Chapter 6: Proof of a Rumor
The rumor spread faster than a wildfire in a dry forest. By lunchtime, Kuoh Academy had settled on a single, earth-shattering conclusion:
Rias Gremory had a boyfriend.
And unfortunately for the male population of the school, I was currently walking beside her.
The courtyard buzzed with the sound of hearts breaking. I kept my hands in my pockets, my posture relaxed. Rias walked half a step ahead, her crimson hair catching the sunlight like a banner of war. Every time the wind caught her skirt, a collective gasp went up from the bushes.
"You're enjoying this far too much," Crom Cruach rumbled, amused.
'I'm enjoying the silence, Dragon. People stare quieter when they're terrified of the guy standing next to the Princess.'
Rias glanced sideways, her blue eyes scanning my face. "You're calmer than I expected, Motohama. Most boys would be shaking under this much scrutiny."
I smiled faintly. "Public execution is rarely stressful once you accept the sentence, my lady."
That earned me a soft, musical laugh that made several nearby students faint.
The "Political" Date
We stopped near the school gates. Rias turned to me, her expression turning uncharacteristically shy for a split second before she masked it with regal poise.
"Today isn't... entirely personal," she said, smoothing her skirt over her thighs—a movement that drew my eyes exactly where she wanted them. "As the rumors say, we need to be seen. Devils thrive on perception. My family... they need to know I've chosen a Pawn of quality."
"A political date," I noted. "A high-stakes performance."
"Something like that." She stepped closer, the scent of roses suddenly overwhelming.
I leaned in, my voice dropping to a low, draconic hum. "Then allow me to perform. I'd hate for the Great Princess of Gremory to look like she has poor taste."
Rias paused, her breath hitching as she looked into my golden eyes. A smirk played on her lips. "I'll be judging you strictly."
Coffee and Curves
We walked through the shopping district. Rias was deliberate about her movements, her hips swaying with a rhythmic grace that had me—and every other man on the street—fighting for air.
We stopped at a quiet, refined café. I pulled out her chair, my hand briefly brushing against the small of her back. The skin there was warm, even through the fabric.
Rias sat, crossing her legs. The slit in her school skirt shifted, revealing a tantalizing length of black thigh-high stocking and the soft press of her skin above the lace.
"This isn't where Issei would take someone," she noted, watching me over the menu.
"I'm not competing with Issei," I replied, sitting across from her. "He likes noise and energy. I prefer to hear the heartbeat of the person I'm with."
Rias studied me like a complex chessboard. "You didn't ask why I chose you for this rumor."
I stirred my coffee, the steam fogging my vision slightly. "You were curious. You dislike boredom. And," I paused, looking directly at the swell of her chest as she leaned forward, "you needed someone who wouldn't crumble the moment you looked at him."
Rias laughed, a genuine, throaty sound. "You're perceptive. And far more dangerous than you look."
The Hand-Holding Incident
As we exited the café, a group of Kuoh students passed by, phones out, whispering furiously. Rias hesitated, a rare moment of uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
I didn't wait. I reached out and took her hand.
Her fingers were slender and soft, but they stiffened the moment our skin met. Then, slowly, she relaxed, her fingers curling tightly around mine.
"Bold for someone who nearly died yesterday," Crom mocked.
'Timing is everything, lizard.'
We walked like that for a full block. Rias didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned in closer, her arm brushing against mine. The friction was electric.
"This will complicate things," she whispered, her shoulder pressing into my chest. "The Factions, the engagement... people will talk."
"Everything interesting is complicated," I replied, squeezing her hand. "Besides, I think the view is worth the trouble."
Akeno's Sudden Intervention
"Ara, ara~ So this is where the happy couple ran off to."
Akeno Himejima appeared from the shadows of an alleyway like a beautiful ghost. Her yellow ribbon fluttered in the breeze, and her smile was sharp enough to cut glass.
Rias sighed, though she didn't let go of my hand. "Akeno. You followed us."
"Of course," Akeno said, her eyes sliding down to our interlaced fingers. "I had to confirm the rumors. Oh my, Rias-sama... you're actually serious."
Akeno stepped closer to me, her chest nearly brushing my arm as she whispered into my ear. "Be careful, little dragon. She doesn't choose easily. And once she catches something... she never lets go."
I didn't flinch. I turned my head slightly, my lips inches from Akeno's ear. "Neither do I, Akeno. It's a bad habit of mine."
Akeno's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing a faint, delicious pink. She stepped back, her smile turning truly predatory. "Dangerous... I like that."
The Almost-Honest Moment
Later, near the park where the sky was turning a deep violet, Rias stopped. She looked out over the trees, her grip on my hand loosening but not breaking.
"You could have refused," she said softly.
"And miss a front-row seat to the most beautiful disaster in Kuoh?" I asked.
She looked at me, her blue eyes soft in the twilight. "You don't fear the consequences of being with a Gremory."
"I respect them," I said, stepping into her space. I could feel the heat radiating from her body. "But I've already died once. Everything else is just a bonus."
Rias's breath hitched. She looked at my lips, then back to my eyes. For a second, the "Princess" was gone, leaving only a girl who was tired of being a pawn.
"Thank you," she whispered. "For not asking for more."
"I'll ask when it matters, Rias," I promised.
The Shadow on the Board
As we walked back, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken words.
From the shadows of the school, Akeno watched with a thoughtful smile. Koneko sat on a nearby wall, munching on a chocolate bar, her eyes tracking my every move. And Issei? He was busy trying to explain to Asia why he was staring at my hand with such betrayal.
The board had shifted. I wasn't just a Pawn being moved by a King anymore.
I was the piece that changed the game.
"The girl is falling," Crom Cruach noted. "Just make sure you're ready when her 'fiancé' comes to claim his prize."
'Let him come,' I thought. 'I've been waiting to punch a phoenix in the face.'