The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the halls of Kuoh High School as Daniel ran with his heart in his throat. His backpack bounced on his back and his hair, still a bit damp from the hasty shower, flew with each stride.
—"Great! First few days and I'm already late... what a good impression..." he thought with a mix of resignation and guilt.
But he hadn't even made it halfway down the hall when one of the staff members intercepted him and, without further ado, directed him straight to the Student Council.
Standing before the imposing door, Daniel composed himself as best he could, took a deep breath, and knocked calmly.
—"Come in," a female voice responded, clear and serious.
He entered and there she was: Souna Shitori, the Student Council President, with her usual firm expression. Beside her, as always, Tsubaki Shinra, his Vice President and loyal Queen, watched him silently with her penetrating eyes behind her glasses.
—"Hernández-kun, you're late," Souna said without preamble, not raising her voice, but making her displeasure clear. —"Any justifiable reason?"
Daniel swallowed, and then an idea crossed his mind...
With the calm of a legendary ninja, he struck a slightly dramatic pose and said:
—"I'm sorry, President. On the way to school, I helped an old lady cross the street, then her cat got stuck in a tree and I had to get it down, but when I tried to run to class... a crow stole my cap. It took me fifteen minutes to get it back."
An awkward silence reigned for a few seconds.
Souna blinked, surprised. Tsubaki looked at him somewhere between perplexed and amused, but professional as she was, she said nothing.
—"...I see," Souna finally said, without a hint of emotion, though a raised eyebrow betrayed her slightly. —"Don't repeat that story... or the action. And don't make being late a habit."
—"Of course, President! It won't happen again," Daniel replied with a perfect bow and the most sincere smile.
Souna sighed.
—"Anything else?"
—"Actually, yes. I'd like to ask if it would be possible to enroll two more students at the institution," Daniel said, regaining a serious tone.
Souna looked at him curiously, while Tsubaki crossed her arms, attentive.
—"And what is your relationship with them?" she asked with surgical precision.
—"They're two foreign girls I met recently," Daniel answered without hesitation. —"Hikari and Hibiki. They're not enrolled in any other school, but they have proper legal papers and an adequate level of Japanese. I don't want them to miss out on studying, and since I'm in contact with them, I thought they might fit in here."
Souna observed him for a few more seconds, as if trying to read beyond his words. Finally, she nodded.
—"I'll look into it. If the documents are in order, they'll most likely be able to start next Monday. But it will depend on space and entrance evaluations."
Daniel smiled, relieved, and bowed gratefully.
—"Thank you very much, President. I really appreciate it."
—"No problem. Just... keep within Kuoh's conduct standards."
—"I'll try..." he said, and then bid farewell with another slight bow.
When the door closed, Souna kept her gaze on it for a few seconds more. Then, without fully turning, she spoke:
—"Tsubaki. Did you feel it?"
—"Yes," the dark-haired, bespectacled girl responded in a neutral, but firm tone. —"His aura was... heavy. Vibrant. It's not something common for a human."
Souna brought a hand to her chin, thoughtful.
—"This goes beyond normal. Yesterday it was just a suspicion, but today it was evident. It's not demonic magic... nor celestial energy. But he definitely has a presence."
—"Do you think he might have a Sacred Gear?" Tsubaki asked, still maintaining her composure.
—"It's a possibility," Souna said, narrowing her eyes. —"We'll have to observe him more carefully. We don't want an unexpected problem exploding inside the school."
Tsubaki nodded calmly.
—"I'll keep a close watch on him."
Souna turned towards the window, her gaze focused on the school gardens.
—"Do that. Let's not intervene yet... but stay alert. Daniel Hernández... is a variable we cannot ignore."
The moment the Student Council door closed behind him, Daniel sighed in relief... but it was short-lived.
—"Daniel..." Ddraig's voice rumbled in his mind, deep but calm. —"That girl... the president. She felt it."
Daniel stopped for a moment in the hallway. His face went from relaxed to tense immediately.
—"I suspected as much... if Hikari and Hibiki sensed my aura just by being nearby... then the devils in this world must have noticed all the more," he responded mentally, frowning.
—"Exactly. You're not in stealth mode, partner. You're like a beacon for any supernatural being with even halfway decent senses. I told you that awakening would alter your whole life flow. Your Ashikabi aura, your Sacred Gear, and now this Haki thing... you won't go unnoticed even if you try."
