DxD: The Sorcery System Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Off script

[Nighttime — Outskirts of Kuoh]

The cold wind, the clear sky, and the sweet melody of silence surrounded us.

We walked the streets close to each other, with almost no people around—a perfect scene for a late-night stroll.

“Do you think Issei and Maya are okay?” My small question prompted her to nod.

“They should be,” she said, scooting closer to me. “I got a call from Maya asking where we were. I just told her I was feeling a little unwell, so we left without informing them.”

I also received a text saying that Issei still hadn't been attacked.

So what could their game plan be?

“But they are also outside, roaming around and enjoying street food,” Yuuma said as she checked her phone. “Maya has always been a fan of street food.”

I was feeling a bit nervous now. Rias and her crew were on watch, but facing two Fallens at once would be challenging, right?

“About what happened at my place…” Yuuma looked embarrassed. “Don’t think that I do that with everyone I go on a date with.”

I mean…

It was hard to believe a Fallen, but if not as a Fallen, then as a girl I trusted her.

It wasn’t my place to say anything.

“I know.” I chuckled, not to make fun of her but to make her feel more comfortable. “And that just means I’m special, doesn’t it?”

Though, in the back of my mind, another thought lingered.

Did… Did the devil crew watch us while we were… you know?

That would be awkward to explain.

However, Yuuma remained silent for a while after the question, walking side by side with me.

This time, I knew how to match her pace.

“I think you’re right.”

For some reason, I sensed a hint of disappointment in that statement.

Why?

I couldn’t ask either.

“Should we go and meet up with those two?” Her suggestion made me consider it for a moment, weighing whether it was a good idea.

But Rias would be there, along with her entire group.

“Fine by me.”

Now, all I could hope for was that the Devil would be quick enough.

Otherwise, I would have to fight.

And even though I have zero confidence in facing supernaturals…

{Quest: Defeat the Fallen Crows!}

{Reward: Advanced Sixth Sense}

This quest feels extremely tempting.

…

…

[Sametime — Kuoh Park]

{Rias Gremory}

“Was he… was he tempted?”

My eyes twitched. I had to cut the connection on my end and let Akeno take control instead.

Chuckling at my reddened face, Akeno answered, “Humans are easily swayed, so it wouldn’t be surprising. But thankfully, she didn’t try anything to harm him.”

That was the only thing I was relieved about—he didn’t get attacked immediately after… after they did that.

Why am I even thinking about it?

Why did he even do that?

He said he already knew she was after his life and that she was trying to trick him. So why would he put himself at such risk?

It… it just doesn’t make any sense.

Are humans really that easily fooled and swayed?

Then why didn’t he join my peerage, even after I told him about the countless benefits?

Or was it that I just wasn’t convincing enough?

Surely not, right?

“But one thing is for certain,” Akeno said, clearly amused. “Reo has certainly experienced more in just a few days than most people do in years.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

If anything, having a Gear was already rare.

And him being blessed with this unknown form of magic… It was unheard of. So, it made sense that his life would be different and more eventful than others.

“Should we inform your brother about this?”

“No.”

My immediate response made Akeno pause and look at me.

“We shouldn’t. He is from Kuoh, and Kuoh is under our control.” There were reasons I couldn’t fully explain. “So, we should handle everything that happens here ourselves. Besides, Reo wouldn’t appreciate being interrogated by devils whose powers surpass those described in any folktale.”

Akeno didn’t argue and decided not to pursue that topic further.

Instead, she asked another question.

“Should we go to their location?” This time she sounded much more serious. “They are trying to meet the other Fallen.”

“We should.” I agreed instantly. “If there are too many Fallens, it will be a bit difficult to bring the two boys back safely.”

Even after that scene…

I trust Reo to avoid getting himself surrounded like an idiot.

But Issei?

I wasn’t too sure.

…

…

[Nighttime — Abandoned Park, Kuoh]

{Kalawarner}

“I had a great time today, Maya!”

The boy wasn’t bad; he wasn’t like those men who tried to boss you around. Instead, he was rather meek when it was just the two of us.

“I-I hope we can go on another date!”

Many would find him cute—even I would have.

“I’d love that too, Issei.”

But…

“T-Thank you, Maya!”

I hated boys like him.

