Moonlight softly outlined the shapes of the furniture.
Daniel rested his head on the couch, turning from side to side, unable to fall asleep.
Asia and Koneko were resting in their rooms, and Issei occupied his own, so Daniel had no choice but to sleep in the living room.
He felt uneasy. Ever since he had talked about his family, all sorts of memories had flooded back—like a wedge pulled free, releasing a weight he hadn't realized he'd been carrying.
"Fuuuuu…" he sighed before standing up.
Though tired, he decided to keep himself busy.
"How many sweets do I owe Koneko again?" he murmured as he headed to the kitchen.
---
Issei tossed and turned before suddenly sitting up.
"Asia-chan!" he shouted in panic, then blinked as he looked around. "Big bed, white walls, no furniture… Wait, isn't this Daniel's room?"
Alarmed, he checked his clothes. Seeing that he was still dressed and Daniel was nowhere in sight, he let out a sigh of relief.
Now calmer, he examined his body: the bullet hole in his abdomen was gone, and his legs were fully healed.
"Did Buchou heal me? Has she already left?" he muttered, sounding disappointed. "I wanted to see those boobs again…"
He threw off the sheets and got to his feet. Sunlight was beginning to filter through the window.
As he approached the door, he heard soft footsteps and the gentle voice of a girl.
"Good morning. Are you awake? May I come in?"
Issei's heart skipped—Asia!
Excited, he rushed to open the door.
"Asia-chan! Good morning! Yeah, I'm awake!"
The blonde froze the moment she saw him.
"Eh? Issei-san? Isn't this Daniel's room?"
Issei's stomach twisted. Why was Asia looking for Daniel?
Confused, he began piecing together what had happened the previous night. Daniel had been the one who rescued both of them.
His mood plummeted. Why was he always the weak one? Why was Daniel stronger? He didn't want to admit it, but a small sting of jealousy pricked at his chest.
If only he had been the one to protect Asia… if he had been the one to comfort her instead of Daniel…
"Eto… are you okay? You look kind of sad," Asia asked gently.
Issei shook his head.
"It's nothing, Asia-chan. I'm just glad you're alright. Did Buchou bring you here?" he asked, forcing a smile.
"Umm, Daniel recommended it," the girl replied cheerfully.
Issei's smile stiffened. Even so, he tried to keep his expression pleasant as he clenched his left hand.
---
When they went downstairs, they found Daniel sitting on the sofa, looking distractedly at Koneko, who was devouring a slice of castella.
Hearing their steps, he looked up.
"Oh? Morning, Asia! And, Issei… good to see you're better."
Koneko gave a small nod in greeting.
Asia sat beside Daniel and asked shyly,
"Umm… is there somewhere I can wash my clothes? I don't have a change of clothes, so…"
Daniel nodded.
"You can use the washer—it has a dryer built in, so your clothes will be ready soon," he said, standing up to guide her. "Oh, Issei, want something to eat? I made plenty of desserts, though I'm not sure if you like sweets."
Issei shook his head stiffly, watching them walk away.
"Is Asia going to live here?" he asked Koneko.
She simply looked at him and nodded.
"Mm. Buchou decided so."
Issei relaxed a little. So it wasn't Asia's idea, he thought. Still, he felt uneasy about her living with another guy. Maybe I should stay here too…?
As he mulled it over, Asia and Daniel returned.
Asia took her seat again while Daniel brought out another slice of castella and a glass of warm milk. That would be breakfast.
Issei watched them talk cheerfully, a twinge of jealousy twisting inside him, while Koneko quietly sat on the other couch. He suddenly felt out of place.
My parents must be worried… I should go home, he thought, lowering his gaze.
"I think I'll head out. I didn't tell my parents I'd be staying over—they're probably worried. See you!" he said as he turned and left.
"Take care, Issei-san," Asia said, waving.
Koneko and Daniel simply nodded.
---
Daniel chewed another piece of castella before blinking in realization.
"Oh… should I have told him?"
"What's wrong?" Asia asked, nibbling her dessert.
"We forgot to remind Issei his clothes were still stained with blood."
"I'm sorry… I should've healed him sooner…" she murmured sadly.
Daniel was caught off guard by her remorse.
"It's not your fault. If anyone's to blame, it's that lunatic…" He stopped when he saw the girl's uneasy expression. "Cough—uh, never mind that. How's the dessert?"
Asia's face brightened again.
"It's delicious! I've rarely had anything like this."
"You don't like sweets?" Daniel asked as he served another slice to Koneko.
"No, I love them. I just didn't eat much besides bread or soup… sometimes pasta."
Daniel felt bad for her.
Maybe I should cook something for her, he thought, sighing. He mostly only knew how to make desserts, but he promised himself he'd try.
"I can make pasta. I'll cook something for lunch. By the way, we're staying in today—the fallen angels' persistence in trying to take you seemed too suspicious."
"You just want to skip class… you'll fail, Daniel," Koneko said flatly, breaking her silence.
Asia watched them with a gentle, somewhat wistful smile.
"School… I'd like to go too," she murmured softly.
Both demons heard her thanks to their enhanced senses.
"Buchou will let you attend once the problem with the fallen angels is resolved," Koneko said, trying to comfort her.
Daniel was surprised, but Asia simply smiled and thanked the white-haired girl.
---
The day passed slowly and without incident. They ate a light meal and played cards at Daniel's suggestion.
When night fell, a magic circle flared, and the figures of Rias, Akeno, Kiba, and Issei materialized in the room.
Kiba wore his usual polite smile, while Rias and Akeno looked exhausted. Both glanced at the dejected Issei, remembering how long it had taken to manipulate so many people's memories.
That morning, not long after leaving, Issei had been stopped by the police—his bloodstained clothes had drawn attention. Rias found out through her familiar and quickly intervened to get him released.
The real problem came with the press, which had taken an interest in the boy's story. This forced Akeno to intervene as well, erasing all traces of information.
Thus, the two of them—being the most skilled in magic—had spent the entire afternoon altering and erasing memories to prevent Issei from being arrested or investigated.
Sighing in exhaustion, they sat down and asked,
"How was your day? I see skipping class was an… interesting decision."
Koneko lowered her gaze, a little guilty. Daniel, however, felt no remorse. He wanted to protect Asia, and lately, school felt meaningless.
"Why do we have to go, senpai? Do devils apply for jobs after graduation?" Daniel asked calmly.
Rias blinked, caught off guard by his apparent indifference.
"Are you thinking of quitting school?" she asked.
"Ehmm… no, just wondering," he replied.
Still, deep down, he felt that school no longer mattered. Since becoming a devil—and with no dreams of college or a career—his motivation was almost gone.
Even so, since Asia wanted to attend and Koneko was still his classmate, he'd probably keep going.
Daniel told Rias about Asia's desire to go to school. Rias listened thoughtfully and agreed that it was a good idea. There was no issue, even if Asia hadn't been reincarnated yet—it was only a matter of time before she joined her peerage.
"I'll handle the paperwork," Rias said, looking at Asia. "But given the current tension with the fallen angels, it's best if we accompany you for a while. Let's use the same rotation we had during Daniel's hunts."
Everyone nodded in understanding. Issei, who had remained quiet until then, suddenly spoke up.
"Buchou, can I help too?"
Rias hesitated briefly but then nodded.
"Yes, you can join Kiba and Akeno on their days."
Issei smiled faintly, relieved to feel useful again.
---
Outside the house, perched on a nearby rooftop, a female figure watched in silence.
A moment later, black wings unfurled from her back, and she slipped away into the darkness.