Year 2010
Saji's POV
By the time I finish the chores, the sky's started to lighten—soft hints of orange bleeding into the blue. I leave a plate of food on the table for my siblings, quietly checking on them while they're still asleep. My little brother's curled up like a cat, and my sister's clinging to her pillow like it's a life preserver. They look so peaceful. I hope it stays that way.
I grab my bag, still heavy from yesterday's books, and slip on my worn-out shoes. The soles are thinning, but I make them last. I step out into the crisp morning air, tugging my school jacket tighter around me. The street is quiet, just the rustle of leaves and the occasional passing car. Most students aren't even awake yet.
Kouh Academy isn't far, but the walk feels longer on mornings like this—when I'm running on fumes and fighting the weight of responsibility more than anything else. But I keep my head down and move forward. One step at a time.
I pass the same corner store, nod to the same old lady who's always sweeping the sidewalk, and take the same shortcut through the alley behind the train station. Routine is comforting, even when life isn't.
By the time I reach the school gates, students have started to gather. Laughter, chatter, energy. I try to match their pace, but I always feel a little offbeat—like a background character in their high school lives. Not that I mind. I've never wanted the spotlight.
Then, all at once, the atmosphere shifted.
The casual chatter around the school grounds faded, and every student's attention—including mine—instinctively turned toward the group approaching the gates.
There were five of them.
Leading the way was Sona Shitori—our calm and calculating Student Council President. Her presence alone was enough to command respect. At her side walked Tsubaki Shinra, her ever-loyal Vice President, graceful and sharp-eyed as always.
Just a few steps behind them were Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima. Together, they walked like royalty—Rias with her striking crimson hair and quiet confidence, Akeno with her soft smile that somehow managed to be both kind and dangerous.
And then… there was the fifth.
The one who drew every eye, as if the world itself leaned in to take notice.
Minamoto no Raikou.
She walked with an elegance that was almost unreal, as though she didn't belong to this era at all. Her long, violet-black hair shimmered in the morning light, and her presence—refined, poised, but undeniably powerful—sent an unspoken message: She's not someone to be underestimated.
Even among beautiful girls like Rias and Sona, Raikou stood out. And I couldn't help but feel the pressure radiating from her, like the quiet hum of a sword that hadn't been drawn yet, but could be at any moment.
Every time I see her—Minamoto no Raikou—something inside me stirs. It's not easy to explain. It's like there's an invisible force pulling me toward her. Not attraction, not admiration… something else. Something deeper.
It's as if there's a voice whispering in the back of my mind, telling me: You need to be better than her. You need to surpass her.
I wasn't like this before I met her. I used to be laid-back. I didn't have much ambition. I did my duties, stayed in my lane, and lived quietly. But ever since she arrived, it's like a switch flips on in my brain every time she's near.
And I'm pretty sure this isn't a crush. It's not love either. I mean, I have a crush on Sona senpai have for a year but whatever I feel toward Raikou… it's different.
It's like a challenge etched into my soul.
Like she was born to stand above others—and I was born to prove I could stand beside her… or even beyond her.
Every club she joined—archery, kendo, bojutsu, and more—I joined too.
She dominated them instantly.
Wherever Raikou went, she became the best within minutes. Her presence alone seemed to rewrite the rules. At first, I followed her out of curiosity. Then, it became something else. A need. A drive.
I joined the same clubs, always just a step behind her. And unlike her, I struggled. A lot. She made it look effortless—every form, every movement, perfect from the start. Meanwhile, I stumbled, failed, bled, and pushed through.
It took her minutes to shine.
It took me weeks just to be acknowledged.
But I endured. I trained longer, stayed later, drilled until my muscles screamed. And eventually… I got there. I didn't dominate like she did, but I earned respect. I mastered the basics, then the advanced, until I reached a point where, in every club we both shared, I became the only one people dared to compare to her.
No one else could challenge her.
And no one challenged me.
Somewhere along the way, I became obsessed. Focused to the point where people started calling me her shadow… her hound dog. Rumors spread like wildfire. They said I was madly in love with her. That I was chasing her attention. That I wanted her to fall for me by trying to match her step for step.
But the truth is... I don't know what this is.
I don't think I can call it love. It doesn't feel like the crush I have on Sona senpai. This is something different sharper, deeper. Like a fire that refuses to go out until I've proven something I can't even put into words.
As the Student Council walked away, I felt it again—that same pull I always experienced whenever Raikou was near. But this time, I pushed it aside. There was something far more pressing today. Something I couldn't ignore.
I made my way to the Student Council office. After knocking, I waited quietly, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. Seconds passed, maybe minutes—I wasn't sure. All I could do was stand there, alone with my thoughts. Doubt crept in, whispering the question I'd been avoiding: Am I really doing the right thing?
But deep down, I already knew the answer.
This decision... it would change me forever. And I had no choice.
