mean he knows we're Devils?" Saji spoke up for the first time, bringing the biggest question on Sona's mind to the forefront.
Sona looked back to Rias. "Does he?"
"I'm not sure. I was about to find out from Ise until Koneko sent her distress call. But, all things considered, I think it's safe to assume that he knows much more than any of us realize."
Sona slowly returned to her seat, taking several calming breaths.
"Reya," she looked up to address her Bishop. "Once classes end today, bring Lochlainn-san here."
"Yes, Kaichou," Reya replied, slightly hesitant.
"Tsubaki, if you would, please make some tea."
Sona's Queen simply bowed and walked to a corner of the room where a small cupboard sat. While tea was one of the few things that Sona could make that didn't taste horrendous, the tea that Tsubaki made was infinitely more preferable to hers.
She turned back to Rias. "I suppose you will be here to speak with him as well?"
"Of course. Akeno will be here, too. One way or another, we're finding out what he knows."
"Let's try not to have it come to violence, Rias," Sona suggested, readjusting her glasses. "This is a school, after all."
At 12:05 P.M., Connor could be found not in the classroom, nor in his primary spot for lunch, but rather up on the roof, relaxing in the shade of the access doorway.
He had found this little corner of paradise in his first week, and had been coming here for lunch more frequently after meeting Koneko. Since she knew enough of his normal routine to intercept him, he had to change it up and throw her off his trail. He hadn't seen that girl since Friday, but she had a reputation for being something of a glutton. If she found him up here, then all hope was lost for a peaceful lunch.
It didn't take long for his thoughts to drift from Koneko to Asia. He'd been so focused on securing her safety that he totally forgot about leaving something for her to do while he was gone. She was probably bored out of her mind by now. Patient as a saint she might be, but there was only so much one could handle before cabin fever started to manifest. Fortunately, she had access to the basic necessities and enough food to last for several days if she didn't leave the apartment.
He'd make it up to her tonight. He'd show her how to make some easy recipes like onigiri or tsukune or some other snack. If he got home soon enough, then maybe he could even show her around town and see if there was a place to get nice casual clothes from. (1)
'What kind of kimono would look good on her?' he wondered. 'Maybe a darker blue to contrast against her hair?'
Just as he was about to take another bite of pork cutlet , he saw something dark out of the corner of his eye. Looking up, he was met face-to-snout with a very large wolf-like canine.
"Bwah! Holy shit!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet and dropping the remainder of his lunch onto the ground. His right hand shot up to draw his runic sword while he took several steps closer to the roof access door.
The dog didn't seem all that concerned with his sudden flight response; it just sat down on its haunches and stared at him.
He'd never seen anything like it. This creature was enormous –bigger than a fully grown Malamute– and yet it completely snuck up on him! Deep blood-red eyes matched a glowing mark on its head, its fur was black as night, and the mane along its shoulders made its whole body seem twice its actual size. Lightly clutched in its jaw was a folded piece of paper, not even the least bit damaged by the small knives this thing called teeth.
"What kind of familiar are you?"
The dog's only response was to perk an ear and blink.
Connor slowly pointed to the paper with his left hand, keeping his sword hand ready. "Is… that for me?"
The dog stood up and approached Connor, tilting its head up and presenting the paper to him. When Connor didn't take it, the beast settled for placing the paper on the ground next to the spilled lunch, snatched the pork cutlet, then turned and trotted away.
The magus didn't manage to get a word in before the canine suddenly jumped into the shadow cast by an A/C unit and vanished. He stood there for a brief length, wondering what had just happened.
After calming down and collecting himself, he picked up the note.
"Something has come up. I've got a new job for you, and this one comes with pay. Meet me at Nomura's tonight at 6:00. Destroy this note once you've read it."
Connor's curiosity turned to annoyance as he folded the paper three times over and set it alight with a Sowilo rune.
"Damn it all," he muttered, bending down to pick up what was left of his lunch.
'So much for once a week. Next thing you know, I'm his best man for an out-of-town wedding, like I don't have anything better to do.'
"Still… that dog of his was pretty cool."
