Okay, I did not intend for this chapter to be this long, but there was quite a bit to go through. There are a couple of characters I originally wasn't planning to introduce so soon, but I decided to introduce them earlier and set things up for later. I'll be honest, I've never written a chapter this long before and I expect there to be chapters in the future that are much longer. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!
Due to the intense early morning training with his brother, Luke was spending his lunch break with his head on his desk.
Kill me now…
Training had left Luke completely exhausted when it finished and he had to go to school immediately after that. At the very least his new Devil body was starting to get used to the sunlight and Seth told him the more training he did, the less exhausted he would be afterward. He also had to meet with the Occult Research Club after school to begin his Devil work, which he had to skip the night before to tell Seth about what had happened to him the last few days. Luke's eyes were slowly getting heavier, and he closed his eyes, ready to get even the smallest bit of rest…
"Finally found youuuuuuu!" A voice musically spoke up as Luke could feel a finger poking his head.
Luke lifted up his head and saw a young woman with long, flowing violet hair, crystal blue eyes, and a bright smile on her face that could be called infectious.
"Melody?! You go to this school, too?!" Luke exclaimed.
This young woman was Seth's younger half-sister, Melody Morag (Age 16). They have only met a few times, but Luke could never forget her. She was the daughter of Seth's father and stepmother who would always want to play with him when she was over.
"My father is good friends with the school's administrator." Melody answered. "I've been trying to find you the last few days so I could welcome you to Kuoh Academy."
"How'd you know I'd be here?"
"I heard a rumor about a first-year boy in a certain class, and I had a hunch it was about you."
"What… rumor is that?"
"Oh, don't you worry about it." She grimaced like she was trying to hold something back.
I don't like the sound of that… Luke thought before asking. "Can-can I ask you something?"
"Sure, anything!"
Luke leaned in and whispered so no one else could hear. "Are you a Devil, too?"
Melody didn't say anything for several seconds before, without warning, grabbed Luke by his wrist, and pulled him with her as she walked off. He had a feeling she was going to give him an answer after going to a place where people wouldn't listen. She pulled out her phone and started typing out a text message before sending it. About a minute later they enter a supply closet, and she closes the door.
"Did Seth finally tell you?" She asked before turning back to face him.
"He told me his father was a Devil and since he's your father as well, I deduced that you must be one as well." Luke replied.
"… Yes, it's true…" Melody confessed with her face down. "I am a Devil… You finally know about us…" She then lifts her face up to show stars in her eyes and an expression of utter glee. "Which means I can finally add you to my peerage!"
"W… what?" Luke could only stare at her in bemusement.
"I've wanted you in my peerage ever since I got my Evil Pieces, but Seth said 'No, I don't want him near our world'." When she quoted Seth, her voice completely changed to sound exactly like his. It didn't sound like she was impersonating his voice, it sounded like Seth's voice was coming right out of her mouth.
"H-h… how-?" Luke was about to ask how Melody could completely replicate Seth's voice perfectly despite their voices being nowhere near identical.
"Hold on, I want someone to see this! He's on his way now!" She jumped in place like a little kid waiting to open Christmas presents.
The door opens up and a young man with spiky brown hair entered the supply closet. He looked like he was excited just a moment ago, only for an expression of disappointment and confusion just as he opened the door.
"You… wanted me to come here?" The boy asked.
"Perfect timing, Issei!" Melody exclaimed as she closed the door again. "Say 'hello' to your new teammate, Luke Sigmund! He's my brother's brother, but not my brother."
"Huh?" The boy named Issei just looks at her in exasperation. "You asked me all the way here for that? I thought you wanted to do something naughty in here!"
"Let's see…" Melody was sifting through what looked like a few chess pieces, not hearing a single word anyone said.
Who is this guy and what is your relationship with him if he thinks you want to do dirty things? Luke just stared at the two in confusion.
"I think the Bishop would be perfect for you! Consider yourself lucky! This is my last one!" Melody takes one of the chess pieces and holds it up to Luke, but nothing happened. "Hm? Hold on… Someone already used an Evil Piece on you. When did you become a Devil?"
"What the hell is an Evil Piece?!" Luke asked loudly, though not so loud that people outside the closet can hear him. "What's a peerage? What's a Bishop? Who is this guy? And why does he think you want to have sex with him here?"
"To answer those last two questions, this is Issei Hyoudou." Melody responded. "He's a member of my peerage and a pervert who has a habit of jumping to erotic conclusions."
That name rang something of a bell to Luke.
"Hold on…" Luke said. "Isn't he one of the Perverted Trio that's infamous in our school?"
"You have quite a reputation, too, ya know?" Issei pointed his finger at Luke.
"I… do?" Luke pointed at himself quizzically.
