"Ara ara, Kanda-kun, you've arrived." Opening the door, Akeno greeted Sorata with a graceful smile filled with affection, resembling a wife awaiting her husband's return home.
If it had been the original Kanda Sorata, he likely would have been entranced by that expression in an instant.
Sorata returned her smile. "With such a beautiful lady like Himejima san inviting me, I had to come, even if I wasn't planning on joining. I don't want to be the kind of guy who's single due to low emotional intelligence."
The truth was, had it not been for the extra art class today, he would have already returned to the Sakura Dormitory with Shiina Mashiro.
"Ara ara... Kanda-kun seems a bit different from this morning. Could it be because there are no outsiders here?" Akeno remarked, her tone teasing.
"But your compliment makes me very happy. So, Kanda-kun, are you asking me out?" As a devil, Akeno was far from shy. Instead, she leaned into his words, playfully flirting.
As she spoke, she subtly shifted her posture, turning sideways to face Sorata, her hands resting on her abdomen as she angled her body, emphasizing the allure of her tall, voluptuous figure.
"That's a very tempting offer, but without understanding you, Himejima san, I wouldn't dare to date you," Sorata chuckled, his clear black and white eyes showing no signs of being swayed by the beauty before him.
"Alright, Akeno, let the guest in."
Inside, Rias, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a red skirt that revealed her slender legs, walked out of the adjacent bathroom, towel-drying her wet crimson hair.
The club's activity room was richly and elegantly decorated, resembling a guest room in a luxury villa. In the center, two leather sofas sat across from each other, separated by a coffee table. Facing the main door, at the upper end of the room, was an expensive wooden desk with a luxurious chair. Even the casual ornaments on the desk were intricately carved, exuding an antique charm.
"Welcome to the Occult Research Club, Kanda-kun. Please, have a seat," Rias said with a polite smile.
"Gremory-san is too polite."
"Kanda-kun, please have some tea." Akeno poured Sorata a cup of black tea and smiled warmly as she sat down across from him.
"Thank you." Sorata accepted the tea without hesitation, not feeling the slightest bit uncomfortable being observed by two stunningly beautiful women, both possessing a mature charm.
Leaning against the desk, Rias crossed her long legs, observing Sorata sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed. "Since Kanda-kun has awakened his power, let's get straight to the point. How much do you know about the supernatural world?"
Sorata shook his head. "Although I don't know how the two of you discovered that I've awakened my power, I've never heard of any supernatural world. I didn't even imagine that superpowers existed before."
Sorata actually found this situation interesting. Originally, he had released a bit of his aura to attract the attention of other supernatural creatures for research, but unexpectedly, it had led to two devils coming his way.
"Kanda-kun, I find you very calm," Akeno said with a smile, watching him closely. "I remember when my bloodline power awakened when I was little, I was scared and nervous. But recently, I've noticed that you seem very composed."
She spoke as if reminiscing about her own embarrassing past, but in reality, it was a test. Akeno couldn't help but try to probe this boy she couldn't see through.
Normally, a high school boy would instinctively comfort a beautiful and sexy girl who said this by claiming he was the same, but...
Sorata blinked. "How should I put it? Maybe it's because I've liked watching anime and reading action-packed novels since I was little. Although I was a bit shocked and excited at first, it just felt... like that."
"Or perhaps it's because I naturally have the calm personality of a strong person, which allowed me to accept it quickly," Sorata shrugged.
Although he had to pretend to be an ordinary person who had just awakened his power, Sorata knew that lies were bound to be exposed and were tiring to maintain. After telling one lie, you had to spin countless others to cover it up.
So, he preferred to be half-truthful, which was more convincing.
Upon hearing his response, Rias, who had already half-believed him, showed an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Kanda-kun. We didn't intentionally monitor you, but we were excited to discover there was an awakened individual at this school."
"After all, in some ways, true awakened humans are rarer than those born with Sacred Gears," she continued, leaning forward slightly, her beautiful face filled with curiosity as she gazed at him. "Could you tell me, Kanda-kun, what kind of ability did you awaken?"
As Rias leaned forward, her large breasts, which rivaled even the most astonishing proportions, unintentionally trembled, her shirt clinging to her form in a way that was undeniably seductive.
"Uh... that's not urgent. Gremory-san, could you first tell me what the supernatural world, Sacred Gear owners, and awakened beings are all about?"
Sorata was not swayed by Rias's stunning beauty, maintaining a calm and rational demeanor. This did not escape Akeno's keen eyes, and a glint of shrewdness flashed within them.
At this moment, Akeno was certain Sorata was not one of those easily swayed, hot-blooded high school boys. His actions and words were cautious and rational.
"That's no problem. That's exactly why we invited Kanda-kun here today."
Rias straightened up, her expression more serious now. "However, there's a prerequisite: you must join the Occult Research Club. After all, many of the secrets we're about to share are not things ordinary people can know."
"Here, I, Rias Gremory, formally invite Kanda-kun to join the Occult Research Club."
"Join the Occult Research Club?" A look of hesitation crossed Sorata's face. "Honestly, whether I join or not isn't a big deal. I'm not very interested in what you call the deeper secrets of the world or the supernatural realm."
"Moreover, I'm very busy every day. Even if I join, I probably won't have much time to participate in club activities. There might be long periods when I don't show up."
"Plus, my personality doesn't like being ordered around or restricted. If you can accept that, then joining isn't out of the question," Sorata added, his gaze indifferent as he looked at them.
As he had said, he wasn't particularly curious about the world's deeper secrets, the supernatural realm, or awakened beings. Nor did he want to get involved more than necessary.
He already knew their identities. If Akeno hadn't come to personally invite him today, practically offering information on a silver platter, he would have preferred to avoid any contact with them.
"...Kanda-kun, I heard you live in the Sakura Dormitory and haven't joined any clubs, correct?" Akeno asked, puzzled. "Could you tell us what keeps you so busy after school?"
Sorata smiled slightly. "Actually, I'm a light novel writer. My first light novel is about to be published, and I have to submit two volumes this week."
"At the same time, I'm also learning to draw manga and have to take care of Mashiro, so I'm pretty busy. That's why I don't have much time for club activities," Sorata said, maintaining a serious expression.
Was he really that busy?
"Huh..."
Sorata's reasons stunned Rias and Akeno. It wasn't his identity as a light novelist that shocked them, but rather his decision to pass up the chance to connect with the supernatural world for the sake of writing novels and drawing manga.
Shouldn't a normal person, after gaining power and the opportunity to engage with a more exciting and real world, be eager to learn more and acquire stronger power?
In truth, from the moment Sorata had entered, there had been a subtle probing between the two sides. Now, it seemed like they had said much but shared little useful information.
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Try Other Fics I Have
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