The scene fell into silence.
Ryuya could only sigh inwardly.
What a clown…
Rias and the others walked over. After that intense tennis battle, her skin was still glistening with fragrant sweat, her whole body radiating vitality and allure.
"Ryuya, what's going on here?" Rias asked, tilting her head.
"No idea. Maybe it's just… my personal charm?" Ryuya said, spouting nonsense since he honestly had no better explanation.
Everyone stared at him speechlessly.
Personal charm, my ass!
Even Sona Sitri looked suspiciously at Saji, her brows furrowing slightly as she asked,
"Didn't you say you really wanted to get a familiar?"
"Uh… hahaha, well, you see… I figured I still need more experience, so handing out a few more flyers might be good for training!"
Saji scratched his head awkwardly, though he still found time to wink exaggeratedly at Ryuya.
Ryuya sighed helplessly.
Sure, he appreciated the guy giving up his spot, but the problem was—he genuinely had no idea how to help this poor fool get closer to President Sona.
"In that case," Sona said finally, "if Saji insists, we'll withdraw from this round."
"Hehe, then on behalf of Ryuya and Asia, allow me to thank you," Rias said with a graceful smile.
After a few more polite words, the Student Council members took their leave.
Before he left, Saji pulled Ryuya aside, his eyes shining with fervor.
"Master! How did I do? Now teach me a couple of your secret moves!"
"…Can you not call me 'Master'?" Ryuya groaned, rolling his eyes. "If you like your president so much, why not just go confess to her directly?"
Saji blinked, caught off guard, then rubbed his neck shyly.
"Actually… I already tried that once."
"Oh?" Ryuya raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"I told her how I felt… but she thought I was joking. What should I do?" he said miserably, hanging his head in dejection.
Ryuya looked at him for a long moment, torn between sympathy and exasperation. Finally, he sighed.
"Maybe… she didn't misunderstand. Maybe she's just… too kind to reject you outright?"
Saji: "...???"
Wow. Thanks for that, man. That's—yeah, that's real comforting.
The blow was so brutal he could only stand there, expression blank, before trudging away in despair.
Ryuya watched him go in silence.
Another lost soul, guided toward the harsh light of truth.
He was… really such a helpful person, wasn't he?
But as a devil now, maybe being this helpful wasn't such a good thing.
---
After school — Occult Research Club room.
Rias sat gracefully on the sofa, sipping her tea.
"I'm not sure what exactly happened today," she said, setting her cup down, "but at least we've secured the right to take on the request. Tomorrow night is the full moon, so we'll depart then. For now, everyone should head home and get some rest."
Ryuya nodded, then turned toward Asia.
"Asia, I'll help you move your things today."
Until now, Asia had been living directly in the clubroom, but Ryuya had already found her a place—just across the street from his own house, barely fifty meters away.
"Alright, thank you so much," Asia said with a warm smile. She then bowed slightly toward Rias and the others. "We'll be heading off for now."
"Mm, travel safely," Rias replied.
After returning home and changing clothes, Ryuya headed back out to help Asia pack and move.
"Asia, are you getting used to things now?"
As he chatted casually, Ryuya carried box after box into the room, unpacking them and neatly placing her cute little trinkets where they belonged.
"Yes! Everyone in the class is really kind and funny, and the upperclassmen in the club all take good care of me too."
Asia's face bloomed with pure happiness. "I've made so many friends! I think this must be the God's guidance. Praise be to—ow~!"
She suddenly let out a soft cry, clutching her head with a flustered look.
Ryuya couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're already a devil, yet you're still preaching the Gospel. Of course your head's gonna hurt."
"Hehe…" Asia laughed sheepishly.
"Do you resent me for forcing you to become a devil?" Ryuya asked in a calm tone. He knew how deeply Asia revered God. Back then, he had more or less cornered her into changing sides.
His intentions had been good—but it was true that he'd interfered with her will.
"Not at all!" Asia quickly shook her head. "Thanks to you, Ryuya, I was able to make all these friends and live such a happy life! That's something I could never even dream of before."
Hearing that, Ryuya smiled faintly.
"I see… then that's good."
Asia gazed at his gentle expression, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Ryuya, you really are such a kind person…"
"…Didn't expect to ever hear that said about me."
To think that even this so-called 'sinful Asmodeus' nonsense would come back to bite him someday…
Asia tilted her head innocently, still smiling. "Even if you're a devil, I really do mean it as a compliment!"
"I know," he said softly, smiling as he shook his head. "But Asia, I'm not as gentle as you think. I just do whatever I feel like. That's all."
The blonde girl's eyes curved like crescents as she giggled.
"Isn't that exactly what a devil should be like? But Ryuya, you're still special—you're really… different."
Placing both hands over her chest, she spoke with a sincerity that felt almost sacred.
"I believe your heart holds mercy and compassion, tolerance and calm detachment, fairness and understanding. Those are divine qualities—and they don't conflict with being a devil."
As a former holy maiden, Asia understood how rare it was for such traits to exist in one person.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that even if Ryuya hadn't become a devil, he still could have become a saint—or a king.
A man who could teach virtue to the masses… or lead them all under his banner.
Ryuya was speechless. He hadn't expected Asia to see him in that light.
His thoughts drifted toward the King's Sword and Shield—and its previous wielder.
That man had been a ruler who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, a saint who loved his people, respected by millions—a leader who guided countless souls through hardship.
When that king died, even the heavens and the earth had wept for him.
Was that why Ryuya had been chosen by the sacred weapon?
Had it recognized something similar within him?
Or… had he not yet truly earned its acknowledgment?
As if responding to his thoughts, the King's Sword and Shield within him gave a faint tremor.
At the same time, Ryuya felt his demonic power surge, resonating fiercely with the world around him—his strength had grown stronger, undeniably so.
His eyes flickered with realization.
The artifact possessed divinity—it was alive in its own way.
And through this heartfelt conversation with Asia, he had somehow grasped the way to commune with it… a revelation that granted him a real increase in power.
What Ryuya didn't realize, however, was that this was the essence of an ancient truth—
a natural path of cultivation inherent to all living beings.
A road that angels, devils, and humans alike could walk—guided not by contracts or shortcuts, but by the purity of their hearts and the will to transcend.
If the devil's contract was the shortcut, then this path…
was the road of hardship and enlightenment—
A path that only those who endure it to the end may reach—
Transcendence.
----