The air sat heavy, tea cups cooling in their saucers. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.
Tiche's voice cut through the silence, calm and certain.
"Enough arguing. Sit. Drink."
It wasn't a suggestion.
Sam sighed and crossed the room, dragging chairs from the dining table into the living room. The first one set his ribs on fire. Freed's blade had only grazed him days ago, but deep enough that every twist reminded him. A hiss slipped through his teeth before he smothered it.
Asia's eyes darted to him at once. She clutched at her skirt, lips pressed together, concern snapping back into focus.
By the time Sam had set the chairs down, the coffee table was ringed in mismatched seats. They all sat, tea cups in hand. Steam rose between them, the scent softening what tension it could.
Rias broke the silence, tone smooth and perfectly poised.
"Sam, you've already missed quite a lot of school. Aren't you worried this will reflect badly on your reputation? You arrive late, disappear for days, and now this."
Sam leaned back, snorting. "Guess I'll just have to embrace the delinquent look. Can't say I'm worried about class rank."
Akeno's grin sharpened. "Delinquent Sam-kun… it has a nice ring to it. You'd look good leaning against a wall, scaring underclassmen."
Koneko spoke without looking up from her cup. "Too tall. Can't blend in."
"…Thanks, Koneko," Sam muttered. "I'll remember to slouch."
"Slouching won't save you from the landlord," Akeno added sweetly. "This place is ruined. No way you're getting your deposit back."
Sam only shrugged. "Didn't pay for it anyway."
That got Rias' attention. Her blue eyes narrowed. "…What do you mean you didn't pay?"
"It was just… given to me," Sam said carefully. "I showed up, and suddenly I had an apartment. Registered at Kuoh Academy, too. I didn't ask questions. Figured someone decided I needed a fresh start, so I took it."
Rias' gaze lingered on him, a flicker of calculation behind her eyes. "That's… unusual."
Akeno leaned in, smile tugging wider. "Oh, how mysterious. Sam-kun, backed by a secret benefactor?"
Sam didn't answer, just sipped his tea and let the mystery hang.
A faint ripple of amusement moved around the table. Even Koneko's lips twitched. For a moment, it almost felt normal.
But Asia hadn't stopped staring at him. Every shift in his chair drew her eyes to his side. The ribs. The pain he tried to hide.
Her hands clenched before she blurted out, voice soft but clear, in English—
"I can heal you."
The table stilled.
Her hand hovered uncertainly, eyes flicking between Sam and the others.
Rias spoke first, switching into fluent English.
"So that's what your Sacred Gear is?"
Asia flinched at the words. Sacred… Gear? The term meant nothing to her, but the weight in Rias' voice made her chest tighten.
She ducked her head, focusing on Sam instead. His quiet gaze met hers, unreadable. He gave the smallest nod.
Asia reached out. Warmth bloomed beneath her hands, soft and green-gold, washing over his ribs. The ache dulled, then vanished. Bruises faded under her touch.
Sam drew in a breath, startled. This wasn't like his regeneration, where wounds stitched back together like machinery grinding gears. This was whole. Gentle. Complete.
And then he felt it.
Her energy brushed against his own, and something clicked. His holy power stirred, resonating with hers like two chords aligning.
The room shifted. Rias stiffened, Akeno's smile faltered, Koneko leaned forward slightly — even Tiche's chin lifted a fraction.
Sam's thought was simple, resigned.
Oh. You're a healer. That's why you're main cast.
Asia's eyes shone, her breath catching. In Italian, the words slipped out like prayer.
"Un dono di Dio…"
A gift from God.
Rias' voice cut the silence, quieter than before. "…His energy… and hers… they're alike."
Akeno's brows drew together. "…That shouldn't be possible." Her Fallen blood told her she should feel burning, rejection — but instead it was warmth. Too familiar.
Koneko's nose twitched. She caught the subtle shift in Sam's scent as the pain eased — softer, steadier, safer. Her body leaned before her mind caught up.
Tiche's eyes lingered on Asia, then flicked back to Sam. "So that's why she feels safe," she murmured.
The table sat in heavy quiet, the resonance fading but its echo still thrumming.
Rias was the first to move. She set her teacup down with precision, though the pause before she spoke betrayed her.
"Two anomalies resonating like this? I can't ignore it. For your safety — and for Kuoh's stability — you need somewhere better than this apartment."
Sam arched a brow. "What, my patched-up place isn't good enough for you?"
Akeno's smile returned, sly as ever. "Of course, Rias, you mean we'll be moving in too. Can't leave him unprotected, can we?"
"…You're doing what now?" Sam stared. "Why?!"
Asia's eyes widened. She caught "moving in" and the playful tone in Akeno's voice. Her face flushed crimson.
"Living together?!" she squeaked in English, before slipping into hurried Italian: "Signore, aiutami…"
Koneko folded her arms, her voice flat. "I'll stay too. Guarding him isn't a part-time job."
Tiche didn't blink. "A crowded nest. Dangerous, but efficient."
Rias let the noise settle before speaking again, voice firmer this time. "It's settled. You're too important — all of you. Proximity is the only option."
