Sona wasted no time on formalities and fixed her gaze directly on Issei.
"I've received preliminary reports of what happened in the Underworld," he began, adjusting his glasses with a precise movement. "But reading an official report from the Maou is one thing, and standing before me with the man who shattered the concept of a Phoenix's immortality is quite another. Hyoudou Issei, are you aware of the magnitude of what you've done? As a human, you've accomplished something no high-class demon has achieved in centuries."
Issei remained calm, holding the gaze of the Sitri heiress.
"I only did what I had to do to protect Rias, Sona-san. I don't really care about my status or whether the demons are surprised."
Sona let out a small sigh and looked at her childhood friend.
"Rias, I knew the wielder of the Sacred Gear was special, but this surpasses all calculation. You have brought to the human world a power that alters the balance of the 72 houses. The fact that a mere human has humiliated a pureblood heir is both a dangerous and fascinating precedent."
"It wasn't a trick, Sona," Rias interjected proudly. "Issei proved that human will and the power of the Dragon can overcome any bloodline."
Sona nodded slowly, relaxing her posture a little.
"I know. That's why I'm warning you, Issei: to the Underworld, a human with that level of power is an anomaly they'll want to control or eliminate. Kuoh's peace has become fragile now that everyone knows someone capable of 'killing' what is supposed to be eternal resides here."
Just as the tension was beginning to dissipate, the office door opened rhythmically. It wasn't a sudden interruption, but a coordinated entrance that broke the silence of the Student Council. Kiba, Koneko, and Akeno entered first, followed by Asia and, to the surprise of those present, the three fallen girls, who remained near the entrance, maintaining a prudent but firm distance.
—President, pardon the intrusion— Kiba said with a slight bow—, but the rest of the group couldn't wait any longer in the hallway.
Akeno walked with her usual elegance until she stood next to Rias, giving Sona a smile that did not hide the gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.
—Ara, ara... Sona-san, it seems you're interrogating our hero. I hope you're not being too harsh on him.
Sona sighed as she saw her office suddenly filled with her friend's entourage and Issei's unusual group of followers. Her gaze lingered especially on the three fallen angels, analyzing with astonishment how they, once mortal enemies, now followed a human with a loyalty bordering on devotion.
"I see Hyoudou Issei's 'family' has grown," Sona remarked, observing Raynare. "It's fascinating. Not only did you defeat a Phoenix, but you also managed to have three fallen angels walk around the academy under your command without causing any incidents."
Koneko, who had remained silent, walked until she was standing in front of Issei and handed him a sweet that she took out of her pocket.
"Issei-senpai... Sona-san is right. You're a weirdo," she said in her monotone voice, though her yellow eyes shone with a newfound respect. "But you're our weirdo."
Asia quickly linked her arm with Issei's, looking at Sona with determination.
—Issei-san is the kindest person in the world! No matter how scared the demons are, he'll always be our Issei-san!
Sona glanced at Tsubaki, who simply nodded with a half-smile. The Sitri heiress rose from her seat, acknowledging that the situation had completely changed.
"It's clear I can no longer treat you like just another student. Look around you, Issei. You've formed a group that defies all the laws of our factions. Rias... you're lucky. Your 'human' has just turned this club into the most unpredictable force in the city."
The office was finally full when the rest of the Student Council entered; Sona had summoned them to formally meet the man who had shaken the foundations of the Underworld. Tsubaki Shinra stepped forward to organize the space while the other members took their positions with curiosity and caution.
"Allow me to introduce them," Sona said. "You already know Tsubaki. Beside her are Saji Genshirou, my secretary; Momo Hanakai, Reyna Kusaka, and Tomoe Meguri."
Saji, the bearer of the shackles of the Black Dragon, Vritra, couldn't take his eyes off Issei. He was restless, almost trembling from the pressure emanating from the chestnut-haired boy.