The afternoon dragged on for the magus, more so than he remembered a Wednesday ever doing. His mind was on Asia for most of it, worrying that she might get bored enough to go outside. He wanted to believe that she would listen to him and stay put, but that nagging feeling of 'what if' wouldn't leave him alone.
After the last bell finally rang and the students were wrapping up the classroom cleaning process, he quickly made to leave without a word. Reya had other plans, however, since she was already at the door to impede his escape. She looked at him with an unreadable expression.
"Connor-kun, would you please come with me to the Student Council Office?"
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"I can't say. Kaichou only instructed me to bring you to the office."
"Alright." Alarms were going off in his head. Whatever this was about, it couldn't be good.
Murmurs were abound in the classroom as Connor and Reya exited, but he paid them no heed. Whatever rumors and gossip that spawned from this would die within a day. They almost always did.
The journey to the Student Council Office was otherwise uneventful, aside from curious glances cast by classmates in their direction. Upon reaching the office door, Reya knocked three times while Connor discreetly checked the runestones in his pocket.
"Kaichou, I've brought him," she announced.
"Come in," he heard Souna's voice respond.
Reya entered first, followed by Connor who cast quick glances around the office. The layout of the room itself reminded him of a police squad room in the West, what with the desks arranged the way they were and the boss' much larger desk by the inside wall overlooking them all.
Souna was seated at said large desk, with several people standing beside her. He recognized one of them as Rias Gremory, the President of the Occult Research Club. She was considered by the school population to be the most beautiful student in the Academy, and for good reason. Flowing red hair, blue-green eyes, and a body that many women would spend their lives trying to achieve were a powerful combination.
Next to her was Issei Hyoudou, who looked nervous upon making eye contact with him.
To Souna's left, standing slightly taller than Souna, Tsubaki bore flowing black hair reaching her knees, center split bangs that framed her face, blue semi-rimmed glasses, and sharp heterochromatic eyes –her right eye a light brown and her left a deep purple. Like the others, she wore the standard uniform, which accentuated her buxom figure. Her serious demeanor was also a perfect mirror to her President; she was so much like Souna in appearance and personality, in fact, that he nearly mistook the two as blood relatives when he met them on his first day at Kuo-
"Connor-kun?" At Reya's voice, he blinked and noticed everyone staring.
"I did it again, didn't I?" Reya nodded. "Damn it. Sorry."
"Please pay closer attention, Lochlainn-san," Souna urged. "This is not the time to be distracted."
"Yes, ma'am." He took note of how Souna didn't first ask how his day was, which she had done the previous times they had crossed paths at school. Then again, he had been summoned to the office in the first place, so something else was afoot.
"Have a seat, please."
Connor complied, sitting down into one of the chairs facing the desk.
"Tea?" a playful voice chimed to his left.
He looked up. Standing next to him with a tray in her hands was a young woman with long raven hair tied by a long orange ribbon into a ponytail that almost reached to the floor. The most distinguishing, and distracting, physical feature about her was that her breasts seemed far too big for her age, even with the uniform. Based on this first meeting, something about the look in those violet half-lidded eyes of hers made two separate promises, one of which he was sure he wanted no part of.
"Oh, um, no thank you."
"You don't like tea?" she asked in a falsely hurt tone.
"It's not that I don't like it. I just prefer cold tea. It's how it's done back home," he fished for an excuse. Running his normal check for drugs would be a dead giveaway, and he didn't want to risk getting slipped something.
Akeno, while slightly disappointed that he didn't take her bait, smiled and put a hand to her cheek. "Ara~ I'll have to remember that for your next visit."
"You do that, Miss…"
"Call me Akeno. I'll let you~" she teased.
"Right." Now very glad he didn't accept the tea, he made a mental note to pick his words carefully around this one. "So, pleasantries aside, what's going on? "
"We thought it fit to formally introduce ourselves to you." Rias answered with a smile as Akeno set the tray down and joined her side. "You see, everyone in this room, with the exception of you, is a Devil. But you already knew that, didn't you?"
Connor said nothing.
"I'll go first." Rias continued, giving a curtsy. "My name is Rias Gremory, president of the Occult Research Club, and heiress to the house of Gremory, a Duke of the Underworld."
