The water was no longer warm. It had crossed that subtle threshold and turned cold—cold enough for the skin on my fingers to wrinkle, for the steam to lose its comfort, and for my thoughts to become even more difficult to drown.
I stepped out of the bath without a word, letting the mist curl around my body as if it could drag away what I didn't want to think about. Toweling off in silence, I dried my hair, pulled on a loose shirt and joggers, and headed straight for the living room.
Something inside me whispered that the peace wouldn't last much longer.
And as if the universe decided to confirm my gut feeling—she was already there.
Rias Gremory.
Sitting on my bed, arms crossed over her chest, her crimson hair cascading like a royal cloak down her back. Her expression was unreadable, maybe even slightly disappointed. Judging by how straight her posture was, she'd probably been waiting a while.
"You're late."
That was the first thing she said. No greeting. No teasing smile. Just those two words—sharp and cold.
"And what exactly were you doing out there for so long, Issei?"
There was no point dodging the question. I sighed and accepted the inevitability of the conversation.
"I just went for a run. I needed some space to think."
"To think?" she repeated. Her voice held a faint note of disbelief, almost as if she was trying to give me a chance to dig my own grave.
"And what thoughts were so pressing that they made you ignore a direct order to stay away from the church?"
There it was.
The minor, inconvenient detail I had intentionally brushed aside. Of course. I wasn't stupid—Rias had her familiars scattered around town. One of them must've seen me and reported back. The surveillance net around me was tighter than I liked to admit.
"You never gave me a direct order," I said calmly, crossing my arms. "Besides, I only helped a lost girl find her way. I didn't go any further than necessary."
Her frown deepened.
She didn't like being countered—especially not with technicalities.
"You're playing with fire, Issei," she warned, her tone cool but edged. "Acting on your own like this could spark a war between the factions."
"It's illogical to think a war would break out just because a demon set foot near an abandoned church," I countered, keeping my voice steady. I wasn't going to bow my head over something so absurd.
Silence fell between us—heavy, tense.
She wasn't wrong to be worried. But she was ignoring the fact that the church had been deserted for years, and that the appearance of a lone nun was suspicious as hell. Almost as if someone had dropped her there intentionally.
"Who was she?"
"A nun. Foreign. Said she was lost," I answered, keeping my tone neutral.
"And you didn't find it suspicious that a bearer of holy energy was wandering around our town unprotected?"
"Of course I did," I replied, sighing again. "But it was just as suspicious that she was left alone. It felt like bait."
Rias didn't speak. Her blue eyes locked onto mine, unblinking. I could almost feel her trying to read my thoughts, searching for anything unusual.
Finally, she spoke again—this time with an authority that didn't allow for negotiation.
"Don't move without notifying me again. Not even once. Understood?"
Before I could answer, she vanished in a crimson flash of teleportation magic, leaving behind the lingering scent of ozone and roses.
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[Time Skip – Next Day, Kuoh Academy]
The classroom smelled like a mix of musty wood and adolescent sweat—an aroma that grew more noticeable the more I tried to ignore it.
Sitting at my desk, I pretended to take notes as the teacher droned on about equations I had no use for. My mind was elsewhere, orbiting far more pressing matters.
Like what I would do once Asia came looking for me again.
I had a plan. Not a perfect one, but it was better than waiting to react. The idea was to let Raynare "defeat" me when the time came, to play the fool and then strike back under the cover of night. I needed to prepare some cards to tip the odds in my favor.
One of them was mastering aerial control with magic—specifically, changing direction mid-flight without losing speed. If I could manipulate momentum using my demonic wings, I could maneuver better than any human, maybe even better than most demons.
No one seemed to study that kind of thing, though. Most devils just flew in straight lines or made wide turns. That wasn't going to cut it.
I remembered a manga from my past life... the protagonist had something he called "Gear Shift." I figured I could make something similar.
I also needed spells—offensive ones and ones for restraint. For the latter, I was considering magical chains that could sap mana from their targets, tightening with each passing second.
And as for offense, I could form a high-density ball of demonic energy, reinforcing it with speed and power amplification spells. Simple, brutal, and effective.
If magic was shaped by imagination, then I'd better start imagining things worth using.
While the rest of the class stressed over exams, I was wondering if I could create a demonic lance stable enough to pierce holy barriers.
My eyes drifted toward the window. The sky was clear. The city looked peaceful.
A perfect day for experimenting—if I wasn't trapped in this glorified prison they called school.
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[Class Break]
I was still half-dissociating when the slap came.
"Issei! How's life treating you, you lucky bastard?"
Matsuda's hand collided with my back like a thunderclap, nearly knocking the air out of me.
Seriously, how does he hit that hard? I'm a demon, and I've been training nonstop—shouldn't I be immune to backslaps by now?
"We haven't seen you drooling over the kendo girls lately. Or any girls, for that matter," added Motohama, adjusting his ridiculous glasses like he was scanning my sins.
"I've been busy. Life, responsibilities... demons," I said without thinking.
Silence.
"That last part was a joke, right?"
"...Yeah."
We shifted topics. Talked about girls, giant robot movies, and how annoying Kiryuu's constant size jokes were.
At least Issei's body isn't lacking in that department...
The conversation didn't help with magic training. It didn't make me stronger.
But for a little while... it made me feel almost normal.
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[Occult Club Room – Later That Day]
The clubroom was quiet. The red curtains filtered the sunlight into soft shadows that stretched across the carpet. Peaceful, almost inviting.
Akeno sat in her usual spot, absorbed in a thick book.
