The night peeked through the curtains, while the warm air of the living room contrasted with the cool evening breeze.
Rias lay back on the sofa, trying to recover from the excessive use of her demonic power. Beside her, Akeno smiled mischievously, teasing the silent Koneko, who was staring toward the kitchen. Issei, meanwhile, chatted with Kiba about new training methods.
Soon, the sound of footsteps echoed, and Daniel, accompanied by Asia, arrived carrying food for everyone. Koneko immediately got up to help, while Asia moved about tending to the others as if she were in her own home—which, in a way, she was.
"Thank you," said Rias, standing up to receive a slice of cheesecake.
As she tasted a bite, she wondered why Daniel seemed so obsessed with desserts. Did he really like sugar that much? He didn't seem to make them just for Koneko, as she had once assumed. Curiously, ever since Daniel had joined her peerage, there had always been a dessert at every gathering.
Once everyone was seated with their respective portions, they began to discuss recent events.
"Asia, there won't be any more trouble with the Fallen Angels. It's certain this group was acting independently. Grigori won't say a word."
The blonde nodded in gratitude, glancing toward Koneko and Daniel. Her eyes lingered on him for a few seconds, softening with tenderness.
"I… I've decided," she exclaimed, placing her hands on her chest. "I'll become a devil."
She lowered her head, recalling all she had been through over the past few days.
"I'm grateful you accepted me, that you allowed me to go to school, and for the friends I've made," she said, pausing briefly before whispering while looking at Daniel. "And I know there are those who won't abandon me."
Although the situation seemed to have resolved easily, for Asia, it hadn't been so simple. Ever since leaving the Church, she had felt abandoned, sad, and guilty. Many times she questioned herself: Was it wrong to heal a devil? Why did they expel me from the Church? Even so, she tried to keep her faith.
Seeing the true nature of those Fallen Angels who had taken her in after her excommunication only deepened her loneliness and sense of betrayal.
Fortunately, Daniel had been by her side. Both shared the same feeling of estrangement from the world, as if each had lost something. That connection brought them closer, and little by little, Asia began to fill the emptiness in her heart.
Although Daniel didn't seem to take his wounds seriously, Asia suffered every time he hurt himself to protect her. Watching him bleed pained her deeply; she didn't want to see him suffer. She wanted to support him, to care for him. So she decided to put her healing ability to good use. She prayed silently one last time before turning to Rias with determined eyes.
---
Rias smiled warmly; she had grown fond of the gentle girl. Not only was Asia's Sacred Gear useful—she also brought a unique warmth to the group.
Rias shifted to a more comfortable position on the sofa. Asia approached nervously and sat beside her. Her hands trembled slightly over her chest, and her eyes instinctively turned to Daniel.
"Etto… will it hurt? How does it work?"
Daniel, savoring another bite of cheesecake, blinked in confusion as he tried to remember.
"No idea… I was dead. Well, almost dead. So I don't recall much."
Asia turned to Issei.
"Oh, same. I was dead too," replied the brown-haired boy.
Koneko interjected calmly:
"No… it doesn't hurt. Don't worry."
Asia sighed in relief, slightly more at ease, and waited for Rias to begin.
The redhead watched the group's exchange in amusement. Didn't they remember her explanation? She was sure she'd gone over it a few days earlier when they brought Asia in. Still, she said nothing—it would be too embarrassing if they admitted they'd forgotten.
Then, turning toward Asia, she held out a crimson chess piece in her hand and placed the [Bishop] over the girl's chest.
"The role of a Bishop is to support the other members of the group. Your healing power will be very useful as a [Bishop]," she explained as a crimson wave of magical energy surrounded them.
Asia nodded, watching as the piece sank into her chest.
"I command you, in the name of Rias Gremory: you, Asia Argento, shall join me as my servant and be reincarnated as a devil. To you, my [Bishop]—with a new life… enjoy it!"
Asia was enveloped in a red radiance that illuminated the room for a few seconds. Then… silence.
"Is that it?" Daniel murmured, puzzled.
"Not everyone has strange energy running through their body, you know?" Rias replied with a light laugh. "Well, yes—that's it. Welcome to your new life as a devil, Asia."
The blonde smiled and stood to bow politely.
"Um… I'll be in your care. I promise to do my best!"
Everyone welcomed her with a smile. Then, Asia walked back to the sofa and sat beside Daniel once more.
---
A warm, homely atmosphere filled the room: Asia chatted with Koneko, Akeno teased Daniel, and Kiba offered training tips to Issei.
Rias watched contentedly at the closeness that now bound her peerage. When did the atmosphere change so much? Issei brought energy, Daniel added wit and maturity, and Asia completed the group with her warmth and purity.
Rias noticed everyone had begun to change: Koneko was opening up, Akeno seemed different, and even Kiba—the most serious and composed—had grown closer to Daniel and Issei. Rias briefly wondered if she should let Gasper join them, but recalling her timid Bishop and the problem with his power, she dismissed the idea.
As she looked at Daniel, she remembered what had happened when he summoned the dragon, and her smile slowly faded. What did the dragon mean? What did it refer to by "spirits"? It didn't seem like a being created by a Sacred Gear—it was alive, aware, and even wise.
"Daniel, what happened with that dragon? It's obvious you didn't create it. Do you know where it came from?" she asked, her tone serious.
The dragon had been powerful. Rias, who had dueled Daniel several times, knew he had even stronger monsters in his deck. What's his limit? Maou-level? Or beyond?
Concern crept into her mind. Where does Daniel summon these beings from? She knew he possessed a Longinus, but if he couldn't control those creatures…
Daniel, too, was unsettled. He had checked his system while in the kitchen earlier:
[Proximity with &$#^# has increased.]
What was he connected to? Was it good or bad? Daniel hesitated. Should he tell them? Or would they think he was insane?
He trusted them, though not as deeply as he trusted Asia or Koneko. Although he was getting along with everyone, sharing this secret felt difficult—the system was closely tied to his rebirth in this world, something not easy to explain. Still, he tried.
"I'm not sure. I only know it's connected to something. It's possible they come from there."
Rias nodded.
"Let's avoid summoning anything too… large. Focus instead on strengthening yourself, as the dragon advised."
Daniel nodded in agreement. He thought the same. But what exactly did the dragon mean by 'having power'? Gaining more duel energy?
Still confused, he stood and walked toward the kitchen. As he passed by Rias, she bent down to pick something up from the floor.
"Oh, you dropped a card. New designs? Dark World?" she exclaimed as she read it.
Daniel froze. It was a card from the new deck he'd earned after defeating the Fallen Angels. But all the cards were made of pure gray energy—it should've been impossible for one to fall unless he had materialized it.