Likewise, Souna gave her own curtsy. "And I am called Sona Sitri, next in line to the house of Sitri, ranked Prince of the Underworld. While in the human world, I answer to Souna Shitori, Student Council President of Kuoh Academy."
Connor simply nodded.
'So she gave herself an alias that resembled her original name, but fit within the local naming sense. Cheesy, but clever.' he thought, then glanced over to Rias. 'At least Sona tried.'
"You already know Tsubaki and Reya," Sona continued, "and the woman beside Rias is Akeno Himejima."
"How do you do?" Akeno curtsied.
"The boy next to her is Issei Hyoudou, though I'm sure you are already familiar with him."
"Now then, Connor, who are you? Or rather, what are you?" Rias' formerly mild tone turned demanding in the span of a heartbeat. "And don't bother trying to lie."
"So the cat's out of the bag?" He looked around at everyone, who all simply nodded. He sighed and shifting his posture in the chair, and with it, his demeanor also seemed to change. "Fine. Can't say I didn't try. My name is Connor Lochlainn, third-generation Irish American, foreign exchange student, and magus."
Sona blinked. While glad that he seemed serious, she was confused by his answer. "Magus? I was led to believe you were a magician."
"No," he firmly denied. "Those are two completely different things."
"How so?"
"Well, to make a comparison: magicians are like mathematicians, while magi are more like physicists. Both will inevitably use similar principles and fundamental laws regarding magic, but magicians are far more theoretical and have a broader spectrum to which they apply their craft. Magi are a bit more… grounded in their studies, more down to earth. We focus more on history, mythology and recorded phenomena. Some magi even use scientific laws in conjunction with magical theory, which is almost impossible to do unless you have a firm understanding of both, and something that magicians don't even bother to attempt."
"Interesting," Sona muttered.
"For someone in the hot seat, you don't seem too worried about being here," Akeno commented.
He shrugged. "It's not that I'm unconcerned. This was going to happen eventually, but better for everyone if we all approach this like rational beings. If you don't mind me asking, how did you find out about me?"
"I saw you fighting that Fallen Angel last Sunday, and Akeno saw that you are capable of using magic when you healed yourself," Rias said. "And speaking of the Fallen, what happened in that fight?"
"I killed him."
Issei's jaw dropped, and the others were left trying to put together the mental image.
"You… killed a Fallen?" Reya finally spoke.
"Took him by surprise and exploited an opening." Connor admitted. "If the fight had dragged on much longer, I wouldn't have lasted."
"There were three other Fallen that night. Why was he the only one fighting you?" Rias asked.
"I pissed him off enough that he told the others to stay away. He was pretty quick to anger, and it looked to me like the others hated his guts anyway, so I took advantage of that." It wasn't entirely a lie, but telling them that he knew a curse to force a duel to the death would not end well for him in this setting.
"Ara ara~ Stealthy and skillful. I suppose it's no wonder that only Koneko-chan was able to find you."
Connor glanced to Akeno, then to Rias, arching an eyebrow as if asking for clarification.
"Koneko is… gifted when it comes to sensing magic. She never found anything peculiar about you until she was standing right in front of you."
"And according to her, there is a 'transparency' to you, like looking into clear water. You seemed to blend in with your surroundings, even when you were in plain sight. She said she could sense that your magic felt like hers, but only when she was next to you. Similarly, when you were near other people, she sensed that your magic became like theirs. From far away, and when you were alone, you vanished. That's quite the trick, Lochlainn-kun. Almost like a chameleon~"
"It might also explain why neither I nor my peerage detected anything either, despite having met you," Sona concluded. "You camouflaged to match the people around you. To stay hidden for so long is no doubt impressive. Is that the result of your magic?"
"Magecraft, yes," he briefly confirmed, not wanting to divulge much more.
It was a project that began as one thing and became another. The original intent had been to try and make his body 'imitate' the ambient Mana around him by using his own magic circuits as channels to run the Mana through and out again. Unfortunately, it required the use of his Od to keep his body from overreacting to changes in the flow of Mana, which ended up starving his body of Od and leaving him nauseous for hours.
A year ago, though, he hit a breakthrough: Take his body out of the equation.
