"Haaaa"

While Issei sighed, he lay down on his bed tiredly. Today was a very long day. He had a constant headache that wouldn't stop. As he stared at the ceiling with a lost look, he whispered,

"I don't know what to think anymore. This throbbing headache won't let me think properly. Maybe it's because I've been in contact with demons for too long."

As he closed his eyes, he began to think. His power to go back in time was not a sacred gear, he was able to confirm it when they gave him a large amount of information in the club after activating his own. Although there were sacred gears capable of manipulating time to some extent, none could literally bend time and restart the world, that power was like an authority he had over the world. No, it was more like a...

"A curse. It's not a sacred gear, it's not a power that God would give to a human being to help him, it's more like a curse that he imposed on me as punishment."

He didn't understand anything anymore. If God was the one who gave him this curse, what purpose did he do it for? Even now he didn't understand what he did wrong to be given this power. If he could, he would try to get rid of it, after all, if this power is activated every time he dies, in a hypothetical case that he died of old age, would he repeat that death for eternity? Restarting a week before his death and dying again? Of course, he still doesn't know if this power is infinite, so he must stop relying on it, it may have a limit of uses, without a doubt he needs information. A different world opened up before his eyes, one that defies logic. He may find information about his power in that new world, although it was a headache not being able to talk about it with other people.

"It seems there are certain rules. When I spoke to Yuuma about the loops, I had the feeling that nothing would happen. That's why I revealed it, but..."

In the past he tried to ask for help. At the beginning of the loops he tried to cling to other people. He wanted to entrust his power to others so they could help him get out of that eternal despair. But it was useless. He told his friends about how he could go back in time when he died. But at that moment, in a blink of an eye, the world had changed. When he opened his eyes again, he noticed that he was in his bed. The date marked the beginning of the week. He had died.

"Maybe if I say it directly or people come to the conclusion because of my actions, something forces my death and makes me restart. Yuuma at that time was choking on her own blood, I don't think she could come to a logical conclusion in that state."

But why wouldn't they let him talk about it? Why God? No, the person who gave him this power? The being who was watching him didn't let him talk about him.

"I won't get anywhere like this. Besides there's the issue with Souna-sempai and Rias-sempai."

Although he could see that despite being supernatural beings, they were not natural killers like Yuuma. It was really a relief that they were not hostile towards him at all. Since if that had been the case, now he would have to worry about both fallen angels and demons at his academy.

"They told me they would be watching me to prevent anything from happening to me. Although I appreciate it, I feel like they want to win my sympathy so I can join their clan."

Really his distrust towards the supernatural could not be completely extinguished. Although they seemed like normal people, he could not underestimate them. He did once and ended up dying 87 times. No matter how cute and sweet a person may seem, you never know what they are really thinking inside. That's why he wouldn't trust others so easily again..

He must definitely look for a way to kill supernatural beings without depending on artifacts like the light sword that require very specific attributes and situations to be effective.

Although his sacred gear could double his power, it was still useless. After all, zero multiplied by zero is still zero. His humanity was undoubtedly a disadvantage. Rias mentioned this in another attempt to persuade him. For now, he needs to rest, he won't get anywhere like this.

The next day, he left his house as usual, arrived at the academy and entered his classroom, then classes began. Apparently everything was fine, despite everything yesterday, he was able to continue with his normal student life. This was all he was looking for, a peaceful life like this day. Recess came, at that moment someone touched his shoulder, when he turned around he noticed a girl with black hair.

"Hyoudou-kun, the president asked me to find you, she is waiting for you in the library, don't be late."

After saying that, she left the classroom. Wasn't she the vice president of the student council? He didn't remember her name. She was always next to Souna. He definitely needs to start focusing more on remembering people's names or one of these days someone will hate him.

Understanding that he should go there, he prepared to leave. It's not like it was something he wasn't expecting.

"Hyoudou-kun, it seems that Tsubaki delivered my message to you. I'm glad that this time you didn't leave. She was looking for you for almost all of yesterday's recess, you know?"

So that happened. Souna had sent Tsubaki yesterday to look for him, not finding him in his classroom she started looking for him all over the academy.

"I see, I owe her an apology for that. Where is she? She's always by your side."

As he sat down in front of her, he asked her that question. He looked around the library but didn't see her. It was strange to him that she wasn't with Souna.

"I ordered her to just deliver the message to you. I wanted to talk to you alone."

Did she order her?

"Is she your servant? Now that I think about it, what position do both you and Rias-sempai occupy in the supernatural world?"

Although they talked about several topics yesterday, they focused in depth on the sacred gears. Rias only told him that her family was very influential, but that's it.

"Before that Hyoudou-kun, would you like a game?"

As she put a chessboard in the middle of the table she asked him that question.

"Chess? I'm sorry, I've never played before. I only know the rules."

As he looked at the chessboard that came out of practically nowhere he answered her that.

"Is that so? I'll treat you as gently as possible then."

As she said that, she started the game. While they were playing he noticed some looks from certain people in the library. Some curious people stayed watching from afar. Although it was normal. He was very well known in the academy as the perverted beast and Souna was the president of the student council. This combination was incompatible.

"Ignore them, focus on the game."

As he got distracted looking around, she told him not to worry.

"Hyoudou-kun, about the question you asked me earlier about our position in the underworld."

