«Hi. Or rather good evening...it's your evening, isn't it? - I heard Hermione's voice as we switched on the live broadcast. When we both switched it on, a window with an excited and confused girl appeared in the top window of the Chat.
«Yeah I'm having a night out. - I said still amazed at Chat's functions... inter-world communication. With Stark's knowledge, I'm more nuanced about such details now, because it's... I can't even explain it. How strong the transmitter must be, or the power behind the Chat.
«Don't be so shy, we're Chat mates. - I couldn't help but smile at the girl who was trying her best to hide her embarrassment. - So, as soon as you found out about the possible future, you ran to tell the professor?
«Yes, what else could I do? They are older and more experienced. - the girl answered immediately.
«Why didn't you tell them about Chat?
«Well... they certainly wouldn't have believed me there. - Hermione looked away from the 'camera' and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.
«Hmm, yeah. - I exhaled, remembering who she was and her personality. - There's no point in talking about it with the professors, even if they believe you, they'll start asking uncomfortable questions. I doubt we should tell anyone about Chat at all.
«Why not? - I could clearly see a bit of resentment in the girl's eyes.
«Because the Chat only invited some of the people who can make a difference on their own. You saw your possible future, you saw your friend Harry coming face to face with this Voldemort. - At this point the girl shuddered a little. - And of course he didn't believe you about the future. But he probably will when it happens.
«And... and what do you suggest? Sit around and do nothing?
«No, I'm suggesting you get stronger first. - I answered easily. - With the Chat Shop, you can buy everything from your world... the knowledge of an entire world.
«Umm... - the girl folded her eyebrows together and... pointed at the book. - I've already tried it... - she bit her lip, surely deciding what to do. After all, as a good student, she should give this book to the professor.....
«I didn't doubt you. - I grinned. - Have you studied it yet?
«Yes, and I haven't seen one of these at Hogwarts. It's about the theory of magic and its origins, and I couldn't imagine that mages were capable of such things before!
«Magic can do so much. It literally changes the world at your will..." I mumbled and noticed that a third broadcast window had appeared.
«Hermione-chan, Tony-kun, good evening. - A red-haired beauty with wet hair smiled politely at us and....
«You just got out of the shower? - I realised.
«Yes." Rias smiled. - It's amazing how we can talk like that, it's like a telephone conversation. Or a magical connection. - muttered the Gremory heiress. - I was just curious to try it.
«There's Anthony, and you're-" Hermione blushed. Rias was wrapped in a towel and her red, shiny hair fell over her shoulders, her bright blue eyes blazing with playfulness and... a little tiredness.
«I'm after training. Tony-kun, I've been meaning to ask you... this isn't all the history of my world known to you, is it? - the demoness asked a question.
«Demonic intuition? - I smiled, looking into the blue eyes of this... ahem, girl, yes.
«Female. - She replied easily, running a hand through her still damp hair.
«No, not all of it. There's still quite a lot of stuff in there that's... not good. - I hesitated for a moment. - Rias, what are you doing to me? You're a demon, aren't you?" I breathed out, noticing the pleading look in her eyes. - To manipulate a nineteen-year-old boy in the prime of his life with your body and good looks, your beautiful red hair and innocent face... that's a demon. - I couldn't help but speak up.
«W-what I n-no... - Rias obviously didn't expect such words and her cheeks turned red, and she began to hide her eyes and as if she wanted to push the camera away from her, but she couldn't.
«... - Hermione just kept quiet, but I could see the red tinge on her cheeks perfectly. She herself was probably in her room, and occasionally she would glance at the door, apparently her roommates were still in the living room or something.
«Tony-kun... - Rias sighed and as if she wanted to say something as we heard a third voice.
«Ara-ara, is Rias-chan talking to her hidden boyfriend that you've been hiding from me for days now? - A seductive voice sounded and the redhead's facial expression changed drastically and she started thrashing around in panic.
«What are you talking about, Akeno! - Rias exclaimed and soon I saw a smiling and shapely young girl with long black hair and violet eyes.
«Don't look so embarrassed, who were you talking to? - The newly appeared face walked next to the screen and didn't notice him... well, that's normal. - Oh-ho, you're also in such a lewd state... - the girl clucked her tongue and shook her head, and in the next second the broadcast from Rias' side ended.
«Ahem, so, what were we talking about? - I asked Hermione, who was still reeling from what was happening.
***
«Akeno! - Rias exclaimed, quickly switching off the broadcast because of the awkwardness of what was happening, but because of that sudden movement the towel stopped covering the girl's huge assets and fell down.
«Ara, Rias is all grown up... - shook her head, the main sadist of the academy, although only Rias herself knew about it. The brunette herself mostly tried to hide this character trait she had inherited from her mother.
«Already hiding boyfriends from her friends...
«It's not funny. - said Gremory, exhaling heavily and walking past her queen.
«Well, you were talking to someone. - said the black-haired girl curiously, looking around the room.
«You... you imagined it. - Rias said, but she could tell by the look on her friend's face that she didn't believe her.
«You know you can trust me. - The black-haired girl licked her red lips. - Come on, Rias... he's the reason you've changed so much lately, isn't he? You've been training more often and taking us with you. Oh, my body ached on the first day of training... you were so hot, which is to be expected from a sister of Satan. - The girl was clearly enjoying watching the panicked expression on Gremory's face.
«Don't exaggerate, training is good for all of us. - The red-haired girl went to the locker and took out her underwear and slowly put it on.