"Yeah… It was, uh…" Issei scratched his cheek trying to remember something. "Oh! You're Bokkiko!"
Melody struggled to stifle her laughter and Luke pressed his head against the wall in dejection.
So, for all intents and purposes… people are calling me 'Boner Boy'. Luke thought. Sure, they keep quiet about a teacher nearly having sex with her student in front of the entire class, but THIS spreads like wildfire?!
"Who's your Master?" Melody asked in an attempt to change the subject.
"Rias Gremory…" Luke answered in an unenthusiastic tone.
"You're Master is one of the Two Great Ladies of Kuoh?!" Issei exclaimed. "You lucky bastard!"
"Not so loud, Issei!" Melody raised her index finger to signal him to quiet down before turning back to Luke. "How did you become a Devil anyway?"
"… It… It's a long story…" Luke declined to answer.
Melody took out her phone and checked the time. "We don't have a lot of time before lunch ends. I really wanted you to become my servant, but at the very least you're a Gremory servant. The Gremory family is well-known for being loving of their servants."
"Th-that's good to hear." Luke said as he finally turned back to the two.
"I'm sure she'll answer any questions you have." Melody smiled. "See you later. Come Issei."
Melody waved at Luke as she left the room, Issei following behind her.
After school, Seth went to the park for a relaxing stroll.
I may have been a little too hard on Luke this morning. Seth thought. He still has homework to do and then his club activities. I should just leave him be for the rest of the day.
"Look out!"
Seth turned around and saw a man on a bike approaching and a young woman stepping out of the way. The girl's momentum made her fall over the guardrail separating the asphalt path from the pond. Seth immediately jumped over the rail, ran to the girl, and caught her in his arms before she fell in the pond. The girl instinctively had her eyes closed, thinking she hit the water, but opened them and was clearly surprised that someone caught her. Now that Seth got a closer look at the girl, he noticed her short, light brown hair, pink eyes, delicate face, and a figure that is the exact middle ground between and small and curvaceous. She was also wearing a white haori and red hakama, so Seth surmised that she was a shrine maiden. The girl just stared at him, so Seth decided to speak up first.
"Are you okay?" Seth asked.
"Y… yeah…" The girl replied, still a little shaken. "I just… wasn't expecting to be swept off my feet so soon after I left the shrine."
Seth realized that he caught her bridal-style, walked up to the guardrail, and placed the girl back on the park path.
"Thank you very much." The girl politely bowed to Seth. "This is my first time at a park. I didn't think it would be so dangerous."
"Parks aren't really dangerous… during the day, anyway." Seth stated. "You just need to pay attention. I hope you don't do this on the streets."
"Oh no, I've seen people ride cars. I've even seen a few accidents." The girl said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Why are you saying something so grim in that tone?" Seth questioned out of exasperation. "You talk like you've never been outside your house, er… shrine."
"That's because I haven't."
"Really?"
"I finally decided to explore the town outside the shrine today and it's already become an adventure."
This lady's… a little odd. Seth thought.
"Thanks again. I should be heading back home now."
"Do you remember the way back?"
The girl looked around for a few seconds and lowered her head in dejection. "… I do not. I'm sorry, but could I ask you to accompany me?"
"Well, I can't leave you to aimlessly wander by yourself." Seth jumped over the guardrail.
"My name is Hana Sakuya (Age 17). May I ask yours?"
"Seth Sigmund."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sigmund-san."
Seth had a feeling which shrine she was talking about, so he walked alongside the unusual Hana until they arrived at the entrance to the shrine at sunset.
"This is the place, right?" Seth asked to be sure.
"Yes, thank you, Sigmund-san." Hana answered. "I hope we can see each other again."
Seth watched as Hana went up the stairs leading up a tall hill. He couldn't get any closer due to the shrine being a holy place and him being a Devil. Now that he was sure she wouldn't get herself hurt again, he left for home.
It was now evening, and Luke met up with the Occult Research Club so he could start participating in their activities.
"Luke, today is the day you start your Devil jobs." Rias said.
Luke had no idea what that meant, but he knew he would have to do these jobs, whatever they entailed.
"Your first task…" Rias pulled out a leaflet similar to the one Luke used to summon her the other day. "Is to deliver these to the locations on the map."
Rias also hands Luke a smartphone showing a map with a bunch of red dots on them.
"When you're done, come back here. This is usually something I have my familiars do, but I want you to get an idea of what Devils do from the beginning."
"Straightforward enough." Luke said. "Anything else I need to know before I head off?"
"No, that's it." Rias replied. "I know it seems monotonous, but it might pay off one day."
"Hm, h-how so?"
"Devil society is divided into different classes. I am a High-Class Devil. One's status largely depends on birth and upbringing. However, some Devils have been able to rise through the ranks. Everyone starts as a novice."
"Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you about Evil Pieces and peerages."
"Sounds like you've done your homework. I'm impressed."
Luke blushed at the compliment. Not really, I just heard those terms from Melody earlier today, but I'll take the compliment.
"I'll go over Evil Pieces another day. A peerage is a group of servants. Everyone in the Occult Research Club, including you, is a member of my peerage. Servants can be former humans like you, but sometimes Devils will recruit strange beings and creatures to their peerage as well."
"S-so, we're basically grunts?"
"Some Devils might think of you like that, but there's a reason this system is in place. Most pure-blooded Devils perished during the war, so they have been desperate to gather servants. Devils don't have the strength or influence they once had, but we need to increase our numbers. While Devils can breed like humans, the low birth rate means it would take eons to replenish our numbers to the point where we can stand up against the Fallen Angels. That is why we find anyone with potential and make them our servants."
"And you made me your servant because of my potential? Then I am a just a grunt." Luke became a little depressed at the information.
"Don't be like that. I made you my servant to fulfill your wish. And it's not that bad. This conversion method only increases the number of servants, not the number of High-Class Devils. So, the Devils decided to give reincarnated Devils, usually those who were once human, a chance to rise through the ranks and be granted a noble title and rank. It takes a lot of time and effort, but because of that, there are many Devils in human society. There are also numerous Devils like myself that you might have walked past without even knowing."
That's a little creepy in hindsight.
"Though there are humans who are able to distinguish which ones are Devils, others cannot. Those with strong desires or seeking help from Devils can better sense our presence. They're the ones who usually summon us, primarily with those leaflets we hand out. Then there are those like you, who can sense our presence but reject our existence until proven otherwise."
And my strong desire to live is what allowed me to summon Rias. "So, what you're saying is if I prove myself worthy, I can become a High-Class Devil and get a peerage of my own?"
"Of course. You might even become popular with the ladies."
Those words made something click in Luke's brain.
"… H-hey?"
"Yes?"
Luke was struggling to get the words out and remained quiet.
"Is something wrong?" Rias asked.
"W… what I'm try-trying to say… is…" Luke stuttered with a pink flush on his cheeks and darted his eyes away from Rias. "This… might sound… ridicul-ridiculous… to a Devil… b-b-but… I kind… kind of… w-w-want to-to make-ke… g-girls happy… I-I'm not talking about s-sex! I'm j-just talking… g-generally."
"If that's your desire, I don't see why not."
Luke looked at Rias in surprise. "Y-you're not laughing?"
"There are definitely pure-blooded noble Devils who would, but there are also plenty of us who respect our servants' desires."
"Then I'll be sure to do my best to become a High-Class Devil!" Luke stood up straight, confident and with his fist on his chest.
"Go get 'em, Bokkiko." Another voice made a snide remark.
Luke looked around to see who said that. Yuuto and Akeno looked like they were trying their best to avoid giggling, Fumiko's face was completely red and buried in her hands, and Koneko just ate sweets nonchalantly. Luke was sure who said it.
"Before you leave, there's something I should tell you." Rias said. "Stay away from churches and shrines. Just stepping into one can cause a rift between Devils and God and you will be killed on the spot. Angels and exorcists are trained to kill Devils and their weapons will completely vaporize you. Nothing will be left. If you come across one, run away."
"Well, I certainly don't want to die again. Thank you very much, Rias-senpai."
"No, you'll have to call me 'President'. 'Buchou' is also fine."
"V-very well then, P-President!"
Over the next few days, Luke spent his evenings delivering leaflets to people's mailboxes. Thankfully, Seth knew he was going to be busy, so he just had to let him know when he got home. He thought he would be sleep-deprived from staying up late due to his Devil jobs, but his enhanced stamina meant he didn't need as much sleep. Luke asked Seth if he has a peerage and he said 'yes'. His peerage includes Annabelle, Alastair and one other person who was away right now. After several delivery runs, Luke is called to the clubroom in the old school building.
"It's Luke. I'm coming in."
Luke opened the door and entered the dark room, the blinds covering the windows so no light could peer through. The only sources of light in the room were from the candles spread across the floor where the strange circle was. He recently learned that the symbol on the circle was that of the House of Gremory.
"So, you've come." Rias said.
This is ominous! Luke thought.
Rias gestured to Akeno.
"Yes, Buchou. Luke-kun, please come to the center of this circle." Akeno motioned for Luke to come over.
Luke follows Akeno's direction and walks to the center of the magic circle.
"Congratulations, Luke." Rias smiled. "You've completed your task of delivering leaflets. Now I'll have you do official Devil work."
"So, I'm going to make pacts?" Luke inquired.
"Yes, though this is your first one, so it will be a small wish." Rias stated. "Koneko received two contracts, but it's hard to do both, so I gave one of them to you."
