Only the sound of footsteps and shifting fabric broke the stillness of the church.
Raynare moved to close off the entrance to the hidden base underneath.
Kalawarner walked the aisle, putting out candles along the pews.
Mittelt traced her hand along the walls, reactivating the warding circles that had shut down during their stay.
Sam stood nearby with Tiche, Asia, and Koneko, watching in silence.
Rias, Akeno, and Kiba had already gone, taking Freed's unconscious body with them. Kiba had dragged him with more force than necessary, the anger visible in every step.
Before leaving, Rias had paused and looked back at Sam. " I'll contact my family about this," she'd said, eyes flicking between the Fallen and Freed.
[Ping]
[System Notice]
Unspent Tickets Detected
• 1 × Gold Random Ticket
• 1 × Silver Random Ticket
Oh right — the rewards.
His eyes flicked to Raynare, still near the front of the church. Her threshold.Let's roll the gold ticket.
[System Notice]
🎲 Gold Random Ticket — Rolling...
Result: Grimoire of the White Mage
Rarity: |Elite Item|
A tome containing a variety of White Magic spells — healing, curing, buffing, and warding.
Sam's brow twitched. Useful… but I'm built for offense, not support.
His gaze shifted to Asia.
She watched the Fallen move, caught between Church-learned awe and fear — angels she'd been taught to revere, fallen into something she'd been taught to fear.
But it's perfect for her.
All right, next ticket.
[System Notice]
🎲 Silver Random Ticket — Rolling...
Result: Genderbent
Rarity: |Common Event|
A world-line alteration affecting reality itself. Three of the most prominent males become the user's ideal female counterparts. Only the user remembers their original forms.
Sam stared at the text. "…What."
The message vanished.
He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Asia and Koneko both looked over.
"Sorry," he said. "It's nothing. I'm fine."
He walked to a pew.
Reaching underneath, he materialized the Grimoire of the White Mage from the system inventory and flipped through a few pages.
"Warding, blessings, healing," he murmured. He looked at Asia. "This is perfect for you."
Asia froze. "I — I can't—"
"Just take it," Sam said. "It's meant for you."
She hugged the book to her chest. Sam wants me to support him.
[System Notice]
System Update — Affection Threshold
Affection Update: Asia Argento (28 → 30)
Threshold Reached: Love
Reward Granted: 1 × Gold Random Ticket
Sam exhaled. Oh great, we're doing the visual-novel thing again.
Koneko tugged on his sleeve.
"Can you find me something?"
"I don't have anything for you right now," Sam said. "And even if I did, this place isn't really… your style."
She pouted. "Then spend more time with me later."
Sam gave a quiet chuckle. "You got it, Koneko. Not like I don't already."
Koneko shot him a side glare.
"Fine," he murmured. "I'll spend more time with you."
-------
A ripple of pressure moved through the world — faint, but everywhere.
Issei Hyoudou's room sat in quiet order: a desk by the window, a few manga stacked beside a small TV, a modest shelf of DVDs, and one slightly crooked pin-up poster on the wall.
Then the air rippled, and the details shifted. The poster changed, the covers on the manga flipped to new titles, and the faint dust settled again as if nothing had ever been different.
The same pulse passed through the person standing there. The boy blinked — no, the girl. Isami Hyoudou.
She stood a bit taller than most girls, around five-six, with an athletic frame that hinted at casual activity more than actual training. Her brown hair, now longer, was tied into a loose ponytail that brushed her shoulders. Despite the change, her stance was still uneven — a mix of energy and uncertainty that hadn't gone anywhere.
She stared at a magazine on her desk, frowning in thought before picking it up. "There's still no progress on my way to becoming the Harem Queen," she muttered, clutching it to her chest with a dramatic sigh. Then, a pause. "But that's probably because there aren't many cute boys at the academy."
Her grin returned, wide and self-satisfied. "Well… there is that transfer student."
-------
Yumi Kiba
In the Gremory mansion, the echo of the same unseen ripple brushed past.
Freed's unconscious body hit the bed with a dull thud. A moment later, the world flickered — just once. When it steadied, Yuuto Kiba wasn't there anymore. Yumi Kiba was.
She stood by the bed, calm and steady. Her hair was longer now — straight, blond, reaching just past her shoulders. At about five-eight, she had the balanced build of someone used to training, her movements precise and contained. The same focus was in her eyes.
Rias looked at her and smiled. "Good work, Yumi. You'll have to thank Sam for this later."
A faint color touched Yumi's cheeks. "Yeah… I guess I will."
Akeno's teasing tone followed. "Ooh, looks like our stoic swordswoman isn't so stoic after all." Yumi turned, offering her a sidelong glare — more flustered than fierce.
