The morning sun felt different somehow.
Yuuto walked toward Kuoh Academy with his hands in his pockets, trying—and failing—to keep a stupid grin off his face. Every few steps, his fingers would unconsciously brush against his cheek, the same spot where Roygun had kissed him last night.
'Get it together,' he told himself for the hundredth time since waking up. 'It was just a kiss on the cheek. People do that all the time. It's a normal greeting in some cultures.'
Except it wasn't just that, and he knew it.
It had taken him the entire night—literally until 3 AM—to convince himself to wipe off the lipstick mark. Even then, he'd only done it after taking a photo. A photo that was now safely stored in a folder he'd mentally labeled "Top 10 Life Achievements," right between "Reincarnated as a Devil" and "Cooked a Meal That Made an Ultimate-Class Devil's Eyes Light Up."
'That was basically a date, right?' His internal monologue hadn't shut up since yesterday. 'I mean, I cooked dinner, we talked, she kissed me goodbye. That's textbook date behavior. Doesn't matter that it started as a business meeting. Dates can evolve organically, that's a thing.'
A small voice in the back of his head—the one that sounded suspiciously like his old self—tried to inject some reason: 'She's centuries old, an Ultimate-Class Devil, and probably just messing with you.'
'Shut up, brain. Let me savor this experience'
He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost walked right past the park entrance.
The sound hit him first—a child's crying, high-pitched and distressed. The kind that made adults instinctively look around for the parent.
Yuuto paused mid-step, his hand still halfway to his cheek (again).
'Should I...?'
The crying continued, now accompanied by small hiccupping sobs.
'Damn it.'
He took a turn into the park, following the sound. His devil instincts immediately went on alert—not because of danger, but because something felt... off. There was a faint trace of energy in the air, warm and gentle, completely at odds with the usual ambient magic of Kuoh.
The scene came into view as he rounded a cluster of trees.
A small boy, maybe seven or eight years old, sat on a bench with tears streaming down his face. Next to him sat a girl who couldn't have been much older than sixteen or seventeen. She wore a white and green nun's outfit that looked freshly pressed despite the morning heat, and her blonde hair caught the sunlight filtering through the leaves, giving her an almost ethereal appearance.
But it was her expression that made Yuuto stop in his tracks.
Pure, unfiltered compassion. The kind of genuine concern that couldn't be faked, radiating from green eyes that held nothing but kindness as she leaned toward the crying child.
'Asia Argento.'
Recognition hit him like a truck. How could he not recognize her? The Holy Maiden, the girl with Twilight Healing, the innocent soul who'd be thrown away by the Church and sacrificed by Fallen Angels for her Sacred Gear.
The girl whose death had been a turning point in the original timeline.
Yuuto stayed behind the tree line, watching as a soft green glow emanated from Asia's hands. She held them over the boy's scraped knee—a nasty-looking wound that was bleeding through torn pants.
The light intensified for just a few seconds, warm and comforting like the first rays of morning sun.
When it faded, the wound was gone. Completely. Not even a scar remained.
The boy's eyes went wide as dinner plates. He touched his knee experimentally, then looked up at Asia with the kind of awe children reserved for superheroes.
'Using her Sacred Gear in broad daylight,' Yuuto thought, equal parts impressed and horrified. 'In enemy territory. In a town full of devils. She has the survival instincts of a deer.'
Actually, that was insulting to deer. Deer at least had the sense to run when they sensed predators.
"Does it still hurt?" Asia asked gently, her voice carrying that slight Italian accent that made every word sound musical.
The boy shook his head vigorously, a huge smile replacing his tears. "It doesn't hurt at all! Thank you, Miss! You're like an angel!"
If only he knew how ironic that statement was.
Asia's face lit up with the most radiant smile Yuuto had ever seen. "I'm so glad! Please be more careful when you're playing, okay? We don't want you to get hurt again."
"I will! Thank you, thank you!" The boy jumped off the bench, waved enthusiastically, and took off running—presumably back to whatever game had resulted in the injury in the first place.
Asia stood up, brushing off her habit with careful, practiced motions. She turned around—
—and locked eyes with Yuuto.
