At Arata Hayashi's home, Utaha Kasumigaoka studied him closely, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Arata asked casually.
"No, it's just… your scent has changed a little," Utaha replied, sniffing the air with a complicated expression. "Were you with Rias Gremory the entire night?"
For the first time since becoming a demon, she hated her enhanced senses. It had only been one day since Arata returned, and he had already been with Rias?
Her emotions twisted. She had long been certain of her feelings for Arata, and though Rias's position as queen was unshakable, even a concubine could dream. But this was too fast—she had no chance at all.
Hateful! Am I too reserved?
"Kasumigaoka-senpai, you're scary!" Asia Argento, standing nearby, took a step back, sensing Utaha's tension. She had no idea what had transpired last night.
"Alright, I have an announcement to make," Arata clapped his hands, cutting through the tension.
"The ranking game has been set, and it will begin in three days," he said. "Before that, I'll bring a few companions for you to meet."
"Wait—Master, please—" Utaha began, but before she could finish, Arata had already vanished into a magic circle.
Utaha could only sigh softly.
"It's alright, Kasumigaoka-senpai," Asia said, attempting to comfort her. "You heard it too. The master will be back soon."
"Sometimes, ignorance is bliss," Utaha muttered, watching the innocent girl with a sigh. One night had changed so much—she didn't dare gamble anymore.
Determined, Utaha left the apartment and went to the clothing store in the mall. She browsed a wide variety of goods, using her savings to pick out all kinds of styles. By the time she left, her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes shone with determination.
"I'm going all out," she whispered to herself.
Inside the palace, Najeshitan looked hesitant.
"Do you want to take them to your world? Are you coming back?" she asked.
"Just go play the game; things will return naturally," Arata said. "After all, I care about this world very much."
Najeshitan blushed. "Because of me?" she whispered.
Arata paused briefly, then regained composure. "Of course," he replied. The misunderstanding was sweet.
After a moment, Najeshitan asked, "Will you be gone for long?"
"Don't worry, you can manage the empire here." Arata looked at her calmly. "Can you give me an answer now? Or… do you want to become my dependent?"
"Okay, I agree!" Najeshitan's eyes became firm.
"You won't regret it," Arata smiled slightly and took out a soldier chess piece. "You should know exactly what this entails."
Najeshitan shyly undid her coat and stepped forward. Arata pushed the devil's chess piece toward her.
In an instant, the piece merged with Najeshitan's body. A red magic circle flashed, and she felt a surge flowing through her entire being. Her breathing grew heavier.
"Snort…"
Bat-like wings erupted from her back, and a long devil's tail emerged.
"Is this what it feels like to be a demon?" she murmured, glancing at her tail and then at Arata. Slowly, the tail stretched out.
"Master, I'm ready!"
"You're in such a hurry to summon me—are we going on a date?"
"There must be better meat," Esdeath quipped, walking over with the others.
Najeshitan stiffened, quickly retracting her tail and wings and putting on her coat. Arata withdrew his hand regretfully but didn't mind. She was his now; there was no need to rush.
A few hours later, Arata set up a magic circle using the devil's contract as coordinates, allowing teleportation between the two worlds. Unlike ordinary arrays, this one required original magic power to function.
Curious, Esdeath and the others peered at the magic circle, eager to see the demon world.
"Najeshitan, you can stay here and take charge of the empire for a while," Arata said.
"Master, leave it to me," Najeshitan replied confidently.
"Good!" Arata nodded. "Then let's step into the magic circle."
Buzz! The four of them vanished as the circle flickered.
Arata's family home. A flash of light revealed four figures slowly emerging.
"Is this the master's world?" one of them asked.
"I wonder what kind of powerful people are here," another muttered.
"Hey, I'm only interested in good wine," a third chimed in.
Esdeath and the others looked around quietly.
"Master, you're back?"
Utaha Kasumigaoka, who had been alert, opened the door immediately. Her gaze sharpened as it fell on Esdeath and the others.
They all smelled strong—like rivals. Beautiful girls, yes, but clearly dangerous. Especially the woman with ice-blue eyes… so lethal.
No, Utaha Kasumigaoka could not afford to lose. She straightened her posture and faced them.
"You are the senior dependents, correct?"
Leona smiled brightly. "My name is Leona. Please give me your guidance in the future."
Chi Tong said expressionlessly, "I'm Chi Tong. Hello."
Esdeath gave Utaha a playful look. "I'm Esdeath. You have good eyes."
"Utaha Kasumigaoka, just call me Utaha," Utaha replied.
"And I'm Asia," Asia added, peeking from behind the door.