Chapter 2: The Saint and the Strategist
The morning sun at Kuoh Academy was usually greeted by Issei's loud rants about the "scenery" of the girl's gym class. But today, the atmosphere shifted.
A new transfer student stood at the front of the class. She looked like she had stepped out of a Renaissance painting—pale skin, soft blonde hair, and eyes that held a heartbreaking amount of innocence.
"My name is Asia Argento," she whispered, bowing so low it was painful to watch. "I... I hope we can be friends."
I sat in the back, my head resting on my palm. My new "Apex" senses were screaming. Her aura was like a soft, white light—pure, holy, and completely incompatible with the demonic heart thrumming in my chest.
'Asia Argento,' I thought, my metallic eyes narrowed. 'The Twilight Healer. Here comes the plot.'
Issei was staring at her, but for once, his face wasn't twisted in a lecherous grin. He looked... struck. "She's different, you know, bro?" he whispered to me.
"You say that about every girl with a D-cup, Issei," I replied coolly.
"No! I mean... look at her." He gestured vaguely. "She looks like she's about to cry just by standing there. I feel like... like I need to protect her or something."
I sighed, looking at my friend. 'Classic Issei. The Harem King's instincts are never wrong.' "Yeah, she's different. Try not to scare her off with your 'scouting' talk."
The Encounter
Later that afternoon, I watched from a distance as Issei and Asia walked through the town. Asia was mesmerized by everything—a stray dog, a vending machine, a simple crepe. She apologized to the sidewalk for tripping on it.
I leaned against a brick wall, watching them.
"That girl is a walking bonfire," Crom Cruach's voice rumbled in my mind, dripping with irritation. "Stay away from her. Her holy aura is like a needle in my eye. If you touch her, you'll burn."
'I know, Dragon,' I thought back. 'I'm just checking the situation.'
"I'm just checking if you're stupid enough to fall for a nun," he snapped. "Stick to the Red One. At least she smells like power."
'Shut up.'
I watched Issei treat her to a burger. He didn't try any of his usual perverted moves. He was being... a gentleman. Asia's eyes sparkled as she talked about her past—the loneliness of the Church, being called a "witch" because she could heal anything. She was a bird with clipped wings, and Issei was the first person to offer her a branch to sit on.
The Princess's Test
Suddenly, a red magic circle sparked at my feet. 'Now? Ise is on a date and I'm the one getting summoned?'
I appeared in the Occult Research Club. The room was dim, the scent of expensive tea and Rias's perfume heavy in the air. Rias was lounging on the sofa, her uniform jacket discarded, the white silk of her shirt straining against her curves as she leaned back.
"You summoned me, my lady?" I asked, my voice smooth as velvet.
Rias looked me up and down, her eyes lingering on the way my new physique filled out the school blazer. She smiled, a playful, dangerous spark in her eyes. "You're getting faster, Motohama. And much more handsome. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to seduce your King."
I didn't look away. I stepped closer, a small, confident smirk playing on my lips. "And what if I was? Would my lady be disappointed, or would she find it... intriguing?"
The room went silent. Akeno, who was pouring tea, paused, her violet eyes widening with a "Yara-yara" glint.
"Oho," Crom laughed. "You actually have a backbone. Careful, she might just swallow you whole."
Rias's breath hitched for a micro-second. She wasn't used to a Pawn—especially not this Pawn—flirting back with such composure. She flushed a faint pink but quickly masked it with a regal smile.
"Bold," she whispered. "I like bold. But for now, I have work for you. That girl with Issei... she carries a Holy Sacred Gear. I want you to monitor them. Don't engage the girl, and don't let Issei do anything stupid. Stay in the shadows."
"Roger," I said, giving a mock-salute. "I'll keep the 'Red One' on a leash."
As I walked out, I heard Akeno giggle. "Oh my, Rias. It seems your little Pawn is growing some very sharp claws."
The Shadow Falls
I followed them to the park. The sun was setting, turning the sky the color of a bruised plum. Issei and Asia were saying their goodbyes, a sweet, innocent moment that felt entirely too fragile for this world.
But in the trees above them, I sensed it.
Two figures were perched on the high branches, their black wings tucked tight. Raynare and Kalawarner.
Raynare licked her lips, her eyes fixed on Asia's back. "Look at that little heretic. So pure, so holy... she'll make a perfect sacrifice for the ritual."
"The brat with her is the one we killed before," Kalawarner hissed. "How is he alive?"
"Doesn't matter," Raynare sneered. "We take the girl tonight. The boys can die later."
I stayed hidden in the darkness, my metallic eyes glowing faintly. I gripped the bark of the tree, my knuckles turning white.
'So it begins,' I thought. 'The tragedy of the Saint. And I'm the only one who knows exactly how it ends.'
"Do we fight?" Crom Cruach asked, his voice suddenly cold and eager for blood.
'Not yet,' I replied. 'I need to see how the board is set first.'
To be continued...