For a moment, they just stared at each other.
Then, as if suddenly realizing she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't, Asia's face went bright red. She took a step forward, clearly intending to explain herself—
—and immediately caught her foot on absolutely nothing.
"Ah—!"
She went down face-first with all the grace of a sack of potatoes.
Yuuto moved on instinct, crossing the distance in three quick strides. He caught her by the shoulders just before her face could make intimate acquaintance with the ground, pulling her back upright with practiced ease.
'Her survival instincts are even lower than a deer's,' he thought, making sure she was steady before letting go. 'How has she survived this long?'
"I-I'm so sorry!" Asia's face was now approximately the same color as a tomato. "I didn't mean to—that is, I wasn't trying to—" She took a breath, clearly flustered beyond coherent speech. "Thank you for catching me."
"No problem," Yuuto said, keeping his voice gentle. Something about her reminded him of a frightened rabbit, and the last thing he wanted was to scare her off. "Are you okay?"
"Y-Yes! I'm fine!" She straightened her habit, then seemed to remember basic social protocols. "My name is Asia Argento. It's very nice to meet you."
She said it so earnestly, with such genuine politeness, that Yuuto felt something twist in his chest. This girl was going to be thrown to the wolves—literally—and she didn't even know it yet.
"Yuuto Kiba," he replied with a warm smile. "Are you visiting town? I don't think I've seen you around before."
"Oh, um..." Asia fidgeted with the hem of her habit. "Actually, I was trying to find the church in this town, but I've been walking around all morning and I can't seem to locate it." She looked up at him hopefully. "You wouldn't happen to know where it is, would you?"
Yuuto frowned. "I do know where it is, but..." He chose his words carefully. "It's been abandoned for years. Nobody uses it anymore."
Asia's eyes went wide—not with disappointment, but with something that looked almost like relief. "Really? Could you—I mean, would it be too much trouble to—" She clutched her hands together, practically pleading. "Could you please take me there? I promise I won't take up too much of your time!"
'She wants to go to the abandoned church specifically,' Yuuto thought. 'Which means the Fallen Angels are definitely already there. She's walking straight into the lion's den and doesn't even realize it.'
"Sure, I can take you there," he said easily. Then, with a slight grin: "You're in luck, Miss Argento. You met me and not a certain marimo head who'd probably get you even more lost."
Asia tilted her head, blinking in innocent confusion. "Marimo head?"
"Never mind." Yuuto gestured toward the park exit. "Come on, it's this way."
---
They walked in companionable silence for the first few minutes, taking side streets that would lead them toward the abandoned church on the outskirts of town. Yuuto kept his pace deliberately slow—Asia seemed like the type who'd try to keep up even if she was struggling, and he didn't want her tripping again.
He noticed her glancing at him every few seconds, opening her mouth as if to say something, then closing it again. Her hands twisted the fabric of her habit nervously.
After the fifth time this happened, Yuuto decided to bite the bullet.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked gently. "You don't like this town?"
"No!" Asia's response was immediate and emphatic. "No, it's a beautiful town! The people seem very kind, and everything is so peaceful..." She trailed off, then seemed to gather her courage. "I was just... curious about something."
"What's that?"
"You saw me heal that boy," she said quietly, not quite meeting his eyes. "But you didn't ask me about it. Most people would have questions, or they'd be frightened, or..." She finally looked up at him. "Why didn't you ask?"
Yuuto stopped walking. Asia stopped too, looking up at him with those impossibly green eyes, full of genuine curiosity and maybe a little fear of rejection.
"Oh, that," he said casually. Then he held up his hand, palm facing upward. "It's because I have an ability too."
He focused, channeling just a tiny fraction of his demonic power. Ice crystals formed at his fingertips, spreading across his palm in intricate, fractal patterns. They caught the morning light, refracting it into tiny rainbows.
Asia's eyes went impossibly wide. "You—you have a blessing from God too?!"
The irony of that statement was so thick Yuuto almost choked on it. Here he was, a literal devil, being praised for having a "blessing from God" by a nun. If the situation wasn't so tragic, it would be hilarious.
