Chapter 89 – Saji Genshirou's Jealousy
Vali had left.
Above Kuoh City, the full moon hung in the sky, bathing the land in silver light. Stars twinkled around it, as if celebrating the end of a battle that had shaken both heaven and earth.
Tonight would be carved into the memories of many—and none would forget it.
Kuoh would never be the same again.
"...What the hell happened here?"
Someone muttered in disbelief, standing in the middle of the ruined battlefield where Akira and Vali had clashed.
The once-flat terrain had become a crater-riddled wasteland, deep fissures splitting the ground in jagged scars. Not a single inch of the area had been spared from the devastation.
Even the residual magic lingering in the air was thick enough to make an ordinary person collapse from sheer pressure alone.
If this was just the aftermath, how terrifying must the battle itself have been?
Sona Shitori—known in the Underworld as Sona Sitri—stood silently among the wreckage. Her expression remained composed, as always, but her sharp eyes betrayed both awe... and regret.
Just months ago, she'd received a report from the Sitri family about a human transferring into Kuoh Academy.
And now... that same human had risen far beyond anyone's expectations.
"...Tsubaki. Do you think, if I had asked him to become my servant from the very beginning... would he have accepted?"
Her voice was quiet, directed to her vice-president, Tsubaki Shinra, who stood close beside her.
"The odds were extremely low, Kaichou," Tsubaki replied. "Even back then, he wasn't particularly strong, but his pride already matched yours. He's not the type to serve under anyone. If he were, he would've accepted Rias' invitation instead of helping her from outside the system as a human ally."
"...You're right."
Sona sighed, her breath tinged with quiet frustration. "Still... I can't help but feel regretful. And, honestly... a little bitter."
The sheer magical pressure still clinging to the air was overwhelming—yet what gnawed at her more was something internal. A subtle ache. The kind that came from missed opportunities.
If she had recognized Akira's potential from the beginning—if she hadn't allowed him to drift into Rias' circle so easily...
Maybe she would've been the one standing beside him now. Not Rias.
This wasn't love. It wasn't romantic longing.
It was the regret of losing a once-in-a-generation genius.
A human who now possessed power on par with a Maou. A wielder of Boosted Gear—one of the strongest Longinus. And now, the victor over Vali Lucifer, the host of Albion, the White Dragon Emperor.
The news of this battle would shake the entire Underworld.
Rias Gremory, once pressured into a political engagement, had broken free—because of him.
Now, she was celebrated as a noblewoman who carved her own path and won big—not just with strength, but because of the incredible man she had chosen.
In devil society, a woman's worth wasn't just in her power. It was also judged by the man who stood beside her.
And no one knew that better than noblewomen like Sona and Rias.
Thanks to Akira, Rias had risen even higher. The young man had crushed the Phenex heir and skyrocketed the Gremory name to the top of the Underworld.
Sirzechs Gremory was already a Maou, the most influential figure in devil politics. And now, his sister was engaged to a human who had singlehandedly shifted the balance of power.
The Gremory family stood at the peak.
Meanwhile, all Sona could do was watch from the shadows of broken stone and scorched earth.
She and Rias had always shared an unspoken rivalry since childhood.
Now, watching Rias claim a man like that...
...It stung more than she cared to admit.
Sure, Sona had plenty of admirers. But none of them even came close to Shin Akira. Not in power. Not in dignity. Not even in potential.
"Kaichou... was the person who fought here just now... really Shin Akira?"
A voice came from behind.
Saji Genshirou.
Wielder of the Sacred Gear Absorption Line. One of the newest additions to her peerage, turned using four Pawn pieces.
He was promising enough. Dedicated. And, perhaps foolishly, one of the many men in Kuoh who dreamed of one day marrying Sona Sitri.
So when he heard that quiet note of regret in her voice... something ugly welled up inside him.
Jealousy.
"What are you trying to say, Saji?" Sona asked, raising an eyebrow.
Beside her, Tsubaki's expression immediately cooled.
"I mean... yeah, it was a big battle," Saji said, his voice sharp with implication. "But there's no solid proof that the one who fought the White Dragon Emperor was Shin Akira, is there?"
A bitter undertone laced his words.
"You yourself said he was the host of Boosted Gear, right? But there wasn't a single trace of the Red Dragon Emperor's power in this fight."
"Shin Akira possesses more than just the Boosted Gear," Tsubaki replied flatly, her tone firm.
"But come on. Going up against the White Dragon Emperor and not using Boosted Gear? Does that really sound reasonable, Kaichou?"
"..."
Sona hesitated. She couldn't argue that it didn't seem odd.
Red Dragon and White Dragon. Ddraig and Albion.
Their rivalry was ancient—eternal. Whenever their wielders appeared in the same era, they were destined to clash.
That was how it had always been.
If such a battle did take place, surely both sides would rely on their true powers, not some secondary trick.
The devastation here had been unreal. That final moment, when Akira's attack lit up the night sky—it had been like watching a divine star descend.
And yet, Saji's doubts... weren't completely baseless.
Still, before he could continue, Tsubaki stepped forward. Her voice was calm, but every word dripped with pressure.
"In that case, Saji," she said quietly, "tell me—who did fight the White Dragon Emperor here?"
Saji froze.
His confidence faltered. The edge in his words dulled as he realized...
He had no answer.
No proof. No logic.
Just jealousy.
Tsubaki saw right through him.
She knew exactly what he felt for their president—how admiration had slowly turned into something deeper. Something desperate.
There was nothing wrong with that. Feelings were feelings.
But slandering another person just because your pride was hurt?
That was something else entirely.
Especially when it involved the Gremory family—Sona's oldest and closest ally. A careless comment like that, if it reached the wrong ears, could spark conflict between two major houses.
And Saji... as a member of Sona's peerage, his words carried weight.
Whether he realized it or not.
"Watch your words, Saji," Tsubaki said coldly.
"You are Kaichou's servant. Which means, in many ways, you reflect her. Forget the Red Dragon Emperor for a second—even if we ignore that Shin Akira is the host of two Sacred Gears... just the fact that he's a human who fought on par with a Maou-level opponent should be enough to make you think twice before speaking so carelessly."
"...Understood, Vice President Shinra."
Crushed by her piercing gaze and quiet fury, Saji lowered his head. No more arguments. No more petty remarks.
In this world, strength and standing spoke louder than anything else.
And Tsubaki Shinra was second only to Sona herself. Even the most unruly members of the Student Council dared not cross her.
Sona glanced at Saji only briefly.
She said nothing.
But in her heart, something had shifted.
Her evaluation of him had fallen.
Yes, he had potential. A rare Sacred Gear. A solid work ethic.
But compared to someone like Shin Akira—who possessed not only overwhelming power but dignity, and who had never once used that power to mock the weak...
Saji still had a long way to go.
And this world... didn't have room for people who could only envy others from afar—
—but lacked the courage to acknowledge someone truly greater than themselves.
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