The rich aroma of freshly ground coffee filled the small corner café.Lysander —in his childlike form— swayed lightly on the tall chair, short legs dangling above the floor. He wore a plain white shirt, a dark vest, and had an ancient tome open before him: Treatise on the Mana Cycle and the Divine Seals of Solomon's Era.
No one in the café could've imagined that the "boy" had once met the author himself.
Calmly, he blew across the surface of his cappuccino. The steam twisted into a tiny vortex, obeying his power without intent."Mm. Too sweet," he murmured, snapping his fingers.The sugar vanished, replaced by a perfectly balanced bitterness.
It was an ordinary day. Peaceful. Just the way he liked it.
Until he heard a familiar voice —bright, youthful, and dripping with potential trouble."Hey, Koneko! Look, there's a kid reading a grimoire in a café! Isn't that adorable?"
Lysander sighed and lifted his gaze.Standing before him was the red-haired demoness he'd seen a few days earlier in Kuoh's alleyways: Rias Gremory.Beside her, Koneko Toujou watched him with her usual bored, feline stare.
"It's not a common grimoire," Lysander said without looking up. "It's a sixth-century edition, before the Arcane Dispersion. Doubt you'll find it in a school library."
Rias blinked."Huh?"Koneko tilted her head."You talk weird for a kid.""And you two radiate demonic energy without even trying to hide it," Lysander replied flatly. "That's weird for people pretending to blend in."
A brief silence followed. Rias, used to leading conversations, found herself unexpectedly off balance."Uh… I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Rias Gremory, of the House of—""Yes, yes. Daughter of Venelana and sister to Sirzechs, current Lucifer. I know." He turned a page casually. "Your mother has exquisite taste in infernal wine from the Third Circle vineyards.""H-How do you know that?"Lysander smiled faintly. "Let's just say I've been around for a very long time."
The tension dissolved into curious confusion.
Then —a thunderous crash outside. The café windows rattled. The waiter screamed."What the hell was that?!"
Rias stood abruptly."Koneko, outside! There's a stray demon on the loose!"
Lysander closed his book with a soft click."Just when the coffee was perfect…"
Outside, a Stray Devil rampaged down the street —a grotesque creature with twisted mouths and blackened wings, crushing parked cars beneath its weight.
Rias raised her hand, summoning a crimson magic circle."I'll handle this!"
Lysander walked past her, calm and steady."Step back, girl. You'll stain that nice uniform with blood.""What? It's dangerous! You need to move!"
The Stray roared and fired a burst of dark energy.Lysander raised a single finger. The blast froze midair, time itself hesitating. Then, with a subtle motion, the energy condensed into a small sphere and vanished completely.
Rias froze.Koneko frowned. "That… wasn't demonic magic."
Lysander snapped his fingers. Golden lines spread across the ground, forming an ancient circle unlike anything from modern spellcraft. The Stray Devil dissolved into pure light —purified back to its essence.
Silence. Only the sound of a lone piece of paper drifting to the ground.
Lysander stretched his arms and sighed."So much for a quiet day."
Rias stepped forward, still dazed."Who… who exactly are you?""Just a retired traveler. Call me Lysander.""That doesn't explain what you just did.""Neither did you explain why a demon heiress is hunting Stray Devils in a residential district. So I'd say we're even."
Rias opened her mouth, but words failed her.Lysander smiled faintly."Oh, and tell your mother her infernal wine improves if you let it ferment with a pinch of lunar essence. I doubt she's tried it."
With that, the boy turned and disappeared into the evening fog.
Rias watched him go, a shiver crawling up her spine.Koneko murmured, "He's not human.""No… not even close."
Meanwhile, Lysander turned a corner, his body shimmering softly. In a blink, the child vanished —replaced by a man in his twenties: long white hair, emerald eyes, and an aura of restrained might.
Hands in his pockets, he smirked."Venelana Gremory, huh? It's been ages since I've had a decent wine from the Underworld. Maybe this retirement won't be so boring after all."
His quiet laughter faded into the dusk as the purple-tinted sky promised one thing—Kuoh's peace was officially over.