My grandfather is growing old. My grandmother's health is fragile. Our family's savings are running dry, and what little money my parents left behind when they died barely got us through the first year. No matter how many part-time jobs I take, no matter how early I wake up or how hard I work, it's never enough.
I can still hear the quiet conversations my grandparents have late at night—talking about bills, stretching their pensions, wondering how much longer they can keep going. They'd never say it to my face, but I know. I hear the worry in their voices.
They could have given up on us. Let us go to an orphanage. But they didn't. When we needed them most, they stepped forward. They chose to raise us, to keep us together as a family.
Now it's my turn.
I have to step up. I will step up.
This might be my only option left to give them the life they deserve. A proper retirement. Peace. Rest. I want my siblings to grow up with opportunities—not just survival. I want to give them the life they would've had… if our parents were still alive.
Even if it means selling my soul to a devil.
The door creaked open.
Standing there was Momo HanakaiK —a girl from my year. Sharp eyes, neat uniform, always composed. I'd seen her around campus, mostly near the Student Council, but we'd never spoken before.
She looked me over, surprised to see someone like me standing outside the Council office this early.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice polite but guarded.
I straightened my posture, trying not to let my nerves show. "My name is Genshirou Saji," I said. "I'm here regarding the deal Sona senpai offered me."
Her expression shifted slightly—just the smallest flicker of recognition. She processed my words in silence for a moment, then nodded.
"Please, come in," she said, stepping aside to let me enter.
As I walked in, I could feel my palms damp with sweat. My clothes clung uncomfortably to my skin, and my heartbeat echoed in my ears. Still, I forced myself to keep moving forward.
The Student Council office was quiet, save for the soft rustle of papers and the tapping of keyboards. Sona-senpai sat at her desk with perfect posture, her calm expression unreadable. Beside her stood Tsubaki-senpai, silent and watchful. The other council members were busy at their desks, immersed in their work.
I swallowed my nerves and stepped forward.
"S -Sitri san," I began, my voice steadier than I felt. "I want to talk about the offer."
For a moment, Sona looked up at me, her violet eyes analyzing. Then, with a slight nod, her expression shifted—just a fraction, but enough to know she understood.
"Everyone," she said coolly, her voice carrying authority, "please leave. Except for you, Tsubaki."
Chairs scraped quietly as the others stood and filed out without a word. Soon, only the three of us remained in the room.
And just like that, the air grew heavier. The moment had arrived.
"Please sit, Genshirou-san," Sona said, her voice calm and her expression unreadable.
At her invitation, I took the seat across from her. As I sat down, I took a moment to steady myself—breathing in slowly, calming the storm of nerves and doubt swirling inside me. This was the biggest decision of my life. I couldn't afford to rush into it.
I focused, sharpening my resolve. I remembered why I was here—my siblings, my grandparents, everything I stood to protect.
"Sona-senpai," I began, my voice firm, "before I accept your offer, I want to know everything I'll have to give up to become a member of your peerage."
This was the most important part of the conversation. We both knew it.
I couldn't just say yes without knowing the cost. Devils weren't saints. They were known for exploiting loopholes, for sealing pacts that always came with a price. This was a dangerous game I was choosing to play—and I had to be sure I knew the rules.
Sona didn't flinch. She didn't blink. Her gaze remained fixed on me, steady and composed. If anything, she seemed to have expected the question.
"There are many things you will lose," she said plainly, "and many obligations you will have to accept if you become a member of my peerage."
She paused, then continued.
"First, you will lose your normal life. You will be expected to attend every meeting, answer every call, and fulfill every duty required of you—regardless of time or circumstance. Your life will no longer be entirely your own."
Her words were blunt, but not cruel. She wasn't trying to scare me. She was being honest.
And that honesty only made the weight of my decision heavier.
"Second," Sona continued, her tone steady and deliberate, "you will become something… new. Not just in mind, but in body—and even in part of your soul."
She leaned forward slightly, her eyes sharp.
"Because of that transformation, you will develop weaknesses. Sunlight won't harm you, but holy artifacts and places blessed with divine energy will. You'll feel it—pain, pressure, even paralysis, depending on the source and your proximity. That's the price of gaining a devil's power."
I nodded slowly, absorbing her words. These were no small sacrifices.
"These," she said, "are the major things you will lose. There are also minor obligations—regular patrols, training sessions, helping maintain order among other supernatural beings in our territory. Nothing excessive, but it will require your time and loyalty."
She reached into her desk and produced a crisp, black folder, handing it to me. "This is a draft of the contract. Read it carefully. If you have conditions or requests, we can revise it. I don't intend to trick you, Saji. I want commitment, not regret."
I accepted the folder with both hands, bowing my head slightly in respect. "Thank you."
With a deep breath, I opened it and began reading. My nerves faded as focus took over. I needed to read every line—understand every clause. No assumptions. No missed loopholes.
If I was going to sell my soul, I had to know exactly what I was selling… and what I was getting in return.
As I flipped through the pages, my eyes searched for the most important part—the reason I was even considering this pact in the first place.