Daniel clenched his fists as he walked toward his classroom.
—"Then... all I can do is become stronger. I can't afford to let my guard down."
—"Well said," Ddraig responded with a tone of approval. —"But be careful, not all who smile are allies... remember that."
Now in front of his classroom door, Daniel took a deep breath and entered... just as the teacher of the period noticed him.
—"Hernández-kun!" the teacher shouted, crossing his arms sternly. —"Late again, and it's only your first week. What kind of impression are you trying to make!?"
Daniel flinched slightly, scratching the back of his neck with a nervous smile.
—"Gomen, sensei. It was an important matter with the Student Council..."
—"No excuses. If this becomes a habit, not even your best grades will save you."
The gazes of several students fixed on him. But the worst wasn't that.
Alya was looking at him... annoyed.
Her pursed lips, arched eyebrow, and the icy glint in her blue eyes made Daniel freeze more than the teacher's words. When he sat down in his seat, right next to her, he tried to smile and greet her with a timid:
—"Good morning, Alya."
She answered, without even looking at him, in a dry tone.
—"Ohayou... Daniel-san."
That was it. Nothing more.
Daniel broke into a comical cold sweat.
—"I'm dead... I'm dead, Ddraig, do something!"
—"I'm just a voice in your head, not Cupid," Ddraig mocked, amused.
In the midst of the tense silence between them, Daniel decided to pay attention to class... or at least try. But then he heard something. A murmur in Russian coming from his right.
Though a normal ear wouldn't have caught it, his newly acquired Observation Haki picked it up perfectly. He didn't understand the words... but Ddraig was there, always ready.
—"'That idiot... he'd better apologize properly, and maybe I'll forgive him with my infinite clemency.'" Ddraig translated with a mocking tone. —"Heh, this girl has spirit. I like her."
Daniel sighed... and slumped in his seat.
But he wasn't going to give up. A gentleman apologizes properly!
From his backpack, he took out his notebook and pencil, and with the utmost discretion, started to draw.
First, a cartoon of himself on his knees, with teary eyes, holding a sign that said "Gomen nasai, Alya-sama".
He folded it carefully and slid it discreetly under the desk.
Alya took it, opened it skeptically... and her lips curved just a bit. But she still didn't look at him.
So, Daniel drew another: him, bowing exaggeratedly while a chibi Alya watches with her arms crossed.
And another: Daniel trapped in a cell with a sign saying "Punished for bothering Alya".
And another: Alya with a queen's crown forgiving him, while he offers her cake.
Alya received them one by one, and though she tried to stay firm, her smile started to escape. Finally, she looked at him... and Daniel gave her an expression identical to the last drawing, with shiny eyes and hands together, begging for forgiveness without saying a word.
Alya sighed, rolled her eyes... and murmured in Russian, barely audible.
—"Adorable idiot..."
Ddraig translated, laughing.
—"You earned royal absolution. You survived another day, champ."
Daniel smiled triumphantly, and though Alya still kept a serious face, they both knew the ice had been broken.
Lunchtime arrived without incident, and in classroom 1-B, Daniel and Alya ate together as if nothing had happened that morning. The tension from the start of classes was gone, and Alya's smile was clear proof that his apologies had worked... and then some.
—"Your food looks more elaborate today," Alya commented, looking at Daniel's bento with curiosity.
—"It's because I had time to experiment last night," he replied with a proud smile. —"I put some Mexican seasoning with Japanese technique."
—"Hmm... so you're becoming quite the fusion cuisine expert. Very good, very good..." Alya said in a playful tone while trying a small bite Daniel offered her with chopsticks.
While they laughed and shared food, at the other end of the classroom, someone was watching them intently.
Yuuto Kiba, Rias Gremory's Knight, watched them in silence, his face serene but his eyes narrowed.
—"That energy..." he thought seriously. —"I felt it from the first day, but now that it's more concentrated, I can say for sure: he is not a common human."
When the bell rang announcing the end of lunch, Kiba rose discreetly and left with swift steps. His destination: the roof of the main building.
There, Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima were gathered, enjoying the mild weather while discussing recent events... especially that strange energy both had detected for days.
—"It doesn't seem to be a simple Sacred Gear..." Rias commented, crossing her arms while her long red hair danced in the breeze. —"It's more... primal. Brutal, yet refined at the same time. As if it belonged to an ancient lineage."
