The night of the same day I reincarnated.
I made the decision to go back to school that night; I knew she would be there, and I did not want any more trouble than necessary.
In the club's lounge, with the lights off, although she knew it was not a problem for her, was Sona Sitri.
"Chairwoman."
She was surprised because she was not expecting my visit.
"Shinya, what are you doing here? Classes are supposed to be suspended, and besides, it is nighttime. There are no classes anymore."
She said "no" in a completely distrustful tone while staring at me with her violet eyes, as if she expected me to do something bad to her.
I sighed and simply approached her.
I took out the bottle of pills. Although it was still only half full.
She looked at me in surprise, but then her expression turned serious.
With that, she simply told me to explain everything that was happening.
"I'm sorry. If it was me who took the pills, I've had trouble sleeping for quite some time."
I said this while shaking my head in a gesture of complete apology, knowing that she would still be strict enough to do something more.
"I'm intrigued by why you told me the truth from the beginning. And why didn't you just tell the nurses to give you those pills?"
She said it in a firm tone, but she seemed relaxed for the first time.
The look in her eyes showed surprise for a second, since this time I was not wearing my glasses and my eyes were visible.
"Do you really think they would have given me the pills, knowing who I am?"
She thought about it for a second, but then, remembering what had happened with Saji, she realized that I was right. They would not have given them to me, and they would have even called the principal without any hesitation.
"Okay. Although you know I also have to ask why more than half are missing."
She asked while looking at the remaining pills, waiting for an explanation as to why I had not handed them all over.
"I'm still having trouble sleeping. I'll keep them so I can sleep."
I said this, making her think things through and realize that I was really challenging her a little, but it was for my own good, or at least I was trying to make it seem that way.
"That's fine, but you're still suspended, and you're still on thin ice. If you do something like harass your female classmates again, I'll expel you."
She said this while looking at me quite seriously. Since I had already committed a robbery, the perversion was actually the least of my problems.
Even so, I nodded, knowing that there truly was no solution here.
"Don't worry. I can promise that I will never commit any perversion against my female colleagues again."
I said that as I slowly backed away.
She was a little surprised to see me leave.
"What a strange guy."
That was all she said while staring at the half empty pill bottle.
I went back to the forest.
There, I took off the necklace.
While looking back at the book, I realized this necklace was special. It allowed me to hide even the most powerful magical signatures.
It was convenient because I thought I would only wear it to school, which was the best part.
The necklace itself was not much of a thing, but it had the ability to hide the magical signature of the people who used it.
This would be advantageous for me so as not to change history, knowing full well what could happen. As I turned the pages of the book, I came across a blank section.
Sin. But the book was completely blank from that point on.
"Perhaps something they didn't manage to write down in time."
That was all I could tell myself, since I really had no idea why it was like that.
Okay, now let's make the most of these three days.
From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., I dedicated myself to physical conditioning. This new body I possessed needed to adapt.
It was complicated because of everything I had learned. I had to increase my regular training almost threefold since it was now harder to get tired.
I started physical training by conditioning my body a little, as usual. Basic exercises, but taken to an extreme.
In the end, it would end in a little shadowboxing match.
Yes, I had significantly improved my stamina and agility in just three days. The training sessions were tough, and sweat covered my body after each one, but I knew it was worth it. Every step, every blow, every fall brought me a little closer to complete self control.
However, where I had truly seen significant results was in my magical training. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., with the book by my side, I dedicated my efforts to improving my magical abilities.
It was complicated when I discovered that a large part of my affinity had to do with water.
It was more complicated than it looked, and I had to maintain a high level of concentration, at least at first.
Once I understood the trick, it became easier.
I started reading about various water based spells, like creating water beasts or controlling large amounts of water.
It was difficult because my control was not very good, and my magic resources, as far as I could see, were limited.
I could not do things like Clean Citri does. Maybe I was not that good, but at least if I concentrated hard enough, I could become good.
I focused on blending my fighting style with magic, seeking a synergy that would make my attacks more effective and fluid. Each spell I cast was accompanied by swift and precise movements, rehearsing combinations that could be lethal in combat.
"They're not the best results, but they'll do for now."
Motohama muttered as he gathered his things and left the forest.