And there it was.
A section clearly outlined in precise legal language: "The family of the contractor shall be provided for—financially and politically—under the protection and influence of House Sitri until the end of their natural lives."
I read that line over and over again, letting the weight of it settle into me. My family would be safe. They would be cared for. But one thought kept circling in my mind like a storm.
Yes, I was selling my soul. But I would not sell theirs.
Once the realization crystallized, I looked up from the contract and met Sona-senpai's gaze.
"Sitri-san," I said, voice steady despite the pounding in my chest, "I want to add one more condition."
She raised a brow, giving me her full attention.
"My family must never be involved in this world—not my devil life, not the supernatural, nothing. No devil, no faction, no creature should ever approach, manipulate, threaten, or use them for their own gain. No matter what happens to me, they are to remain untouched and protected. They're innocent, and they stay that way."
A moment of silence passed. I could feel Tsubaki-senpai watching me closely, but I didn't waver. I had nothing else left to bargain with but my soul—so I made sure to protect what mattered most before I gave it away.
"I will add that in the contract"CSAT without much fuch. And said anything else you want to add to the contact
I begin to read the contract again fully taking my time to read everything and I came to a conclusion I am just going to become a slave for the rest of my life is health wealthy but slave non the left.
" But I meet my decision there is nothing else I want to add to the contract if you just add that one part to the contract I willing to sign at and become your predict never from the rest of life my life. "
" Very well then please came to the school at the night contract will be done by then "she said
---
Evening — Occult Research Club
Rias Gremory.
A high-class devil. Heiress to the prestigious House of Gremory. Younger sister to the current Lucifer.
She had everything—political backing, immense power, beauty, and status. On the surface, her life looked perfect. The only blemish to an outsider's eye was her arranged marriage contract—something she fully intended to break. Aside from that, it all seemed like the life anyone would dream of.
But that was only the view from the outside.
From Rias's perspective, her life was anything but peaceful. It was a delicate web of political tension, personal struggle, and endless expectations. Every member of her peerage brought with them their own complications—and each one was a political minefield.
Her Queen, Akeno, was the daughter of a fallen angel and an onmyouji—both bloodlines viewed with suspicion, even hatred, by many within the devil faction. Her mere presence in Rias's peerage was enough to stir whispers among the nobility.
Kiba, her Knight, was a survivor of the Church's twisted Holy Sword Project. His existence brought to light one of the darkest secrets the Church had ever tried to bury, a scandal that still echoed through the underworld's political corridors.
Koneko, her Rook, was a nekomata—a youkai from a bloodline long cursed and feared. Most noble houses wouldn't even let such a being near their estates. And then there was her sister… a name Rias preferred not to bring up at all.
Gasper… the bishop she had taken in, was a half-vampire who couldn't even control his time-freezing Sacred Gear. That alone would be problematic—but it didn't stop there. He also happened to be descended from one of the most ancient and purest vampire bloodlines, and bore one of the feared Longinus-class Sacred Gears. A political nightmare wrapped in trembling innocence.
And then… there was Issei.
The Red Dragon Emperor of this generation. Her newest servant. A blessing and a headache wrapped into one. Rias didn't even want to begin thinking about the tangled history that came with him.
Together, they weren't just a peerage—they were a collection of exceptions, defiance, and complications. But despite what the world thought of them, to her… they were family.
She didn't choose them for politics—she chose them for who they were. Even if it made her political path harder, even if the elders whispered behind her back, she would never abandon them.
And now, as the crimson light of the setting sun spilled through the Occult Research Club's stained-glass windows, Rias leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling with tired eyes.
Her thoughts were heavy—not with regrets, but with the knowledge that the road she'd chosen would never be easy.
My thoughts were interrupted by a gentle knock and the calm voice of my Queen.
"Rias, Sona has arrived for the meeting you requested."
I nodded slowly, exhaling through my nose. This conversation is necessary.
I had asked for this meeting not as a Gremory, not as a high-class devil, but as a friend. Because I knew what was at stake—not just for Sona, but for the boy who was about to sign his future away.
Sona and I… we've been close for a long time. More than friends—sisters in everything but blood. And that's why I couldn't stay silent. I had to speak to her, to make her understand what kind of decision she was asking someone else to make.
Steeling myself for what I knew would be a difficult conversation, I nodded to Akeno.
"Please send them in."
A few moments later, the door opened and both Sona and Tsubaki stepped inside. Sona's expression was unreadable, calm and composed as ever, while Tsubaki followed closely behind her.
Before anything else, I raised a hand.
"Sona… before we begin, I'd like both of our Queens to leave the room."
My voice was firm, layered with quiet seriousness.
Sona paused, then nodded in understanding. Without a word, she turned to Tsubaki and gave her a small nod.
Both Tsubaki and Akeno exchanged brief glances, bowed slightly, and exited the room—leaving just the two of us alone.
Now, the real conversation could begin.