"… Thank you very much." Koneko nodded.
"Uh, d-don't mention it." Luke became a bit bashful.
As the other members stood outside the circle, Akeno entered and started casting something. The circle started glowing blue and white lights. Luke looked to Rias, and she motioned her hand so he could be quiet.
"Akeno is inserting your carved seal into the magic circle. Now, put out your hand."
Luke moves his right hand toward Rias, and she starts tracing her fingers on his palms, prompting him to blush from getting touched by a girl like that. Then his palm starts glowing the same-colored lights as the magic circle on the floor and the Gremory symbol appeared on it.
"This allows you to transport to the client's instantly through teleportation magic, and when the contract is complete, it lets you return to this room." Rias explained. "Akeno, are you ready?"
"Yes, Buchou." Akeno answered before stepping out of the magic circle.
"Luke, stand in the middle." Rias ordered.
Luke did as she said and stood in the middle of the symbol, which began to glow brighter. He could feel the magic power coursing through him.
"The magic circle is responding to the client." Rias said. "You'll be teleported there immediately. You know what to do when you get there, right?"
"Y-yes!" Luke nodded.
"Good answer." Rias smirked upon hearing him.
Luke was completely enveloped in the light.
The light died down and Luke found himself in a place that definitely wasn't the clubroom. He looked around and he appeared to be in a clean and tidy room with a skinny, unhealthy-looking man with a confused look on his face.
Oh, damn! How should I greet him? Luke thought. You know what? Just keep it simple. "Uh, hi, I'm a new Devil. W-what is it you desire?"
"Who are you?!" The man asked in a clearly irritated tone. "Koneko-chan was the one I called!"
"She's busy with another client, so they sent me in her stead. I'm sorry."
"So, it's not Koneko-chan…" The man whimpered.
Luke and the client, Morisawa, spent the next few minutes clearing things up. He told Luke how he has a government job and wanted to get in touch with other people, so he summoned Devils from the leaflets and Koneko happened to be the first one. For him, it was love at first sight, the first Devil he made a contract with, and he's been summoning her ever since.
I'm not that surprised Koneko is popular among clients. Everyone at school considers her a mascot. She is really cute… Too bad that cuteness hides a tongue sharper than any sword.
"I wished for a cute Devil when I used the leaflet…" Morisawa moaned.
"I-If it helps, my maid calls me cute all the time." Luke tried to lighten up the mood.
"Garbage! If I had a silver sword, I'd stab you with it."
Don't stab the messenger! "By the way, what did you want Koneko to do after you summoned her?" I'm probably going to regret asking that.
"I wanted her to wear this."
Morisawa went to the corner of the room and pulled out a school uniform that looked familiar to Luke.
"Isn't that the uniform from Haruhi Suzumiya?" Luke asked.
"Yes! It's Yuki Nagato's uniform! Devil-kun, do you like Nagato as well?"
"Hm, she's cute, but I prefer Mikuru Asahina."
"Your reason?"
"Well, she's sweet, shy, and pretty." … I think I just described Fumiko…
"So, you love large breasts?"
"I didn't say anything about breasts… but I do like them big." Luke admitted with a bit of a blush.
Morisawa smirked with a dirty face. "You don't want to fully admit it, but I can tell you have a genuine love of breasts, just like me. Although, I prefer small-breasted girls."
Damn it, he's right. I can't fully admit it out loud.
"Don't you think Koneko-chan reminds you of Yuki Nagato? Though she is shorter."
"Now that you mention it, yeah, the resemblance is eerie… Except for the alien part."
"That's why I wanted her to wear this. I really wanted to see her in it!" Morisawa began crying of regret, but then tried to calm down. "Well, never mind that. So, what's your special skill?"
"'Special skill'?"
"You're a Devil, so you must be good at something. Koneko-chan has super-strength. She carried me like a princess."
Luke had a hard time believing that the small Koneko was actually capable of lifting Morisawa up in such a way. He surmised that there were only two ways she could accomplish that; either she used her Devil powers to enhance her strength or Morisawa was just that light.
"Hmmm…" Luke had his hand on his chin as he pondered his skillsets. "I can cook and clean. Oh, I also have a sword that can slay dragons." Honestly, I have no idea what it does.
"Go kill yourself!"
"Will you stop that?!"
Luke held out his hand and imagined the same thing he thought of when he first activated his Sacred Gear. The same sapphire-scale sword reappeared in his hand, leaving Morisawa in joyful tears as he quickly grabs Volume 1 of Berserk off of the shelf.
"You must be some kind of powerful warrior!"
Oh… I wish…
The two of them spent the next two hours talking about manga. Despite the massive age gap between them, the two had already become friends.
"Okay, maybe I should make a contract with you as well?" Morisawa requested.
