"Uuuuuuu~~"
The moment she heard Takeyo's words, Serafall forced her eyes as wide as they would go, tears glistening at the corners.
The charm of a magical girl... no, the charm of the Demon King Girl was truly terrifying~~
"What happened?" Takeyo asked, though he already had a good idea what she would say.
He'd seen this act before, or at least, heard about it from Sona's exasperated complaints.
"Take...Takeyo-kun...So-tan~~~So-tan doesn't need me anymore~~~"
Without any regard for the dignity of a Satan, Serafall threw herself forward and hugged Takeyo's leg. He felt something soft press against his shin and silently nodded to himself.
Well, I knew you'd say that.
"So-tan said~~~ She said she doesn't like her sister being close to her~~ She even kicked me out~~Takeyo-kun"
Serafall's black hair was tied in twin tails, and her pale face wore an expression of pure despair. Her small nose scrunched slightly, and her thin lips formed an exaggerated pout as she expressed her dissatisfaction with Sona.
Her eyes sparkled like stars, and a hint of cunning flashed through them while Takeyo wasn't looking directly at her.
"I see. If Miss Serafall doesn't mind, please stay at my house tonight," Takeyo said with a slight smile.
He knew full well this was the entire purpose of Serafall's visit. Even if he hadn't offered, she would have made the request herself eventually.
"Mm!~~Thank you, Takeyo-kun~~You're so kind~~~"
Serafall lifted her head from his leg and gazed up at him, her big eyes shining with those little star-like sparkles.
"Well, come in first. You can rest if you'd like," Takeyo said, stepping aside to let her enter his small villa.
He wasn't worried about his parents coming home and misunderstanding that he'd brought home such a beautiful girlfriendâ€"his parents had died in a car accident two years ago. The villa had been purchased with his investment earnings, a tangible result of his calculation abilities applied to the stock market.
"Yeah!~~Thank you, Takeyo-kun~~"
Serafall bounded inside, showing none of the gravitas expected of a Demon King.
No, it should be said that none of the Four Great Satans of the current Underworld possessed the tyrannical demeanor one might expect. They were all, in their own ways, remarkably good-natured individuals, a stark contrast to the original Satans they'd replaced.
"This is tea. Please, help yourself," Takeyo said, bringing two cups of hot tea and setting them on the low table.
"Oh! ~~~ Is this a drink unique to this country?" Serafall carefully lifted the steaming cup as if she'd discovered a priceless treasure.
"Yes," Takeyo confirmed with a nod.
Internally, however, his thoughts were far less hospitable.
Do you have any idea you interrupted my studies? If I could actually beat you in a fight, I'd definitely pin you to the sofa and give you a proper scolding.
Of course, since he couldn't beat her, he'd just have to endure this visit with as much grace as he could muster.
"Right! ~ I heard Takeyo-kun joined So-tan's Student Council? I remember that only So-tan's peerage members can join the Student Council. How did you manage to get in?" Serafall asked, showing no signs of going to rest despite her earlier claims of being kicked out by Sona.
Her question was innocent enough on the surface, but Takeyo knew better.
Although she had genuinely been asked to leave by Sona, that didn't mean she had nowhere else to stay. The Underworld had countless properties in the human world, finding accommodations would have been trivial for someone of her status.
She wanted to stay at his house specifically, and she had her own reasons for it.
Takeyo had understood her true purpose the moment he saw her at his door, which was precisely why he hadn't been eager to let her in.
Unfortunately, he lacked the strength to refuse a Satan directly, so here they were.
"It's nothing special. I just played a game of chess with Sona," Takeyo replied casually.
"Oh!~~ So Takeyo-kun actually beat So-tan at chess?" Serafall's eyes widened with genuine admiration.
She truly was impressed. She'd never seen Sona lose at chess, not once in all the years since her little sister was born. Even Sona's arranged marriage candidates had been utterly crushed by her brilliant strategies, several of them offering to dissolve the engagement afterward rather than face such humiliation again.
