I woke up to the smell of expensive tea and the unsettling sensation of not being dead.
Okay. Quick inventory. Arms? Present. Legs? Functioning. Dignity? Already in critical condition.
I was lying on a leather couch in what looked like Victorian England had a baby with Gothic architecture. Red velvet curtains blocked most of the sunlight. Dark wood furniture gleamed in the shadows. A painting of some red-haired noble glared down from above a fireplace.
The Occult Research Club. Right. I'd actually agreed to stay here.
"...you're awake."
I turned my head. Koneko sat in an armchair across from me, legs tucked under her, eating a donut with the emotional investment of someone filing taxes. Her golden eyes studied me without blinking.
"How long was I out?" My voice came out hoarse.
"Twelve hours." She bit into the donut. "Rias-buchou said to let you sleep."
"Generous of her." I pushed myself upright. Every muscle protested. My left arm, the one Raynare's minion had barbecued, was wrapped in fresh bandages. Someone had changed my clothes too. I was now wearing a plain black t-shirt and sweatpants.
I decided not to think too hard about who had done the changing.
Koneko's expression didn't waver. "...you complain a lot."
"It's my coping mechanism."
"...nn." She produced another donut from somewhere. Was that an infinite donut pocket? Did devils have that? "Rias-buchou will be here soon. She wants to talk."
"About the peerage thing?"
"...about everything."
Great. Ominous and vague. My favorite combination.
The door opened before I could respond. Rias entered with Akeno trailing behind, both wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform. Rias carried herself like she owned the room. Which, technically, she did.
"You're awake." Rias smiled. Warm and aristocratic at the same time. "How do you feel?"
"Like I got hit by a truck, then fought supernatural creatures, then slept on a couch." I rolled my shoulder experimentally. "So, accurately."
Akeno laughed softly. "Ufufu, at least your sense of humor survived."
"It's literally the only thing I have left."
Rias settled into the chair beside Koneko. Akeno began preparing tea at a small station in the corner. Everything felt weirdly domestic for a devil clubhouse.
"You had questions," Rias said. "About what joining my peerage means."
"Several questions, yeah." I swung my legs off the couch, sitting up properly. "Starting with: what the hell is a peerage?"
Rias folded her hands in her lap. Her blue eyes held mine with unnerving intensity. "To understand that, you need to understand our world."
"The supernatural world."
"Yes. There are three major factions." She raised one finger. "Angels. Servants of Heaven, led by Michael and the Seraphim since... since their God fell in the last war."
I blinked. "God is dead?"
"Died fighting the original Satans. Both sides suffered catastrophic losses." She raised a second finger. "Devils. We rebuilt our society under the four current Satans. Sirzechs Lucifer, Serafall Leviathan, Ajuka Beelzebub, and Falbium Asmodeus."
"Your brother's a Satan."
"Yes." No hesitation. No shame. "I'm the heiress to the Gremory clan. One of the remaining 72 Pillars of the Underworld."
"And the third faction?"
"Fallen Angels." Her voice cooled noticeably. "Angels who fell from grace. They're led by Azazel, though individual groups like Raynare's operate with varying degrees of authorization."
Akeno appeared at my side with a cup of tea. Her smile was pleasant but her eyes held old pain. "The factions have a fragile peace now. But there are always those who want war."
I accepted the tea. Processed the information dump. My system flickered in my peripheral vision.
[WORLD LORE: THREE FACTIONS]
[ANALYSIS UPDATING...]
Thanks for the heads up, system. Real helpful.
"Okay." I took a sip. Damn, that was good tea. "So where does the peerage thing come in?"
Rias's expression grew more serious. "Devils reproduce slowly. We lost countless soldiers in the Great War. To replenish our numbers, a devil named Ajuka Beelzebub created the Evil Piece system."
"Evil Piece system?"
"Chess pieces. Infused with devil power." She produced something from her pocket. A small red object that pulsed with energy. "When implanted in a compatible being, they reincarnate that person as a devil."
The piece in her hand looked innocent enough. Like a chess pawn carved from ruby. But I could feel something emanating from it. Power. Promise. Change.