By inscribing runes onto his clothes that would simultaneously absorb and release Mana in equal quantities, he 'took in' the world around him, effectively becoming a part of the outer world without forcing his inner world through the constant stress of Od starvation. This had the added bonus of practically smothering, to a large degree, any magical energy signature that his own Od might exude. Only someone within his direct vicinity would be able to sense him, and even then, they would have to know what to look for.
His experiment on Breathing and Walking instead bore fruit as a form of concealing his own presence. To know that it took a dedicated sensor for even Devils to 'find' him was gratifying.
"I'm curious, Lochlainn-kun. How much do you know about Devils?" Rias asked.
The change in address didn't go unnoticed. "Just some secondhand knowledge. I know that you make contracts with people, that you can turn others into Devils, that you have four leaders, and that there's a big stalemate between you, the Angels, and the Fallen."
"That's much more than most people would know," Sona pointed out.
"I knew a guy in the States a few years back that studied the Ars Goetia like it was gospel, called himself a demonologist. He even claimed to have actually met a Devil. I distinctly remember him saying 'a' Devil, not 'the.' Can't recall the name he had for them, but it wasn't my business. I didn't want to get involved with any of that if I didn't have to."
"Has that changed recently?" Rias asked.
"I learned a bit more here and there, but I still don't know enough about Devils and how they work to make a logical decision." He paused to adjust himself in his seat. "Hypothetically, let's say that I agreed to becoming a Devil. What do I get out of it as a fresh recruit, or however you call them?"
"You gain a lot of things," the redhead continued, suddenly a little more chipper than before. "For instance, your body becomes faster and stronger, you gain the ability to fly, and you can speak to and understand anybody in the world thanks to the 'Language' spell that all Devils are capable of using passively."
'So it was a Devil perk,' he thought back to Issei and Asia's first conversation. 'By itself, the Language thing would be fantastic to have. If only it wasn't part of a package deal.'
"Any sort of magic that you already use becomes immensely more easy because Devils rely on their imagination to power their magic. I don't think it would be any different with magecraft, but I'm not sure. You also gain an increased life span; as a Devil, you can live well up to ten thousand years."
'Sounds exaggerated. Have any Devils actually lived that long to prove it?'
"So what happens when you turn?" he asked.
Just as Rias was about to reply, Sona stopped her.
"Allow me to answer that, Lochlainn-san. To become a Devil means that you become a servant to a high-class Devil, or the King, and join the peerage belonging to them. This King uses any of fifteen Evil Pieces, which are modeled after the pieces used in chess, to reincarnate a candidate into a Devil, and bind the power of an Evil Piece to the soul of that candidate." As Sona explained this, she opened an ornate box and deposited one such Piece onto the desk. If not for the deep red lines along its grooves and edges, it would seem like any white Knight piece one would find in a standard chess set. "Many of the benefits that Rias already described become effective immediately, though some will take longer than others to grow accustomed to."
"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the piece. Sona nodded, letting him pick it up and turn it over in his hand to examine it. After a short while of this, he looked back to Sona. "Is it just for decoration, or do they all function differently?"
"Yes, each Piece grants a specific bonus in addition to the changes that come with reincarnation. And depending upon the person or the power that they wield, it may take more than one piece to reincarnate them."
"I see. Thank you," he nodded, setting the piece back, while absently thinking of how much fun it would be to open up a whole set and study the inner workings. "How are reincarnated Devils treated? I imagine that it's not exactly a… covetous lot in life."
"Well, yes, there are high-class Devils that treat their servants as just that; servants. I can't speak on behalf of other houses, but both the Gremory and Sitri houses have long histories of treating their servants as friends and even family members. It is a custom that both Rias and I plan to continue." Rias nodded in reinforcement with a confident smile.
"And regardless of who reincarnates you, you're granted amnesty and get full protection of that King," the redhead added. "At that point, an attack on you is an attack on them. You essentially get a brand new life."
"How do I get out from that? Being a peerage member, I mean."
"Technically, you don't," Sona denied. "You're a part of the King's peerage forever, even if you become a high-class Devil and a King of your own.