"So... this is the guy?" Saji blurted out, trying to sound tough, his voice cracking with nerves. "The human who left Raiser Phoenix as a wall decoration? Doesn't seem like much..."
"Saji, show some respect!" Momo Hanakai reprimanded him, nudging him with her elbow. "I felt her aura when she came in. It's... overwhelming."
Sona spoke again.
"I wanted my entire Student Council present for a simple reason. Issei, your victory created a breach in the security of this territory. From now on, the Student Council and the Occult Research Club will work in much closer cooperation."
Rias nodded with a triumphant smile.
—That seems fair. Issei has proven he can handle high-class demon-level threats. If there's trouble in Kuoh, he'll be our first line of defense.
Saji clenched his fists, looking alternately at Issei and the three falls.
"A human leading fallen angels and being the Gremory family's favorite..." he muttered. "Damn it, Hyoudou! How do you manage to be so lucky and so powerful at the same time?!"
Issei let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck as he felt the envy projected by the male members of the council. Tsubaki Shinra, ever observant, kept her eyes fixed on Issei's group. As Saji continued to babble, she took a step forward, adjusting her glasses with a stern expression.
—President —Tsubaki interrupted in a firm voice—, something doesn't add up.
Silence fell once more in the room. Rias and Issei watched the vice president, who was now walking slowly toward the three falls. Raynare kept her gaze fixed on them, but Mittelt and Kalawarner instinctively tensed under her scrutiny.
"I've faced fallen angels before," Tsubaki continued, stopping a meter away from Raynare. "Their energy is usually erratic, charged with a cold hatred and a darkness that tries to devour everything. It's the nature of their fall. But their aura… it's different."
Sona leaned forward, intrigued. "What do you mean, Tsubaki?"
"Her energy is no longer chaotic," he explained, pointing to Raynare's chest. "It's... tuned in. It's as if her power no longer emanates from her own resentful will, but is anchored to something greater."
Tsubaki then looked at Issei with a mixture of suspicion and astonishment.
—Hyoudou Issei, what did you do to them? Their aura no longer vibrates at the Grigori's frequency. Now it vibrates at the same frequency as your Boosted Gear. They're not just your followers... somehow, their souls are linked to yours.
Sona stood up abruptly, hitting the desk lightly.
—Are you saying that Issei is purifying or reclaiming the essence of a fallen angel? That's impossible... only a god or a higher-level being could do that.
Raynare let out a small laugh, a mixture of pride and submission that left everyone frozen.
"How observant, Vice President," the fallen woman said, glancing sideways at Issei. "The Master didn't just spare our lives. His power is so vast that, under his command, our very nature began to change."
Issei, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably, intervened:
"I know nothing about purification, Sona-san. I only told them that if they wanted to live, they would have to follow my rules. Ddraig says it's something about the 'Dragon's influence'... that those who follow me end up affected by my power."
"It's the charisma of the Red Dragon, lad," Ddraig's voice echoed, meant only for him. "A dragon doesn't just conquer territories, it conquers wills."
That revelation was the final straw for the Council Secretary. Saji Genshirou, on the verge of a breakdown, clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white and his face took on a crimson hue that almost rivaled Rias's hair.
"Soul bond?! Shared aura?!" Saji shouted, pointing at Issei with a trembling finger. "This is the last straw, Hyoudou! Not only do you have the most beautiful girl in the academy as an ally and the sweetest nun as a friend, but now it turns out you have three fallen angels tuned into your radio frequency!"
Saji turned to Sona with comical tears of frustration.
—President, this has to be illegal! It's a violation of the laws of human envy! I can barely control Vritra's screams in my head, and this guy has a harem of three different factions! What kind of perverted training did you do at that camp?!
Issei stepped back, raising his hands in a gesture of peace, while the three fallen ones looked at Saji with a mixture of contempt and pity.
