The morning sun streamed through the classroom windows, but I barely noticed. My mind was still stuck on last night—on that small figure with white hair who'd watched my apartment building like a sentinel. Koneko Toujou. A devil. And she'd been watching *me*.
*Why though? What did I do to get on their radar so quickly?*
"—and then she totally bent over to pick up her pencil! I'm telling you, it was like the heavens themselves were blessing us with—"
"Matsuda, you're an artist," Issei interrupted with genuine admiration. "A true scholar of the human form."
I nodded absently, making the appropriate sounds of agreement while my thoughts churned. The integration of those abilities yesterday must have changed something fundamental about me. Maybe my spiritual signature? Devils were sensitive to that sort of thing, especially ones as experienced as Rias Gremory's peerage.
*But what are they planning to do about it? Observation could mean anything from mild curiosity to threat assessment.*
"Don't you think so, Motohama?" Matsuda's voice cut through my brooding.
"Absolutely," I replied automatically, then realized I had no idea what I'd just agreed to.
"See? Even Motohama agrees that we should start a scientific journal documenting our research!"
*Oh god, what did I just commit to?*
Before I could backtrack, a ripple of whispers swept across the classroom. The chatter died down as every head turned toward the doorway, and I felt my stomach drop when I saw why.
"Is that...?"
"No way..."
"Akeno Himejima!"
Standing in the classroom entrance was one of the most beautiful girls in the entire school. Long black hair that seemed to catch and hold the light, violet eyes that sparkled with an almost mischievous intelligence, and a figure that made even the most disciplined monks question their vows. But it wasn't just her beauty that commanded attention—there was an aura about her, something that made the air itself seem to hum with barely contained energy.
*The Queen of Rias Gremory. A fallen angel-devil hybrid with enough power to level city blocks. And she's here. In our classroom. Looking directly at...*
"Motohama-kun," she said, her voice carrying that distinctive melodic quality that could probably make grown men weep. "Could I borrow you for a moment?"
The classroom erupted.
"WHAT?!"
"Motohama? THE Motohama?"
"This has to be a joke!"
"Maybe she needs help with math?"
"Since when do angels descend from heaven to ask for tutoring?!"
I watched Akeno's graceful approach, noting how she moved with the fluid confidence of someone who knew exactly how much power she wielded—and wasn't afraid to use it if necessary. Every step was measured, purposeful. This wasn't a casual request from a upperclassman. This was a summons.
*She's beautiful, but she's also terrifying. Fallen angel blood plus devil enhancement equals someone who could fry me with lightning before I could even think about summoning a shadow rabbit.*
"What... what for?" I managed to ask, proud that my voice didn't crack under the weight of thirty pairs of incredulous stares.
Akeno's smile widened, and for a moment I caught a glimpse of something predatory in her eyes. "The President of the Occult Research Club would like to have a word with you."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
"PRESIDENT?!" Issei shot to his feet so fast his chair toppled backward. "You mean... RIAS GREMORY wants to see HIM?!" He pointed at me with the intensity of someone denouncing a war criminal. "What kind of hypnotic technique did you use on her, you sneaky bastard?! Have you been holding out on us with some kind of forbidden seduction jutsu?!"
"Issei-kun," Akeno interrupted smoothly, "I assure you that Motohama-kun hasn't hypnotized anyone. Though your imagination is quite... creative."
The classroom exploded into chaos as I stood and gathered my things, students shouting theories and accusations while Matsuda looked between me and Issei like his entire worldview was crumbling.
"This is impossible!" someone yelled from the back.
"Maybe he's secretly rich!"
"Or maybe she lost a bet!"
"Motohama, you magnificent bastard, what's your secret?!"
I caught Akeno's amused expression as we headed for the door. She was clearly enjoying the spectacle, probably filing away everyone's reactions for future entertainment.
*Great. Now the entire school thinks I've somehow seduced the most beautiful girl in Kuoh Academy. This is going to make maintaining my cover so much easier.*
---
The hallway felt eerily quiet after the chaos of the classroom. Students we passed did double-takes, whispering furiously to each other as they watched Akeno Himejima escort the school's most notorious pervert toward whatever fate awaited.
"Himejima-senpai," I began carefully, "is there something I should be worried about?"
She glanced at me with those violet eyes, and I caught a flicker of something that might have been approval. "Ara ara, so polite. Most boys your age can barely form coherent sentences around me."
*That's because most boys don't know you could reduce them to ash with a thought.*
"I try to maintain some dignity," I replied, then decided to fish for information. "Though I have to admit, being summoned by the President of the Occult Research Club is... unexpected. Did I do something wrong?"
"Nothing wrong, per se," Akeno said, her tone carefully neutral. "The President is simply curious about certain... talents... that have come to her attention."
My mind raced through possibilities. How much did they know? How much could they prove? And more importantly, what did they want from me?
"I'm not sure what talents you mean," I said cautiously. "Unless you count my ability to calculate precise measurements at a glance?"
Akeno stopped walking and turned to face me fully, her expression shifting into something more genuinely curious. "Ah yes, your famous 'scouting' abilities. The other students seem quite impressed by your... analytical skills."
There was definitely a test coming. I could feel it in the way she was studying my face, looking for reactions.
"It's just observation and mathematics," I said with a shrug. "Pattern recognition, mostly."
"Is that so?" Akeno's smile took on a decidedly mischievous edge. "Then perhaps you could demonstrate? What are my measurements?"
*Here we go.*
I pretended to study her for a moment, though Motohama's memories already had the answer. More importantly, I could see this was exactly the kind of test I'd expected—she wanted to see how I'd react to her, whether I'd lose my composure like most teenage boys would.
"102-60-89," I said matter-of-factly.
Akeno's eyebrows rose slightly, genuine surprise flickering across her features. "My, my. That's remarkably accurate."
"Like I said, just mathematics and observation." I adjusted my glasses, trying to project the image of someone who was clinically analytical rather than perverted. "Though I have to say, most people don't ask me to prove it so directly."
"Ara ara," she laughed, a sound like silver bells with just a hint of danger underneath. "I think you're going to be quite fun to have around, Motohama-kun."
*Fun for who, exactly?*
We resumed walking, and I noticed we were heading toward the old school building—exactly where I'd expected. The Occult Research Club room, where Rias Gremory held court over her devil peerage and planned whatever supernatural schemes kept Kuoh Academy's secret world running smoothly.
"Here we are," Akeno announced as we stopped in front of a door marked with an elaborate club sign.
She knocked twice, and a voice I recognized from countless anime episodes called out, "Come in."
The door opened to reveal a spacious room decorated with antique furniture and occult paraphernalia. And there, standing in front of an ornate desk with her arms crossed and an expression of polite interest, was the one of significant important devil in my new world.
Rias Gremory. Crimson hair that seemed to glow with its own inner fire, blue-green eyes that missed nothing, and a presence that commanded respect from everyone who met her. She was beautiful, powerful, and absolutely terrifying in all the ways that mattered.
"Good morning," she said, her voice warm but carrying an undertone of authority that made it clear this wasn't a social call. "I'm Rias Gremory, President of the Occult Research Club. It's a pleasure to finally meet you properly, Motohama-kun."
I felt the weight of her gaze as she studied me, and I had the distinct impression that she was seeing far more than I was comfortable with, even with just me, her and Akeno being the only individuals present in this room.
*Let's see if I can survive my first real conversation with a devil.*