Her chestnut hair cascaded elegantly in curls, accentuating a figure that would be considered ample among typical high school girls—though inexplicably, in the universe of High School DxD, female characters seemed universally over-endowed, making this girl's figure appear rather average by comparison.
Thanks to Fujita Emi's introductions, Jeanne Alter now knew exactly who stood before her: Abe Seiga, third-year student at Kuoh Academy and captain of the tennis club.
A surname reminiscent of that legendary Onmyōji, Jeanne Alter thought. After all, in another world, she'd personally encountered Abe no Seimei himself.
Could there be some connection? Jeanne Alter wasn't certain. While yokai and Onmyōji indeed existed here, they weren't the protagonists of this particular world.
"Good afternoon, Jeanne-san! I've wanted to meet you for quite some time, but who would have thought we'd run into each other here?" Abe Seiga greeted Jeanne Alter cheerfully, though beneath her pleasant smile was a subtle undercurrent—one Jeanne Alter quickly perceived, though the others around them seemed oblivious.
Another one from the supernatural side, huh...?
"Abe-san seems quite interested in Jeanne-san," someone chimed in teasingly.
"Can you blame me? She's the mysterious transfer student who soared straight into the top three of Kuoh Academy's popularity rankings practically as soon as she arrived. Once we seniors graduate, Jeanne-san will undoubtedly become number one. I've had my eyes on her from the start—I've even invited her to join the tennis club, only to be rejected..." Abe Seiga lamented theatrically, casting Jeanne Alter a sidelong glance tinged with playful resentment.
"She truly excels at sports! During the athletics competition, Jeanne-san practically crushed every opponent she faced."
"Her grades are excellent too, even though I've never seen her study seriously..."
"And she's stunningly beautiful..."
"There's really nothing you could criticize—she's perfect, isn't she? Always so calm and composed."
"Back then, it wasn't just the tennis club—basketball, soccer, kendo, track... they all tried recruiting Jeanne-san. But she turned every single one down."
"Such a domineering aura. Honestly, I'd love to be cornered by her, have my chin lifted up by her fingertips…"
The girls began whispering excitedly amongst themselves. Such was the burden of popularity...
A few others had become completely captivated by Ophis, drawn irresistibly toward her doll-like features. Blushing excitedly, they crowded around the little dragon god, some even daring to pinch and poke her soft cheeks. Such overwhelming enthusiasm might have scared off any normal child—but Ophis wasn't exactly normal.
Her indifferent personality meant that, even with her face squished and stretched every which way, she neither grew irritated nor angry. For the "strongest existence," she carried absolutely none of the pride or dignity expected. At least Jeanne Alter didn't have to worry about Ophis annihilating these innocent humans for offending her.
"So cute! Like a living doll!"
"How does she maintain this skin? It's so smooth and bouncy!"
"What's your name, sweetie?"
"Are you Jeanne-san's little sister?"
Ophis blinked her large, empty black eyes in confusion, turning toward Jeanne Alter for clarification. "Am I... Jeanne's little sister?"
"No, you're just someone I picked up on the roadside," Jeanne Alter stated plainly.
"Oh, so Jeanne picked me up from—"
"Wait, wait! Jeanne-san, what are you saying?!" The girls scolded.
Jeanne Alter sighed internally. She had told the truth, so why were they acting as if she'd bullied Ophis?
To avoid further misunderstanding, Jeanne Alter reluctantly explained that Ophis was a relative's child, staying at her house temporarily. The previous remark had simply been an ill-advised joke.
"Jeanne... is good. She buys me ice cream, makes delicious meals and snacks... and when sleeping next to Jeanne, I feel at peace," Ophis added earnestly, defending Jeanne in her own awkwardly innocent way. Thankfully, unlike a certain clueless girl from Sakura-sō, Ophis didn't constantly spark misunderstandings every time she spoke.
Unlike the emotionally dense Ophis, Asia instantly panicked when someone hinted negatively about Jeanne. Normally timid, Asia fiercely spoke up to defend her friend, surprising Jeanne Alter with her unexpected boldness.
"You've rejected every club invitation, never hang out after school, and rush straight home... is it because you're looking after little Ophis?" Fujita Emi whispered softly, pulling Jeanne Alter close.
With a helpless expression, Jeanne Alter replied honestly, "Yeah. If I leave Ophis alone too long, who knows what kind of trouble she'd stir up."
