Ryuya's sudden remark made Miku burst into soft laughter.
For the first time, someone had told her a view of life completely different from what everyone else always lectured her about.
In the past, no matter which relative spoke to them, the message was always the same—be excellent, then become even more excellent.
But Ryuya told her they didn't need to push themselves to exhaustion.
That genuinely touched something deep inside Miku.
"If only everyone thought the way you do…"
She sighed softly, but her expression had become much more animated.
Maybe it was because this conversation made her feel a little closer to him.
Then Ryuya shifted tone.
"But anyway, even if I say all that, you still need to study properly."
"..."
Miku nodded with unusual seriousness.
"With your help, I actually feel a bit more confident now. Magic really is amazing… If we didn't have it, we really wouldn't know what to do."
"Don't rely too heavily on my magic," Ryuya warned.
"It's only an aid. The most important part is that you girls study everything seriously first. And Miku… you underestimate yourself."
"Eh? U-underestimate… how?"
"Even without magic, you'd be able to graduate just fine. Not just you—Ichika, Nino, Yotsuba, and Itsuki too. All of you are capable of it."
Miku blinked in surprise. "Really?"
"Of course. Don't belittle yourselves. People have far more potential than they think."
Otherwise, why would angels and devils both rely on humans to grow? That alone was proof enough.
Miku gave a helpless but warm smile.
"Honestly… you trust us five sisters way too much."
She smoothed her skirt and sighed.
"If only we could be as smart and amazing as you. You're basically the perfect all-rounder: academics, sports, everything…"
"That praise feels pretty nice, I won't lie," Ryuya replied with a faint grin.
"But don't envy me. I'm not human."
"..."
Ah yes—being a devil made it convenient to say that.
He really wasn't human anymore, after all. His future was to become a high-class devil… maybe even an ultimate-class one.
Of course, Miku had no idea that before being reborn by the Evil Piece, Ryuya was human.
By then, Ryuya had already gathered his things and turned to leave.
"I'll head back for today. I'll come again tomorrow afternoon. From now on, I'll tutor you for an hour and a half each day, so it won't take up too much of your time."
"Then… see you tomorrow, Ryuya."
"Mm. See you tomorrow."
He picked up his belongings, and a dark red magic circle lit up beneath his feet.
In an instant, his body vanished from the Nakano household.
When he returned home, the place was empty. Rias Gremory and Asia weren't back yet.
With nothing else to do, Ryuya simply began his training.
Today he had received contract rewards as usual. His magic had increased a little—but the biggest gain, of course, came from Mai.
Still, it was worth noting:
Even though he hadn't completed the Nakano sisters' request yet, the emotional energy they produced as "payment" was surprisingly substantial.
Unlike Mai's love, however, the quintuplets' emotions were mostly sorrow and suffering.
This caught Ryuya off guard.
Is studying really that painful for those academic disaster twins… quintuplets?
Well… maybe that wasn't bad at all.
Maybe I should cancel their break time tomorrow too…
The thought of the five sisters sitting there with miserable expressions as he lectured them made Ryuya's heart lift in amusement.
Those girls—even though each had such different personalities—were all undeniably cute.
Stimulating his magic through Sacred Gear, Ryuya had already become accustomed to the sensation. The burning surge of mana, once painful, was now entirely within tolerable limits.
As long as he didn't overuse his Sacred Gear, this subtle, long-term training was extremely effective—slow and steady, but with tremendous potential for growth.
Immersed in his training, time slipped by quickly, and before long, night had arrived.
A magic circle flared to life in his room—Rias Gremory and Asia Argento returned together through teleportation.
Sensing their presence, Ryuya stopped training. When he opened his eyes, a flash of golden light flickered across them.
"I'm back, Ryuya!"
Asia immediately beamed, running straight into his arms.
"Welcome home."
Ryuya wrapped an arm around her slender waist, noticing she seemed particularly cheerful today.
"Asia, you look happy."
"Mhm! Asia successfully completed a contract today!"
"Really? That's wonderful."
Ryuya smiled warmly and ruffled her hair, genuinely happy for her.
Then he looked toward Rias—only to find her unusually distracted.
"Rias?"
"Ah? What is it?"
"I thought you looked a bit spaced out. Are you tired?" Ryuya asked softly.
Rias pressed her lips together, clearly wanting to say something… but ultimately didn't.
She forced a small smile.
"A little. I helped finish several archaeology research requests today. I was bent over the whole time—my back is killing me."
Rias often received requests from an archaeology professor, who had her examine various strange artifacts and relics.
"I'll go heat up the food! Let's eat early so we can rest early," Asia said cheerfully, skipping off to the kitchen.
"Alright, I'll go take a shower first."
"Mm."
Rias walked into the bathroom, unfastened her equipment piece by piece, and stepped under the shower. Tilting her head back, she let the warm water wash over her.
Her beautiful silhouette under the showerhead was mesmerizing—hot water tracing down her soft, pale skin in glistening lines.
But Ryuya felt no lust—only concern as he watched her.
He could sense something weighing on her heart.
Probably still related to her family…
When Rias finished bathing and Asia finished reheating dinner, the three ate together.
Asia happily went to wash the dishes afterward, while Ryuya turned to Rias and asked gently:
"Do you want me to give you a massage?"
"Yes please."
Rias smiled. "You're unusually considerate today."
"I'm always considerate to you," Ryuya said with a soft laugh, taking her hand and leading her to the bedroom.
Rias immediately slipped off her bathrobe, her alluring figure revealed under the lights, before lying face-down on the bed.
---
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