"Yes, thank you."
"It might be a common request, but can I wish to become rich?"
That does seem like a pretty common one, but for good reason. "Let me check the price." Luke turned on a portable device for Devils to easily calculate the cost of a wish. He input the wish and made a displeased expression upon seeing the result. "Um, yeah, I don't think you should do that. In your case, the price is your life. You'd die."
"Die?!"
"Yeah, Devils say that 'people's values aren't equal'. I'm sorry, but if you wish to become rich, then you would have to die."
"Well, if I make that wish, where will I die?"
"It says you'll die as soon as money starts falling from the sky. You wouldn't even have the chance to touch it."
"Dah! I can't even smack you in the face with that money?!"
"I don't want filthy bills touching my face!" I should probably be more upset that he wants to smack me with it than the germs from people's fingers. Still, I feel bad for him.
"Th-then how about a harem? How about wishing for lots of girls?"
I bet that's pretty common among male clients. Luke input the new wish and the result gave him the exact same reaction as the previous one. "It says you would die as soon as the ladies come into your sight."
"I'm going to die just seeing them?!"
"No, you're going to die as soon as they enter your sight. You won't even see if they're beautiful or not."
The adult Morisawa started crying. "So, I'm basically worthless… I can only say I'm sorry for being born…"
Luke just stared at the man wallowing in despair. He had no idea what to say to him, so he started inputting another wish on the device.
"For a couple volumes of manga, I can cook for you. We can talk about Dragon Ball until I'm done."
Morisawa nods while crying.
The next day after school, Seth decided to take a walk through the town square.
"Sigmund-san?"
Seth turned to the source of the voice and saw Hana in the same haori and hakama as the other day.
"Hana?"
"I didn't think I would get to see you again." Hana smiled.
"I could say the same thing. Did you get lost again?"
"No, I remember which turns I took this time so I can retrace my steps properly."
Seth looked at her as if he didn't believe her.
"I wanted to go into a restaurant and go to a shop. Would you mind joining me?"
"So, you don't get lost again?"
Hana pouted at his snarky question. "No, I just want to spend time with you."
"Do you have money?"
"Yes, I told one of my caretakers and she gave me some money before I left."
"Don't worry about it. It'll be my treat today."
"Your… 'treat'?"
"You don't know what that means?" How little are her caretakers teaching her?! "It means you don't have to pay because I'll pay for you."
"Oh, Sigmund-san, you don't need to do that for me."
"It wouldn't feel right if you did. Men are supposed to be ones to pay for women."
"W… well… Okay."
"Which place do you want to try?"
Seth and Hana started to walk together.
Luke just sat across from Rias, whom had an expression that was hard to describe. She seemed like she was probably angry with a hint of confusion, along with something else that the others couldn't quite put their finger on.
"Well, this is new." Kiba said to break the silence.
"Luke?"
"Y-y-yes?" Luke was incredibly anxious and broke out in a cold sweat. Oh, she's pissed, isn't she?! Am I going to be kicked out?!
"Did you make the wish for your client?" Rias asked sternly.
"I wasn't supposed to do that, was I?" Luke responded with a bit of a squeak in his voice.
Rias sighed and placed her hand against her forehead. "It's not something you should make a habit of doing, but it was your first time and given the circumstances, I'll let it slide."
Luke let out a huge sigh of relief.
"After the contract, we ask the client to fill out the questionnaire on the summoning leaflet for feedback." Rias pulled out a leaflet and read it aloud. "'It was fun. I'd like to meet Luke-kun again. His cooking was delicious.'"
Luke had a bit of a smile on his face from hearing such a positive response. Looks like those cooking lessons from Anna paid off.
"At the very least, you managed to forge a contract and the client was very satisfied. For us Devils, what's important is that we make contracts with humans who have summoned us, and we receive a price from them. That's how Devil's have lived for a long time."
"Everyone here is summoned for different types of requests. So, what kind of requests will I be doing?"
"Your brother told me you're quite good at household chores, like cooking and cleaning. Your grades are also quite impressive. Unless specifically requested, you will take on cleaning or studying jobs."
At least those are things I'm good at.
"Just remember the basics: You make contracts with the clients, grant their wish, and then receive the price. Okay?"
"Understood!"
A few days later at night, Luke was summoned for another request. After the summoning, he found himself in a dimly lit room of what appeared to be an old Japanese house.
"The summoning worked." A strange voice spoke up.
Luke looked toward the source of the voice and saw someone holding the leaflet between their fingers. Their face was covered by a fox mask and their body was dressed in a dark blue ninja dress and boots, black leg and arm guards and leggings, and sandals. Their long, flowing copper hair was let down and there was some kind of circular amulet with a golden gem in the center around her neck.
A NINJA?! Luke screamed in his head.
