As members of D×D, we spent the first three days of the New Year doing nothing but formal greetings with various big-name supernatural figures.
After that exhausting period, the remaining short winter break was spent differently by everyone—returning home, traveling, or just relaxing.
Issei, for example, went back to his grandmother's house in the countryside with his parents and Asia.
There, he somehow ended up meeting Seekvaira and a vampire named Elmenhilde, who were also there for "model kit-related business" as part of her duties as a duke.
And apparently… they fought.
Over plastic model enthusiasm.
Yeah… I don't understand it either.
Even though both Seekvaira and the vampire were supposedly fellow model kit lovers, they didn't get along at all.
Their "otaku spirits" were apparently too different, leading to a full-blown clash instead of friendship.
Seekvaira, despite being a cool, glasses-wearing type like Sona was apparently deeply obsessed with robots.
And that interest, it seems, was a result of Archduke Agares's upbringing.
Well… it's just a personal hobby. Strange, but not something to criticize.
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And so, the third semester arrived.
On the afternoon of the opening ceremony day—
Under new club president Asia, our first official Occult Research Club activity began.
Rias-senpai and Akeno-senpai were not present.
They had decided it would be inappropriate for former members to interfere with the new structure, so they refrained from visiting the clubroom.
Instead, they were apparently chatting in the third-year classroom with Sona and Tsubaki-senpai.
The student council still hadn't held elections for their successors, so Sona and the others still had a little work left—mostly just handover duties.
=========
At first, Asia didn't even realize when she was being called "president."
She still wasn't used to standing at the top.
So we decided on a policy:
Respect Rias-senpai's previous club structure as a foundation, then gradually introduce new ideas on top of it.
It was the safest approach.
"So… what do we do about new members?" Issei asked.
"Our club is basically tied directly to devil work. Wouldn't it be hard for normal students to join?"
"Not necessarily," I replied.
"Normal clubs end in the afternoon anyway. We could just split the activity—have them leave, then regroup later. Or temporarily relocate our base. It's just… complicated. And it would feel like we're deceiving them."
"Yeah… I get that feeling," Issei admitted. "It'd be better if they were already aware of the supernatural side."
"In that case, we already have candidates," Ravel said.
This year, Le Fay and Bennia were apparently enrolling at Kuoh Academy.
Bennia might not fit well, but Le Fay had already expressed interest in joining the Occult Research Club.
Both of them were also fans of the "Oppai Dragon."
Of course they are…
Bennia had briefly considered joining the Student Council under the Sitri family, but her relaxed personality probably wouldn't match that environment.
Unless Xenovia became student council president—that might change things.
"Still talking about Xenovia's election campaign?" Issei muttered, exhaling as he looked toward the absent members.
At the moment, Xenovia and Irina were not in the clubroom.
They were in another empty classroom in the old school building, discussing student council election strategies with Kiryuu-senpai.
The Church trio and Kiryuu got along well, but Asia, as the new president, stayed here to prioritize club duties.
Just then—
BANG!
The door flew open with dramatic force.
Kiryuu-senpai burst in.
"How's this?! I picked Xenovia election outfit!"
BOOM
She struck a pose as if announcing a grand stage entrance, with Xenovia standing right behind her.
She was fully into it.
"Fufu… does it suit me?"
Xenovia stepped forward.
Her outfit was a medieval European nobleman's attire, complete with a masculine cut.
A true "cross-dressing noble beauty."
The kind that would absolutely trigger screams from female students.
"Hmm… I guess it's like 'clothes make the man,' huh?" Irina said casually.
"Hey, that's not exactly a compliment," Issei muttered.
"Maybe she should just shout something like 'André!' and hug Issei as a campaign strategy?" Xenovia suggested.
I only vaguely remembered it myself.
But if she actually did that—
She'd get more than cheers.
She'd get screams… and probably jealousy too.
"Honestly, Xenovia-chi, if you had a charm-type magic ability, you'd be unstoppable," Kiryuu joked.
"Yeah," Issei agreed. "If Xenovia could use charm magic, it'd be an easy win—wait, no, you can't use that on regular students."
"Ahaha, true," Kiryuu laughed.
"Hahaha!"
"Ha ha ha—wait?"
Issei suddenly froze mid-laughter.