Join my discord!
https://discord.gg/QZHCyfxhty (New Link!)
If you are interested in supporting me and reading the chapters in advance, here is my p@treon!
[email protected]/TheJiujitsuGuy
You can also search for: "BaritsuSupremacy" to find it on the platform.
I hope you enjoy the reading!
_______________________________________________________________________________
Asia's presence wasn't something he was trying to hide. Knowing that Rias was supposed to be a good person, he had no problem explaining the reason why the Fallen Angels were after her.
But of course, Adam was not one to fully trust in someone's good nature—especially not a demon's. If Rias tried to turn her into a demon for the sake of her power, Adam wouldn't hesitate to cut off her head in an instant, even if that meant bringing the wrath of a powerful family down on him.
Asia was under his protection. Becoming a demon might not be harmful on the surface, but Adam didn't want any of his children under the control of demons.
…It seemed his paternal instincts had grown stronger since his awakening.
Well, that was to be expected. As an irresponsible father who had abandoned his children and now relentlessly sought self-improvement to earn their forgiveness, Adam was no different.
If he had done his job as the father of humanity from the start, perhaps everything would be much better now. With over a thousand years of wisdom, the loss of his divine potential was no longer a valid excuse.
"Mister Adam… Who is that girl?"
The question pulled Adam out of his thoughts, his eyes landing on Rias, who looked at him curiously, glancing between him and Asia.
Akeno, while also showing curiosity, seemed amused by the situation as she brought a hand to her chin. "Oh~"
Asia, now under their gaze, shrank slightly and brought her hands together shyly.
With a nod, Adam signaled that everything was fine, which made her nod in understanding.
She slowly descended the stairs and walked to the front of the couch, bowing respectfully. "S-Sorry for interrupting. My name is Asia Argento."
Adam smiled at the gesture. Asia had grown up in a very strict environment—it was natural for her to introduce herself properly before speaking.
"Oh!" Rias, seeming to realize her own mistake, also bowed along with Akeno. "It's a pleasure, Asia. I'm Rias Gremory."
"I'm Akeno."
With the introductions done, Adam signaled for Asia to take a seat in a chair… but as the innocent girl looked between the indicated spot and him, she quietly moved to his side and sat on the floor next to him without saying a word.
Adam was a bit confused but shrugged. Akeno raised an eyebrow but kept her thoughts to herself.
"Asia here just recently arrived in Japan," he said, gesturing to her. "Asia, you can tell them the real story. They're here to help."
Adam already knew everything, not only from his meta-knowledge but because she had told him everything after lunch.
Needless to say, he had been infuriated by what the church had become.
"O-Okay…"
She looked hesitant, but at this point, her trust in Adam was immense. As long as he told her to do it, she would, without protest.
And so, Asia began to tell her story—how, blessed with the power to heal anyone, she was treated like a saint by the church until one day, upon seeing a wounded demon, her absolute kindness wouldn't let her ignore him. After healing the demon, she was isolated and eventually exiled.
With no one else to turn to, she ended up contacting a priest who extended a hand to her—a fallen priest who was working with the Fallen Angels.
Of course, Asia didn't know that, but she had felt something was wrong from the start. Her heart had warned her countless times not to go, but with no other options, she ignored it.
Until Adam found her and brought her home.
"Thank you, Asia." At the end of the story, Adam ruffled her hair with a few pats, drawing a soft smile from her.
Rias and Akeno, who had watched the interaction in silence, exchanged a brief look. Neither of them doubted Asia's words, but there were loose ends that made them a bit suspicious.
"What a terrible story… I'm sorry you went through all of that, Asia," Rias said, her voice filled with genuine compassion. With someone on her team who had also suffered at the hands of the church, she could understand her. "The power of your Sacred Gear is incredible—you shouldn't be ostracized for not ignoring others' pain."
"Thank you…" Asia nodded, grateful for the words. "But I believe it was all part of God's plan so that I could eventually meet Adam-sama… I don't feel anguish over what happened in the past."
"And you shouldn't." Adam smiled. "You did nothing wrong, no matter what the church says."
With another gentle pat, Adam almost laughed when she leaned into his hand like a kitten.
"Now, Mister Adam…" Rias began, drawing his attention back to her and Akeno. "I'm sorry if this offends you, but how did you know something was wrong with Asia? From what she said, it doesn't seem like you knew each other before."