—"Fufu... you're interested, Rias," Akeno murmured with a somewhat mischievous smile. —"And you don't even know who it is yet."
At that moment, the rooftop door opened and Kiba entered, his expression more serious than usual.
—"Rias-sama, Akeno-san... I now know who the boy radiating that energy is."
—"Oh?" Rias turned to observe him attentively. —"Well?"
—"His name is Daniel Hernández. First-year transfer student. He was eating with a foreign girl, seems popular with his classmates... but his aura is not something he can hide. Even at a glance, it's clear he's... different."
Rias brought a hand to her chin, thoughtful.
—"Daniel... that name doesn't appear in the Magicians' Association records or the known Sacred Gear lists."
Akeno smiled, her eyes shining with intrigue.
—"Do you want me to watch him?"
Rias nodded.
—"For now, just observe him. Don't make contact yet. If he truly possesses something powerful, sooner or later he'll attract more attention than he can handle. I want to be ready before that."
—"Understood," Akeno responded elegantly, adjusting her uniform before walking toward the stairs. —"This is going to get interesting."
Meanwhile, in classroom 1-B, Daniel was yawning quietly, not imagining that at that very moment, three high-ranking devils were already talking about him.
And Ddraig, for his part, simply laughed in his mind.
—"They're starting to move... get ready, Daniel. The pieces are being placed on the board."
The final school bell of the day rang, marking the eagerly awaited dismissal time. Students began pouring out the main entrance of Kuoh High School, some in groups, some in pairs, and some simply walking alone while enjoying the evening breeze.
Daniel walked beside Alya, as had been their custom since his first day. However, this time, just as they reached the exit, Alya gave him a soft look, with a touch of shyness unusual for her.
—"Would you mind if I walked part of the way with you?" she asked, toying with a strand of her platinum blonde hair. —"I enjoy talking with you and... I don't want to leave so soon."
Daniel looked at her, smiled genuinely, and nodded enthusiastically.
—"Of course I don't mind, Alya. I'd love to."
They both began walking, sharing a stretch of the path toward their respective homes. They chatted about various topics: movies, food, weird things they'd seen during the day. Especially, they talked about the boy who arrived dressed as a dinosaur to hand in a form... a topic that sparked laughter from both.
Daniel was enjoying the moment, and though he appeared relaxed on the outside, he was completely alert inside.
Thanks to his Observation Haki, he could clearly feel they were being followed. The presence was subtle, controlled, but not enough to go unnoticed by his sharpened senses.
He couldn't confirm who it was, but knowing what he did about this world, and considering his conversation with Ddraig and the suspicion aroused in Souna Shitori, it was logical to assume Rias Gremory was also interested. And if so, the spy was likely one of her servants... or more precisely, a dark-haired servant with an electric smile.
Even so, he decided not to react. He didn't want to scare Alya or raise suspicions. He feigned ignorance, staying in his role as a friendly, likable foreign student.
—"This is where our paths split," Alya said, stopping with a slight smile.
—"Yes, but I'm glad we walked it together," Daniel replied, looking at her with that warm smile that made her look away with a blush.
—"See you tomorrow, Daniel."
—"See you, Alya."
They both said goodbye with a light bow, and then each took their own path. Daniel waited a few steps until he was sure he was alone before letting out a small laugh.
—"What a day..." he thought, relaxing his shoulders and feeling the presence that had been following them also begin to move away, as if his pursuer considered the surveillance for the day was over.
Once he arrived home, Daniel had barely put one foot inside when he was attacked by two female torpedoes.
—"Daaaaniel~!" Hikari and Hibiki shouted in unison, launching themselves at him.
Both hugged him tightly, one from each side, pressing their bodies against his and planting simultaneous kisses on his lips in perfect sync. The scene would have made even a veteran of anime harems blush.
—"Welcome home, darling husband!" Hikari exclaimed with enthusiasm and mischief.
—"We made sure the house was perfect for you," said Hibiki, softer but with a smile that would melt anyone.
Daniel, instead of being overwhelmed, simply laughed warmly, accepting the gestures with open arms and returning the kisses with affection. It felt good. Not just from the affection, but because, at least for today, everything had gone well.
Between hugs and smiles, the day was coming to an end...
But far away, on the rooftops, Akeno Himejima watched Daniel's house from a distance, her expression somewhere between analytical and amused.
—"What an interesting fellow..."