Wait—was that magic theory? Volume 16?! I haven't even gotten past Volume 1.
"Ara~? What a surprise seeing you here, Issei," she said without looking up. "It's not a meeting day."
"I just needed somewhere quieter," I replied, stepping into the room.
She smiled—that gentle, teasing smile that made you wonder if she was being kind or just... playful.
Was it her fallen angel heritage that gave her that ethereal allure? Or maybe she inherited it from her mother?
Either way, I didn't mind staring at her a little longer.
"Did Rias scold you badly?"
I chuckled, shaking my head.
"She's said worse in my dreams."
Akeno giggled. The sound was soft, almost musical.
Yep. Definitely wife material.
It was uncanny how well she could hide her pain. Like a world-class actress, perfectly composed behind layers of charm.
"You know, not all pawns are as... unpredictable as you."
I walked closer to the couch, stopping just in front of her without sitting.
"Not all pawns have had to improvise since day one."
For a second, her expression softened.
"Maybe that's why you're being watched so closely."
"Are you talking about you, or the others?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she crossed her legs and gave me a look that made my pulse jump slightly.
"Maybe both."
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[Next Morning – The Park]
Another morning. Another jog.
The air was colder today. That kind of chill that cleared your head better than any coffee ever could.
Running had become a routine. Not because I loved it, but because I needed it. Clarity, or at least something close to it.
It was around 8:30 a.m. The plaza had started to wake up: elderly people taking slow walks, children chasing pigeons, and me—just another figure passing through.
Until I saw her.
Sitting on a bench, as if waiting for someone.
Asia.
She didn't notice me at first, but as I jogged past, she looked up—and smiled.
Apparently, I was who she was waiting for.
"Good morning, Issei," she said, her voice so soft I barely caught it.
I slowed my pace, taking a deep breath.
"Lost again?"
"Not this time. I just... liked the place."
I didn't say anything. I sat down beside her. The bench was cold, but her presence softened it somehow.
She glanced at me, hesitant, like she wasn't sure if she was breaking some invisible rule.
"Did you come alone?" I asked.
"Yes... but I didn't wander far this time."
This time, she said. So she was already breaking protocol.
Convenient. Today was the day Raynare would come for her.
Rias had gone to the Underworld for business with her brother, which gave me the window I needed.
"You like this place?" I asked.
"Yes. It's peaceful... and it feels like people here are happy."
Asia lowered her gaze to the pavement, as if happiness was a concept just out of reach.
"And you?" she asked. "Do you live with your family?"
The question caught me off guard—not because of the words, but because of the way she said them.
"Yeah, I do. Though I don't see them much. Either I'm out all day, or my dad gets home late. My mom's usually around, but it's like... she's not really there."
"Don't you feel lonely?"
I shrugged.
"You get used to it. I've got friends, the club... and lately, more than enough to keep me busy."
She nodded, then looked down, twiddling her fingers nervously.
"I used to be surrounded by people too... but it wasn't the same."
"What do you mean?"
"They all admired me. Called me a saint. Said I had a divine gift. But... no one ever really knew me. I was a symbol, not Asia."
Her voice wasn't sad—just honest. Like she could finally say it out loud without fear.
"I guess that's why this feels so new to me," she added with a shy smile. "Being able to talk to someone and just feel like... a normal girl."
I didn't know what to say, so I just smiled and leaned back against the bench, eyes on the sky.
"If anyone ever treats you like you're too special," I said, "call me. I'll be happy to remind you just how ordinary you can be."
She laughed. Not loudly, but it was genuine.
"I'll take that as a compliment... I think."
We talked more. She mentioned she'd never used a vending machine. So we bought a drink.
We wandered the plaza aimlessly. She stopped at flower stands, bakeries, fountains.
We bought sweet bread. She loved the one filled with jam.
There was something so endearing about how she enjoyed simple things—like every moment was a gift.
"This place is very different from where I grew up," she said, watching kids play.
"Italy was that different?"
"Yes. But... I don't know. This place feels more alive."
We reached a small park and sat on the grass. Talked about food. Animals. Silly dreams.
"What about you, Issei?" she asked. "What do you dream of?"
I scratched my head.
"Honestly? I just want to live well. No complications. No crazy adventures. No hero stuff."
She smiled gently, a wistful look in her eyes.
"I just want to experience the things a normal girl should. Laughter, friends... simple moments. Without having to worry about this blessing I carry."
I looked at her—and for a second, I envied that simplicity.
"Living a quiet life isn't so bad."
We let the silence stretch out, enjoying the calm.
I knew what was coming. Asia would be taken soon. She'd suffer. Die.
And I needed that to happen—for Rias to reincarnate her.
Guilt weighed heavily in my chest.
Still, I chose not to think about it for now.
Asia laughed at one of my terrible jokes—maybe out of kindness, maybe because she truly found it funny.
It didn't matter. Her laughter was beautiful.
The sun had begun to dip by the time we made it back to the plaza.
"Thank you for spending time with me, Issei. It was really fun."
She smiled, warm as always.
"It was nothing. It helped me too."
And I meant it.
We were about to say goodbye—when the air changed.
Not the wind. Not a sound.
A pressure. A weight in the atmosphere that settled over me like a storm cloud.
I turned.
Raynare was there.
A few meters away. Calm. Casual.
Dressed like a normal woman—nothing threatening at first glance. Leather jacket. Dark jeans. Stylish.
But her smile...
Her smile sent chills down my spine.
"Oh, Asia... ran off again, did you?"
Asia froze.
And I knew.
The peaceful part of the day... was over.