"You're a Devil, right?" The ninja asked.
"Mm-hm…" Luke could tell from the ninja's voice and the shape of their body that they were female. A kunoichi?
"Then I want you to grant me one wish."
Luke gulped in fear of what kind of wish she wants. As a ninja, she probably wants him to help assassinate someone. The kunoichi walked up to him and held out the leaflet.
"I wish to know how these summoning leaflets work."
… What?
"My clan doesn't know how to use summoning ninjutsu. I thought if I knew how Devils used their summoning, I could apply similar techniques to ninjutsu."
He had no idea how to react to this. "I… Is-is that all you want?"
"Yes." The kunoichi nodded. "What's your price? If you require an arm or a leg, I am willing to make that sacrifice."
"Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves." Luke hoped it wouldn't come to that as he pulled out the device. "Can I get your name? I need it if I'm going to calculate the price of your wish."
"Kayoko. Kayoko Kita (Age 16)."
Luke put in her name and wish and examined the result. "Good news, the price is to share some knowledge about… 'The Aegis?'." What is this? Isn't that a shield from Greek mythology? Why would a Japanese ninja know anything about that?
Kayoko thought about the price for a few seconds. "… Very well."
Okay… Now I need to figure out how those summoning circles work so I can tell her… "Can I see that leaflet for a moment, please?"
"Of course."
Kayoko hands Luke the leaflet and he examines it. He could sense there was demonic power being channeled through the writing on the paper. Then he remembered what Akeno appeared to be doing during his first summoning.
… I think I have it figured out… He thought before speaking up. "First thing's first, you need to draw a circle. What that circle is depends on what you're summoning."
Kayoko begins carving a small circle with Japanese characters and lines using her kunai. "What's next?"
"The circles on these leaflets are already imbued with magic so they can easily be used by normal people. But desire is what activates that magic. Devils respond to strong desires."
"I think I understand now."
Kayoko placed her right hand on the circle she carved out and began channeling some kind of energy through it. The circle began glowing from that energy and a puff of smoke came out of it. From the smoke appeared a small toad that made a trill.
"It worked!" Kayoko exclaimed in joy.
I can't believe that actually worked! Luke looked at the scene in shock. Everything I said was just guesswork based on observation!
"Thank you, Devil-san!" Kayoko stood up, turned to Luke, and lightly bowed to him in gratitude.
I never thought I'd get to meet a real life kunoichi! I'm a huge fan of lady ninjas!
"Now for my end of the bargain."
Luke readied himself for what she was about to say.
"Thousands of years ago, my ancestors were approached by a smithing god from a faraway land in the west. His name was Hephaestus. He wanted to seal the Aegis, the Shield of Zeus, where no one would think to look, in this very town. All he asked of my ancestors was that they protect this key." Kayoko grasped the amulet around her neck. "This amulet is the only key to unlock the seal on the Aegis."
"If he wanted to seal the Aegis away, why did Hephaestus make a key to break that seal?"
"This amulet is designed to respond to those deemed worthy."
As Kayoko held up the amulet to Luke so he could properly see it, the item started to emit a dim glow.
"Ngh!" Kayoko gasped. "Please hold this for a moment."
She removed the amulet from her neck and placed it in Luke's hand. The amulet was glowing brighter to the point where it was blinding.
"W-w-w-w-w-wait! Is this really happening?!" Luke stammered in surprise.
"I… don't believe it. I never thought a Devil of all people would be deemed worthy."
Luke was in shock about what had just happened, but eventually snapped back to what he was there for.
"A-anyway, the contract has been fulfilled." Luke spoke up. "If you need me or another servant to grant your wish, don't hesitate to call us."
"Wait." Kayoko held out her hand to signal him to hold up. "If we have forged a contract, the very least I can do is reveal my face to you."
Kayoko held up one of the candles in order for her face to be clearly visible and she used her left hand to remove her mask. With the mask removed, her wide amber eyes and soft face were in full view.
SHE'S BEAUUUUUUTIFUUUUUUL!
Luke was in awe at how beautiful Kayoko looked, even in such a poorly lit room with only a single candle to provide light.
"You can take the amulet as well." Kayoko said. "It deemed you worthy, so I think you should have it."
"O-oh! Thank you!" Luke flustered with a very noticeable blush on his face.
He looked at Kayoko's smiling face and it was like an arrow had struck him in the heart.
"I-I-I should g-get g-going!" Luke stammered. "Ah! Th-that's not-t what I m-m-meant!"
"Heheh, it's okay." Kayoko giggled.
That adorable laugh was like another shot to the heart. Luke became enveloped in a bluish glow and had reappeared in the clubroom.
"Ah, Luke, you're back. How did it go?" Rias greeted him upon his return.