"The only other way is to become a Stray Devil, which is not a sensible choice at all. Strays are reincarnated Devils that have gone rogue and fled from their masters. Without the King to regulate the power of the Evil Piece bound to their soul, Strays usually go insane and become monsters. They're hunted down and either captured or killed to prevent any further damage they might do."
'That's either a major design flaw or an intentional feature to discourage rebellion.'
"Good to know. And how does someone make becoming high-class happen?"
"There are a number of ways to qualify. Among them are contract work, performance in Rating Games and, in times of war or crises, military accomplishments. Once you reach a certain level of power or perform admirably, you can qualify for a promotion. Then you have to pass a series of tests, both written and practical, to ensure that you are truly ready to rise in the rankings.
"Once you're promoted to a high-class Devil, you are granted an Evil Piece set with which you can use to reincarnate others and build your own peerage."
"And the best part about that is that if you have a bunch of girls in your peerage, you can make your own harem, too!" Issei cut in, earning a pointed look from Rias.
"Issei."
"Um… I… Sorry, Buchou. I'm sorry, Kaichou."
"Sorry about that, Lochlainn-kun," Rias apologized, a little flustered.
"Don't worry, it's fine," he said, attempting to subdue the awkward atmosphere. "No offense to Issei, but I'd be more surprised if that were true and he didn't say anything about it." Rias' shoulders relaxed and Akeno lightly giggled.
"It is possible, but it's up to the Devil in question to go through with that."
"I see."
"Any other questions or concerns?"
"No, I think that'll do."
"Alright." Rias said expectantly. "So, Connor-kun, I would like to extend a formal invitation into my peerage. Do you accept?"
"I also offer a place in my own peerage, Lochlainn-san." Sona declared, not to be outdone.
Connor leaned back in the chair and looked between the two. For a while, the only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the clock on the office wall.
Finally, he spoke. "Will you respect my decision?"
Rias blinked, caught off guard by the question. "What? Oh, yes."
"Yes, of course," Sona answered, already suspecting the outcome.
"My answer is 'no thank you,' to both of your offers."
All the girls in the room were equally disappointed, but Reya didn't conceal it as well. While Rias was slightly shocked and frustrated by this, Issei was looking at Connor as if he had just sprouted a second head.
"I will not join either of your peerages. From my perspective, what you offer for becoming a Devil doesn't appeal to me. Long life? Wealth? Both are nice to have, but they're not exactly what I'm trying to do with my life. And servants? A harem? I do not want nor need that kind of attention. It sounds good on paper, but when you really think about it, it's not. Not when your subjects and spouses end up fighting and killing each other because it's impossible to manage them all without playing favorites. By the end of the day, it's not worth it. So, my apologies, but I simply have no interest."
'Even before getting to all that, I'm considered a slave. I like my freedom, thank you.'
He had made his choice before the subject even came up. Hearing about Devils directly from the source merely satisfied what curiosity he had of them, but he had no intention of pawning off his soul to anyone. With how they had explained reincarnation, 'Faustian Bargain' was a perfect summary, considering the old tale behind the term.
"If that is your answer, then I shall keep my word and respect it." Sona responded. "But Lochlainn-san, it goes without saying that this conference never left this room."
"Obviously. I would have nothing to gain from divulging your secrets to the public, anyway. If anything, I'm the one that would get alienated for spreading 'lies' about you. I won't say anything about or threaten what you're doing here. I simply ask that you please leave me to my own affairs."
"And what about the nun in your care?" Rias asked rather harshly.
"Asia? What about her?"
"She is a member of the Church. That makes her an enemy to us."
"She's a former member of the Church, Miss Gremory. They kicked her out over doing the job they demanded of her on someone they didn't approve of. Moreover, that poor girl couldn't bring herself to kill a bug if it bit her, much less hurt any of you. You have absolutely nothing to fear from her. You can ask Issei here, he'll tell you the same."
"I know. He and I have already discussed this," Rias remarked. For his part, Issei seemed especially sheepish. "Even so, I find that hard to believe."
"I can tell that you won't be dissuaded from thinking that. You can believe what you want about Asia, but it doesn't make what I've said about her any less true."
"Are you calling me a liar?" the redheaded Devil bristled.
