Some Days Later.
"So that's him, huh?" Rias said as she looked at Gilgamesh, who was walking home.
"Yes. Gilgamesh. His magical aura seems quite high, strong enough to be aware that there's something off about us, very skilled in Kendo and Archery, but he stopped attending the clubs for unknown reasons, with grades high enough to become number one in the entire school," Sona said, listing everything she knew about Gilgamesh, though she showed a bit of irritation when talking about him stealing her first place.
"Because of all this, he's called the 'King of Kuoh Academy' or the 'Golden Lion of Kuoh Academy,'" Sona said.
"Koneko also sensed something within him. Something powerful... Maybe he possesses a strong Sacred Gear... And perhaps a descendant of a legendary hero," Rias said, and Sona nodded.
"He probably does..." Sona agreed, and Rias hummed.
"By the way, I still don't get it. Why 'Lion'?" Rias asked.
"Because he's not wild... He's in control of himself and intelligent... He's not just a ferocious animal that attacks anything. Lions are calm and intelligent while hunting their prey; they don't attack if it's a problem, and you don't bother them. Gilgamesh is like that, but mainly, they stand above others," Sona explained while adjusting her glasses.
"Hoo... That was quite descriptive..." Rias laughed. "You're very precise, aren't you? As expected of you..."
In response, Sona merely fell silent, her expression still stoic as she noticed some women talking to Gilgamesh.
"I want him..." Sona said bluntly, making Rias pale. "He's a good person for my peerage and for the Student Council. He's intelligent enough to participate, and we could clearly use a boy. His reputation isn't really an issue, and I still have some pieces I could use for him," Sona said to her rival before sighing.
"The only reason I haven't recruited him yet is because of you, Rias. If Gilgamesh has a hidden talent, he'd be good for your peerage against Riser."
Silence was Rias' only response to that. In fact, she knew how interested Sona was in Gilgamesh. Rias wasn't the first to set her eyes on the boy. The boy was quite clever and also frequently helped other students, sometimes even fixing old school equipment, saving the school the costs of hiring a technician.
Sona had planned to recruit the boy in a few months because she wanted to observe Gilgamesh a bit more and get to know him better after he joined the school. Originally, her plan was to recruit him this month, but she didn't. The reason was because Rias had asked.
There was news that her engagement to Riser was being accelerated for some reason. Rias, of course, was angry and demanded to know why, but her father hadn't told her, and her older brother was the same. So Rias asked Sona to give her the chance to recruit Gilgamesh. If the boy was truly that special, then he could become the key to her freedom.
Sona, of course, wasn't happy, not at all. She had been after Gilgamesh for over a month, and the only reason she hadn't invited him earlier was because she wanted to observe his growth. In a way, Sona was like a farmer who slowly and carefully cultivated her crops, and just when she was ready to harvest, someone showed up and tried to take them.
If it had been anyone else, Sona would have fought for Gilgamesh. Oh yes, she would have fought for him. However, Rias was her friend, her best friend since they were children, and they had grown up together... And because of that, she was willing to give her a chance, a chance for Rias to recruit Gilgamesh.
However, if she failed, that would be it. There would be no other chance for her.
"Don't worry, Sona, when I get to Gilgamesh, I'll make sure he stops by the Student Council sometimes..." Rias tried to reassure her friend, and Sona snorted inwardly.
"I don't think you will. If there's one thing I know about you, Rias, it's that you're very greedy and protective of your peerage," Sona thought but didn't say aloud. She knew Rias was aware of this too. She even noticed that Rias said 'when' and not 'if,' indicating she saw it as a done deal.
"The Fallen have already made a move on him as you predicted... I hope you get what you want," Sona simply responded with a stoic face.
"I must..." Rias said firmly as she stared at Gilgamesh. "For the sake of my dream, I must..." she murmured.
What they didn't realize was that a ladybug was watching everything the whole time.
With Gilgamesh.
It had been some time since Gilgamesh moved to the city of Kuoh along with the others.
And it had also been a while since he and Mordred started studying at Kuoh Academy.
During that time, Valerie's training with her Sacred Gear had increased, allowing her to gain better control over it.
At the Academy, the demons still tried to approach Gilgamesh, who ignored them.
During this time, Gilgamesh became known as the 'King of Kuoh Academy' and the 'Golden Lion of Kuoh Academy,' a title he had no idea how he earned.
Mordred was also known as one of the 'Princesses of Kuoh Academy,' a title she didn't like at all.
She also joined the Kendo Club, where she quickly became the captain, though in reality, she just beat everyone there.
You must be wondering how the demons didn't sense her power?
Mordred wore a special necklace that hid her power, and Gilgamesh used the same but could let his power leak if he wanted.
Now he and Mordred were leaving school after another day, which, while fun, was tiring.
"Hey, Master, look at that," Mordred said, snapping Gilgamesh out of his thoughts.
Looking at the gate, Gilgamesh saw Issei talking to a girl.
She was an attractive young woman with violet eyes and a slender body. She had long, silky black hair down to her hips. Her outfit was her school uniform, consisting of a dark red jacket with the letter "P" embroidered in gold, a white t-shirt, a red bow, and a green skirt with a thin white stripe at the bottom.
Gilgamesh recognized the energy emanating from her.
It was that of a Fallen Angel.
And that could only mean one thing.
The plot was beginning.
A big smile appeared on Gilgamesh's face.