Even though I had finished and come out more or less okay, there were still many things I had to fix about my fighting style.
But for now, this was the best option.
The cool evening breeze caressed his face as he walked through the city, and along the way, he noticed something curious. Little by little, memories of Motohama began to surface. These memories were not complete, but fragments here and there helped him navigate the city as if he had always lived there. However, something was strange. He remembered nothing about his family or what the note he had found in his room said. It was as if a vital part of Motohama remained locked, inaccessible.
"I think I should thank the owner of the antique shop, and also ask him how he knew exactly what I was looking for."
He said this to himself while walking in the direction he remembered. I also had to ask him about many things, like why he gave me that book in particular.
I knew perfectly well that he had not given it to me for no reason. He already knew something, and I had to question him no matter what.
But when he arrived at the place where the store was supposed to be, he stopped abruptly. There was nothing there.
"What? I could have sworn it was here."
He looked around, confused. Instead of the store, there was only a dark, empty alley, one of those places you would only cross to commit illegal acts.
Motohama frowned, a feeling of unease running down his spine.
"Maybe my head is still fuzzy with memories. Not impossible, but if he didn't want to be found, I'd never find him. He already knows this little anime cliché. Suspects give something away, and you never find it again."
He muttered, trying to convince himself as he resumed his walk home. He still could not believe he was in Japan after all, or at least the closest thing to Japan he could see.
The people here did not seem Japanese at all, except for one or two he saw. Most seemed like foreigners or people doing cosplays from different anime.
As he turned a corner near his house, a familiar voice startled him.
"Motohama!"
Two boys ran toward him. They were Issei and Matsuda, who, with concern and some anger, hugged him tightly.
They seemed to have been looking for him for quite some time.
"Guys, guys, calm down. You're going to break my back."
He complained, though he seemed grateful for the warmth of the reunion. But he stepped aside because it looked a little strange to see two guys hugging another guy like it was nothing.
"Where have you been? We've been looking everywhere for you."
Matsuda shouted, frustrated but visibly relieved to see him. It seemed he had given them quite a scare.
Knowing his father, it was quite possible the man did not say a word, which would only make them more worried.
"You know, I asked the club for help finding you, and now I have to pay for everyone's meals for a month."
I thought about it a bit. Even though it did not seem like it, the occult club did eat too much.
Perhaps it was the work of demons, the "why aren't they plumper" mentality, but the truth was that many of them did eat very large quantities.
Issei, in his own way, also showed his concern as he wiped away some fake tears.
Motohama could not help but smile, even though the situation was a bit awkward. At least his friends really cared about him.
It was a little sad knowing that I was in his place. Maybe if he had approached them and talked things through, none of this would have happened.
But it was best not to think about those things.
"Sorry, guys. I promise I'll pay for the food next time. Just Issei."
He said this, trying to calm things down and clarify for Matsuda so he would not get the wrong idea that I would also pay for all his meals.
"Well, to celebrate that you're back on your feet, what do you think about looking at some magazines?"
Issei said as he finished taking some erotic magazines out of his backpack.
"I'm sorry, but I'm no longer willing to be any more perverted."
This was something I absolutely had to clarify to these two. I was not going to act like Motohama at all.
Especially since I was seriously suspecting that he was just pretending to be a pervert and was not really one.
Issei looked at him with a mixture of surprise and distrust. He put the magazine back in his backpack. The news had truly shocked them both.
I could see their faces filled with astonishment and even some terror.
"What? How do you say you're going to stop being a pervert?"
Issei asked, frowning. Matsuda looked at him with a similar expression. Both of them simply could not believe what he was saying, and honestly, even I would not have believed it if the class pervert had told me he was going to stop.
"Yes. I've been thinking we're wasting too much time on that. We're already in third grade, and if we don't start maturing now, we never will."
I told them firmly. This was one of the things that had to be done first, even though it hurt them both, because now I really had many more things to fix.
Matsuda stared at him and then took a step back, moving away from him as if he were facing a stranger.
"Who are you, and what did you do to our friend Motohama?"
Issei asked in a serious tone. It seemed he was truly taking things seriously, even though he himself had no idea that what I had said had actually made me a little nervous.
