"Wow… the story is good!!" Rias exclaimed with sparkling eyes, her enthusiastic expression far from the elegant image she always showed at school. She was holding the LN I had recommended earlier—actually, it was the one I had just bought.
I could only smile at her reaction. "Right? The story doesn't just focus on the romance between the MC and his heroine, but also his family conflict. That's what gives the series weight."
Rias nodded quickly, like a child who had just found a new toy. Her red hair swayed gently every time she lowered her head to read or lifted it to comment at me.
"The relationship of the heroine who comes from Russia… fufu, it's very interesting. Dynamic, but still sweet," she said while holding back a small laugh.
I laughed too. "Yeah, they're childhood friends who were separated for a long time. Then they suddenly meet again at an elite academy. And the MC… my god, his family trauma really shapes him. He's a genius who appears once every hundred years, but mentally… well, he's shattered too."
Rias turned to the next page again, completely absorbed in the world of that romcom. Her expression changed every second—sometimes she smiled, sometimes she pouted, sometimes she sighed dramatically. Honestly, seeing the Gremory princess reading an LN like it was a holy scripture was entertaining.
"Jun," Rias suddenly said, still absorbed in the LN she was holding. "Why didn't you recommend this from the start?"
I shrugged. "What? I don't even go to Kuoh Academy."
Rias blinked, as if she had forgotten that fact. "Ah… that's true."
Yeah, I really don't attend that school. Even worse, if you think about it, I'm an elegant unemployed guy—20-ish appearance, living quietly in a cabin, and busy preparing myself for the chaotic future of the world. Not ideal, but whatever.
"Hm… that's unfortunate," Rias murmured while closing her book gently. "None of my friends can talk about topics like this with me."
I spun the LN in my hand. "You mean, about romcoms, weeb stuff, and teenage drama?"
Her face reddened a bit. "T-That… yes. My friends are busy with family matters, politics, or their own responsibilities. It's extremely rare for anyone to want to talk about something… light."
Eventually, we moved from the bookstore to a family restaurant. Rias insisted on treating—her reasoning was simple: "Because you recommended a good book and were willing to listen to my stories." Honestly, I didn't mind. My activities today were just training and reading, so chatting with her felt… nice.
We sat in a booth near the window, ordered food, and continued talking.
"Seems heavy, huh," I said while spinning my straw.
"Hm?" Rias turned.
"Yeah, from what you told me earlier. Being an heir of a big family, famous, always watched… doesn't look easy."
She looked at me for a few seconds, as if weighing whether I really understood or was just saying random things.
"You… sound like you know the burdens I carry," she whispered.
I gave a small smile. "Not really. But everyone has their own burden. And I respect you because you can still be cheerful, enjoying the things you like, even though people might see you as…" I hesitated for a moment before continuing, "…a precious and distant diamond."
Rias fell silent.
A gentle smile appeared on her face—the kind that never showed up in public, far from the elegant image of the "Queen of Kuoh Academy." This smile… was more human.
"…Thank you, Jun," she said softly before taking her drink. "By the way… what are you doing these days? I mean, your daily life."
I stirred my iced tea. "Hmm… nothing specific. Sometimes I train. Sometimes I meditate. Sometimes I read. Feels like I'm preparing for something big."
Rias leaned forward a little, curious. "Eeeh? Something big? What is it?"
"Secret," I answered casually.
Rias instantly pouted a bit. It was funny seeing the heir of a great demon clan react like a normal high school girl.
"But," I continued while looking at her, "I want to ask you something, Rias."
"Eh?" She raised her eyebrows, ready to listen. "What is it?"
"It's about Akeno."
Splurt.
Rias choked on her drink so hard she almost spat it onto the table. Luckily, I quickly grabbed some tissues and handed them to her.
"Are you okay?" I asked, worried.
"F-Fine! I'm fine…!" Rias wiped her mouth while trying to regain her dignity that almost collapsed. "W-What was that? Akeno!? What about her!?"
Her tone… was too fast. Too defensive. Too suspicious.
I held back a smile. "Calm down… I just want to confirm something."
Rias stared at me as if I had just announced a secret engagement.
"Actually," I continued, "last week Akeno told me something. About… her friend. Who had some misunderstanding with her father. Who didn't know where to start. Who didn't know whether to reach out or wait."
Rias froze.
I continued, "And somehow, after thinking about it, I'm sure that the friend she talked about… wasn't anyone else."
