The lunch table was alive with chatter as Hajime, Alice, Anisphia, Asia, and Issei shared a moment of rare calm amid their unusual arrival. The breeze through the open cafeteria windows carried a faint scent of sakura from the gardens outside, adding a soft serenity to the moment.
Anisphia was in the middle of a lively retelling of one of their "not-a-date" adventures when a new presence approached the table.
"Do you mind if we join you?"
Sagiri Ameno stood beside the table, her uniform as pristine as always, her expression neutral but her eyes keen. Beside her was another girl, slightly shorter, with striking dark pink hair tied in twin loops and a curious but gentle smile.
"Urara Urakata," the girl introduced with a polite bow. "Nice to meet you."
Alice gave a slight nod. "Of course. Please do."
Hajime gestured to the empty seats. "There's space."
Sagiri sat with quiet precision while Urara took her seat more lightly, setting down her tray with graceful ease.
Anisphia leaned forward playfully. "So, you're Sagiri's friend, huh? You have my sympathy."
Urara giggled. "She's not that hard to keep up with… once you get used to her silences."
Sagiri blinked once, then looked away. "I have… no response to that."
Laughter circled the table again, and even Alice's lips curled ever so slightly.
The lunch break wore on not with suspicion or tension—but with curiosity, and the beginnings of something else.
Something like trust.
It didn't take long before Issei, emboldened by the warmth of the conversation, tried to speak up.
"So, uh… Sagiri-san, Urara-san, what clubs are you in?"
Sagiri gave him a glance—sharp, short. "None that involve spying from bushes."
Urara, more gentle but no less pointed, tilted her head. "I think I saw you running from the disciplinary committee last week?"
Issei flinched. "W-Well, that was a misunderstanding!"
Anisphia leaned toward Alice with a smirk. "And thus begins the punishment arc."
Alice gave a quiet nod. "Faster than expected."
Asia, ever kind hearted, quickly jumped to his defense. "Issei-san isn't as bad as people say! He's just… enthusiastic sometimes."
"Enthusiastic," Sagiri echoed flatly.
Urara's smile didn't falter. "Enthusiastic people should be careful not to fall into hot springs by accident."
Issei let out a strangled laugh, sweating slightly. "Haha… r-right. Duly noted."
But even then, the tension was playful. The way their words danced around each other spoke of boundaries being tested—but not broken.
In its own way, that too was part of fitting in.
Nearby, Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima observed carefully from their usual table, untouched lunches sitting in front of them.
"They're certainly drawing attention," Akeno murmured with a hint of amusement.
"They're doing more than that," Rias replied, her eyes narrowing slightly. "That aura around Hajime Nagumo… It's not magic, but it's not normal either."
Akeno tilted her head. "Some kind of charm or charisma which you can't help but be drawn to. The kind that doesn't need to posture."
As Hajime turned slightly, his gaze met Rias's from across the cafeteria. It wasn't challenging, nor defensive—just calm acknowledgment. Rias returned the nod, her lips tightening slightly.
"They're interesting," she finally said.
"And dangerous?" Akeno asked.
"Not yet," Rias answered. "But they'll change the tempo here. I can feel it."
----
While the cafeteria buzzed with students enjoying their lunch, the atmosphere inside the student council room remained calm, cool, and collected. Momo Hanakai and Reya Kusaka stood before Sona Shitori's desk, the scent of tea gently rising from porcelain cups as the council president reviewed several freshly compiled reports. Though the world outside was filled with laughter and chatter, the air in this room was edged with quiet precision and measured judgment.
"They've blended in quickly," Momo began. "The students are already talking about them—especially Nagumo-kun."
Sona's fingers tapped lightly on the desk. "And your personal impressions?"
"Palettia-san is energetic, friendly, but sharp," Reya said evenly. "She is not as careless as you would think on how she acts. She's always observing."
"Alice Gododdin is composed and refined," Momo added. "Carries herself like someone who's used to being in control, but doesn't push it. Definitely someone with formal training."
"And Hajime Nagumo?" Sona asked, her voice even but expectant.
