Japan. City centre.
Monday. 7:30 a.m.
As luck would have it, it had been raining all night. The only decent shelter Dodge could think of was that bench at the bus stop. Lost in the big city, the trickster only reached his shelter in the morning. And at that very moment, the raindrops stopped falling to the ground. Sighing deeply at the realisation of his misfortune, the protagonist began to slowly count from one to ten. It sometimes calmed him down.
"One Meiser, two Meisers, three Meisers..."
He was interrupted by the sound of an approaching bus. Out of minor annoyance, Lovkach kicked a trash can, knocking it over. In a few hours, he had managed to get wet and a little angry. Throwing his head back, Dodge sprawled out on a bench and tried to rest a little.
"How did you spend your time with him?
"Hey, have you seen the new season of that anime?
"Damn geometry.
"Hey, guys, hurry up! I still need to stop by the shop.
It wasn't a school bus. But there were schoolchildren on it. And Dodge had only seen one school here.
"Private school."
"Did you see how muscular Kiba-kun is?
"Rias should be on top form today!
"I like Akeno better.
A few minutes later, the bus started and drove away. He didn't hear any more voices. Coughing, Dodge took off his T-shirt and wrung all the rainwater out of it.
"Stranger?" he heard a male voice say near the bus stop.
He was being stared at by a high school student. A blond boy.
Looking around suggestively, Dodge hinted that he was not in the mood for conversation.
"Mrs. Rias invites you to meet her.
"[Sceptical silence]
"What's your name?" the blond tried to strike up a conversation. "I'm Kiba."
"Who is Rias?" Dodger scratched his head, still wringing out his clothes.
"Lady Rias is the heiress of the Gremory family.
"Who are the Gremory? It sounds like a brand of cereal," suggested Dodger.
Kiba put his hand over his face.
"The red-haired lady," the blond replied.
"[Thoughtful silence] — the protagonist thought for a moment — remembered. What does she want?" — Dodger asked yawning.
"She invites you to visit our club," Kiba replied, a little nervously.
"What's in it for me?"
The question was, of course, a difficult one.
"People like Rias Gremory don't get turned down," the blond hinted.
"Interesting statement. So I'll be the first," Dodge grinned.
"Okay, I'll pass that on. 'Declined,'" Kiba decided to show off. Adjusting his bag of textbooks, he headed for the academy.
"If he comes back, I don't know how much of a bruised ego I'll need."
A couple of minutes later, the handsome guy returned.
"I came back here to give you one last chance.
"Choice is an illusion," Lovkach muttered thoughtfully.
Kiba looked at him in confusion. Shaking his head, he continued:
"Lady Rias Gremory wants to see you at her club. Please don't turn down this offer, it's a great honour," it was clear to the naked eye that he was ashamed to say all this.
Lovecraft looked at the young man suspiciously. He didn't want to get involved in any trouble, because that always had serious consequences...
"Can you at least show me the way?" Dodge spat, putting on his shirt and getting up from the bench.
"What? Oh, yes, of course!" Kiba replied happily. Today, he would probably get a treat from the lady.
The protagonist sincerely hoped that he would not be pestered with questions:
"So, what's your name?" Kiba began his interrogation.
"I don't have a name.
"What do you mean? Well, a name is what you're given at birth," Kiba reminded him.
"That's the past, which I can't remember anymore.
"What, you really don't remember at all?
"…
"Well, what do they call you?
"Dodger.
"Dodger? Is that English?
"
"It translates as 'Sly'.
"Sly? So that's what that boxer meant."
"What kind of magic do you use?
"I don't use magic.
"I saw you near the fountain last night. You deflected a light spear with your palm. How do you explain your speed?
"With words," Dodge said irritably.
The answer was quite convincing.
"Well, do you belong to any side...?" the blond man said as slowly as possible.
"I belong to myself.
"So you're a demon outcast?
"I'm not a demon.
"An angel?
"I'm not an angel.
"A fallen angel?!
"No.
"A human?" Kiba scratched his head.
But it took Dojyu some time to answer this question. On the one hand, he was human. But when you thought about it, there was very little human about him. Perhaps even too little.
"Not really.
"A dragon?
"Are there dragons where you come from?" asked Lovkach in surprise. "No, I'm not a dragon.
"I don't know what race you belong to.
"So I'm in a separate group," Dodge grinned. Kiba decided that his companion was very fond of joking.
By this time, they had already reached the school. A private school. As soon as he passed through the gates, Lovka began to realise how much he was going to "love" this place:
"Who's that with Kiba?
"Who's that brunette?
"Are they together?
"Does he know him?
"Are they dating?"
A crowd of schoolgirls instantly began discussing Dodge in all sorts of ways.
