The next morning, Kiryuu Aika was already perched at her desk, waiting for Yura Tsubasa to arrive. The classroom was too crowded for private talk, so she held her tongue until lunch, when she finally dragged Tsubasa up to the rooftop.
As soon as they arrived, Aika adjusted her glasses and fixed Tsubasa with a knowing stare—the kind that said, "Spill it. I know everything."
Tsubasa blinked, thrown off by her friend's intensity. "What's up, Aika? You said you had something to tell me. Why are you looking at me like that?"
Aika pouted, feigning offense. "Hmph! Some friend you are. If Nangong-kun hadn't clued me in, I'd still be in the dark. How long were you planning to keep secrets from me?"
Tsubasa's heart skipped a beat. Why would Shuo tell Aika about her devil status? She rushed to explain, "I'm sorry, Aika! I was worried that if you found out I was a devil, you might get hurt. I just wanted to protect you. Please don't be mad!"
Aika waved her off. "Oh, relax. I'm not talking about you being a devil. I mean—when did you become Nangong-kun's girlfriend? Why was I the last to know?"
For once, the usually bold Tsubasa blushed scarlet. "Shuo-kun... He said not to let the cat out of the bag so soon!"
Aika grinned wickedly. "So, have you two done anything risqué yet? You're officially a couple—gotta be something, right? How's it feel?"
She leaned in, eyes sparkling with mischief. "From what I've seen, Nangong-kun's... assets are at least—"
Tsubasa was so shocked she nearly short-circuited. "Aika! What are you even saying?! We only got together yesterday! There's no way we've done... that! Seriously, get your mind out of the gutter!"
Aika shrugged, disappointed by the lack of juicy details.
Switching gears, she remembered Shuo's instructions: reveal her Sacred Gear, let Tsubasa bring her to Sona, and become a devil peerage member. So she dropped the teasing and got down to business.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop messing with you. The real reason I called you up here—Nangong-kun saved my life yesterday. He told me I have a Sacred Gear and asked me to find you. He wants you to take me to President Sona so I can join her peerage."
"Wait—what?!" Tsubasa stared, stunned. "You have a Sacred Gear? For real?"
Aika nodded, dead serious. "That's what Nangong-kun said."
"If Shuo-kun says so, I believe it. This is huge! Let's go find him and head to the Student Council right away!"
Tsubasa grabbed her hand, practically dragging her off.
Soon after, Tsubasa arrived at the Student Council room with Shuo and Aika in tow. The whole council was present, helping Sona with paperwork. Heads turned as the trio entered—Tsubasa, Shuo, and a new face. Surprise flickered across the room.
After a moment, the girls greeted Shuo with shy smiles—"Shuo-kun!"—while Sona and Tsubaki exchanged confused glances. Why did everyone look so flustered?
Sona didn't dwell on it. She was just happy to see Shuo. He smiled, settled onto the sofa with Tsubasa and Aika on either side, and spoke up.
"Sona, I'm here because Tsubasa dragged me along. But the real star today is the girl beside me."
Sona's brow furrowed. "Tsubasa, who's your friend?"
Tsubasa grinned. "President, this is Kiryuu Aika—my best friend. I brought her because there's something important."
She quickly explained everything Aika had told her on the rooftop.
Sona's eyes lit up, scanning Aika from head to toe. "A Sacred Gear? Shuo-kun, are you saying Kiryuu-san is a Sacred Gear wielder? Is that true?"
Shuo squeezed Aika's hand, smiling. "Absolutely. She's got a Sacred Gear, which is why I'm recommending her for your peerage."
Sona's heart skipped. If Shuo vouched for someone, she'd accept them—no questions asked. But the fact that Aika had a Sacred Gear made it even sweeter. And knowing Shuo had chosen to give her this gift, not Rias, sent a warm rush through her chest.
Her gaze softened as she turned to Aika. "Kiryuu-san, would you like to become one of my devil peerage?"
Aika looked at Shuo, who gave her an encouraging squeeze. She straightened, voice clear. "I'd be honored, President Sona!"
The council girls broke into smiles, welcoming her with open arms.
"That's wonderful! Looks like we've got a new teammate. Congratulations, Kiryuu-san!"
Aika's nerves melted away. She returned each greeting with a grateful smile. "I'm looking forward to working with all of you!"
Sona stepped forward, producing a gleaming devil chess piece—a Pawn.
So this is a devil piece, Shuo mused. It was his first time seeing one in action. After the great war, many pure-blooded families among the 72 Pillars had vanished. To rebuild their strength, Beelzebub had created the devil pieces for reincarnation.
Sona began the ritual, pressing Pawn after Pawn into Aika's body. Nothing happened at first, and Sona's surprise grew. It meant Aika's aptitude—and her Sacred Gear's power—were off the charts. Shuo had brought her an absolute gem.
He watched calmly. When Saji Genshirou had been reincarnated, he'd needed four Pawns. Issei Hyoudou, with Boosted Gear, took eight. The Black Dragon Pulse, purified by Shuo's system, wasn't far behind.
Finally, after seven Pawns, Aika's transformation completed.
Aika's mind buzzed as the system chimed:
Ding! Mission complete. Congratulations, host—Red Tier sign-in gift acquired!
Shuo ignored the prompt. The reward could wait.
"Seven devil pieces... That's insane. I've never seen anything like it!" Tsubasa blurted, staring at her friend in awe.
Vice President Tsubaki, adjusting her glasses, added, "Her Sacred Gear must be extraordinary."
Sona smiled at the freshly minted devil. "Aika, try summoning your Sacred Gear. Let's see what you've got."
Aika shot Shuo a look—he was smirking in the corner—then took a deep breath, ready to unveil her new power.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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