With Rias.
"Akeno, is everything ready?"
"Of course, you don't need to worry, President."
Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima were talking. They were currently in the club room, just the two of them. Koneko Toujou and Kiba Yuuto were nowhere to be seen. Rias Gremory's [Rook] was running errands for her master, while Rias Gremory's [Knight] had gone to his first summoning.
Today was the weekend, the day Issei Hyoudou went on a date with his girlfriend, who was a Fallen Angel. It was also the day some Fallen Angels would intercept Gilgamesh. At the same time, today was the day Rias would gain two more members for her peerage, or so it was supposed to be.
"Rias... are you sure about this?"
Looking at her [Queen] out of the corner of her eye, Rias showed a resolute mask that hid her nervousness and discomfort.
"I don't have any other choice. It's the only way I can think of."
"I know that by orchestrating their death at the hands of the Fallen, they'll give you their loyalty and trust after you reincarnate them. However, if they find out the truth that you abandoned them to die? Why not choose another path? One with less risk than this?"
"There is another way to recruit them, of course. But... they won't give me their trust and loyalty immediately. To build trust between us, as Master and Servant, we need time. And time is what we lack..." Rias paused for a moment. Her mask slipped, and unease could be seen in her navy-blue eyes. Then she continued in a soft tone. "If they find out about this, it will be a problem in the future. I just hope my care and affection for them can lessen the impact somehow... I don't need to worry about that. After all, my family is known for their affection toward their servants. They'll accept it even if the truth is revealed. I'm sure of it!"
Akeno cast a doubtful look at Rias. She wasn't sure about her [King]. As Rias' Queen and best friend, Akeno knew how caring the House of Gremory was toward family members. They considered the servants of the House of Gremory as their own family. After years by Rias' side, she knew the heiress of the House of Gremory genuinely cared for her entire peerage.
Rias didn't mind, even if all her peerage members had their own problems and emotional baggage; she would care for them all unconditionally. However, in that split second, Akeno couldn't help but feel an uneasy sensation at the back of her mind. Her intuition told her something far from Rias' hopes would happen.
After a brief moment of reflection, Akeno decided it was just her nervousness. She chose to ignore her intuition.
"If you're so sure, then I, as your [Queen], will support you to the end."
"Thank you, Akeno."
Rias gave her [Queen] and best friend a grateful smile. She really needed support at this crucial moment.
Suddenly, Rias' eyes widened, as if she were in a trance. Seconds later, she snapped out of her dazed state, and an excited smile bloomed on her face.
"They accepted the flyer my familiar handed out!"
Rias said this with a smile. Her smile made her confident, signaling that her plan would work.
"So... it has finally begun?"
"Yes. What we need to do now is wait until the Fallen Angel kills them, and they summon us." Leaning back in the comfortable chair, a sigh escaped Rias' lips.
Beside her, Akeno's amethyst eyes looked at Rias with complex feelings.
Back then, Akeno hoped everything would turn out alright, exactly as her [King] hoped...
What they didn't realize was that a ladybug was watching everything.
With Sona.
Seated in a luxurious chair, Sona Sitri was reading a certain document. Although the room was dimly lit, she read the paper without difficulty, showcasing exceptional—inhuman—vision. After a brief moment, she placed the document on the table next to another one. Then she let out a dissatisfied sigh.
"Kaichou? Is something bothering you?"
Sona turned her attention to the speaker. It was her second-in-command: Tsubaki Shinra.
"Nothing..."
When Sona said this, Tsubaki fell silent. However, her heterochromatic eyes said otherwise. Facing her [Queen]'s pleading gaze, Sona's facade wavered. After a tense silence, Sona gave in.
"It's just that I really wanted Gilgamesh as my servant. He has more potential than Saji Genshirou."
Tsubaki nodded silently, acknowledging her [King]'s words.
"What do you think, Tsubaki?"
After another silence, Tsubaki said, "To be honest, I agree with your words."
"Care to elaborate?" Saying this, Sona's eyebrow rose. She looked at her [Queen] expectantly.
"Gilgamesh has never gone against the school rules. He also has good grades, and his presence is always 100%. Moreover, he clearly exudes a magical presence stronger than Genshirou. From our observation, he has never had contact with the supernatural and can be said to be unaware that he's leaking a magical aura, obviously. He has more promise than Genshirou and Hyoudou by a wide margin, I think."
Sona gave a nod of acknowledgment. Just as Tsubaki had stated, Gilgamesh clearly had more potential than Saji Genshirou or Issei Hyoudou. Indeed, Sona wanted Gilgamesh to join her peerage in this new school year.
"Unfortunately, I told Rias she could try to recruit him. I know I shouldn't regret it. However, now, I can't say otherwise."
Sona let out a resigned sigh.
Sona Sitri and Rias Gremory were childhood friends and rivals. They had known each other since they were little due to the close relationship between the House of Gremory and the House of Sitri after the Devil Civil War. They were always trying to outdo each other and promised each other they would fight in a fair game to find out who was better.
"What are you going to do?"
Sona pinched the bridge of her nose. She thought about Tsubaki's question.
What was she going to do?
Sona couldn't act against her word. Her pride would forbid it. As a peer of nobility, they must maintain face and prestige. She wasn't Rias Gremory, who was spoiled by her parents and older brother. Although she was also spoiled by her parents and older sister, she knew her responsibility as the heiress of the Sitri name and legacy.