"See that building over there?" Kiba asked, pointing to a large structure.
"I see it.
"That's the Occult Sciences Club. You go there.
Shrugging, Dodge headed towards the small building.
"Such a crowd, and next to it?
"S-Sister Rias!"
The trickster turned around. The red-haired beast was walking towards the academy arm in arm with the pervert.
"Very interesting," thought Lovecraft, returning to the club. The door stood proudly before him.
Closed.
"When was the last time a door stopped me?"
Before taking criminal action against this locked door, he needed to understand whether it was suspicious. Using his intuition, Dodger realised that the door did not have a "suspiciousness" parameter. Giving up on the whole thing, he decided to take action.
His fingers slowly and stealthily slipped into the keyhole, but didn't stay there long. He almost got an electric shock. A magic lock? Let's try something else...
Fortunately, the door was not shockproof, although it looked convincing. With one kick, Dodge "opened" the door. Almost perfect. Just don't touch it, or it'll fly off its hinges.
"Not bad."
They managed to cram several sofas, a shower, and tea accessories into one room. What's that on the floor? A sign of Satan?"
"Oh, I feel like I'm getting myself into something."
It's worth noting that it's pretty gloomy in here. At least in the early morning.
"Ah, here's the light switch."
Now it's quite cheerful here. So, taking advantage of the situation, Dodge lay down on the sofa and tried to relax slowly...
"Good afternoon, Rias. So, is this him?" Sona greeted him.
"Good afternoon, Sona. Issei? Yes," replied Gremory.
"Who's the other one?
"I don't know his name...
"You don't know the name of your subordinate?
"He's not my subordinate.
Sona paused.
"Then who is he?
"A future subordinate, of course!" Rias smiled as she headed off to class.
***
School. Occult Science Club.
Monday. 4:00 PM (After class)
The first to arrive at the club was a girl named Akeno, the vice president. Judging by the sound of wood hitting the floor, someone was trying to open the door.
"What the...
But then she noticed a man on the sofa. Rias had mentioned him and asked her to wait until he explained. Unfortunately, everyone in this world has a terrible ability to try to make contact with each other.
"Hello," Akeno greeted them.
"... — Rias's minions weren't interested in him. He just wanted to know what they wanted from him — and that was it.
"My name is Akeno.
A silly rhyme popped into his head, but Dodge decided not to say it out loud.
"And you?
"...
"Are you even alive?"
When he tried to approach and touch him with a stick, as if he were a corpse, Dodge raised his hand and straightened his index finger.
"I'm alive," he stated his position.
"Okay, okay, I just want to make sure everything's all right.
Opening his eyes and looking at her, Dodge noticed a genuine kindness. She had two other "big" qualities, but Dodge didn't pay any attention to them.
"But someone falls for this temptation. All these fears, habits, desires, dreams..."
"Would you like some tea?"
"No.
"It's my special recipe.
"Should that change my answer?
"Well, I'll make an extra cup.
Taking a deep breath, he sank back into his prostration. But not for long. Literally a couple of minutes later, someone entered the room...
More precisely, first there was the sound of a door falling. Again.
"Hmm..." someone muttered.A girl entered the club. No, seriously, she was small. However, she was able to lift the door and put it back in place with ease. First impressions can be deceiving. The crafty man sniffed around. It seemed he had caught a whiff of something interesting.
"A cat," Dodge whispered, trying to find some clue in her appearance.
"She's a former komata," said Akeno, hearing the whisper.
The girl decided not to engage in conversation and simply sat down on another sofa. However, less than a couple of minutes later...
"Bang!" Someone else had arrived.
"Why didn't anyone close the door?" It was probably Rias.
"I'm making tea," Akeno smiled her big smile.
"I thought you were getting ready for repairs, ma'am," the girl protested.
"... — Dodge excused himself with silence.
After fiddling with the door for a moment, Rias took a few steps and stopped:
"Where's Issei?
"He's not here yet.
"Then I'm going to take a shower.
She pretends not to notice him. What's the point?"
"She hasn't thought of what to say yet," Dodge suggested. However, his assumptions were rarely wrong.
Just as the redhead stepped into the shower, two boys appeared. A familiar blond and a familiar pervert.
"Wh-what is this room? And who is she?" the boy asked, pointing at the girl.
"This is first-year student Tojo Koneko. And this is Hyodo Issei," Kiba introduced them.
"The pervert is here for the first time. Interesting."
"Nice to meet you!" said Issei with a happy expression.
"President, you have a guest," Akeno informed him.
"Thank you, Akeno.
"Mentor Rias!" The pervert turned his gaze to the shower curtain, behind which someone was hiding.
