The next day.
Out of habit, Haruto headed to the Occult Research Club.
When he arrived and didn't see Koneko, he remembered—the combat training was over.
Today, Akeno was on duty, while Rias had taken the white-haired loli on a mission.
"Haru-chan, did you run into trouble with magic?"
Haruto shook his head. "No…"
Yeah, right—I can't even learn it properly. What problems could I possibly have?
Akeno smiled. "That's amazing! So, how many have you mastered?"
Haruto stared at her blankly, then made a circle with his thumb and forefinger.
"Ten?"
Haruto: (￣ー￣)
Akeno looked surprised. "Ara ara, twenty in one night?"
Haruto covered his face before finally deciding to tell the truth.
After learning the truth, Akeno placed one hand under her chest and the other on her chin, murmuring thoughtfully, "Your sensitivity to magic is so sharp, so why is learning spells so difficult for you?"
Of course, this "difficulty" was relative to prodigies like her. Haruto's magic skills were still barely passable.
Haruto gave an innocent look. "I don't know."
Don't ask—his answer would always be "I don't know."
After all, he had never claimed to be a magic genius. That was just what others assumed.
There was no hiding it either. If he couldn't learn something, he just couldn't.
Akeno placed a hand on Haruto's forehead, sensing the magic within him.
"Your magic growth rate is indeed fast. In a little while, you can attempt Intermediate Mana Extraction."
Even Akeno had never seen something like this and was a bit baffled.
"Your magic growth is at a genius level, so why is your grasp of spells so poor…?"
In reality, this was because Haruto's method of extracting magic was different from others.
While others had to spend time meditating, Haruto could absorb ambient magic naturally as long as he was mentally relaxed—whether he was sleeping or spacing out.
It was practically a semi-automatic skill.
The amount of magic he extracted in a single day was equivalent to what others took three days to gather.
Of course, this excluded those cultivation maniacs who secluded themselves all day.
Haruto wasn't absorbing magic faster than others—his unique constitution simply allowed him to accumulate three times the training time.
After puzzling over it for a while, Akeno stopped overthinking it.
The world was vast and full of wonders.
Perhaps Haruto's physique was suited for absorbing magic but average when it came to controlling it.
"Haruto, have you considered reincarnating as a devil?"
Akeno's eyes gleamed as she brought up the old topic again.
With Rias not around, this was a good opportunity.
If Haruto reacted negatively, she could always say it was her own idea.
"After reincarnating as a devil, your control over magic will improve significantly. Devils are naturally more suited for magic than humans."
Haruto's heart stirred, but then he thought of something else.
"Akeno-senpai, why have I never seen Koneko use magic?"
Akeno's gaze wavered, and she replied guiltily, "Ara ara... Well, just because that's the general rule doesn't mean every devil is skilled in magic."
It wasn't exactly a lie—reincarnating as a devil would indeed enhance physical abilities and magic control.
But the most crucial factor was still individual talent.
Koneko Toujou was a prime example—completely unsuited for magic.
The few spells she had mastered were all for boosting physical abilities. In the end, she was still a brute-force fighter.
Haruto didn't bother exposing Akeno. After all, she was his senior, so he might as well spare her some dignity.
Still, devil bloodlines were indeed valuable—the sooner he obtained one, the better.
"Akeno-senpai, last time you mentioned that even low-class devils can rise to high-class status and gain their own peerage."
Haruto asked, "Aside from becoming someone else's servant or advancing through Rating Games, are there other ways for ordinary devils to rise in rank?"
"Yes, but they're much harder than Rating Games and come with life-threatening risks."
Akeno looked at Haruto with a serious expression. "I strongly advise you against considering such a path."
After the Great War involving the three factions, the number of devils drastically decreased, but that was only relative to the past.
The total population was still enormous, and it was impossible for all devils to become someone else's Servants and gradually rise through the ranks.
If that were the case, the power structure of the underworld wouldn't be as it is now, but rather a hierarchy formed by Evil Pieces.
Haruto shrugged. Good medicine tastes bitter, and honest advice is hard to swallow.
He decided to heed Akeno's advice obediently and abandon his unrealistic ideas.
"Senpai, one last question."
Regarding the matter of Servants, Haruto had also been pondering it these past few days.
Rias had given so much, and he wasn't heartless—it was time for him to repay her.
"Servants... how strong is the king's control over them?"
Akeno straightened up, her demeanor unprecedentedly serious.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing much. I just need an honest answer."
Meeting Akeno's cold gaze head-on, Haruto's expression was equally solemn.
Akeno's brows furrowed deeply. Considering Haruto's previous questions, she began to understand the words Rias had spoken last time.
Haruto's ambitions were indeed vast—one might even say audacious.
She studied him quietly for a moment before sighing softly.
"Since you've asked so directly, I'll be honest with you. I hope you won't disappoint me afterward."
Akeno leaned in close to Haruto's ear and explained in a whisper the relationship between Servants and their Kings.
The Evil Pieces had no coercive functions, but subtle influences were inevitable.
Between a Servant and their King, a natural mutual affection would develop.
Under normal circumstances, Servants wouldn't refuse their king's requests.
This was also a major reason why many Servants and Kings ended up as couples.
If conflicts arose between a Servant and their King, the only disciplinary measure the King had was to bar them from participating in Rating Games.
In other words, cutting off their path to further advancement.
Sometimes, if a Servant's potential was too great and amplified by the Evil Pieces, their rapid growth in power could lead to... different ambitions.
There had even been cases of Servants killing their own Kings.
Such Servants would be hunted down by the underworld, and upon capture, execution was the only outcome—no exceptions.
If there was any restriction, this was the greatest limitation after becoming a Servant.
Loyalty to one's King must be maintained at all times.
Of course, this was merely a rule imposed by the underworld, not a side effect of the chess pieces.
Without such a rule, choosing Servants would require even more caution.
Haruto didn't doubt the truth of Akeno's words.
Everything she said aligned with his vague memories.
Especially when she mentioned kingslaying, Haruto finally recalled the incident Koneko Toujou had always refused to speak about.
The white-haired loli's sister, the Nekomata Kuroka, had killed her master after becoming a Servant and fled.
This incident had led to prejudice against Koneko among devils, who believed she would eventually betray her master as well.
They had initially intended to execute her, but Rias intervened and took her in as a Servant.
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