The sunlight began to shine on Daniel. Slightly annoyed, he turned his body to avoid it, but in that instant, he froze.
He opened his eyes abruptly and sat up; his hands moved over his abdomen and neck.
"Did I come back to life? Was it just a dream?"
Confused at finding no wounds, he doubted his own memories. Yet soon he calmed down: he could still recall the pain he had felt. It had been real—far too real.
Feeling more at ease, he examined his surroundings: white walls, a wide bed. It was his room.
Questions about how he had ended up there and how he had survived began to stir in his mind.
With a creak, the door opened. Standing before him was a petite yet familiar girl, speaking while holding the doorknob.
"You're awake? How are you feeling?"
Still dazed, Daniel stared silently at Koneko for a few seconds before replying, agitated:
"I'm… wait, huh? What happened? Where am I? Did you save me? How did you find me? This isn't a dream, right?"
He let out all his questions at once, leaving Koneko dizzy.
She stepped into the room and began explaining the situation. The more he listened, the more astonished Daniel became.
"And that's how we found you and reincarnated you as a devil. You're now a servant of Buchou's household."
"Whose?" Daniel asked.
"Rias-senpai's."
"So… Rias-senpai is a devil too?"
Koneko nodded.
"Not only her—Akeno and Kiba are also part of her household. We gather in the Occult Research Club in the old school building."
Daniel was stunned, not only because Koneko was talking so much, but also because of the meaning behind her words:
"The most popular and attractive students at school were devils."
To be absolutely sure, he asked:
"And the student council?"
"Uhmm… they're devils too," Koneko replied.
"So… does becoming a demon make you good-looking?" Daniel grew eager to find a mirror and check his face.
Though it was also possible they just picked attractive people, he thought.
Unaware of his strange musings, Koneko went on:
"As Rias's servants, it's our duty to obey and support her. Of course, it's not only about responsibilities—there are benefits too."
"Devils have very long lifespans, lasting at least several thousand years, along with bodies far superior to humans and access to magic."
Daniel listened to the rest of the information half-drowsy. Koneko kept talking endlessly about all sorts of details regarding devils, as though trying to persuade him of something.
"Since when did she talk this much?" Daniel wondered, unable to shake the suspicion that he truly had died and been reincarnated into a strange yet familiar world.
After nearly twenty minutes of explanation, Koneko stopped and reverted to her usual silence, before adding:
"You need to get ready or we'll be late for class."
It was true: he still had classes. With everything that had happened overnight, Daniel felt as though at least a week had passed. What he had done in class the day before already seemed distant.
"I'll take a shower. You can go ahead, I'll meet you there," he told Koneko.
"I'll wait in the living room," she replied, leaving the room without giving him a chance to say anything more.
---
Daniel studied himself in the large bathroom mirror. His face looked the same as always; nothing seemed different. Maybe the "demonic upgrade" to his looks had failed.
"A devil, huh?" he muttered before undressing and stepping into the shower.
He turned on the faucet, and cold water drenched his body. Cold—too cold. As cold as the sensation of blood leaving his body.
In an instant, the water seemed to turn sticky. His hand instinctively went to his abdomen, where he could even feel the texture of claws moving.
His breathing quickened, gasping desperately for oxygen. With one hand, he struck his chest, trying to steady himself, while with the other he turned the knob to hot water.
Soon, warmth spread across his skin, driving away that suffocating sensation.
"First cars, now cold water… another thing to avoid," he muttered.
He grabbed a towel, dried off, and began looking for the clothes he had brought with him.
---
It didn't take him long to get dressed in his uniform. To keep up his routine, he made himself a sandwich and set out with Koneko toward the academy. Eating alone felt selfish, so he shared half with her. Koneko accepted it without comment and began eating, even faster than him.
The streets near his home were calm and quiet—or at least they should have been. Daniel started hearing footsteps, voices, and noises. When they reached the busier area near the school, it worsened: he could pick up conversations from dozens of meters away. Combined with the bustling crowd, it made his head feel like it would explode.
Sensing his discomfort, Koneko stopped.
"Something wrong?"
Daniel shook his head, trying to quiet the noise.
"Just… too much noise. How do I shut it off?"
"I explained it earlier," Koneko said reproachfully, "but it's strange it affects you this much."
After a couple of minutes, the noise in his head subsided. Calmer, he sighed, and they continued on toward the school.
Along the way, as had become his habit, he checked his system. He had used it the previous night to fight those stray demons, so he expected some kind of change or achievement.
With just a thought, he tried to open the system panel… or at least he tried. Daniel froze, staring at the empty air, at the place where the system that had brought him into this world should have been.