"As I understand it, you're a new member of the club? Nice to meet you," Akeno said to Issei.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting. I couldn't take a shower at your place," Rias emerged from the shower.
"What's that taste? Mmm, the taste of cheap pretentiousness. Heh heh."
"Well, everyone's here. The members of the Occult Science Club are glad to see you. But it's just our hobby," Rias said to Issa.
"What are you talking about?
"I won't beat around the bush, we're demons.
A bitter laugh escaped Dodge's lips.
"All you're missing is a pair of horns," he sneered.
"The winged man who attacked you yesterday was a fallen angel," Rias continued, ignoring the mockery.
Dodge tried not to listen to the rest, picking up only the important points. Demons, fallen angels, angels, dragons. These were mythological creatures, but they looked like humans. And they used magic.
"...Ise, could you raise your left hand?
"Like this?
"Close your eyes and think about something exciting.
"This is so unexpected... — Just a little more, and my heart will jump out of my chest from excitement.
"Focus, Issei.
Opening one eye, he looked at the whole clown show. He has potential, but either he can't reveal it, or something is holding him back...
"How can I concentrate when I can see the Mentor's lovely panties!" thought the pervert.
Dodge had never been able to read minds, but he was very good at noticing small details, such as "protrusions."
"Ise. You have been reborn as a member of the Gremory family. I am the daughter of Marquis Gremory, Rias Gremory. And you are my demon servant.
"Slavery? Ah, those were the days..."
"See, we're all demons. Welcome, Issei.
"Even you?" the schoolboy asked, noticing the lying corpse.
"That doesn't apply to me," the protagonist replied lazily.
"Demons make contracts with humans that grant them special powers. And we always wait for someone to call us," she continued, preparing to chat with Dodge separately.
"I-I see.
"Try your best. And one day you'll have your own servant," she said with a smile.
"My own servant?! And my servant will do everything I tell him to do?! Even something... indecent?!"
"Where have I ended up..."
"Since it's your servant, why not? By the way, Issei, I have a task for you. Koneko has two tasks. I'll leave one for you.
"Thank you for your help, mistress," Koneko sighed with relief.
"Wait, does that mean I can sign a contract?
"This is the Summoning Circle," Rias pointed to the satanic circle, "give me your left hand, Issei.
A seal appeared on his hand.
"Congratulations, you are now an official slave."
"Now you are a full member of the Gremory family.
"Or something like that."
"Once you're in place, follow my instructions.
"Of course!
"Now, go!
"Got it!"
Stepping onto the seal, he was unable to teleport. Most likely, this was due to his lack of preparation.
"Huh?" Issei rubbed his head.
"It looks like you can't teleport.
"Damn, I'll have to ride my bike.
And he left. And it looks like he's really going to ride his bike to sign the contract. A demon. On a bike.
"It's like some kind of holiday," whispered Dodge.
"Now you.
But this conversation had been completely predictable for a long time.
"My name is Dodger, short for Dodge. I'm not going to accept your stupid labels, I'm not going to take any oaths, I work under special conditions and I don't do any particularly rough or mental work. Any questions?
"What do you do then?" Rias asked the first question that came to mind, chewing over the information she had received.
"Everything else.
"And what are your conditions?"There has to be a vending machine with soda in this room, and this sofa has to be mine.
"Huh, really? And how did you manage that? What can you do?
"If you didn't know, I wouldn't be here.
"You're as fast as my horse, but are you as useful?
"I'm not going to convince anyone of my competence.
"Trial day. Do everything I ask, and I'll do everything you ask.
"If you stop talking to me in that fake sexy voice, I might consider it.
"Okay.
"Deal," said Dodge, and Rias offered her hand for a handshake, "but that's just an idiom. Don't touch me.
The club members were clearly not thrilled with the new guest. Except for Issei, of course. And while Rias was coming up with her silly tasks, Dodge wondered if it was really worth running errands for someone else for a whole fridge full of drinks...
"I won't need money now. I have a place to live. And on top of that, I've already cut my hair. So I've accomplished my plan for the month in just a couple of days? I'm pretty good."
Kiba was neutral towards him, even though he understood that they would never be friends.
"Where did Rias find him? Can he be trusted?"
Koneko was surprised, though she didn't show it.
"He has more secrets than all of us here put together."
Akeno was friendly, but she treated him with some caution.
"To give up my wonderful tea..."
Rias saw him as nothing more than a lackey with amazing abilities.
"I can't get anything out of him now, but later he'll tell me everything he knows. No man has ever resisted me."
The day started well for both sides.
"The main thing, of course, is the free drinks," thought Lovecraft, glancing at Gremory.
"I hope Issei doesn't mess up his first contract," Rias sighed mentally, glancing at Dodge.
***
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