She wasn't exaggerating at all. The Infinite Dragon God, leader of a terrorist organization—Ophis merely stepping outside could send numerous factions spiraling into panic.
"But isn't there anyone else who could look after her? What about her parents? Doesn't she go to school?" Fujita Emi approached from an ordinary person's perspective, prompting Jeanne Alter to quickly craft a believable explanation.
"They probably have their own reasons. Ophis just relies heavily on me. Leaving her alone for too long... isn't an option. It took considerable effort to convince her to quietly stay home while I went to school. Given her nature, I feel safer if she stays home."
Though Fujita Emi sensed Jeanne Alter might be overly protective, she didn't insist or pry. She understood that imposing help without fully grasping the situation could easily harm rather than help.
"Since we finally ran into each other outside school, how about we hang out together?" Fujita Emi offered cheerfully.
Ophis had no opinion, naturally, so Jeanne Alter glanced at Asia.
Catching Jeanne's gaze, Asia lowered her eyes shyly. "I... I'll follow whatever Jeanne-san decides."
Thus, after some thought, Jeanne Alter accepted the invitation.
Talented, athletic, perfect, handsome, domineering, beautiful... Most students at Kuoh Academy had only these impressions of Jeanne Alter. These labels made her wildly popular but also created a distant image, making her seem somewhat unapproachable.
Yet, as Asia and occasionally Ophis shared more about Jeanne's gentle side at home, Emi's friends reacted as if they'd discovered an incredible secret. They'd never imagined the aloof, powerful Jeanne-san to possess such warmth.
Emi smiled knowingly; she'd long seen through Jeanne's carefully concealed gentleness. Observing Jeanne finally becoming approachable, she felt genuinely happy for her friend.
With more people joining, activities became livelier. When they reached the volleyball court, Emi and others eyed Jeanne Alter warily—no doubt recalling tennis balls shattered and craters created by her previous plays.
Jeanne Alter shrugged. She never intended to play seriously anyway—not against regular humans. There was no satisfaction in overwhelming the defenseless. She'd rather battle Archer, Cu Chulainn, or Rider, turning the volleyball court into a warzone.
And Ophis? Jeanne wisely dragged her away early; Ophis playing volleyball would likely be akin to nuclear bombardment.
Asia, however, enjoyed herself immensely. Despite frequent mistakes, everyone was supportive. Seeing Asia's radiant smile, Jeanne Alter knew she'd made the right choice.
Feeling bored later, Jeanne decided to buy drinks for Asia and snacks for Ophis.
"Ophis, I'll get something to eat and drink. Want anything?"
"Ice cream," Ophis replied succinctly.
"I'll check if there's ice cream then…"
Just then, Abe Seiga approached with a bright smile. "Carrying enough for everyone alone might be tough. Shall I join you?"
Jeanne Alter regarded her silently before nodding indifferently. "Fine."
The journey to the concession stand was silent. Returning, Abe Seiga finally spoke.
"You seriously won't say a single word?"
Jeanne smirked slightly. "You're the one with business. Why should I speak first?"
Annoyed, Abe sighed. "So competitive over pointless things… Fine. Yes, I do have something to discuss. Aren't you curious about me at all?"
"Not particularly. Rias already told me everything relevant."
Abe frowned deeply at Rias's name. "You're close with those devils, huh? Honestly, I can't understand it. I'm warning you—be careful, or they'll steal your pure soul."
Jeanne nearly laughed aloud. Pure soul? Me? A soul stained by vengeance? Or perhaps the thoroughly corrupted one of my true self, soaked in questionable imagery?
She quickly suppressed a smile. "I'll keep that in mind."
Noticing Jeanne's faint amusement, Abe huffed irritably. "Fine, don't listen. I only warned you because your soul seemed incredibly pure."
Jeanne internally scoffed. Pure soul indeed.
Abruptly, Abe changed subjects. "By the way, little Ophis isn't human, is she?"
Jeanne's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you think that?"
"She's far too pure, even for a sheltered child. What is she exactly?"
"No comment," Jeanne replied flatly.
Abe pouted. "Fine, I'll just charm her away!"
"Feel free," Jeanne answered casually.
Amused, Jeanne had no concerns. After all, the absurd power of [Dragon Witch EX] wasn't something Abe could possibly grasp.