"The only reason I didn't visit them earlier was because I planned to use them to recruit Hyoudou-san and Gilgamesh-san. But now that plan has failed…"
Rias shrugged, her expression indifferent.
"We can simply ignore their presence — pretend we never knew they were here. Let Gilgamesh-san have a little conversation with them. After all, one of them already spoke too much in front of him."
A cold, sweet smile formed on her lips.
Akeno's own smile slowly mirrored it.
"If you say so…"
........................
With Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh stood alone in a secluded area, quietly staring at the sky.
I messed up…
"That's not true, Master," Regulus said.
[I agree with the cat,] Ddraig added.
"That's not what I meant."
Gilgamesh immediately severed the telepathic link before the inevitable argument between the two could begin.
It had been roughly thirty minutes since his confrontation with Rias and her peerage.
Now, he lay on the grass of Kuoh Academy's sports field, arms folded behind his head as clouds drifted lazily above him. His face remained expressionless.
But inside, he was anything but calm.
He was furious.
Furious enough to want to cut something apart.
Not because of what he said to Rias.
She deserved every word.
No.
He was angry at himself.
At what he did to Koneko.
He hadn't seen a devil.
He had seen a child.
A terrified child trembling in fear.
How did I make that mistake…?
"How strange. Wasn't our meeting supposed to be tomorrow?"
He spoke casually, still watching the sky.
"I changed my mind. I had some free time."
Gilgamesh grunted softly and pushed himself upright, sitting up before turning toward the voice.
Sona Sitri stood a short distance away.
He had sensed her approach long before she arrived, but he made no move to confront her.
Unlike Rias, Sona had never acted against him personally. She maintained neutrality — both as an individual and as Student Council President.
There was no reason to treat her as an enemy.
That did not mean he would lower his guard.
"That's not what you said when I came to your office," he replied with a faint snort.
"I didn't come here to fight, Gilgamesh-kun."
She raised her hands lightly in surrender.
He narrowed his eyes at the suffix but said nothing.
"Really? Then why is Tsubaki watching us from the rooftop?"
He casually pointed upward, his sharpened perception already confirming Tsubaki observing through binoculars.
Sona's eyes widened for only a fraction of a second before returning to calm composure.
"That shouldn't surprise me. You are a Longinus wielder… and the King of Heroes. Still, I didn't expect you to notice so quickly."
She adjusted her glasses.
"But I can't simply order Tsubaki to leave. There's no guarantee you won't attack me."
"That works both ways."
Sona met his gaze steadily.
"On behalf of House Sitri, I swear I will not act against you unless you act against me first."
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes.
"You do realize your alias is barely different from your real name, right? If secrecy was your goal, you could have tried harder."
Her eye twitched.
"Even so, why should I believe you? You're still a devil."
"We devils have pride as well, Gilgamesh-kun."
"…Fair enough."
A faint smile appeared as he gestured beside him.
She approached and sat down.
Silence followed.
They simply watched the empty sports field stretching before them.
Sona spoke first.
"You're troubled."
"Of course I am. I just finished speaking with a devil."
He said it dryly.
She rolled her eyes.
"I meant your mood. You're never this sarcastic."
"The last devil I dealt with behaved like a spoiled child. Forgive me if that left a poor impression."
Sona sighed softly.
"You always come here when something is bothering you."
He narrowed his eyes.
"And how would you know that?"
"I've been observing you."
His blank stare said everything.
"That's unsettling. You realize that, right?"
She shrugged.
"I originally intended to recruit you — not Rias."
"Oh?"
He tilted his head.
"What changed?"
Sona sighed and adjusted her glasses.
"May I?"
She gestured to the space beside him. He nodded.
"What do you know about Evil Pieces?"
"I know exactly what they do — and why you use them. Devils seek strong humans and bind them as servants."
His tone was sharp.
He knew far more than that.
Not just from memories of another timeline.
Sebas had shown him everything after his reincarnation.
The reality behind the system.
How humans had been treated since the Great War.
How factions turned them into tools.
Supernatural beings spoke with honeyed words — but their intentions were rarely pure.
They feared humans.
Feared their potential.
Sacred Gears were humanity's greatest inheritance — gifts comparable to Noble Phantasms. Weapons granted so humans could survive and defend themselves.
Yet those gifts had become shackles.
Tools.
The purity of a human heart could surpass angels — yet its darkness could also eclipse devils.
And the supernatural world had learned to exploit both.
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