At dusk, the Student Council room of Private Kuoh Academy was still brightly lit.
Sona Sitri sat upright behind the president's desk, a pair of thin-rimmed glasses resting on her nose as she reviewed the documents before her with calm concentration.
She carried an aura of composure and efficiency that far exceeded her age, as though every variable within her jurisdiction was firmly under control.
Knock, knock.
A light knock sounded at the door.
"Please come in."
The door opened quietly, and Tsubaki Shinra stepped inside, carrying a freshly brewed cup of black tea. She placed it gently beside Sona's hand.
"President, your tea."
"Thank you, Tsubaki."
Sona didn't look up, her gaze still fixed on the paperwork as she asked, "Has Yura's follow-up report from this afternoon arrived?"
"It just came in."
Tsubaki retrieved a thin report from the top of the stack and handed it over.
"It's the observation record regarding the new transfer student—Shin."
Sona finally lifted her head, accepted the report, and skimmed through it quickly.
The content was concise.
After leaving the Magical Materials Store, the target had gone to a large supermarket to purchase a significant amount of daily necessities.
He then returned to his residence on the outskirts of town and did not leave again.
Yura Yui conducted peripheral surveillance and detected no abnormal energy fluctuations. The environment around the residence was noted as "exceptionally clean."
"Exceptionally clean…"
Sona adjusted her glasses slightly, a faint gleam flashing across the lenses.
"What about Shiro's visit report?"
Tsubaki immediately handed over another document.
"Classmate Shiro conducted a disciplinary visit to Shin's residence. No contraband or abnormal conditions were found."
"Shin's behavior was normal—introverted, gentle, cooperative. However…"
"However?" Sona asked sharply, instantly catching the hesitation in Tsubaki's voice.
"Shiro added a personal note," Tsubaki replied, her tone subtly complex.
"He stated that when near Shin, he felt an inexplicable sense of comfort and relaxation. Even the flow of Magic Power within his body became noticeably steadier."
She added, "But he confirmed there were no Magic Power, Sacred Gear, or Devil energy fluctuations detected."
"A sense of comfort…"
Sona's brows knitted slightly.
"That is interesting."
"Steady Magic Power suggests something closer to a calming or purifying influence."
She set the report down, her fingers tapping lightly against the desk.
"An ordinary transfer student having such an effect on a Devil servant is… unusual."
"And his purchase of supernatural materials cannot be ignored."
"Should we raise his monitoring level, President?" Tsubaki asked.
Sona considered it for a moment, then shook her head.
"Not for now."
"Neither Yura nor Shiro uncovered concrete abnormalities. We lack sufficient justification for escalating surveillance."
"Excessively targeting a student who appears harmless goes against the Student Council's operating principles."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"Mark him as a Low-Priority Observation Target and archive the reports."
Then she added calmly, "However… his background and residence location may interest someone else."
"After all, there is someone who harbors exceptional curiosity toward anything mysterious or unknown."
Tsubaki immediately understood.
"President Rias Gremory?"
"Mhm."
Sona lifted her teacup and took a small sip.
"Discreetly pass Shin's basic enrollment information—and Shiro's 'personal sensation' note—to Rias through unofficial channels."
"No mention of our monitoring. Present it as casual information sharing between classmates."
"Understood, President."
Tsubaki bowed slightly and withdrew.
Sona turned her gaze toward the window, where the last rays of sunset bathed Kuoh Academy's clock tower in gold.
Shin…
An ordinary-looking transfer student—yet subtle in every aspect.
Guiding him toward Rias would accelerate exposure of his true nature, whether harmless… or something else entirely.
Almost simultaneously, inside the Occult Research Club located in Kuoh Academy's Old School Building, the atmosphere was completely different.
Rias Gremory, President of the club, lounged comfortably on a plush sofa, lazily flipping through an ancient Grimoire.
Her long crimson hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, perfectly complementing the luxurious, classical decor of the room.
Nearby, Akeno Himejima gracefully brewed black tea, a faint fragrance filling the air.
In the corner, Koneko Toujou sat quietly, fingers flying over a handheld game console, her expression as stoic as ever.
The atmosphere was relaxed.
Leisurely.
Then—
The door opened.
Yuuto Kiba stepped inside, a gentle smile on his face.
"President, some interesting news just came from the Student Council."
"Oh?" Rias looked up, her interest immediately piqued.
"Has Sona found another 'anomaly' worth sharing?"
"It concerns a new transfer student."
Kiba placed a slim document on the coffee table.
"Shin, eighteen years old, from the East. According to the records, he's a descendant of a 'cultivation family.'"
"A cultivation family?"
Rias's brows rose slightly as she set aside the Grimoire and picked up the document.
"The Eastern power systems… that is rare."
She skimmed through the information quickly, her curiosity growing with each line.
"Yes," Kiba continued.
"There's also an unofficial note."
"Shiro Tsubaki reported feeling an unusual sense of comfort when near Shin. His Magic Power stabilized noticeably."
"A sense of comfort? Stabilized Magic Power?"
Akeno paused mid-motion, turning with a meaningful smile.
"Ara ara~ That certainly sounds intriguing."
"Could it be an unknown Sacred Gear? Or perhaps a special physique?"
Even Koneko briefly lifted her gaze from her game, a faint glimmer of curiosity flashing through her amber eyes.
Rias tapped her finger gently against the words 'cultivation family', crimson light flickering within her eyes.
As the future head of the ancient Gremory Family, Rias possessed deep knowledge of global supernatural systems—
Yet the Eastern cultivation path, centered on personal refinement and the concept of Unity between Heaven and Man, remained largely undocumented in Western records.
It was an entirely different domain from Devil Magic or Sacred Gears.
A young man from such a background transferring into her territory…
And capable of soothing a Devil servant's Magic Power?
That combination was more than enough to stir Rias Gremory's interest.
"Cultivation family… influencing a Devil's comfort…"
She repeated softly, a confident, slightly mischievous smile curving her lips.
"This isn't something you encounter every day."
She set the document down and leaned forward slightly.
"Yuto, can you get his address?"
"That's easy. He lives alone off-campus. The address is registered with the academy," Kiba replied.
"Excellent."
Rias stood, her red hair swaying as she turned.
"Akeno, get ready."
"Oh?" Akeno smiled knowingly. "Planning a visit, President?"
"Of course."
Rias's smile brightened, filled with charm and confidence.
"Since Sona has already taken notice of him, shouldn't the Occult Research Club—"
"—which exists to investigate all supernatural phenomena and interesting individuals—extend a proper welcome?"
Curiosity had always been Rias Gremory's weakness.
Especially when it involved something unknown… something with potential.
Whether Shin's background was real or fabricated, the fact that he could produce that effect on Shiro Tsubaki alone made him worthy of her attention.
Perhaps—
He was the key to unveiling the mysteries of the East.
Or perhaps—
Just an intriguing misunderstanding.
Either way, the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess had already turned her gaze toward the quiet old residence on the outskirts of town.
The Occult Research Club's next outing now had a clear objective.
Inside the Old School Building, the relaxed atmosphere subtly shifted.
A visit—
Was about to begin.
...
Author's Note
Hello, readers! Welcome to my second Webnovel account.
My first Webnovel account is Shadow_demon_007, where I uploaded 20 fanfics. Due to Webnovel's upload limits and rules, I created this second account so I can continue uploading more fanfics for you all.
Please also check out my first account, where many of those 20 fanfics are available. Some of them are already fully completed, and I have uploaded those completed fanfics on my Patreon
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Fully completed fanfics
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— Shadow_demon_007