Asia was still lost, clueless about what had just happened. Rias, quick on her feet, erased the marks Draconis left with a flicker of magic, smoothing things over before Asia could get suspicious.
Meanwhile, Koneko sucked on a lollipop, eyeing Rias and Draconis with quiet curiosity. Something about them felt different—closer, somehow.
Draconis stayed perfectly composed. So what if he and Rias had gotten a little playful? Nothing serious had happened. Neither of them had much experience anyway; it was just a bit of mutual comfort, a fun learning moment. No deep exchange—just two people reassuring each other.
"Koneko, where's Akeno-nee?" Draconis asked.
It was rare not to see Akeno Himejima in the club room—she was usually the first to arrive.
"Student council called her over since Rias-senpai wasn't here," Koneko replied.
Akeno was vice president, so whenever Rias was absent, she handled club matters.
Rias smiled suddenly, sensing something. "She's back."
Right on cue, Akeno stepped through a teleportation circle—followed by a group of students. At the front was a woman with short black hair and sharp glasses, her beauty striking, just a shade less than Akeno's, but her cool, dignified aura rivaled Rias's.
Sona Sitri—the student council president.
Beside her was Tsubaki Shinra, the vice president, always at Sona's side like Akeno was with Rias. The whole student council had arrived, and all by devil teleportation circle. So, they were devils too.
Draconis wasn't surprised. Akeno had already mentioned Sona's identity, so it made sense her peerage would be devils as well.
He felt someone sizing him up. Scanning the group, he found the only male among them. The guy's gaze was sharp—competitive, maybe even a little hostile. Draconis didn't flinch. Inside, he was steady as a rock; outside, he wore a polite smile.
Of course, it was a fake smile. He had no intention of showing his real feelings to outsiders. Only Rias, her peerage, and Mai Sakurajima ever saw the real him.
Rias stood and greeted the newcomers with effortless grace. "Welcome. The whole student council—what brings you here?"
Sona was impeccably polite, though her tone was serious. "Sorry to intrude. Since both our groups have new members, I thought we should come and introduce ourselves."
"Oh? So that must be your new member." Rias's gaze landed on the male student.
"Saji Genshirou. He's a Pawn," Sona introduced.
Rias smiled, offering her own introductions. "Draconis, my Knight. Asia, my Bishop."
Officially, Rias always presented Draconis as her Knight. The fact that he also held all eight of her Pawn pieces was a closely guarded secret—only her peerage knew. It was a game-changer for the Rating Games, and she wasn't about to tip her hand early.
She had no idea how Draconis would perform in the Rating Games, but one thing was certain: he'd be strong enough to make people think he was cheating.
Sona adjusted her glasses, her gaze sharp as she studied Draconis and Asia. She could sense their power.
"So this is the famous Draconis, who used up two of your Knight pieces? That means you're only missing Pawns now."
"Heh, as you know, finding pieces is a matter of fate," Rias replied, cool and collected. "Draconis, Asia, go say hello."
Saji stepped forward, all confidence, and extended a hand to Draconis. "Saji Genshirou. Let's get along."
Draconis shook his hand, smiling. "Pleasure's mine."
"You used two Knight pieces? Impressive. For the record, I used four Pawn pieces!"
Draconis just smiled, giving nothing away. He seemed completely ordinary.
But Saji wasn't content with that. He channeled a surge of magic through their handshake, probing Draconis's defenses.
Draconis didn't even blink. His Sacred Gear—the Virtuous Monarch's Shield—absorbed the magic effortlessly, dissolving it without a trace.
Turnabout's fair play.
Draconis sent a razor-sharp pulse of magic back, letting Saji feel the edge of the Regalia Blade. Saji's magic vanished into Draconis like water into sand, then a pure, powerful force came crashing back at him. Saji's face blanched; he quickly let go, blood pounding in his ears as he struggled to dispel the backlash.
The brief exchange didn't escape Rias and Sona's notice. Rias's smile brimmed with pride. Sona's eyes narrowed—so strong. Hadn't he only become a devil a few days ago? How could his magic be this powerful? No wonder he'd used two Knight pieces.
She glanced at Asia—and was stunned. The Bishop's magic was even greater, almost rivaling Rias herself. Where did Rias find such exceptional pieces?
"The Familiar Forest opens the day after tomorrow. You're going too, right?" Rias asked.
"Yes. Are you planning to go as well? But the caretaker only accepts one commission a month…"
Looks like both teams would be competing.
"Heh, then let's settle it with a fair contest!" Rias declared, her pride shining—her peerage had come out on top in the earlier exchange, and she wasn't about to back down.
"A contest?"
"The winner gets the right to commission the caretaker."
Sona's tone grew serious. "Are you suggesting a Rating Game?"
Rating Games were the devils' main way to determine status and settle disputes. Before starting, both sides could draft any contract; once agreed, the game began, and the loser had to fulfill the contract unconditionally.
But for something this minor, that was overkill.
Rias waved a hand, laughing. "Of course not—we don't even have permission. I meant a normal contest, like humans do. A sports competition."
—
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