"You want to turn me into a devil."
"I want to offer you the choice." Rias met my gaze steadily. "Reincarnated devils gain enhanced physiology. Strength. Speed. Regeneration. Your own abilities would stabilize and grow stronger. You'd live for thousands of years."
"Downsides?"
"Sunlight becomes uncomfortable, though not lethal. Holy objects burn. Prayers cause pain." She paused. "And you would serve me. As my pawn."
That last word hung in the air.
"Serve," I repeated.
"The relationship varies between kings and their pieces." Akeno interjected, sitting on the arm of Rias's chair. "Some treat their servants as slaves. Rias treats us as family."
"We are family," Rias corrected. "Kiba. Koneko. Akeno. They're not my servants. They're my people."
"...she's kind," Koneko added quietly. "For a king."
I looked at the three of them. Akeno with her dangerous elegance. Koneko with her flat affect that somehow conveyed genuine emotion. And Rias, who looked at me like I was a person, not a resource.
Is this actually happening? Am I seriously considering becoming a literal devil?
But what was the alternative? Go back to surviving in alleys? Wait for Raynare to find me and dissect whatever power lived inside me?
"If I say no?"
"You're free to leave." Rias didn't hesitate. "I'll provide what protection I can, but my official authority ends at territory boundaries. The fallen angels could pursue you anywhere."
"And if I say yes?"
"You gain a home. A family. Purpose." Her voice softened. "And the power to never feel helpless again."
I stared at the pawn piece in her hand. Such a small thing. Such a massive decision.
You died once already, I reminded myself. You got a second chance in a world full of monsters and magic. Are you really going to waste it hiding in alleys?
My system pulsed.
[DECISION POINT DETECTED]
[WARNING: RACE CHANGE IRREVERSIBLE]
[REMINDER: LIFE WITHOUT PURPOSE IS JUST DELAYED DEATH]
Did my system just give me life advice?
"How does it work?" I asked.
Rias's eyes lit up. Not predatory. Hopeful. "The ceremony is simple. I implant the piece. Your body integrates the devil essence. You'll feel different immediately."
"Will it hurt?"
"Some discomfort. Nothing compared to what you've already survived."
I thought about the light spears. The burns. The moment Raynare's attack had descended and I couldn't move.
Then I thought about Koneko appearing from nowhere. Akeno's lightning protecting the group. Kiba's professional efficiency. Rias's voice cutting through chaos.
These people saved my life. They're offering me a place.
"Okay," I said. "Let's do it."
Rias stood. The air in the room shifted, grew heavier with anticipation. Akeno and Koneko moved to form a triangle around the couch. Some kind of ceremonial position.
"Lie back," Rias instructed.
I did. The leather was cool against my neck.
Rias placed the pawn piece on my chest, directly over my heart. Her hand stayed there, palm flat. Crimson light began to gather around her fingers.
"I, Rias Gremory, command thee..." Her voice resonated with power. "In the name of the Gremory family, I call upon you to serve at my side."
The pawn piece sank into my chest. No pain, just pressure. Like someone pressing firmly on a bruise.
"Become my demon servant. Rejoice, for you have been given new life."
Fire erupted through my veins.
Not burning. Transforming. Every cell in my body screamed as something fundamental changed. My vision went red, then black, then burst into colors I didn't have names for.
I heard my own heartbeat. Loud. Then louder. Then it stopped.
Silence.
And then it started again. Different. Stronger. Each beat a drum of power.
[RACE CHANGE: HUMAN → REINCARNATED DEVIL (PAWN X1)]
[INTEGRATING DEVIL PHYSIOLOGY...]
[DEMONIC ENERGY: UNLOCKED]
[STATS RECALCULATING...]
The light faded. I lay there, gasping, staring at the ceiling. Everything felt... more. Colors brighter. Sounds sharper. The leather under my fingers, the individual threads distinguishable.
"How do you feel?" Rias's voice came from above me.
I sat up slowly. Looked at my hands. They looked the same, but I could feel the power coiled beneath my skin. Something primal and old and hungry.
