[300 PS = 1 Chapter Bonus]
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Rias Gremory insisted on walking me home after I helped her with another small contract.
However, I wasn't expecting that when we arrived at the door of my building, we'd find none other than Raynare waiting with her arms crossed and an angry expression.
"Yuuma?" I asked loudly to make sure I wasn't mistaken.
At that moment, she raised her head, and her face lit up just hearing my voice calling her by her first name. Too bad that rare smile was fleeting.
Of course, Raynare recognized Rias as soon as her eyes caught that red hair and cold posture.
"Who is she? A friend?" Rias asked, holding her elbows as she often did.
[Ding! The system proposes the mission 'Friends or Foes?']
1 - Pretend you mistook Raynare for someone else. (Reward: 5 Fusion Points)
2 - Introduce them to each other without causing confusion. (Reward: 10 Fusion Points)
3 - Tell Rias the truth about Raynare. (Reward: 50 Fusion Points)
Tell the truth? The system must be out of its mind. If Rias suddenly discovered Fallen Angels were in Kuoh and that I had contact with one, she'd never trust me again.
Option one wasn't bad. However, knowing what I knew about women, ignoring her could risk making Raynare furious.
I valued the relationship I'd built with Raynare so far — and the plans I had for her.
That made the second option the right one, provided Raynare cooperated.
"Rias-san, this is Yuuma Amano. She was the first friend I made when I arrived in this city," I said and gave Raynare a look, silently urging her to follow my lead. "Yuuma, this is Rias Gremory. She's a classmate."
Raynare was smart enough to realize what was going on here. She put on that fake smile she usually reserved for boys she was manipulating and bowed briefly before extending her right hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Gremory-san."
"The pleasure is mine, Amano-san," Rias replied, accepting the handshake. "I didn't know Nishihara-kun had friends outside Kuoh Academy. Which school do you attend?"
"I'm older than you might think," Raynare said, which made my body freeze. But she quickly added, "I graduated from high school last year at Hyang Academy."
I almost smiled when she mentioned another school. After all, if she had said Kuoh Academy, Rias could have used her connection with Sona Sitri to easily uncover Yuuma Amano's fake identity.
"Oh~ I see, I see. So, you're a senpai who's in college," Rias said, bowing her head slightly.
Raynare waved her hand dismissively and pretended to be embarrassed by the formality.
"No need for that. Actually, I'm fortunate to have supportive parents, so I decided to take a gap year to rest a little."
"I see. Then I'll just call you Amano-chan. Thank you for taking care of Nishihara-kun, and see you next time," Rias said, turning to me. "Nishihara-kun, we'll talk more tomorrow."
"I look forward to it," I said, noticing Raynare's friendly smile fade.
Rias smiled at me and nodded before leaving, which left me alone with a sociopath.
[Ding! The Owner chose option 2! Reward: 10 Fusion Points]
I took a deep breath. Without even turning to look at Raynare, I could already feel her murderous aura.
"Before you get angry over something silly, let me explain," I said as I turned to her. "But I'd rather we discuss this somewhere more private. How about we go upstairs and have some juice?"
Raynare didn't answer. She simply walked into the building ahead of me.
In the elevator, she tapped her right foot impatiently on the floor. I realized nothing I said would completely satisfy her, so I decided to be honest.
Once in my living room, with her standing and me seated on the couch, I explained that I had used her fake near-accident with the truck to get close to the devils of Kuoh Academy, including Sona Sitri and Rias Gremory. I also admitted that tonight, I had specifically helped Rias fulfill a stray devil hunting contract.
That information didn't bring a smile or relief, but it was enough for her to sit down beside me on the couch.
"And why are you getting close to them? Are you an omega devil who needs to join their pack?" she asked sarcastically.
It was then I realized I hadn't told Raynare much about myself. She was in the dark about what I was, which explained why she never fully trusted me.
Since Rias and Sona believed I was a Youkai, it seemed logical for Raynare to think the same.
A lie told many times doesn't become the truth, but it's far more convincing than conflicting lies.
"Devil? Hah! If I were one, I'd never have confessed to you or invited you to my apartment."
She blinked, confused. "Then what are you...?"
"I'm a Kasha, a rare type of Youkai. I know Kuoh is a dangerous city, but it's my home now. That's why I want to maintain a protective relationship with the devils here—to avoid trouble of all kinds."
Raynare put a hand on her chin. "A Youkai? That explains a lot... So, your strength isn't natural but comes from Senjutsu?"
I was surprised she reached that conclusion so quickly—faster than Rias and Sona. Maybe she was sharper than I'd given her credit for.
I smiled. "That's right."
"If you want them to protect you, why didn't you just hand me over? It would've been easier than all the scheming you did to gain their trust."
"Hand over the girl I like? Why would I do that?"
Raynare's eyebrows shot up, and her cheeks flushed. "Who do you like? So, that day at the café... you weren't just...?"
I moved closer to her, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I was sincere. Even knowing who you were behind the mask, I liked you."
[Ding! The system proposes the mission 'Second Confession']
1 - Take Raynare's hands. (Reward: 1 Fusion Point)
2 – Hug Raynare. (Reward: 5 Fusion Points)
3 – Kiss Raynare. (Reward: 60 Fusion Points)
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