Sam groaned inwardly, staring down at the table. Protection. Containment. Emotional powder keg.
Another mess he hadn't asked for.
The rest of the day blurred together. Too smooth. Too efficient.
One moment, Sam had been in his battered apartment. The next, he was here — in a hotel suite that looked like it belonged in a glossy catalog. Polished wood, spotless carpet, furniture that had never been touched, and a fruit basket on the table that probably cost more than his old fridge.
He sat in the middle of the couch, stiff, staring around like the walls might vanish if he blinked. "Where am I? What happened?"
He didn't remember the ride over. He didn't remember packing. His key was gone, his belongings already stacked neatly in the corner, like they'd been here all along.
On his right, Akeno slid in close, her sleeve brushing against his arm. She leaned just enough to crowd his space, perfume curling between them, her smile playful and knowing.
On his left, Koneko perched cross-legged, quietly demolishing a bag of chips. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Her expression never changed, but every so often her golden eyes flicked toward Akeno, flat and unimpressed.
Across from them, Rias sat in a chair she made into a throne. Posture flawless, legs crossed, every movement deliberate. She spoke casually, but her voice carried velvet undertones, subtle and practiced. And her eyes, when they lingered on Sam, did so a second too long.
Asia had perched on the edge of the bed by the window. Her suitcase lay open beside her, and she kept fussing with the same shirt, folding and refolding, hands fidgeting. But her gaze drifted back to Sam again and again.
And Tiche stood by the wall near the door, arms folded, silent and steady. Watchful. She was the only one not circling him.
Sam dragged a hand down his face. Oh dear God. This is my life now.
Rias set her cup down with deliberate calm, as if all of this was perfectly routine.
"This is only temporary. A layover until I decide on something more secure. I'll either purchase a property for you, or, if it's simpler, buy out your old building and clear it. People don't tend to argue when enough money lands in their accounts."
Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. "…Great. So you're efficient and loaded. Just what I needed."
He glanced at her. "Do all devils have this kind of pull in the real world, or is this just you?"
Her lips curved into a proud smile. "Not all devils. Just me. I'm Rias Gremory."
Sam blinked. "…And that's supposed to mean something to me?"
Her smile widened, sharp with pride. "My family is one of the seventy-two Pillars. Nobility of the Underworld. The Gremory clan holds vast territory and influence."
Sam leaned back, staring at the spotless ceiling. "…So you're a princess. Yeah. That tracks."
Akeno chuckled behind her hand. "You really didn't know? Poor Sam-kun."
Koneko crunched another chip.
Sam shifted his gaze back to Rias, then across the room. "Alright, princess. What about the rest of you? Who are you supposed to be?"
Akeno leaned in, brushing him again, eyes glinting. "Me? I'm her Queen. The most versatile piece. The strongest, too. If something needs to be done, I'm the one who does it." Her voice purred with amusement, but the pride beneath it was sharp.
Sam gave her a long look, lips twitching faintly. "…For some reason, 'Queen' suits you. The word just… fits."
Akeno's smile widened, satisfied.
His eyes slid to Koneko. "And you?"
Koneko lowered the chip bag to her lap. "…Rook. Heavy hitter. That's all."
Sam blinked once. Then twice. "…Wait. Queen? Rook? What are you guys playing, Devil's Chess? What the hell's going on? Why are you pieces?"
Rias' smile softened, more patient now. "It's called a peerage. Devils use the Evil Piece system to reincarnate and form their households. It mirrors the rules of chess — King, Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight, Pawn. Every piece carries meaning."
Akeno straightened slightly, her tone silk but edged with pride. "The Queen is the most versatile. The one who can fight in every direction."
Koneko's reply was simple, factual. "Rooks are power. Endurance. The wall that doesn't break."
Sam rubbed his face. "So… you're telling me you've all been turned into chess pieces, and she's the one moving you around the board?"
Rias lifted her chin, eyes steady. "Exactly. I am the King. My peerage is my responsibility… and my family."
Sam groaned. "…Family with titles. Great. I feel like I just walked into Devil's Monopoly."
Akeno laughed softly. "Careful, Sam-kun. You're sitting at the table now."
Sam shook his head, muttering. "…What about the prince? Kiba. He looks like royalty. Is he one too?"
Rias allowed herself a faint smile. "Kiba Yuuto. No, he isn't royalty. But he is my Knight — and yes, he does carry himself like a prince, doesn't he?"
"Figures," Sam muttered. "Even the pretty boy's got a title."
Akeno tilted her head, voice smooth as silk. "So, Sam-kun, you're living with a princess, her queen, her rook, and her knight. Doesn't that sound like a fairy tale?"
"…More like a headache," Sam said flatly.
On his other side, Koneko side-eyed Akeno, crunching into another chip louder than before.
The silence that followed was thick, heavy. That was when Tiche finally spoke, her voice calm, certain.
"He's safe enough now. I'll look into Freed."
Sam turned his head toward her. "…You're really gonna do that?"
She gave the smallest dip of her chin, then slipped out the door without another word.
Sam exhaled, staring at the untouched fruit basket on the table. Great. Another move. Another mess. And now the princess and her court are watching me like I've been drafted into their game.