"I… I… I… I-it went well." Luke stammered, clearly still flustered from his encounter with Kayoko. "C-c-c-c-contr-tr-tract f-f-f-fulfilled."
"What happened?" Rias got her face really close to Luke so she could check him. "You're shaking. Did you get suddenly get sick?"
Rias's face being so close to his was not helping things.
"I-I think I'll head home now! Sorry!"
Luke panicked and ran out of the clubroom, leaving Rias utterly perplexed.
The next night, Rias had asked Luke to come to the clubroom.
"Have you calmed down?" Rias asked.
"Y-yeah." Luke answered. I can't help but get flustered around pretty girls.
"I heard you're acquainted with Melody?"
"Hm, yes, that's true."
"I heard her new servant escorted a nun to a church. Thankfully, he didn't enter the church and it was an act of kindness, so the Angels didn't harm him. Melody really gave him an earful."
I wonder if it was that Hyoudou guy from the other day…
"Buchou, do you have a minute?" Akeno asked from behind Luke, who didn't even realize she was there until she spoke.
"Is something wrong, Akeno?" Rias asked her.
"The archduke has requested us for a hunt." Akeno stated.
Rias and her peerage were making their way to an abandoned building on the outer part of town. They were requested to hunt for a Stray Devil, a Devil that has betrayed or killed their master. Cases like these were rare, but when they do, they have to be eliminated. It wasn't just Devils tasked with killing them, but Angels and Fallen Angels, too. Luke recalled the Fallen Angel man, Dohnaseek, referred to him as a Stray. This particular Stray Devil had made the building its lair and lured in humans to feed on them. Luke called that last part 'nightmarish', which it was. They all approached the building, its view clear because of their night vision.
"I smell blood…" Koneko covered her nose with her uniform.
I don't smell anything. Luke thought. Does Koneko have a strong sense of smell? And whatever's in there, I can sense its hostility from all the way out here. My brother's been training me for a while now, but I still don't feel ready for this.
Rias stood in front of the group with her hands on her hips and without fear. "Luke, this is a good opportunity to see how we fight. Seth told me he's been training you, but you still don't have any combat experience. So, I just want you to watch and learn. I'll also explain Evil Pieces and servant traits."
"O-okay." Luke nodded.
Rias guided them inside the abandoned building.
"A long time ago, there was a three-way war between the Devil, Fallen Angels and God and his Angel army." Rias explained. "The three factions had massive armies and they fought for almost an eternity. As a result, all three sides lost most of their troops and the war ended several hundred years ago without a victor."
"The Devils were no exception." Yuuto continued. "Powerful Devils with peerages of 20 or 30 servants lost most of their underlings in the war. They lost so many they couldn't even form new armies."
"I heard that most of the pure-blooded Devils died in the war." Akeno continued from there. "Even with the war over, we still had to deal with the Fallen Angel's and God's factions. They lost most of their soldiers as well, but the Devils are still in a position where we need to keep our guard up or else, we'll be in trouble."
"Then, the Devils made a system to form small groups of powerful soldiers instead of large armies and that's the Evil Pieces." Rias resumed. "Devils with a peerage decided to apply traits from the human game chess to their servants. It was also sarcastic since most Devils are reincarnated from humans. Since then, Chess has been a popular game among Devils. Devils who are masters are a King. In our case, that's me. From there, they created five special traits that consist of Queen, Knight, Rook, Bishop and Pawn. This system was created within the past few hundred years and has unexpectedly become popular among Devils with peerages. They started to compete against each other to see whose servants are the strongest. As a result, High-Class Devils started to play games like chess using their servants. We call it the 'Rating Game'. It became very popular amongst Devils to the point where there's even tournaments for it. The strength of their "Pieces" and also how strong they are at the game affects a Devil's and their peerage's social status. There's a thing called "Piece Collect" where they gather humans with talents and make them into their pieces."
So, Devils play chess, too. Luke thought. Except instead of actual pieces, they use their servants.
"I'm not an adult yet, so I can't participate in the official tournament." Rias continued. "Even if I could, there are a lot of conditions I need to meet before I can enter. In short, none of you here will be participating in the game for a while.
That's probably for the best. I think I want more confidence in whatever my abilities are before I would get involved in something like that. "So, President, what piece am I?"
"Luke, you're-" Rias stopped before she could finish.
Luke could feel a chill run down his spine and felt the bloodlust becoming more potent.
"I can smell something disgusting, but also something delicious. Is it sweet? Or sour?" An unsettling voice echoed throughout the building.
"Stray Devil Viser, we're here to eliminate you!" Rias fearlessly declared.
A creepy laughter echoes throughout the place. Then a topless woman appeared from the shadows. Her body seemed to be floating, but as it moved out of the shadows the rest of its body became visible. The lower body was like that of a monster with four large legs with sharp claws and a snake's tail.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! Luke screamed in his head.