Ever so slightly, a crease began to form in the magus' brow.
A tense air formed as both parties stared the other down. Issei and Reya glanced nervously between the two while Sona's gaze fixed on Rias. Connor lightly squeezed the stones in his left hand, having kept them hidden for the duration of the meeting.
"Now, now, let's not get hostile," Akeno intervened. "We were doing so well earlier."
"Yeah…" Connor looked to Sona, figuring it would best to leave before the first shots were fired. "I'm sorry, but I've got to get back before too long. May I be excused, Kaichou?"
"Yes, you may. Thank you for your time."
Connor stood up and gave a polite bow to Sona then Rias before turning to the door.
"By the way, Lochlainn-san," Sona stopped him, "I understand that you still haven't joined a club."
"Oh. Yeah, I've been looking. Just can't make up my mind."
"I would rather not have to force you to join one, but if you would be so kind as to make a decision by the end of the week, I would appreciate it."
"Is that an order from Souna Shitori, the Student Council President, or a demand from Sona Sitri, the next in line to the Sitri household?"
"Neither. It's a request."
He smiled at that.
"That's a good answer," he said with a nod. "Yeah, I'll let you know by the end of the week."
Upon closing the door behind him as he left the office, he sighed.
Who was he kidding? His plan wasn't going to work, and it was a bad idea from the start. Getting a nun into a Devil-dominated school would be like spitting into the wind and hoping you didn't hit yourself. If Rias' attitude was any indication, Asia would either be persecuted for her past or hounded for her Sacred Gear and eventually conned into becoming a Devil. Even if she would gain 'protection,' he doubted that was a path that Asia wanted to go down.
He had thought about bringing up the circumstances behind Asia's exile to Rias and Sona, but decided against it when he figured that they would have no reason to believe him, and he had no way to prove his claim other than Asia herself. Even if he mentioned their relations to the Satans as a means to coerce them, blackmailing someone only worked if you had the means to follow through with a threat. Plus, it would only complicate further interactions with them.
What they did was no business of his, as long as they didn't make the effort to get him or Asia involved.
But with Asia in his care, that wouldn't be the case for long. He still had the issue of this stalker Devil to deal with. Best case scenario was that he could catch the guy in the act, but he wasn't terribly optimistic of that happening. The cretin would be ready to bolt if things wouldn't go his way.
He could hear someone arguing from beyond the door, and guessed it to be involving Rias. He didn't recall ever speaking to her before, so what was it that had her so bothered? Her mood had gone from suspicious to hopeful to angry, all in one conversation. She would be trouble, even if all the other Devils heeded his request.
Checking his phone, he saw that he still had two hours before his next meeting. He would have to make an early dinner for Asia, then speed walk to the meeting and back in order to make sure Asia was all set for the night. His apology shopping trip was going to have to wait.
Still in the office, all was quiet for the first few seconds. Most of the occupants looked between each other while Rias glared down at the desk in front of her, repeatedly clenching her fists. Sona had a feeling of what was coming.
"We can't trust him."
"Rias–" Sona started, only to be cut off.
"No, Sona! He led us on! He made it seem like he was interested, but he just threw it all back in our faces! Just because he's cozy with you doesn't mean that I-"
"Rias, stop it!" Akeno exclaimed, startling Issei.
Rias whipped around, turning her glare at Akeno.
"You're upset about Riser, and it's showing. Now how do you expect Connor-san to stay civil with us if you're about to tear his arms off?"
"Why are you taking his side? You're my Queen!"
"And you're my best friend. I will always be on your side, Buchou, but I don't want you to end up doing something that I know you would regret." Akeno grasped her King's shoulders, forcing her to look her in the eye. "Stop. And breathe. You know I hate seeing you like this, and I know this isn't what you want Ise to see."
That seemed to snap Rias out of her vitriol. She looked around to see Sona and her servants trying to seem as neutral as possible. Issei looked almost fearful at her display, which really drove the metaphorical knife into her gut.
"I'm sorry, Ise. I… I'm sorry you had to see that. Akeno, Ise, come on."
Rias silently showed herself out, head hanging low. Akeno bowed apologetically to Sona and Tsubaki, then followed after her King, with Issei trailing close behind her.
