Izumi didn't bother dodging the question.He simply nodded and admitted it outright.
"Yeah. I did it."
"Those things were a threat. Eliminating them is a public service."He shrugged casually. "Even if the Church complains, they have no grounds. They let Fallen Angels slip into their own chapel. Basically I helped clean up their mess."
The confidence in his tone was absurd—like he was the one doing everyone a favor, and the Church should be the one apologizing to him.
Rias stared at him, utterly speechless.
"…Izumi-kun, you do realize you've caused us demons a massive headache, right?"She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Shouldn't you at least show some sense of responsibility?"
Now that she'd confirmed he was the culprit, she had nothing more to question.He wasn't wrong—having Fallen Angels hiding in a sacred site was the Church's own disgrace.The devil faction was already prepared to make an issue out of it; they had no reason to fear anything.
Izumi, however, looked at her with a strangely puzzled expression.
"Responsibility? For what?"He waved a hand dismissively. "Forget that. Are you helping me or not?"
"I need Asia's identification re-issued. And I want her transferred to my class."
Rias sighed deeply.This guy really was immune to pressure—oil and water wouldn't mix, and neither would logic and Izumi.
She'd hoped to take advantage of the chaos to rope him into her peerage.But clearly, that was wishful thinking.
"…Fine," she relented. "I'll have my people handle Asia's papers and the school transfer."
"But—remember this, Izumi-kun. You owe me a favor."
If she couldn't recruit him, then she would at least secure the next best thing—his help, when the time came.
The problem was that time was coming sooner than she would like.Just thinking about it gave her a headache.
Izumi noticed the faint shadow in her eyes and immediately understood.She was thinking about "that"—the unavoidable confrontation with the roasted chicken himself, Phoenix boy.
He nodded.
"Ah, that. Sure. I'll take care of it."
"If you need me to fight, just say so."He raised a finger. "But don't get any other ideas. I'm still not becoming your peerage member."
"I'm planning to build my own team," he declared proudly. "So give up already, Rias. I'm a man you'll never have in your entire life!"
Again.
He said it again.
Rias's eyebrow twitched violently.He really needs to stop saying those lines out of context. People will misunderstand.
She resisted the urge to smack him with a destruction spell.
Still, Izumi agreeing to help was enough.Asia's paperwork was nothing—being able to call on Izumi's strength once was more than a fair trade.
She quietly assessed his aura again, now that he was standing close.
…strong.Stronger than her.
Far, far stronger.
Just feeling his presence up close made that clear.Even as a high-class demon—B-rank—she knew Izumi could defeat her without difficulty.
She'd even discussed this with Akeno.Izumi's close-combat prowess was ridiculous.And his projections—those conjured weapons—looked ordinary when he fought Koneko, but their quality was already far above any standard equipment.
There was no way he couldn't create something more powerful.If he tried, he might even project something close to a Sacred Gear.
A guess, yes. But a reasonable one.
Either way, one fact was certain:
Izumi was stronger than Rias Gremory.
Izumi himself, meanwhile, activated his system and examined the two girls.
[Rias Gremory]• Rank: B-• Race: Pure-blooded Demon• Talent: Power of Destruction…
[Himejima Akeno]• Rank: C+• Race: Human / Fallen Angel / Reincarnated Devil• Talent: Lightning Manipulation…
Izumi nodded in satisfaction.
Just as expected.Rias was upper-class.Akeno was high-class.
But the thing that made his mouth twitch was Akeno's race information.
Human. Fallen Angel. Demon.
The dictionary definition of a mixed-blood.
Akeno felt his gaze and instantly stiffened.
It felt as though every secret of her birth was being peeled open.Her back tingled; her posture grew rigid.
She shifted uncomfortably and finally spoke with a coy smile:
"Ara ara… Izumi-kun, staring at a girl like that is very impolite."She leaned in slightly. "Could it be you're interested in me? Is that why you keep ignoring Rias and looking at me?"
Her finger touched her lips as she studied him.She had been curious about him for a while—someone who enrolled as an F-rank student yet completely outclassed upper-class demons?There was no way he was ordinary.
Izumi blinked, then spoke with absolute seriousness.
"I am interested in Akeno-senpai."
"Black long hair, the perfect onee-san type… and also—"
Despite acting S, her core personality is totally M.
What man wouldn't like that?
Between Rias and Akeno, if he had to pick one, he would choose Akeno without hesitation.
(Though of course—children make choices. He wants both.)
Akeno froze.Her smile vanished, replaced by momentary shock.
Koneko, on the other hand, didn't even flinch.
She had accepted long ago that Izumi had no filter.
After all, he was the same person who, on the first day of school, learned she was a nekomata and immediately shoved catnip into her hands.
No one else would do that.Only Izumi.
That was how they first met.