Both girls paused.
"There's something about him," Reya said finally. "He's relaxed, too relaxed, like nothing can bother him. But every time someone shifts near him, he moves like he already accounted for it. And he's quite protective of Palettia-san and Gododdin-san. He always positions himself in front of them."
"He's not a magician, that is for sure," Momo said, "but has Mana. Too much actually. I can feel that at least."
She hesitated, then added, "It's strange though… my instincts keep trying to place him. As a devil, I should be able to feel intent, aura, even the edge of hidden power. But with him… it slips through. Like it's masked by something I can't decipher."
Reya crossed her arms thoughtfully. "It's like standing near invisible, but your body still feels its presence."
Sona folded her hands. "So he's the type that can be dangerous if there is a missed step."
She paused, her gaze thoughtful. "Do you think they're the kind we can become friends with… or will they be obstacles in the long run?"
Reya and Momo exchanged a glance.
"Personally?" Momo said, "I like them. Palettia-san is a lot, but she's genuine. Gododdin-san is polite but not distant. And Nagumo-kun… he's the kind of person who will protect though close to him."
Reya nodded. "Strategically, though, they could be either. Allies if aligned. As an enemy… they wouldn't be easy to deal with."
Sona looked back toward the desk, her tone measured. "Then we prepare for both. Stay open to friendship… While preparing for the worst ."
Neither Momo nor Reya disagreed.
Sona turned her gaze to the window. "Continue to observe. Quietly. No pressure, no mistakes. Just be natural when approaching them."
-----
After school, the sun dipped low over Kuoh Academy's rooftops, casting long golden shadows across the courtyard. Students began spilling out of the front gates, laughter and light conversations carrying on the breeze.
Asia walked with Issei at her side, chatting softly as they made their way toward the old building that housed the Occult Research Club. Their footsteps echoed faintly as they climbed the stairs and entered the room where Rias Gremory, Akeno Himejima, Kiba Yuuto, and Koneko Toujou awaited them.
"Welcome back," Rias said with a small smile, motioning for them to take a seat.
"Rias-buchou," Asia greeted warmly. "We had lunch with the new students today."
"They're... interesting," Issei added, scratching the back of his head. "Kind of like they stepped out of a completely different world. Nagumo especially… he's really like nothing rattles him."
Akeno tilted her head. "And how do you feel about him?"
Issei opened his mouth, but before he could answer—
{Partner…}
The voice rumbled deep inside him, The Red Dragon Emperor, Draig.
{That boy… Hajime Nagumo… be cautious around him.}
Issei stiffened. "D-Draig? What's wrong?"
{There's something in his presence… not divine, not demonic… something familiar yet foreign. A pressure that doesn't stem from magic or lineage, but from conquest. Like a king who defied the gods themselves.}
{And the girls beside him—Alice… she carries a trace of something strange. A faint divine blessing. Subtle, I can't place it, but it's not hers originally. More like… a trace left behind by a power once borrowed and briefly bound to her.}
{And the other girl—Anisphia… there's a draconic presence clinging to her. Not by blood, but by force of will. It's like a dragon's might has been etched onto her very body. Engraved or bound.}
Rias's eyes narrowed.
The clubroom fell into a contemplative silence.
Akeno, arms loosely crossed, glanced toward the window. "It's strange. I expected something louder, flashier… but they blend in too well. That sort of subtle presence is more dangerous than raw power."
Kiba nodded. "Nagumo-kun moves like a man who's survived worse than this place could throw at him. Calm, efficient. Like he's done it all before."
Koneko, quietly sipping her tea, added, "He doesn't smell threatening. But he doesn't smell weak either. There's something… off."
Rias remained still for a moment, her fingers laced together. "Draig's words carry weight, even if we don't fully understand them. Authority, conquest, residual blessings, and draconic imprints… it's not something we should ignore."
Akeno tilted her head. "Do you think they'll become enemies?"
Rias's expression was unreadable. "I don't know. But I want to understand them first—before anyone forces our hand."
There were no objections.
They would observe. And wait.