"I wish there was something we could do to help," Reya lamented.
"This is Rias' dilemma, Reya. We cannot interfere, no matter how much we would like to." Sona didn't like the situation either, but lending aid on Rias' behalf would only hurt the both of their Houses politically in the future. The Gremory heiress had to work this problem out on her own.
"Now that we know who he really is, do you still trust him, Reya?" Tsubaki asked.
"Yes, Fukukaichou. I don't think he means us any harm," the Bishop answered with conviction.
"Very well. Kaichou?"
"Learning what we have, I do not trust him completely, but I trust Reya's judge of character," Sona replied. "He's clearly leaving out information, although that does not surprise me. We'll continue monitoring him. If he keeps his word, then there should be no cause for alarm."
"Yes, Kaichou."
A new sense of curiosity welled up inside Sona as she picked up the Knight piece she has shown him. While it was certainly disappointing that he declined her offer, perhaps it could be more interesting this way. She had never even heard of a magus before today, and now her inner scholar wanted to know more. What was magecraft? What kind did he use? What was he thinking while he was examining the piece? And for what reason was he protecting a nun?
She smiled lightly behind her laced hands. Momo wasn't the only one among the Student Council that enjoyed solving puzzles.
Much like on Sunday, Connor met Tobio at the door to Nomura's almost on the mark of 6:00 P.M. They exchanged false greetings and passed by 'Oyaji' on their way in. Unlike the previous meeting, however, instead of sitting at the bar, the two placed themselves at a table by the far wall, away from any prying ears.
"Tell your dog that he needs to work on his method of getting attention. He's worse than a husky."
Tobio chuckled. "He got in your face, didn't he?"
"And stole part of my lunch. From that look, I take it he does it often?"
"Yeah, Jin likes to scare people. He does it all the time back at the Grigori HQ."
"Right," the magus muttered, shaking his head. "So what's happening now?"
"Well, Raynare's Stray exorcists are getting restless." Tobio explained. "One of them just killed a man in his own home last night, and they've apparently been working on their own while they waited for the Fallen to come back. I followed some of them around town this morning, and from what I've gathered, they've brought in a few more people and are now actively hunting for Asia."
"Fantastic," Connor groaned.
"I also heard mention of a 'filthy bloodsucker,' but I didn't know what to make of that. So here's the problem. Azazel-sama doesn't want them causing any more trouble around here and get linked back to the Grigori, but I'm under strict orders to not directly intervene and potentially risk what Raynare did with her stunt. That's what this job is for: I want you to help me find out what they're up to."
Connor could feel the agitation rising, but he did his best not to show it.
"That's a flimsy excuse. You've got enough freedom to move that you can even be here while the rest of your guys are in lockdown. And aren't I still on probation?"
"Yes, but-"
"Then no thanks. I've already got enough on my plate thanks to you people. You can handle it by yourself. And if these Strays really are looking for her right now, then I need to go make some extra preparations. But I appreciate the warning." He stood up and turned, only to find the shadowy dog from before sitting down in his path and staring up at him, silently daring him to move.
Again, the damned thing had snuck up on him! In a back corner of the dining area as they were, nobody else seemed to notice the large dog suddenly appear. One of Tobio's countermeasures, he assumed.
"Just hear me out on all the details before you make a snap decision," Tobio requested.
"Why not just send him?" Connor pointed to the dog. "I'm sure he could root them out in no time."
"Canis Lykaon is an Independent Avatar Sacred Gear. While they can be commanded from afar, they have their own consciousness and instinct, and can act of their own free will. Because of that, Jin is treated as a Grigori agent just as much as I am, and Azazel-sama's orders apply to him, too."
"Wait… Jin?" The dog tilted its head. "He's your Sacred Gear? I thought he was your familiar."
"Surprise," Tobio said flippantly. "Anyway, can we please get back to the matter at hand?"
With a glance to Jin, who didn't move from his spot, Connor took his seat again and took a calming breath.
"So you want me to do some digging? That's it?"
"Yes, anything you can find about what they're planning. With these new arrivals, what we learned from Raynare's interrogation isn't valid anymore, at least as far as they're concerned."
