Ryuichi couldn't quite understand what the girl in front of him meant.
What does she mean, "I can still see her"?
He studied her quietly. Though she wore an ordinary Kuoh Academy uniform, the first impression she gave off was that of a languid, mature beauty. Her limbs were long and slender, her figure balanced to perfection—as if sculpted by careful design.
Her eyes were deep and calm, her face small and poised in seriousness, giving her both authority and the composed charm of an older woman.
"You can still see me…? What's that supposed to mean?" Ryuichi asked curiously.
"It means exactly what it sounds like," the girl replied evenly.
"…Well, I see you just fine."
He answered aloud, though inwardly his thoughts were spinning.
Don't tell me she's a ghost. Is that why I can see her—because I'm a Devil now?
Rias and the others had never mentioned anything about beautiful ghosts wandering around town.
"So, other people can't see you?" he asked, a note of caution slipping into his voice. Too many strange things had happened lately for him not to be wary.
"Unfortunately, that's true," the girl said calmly. "It doesn't cause any major problems, but it's… a bit of a nuisance."
Hearing that, Ryuichi relaxed slightly. She didn't seem dangerous; there wasn't a hint of killing intent or hostility in her aura. If she were truly malicious, his Devil instincts would have already flared in warning.
"In that case, why not take a look at our fortune-telling event? You might find a wish worth making."
Ryuichi suddenly realized the girl could be the perfect potential contractor. Without hesitation, he offered her one of his flyers.
Still, she looked oddly familiar… Where had he seen her before?
The girl, apparently relieved that someone could still see her, accepted the flyer with a faintly curious expression.
"Huh… what's this? A magic circle? Some kind of superstition ad?"
Ha! I knew people would think that!
Ryuichi nearly sighed out loud but caught himself, instead putting on his best salesman's smile.
"No, not superstition. It's an event run by our Occult Research Club—try it out! It's said to bring good luck if you keep it with you."
"Occult Research Club…" she murmured, reading the club name printed at the bottom. Her eyes flickered with interest.
Being invisible to others was definitely something that fell under the category of the occult, wasn't it?
She tucked the flyer away and looked up at Ryuichi. "I'll take a look when I have time. See you."
"Thank you very much," he said with a polite smile.
The girl nodded and began walking away.
After a few steps, though, she stopped and glanced back at him with mild curiosity.
"No wonder something felt off. That fake smile of his is too perfect. Maybe he's an up-and-coming actor or something…"
She muttered to herself before fading into the crowd, unaware that Ryuichi heard every word.
Since becoming a Devil, his senses had become absurdly sharp—he could hear a whisper from hundreds of meters away.
Seriously? She saw right through me?
He prided himself on his ability to act, but today he'd been instantly exposed… by a professional, apparently.
Wait—professional?
A thought struck him. His eyes widened as he looked up at a nearby building, where a large digital screen displayed a commercial.
On it, a smiling girl appeared—the same girl who had just walked away.
"Mai Sakurajima…" he murmured, reading the name beneath the brand logo.
No way.
She wasn't just any actress—she was the Mai Sakurajima, a top-class celebrity!
No wonder she'd seen through his fake smile in seconds; this was a veteran performer versus an amateur.
And that meant… she wasn't a ghost after all.
Ryuichi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. So there are humans out there with special abilities too.
Well, considering this world already had Angels, Devils, and Fallen Angels, a few super-powered humans didn't seem all that surprising anymore.
He shrugged and went back to distributing the remaining flyers.
He'd handed out quite a few by now. Maybe someone would actually use one to summon him tonight.
As a Devil, forming a contract was essential—only through contracts could he draw power and grow stronger.
That was how a Devil advanced, step by step.
When he finally finished his work, Ryuichi headed home.
Walking alone through the quiet streets, he couldn't help but think of Rias and the others' teleportation spells.
According to Akeno, only high-ranking Devils could use such techniques. At his current level—just a low-class Devil—he was nowhere near capable.
One day… if I could use teleportation, life would be so much easier.
But for now, he had to earn it. To rise in rank, he needed contracts, and to get contracts, he needed to hand out flyers—lots of them.
He sighed softly. Guess I'm still at square one.
Then suddenly—his body tensed. His heart skipped a beat.
A Devil's instinct screamed a warning. Danger. Something powerful was approaching.
Ryuichi stopped walking, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the darkened street.
Night had fallen, the area deserted and dim, but his Devil eyesight saw clearly even in the shadows.
Black feathers drifted from the sky. A woman descended gracefully, her back adorned with jet-black wings.
A Fallen Angel!
Ryuichi's brow furrowed. Seriously? Again?
He'd just started this Devil thing, and already trouble was finding him.
The woman landed lightly, her revealing outfit little more than a few strips of cloth covering the essentials. She was stunning—but there was something unnerving about her, an otherworldly chill in those smoky, dark-lined eyes.
"Well, well," she said with a mocking smile. "Didn't expect to find a low-class Devil wandering here. What a bother. Killing a weakling like you wouldn't even be fun. Honestly, you're not worth dirtying my Light Spear on."
Her voice dripped with arrogance and contempt, her killing intent barely concealed.
Technically, Angels, Devils, and Fallen Angels had signed a peace treaty long ago—but "peace" didn't erase centuries of hatred. Most of the time, when members of the three factions met, their first instinct was still to kill each other.
Listening to her insult him, Ryuichi's lips curved slightly.
"Seeing a flashy tramp like you in the middle of the night," he said dryly, "really makes me want to give my middle finger some exercise."
The Fallen Angel froze for a moment, expression flat.
"…"