[System Notice]
Affection Update: Yumi Kiba (15 → 19)
------
Val Lucifer
In the Grigori base, Val Lucifer stood near the conference table, listening as Azazel went over their latest reports. Her silver-white hair was tied back in a low knot, simple and out of the way. At about five-nine, her build carried the same disciplined strength as always — balanced, steady, and under control.
Her blue-silver eyes stayed forward, patient and unreadable, the expression of someone who already knew her own worth. The calm confidence that defined her hadn't changed.
Azazel's words faded into the background. Val's focus drifted, drawn to the quiet sense of something distant — a pulse of power she could never quite find. The Red Dragon Emperor, she thought, still sleeping somewhere out there.
A small smirk tugged at her lips. As the White Dragon Emperor, I'll find opponents worthy of me — sooner or later.
She leaned back slightly, relaxed but composed, the certainty in her eyes unmoved.
------
A chill ran up Sam's spine. He stopped and looked around once. What was that?
Asia stood close, watching him. Koneko leaned against a pew, arms folded.
The thought didn't stew long. Raynare stepped toward him, the other Fallen moving in behind her. She carried herself with an easy confidence—like she thought that shiver he'd had was because of her.
Her voice had a light tease under it. "You've got devils and saints around you, Sam. Why not add a fallen to the mix?"
Sam didn't look at her at first, still thinking about that chill. When he finally turned, it was with that same lazy precision—like he already knew what she was trying to pull.
"I'm fine with my devils and saints."
He tipped his head toward Asia and Koneko. "I like their company. Adding a fallen sounds like trouble."
Asia flushed at the words. Koneko's cheeks warmed a shade.
A sharp pulse hit through Empath—envy wrapped tight with possessiveness. Raynare. He clocked it but didn't react.
Raynare's smile slipped briefly; her eyes flicked toward Asia and Koneko before she forced it back into place, thinner than before.
"You can always use more friends, Sam."
Kalawarner stepped in next, like she was covering the slip. "Raynare's right. Fallen angels cover more light-based attributes, wouldn't you say?"
Sam's attention shifted. Light-based attributes. Devils knew the theory, not the application. Fallen handled the real thing. He kept that in mind.
Mittelt nodded once. "Yeah. Not all of us wanted to fight. Some of us just want something more."
Empath hit—clean sincerity from both. Great. That makes this harder.If I couldn't feel it, I'd be done already.
Asia stepped forward, hands clasped. "They were angels once… everyone deserves another chance."
Empath flickered—compassion, fear, sincerity. Asia, of course.
Koneko's eyes narrowed. "We don't even know if they're serious. Fallen don't have a good record."
A pulse—guarded caution, protectiveness, a thin thread of jealousy. Koneko's not wrong.
Raynare smirked. "The saint believes in forgiveness. Maybe you should listen to her, Sam."
Empath hit—smug satisfaction over something strained and thin. She'd ignored Koneko entirely.
Sam let the exchange hang before answering. "It's not up to me for you to stick around."
Raynare's eyes narrowed. "Then we'll talk to the right people."
Mittelt took a small step forward. "Until then, we'll stay—unless we're told we can't."
Sam let out a small exhale, almost a chuckle. "I don't think that's how getting permission works."
The tension eased a little—but Raynare's smirk only sharpened.
"Getting permission's harder than asking forgiveness," she said, voice sliding smooth. "Surely we can just ask."
Empath flickered—strained confidence, a thin resentment line underneath.
"Take it up with whoever runs this territory." Sam didn't bother dressing it up.
That shut the door.
The Fallen Angels traded looks. Raynare's jaw tightened when it became clear none of them had anything left to say. Without a word, they drifted off to their own corners.
[Ping]
The System window blinked open, cutting the silence after the Fallen Angels had left.
[System Notice]
Quest Complete — Church Operation
Objective: Three Fallen Angels pacified; one human exorcist subdued.
Reward: 1× Gold Random Ticket, 1× Bronze Trait Ticket.
Sam looked toward Tiche. She pushed off the wall she'd been leaning on and walked toward the exit without a word.
Asia and Koneko watched her go, then looked at Sam.
"Go with her for now," Sam said. "I'm just going to check a few things."
Asia nodded, tightening her hold on the grimoire. "We'll be waiting just outside."
Koneko gave the Fallen a last wary look. "Just hurry up," she muttered, following after Asia.
"I won't be long," Sam said.
Sam refocused on the System once they were gone.
Alright, let's roll the one I got from Asia first.
[System Notice]
🎲 Gold Random Ticket — Rolling…
Result: Mithril Skeleton
Rarity: |Elite Trait|
• Your skeleton is unusually durable and flexible.
• Conducts energy more efficiently.
• Scales with your physical stats.
