Loneliness and solitude aren't quite the same thing.
The lonely long for company, terrified of isolation and silence.The solitary, on the other hand, are the opposite—indifferent to others' opinions, content within themselves, even proud of their distance.
Ryuichi was undoubtedly one of the latter.And yet, he wasn't a typical recluse.
Most people who are withdrawn don't even realize it, and that unawareness often makes them unpleasant to be around.Ryuichi, however, was fully aware of this flaw—and he consciously hid it.
To the casual observer, he seemed perfectly approachable.He could talk easily with anyone, always finding something to say, never seeming out of place.
But anyone who truly knew him understood the truth.Underneath that calm surface, he was someone far more formidable.
Fortunately, Rias Gremory and her peerage knew that the Ryuichi they spent time with wasn't wearing a mask.Around them, he didn't hide behind false smiles. His natural composure and quiet maturity stood out clearly—impossible to miss.
Classes that day passed peacefully, just like any other school day.For all appearances, Ryuichi lived the life of an ordinary student.
Only the steady current of power flowing through his body reminded him otherwise—that he was no longer human.
When the final bell rang, it was time for club activities.
After finishing his classroom duties as part of the rotation schedule, Ryuichi arrived at the Occult Research Club about ten minutes late.
The moment he stepped inside, he heard the soft sound of running water.Someone was showering in the club's private bath.
On the sofa lay a neatly folded pile of clothing—among it, the unmistakably feminine kind.Through the hazy, half-transparent curtain of the bathroom, a graceful silhouette could be seen moving amid the mist.
Akeno Himejima and Koneko Toujou were both present in the room.Which meant that the one in the shower could only be—Rias.
She really does love her baths, Ryuichi thought with a helpless sigh.
He gave Akeno and Koneko a polite nod in greeting, then quietly took a seat on the sofa.
Out of habit, his gaze drifted to Koneko, who—unsurprisingly—was eating again.Sweets, bread, snacks of every kind… she never seemed to stop.
He couldn't help but smile faintly. She really doesn't gain a single gram, does she?Then again, she's a devil—of course she wouldn't.
"Vice President," Ryuichi asked, glancing at Akeno, "what do we usually do during club activities?"
Akeno smiled gently, the kind of smile that could calm anyone's nerves."Technically, we're the Occult Research Club. But that's really just a front. The actual purpose of our club is to hand out flyers—so that we can find humans who wish to summon us devils and form contracts."
She spoke lightly, holding a neatly folded set of Rias's fresh clothes in her hands.Akeno wasn't just Rias's first servant—she was also her closest partner, almost like an affectionate older sister watching over her.
"Flyers?" Ryuichi repeated blankly.
Devils hand out flyers?
Koneko, without looking up from her snack, extended a sheet of paper toward him."This."
Ryuichi took it and examined the page.Printed on it was a glowing purple magic circle—and with his new devil senses, he could feel the faint pulse of magic flowing through the paper itself.
Just then, the curtain lifted, and Rias stepped out from the bathroom.
Her crimson hair, still damp, cascaded down her shoulders in wet waves.A single white towel clung loosely around her body, revealing smooth, pale shoulders and collarbones. Her long legs peeked from beneath the hem, her bare feet making soft sounds against the clean floor as she walked.
Droplets of water glimmered against her fair skin. A faint warmth and a light, intoxicating fragrance filled the room as she approached.
Cool-headed yet alluring, noble yet fiercely untamed—everything that defined Rias Gremory radiated effortlessly from her presence.
If any of the boys from Kuoh Academy saw her like this, there'd be chaos across the entire school.Too bad for them—this breathtaking view was Ryuichi's alone to witness.
Rias accepted the towel Akeno offered and began drying her hair as she joined the conversation.
"I already mentioned this before," she said, her voice calm yet teasing. "Devils like us gain power through contracts with humans. To find those people, we hand out these flyers and let them summon us when they're ready."
Ryuichi opened his mouth, unsure how to respond.Honestly, this version of 'devil work' was… not what he'd imagined.
Handing out flyers…?So humble. So ordinary. So utterly un-demonic.
Almost as if she'd read his mind, Rias chuckled softly."Usually, it's our familiars who handle the flyer distribution. We focus on fulfilling the wishes of those who summon us—helping them in exchange for forming a contract. That's where we draw our strength."
Akeno added gently, "When the Familiar Forest opens again, we'll take you there to find a familiar of your own."Then she patted his shoulder lightly, smiling. "But for now, start with the basics—handing out flyers. Every devil has to experience it firsthand~."
With both of them saying it so earnestly, Ryuichi had no reason to object.He nodded calmly and accepted the thick stack of summoning-circle flyers from Koneko.
"Good luck," Koneko said softly.
Ryuichi smiled faintly and noticed a small crumb of bread at the corner of her mouth.Without thinking, he took a tissue, handed it to her, and tapped the corner of his own lips as a hint.
Her golden eyes blinked once, then she wordlessly dabbed at her mouth.
"Well then, I'll get going," Ryuichi said, standing up.
"Hehe~ do your best out there," Rias replied, winking playfully.She really did enjoy how composed and reliable he always seemed.
Armed with a bundle of flyers, Ryuichi headed into the bustling streets of Kuoh Town.
Seriously, he thought dryly, if I start handing out flyers about summoning devils, someone's going to report me for spreading superstition… right?
He sighed inwardly. The idea that devils had to do street marketing still didn't sit right with him.Then again, maybe there were more people out there who believed in devils than he thought.
Shrugging to himself, he set aside the thought, plastered on a polite, professional smile, and began his "work."
"Please have a look at our new fortune and wish-granting service!""Excuse me! We're offering a limited special on our wish-granting consultations!""Hello—would you like to try one of our new fortune readings?"
Most people waved him off disinterestedly.Some ignored him completely. A few accepted a flyer out of politeness.
Ryuichi had done this kind of thing in his past life too.Compared to that, this job wasn't much different.
He knew the drill—most would toss the flyer without reading it.Only a rare few might glance at it with curiosity and start a brief conversation.
After a few hours of effort, his stack had nearly vanished.
Perfect, he thought, counting the last few sheets. Just a little more and I'm done.
Then he saw her.
A striking girl walking toward him through the crowd.
He put on his best polite smile and stepped forward."Hello! Would you be interested in trying our new fortune and wish-granting service?"
The girl stopped and blinked in mild surprise.Her eyes glimmered faintly under the setting sun.
"My, that's unexpected," she said softly."You can actually see me?"
Ryuichi froze, blinking in confusion."...Huh?"