"Yes, that's correct," Takeyo confirmed.
"So... Takeyo-kun's calculation and analytical abilities must be exceptionally strong, then? No wonder So-tan wanted to get that thing from Ajuka for you... Oh!~~ By the way, did you open it yet?"
"I've used it. I'd like to thank the President for her consideration," Takeyo said sincerely.
He knew Sona had obtained the teaching crystal for him, but he didn't know what price she'd paid for it. The fact that she'd gone to such lengths suggested it hadn't been a simple transaction.
"You definitely need to work hard for So-tan~~~ After all, So-tan made a promise to become the head of the Sitri family specifically for your sake!~"
Serafall set her magic wand down on the sofa, her tone shifting to something more serious despite her playful delivery.
"What?" Takeyo's eyes narrowed slightly.
So Serafall's purpose was exactly as he'd imagined, she'd come to win him over... or perhaps more accurately, to claim him for Sona's peerage.
"This is already the biggest bargaining chip So-tan could offer~~ After all, she's only the next head of the Sitri family. Such a promise could potentially cause the Sitri family to make incorrect decisions at critical moments in the future."
Serafall waved her hand dismissively, though her pink eyes reflected genuine concern.
Actually... those terms alone weren't sufficient.
When Ajuka had told her about Sona's request, Serafall had also paid a considerable price before she'd managed to obtain the teaching crystal from him. But she wasn't about to tell Takeyo that part.
"Well, I will always remember Sona's kindness to me. When she needs my help, I won't hesitate to act," Takeyo said seriously.
He was someone who valued emotional connections deeply. If others treated him well, he would repay that kindness twofold.
It could truly be said that Sona had been extraordinarily kind to him. Even in Kuoh, a place teeming with Stray Devils and Fallen Angels, he'd never encountered a single one during his time at the academy.
There was a reason for that, his calculation abilities allowed him to avoid danger zones algorithmically. But there must also have been Sona working behind the scenes, ensuring that none of those creatures got close enough to threaten her Student Council members. She didn't want any of her people unable to attend school the next day because some worthless Stray Devil had attacked them.
Sona, no, Sona Sitri, had been very kind to him, and he would always remember that.
"So, do you want to become So-tan's servant? Not only would you gain a lifespan of thousands of years, but you'd also be able to enhance your own strength!~~" Serafall said excitedly, leaning forward.
This was the reason she'd come to Takeyo's home in the first place!~
She didn't care what Sona had said about not disturbing Takeyo for the time being, or about returning to the Underworld to give him space. Taking advantage of the fact that her family's So-tan cared so much for this human, if Serafall could convince him now, he'd belong to So-tan for life!~~
"Become Sona's peerage member? That is to say... become a Devil?" Takeyo asked, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
So you've finally revealed your true purpose.
"Mm-hmm, that's right~~ Look, thousands of years of life, the chance to be with So-tan forever, and as a member of So-tan's peerage, you might even be granted territory someday? After all, the Sitri family still has holdings equivalent to a small country, hundreds of thousands of square kilometers at least."
Serafall's chest puffed out proudly.
For you humans, So-tan is like a princess of a small nation, right? Maybe she'll even become a queen in the future?
Since Serafall herself had already ascended to the position of Demon King, her name had changed from Serafall Sitri to Serafall Leviathan. That meant she could no longer inherit the Sitri family's territory, it would all go to Sona eventually.
"No, I don't need that right now. I don't intend to give up my human identity for the time being," Takeyo said with a polite smile.
Territory from the Sitri family? What's that compared to real power?
If I possessed the strength of the Infinite Dragon God Ophis or the True Dragon Great Red, I could declare the entire world my territory. Who would dare object?
