I followed behind Kiba as he led me further into the old school building, footsteps echoing softly against the polished wooden floor.
For a place abandoned by the rest of the school, it was surprisingly well-kept—no cobwebs, no dust, no creaking floorboards, not even the faint scent of mildew that usually clung to places like this.
Just silence, polished wood, and the occasional ray of sunlight filtering in through spotless windows.
"This is where the Occult Research Club operates?" I asked, my voice low, not from fear, but curiosity.
Kiba nodded. "Yes. It's the official base for the club—and for Rias-senpai."
So this is it—the infamous club. The front for a devil's den.
We climbed the stairs to the second floor, and soon Kiba stopped in front of a wooden door with an intricate carving burned faintly into the surface. He knocked once, then spoke clearly, "Buchou, I've brought him."
There was a short pause before a calm voice replied from the other side.
"Yes, come in."
Kiba pushed the door open, stepping aside so I could enter first. I walked in, eyes scanning the strange room beyond.
It wasn't a classroom anymore.
Strange symbols—arcane and ancient—were etched onto the floor, walls, and ceiling. Crimson runes glowed faintly in the dim lighting. The air felt… different here. Thick. Heavy with power. Especially at the center of the room, where a massive magic circle pulsed softly, as if alive. Even without touching it, I could feel the energy radiating from it—old, refined, dangerous.
And yet, the room still had a sense of calm to it.
A few desks had been pushed to the sides to make room for several sofas, a couple of side tables, and a shelf filled with books—most likely grimoires or demonic texts. It looked less like a clubroom and more like the private study of some ancient scholar.
Seated on one of the sofas, nibbling quietly on a piece of youkan, was a small girl with white hair and golden eyes.
I blinked.
*Oh, damn. It's Koneko.*
She looked up as we entered, her gaze meeting mine. Her expression was unreadable—calm, sleepy, and almost doll-like. Still, up close, she was far cuter than the anime had shown. The TV screen really didn't do her justice.
"This is Hyoudou Issei-kun," Kiba introduced, stepping beside me.
Koneko nodded slowly. "Nice to meet you."
I returned the gesture, bowing slightly. "Pleasure's mine."
She resumed eating her youkan without another word. The rumors were true—she was stoic to the core. But behind those golden eyes, there was something watchful. Analytical.
*She's observing me,* I realized. *Weighing me up.*
Then I heard it.
*SHA—*
The sound of water flowing, faint but clear, coming from the far end of the room.
A shower.
My gaze drifted toward the back, where a door was slightly ajar. Steam curled out from the gap, and the sound of running water grew louder.
Kiba noticed and turned to me. "I'll be leaving you here. Buchou will explain everything."
He gave me a small nod before walking back toward the entrance. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone with Koneko and the ominous room full of glowing symbols.
I took a seat, not far from the center circle, but just enough to avoid stepping into it. Minutes passed in silence, broken only by Koneko's quiet chewing and the soft echo of falling water.
Then, the door at the back opened.
And out stepped Rias Gremory.
Wrapped in a fluffy crimson towel, droplets of water still clinging to her skin, hair damp and cascading down like a river of blood-red silk. She moved gracefully, as if unaware—or completely indifferent—to the effect her appearance might have.
Though I noticed her, I didn't react like Issei would have.
There was no nosebleed, no screaming. My mind simply assessed her the same way I would a powerful monarch walking into a room: aware, respectful, but unshaken.
She noticed, of course.
Her smile tilted slightly. Curious.
"Welcome to the Occult Research Club, Issei-kun," she said, walking past me toward the sofas. She snapped her fingers once, and with a sudden *whoosh*, the towel vanished, replaced instantly by her school uniform, perfectly dry.
Teleportation magic. Or something close to it.
She took her seat across from me, hands folded in her lap.
"I assume you have questions."
"A few," I replied.
"Then let me begin with the most important one." Her gaze sharpened, and the air in the room seemed to still. "Do you understand what you are now?"
I nodded. "A devil. A reincarnated one."
She smiled. "Good. That saves time."
She reached for a nearby folder and opened it, revealing a few diagrams—circles, genealogies, even photographs of strange beings.
"Humans have always feared the unknown," she began. "Long ago, devils—true devils—were born from chaos and darkness. But as time passed, the old devil families began to diminish. Civil wars broke out. Power shifted. Our numbers fell."
She placed a finger on one of the charts. "To survive, we did something unprecedented—we began turning humans into devils. Through contracts, deals, and rituals, we offered humans power… in exchange for loyalty. For servitude."
I leaned back, absorbing her words. "So that's why you turned me."
She nodded. "You were on the brink of death. Your body was destroyed, but your soul… it was stubborn. It clung to the world. And it called out to me."
Called out?
Or was it something deeper? I couldn't tell her that I wasn't truly Issei. Not yet.
"I revived you using a [Evil Piece]," she continued. "A Pawn piece, to be precise. But it took all eight of my Pawn pieces to reincarnate you. That amount of power… is rare."
"So I'm not normal, even among devils."
"No. You are not."
Her eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary. I could feel it again—that sharp intelligence behind her soft tone. She was studying me just like Koneko had. Perhaps even more carefully.
"You will serve me as one of my peerage," she said, rising to her feet. "In return, I will offer you power, purpose… and perhaps, answers."
Answers. To what I was. To why I ended up here. To why the memories I held didn't belong solely to Hyoudou Issei.
"I accept," I said simply.
Her smile widened just a little.
"Then welcome, Issei-kun. Welcome… to the world of devils."
~~~
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