"Yeah," he said, letting the ice melt away. "Though it's nowhere near as cool as your power. Healing is way more useful than making ice sculptures."
"No!" Asia's response was immediate and passionate. She grabbed his hands in both of hers, looking up at him with such earnest admiration that Yuuto felt his face heat up. "Your blessing is amazing! I've never seen anything like it! The way the light reflected through the ice, and how detailed the patterns were—that takes incredible control and focus!"
Her smile was bright enough to rival the sun.
'Why?' Yuuto thought, something cold and angry settling in his stomach even as he smiled back at her. 'Why would God give such a gentle soul such a cruel fate? Why put someone this pure, this kind, through the hell that's waiting for her?'
But he knew the answer. He'd always known the answer.
Because the world wasn't fair. Because power attracted predators. Because Asia Argento had been blessed with a Sacred Gear that could heal anyone, and in a world of monsters, that made her valuable prey.
"From here, you should be able to find your way without any trouble," he said, pulling his hands back gently and pointing down the street. At the end of it, partially hidden by overgrown trees, stood the old church. "I'd walk you all the way to the entrance, but I'm running late for school."
"Oh!" Asia's face fell slightly, but she quickly replaced it with a grateful smile. "Of course! Thank you so much for taking the time to help me. I really appreciate it."
She started to turn away, then stopped. For a moment, she just stood there, clearly working up the courage for something. Finally, she spun back around, her face pink but determined.
"Could I... could I meet you again sometime?" The words came out in a rush. "To repay your kindness, I mean! Maybe I could—I could make you lunch, or help you with something, or—"
"I'd love to," Yuuto said with a genuine smile. "Anytime, Asia."
Her face lit up like a thousand-watt bulb. "Really? Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!" She bowed repeatedly, almost tripping over her own feet again in the process. "I'll see you soon, then!"
She hurried off toward the church, practically glowing with happiness.
Yuuto watched her go, his smile fading as she disappeared around the corner.
'I won't let you die,' he thought, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. 'Even if it means storming that church and eliminating every Fallen Angel inside. Even if it costs me quest rewards or puts a target on my back. 'I' have already failed to protect people once in my life—I won't make that mistake again.'
The ice-cold resolve settled over him like a familiar cloak.
'But patience,' he told himself, forcing his hands to relax. 'Rushing in now would only make things worse. Play it smart. Use the pieces on the board. Make them come to you.'
He turned and started walking toward school, his mind already working through possibilities and contingencies.
'The Fallen Angels want her Sacred Gear. Rias wants to protect her territory. Asia wants to believe she's helping people. And I...'
A cold smile crossed his face.
'I just need to make sure all those desires lead to the same place—with Asia safe in the Gremory peerage and the Fallen Angels six feet under.'
---
In Occult Club Room, after school.
The familiar scent of tea leaves and old books filled the air as Yuuto took a sip from his cup. The liquid was perfectly steeped—Akeno's work, naturally. She had probably never made a bad cup of tea in her entire life.
Rias sat behind her desk, going through paperwork with the kind of focused intensity that suggested it was either very important or very boring. Knowing devil bureaucracy, probably both.
'Should I tell her?' Yuuto wondered, watching steam rise from his cup. 'Asia has Twilight Healing. That alone would get Rias's attention immediately. It would make recruiting her later much easier.'
But the more he thought about it, the more problems he saw with that approach.
'Rias won't put her personal interests over her duties as a devil noble. If I push too hard about recruiting Asia specifically, she'll wonder why I care so much about one random nun. And that leads to questions I can't answer.'
He remembered what happened in the original timeline—both to Kiba and to Issei when they'd acted against Rias's orders. A slap was the least of his worries. She might restrict his movements entirely, and then he'd be useless to help anyone.
'Besides,' he thought, taking another sip of tea, 'why drag someone to where you want them when you can just create a path that leads them there naturally?'
"Yuuto?"
Rias's voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was looking at him with a slight frown of concern. Next to her, Akeno had also turned her attention toward him, violet eyes curious.
