The glow of the magic circle faded, and Rias Gremory appeared in a flare of crimson light, flanked by Akeno Himejima and Koneko Toujou—each radiating a powerful aura.
The moment they arrived, they were met with the sight of devastation.
The small house at the edge of town had been completely reduced to rubble—practically leveled by the clash between Ryuya and Freed.
Rias's sharp eyes instantly located Ryuya. Her gaze swept over him from head to toe, and when she confirmed that he was unharmed, her tense expression softened slightly.
To her, Ryuya was still in his novice stage—someone who needed careful guidance and protection.
If something had happened to him this early, it would have been an utter failure on her part as his master.
"How's the situation? Did you encounter the people from the Church?"
As she spoke, her eyes shifted toward Asia standing beside him, and her brows subtly furrowed.
Being a high-class devil, Rias was highly sensitive to the aura of the Church.
With a single glance, she could tell exactly what Asia was.
Normally, if she encountered someone from the Church, she would've shown little restraint—perhaps not attack outright, but definitely not act cordial either.
But seeing Ryuya calmly standing beside the girl, she decided to hold herself back for now.
Ryuya nodded politely to the three girls.
"Yes. A priest, to be exact. We fought the moment we met."
Then he looked apologetically toward Koneko.
"Sorry. By the time I got here, your summoner had already been killed by that guy."
Koneko's golden eyes flickered slightly. She glanced toward the debris—her keen senses had already told her what had happened the moment she arrived.
"This isn't your fault. I'll avenge her myself," she said, her voice carrying a rare hint of anger.
Although Koneko was usually stoic and expressionless, after spending some time together, Ryuya could sense the subtle fluctuations in her emotions.
"It's my mistake," Rias said in a low tone. "I didn't expect a Stray Exorcist to show up looking for a contractor. I should've anticipated it."
"A Stray Exorcist?" Ryuya asked, surprised. "So he wasn't an ordinary priest?"
Rias folded her arms. "Of course not. What kind of priest would slaughter humans for fun? I told you before—the angels and the God of Heaven care deeply for humanity. A proper exorcist would never act like the one you saw."
Her explanation made sense.
Ryuya quickly realized that not every priest was as twisted and cruel as the one he fought earlier.
Akeno added, her usual teasing smile replaced by a serious expression,
"Just like stray devils, stray exorcists are those who've been banished from the Church. They take pleasure in slaughtering devils, their minds warped beyond redemption. The Church rejects them—and the only ones willing to harbor them are the Fallen Angels."
The mention of Fallen Angels made even Akeno's tone darken, though Ryuya didn't notice.
Once they confirmed Ryuya was safe, everyone's attention naturally turned toward Asia.
"You probably heard what we were saying just now," Ryuya said, turning to her. "You're not really part of the official Church anymore. Looks like the Fallen Angels have already set their sights on you."
Yes… those bastards were after the Sacred Gear inside her—"Twilight Healing," the Smile of the Holy Mother.
This pure-hearted, naive girl had clearly been deceived.
Rias crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes slightly.
"I was about to ask, Ryuya—what's with this nun?"
Her tone held a faint trace of displeasure. Devils, after all, didn't exactly enjoy the company of people from the Church.
Ryuya briefly explained Asia's circumstances.
"I see," Rias replied coolly. "So she's a servant of the Fallen Angels, then she has nothing to do with you. In that case, have her leave immediately."
It was clear Rias didn't want to get tangled up with a Church-affiliated nun.
Ryuya hesitated for a moment. Now that he knew the Fallen Angels were after her, he couldn't just stand by and let this innocent girl fall into their hands.
He knew all too well what it was like to be cornered by them—to stare death in the face.
"President," he said suddenly, his voice firm. "How about turning her into a devil as well?"
His words shocked everyone present—Rias, Akeno, Koneko… and most of all, Asia herself.
"Huh?"
"Mr. Ryuya… what did you just say?"
Rias and Asia both spoke up almost at the same time.
"I'm not just talking nonsense," Ryuya said calmly.
"First of all, Asia possesses a Sacred Gear—'Twilight Healing,' the Smile of the Holy Mother. Despite being a holy power, it can even heal a devil like me. That alone proves how extraordinary her ability is."
Hearing that, Rias's crimson eyes flickered with interest. She gestured for him to continue.
Seeing that she seemed willing to listen, Ryuya smiled faintly and turned to Asia.
"And that's exactly why the Fallen Angels are after you. I'm sure what they truly want… is your Sacred Gear."
Asia's face trembled slightly. Memories of her recent experiences flashed through her mind—those subtle inconsistencies, those strange smiles.
Now that Ryuya mentioned it, everything finally made sense.
But her heart was still torn.
Even if she had been targeted by the Fallen Angels, she was still a servant of God—how could she possibly become a devil?
"T-That may be true, but still… I can't… I can't become a devil… Almighty Lord, please forgive me…"
She clasped her hands together, praying helplessly.
Ryuya exhaled through his nose, cutting through her hope with cruel honesty.
"...This church is under the control of the Fallen Angels. The so-called 'grace of your Lord' won't reach you here. Distant water won't put out a nearby fire."
Then, with a devilish grin that sent a shiver down her spine, he added,
"Unfortunately, the only ones who can help you right now… are us devils. Otherwise, I can promise you this—you won't make it out of Kuoh alive. Once the wielder of the Sacred Gear is gone… you'll just end up dead."
The truth hit Asia like a lightning strike. She knew Ryuya wasn't lying—but her devotion to God made her heart twist painfully in conflict.
"Hehe~ looks like this is quite the difficult choice for her," Akeno said playfully, glancing at Rias.
Though her tone was teasing, she clearly supported Ryuya's proposal—and she knew Rias was tempted as well.
Seeing Asia's expression tangled in confusion and fear, Ryuya sighed softly.
"Asia, you have no way out now. Haven't you realized what those Fallen Angels truly want from you?"
Ryuya's tone hardened. He held nothing but contempt for the Fallen Angels.
Rias had told him that some among them weren't evil, but… he'd never met one. Only the cruel ones. Only the monsters.
Perhaps his words finally sank in—or maybe reality itself broke her resistance.
Asia's shoulders trembled as she whispered weakly,
"I… I understand. I believe you, Mr. Ryuya… You wouldn't lie to me. You're… a good person."
"..."
…Can we not hand out a "good guy" card at a time like this?
Rias, seeing that Asia had finally agreed, dropped her icy attitude and smiled in amusement.
"Well, that makes things easier. We welcome you to our side, Asia. But before that…"—her ruby eyes gleamed mischievously—"let's get rid of that holy aura clinging to you. That nun outfit really doesn't suit our devilish taste. Sorry, Asia-chan~"
Before Asia could even react, Rias waved her hand with a soft laugh. A surge of demonic energy flared—
Rip!
Asia's nun habit burst apart in an instant.
She froze in shock for a heartbeat—then her face turned crimson as she crouched down, covering herself in panic.
"Kyah! Mr. Ryuya… p-please don't look!" she cried in a flustered, trembling voice.
"..."
Oh, I'm looking.
…Definitely looking.
---
RedX43's Note:
➤ Want More? Get Extra Chapters on Patreon!
➤ [email protected]/RedX43
➤ +300 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter Drop!
➤ Please support the new book, Thank you! 🙌