«I agree with you there. - Her friend said slowly, putting a finger to her lip. - But you're a Mistress. - she emphasised the word. - You've been looking at your smartphone more often lately anyway, or at the empty space in front of you, even though your eyes were running as if you were reading something. Rias, I'm worried, aren't I?" she said a little more seriously.
«I... Akeno, I'm sorry. I didn't realise I was bothering you so much. - Rias looked at her friend with obvious regret and concern.
«So there is a boyfriend after all? - Akeno asked, her smile tightening again. - And you don't want to share it with him?
«Akeno!
***
The conversation with the brown-eyed witch had been a mixed bag once Rias had switched off. On the one hand, we both clearly enjoyed talking and learning about each other's worlds. Hermione was learning about my world and the tentative future, i.e. smartphones, modern applications, what computers could do, and so on. All of this proved to her once again that I was in a completely different world, albeit one similar to hers. After all, I wasn't lazy and even went out for an evening twenty-minute walk. But, on the other hand, she didn't want to just keep quiet about knowing a "possible" future where her mate might get hurt.
Especially to learn from a possible Death Eater, who the girl now feared and as she said, in her first lesson with him, she tried not to glare. At least she didn't start shouting at him and attracting attention, not a bad thing. Still, she realised that if she started making a fuss, not only would the other students start laughing at her, but the 'eater' himself would be more vigilant. Hermione has noticed that he does often drink something from his flask and the girl really thinks that there is a werewolf potion in there. But, still Hermione is Hermione and still wants to try and get the idea across to the teachers that Professor Groom drinks suspiciously often from his flask....
That was the end of the conversation as other students came into her room, but lastly I warned her to be careful and think about her actions. After all, if one professor wasn't what he seemed to be, then what about the others?
«I wish I had her situation with an insane and rather stupid dark magician, instead of gods, aliens and beings of a higher order. - I exhaled at home.
«Tony, I made sandwiches, do you want some? - Lena looked out of the kitchen and asked.
«Yes, your sandwiches are simply divine. - I came up to my sister and immediately took the offered food.
I still had points for ten opportunities to roll Gacha, but I decided not to play with my luck and leave them for a better time. Right now, I already had everything I needed to get into action, especially since....
«Yes, Alexander Luthor decided to hire people to eliminate you to make it look like an accident. - Cortana told me as soon as I was in my room and closed the door.
«By himself?
«No, he had his secretary do it, and she did it very professionally. You can't even trace the people who paid and placed the order.
«Somehow abruptly he decided to act...I honestly didn't think he would.
«He had a conversation with reporter Lois Lane today and she was asking him questions about abandoned relatives, meaning you two. It probably provoked him, and he decided to get rid of the problem in its infancy, quite reasonably. - Cortana said. - As far as I understand, you are not going to be eliminated tomorrow, but rather in a week or so. So as not to arouse suspicion.
«Well, what a ruthless approach. - I only said that and looked into the Spatial Store to look for some poison, but then I remembered the cursed Murasame blade I had received and immediately took it out of Gachi's inventory. And I got a beautiful katana with the sword's name on the guard. According to the description, a single cut is enough to kill any living creature with a heart. And the blade is poisonous not so much physically, but magically. The poison is magical in nature and kills in minutes or even faster.
«If you're going to lunge at your brother with a katana, I have to question the... sanity of that idea. - Cortana said, and her avatar appeared on the table. - No, I don't mind suicide missions, but not this stupid. - sneered this... software pestilence.
«This blade is magical and... I have to say, I can sense some magic. - I confess. Two percent Albedo was enough to know that the item was definitely magical. - One cut would be more than enough, and with a cloaked nanosuit and the best AI that can open all the doors, I don't see why we can't. Especially since I'm somewhat stronger than a normal human right now.
«Things don't seem quite catastrophic from that point of view. - admitted the AI. - Magic... my database needs a lot more research, but it's not feasible yet. Master Luthor, will you reward your favourite AI with some good equipment after this mission? - Cortana asked... and I even doubted for a second that she was just a programme. However, she was created from the personality matrix of a real girl.
«We'll see how you behave. We have things to do tomorrow night. - I said and logged into the chat room to send Rias a copy of Real Memory before the end of the second season of the anime, that is, after the battle with Kokabiel.
***
«"And that's the same boy?" - Shinoa thought as her gaze caught a boy with mussed black hair and green eyes sitting quietly at his desk, clearly thinking about something.
Lieutenant Colonel Guren had recently visited her and he had assigned her to keep an eye on Yuichiro Hakuya, a boy with a dark past...who among them even has one nowadays. Looking down at her legs and the skirt covering them, she walked into the classroom and sat behind him. She'd been in the same class with him before, but she hadn't been ordered to watch him and report on his... violent temper before.
«"My future, huh?" - flashed another thought with a loud bang, bringing her mentally back to that Chat message. No information on such magic she had been unable to find, even with all the knowledge available to her rank. Other worlds are very fantastical, of course, but their world has magic and vampires and apocalypse riders and cursed weapons. So why shouldn't there be other worlds.
Knowing that the Spatial Shop had some sort of potion that could solve her demon problem once and for all was unexpected and, what's more, nice and reassuring. For as she knows, there are no available and known remedies for this problem other than to restrain herself, her emotions and affections.
All through the lesson she had been reading the Chat and watching the administrator's live chat with Hermione. As she realised here it was possible to turn on a live feed for everyone and all participants would see it. Also she couldn't help but appreciate the form of Rias, who is a demon in her world...what strange worlds.
***
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