That's useful. More defense with my overwhelming offense.
Another notification pulsed.
[System Notice]
Exoskeleton Mastery: 55%
Evolution Path Detected — Bio-Armor (Mithril Enhanced)
Evolution? That's weird.
He skimmed the details.
Abilities evolve when supported by another ability, trait, or item.
Exoskeleton + Mithril Skeleton → new evolution path unlocked.
Evolution triggers automatically at 100% mastery.
Gives me a reason to train Exoskeleton more.
Now to the quest rewards. First one, gold ticket.
[System Notice]
🎲 Gold Random Ticket — Rolling…
Result: Jack of All Trades
Rarity: |Rare Skill|
• Novice competency in basic trades: Blacksmithing, Medicine, Mechanics, Cooking, Interfacing.
• No effect on combat skills.
More utility than combat… but that's months of work I don't have to spend.
Last one.
[System Notice]
🎲 Bronze Trait Ticket — Rolling…
Result: Charming Smile
Rarity: |Common Trait|
• Your smile becomes naturally appealing.
• Helps people feel at ease.
• Heightens attraction in preferred partners.
Great. Another seduction trait. I don't even smile that much. The System's really trying to make me dangerous… for women.
Sam exhaled and dismissed the System. He looked around the now empty church.
Done here. Let's go back home.
He paused.
…It really is home now, huh?
A half-smile tugged at his mouth as he walked out of the church.
------
Sam, Asia, Koneko, and Tiche stepped back into the mansion.
Rias, Akeno, and someone else were already gathered in the living room.
Sam slowed.
Blonde hair. Blue eyes. The same uniform.
Something was wrong.
[System Notice]
Character Update: Yuuto Kiba → Yumi Kiba
Affection: 15 → 19
…Oh. The only guy friend I had turned into a chick. Oh… oh no.
He dismissed the alert with a thought and kept walking.
Rias looked up. "Did the Fallen leave?"
"Not exactly," Sam said. "They seem real enthusiastic about trying to stay."
Everyone stared at him.
He lifted a hand. "What? Don't look at me. I didn't do anything."
Akeno smiled. "Sure, if you say so, Sam."
"Anyway…" He moved to sit down.
Asia slipped in on his right.
Koneko took his left and swung her legs over his lap — casual and territorial.
Empath flickered.
Akeno — annoyance wrapped in jealousy.
Rias — faint jealousy.
Yumi — the exact same jealous pulse.
Okay, that's… three different landmines. Don't step on any of them, Sam.
He shifted his eyes away, only to confirm through Empath that Rias and Yumi were both radiating the same feeling.
I didn't win that gamble. Great.
Rias folded her hands. "So the Fallen want to stay. That makes my call to my family more urgent. Between Grigori and the Church — one to deliver a criminal, the other to ask why their agents are on our territory. Much to discuss."
"I don't envy you," Sam said. "That sounds like a headache and a half."
Akeno smirked. "A headache it is… but you've helped a certain blondie with her trauma, isn't that right, Yumi?"
Yumi shot Akeno a faint glare — irritation with a blush under it.
"Yeah, Sam. I'll have to thank you later. Maybe we can spar again? Your sword skills still need refining."
"My sword skills are fine," Sam said. "Not my main focus, but hey — the more you learn, the more you learn."
Rias chuckled under her breath. "Everyone's spending time with Sam. Maybe I should carve out time for myself."
Sam raised an eyebrow. "I guess so?"
He sighed. "I still need time to train my stuff, girls."
Koneko tapped her heel against his thigh. "Don't forget. You still have to spend time with me."
"I know, I know."
The teasing finally faded, and Sam let himself relax without realizing it.
A small smile slipped out — unconscious, brief, but clear.
Warmth rolled off him a moment later — soft, easy.
Charming Smile doing its thing.
Asia noticed first.
"Sam… you haven't smiled much lately."
Koneko hummed in agreement.
Akeno tilted her head. "She's right. You used to be more fun to tease."
Yumi's eyes opened a touch as she crossed her arms, studying him.
"You've been colder. Or quieter. These last few weeks."
Empath pulsed once — the same concern coming from everyone in the room, including Rias seated across from him.
Why have I been muted?
…Empath.
The emotional regulation. The suppression. Weeks of it.
He let out a slow breath.
"I've had a lot to think about in the last few weeks."
Everyone glanced at one another, their concern easing a little.
Rias was the first to speak.
"Well… we've all had a long night. Everyone needs sleep."
Her attention shifted to Sam. "Especially you, since you did all the activity tonight."
The slight tease in her voice eased the concern in the room even more.
Akeno chuckled.
Asia flushed bright red.
Koneko held her deadpan stare — now fixed on Rias.