"Forsaking your master and going on a rampage is a crime punishable by death!" Rias said loudly. "In the name of the House of Gremory, I will gladly eliminate you!"
"You're cunning for a little girrrrrrrrrrl!" The Stray Devil shrieked. "I'll rip you apart and dye you red just like your haaaaaaair!"
Rias just scoffs at the monstrosity. "All bark and no bite. Yuuto!"
"Right!" Yuuto said before he sprinted ahead on command.
Wow, he's fast! Luke thought.
"Luke, now I'll tell you the traits of the pieces." Rias said. "Yuuto's Piece is the Knight. Their trait is speed. Those who become a Knight have their speed increased."
Yuuto was moving so fast, Luke's eyes couldn't keep up with him. The Stray Devil tried to hit Yuuto with its spear, but he dodged it with ease.
"And his greatest weapon is his sword."
Yuuto stopped and was now holding a European sword that shined from the moonlight. He suddenly disappeared and the Stray Devil has lost its arms and spear, blood gushing from the wounds as it screamed in agony.
"This is Yuuto's power. Untraceable speed and professional swordsmanship. By combining these two, he becomes the fastest Knight."
Koneko then appeared near the Stray Devil's leg.
"Next is Koneko. She is a Rook."
"Damn inseeeeect!" The Stray Devil shouted as it stomped on Koneko.
"Kon-!" Luke was about to shout until he saw that Koneko was lifting up the Stray Devil's foot. "SHE REALLY DOES HAVE SUPERSTRENGTH?!"
"The trait of the Rook is simple. Very high physical attack and defense. It's impossible for a Devil of that caliber to crush her."
Koneko completely lifted up the Stray Devil's large body into the air.
"Fly." Koneko then follows up with a high jump and a punch to the Stray Devil's stomach.
The Stray Devil's body flies backwards.
"I'm going to give you a boost, Akeno-san!"
Luke heard Fumiko's voice and turned to see her holding a giant syringe she was struggling to carry. The needle on the syringe was still as thin as a regular-sized one, but it was still an alarming sight.
"Is this some kind of cartoon?!" Luke exclaimed.
"Fumiko is the Bishop." Rias stated. "Their trait is powerful magic, both offensive and support."
"Attack Booster!" Fumiko shouted.
A red beam blasted from the giant syringe's needle and hit Akeno.
"Lastly, Akeno."
"Yes, Buchou." Akeno laughed as she walked toward the prone Stray Devil. "My, my, what should I do?"
"Akeno is the Queen, the strongest one after me. She's the unbeatable vice president of our club who has all the traits of the Pawn, Knight, Bishop and Rook."
The Stray Devil stares at Akeno as she approaches.
"My, my, it seems you still have some fight left in you." Akeno chuckled. "Then how about this?"
Akeno raised her hand to the air and a bolt of lightning came crashing down on the Stray Devil.
"Come on, you can take more." Akeno said with delight as she brought down another lightning bolt, followed by another.
Even though she was smiling, Luke found Akeno's current demeanor to be cold and scary.
"Akeno excels at using demonic powers. She can use natural elements like lightning, ice and fire, and most of all, she's the ultimate sadist."
"Sadist?!" Luke yelped.
"Usually, she's very gentle, but once the battle starts, she won't stop until she's had enough."
"Akeno's scary…"
"You don't have to be afraid, Luke. Akeno is very kind to her comrades. She even said that you're cute. Next time, let her spoil you. She'd be more than happy to give you a hug."
Akeno continued the lightning assault for the next few minutes. After she finished, Rias confirmed it and nodded her head. Rias approached the Stray Devil, who was on the verge of death, and held her hand towards it.
"Any last words?" Rias asked.
"Just end it."
"Then disappear."
A gigantic black mass of power was shot from Rias's hand and completely enveloped the Stray Devil. When the mass disappeared, there wasn't a trace of the Stray Devil left.
Rias let out a big sigh. "Good work, everyone! Luke, did you catch all that?"
"I-I did." Luke nodded. "I just compared the pieces to RPG classes. The Knight is like the Rogue, the Rook is the Fighter, and the Bishop is the Mage, with the Queen being an amalgamation of those classes."
"You catch on quick."
"H-hey, uh, can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Which piece am I?"
"You're the Pawn." Rias answered with a blank expression.
"… Of course, I am…" Luke said with sadness and disappointment in his voice.
A/N: Like I said, this was the longest chapter I've ever written for this site. It wasn't tiring because I've been writing this over the course of several days. It just took a lot longer than I expected. Melody wasn't planned to be introduced until after the Holy Sword Incident and Kayoko until after the peace conference, but I decided to introduce them here. Kayoko in particular I had tease a future storyline. I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for next time!