Draconis's sudden quip sent Miku into a fit of laughter.
He'd offered her a perspective on life completely different from the relentless expectations she'd always heard: relatives, teachers, everyone urging her and her sisters to be better, smarter, more accomplished. But Draconis? He told her it was okay not to run herself ragged chasing perfection.
It hit home for Miku.
"If only everyone thought like you…" she sighed, her mood noticeably lighter. Maybe it was this conversation, but suddenly, talking to Draconis felt natural—almost familiar.
Then he switched gears, his tone gentle but firm. "Still, when it's time to study, you've got to give it your best."
Miku nodded, more serious now. "With your help, I actually feel a little confident. Magic really is amazing—without it, we'd be lost."
"Just don't get too dependent on my magic," Draconis warned. "It's only meant to help you along. The real work is yours. And Miku, you're selling yourself short."
"Huh? Selling myself short… how?"
"Even without magic, you could graduate just fine. Not just you—Ichika, Nino, Yotsuba, Itsuki. All of you have it in you."
Miku's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Absolutely. Human potential is bigger than you think."
If angels and devils needed humans to thrive, that alone said everything about what people were capable of.
Miku gave him a wry smile. "You really do have a lot of faith in us."
She smoothed out her skirt and sighed. "If only we were as smart and talented as you. Honestly, you're like the perfect all-rounder—grades, sports, arts, everything."
Draconis chuckled. "I appreciate the compliment. But don't envy me—I'm not even human."
Miku blinked, then burst out laughing. Only a devil could say that with a straight face.
She had no idea that before becoming a devil, Draconis had once been human too…
He finished packing up and turned to say goodbye. "I'll head out for today. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. From now on, I'll keep the tutoring to ninety minutes a day—no need to take up all your free time."
"See you tomorrow, then."
"Yeah. See you."
He gathered his things, and a dark red magic circle flared to life beneath his feet. In a blink, he was gone.
Back home, the place was silent. Rias and Asia weren't back yet, so Draconis slipped into training mode. Today's contract work had brought a small boost in magic power—the real payoff still came from Mai Sakurajima.
But surprisingly, the emotional energy from the Nakano sisters was no small thing, even though he hadn't fully completed their commission. Unlike Mai's love, the sisters' payments were mostly tinged with frustration and sorrow.
Draconis was amused. Was studying really that painful for them?
Maybe he should just skip their break time tomorrow.
He pictured their miserable faces during lessons and couldn't help but smile. Despite their quirks, those girls were pretty adorable.
He pushed his magic through Sacred Gear resonance, riding the familiar rush of power. The pain was manageable now—he'd adapted. As long as he didn't push too hard, this kind of training was perfect for steady growth.
Time slipped by. Evening fell, and the room flashed with a magic circle as Rias and Asia teleported home together.
Draconis sensed them instantly. He opened his eyes—a glint of gold flickered and vanished.
"I'm back, Draconis!" Asia called, her smile bright as she dashed into his arms.
"Welcome home." He hugged her, noticing how cheerful she seemed.
"Asia looks happy," he said.
"Mm-hmm! I signed a contract today!"
"That's great." Draconis ruffled her hair, genuinely pleased.
His gaze shifted to Rias, who seemed distracted.
"Rias?"
"Ah? What is it?"
"You seem a little out of it. Tired?"
Rias hesitated, lips pressed together, then forced a smile. "A bit, yeah. I spent all day helping the archaeology professor with research—bent over for hours. My back's killing me."
Rias's commissions often came from an archaeology team, always asking her to investigate odd artifacts.
Asia piped up, "I'll go heat up dinner—let's eat early and rest."
"Good idea. I'll take a bath first."
"Okay."
Rias headed to the bathroom, undressing in the changing room before stepping under the shower, tilting her head back into the steaming spray.
She was beautiful, skin glowing under the water—but Draconis didn't feel even a flicker of desire. He simply watched, thoughtful. Something was on her mind, he could sense it. Probably family issues again…
By the time Rias finished her bath, Asia had dinner ready. The three ate together, Asia cheerfully cleaning up afterward.
Draconis caught Rias's eye. "Want a massage?"
"That'd be wonderful."
Rias laughed. "You're being so considerate tonight!"
"I'm always considerate," Draconis replied with a smile, taking her hand and leading her to the bedroom.
Rias slipped off her bathrobe, letting it fall away before lying face-down on the bed.
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