"No chance of extracting a Sacred Gear?"
"I don't think so. The ritual doesn't work without a Fallen Angel present to act as an anchor, and every Fallen has been called back to HQ until the internal investigation is complete. So unless somebody abandoned ship that we don't know about, you should only be dealing with Stray exorcists."
'That's comforting,' Connor thought. Fighting against one Fallen was enough for him.
"And regarding the pay I mentioned," Tobio trailed off, reaching into his coat.
From the inner pocket, the Grigori agent took a chunk of crystal the size of a baseball and set it on the table. Curiously, Connor picked up the chunk to examine it and –with how heavy it sat in his hand– quickly identified it.
Sorcery ore, specifically utilized by magi as a catalyst for gem magecraft. Not exactly hard to come by for any magus, but difficult to find free of impurities. He remembered his father once say that a pure brick of the stuff was more valuable than its weight in gold to the right people. This one was… good, but not perfect either. It looked pretty well preserved, if not for a couple of chips off its surface, likely from being dropped. A pure sample would be hard to scratch or break without the use of magical energy to either alter its physical state or reinforce whatever was cutting and shaping it.
"I have so many questions as to how you got this."
"I couldn't begin to tell you," Tobio replied earnestly. "That's been sitting in the vault for centuries, according to Shemhazai-sama, and Azazel-sama had forgotten that it was even there. He always had his mind on other things, anyway."
"How much of this is there?"
"Seven kilograms in total, the rest is still in the original container." He pointed to the piece in Connor's hand. "You take on this job, and that's your upfront payment. If you come across any exorcists while you're snooping around, you can deal with them however you see fit."
Connor looked down at the ore. He had a number of projects on the back burner that could use sorcery ore in order to speed things up, and seven kilograms would go a long way for most of them. If the rest of it was like this piece, then it would be ready to use with only a little bit of preparatory work. In addition, he could see several ways in which the ore could be used to expand the usefulness of the Bounded Field around the apaato. He would need to anyway, just in case the exorcists passed by in their search for Asia.
Taking the job would mean one more problem to take care of, but his gut was telling him to not pass this up. He wouldn't exactly be going in blind, but with no other means of support, he would need all the resources he could acquire.
"So, are you in?"
Connor looked back up at Tobio, his mind made up.
"Yeah. I'm in. On one condition."
At the same time, a young man dressed in a formal suit stiffly strode the path along the park. His normally handsome features were currently marred by a scowl. He was not in the best of moods, especially after what he just had to endure.
Initially, he'd been delayed by humans and their stupid laws on transportation in this backwater country, but then, he was called back to the Underworld on meetings regarding 'security of the house heirs' for almost two days! That fool Zephyrdor was apparently too incompetent to even do his job as a double agent properly. In no small part due to that, he had to be the one to cover for the both of them regarding the heir of Glasya-Labolas' death, and was now behind schedule in retrieving his beloved!
It was as if the whole world suddenly decided that he couldn't have the girl of his dreams now that she was just within reach! And after all the hassle he went through to set her free!
With a frustrated sigh, he checked his location against the directions he had received from some grubby street vendor. It was such a chore to have to play nice with these pathetic humans.
"Well, at least she couldn't have gone far," he muttered. Given how sheltered she was and how little she must know of Japan, he imagined that she wouldn't last long by herself. With any luck, the Fallens' plan for her had been just as waylaid as he had been, and he could still rescue her from their clutches.
Soon, he would find her.
He couldn't wait to break her.
…
(1): Japanese chicken meatballs
…
There you have it!
The plot thickens, plans are made, and 'He-who-shall-not-be-named' has made his entrance.
I understand any aggravations or restlessness regarding the speed of updates. I really wish that I could churn this story out faster for you all to enjoy, but I'm my own worst critic, and I really don't want to rush a chapter and have it come out looking wonky and disjointed. All I can do is apologize for the wait.
If you would like what you read, leave a favorite, a follow or a review to let me know. Any advice or support that you could give would be greatly appreciated. If you'd like to take a shot at the challenge listed in chapter 1, send me a PM, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
As always, thank you for reading!