I just let out a small laugh at his joke.
"What? I'm not an imposter. I'm just changing."
Matsuda and Issei exchanged glances, clearly skeptical.
"Listen, things are changing a lot. In just a couple of years, we'll be going to university. I really want to change things from now on and stop being a pervert, focus on other things, and get a better future."
"Issei, do you think your club could investigate whether he was possessed by a ghost or demon?"
Matsuda suggested. That was too ironic, considering that Issei was already a demon at this point.
For a brief moment, I could see that it actually made him a little nervous, but then he simply accepted it as just another joke.
Issei crossed his arms, lost in thought. Then he started to take it a little more seriously.
"I'll have to look into it."
He replied quite seriously, more than he wanted the matter to become.
Motohama let out a long sigh, resigned to the fact that they were not going to understand his change in attitude.
After chatting for a while and explaining that I simply wanted to get away from civilization for a bit to train and spend time in the forest, they seemed to understand a little.
He decided to leave them behind and walk home alone. But when he arrived and opened the door, he found a new surprise.
The demon I had to call father was not there, but there was a note. That left me a little confused and set off alarm bells in my head.
"If you came back, I'm afraid to tell you that since I thought you wouldn't return, I sold some of your things."
Upon reading it, Motohama ran to his room, and when he opened the door, his anger exploded.
"Some? He sold almost all of my stuff."
I screamed in frustration, staring at the empty room. All that remained were some clothes scattered on the floor and a couple of blankets.
He took a deep breath and, though still annoyed, tidied what little remained in a corner. He hid the book inside his backpack, determined to move on.
"Tomorrow will be my second day at the academy. I hope there won't be any problems this time."
He said this to himself while setting the alarm on his old cell phone. I was glad I had at least taken it with me to the woods and not left it here.
I sighed, knowing that tomorrow would be an even more exhausting day, considering all the things that awaited me.
The girls' disgusted looks, those two trying to convince me of some stupid thing, or even the student council already after me because of what had happened with the pills.
Besides needing to find out more about Motohama, my mind became a little clearer. I remembered that his entire school schedule was on his phone, so I was able to study it and use my memories to find my way around school much more easily.
I slowly drifted off to sleep, thinking about a few more things I had to do.
I put the collar back beside me as it deactivated.
So I fell asleep knowing that it was too uncomfortable to sleep with that thing.
________________________
Meanwhile, in the darkness of the night, a blue haired woman watched the house from a distance, with an expression of interest on her face.
"I can feel a magical energy. Reinare was supposed to eliminate all potential threats in this area."
She whispered, swinging a spear that gleamed in the moonlight. The spear vanished, not wanting to arouse suspicion.
"I'll have to take care of it myself."
The woman said this before she began to sprout two black wings like those of a raven and simply flew away from there while planning her next move.
It was a headache having to hunt down all the magic users, or even more so the users of sacred gears, for them.
But it was a mission entrusted to her by none other than Azazel himself, so she could easily accept something like this.
Meanwhile, at the Occult Research Club, Issei was reading books. He had no contracts to fulfill today, and Rias watched him from her desk.
"Issei, may I ask why you've suddenly become so interested in those books?"
"What's wrong?" asked the president, curious to see that Issei was focused on texts about possessions and curses.
"Motohama is acting very strangely, and I think it has something to do with the supernatural."
Issei answered without looking up from his book.
Rias frowned, thoughtful.
"Now that you mention it, Sona has noticed it too. Ever since the stolen pills incident."
"Tablets?"
Issei asked, intrigued.
Rias nodded, bringing a hand to her chin.
"Yes, we still don't know what he planned to do with them. He said he wanted to use them because he had insomnia, but she said she noticed something strange and doesn't believe him at all."
Issei looked at Rias with a serious expression.
"What do you want me to do, buchou?"
He was genuinely worried about his friend. If something was really happening to him, he did not want to be left out of it any more than he already was.
"I think it's best to leave it like this for now. There's really not much that can be done. But if you're really worried, maybe I can talk to him."
She said this while Issei nodded, knowing that if anyone could help his friend, it would be her, whatever was going on.
"Okay, buchou."
He said this as he simply put his books aside.