Rias looked at me for a few seconds… and her expression slowly changed. From shocked, to confused, then to a clear understanding—like a puzzle she had long suspected finally clicking into place.
"…So Akeno went that far," she whispered. There was a hidden sadness in her voice. "Even to someone she just met…"
I shrugged. "I think she just needed someone who can listen without judging. Sometimes that's enough."
Rias stared at the table between us, her fingers intertwined as if holding back something she had long buried. Her expression changed… not elegant, not proud, but sincere—and worried.
"Akeno… is always like that," she whispered softly. "She hides her feelings behind her calm demeanor. Even when she's hurt… she still smiles."
She took a short breath, her eyes drifting to the past.
"Sometimes," she continued, "when I'm with my family… I see her looking a little envious. Just a little. Very faint. But I know she feels it." Rias lowered her head slightly. "All this time, I've been trying to be… some kind of family for her. A replacement. Another home. But… I guess that's not enough."
I stirred the last of my drink. "The pain of loss doesn't disappear just like that," I said in a calm tone.
Rias nodded. "Yes… you're right."
Then she gave a small smile—bitter. "If I lost my family now… I don't think I could take it. I love all of them. Including the people around me. That's why… I have to be as strong as possible to protect them."
Rias suddenly stopped, realizing her words had come out too deep, too honest. She turned her face away, her cheeks blushing in embarrassment.
"…I talked too much, didn't I," she muttered nearly inaudibly.
I gave a soft smile. "No. It's good." Then I added, "And… I suspected it. Rias is just as amazing as Akeno. You two are alike, you know? No wonder you get along."
Rias opened her mouth, surprised. "Huh?"
"Yeah," I replied casually. "You're both strong, both caring, both stubborn in a good way. And both try to keep everything peaceful."
Rias looked at me for a few seconds, as if searching for a proper response but failing to find one. Then—very slowly—a small, warm, slightly shy smile appeared on her face.
"You could have, Jun-san," she said while brushing aside a bit of her red hair.
I chuckled. "Hehehe… Oh yeah, anyway, I'll go first. My place is pretty far."
Rias looked surprised. "Ah, wait." She held the light novel I had recommended earlier. "Can we… stay in touch? I mean… you know. None of my friends can talk about things like this with me." She pointed at the LN's cover, her face lightly blushing.
I nodded. "Yeah, sure. Just scan my LINE."
I handed my phone over, and Rias scanned my QR code with a serious expression—way too serious for something like exchanging contacts. After that, she gave a small nod.
"Thank you… Jun-san," she said sincerely.
"No problem," I replied as I stood up. "Well then, see you."
"Yes! See you again, Jun-san!" Rias raised her hand and waved, smiling like an ordinary high school girl who just found a new hobby buddy.
Truly a sight that… no one in the underworld would ever believe.
Rias Gremory, heir of a great clan, waving like that.
However—without her realizing—there was another pair of eyes watching her from afar.
Someone who had been observing this progress for a while, and clearly did not expect Rias to be that warm toward an ordinary human named Jun Mizushino.
...
Issei Hyoudou had pressed his body against the restaurant window wall for almost five full minutes, his breathing ragged like he had just sprinted across three fields. From between the slightly yellowed curtains—discolored by sunlight—he peeked at a scene that, to his heart, was more lethal than an attack from a Kaijo-class Demon.
Outside, Rias Gremory stood waving, her crimson hair swaying gently in the evening breeze. Her expression was bright, her smile sincere—and that alone was enough to make Issei feel the world crumble beneath his feet.
And all of that… was directed at Jun.
Who was now walking away while carrying a plastic bag of bread and drinks as if nothing special had happened. After their conversation—which looked close—too close by Issei's standards—Rias had even said goodbye with a tone that was… sweet?
Issei held his left chest. It felt like being stabbed 300 times—by Cupid. Who was on PMS.
"Hiks… even Buchou too!" he whimpered while wiping his nose that had started bleeding again 'Damn, why nosebleed? Is this emotional stress? Or… extreme-level jealousy?'
He peeked again. Rias was still there, looking in Jun's direction with a small smile that… why did it have to look so soft?
Issei trembled.
"DAMN IT, YOU PRETTY BOY BASTARD!!" he yelled quietly—yet full of internal suffering—before slamming the curtain shut and sliding down to the floor.
In his head, jealousy alarms had exploded, firing off a thousand disaster scenarios:
Jun sitting next to Rias. Jun getting hugged by Rias for some sudden reason. Rias calling him "Jun-kun"—which had a fatality level of 120%.
//--//
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