"I feel..." I searched for the right word. "Different."
"Your eyes," Akeno observed. "They're glowing."
I touched my face reflexively. She was right. I could feel the warmth around my eyes. A faint blue luminescence that faded as I focused on it.
Koneko handed me a small mirror. I looked at my reflection. Same face. Same messy brown hair. But my eyes...
For a moment, they'd been electric blue. Now they settled back to brown, with only a faint ring of azure remaining.
Well. That's not ominous at all.
[REINCARNATION COMPLETE]
[LEVEL UP! 3 → 4]
STR: 8 (+2) | INT: 10 (+1) | AGI: 9 (+2) | VIT: 8 (+2) | SPR: 7 (+1)
POWER LEVEL: 17 → 22
NEW TRAIT: DEMONIC ENERGY (BASIC)
ENHANCED REGENERATION: 20% → 40%
BASIC FLIGHT: 20% → 50%
I stared at the numbers. That was a significant boost. Just from becoming a devil.
"Your abilities will grow faster now," Rias explained. "Devil physiology is more compatible with supernatural powers than human biology."
"I can feel it." I flexed my fingers. The demonic energy responded, flickering like dark flames around my knuckles. "This is... actually kind of terrifying."
"Ufufu." Akeno's smile turned predatory. "You get used to it."
"Welcome to the peerage." Kiba appeared in the doorway. I hadn't heard him enter. He offered a genuine smile. "Glad you made it through."
"...welcome, senpai." Koneko's voice was still flat, but there was something different in her eyes. Acceptance.
I stood. The movement felt effortless. My body responded faster, cleaner than before. Even the residual soreness from yesterday's battle had faded.
"Thank you," I said to Rias. "For giving me a chance."
"Thank yourself for having the courage to take it." She squeezed my shoulder once. "But don't get comfortable. This is just the beginning."
"Meaning?"
Her smile sharpened. "Meaning tomorrow, we train. You have power now, but you have no idea how to use it."
"Ah." I sighed. "There it is."
"You're weak," Koneko added. Because of course she did. "...but less weak now."
"High praise."
Akeno clapped her hands together. "I'll prepare a training regimen. Something... memorable."
The lightning that crackled around her fingers suggested "memorable" was a euphemism.
"That's not ominous at all," I muttered.
"It's not meant to be comforting," Rias said. "You survived fallen angels through luck and adaptation. Against real threats, luck won't be enough."
She was right. I knew she was right. The fight with Raynare's minions had proven exactly how outmatched I was. If Koneko hadn't saved me...
"Okay." I squared my shoulders. "When do we start?"
"Dawn. Training grounds behind the academy." Rias headed for the door. "Get some rest. Eat something. Tomorrow, you become a real fighter."
She left. Kiba followed, offering me one last encouraging nod.
Akeno lingered. "Ufufu, don't look so worried. I'll be gentle." A pause. "For the first five minutes, anyway."
Then she was gone too.
Just me and Koneko. The small girl studied me for a long moment, then held out a chocolate bar.
"...for energy," she said.
I took it. "Thanks."
She nodded once and padded after the others, leaving me alone in the Occult Research Club.
I stood in the silence, processing everything. Yesterday I was a powerless human running from supernatural killers. Today I was a devil. A member of Rias Gremory's peerage. About to undergo training that sounded genuinely terrifying.
This is my life now, I thought. Superpowers, devil politics, and training montages.
My system flickered one final time.
[QUEST UPDATED: SURVIVE TRAINING]
[DIFFICULTY: HARD]
[REWARD: RESPECT, COMBAT SKILLS, PHYSICAL SURVIVAL]
[FAILURE PENALTY: EXTENSIVE BRUISING]
[NOTE: AKENO IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS]
Great. Even my system is mocking me.
I bit into the chocolate bar. It was surprisingly good.
Tomorrow, training. Tomorrow, I'd learn what it really meant to be a devil.
And somewhere out there, Raynare was licking her wounds and planning her next move.
No pressure. None at all.