"Eh?!~~Why? So-tan has paid so much for you?!~~" Serafall couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Does this human not understand what's being offered? She's the sister of a Demon King!~
Internally, Takeyo thought: I do feel my prospects are quite high, actually.
"Sona's kindness toward me, I will always keep it in my heart. When there's anything I can help her with, I will definitely take action," Takeyo repeated his promise with complete sincerity.
"You don't want to become So-tan's servant? Even though So-tan has paid so much for you?!~~" Serafall stared directly into Takeyo's eyes, searching for any sign of deception.
Did So-tan misjudge this person?
"I am willing to repay her kindness, but I don't want to become a Devil," Takeyo said firmly.
"Also, that's a nice magic wand..."
"Hmm? What do you mean the magic wand is nice?" Serafall glanced to the side where she'd left it, but Takeyo's figure was no longer where it had been.
"Huh?!~"
She looked around, Takeyo had somehow moved to her side without her noticing! And he was now holding her magic wand in his hands!~
"I just wanted to say that if I truly wanted to run, no one could stop me. Serafall, surely you don't want to force me into opposing Sona, right?" Takeyo said with a calm smile, twirling the wand between his fingers.
"..."
Serafall stared at Takeyo quietly, her playful expression fading. With her strength at the pinnacle of Maou-class power, she hadn't even sensed when Takeyo had moved to her side?!
This human possessed abilities that far exceeded her initial assessment. Spatial manipulation of this caliber was extraordinary, possibly rivaling even Ajuka's transportation magic.
"Oh, by the way, if you want to retrieve the crystal orb Sona gave me, I can return it tomorrow," Takeyo added casually, setting the magic wand back down on the sofa.
The implication was clear: he wasn't rejecting Sona's kindness or the knowledge itself. He simply refused to be converted into a Devil as payment.
Serafall's pink eyes studied him for a long moment, calculation and reassessment flickering behind her cheerful facade. Finally, she let out a long, dramatic sigh.
"Muu~~~ Takeyo-kun is more stubborn than I thought~~" she said, though there was a hint of respect in her tone now. "But... I suppose that's also why So-tan found you interesting in the first place~"
She stood up, stretching her arms above her head, her magical girl costume rustling with the movement.
"Alright! Since persuasion won't work, I'll just have to trust that you really will help So-tan when she needs it~~" Serafall's expression brightened again, though Takeyo could tell she was still analyzing him, still trying to understand exactly what he was and what he was capable of.
"I keep my promises," Takeyo said simply.
"We'll see~~" Serafall replied with a mysterious smile. "Now then, Takeyo-kun, since you've so kindly offered to let me stay the night, I should probably actually go to sleep~~~ Unless... you'd like to continue our conversation?"
Her tone was playful, but there was an undercurrent of something more serious, as if she was testing him, seeing how he'd respond to her presence in his home.
Takeyo maintained his calm expression. "The guest room is upstairs, second door on the left. Please make yourself comfortable."
"So formal~~" Serafall giggled, but she did pick up her magic wand and head toward the stairs. Before she disappeared from view, she glanced back over her shoulder. "One more thing, Takeyo-kun~ Whatever you are, whatever abilities you possess... you're still playing in a world much larger and more dangerous than you realize. So-tan is smart to want you close. Just... be careful you don't attract the wrong kind of attention~"
With that cryptic warning, the Satan Leviathan vanished up the stairs, leaving Takeyo alone with his thoughts.
He stood in silence for a moment, processing everything that had just happened. Then he returned to his room, retrieving Ajuka's crystal orb to continue his studies.
Whatever games the Devils were playing, whatever plans Serafall and Sona had for him, Takeyo had his own path to walk. And that path required power, the kind of power that came from knowledge, preparation, and the divine incarnations sleeping within him.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges. Tonight, he would learn everything Ajuka's teaching crystal had to offer.
The Divine Sign-In System hummed quietly in the back of his mind, already calculating the next opportunity, the next reward that would push him further along his path to true strength.