"That doesn't offend me." Adam answered simply, nodding with understanding. He had already anticipated this scenario the moment Asia came downstairs, so he quickly crafted a story. "Well…"
He paused as all eyes turned to him, even Asia's, who was now also curious about the answer.
"I might not be very involved with the supernatural, but when it affects me somehow, it's natural for me to investigate. Asia's story isn't taboo or anything like that, so when she used her power to heal a little boy, I just connected the dots." Adam paused, observing Rias and Akeno's intrigued faces. "As for discovering she was in trouble—ever since the Fallen Angel attack, I investigated on my own and found out a priest was working with them. As soon as Freed showed up to take her, his insane behavior gave him away. I didn't need much time to figure out the situation."
Silence hung between them. Adam spoke with such natural ease that he could've won an award for it. Of course, there were still missing details, but he had intentionally left them out for Rias to fill in the gaps herself.
And judging by the demon girl's nod, it seemed to have worked. She might still be curious, but it was easy enough to assume Adam didn't want to reveal too much to people he'd just met.
"I understand now." Rias seemed satisfied. "Alright, if Asia was really their target, then it's a good thing you showed up first."
"I agree." Akeno nodded along with her master's words. "We don't know what they were planning for Asia, so it's good that Adam was the one who found her first."
Adam nodded. He wouldn't have forgiven himself if he had allowed the Fallen Angels to go so far as to remove her Sacred Gear.
He didn't know what they would try now that Asia was under his protection, but he believed the best outcome would be for them to tread carefully. Adam knew they wouldn't give up on Asia easily, especially since the Fallen Angel who should be their leader had probably been preparing the ritual for a long time. Having them avoid him for now would allow him to prepare.
From what he had seen during the fight with Dohnaseek, he knew he had a chance of dealing with them—as long as he wasn't overwhelmed by numbers.
"Mister Adam…"
Pulled from his thoughts by Rias's naturally seductive voice, Adam looked at the two demon girls. He knew what they wanted, but no matter how tempting they tried to appear, he already had an answer.
It might seem like a foolish decision, considering he shouldn't be turning down ways to grow stronger faster, but getting involved with demons like that… Adam couldn't do it—not yet.
"I can feel the magical power in your body," Rias began, her eyes briefly glowing as if she could see something beneath the surface of Adam. "There's something strange, different—but powerful."
She stood up and walked over to him, crouching so they were at eye level. The gesture made Adam raise an eyebrow, while Asia, beside him, clung tightly to his arm.
He looked at her in confusion, but receiving only a pout in return, he turned his attention back to Rias.
"I ask you—become my contracted magician."
"..."
Adam blinked. Contracted magician. The term wasn't unfamiliar to him. Many independent magicians offered services to demons in exchange for favors, deals, or money. Formal blood pacts or informal ones—as long as the price was paid, a contracted magician would do the job without question.
It didn't sound all that bad—if they signed a contract where Adam retained his independence and didn't become Rias's servant. That way, he could access study materials that would accelerate his magical learning.
Adam would be lying if he said it wasn't tempting… but he'd lived long enough to know better than to give in to a demon's temptations. No matter how noble Rias might seem, Adam didn't want to make any contracts with demons, Fallen Angels, or anyone from a race he once deeply hated.
For now, he wanted to grow on his own. This power—this new potential—Adam wanted to nurture it without anyone's help. It wasn't like he wasn't used to it already.
So, his answer could only be one.
"I appreciate the offer, and thank you for the free repairs…" Adam smiled gently, taking her hands and giving them a few light pats. "But I must refuse."
"..."
Akeno seemed surprised for a moment. Asia, beside him, watched the interaction with curiosity.
While Rias, who simply stared at him in silence for a few seconds, nodded before rising to her feet. For a moment, Adam saw doubt flicker in her eyes, and while he expected a "Why?", he was surprised when Rias simply bowed.
"I understand. I'd ask you to reconsider, but it seems your answer won't change."
Adam didn't confirm or deny it. He didn't need to—his eyes said it all. A demon could easily tell when someone was firmly resolved.
"Well, if there's anything I can do, you know where to find me." Rather than letting the mood turn awkward, Adam still offered help. If they needed it, he wouldn't turn them away—as long as Asia's life wasn't at risk. After all, keeping a good relationship with a demon noble couldn't hurt. "Would you like some more tea?"
Rias returned to the couch, her gaze calm as she nodded. "I'd love some."
Adam really did make excellent tea.