I hated boys who couldn’t meet your eyes when talking and who stared at your body instead.

Even though this was by far the most modest dress, his eyes still lingered on my breasts, grinning like an idiot as they moved with each breath.

He’s a pervert—an open one.

And boys like him deserve the worst punishment.

And he will.

“Did we keep you waiting long?” The voice of the boy from earlier, the one who went with Raynare, came from behind us.

“Reo!” Issei yelled, waving at the boy who was walking close to Raynare.

Raynare was the better actor between the two of us, and it wasn’t very difficult for her. The boy she was with wasn’t a creep like the one I was stuck with.

“Where were you?” Issei asked. “We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

“Sorry about that,” Raynare replied on behalf of the boy. “I was feeling a little unwell, so I had Reo take me to my place to rest.”

The boy looked flustered, embarrassed at his insensitivity.

“Well, I—”

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.” I walked towards her, taking a stance next to her as she slowly moved away from the boy.

Strangely enough, she actually seemed comfortable around his arm.

“Yeah, Reo was there for me.”

It was all an act, yet she was acting unusually nice.

She had done this before, but never for this long. This was by far her longest performance.

And it was time to end the act.

“Ready to say goodbye to your date?” I let out a fake laugh, which made both boys smile.

But between Raynare and me, it was more of a signal.

“Y-Yeah.”

The slight hesitation raised an eyebrow from me, but I ignored it.

She was more experienced than I was in these matters, and maybe it was all part of her plan to emotionally bind the boy closer to her before breaking him.

Raynare was one of the most sadistic Fallens I had met, and it had earned her a lot of respect from her followers.

But the games were over.

“Issei,” I said, giving the boy the brightest fake smile I could muster. “Thank you for today. It was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time.”

The boy awkwardly scratched his head. “I-It's— Thank you. I l-loved the date too.”

Raynare rubbed her arm and looked at the other boy. She had a smile perfectly suited for the moment—sad, longing, and tired.

She perfectly faked the look of not wanting to leave.

“Thank you for everything, Reo.” She took a deep breath. “I will remember this date.”

“Me too.” He didn’t say anything more. He simply matched her smile, a smile that was sad to let her go.

“When can I see you again, Maya?”

Issei’s question finally made me look at him.

Raynare stood next to me, away from the boys.

“Issei,” I said, finally free from this annoyance. “That’s a simple question to answer.”

“Oh?”

He looked hopeful.

“Never.”

And that hope crumbled instantly with my words.

“H-Huh?” He looked at me foolishly. “I don’t get it, Maya?”

That’s when I let go, stopped hiding my presence, and released my powers.

Raynare, though more slowly, did the same as we both revealed our wings and transformed our clothes.

“Because you’ll be dying here.”

Yet, what I failed to notice at that instant was the power that flickered above us, dwarfing both mine and Raynare’s presence.

…

…

[Midnight — Student Council, Kuoh Academy]

{Sona Sitri}

It was quiet—far too quiet—for far too long.

“Have you received any information from Rias yet?”

The pieces on the board were positioned quite well.

“Unfortunately, not yet.”

Tsubaki had moved her king, castling to improve her position.

A rather good move.

“It’s just a few Fallens; she should be able to handle it.”

She nodded in agreement. “Rias should be smart enough to save the boys who were targeted.”

I moved my knight to the right side, which surprised her slightly.

“That move…” She bit her lip.

“But I’m curious why she’s focusing more on Reo Takeda than on Issei Hyoudou,” I said, puzzled. “Whatever Gear Reo Takeda has, it’s weaker than Issei Hyoudou’s. We’ve sensed it ourselves. So why is Rias so focused on this boy?”

“Is she hiding something?” Tsubaki asked, trying to protect her king by moving her bishop.

“Maybe,” I said, moving my rook two spaces.

“Ugh!” Tsubaki sighed. “How far ahead did you plan?”

I barely managed to hide my smile. “Expect the unexpected, Tsubaki. That’s the only way to win at chess.”

However,

This rule applied to life in general as well.

“President!”

And I foolishly ignored it.

“The White Dragon Emperor has appeared in Kuoh!”

Extremely foolish of me.

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[[A/N: Will try to post a chapter of Hey, I Ruin Stories tomorrow.]]