While I may not change overnight, I know I will grow—at my own pace.
Suddenly, unnatural growth feels forced to me.
But with these girls, even slow, steady steps carry meaning.
That's the kind of growth I want.
Bit by bit, with purpose, not rushed or artificial.
I still occasionally compare my life to anime and games.
I'll still act like a jerk, fail spectacularly at times, and stumble through moments of weakness.
But even through all that, I will grow—slowly, but genuinely, as a person alongside them.
I could take shortcuts.
Bank raid, Arceus, instant power… I could force myself into godhood if I wanted.
But I don't.
I don't want my life filled with empty victories like that.
If I were to become a god in that way, could I ever truly say I earned it?
No. I want my growth to be real, to be mine, flaws and all.
And then there's the matter of their feelings.
Rias… she confessed, even if it was teasing.
But still—she said it.
And I'm certain the others feel something for me as well.
I need to handle that carefully.
I don't want to hurt anyone.
Selfish as it may be, I don't want to choose just one—not yet.
Not because I crave a harem, though I won't deny it, because I can't bear the thought of losing someone who loves me. Not yet.
I know I should confess my feelings to Rias as soon as I've collected myself.
I don't want to lose what I've gained in this life.
She deserves my honest reaction, my honest heart—no excuses, no delay.
After our wholesome family moment, we finished breakfast and left for school.
Even though it had been a while since I started hanging out with them, people still looked at me with what I could only describe as pure killing intent.
Jealousy, envy, maybe even a little hatred—their thoughts were painfully obvious, even without reading minds.
I hope I won't get stabbed by anyone one day… though, if they tried, they'd probably vanish into my shadow before they even made a move.
We each went to our respective classes, though Koneko, Asia, and I shared the same one.
Asia has been learning Japanese with the girls, and now she can handle basic conversations on her own.
From her very first day as a transfer student, she's been a top-tier adorable character—the class mascot without even trying.
She's tied in popularity with Koneko, which is good, at least as long as the two get along.
Koneko sticks close, acting like a silent guardian, fending off any student who approaches with ill intentions.
I guess she's protective of Asia too, in her own quiet, no-nonsense way.
Our days fell into a routine: focusing on classes, coming together for lunch on the rooftop, or sometimes in the student council room or the ORC clubroom.
Then back to school life again.
After classes ended today, Koneko told me that she and Akeno were going shopping.
I nodded, handing some money to Koneko.
While I may be a little stingy with money for myself, there was no way I'd hold back for Asia—she's suffered too much.
I wanted her to enjoy a normal life as much as she could.
I handed the money to Koneko, telling her to buy anything Asia wanted and to have fun.
With that, I bid them farewell, watching them leave with a small smile.
After packing my things, I decided to head to the ORC clubroom.
When I entered, Rias was alone.
She looked stressed, her brow slightly furrowed as she worked through a pile of papers.
My chest tightened at the sight.
I wanted to lift her mood—but I knew myself too well.
I wasn't exactly good at this.
Still, I had to try.
Maybe, just maybe, I could make her feel even a little lighter.
I sank onto the sofa and spoke casually.
"Yo, Rias. How's it going?"
…Sigh. I shouldn't have expected much from myself.
Rias looked up, offering a soft smile.
"I'm doing fine, Zevion. I have a lot of work right now, but you're free to stay here and keep me company."
The first word that came to mind was simple.
Fake.
That smile wasn't hers.
The Rias I knew could light up a room with her smile, effortless and warm.
This one… she was forcing it, hiding her worry so I wouldn't notice.
My chest tightened with guilt and frustration.
I spoke seriously, my voice low but firm.
"Rias… something's bothering you. You've barely been yourself these past few days."
Rias froze.
"What? Wh-what are you talking about, Zevion? I'm completely fine," she said, trying to reassure me with that carefully crafted smile.
Seeing her like that, a storm of anger rose inside me.
Not at her… but at myself.
This girl was hiding, forcing herself to smile just so I wouldn't worry.
And the thought that I had made her do that twisted something in my chest.
I leaned forward, lowering my voice almost to a whisper.
"Drop that smile, Rias… You're not fooling me. For the last few days, your mind has been elsewhere. I've seen it—you stare at nothing for minutes, even when we talk. Don't act like everything's fine. I can see through it."
We remained quiet for several minutes.
Rias seemed to be weighing her options, deciding whether to reveal whatever was troubling her.
Finally, she let out a soft sigh and asked, "Zevion… what do you think of me?"
Her gaze was fixed on her feet, almost resigned to whatever answer I would give.
I hesitated for a moment before letting out a small sigh.
"You… what kind of question is that? Is this about this morning? Don't worry, I don't think you're a… rapist or anything, so you don't need to get worked up."
Her face suddenly turned bright red, and she hurled a book at me.
"Not that, idiot!! I mean, in general! What do you think of me as a person?!"
Ah… she meant that kind of question.
I thought for a few moments, watching her fidget restlessly, before finally deciding to speak honestly.
"Rias… honestly, I think of you as one of the most important people in my life."
I stood from the sofa and stepped in front of her, taking her hands gently in mine.
"I don't know why you're asking or if my answer will help, but to me, you're already my family. You're a demon sergeant in training, bold enough to sleep beside me without hesitation or clothes, quick to blush when I tease you, and yet capable of smiling in a way that's entirely yours. You are Rias—the girl I care about, and so do others. You don't need to find your worth in my words alone. The Rias I know will always create her own worth with her own hands, won't she?"
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