The next day.
"I can do it! I'm no ordinary woman—I'm a Valkyrie, Odin's mightiest soldier!"
On his way to class, Kousuke stumbled upon an odd sight. Standing stiffly in the corner of the hallway was a tall, silver-haired woman murmuring to herself in what sounded like a self-pep talk. For a moment, he thought he was seeing things due to lack of sleep.
Missing a night's rest hardly bothered him. Back in the Other World, he'd often gone a week without sleep—especially when hiding from that obsessive Demon God. Back then, a full night's rest was a luxury only possible when he'd secured a safe haven… which was rare.
Even after rubbing his eyes, she was still there, oblivious to his presence until he finally spoke.
"Hello. Are you our new teacher?" he asked casually.
The woman jolted at the sudden voice. Her expression shifted from wide-eyed panic to a teary grimace before she quickly straightened her posture and forced a professional expression. Clearly, she'd expected someone more intimidating, not a laid-back student.
She cleared her throat and stood tall, posture sharp like a soldier reporting for duty.
"Ahem. Why yes. Are you in Class 3-A? Why aren't you in the classroom yet?" she asked, eyeing him with a firm, almost drill-sergeant stare. "Are you… late?"
"No, no. Just went to the restroom for a bit," Kousuke lied smoothly.
She narrowed her eyes but didn't press further. With a curt nod, she followed him into the classroom.
The moment she stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. The chatter died instantly—you could practically hear hearts beating in sync. Then came the inevitable whispers—quiet at first, then louder and louder until—
Whack!
"All right, quiet down!" she barked, slamming her attendance book on the desk. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Rossweisse, your new Physical Education teacher."
Her sharp gaze swept across the room like a hawk's before pausing briefly on Kousuke—the first student who'd greeted her—then moving on. A boy in the second row raised his hand, smirking. The grin on his face made her uneasy. Then came the question:
"Are you single, teacher?"
"I—I… that's none of your business!" she stammered, her cheeks flushing pink as she turned away. "Now that I've introduced myself, everyone get changed—we're heading to the field!"
Clearly eager to escape further embarrassment, she marched out of the room. Kousuke chuckled under his breath. That reaction was kind of cute. Judging by the looks around him, most of the boys thought the same. Meanwhile, Irina and Xenovia exchanged glances. They were supposed to observe Kousuke, but there hadn't been any orders about what to do if others were observing him too.
When the students split into the changing rooms, the boys erupted into quiet cheers and excited chatter. Even Issei looked thrilled as he changed into his PE uniform. In the girls' changing room, however, the mood was different. A quiet buzz of gossip spread quickly—whispers about the beautiful, stoic new teacher moving from one classmate to another.
Kousuke, meanwhile, kept to himself as he removed his shirt, his thoughts elsewhere.
Transferring at this time? That can't be a coincidence. She's probably here for the same reason as Irina and Xenovia, he thought. But judging by how none of them reacted like they knew each other, she must be from a different faction.
He ruled out Heaven—they'd already sent their agents, and he'd even spoken with Michael directly. That left the gods. But even then, the term "gods" encompassed countless smaller pantheons.
She might be Norse, considering I overheard something about Valkyries. But it could be Greek… or even Shinto. That mumbling could've been an act to fool me. Tsubaki did say things have been getting more complicated lately…
Either way, one thing was certain—the school was about to get a lot rowdier thanks to him. Kousuke sighed and stepped out of the changing room.
...
On the open field.
Several classes shared the field for PE, including Tsubaki's. While students were gathering, Kousuke snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms gently around her waist.
"Mou! Don't sneak up on me like that!" she said, lightly scolding him. Despite her words, the soft blush on her cheeks betrayed her happiness. Kousuke grinned at her reaction.
Nearby, Issei approached Rias—though far less confidently—and mimicked Kousuke's gesture, awkwardly wrapping his arms around her. Rias only smiled, clearly amused and somewhat pleased.
Rossweisse stood off to the side, clipboard in hand, watching the students warm up. Her gaze inevitably drifted toward Kousuke. He moved with effortless grace, every step measured and controlled. No wasted movement. No strain.
He's strong, she thought. His control over his body far surpasses anyone I've ever seen.Her grip on the clipboard tightened. He's hiding something.
When it came time for the dodgeball match, Rossweisse joined in under the pretense of "demonstrating proper throwing form." Her eyes gleamed when the boys cheered at her participation.
She picked up a ball, gauged its weight, and abruptly hurled it like a cannonball straight at Kousuke. It cut through the air like a missile. Those familiar with the supernatural could tell—her throw wasn't normal.
"Hm?" Kousuke turned his head and casually caught the ball one-handed. He examined it for a moment before tossing it back—underhand, even. The ball landed harmlessly at her feet with a thunk, as if mocking her.
Rossweisse's eye twitched. He caught that without reinforcement… and didn't even flinch.
To the rest of the students, she just seemed overly enthusiastic about dodgeball. Only the devils—and the two angels—watched her closely.
When class ended, Rossweisse dismissed everyone but lingered for a moment, watching as Kousuke wiped his face with a towel and stretched lazily, like a cat basking in sunlight. Then, unexpectedly, he turned his head and met her gaze.
Her instincts screamed, This one's not normal! Fortunately, he only held her gaze briefly before walking off toward Tsubaki. Rossweisse exhaled in relief. But behind her, Kousuke's lips curled into a knowing smirk.
...
Later, near the vending machine.
Kousuke spotted Rossweisse standing nearby, clutching her stomach lightly and glancing furtively at the row of drinks. She clearly wanted one but hesitated for some reason. He strolled over, inserted some coins, and bought a can of peach soda. Without a word, he held it out to her.
She blinked. "I—I don't need that."
"The correct words are you're welcome," he said with a cheeky smile. "Don't worry, I just found some coins on the ground. Technically, it's not my money—so I might as well share the spoils."
Rossweisse hesitated… but her stomach betrayed her with a growl. Her face flushed as she quickly took the can and muttered, "...Thanks."
Kousuke grinned and bought himself a can of coffee. "No problem, Teach. I'll bury this secret deep within my heart~"
As he walked away, Rossweisse looked down at the can, then back at the retreating figure of the boy who seemed like an ordinary high school student—yet the power she'd sensed from him was anything but ordinary.
Just what kind of human have I been assigned to watch… Lord Odin?