The sleeping beauty awoke.
Her eyes, shimmering with a faint emerald hue, were breathtakingly beautiful—clear and pure like gemstones, captivating enough to steal a man's breath away.
Seeing Ryuya already sitting up, Rias stretched lazily and murmured in a soft, sleepy voice,
"Mm… it's morning already?"
She sat up without the slightest concern that her graceful, flawless body was completely exposed before him. As she arched her back and yawned, her crimson hair cascaded down like silk.
"Good morning."
"...Good morning."
Ryuya's mind quickly flashed back to the last moment before he lost consciousness—the image of this very girl standing before him.
After gathering his thoughts, he asked, "Was it you who saved me last night?"
Rias smiled, curling one long, elegant leg up and resting her chin on her knee. Her gaze softened, filled with a strange fondness, as if she were looking at a precious treasure.
"Of course," she said with a teasing smile. "It took quite a bit of effort too, you know."
Then she straightened up slightly and introduced herself, voice laced with playful pride:
"I'm Rias Gremory—a devil. And I'm also your master! From now on, please take good care of me… Ryuya."
"...A devil? Master?"
Ryuya's mouth opened slightly. It took him several seconds just to process what she had said before the questions started spilling out.
"What exactly is going on here? Who was that winged woman from yesterday? And why did she want to kill me?"
Rias thought for a moment before sighing softly.
"It's a long story. The one who attacked you was a Fallen Angel. She approached you to confirm whether or not you possessed a Sacred Gear. Once she confirmed that you did… she intended to eliminate you immediately."
A Sacred Gear…
Ryuya recalled the silver sword and shield that had appeared out of thin air—the very power he used to turn Amano Yūma to dust.
"But why would something like that be inside me…?"
"That, I don't know," Rias admitted with a shrug. "It's said that many who've left their mark on history carried such things within them. Perhaps it's simply the favor of the gods."
Ryuya fell silent.
Only now did he realize how ridiculous his earlier assumptions had been.
He'd actually thought that Fallen Angel woman was trying to scam him in some kind of setup…
"Tch, how was I supposed to know!? My whole damn worldview just got shattered…"
He exhaled in disbelief, then glanced back at Rias. "Anyway, thanks for saving me. But… what did you mean by calling yourself my 'master'?"
Even as he asked, his eyes couldn't help but drift downward again.
Rias's body was… devastatingly perfect.
Sitting there on his bed, completely unguarded and radiant in the morning light—honestly, how was any man supposed to keep his composure?
He cleared his throat, forcing his gaze away, trying not to lose himself.
Even if the situation looked like something out of a dream, this was still the first time they were actually talking!
What kind of sci-fi madness was this!?
Rias noticed the flicker of heat in his eyes and smiled with a hint of amusement. She made no effort to cover herself—quite the opposite, she allowed his gaze to linger, her tone teasing and bold.
"It's exactly what it sounds like," she said with a playful grin. "I'm your master now. You've been reincarnated as my devil servant. Oh, and by the way—congratulations. You're officially a devil yourself."
She stepped gracefully off the bed and walked toward him, the movement of her hips perfectly accentuating her curves. Standing before him, she tilted her head slightly, her smile turning impish.
"What's with that shy look? You really want to see my body, don't you? Then go ahead—look all you want."
Ryuya sighed inwardly.
Do devils just not have any sense of shame at all?
He realized he couldn't judge Rias by normal human standards anymore… though, to be honest—
he kind of liked this side of her.
As for being a devil now himself?
That part didn't bother him nearly as much as it probably should have.
After all, he'd just been attacked by a Fallen Angel—not exactly the kind of experience that left him with fond feelings toward anything with wings or a halo.
"So… last night was just, uh… healing, right?"
Ryuya caught the key word in Rias's earlier explanation, and the way he said it made her giggle.
"Heh, humans really do have the cutest way of thinking… But if it eases your mind, I can tell you for sure—"
Her voice dropped to a sultry whisper beside his ear.
"—I'm still pure, you know~."
Her teasing tone was laced with allure, her every movement dripping with that same intoxicating blend of elegance, seduction, and devilish charm. Then, as if nothing had happened, she stepped aside and calmly began putting her clothes back on.
Ryuya sat there in silence, a bit speechless.
He could only watch her dress, every motion of hers naturally graceful, almost sinful in how effortlessly tempting it was.
"Can you help me fasten this?"
Rias turned her back to him, gathering her long crimson hair over one shoulder to reveal a flawless, snow-white back.
Ryuya raised a brow, but now that he'd regained his composure, he managed a faint smile.
"With pleasure."
He stepped forward and helped button up her outfit, then quickly grabbed his own clothes and got dressed as well.
Rias sat back down on the edge of the bed, sliding on a pair of white short socks. Without looking up, she said casually,
"After this, come with me to school. I'll introduce you to the others and help you officially join the club."
"Alright."
Knowing what she was capable of, Ryuya didn't have any reason to object.
He was already aware that the ordinary life he'd once wanted was long gone.
As Rias finished dressing, her alluring figure now hidden beneath her uniform, Ryuya walked to the window and drew the curtains open.
Sunlight poured into the room
He clenched his fist, feeling the warmth of energy surging through his veins. His body felt stronger, sharper—like power itself was flowing beneath his skin.
"So this is what she meant by a devil's body, huh…"
Life was truly unpredictable.
Just a few days ago, he'd been killed and sent into another world.
Then, after barely getting used to that world, he'd been killed again—only to be resurrected as a devil.
In just a handful of days, the shock and chaos he'd experienced easily surpassed the sum of his previous twenty years.
Rias brushed her long hair back over her shoulder, her lips curving into a small smile.
"Come on. If we take any longer, we'll be late."
The two left the house together, walking side by side toward Kuoh Academy.
The distance wasn't far, but not close either.
By the time they reached the school area, the streets were already bustling with students.
And when people saw Rias Gremory—the crimson-haired goddess of Kuoh—walking next to Ryuya Kurobane, every single one of them froze in disbelief.
Why was he walking with her?
Rias was the most desired girl in the entire academy—countless boys secretly adored her—but she had never shown warmth to anyone. Her demeanor was famously cold and untouchable, like a perfect ice queen.
Ryuya sighed inwardly.
So much for staying inconspicuous.
He'd always tried to maintain a low profile, but that peaceful illusion had now been completely shattered just because he happened to walk beside her.
When you walked next to a girl like Rias Gremory, being unnoticed simply wasn't an option.
"You really don't like attention, do you?" Rias said lightly. "You always wear that fake smile, keeping everyone at arm's length."
Ryuya was caught off guard. Her observation was sharp—too sharp.
After a short silence, he answered quietly,
"In this world, being too outstanding or too ordinary are both bad things."
"Oh?" Rias tilted her head slightly, intrigued. "So you pretend to be neither—just enough to blend in without drawing eyes?"
Understanding dawned on her face, followed by a soft laugh.
"What a strange guy. Do you really dislike people that much?"
Ryuya's tone was calm, detached.
"It's not that I dislike them. I just… don't need them."
Rias smiled faintly at that, her voice tinged with warmth.
"Heh… you've got a personality. I like that."
Then, with a glint in her emerald eyes, she added softly,
"I hope one day… we'll become the kind of people you do need."
…
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