"Saji, calm down! It's not what you think!" he tried to explain, but his words only added fuel to the fire.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Saji roared, a dark, scaly aura emanating from his arms. "I'm a demon, I have a Black Dragon inside me, and I work eighteen hours a day, but my aura only vibrates with stress and cheap coffee! I demand a duel! If your aura is so special, prove it now!"
Sona sighed deeply, rubbing her temples wearily.
—Saji, sit down. You're embarrassing yourself.
"I'm not sitting down!" the blond continued, completely beside himself. "Even Vice President Shinra is looking at him like he's some kind of freak! Hyoudou Issei, you're public enemy number one of every man with dignity!"
Momo and Reyna covered their faces with their hands, while Raynare took a step forward, a dangerous spark in her eyes, ready to defend her "Master." Seeing Saji's pitiful state, she decided it was the perfect moment to revel in the chaos. She walked slowly and positioned herself behind the brunette, sliding her hands down Issei's shoulders until her fingers provocatively brushed against his neck.
"Oh, you little demon..." Raynare purred mockingly. "You only make your aura feel more... insignificant. The Master provides us with a warmth that someone like you could never understand."
Mittelt and Kalawarner grasped the idea and flanked Issei on the sides.
"That's true," Mittelt added with a cruel chuckle. "Compared to Issei-sama's power, your little black dragon looks like a hungry lizard. His energy is addictive."
Kalawarner simply nodded, crossing his arms as his eyes shone with a violet tint.
"You should be grateful that Issei is so patient. At the Grigori, someone with your level of envy would have already been used for target practice."
Saji looked like he was about to spontaneously combust. Smoke began to billow from his ears as he watched Issei being surrounded by the three beauties, who now gazed at him as if he were a deity.
"Did you hear that?!" Saji howled, pointing at the scene in despair. "'Addictive'! 'Center of his world'! President, please let me hit him just once! I promise I won't use more than fifty percent of my power!"
Rias, who until that moment had remained calm, began to emanate a crimson aura that caused the papers on Sona's desk to float. Seeing the falls so close to "her" Issei was testing her patience.
—Raynare... stay away from him. Now—Rias ordered in a voice that made even Tsubaki take a step back.
Sona Sitri's patience reached its limit. Before Rias's aura could shatter the glass or Saji could do something foolish, a blast of icy, absolute power swept through the room, extinguishing the crimson sparks and silencing the screams in one fell swoop.
Sona stood up, and this time there was no sign of the understanding friend. Her eyes shone behind her glasses with a blue intensity reminiscent of a glacier about to crack.
"Enough!" Sona declared. Her voice wasn't a shout, but a command laden with authority that forced everyone to freeze. "Saji, sit down and deactivate your Sacred Gear this instant. If you lose your temper like that again, I'll assign you to clean all the academy's bathrooms for a month, without using magic."
Saji slumped in his chair as if his ropes had been cut, paling at the threat. Then, Sona turned her gaze toward the three falls; Raynare, for the first time that morning, felt a chill that forced her to remove her hands from Issei's shoulders.
"And you three," Sona continued, fixing her gaze on Raynare, "remember that you are here on special leave. If you cause another internal dispute in my office or incite my members, I will consider you a direct threat to the order of Kuoh and act accordingly. I don't care whose aura you are connected to."
Finally, he looked at Rias, who was still maintaining her defensive stance.
—Rias, control your power. I'm not going to let you destroy the Student Council furniture because you can't handle your jealousy.
Sona readjusted her glasses and the atmosphere returned to normal, though the tension still hung in the air. She turned to Issei, who seemed to want to shrink in his seat.
"Hyoudou Issei, take them out of here. The meeting is over," he ordered sharply. "Tsubaki will send you the patrol protocols in writing. Now, everyone out of my office. I have a budget to approve, and I can't do it with a horde of hormonal teenagers and provocative fallen angels interfering."
Issei didn't wait to be told twice. He grabbed Asia's hand and frantically signaled the others to leave before Sona decided to use her water magic to hose them down.