As she moved a piece she started talking.

"Although I can't give too many details, we could say that we are both heirs of very influential clans in the underworld."

Issei sharpened his eyes. He had already lost two pawns without having started the game well yet. He was undoubtedly very bad at this game.

"So that's it. It must be a huge stress."

As he began to get frustrated by being at such a disadvantage, Souna began to show a small smile.

"Yes, it's a huge burden. We must show at all times that we have the capacity to lead. Although of course we are not the only ones with a burden on our shoulders."

As they continued playing Issei noticed that little by little his moves were improving which was something positive.

"Can I ask you something Hyoudou-kun?"

As he was slowly adapting to the game Souna asked him that question.

"Sure what's up?"

After saying that, Souna continued speaking,

"Why have you changed so much? Even your gaze is different, no, it's as if you were a completely different person from the last time I saw you. Was it such a traumatic event to meet that fallen angel?"

As Issei stopped his arm with which he was going to move his piece, she asked him that question. So she noticed, even his two closest friends couldn't notice the difference in his acting, although he's not a great actor either, his mother sometimes asked him if he was okay, since she knew something was wrong with him. It was normal for someone who knew him once before entering that loop to notice the change.

"Yes, you're right. Being in constant danger was really stressful. During the past week there wasn't a moment when I didn't think, what if I failed by at least a millimeter in stabbing her in the heart? Eliminating a life never crossed my mind either, let alone the life of a girl, even if she was a fallen angel."

As he said that, he noticed that the president's hand stopped for a moment, then slowly moved to take his last pawn. Damn it, she was really good at this.

"I understand Hyoudou-kun. I think I can understand why you don't want to join any clan. Things like life or death, you don't want to think about that again."

Issei was surprised, she definitely hit the nail on the head. That made him look her in the eyes.

"I'll tell you this just once Hyoudou-kun. Rias feels guilty that you had to go through that experience. Just like me, we will support you so that you don't have to go through that again."

That's what she wanted to get at. Issei looked at the board. Even a beginner like him knew he was about to lose the game. Although he didn't care, he felt that most of the words Souna said were to make him feel empathy. He had generated a notable rejection of the supernatural and his level of distrust was very high towards other people. That's why he felt the previous conversation as an attempt to make him feel understood and thus lower his guard so that he would accept becoming a servant of either of them.

"Your gaze became extremely annoying all of a sudden."

As Souna looked at him with an annoyed face, she suddenly ended with his tower.

"Do you know what evil pieces are, Hyodou-kun?"

Evil pieces, he had never heard that term before.

"No, I don't know."

He was in check. The game was almost won.

"I'll simplify it for you. Evil pieces are chess-based pieces given to the upper class of the underworld. They serve to reincarnate other species into demons and thus make them their servants. That was the method Rias wanted to use on you."

He understood now. So that's what it was. It's very interesting information.

"If it's based on chess, does that mean both Rias-sempai and Souna-sempai are kings?"

"Yes, you're right. Although it's not their only peculiarity. I said it before, it serves to reincarnate other species. In other words, it can bring them back to life even after they die."

At that moment Issei stopped his arm. He was in checkmate. He had lost.

"I'll say it again. Rias is not someone you should distrust. If she really were a bad person she wouldn't try to protect you, she would let you die to reincarnate you as a demon against your will. Keep that in mind."

As the game ended she told him those words. After sighing a little she continued,

"I understand your circumstances but don't let that blind you into distrusting everything. That will eventually turn against you. We need to work together; there must not be any distrust between us or you will undoubtedly end up dying."

As she said this she looked at the clock on the library wall.

"Recess is almost over."

As she said those words she got up from her seat to leave although Issei grabbed her arm.

"W-what's up?"

As she looked at him in surprise, he asked her that,

"You, can the evil pieces bring people back to life, even after their soul leaves their body? If that's true, if I had died with the fallen angel, would Rias-sempai have revived me and turned me into a demon?"

Issei was surprised to hear that, if that was true then...

"Y-yes, the probability is very high. Even I would have come to make you my servant. Why do you ask?"

As she asked that question, several people in the library were surprised to see Issei grabbing the arm of the student council president. That would undoubtedly play against him if there were rumors but he didn't care.

"N-nothing, I'm grateful they thought of doing that. Sorry for surprising you."

As he stuttered that, after fixing her uniform, the president left the library. The bell rang, but Issei stayed seated in the same place.

"That's really a relief."

As he said that, he started walking back to his classroom. He had two hypotheses about his power. The first one was simple. That his ability would rewind time just at the moment he lost his life. That was the best case scenario. The second hypothesis was that his ability would transfer his soul to another timeline just a week before he died.

"Although I can't say that those evil pieces are as powerful as to bring a soul from another timeline, now the first hypothesis seems more probable than the second."

Yes, that was undoubtedly the best thing. If the world continued even after his death, he couldn't bear the idea of Yuuma still being alive in some timeline, laughing like an idiot about how she killed him. That definitely took a weight off his shoulders. As he walked he remembered what the president told him.

"So she noticed my look of distrust towards everyone in the club. Now I understand why she quoted me."

He wouldn't fully trust them yet, after all, trust is a poison, he can't take too much of it because he will eventually die if he does, for the moment he will only take a sip and leave things to them for now.

N/T: If there is any error let me know.