"Is something troubling you?" Rias asked. "You've been staring at that teacup for the past five minutes."
"Sorry, Buchou." Yuuto set down his cup. "I was just thinking about the Fallen Angels."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
Akeno's entire body went rigid, her hand freezing mid-motion as she'd been reaching for the teapot. Something dark flickered behind her eyes—old pain, old rage, carefully controlled but never quite gone.
Rias's expression shifted from concerned to alert in an instant. "What about them? Have you encountered any?" Her voice was sharp now, all business. "Kiba, if you've made contact with Fallen Angels and didn't report it immediately—"
"No, nothing like that," Yuuto said quickly, raising a placating hand. "I just realized something that's been bothering me. They're in our territory, right? We know they're here. But they haven't made a single move against us. No attacks, no provocations, nothing. So what exactly are they planning? Why are they still in this town?"
The question hung in the air.
Rias leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful now rather than alarmed. "Now that you mention it..." She tapped one finger against her desk. "You're right. It almost slipped my mind entirely. The Fallen Angels in the abandoned church—they've been unusually quiet."
"Too quiet," Yuuto added, letting just a hint of concern color his voice. "Which makes me wonder what they're preparing for."
He paused, as if considering whether to mention the next part, then seemed to make a decision.
"Actually, there's something else. I ran into a nun this morning. She was asking for directions to the abandoned church."
"A nun?" Akeno's voice was carefully neutral, but Yuuto caught the slight tension in her shoulders. "That's unusual. We rarely see members of the Church in this area."
Yuuto nodded. "That's what I thought too. But here's the concerning part....she has a Sacred Gear. A healing type."
The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately.
Rias sat up straighter, all traces of her earlier relaxation gone. "Tell me everything that happened. Every detail."
Yuuto recounted the morning's events, carefully editing out his internal monologue and his knowledge of who Asia really was. He kept it factual—he'd seen her heal a child in the park using a green glow with a pair of rings, she'd been looking for the church, she seemed innocent and unaware of the danger she was walking into.
When he finished, Rias's expression was troubled.
"This is concerning," she said slowly. "Recently, we've had several contracted humans killed under mysterious circumstances. And now a nun with a Twilight Healing, arrives in town and heads straight for the Fallen Angels' base?" She shook her head. "That's too many coincidences."
Yuuto leaned forward slightly, as if struck by a worrying thought. "Buchou... what if the Fallen Angels are planning something against the town itself? Or against us directly?" He let uncertainty creep into his voice. "A healing Sacred Gear could be useful if they're preparing for a fight."
"Or they want to extract the Sacred Gear itself," Akeno added quietly. Her expression had gone cold, the kind of cold that suggested she was thinking about exactly what she'd do to Fallen Angels who were plotting something.
The way she said "extracted" made it sound like exactly what it was—a brutal, torturous process that usually ended with the host's death.
Rias nodded slowly. "I'll discuss this with Sona. We need to coordinate our response if the Fallen Angels are planning to make a move." She looked at Yuuto, and her expression softened slightly. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Kiba. Your vigilance might have given us the warning we needed."
Yuuto inclined his head respectfully, even as his mind raced with satisfaction.
'Perfect.'
'The seed was planted. Rias and Sona would be watching the Fallen Angels more closely now. They'd be vigilant for any suspicious activity, and when contractors kept dying, suspicion would fall squarely on the Abandoned church. And if they do confront the Fallen Angels about it, those arrogant bastards would probably deny everything about Raynare and the missing contractors—just to keep their hands free to go after Asia's Sacred Gear'
'But denying would only push Rias to act. To investigate further. To, eventually, intervene, but that was more like a possibility as it would take too long to make their move'
All he'd had to do was point out the obvious and let Rias's own protective instincts and territorial concerns do the rest.
'I've done what I can to set pieces on the board,' he thought. 'For now, I just need to stay back and act when it's time to make my move. Even if in process, it means sacrificing quest rewards. An Innocent's life is worth more than any system bonus.'
"Yuuto"
Rias's voice pulled him back to the present. She had pulled out a folder, flipping through what looked like mission reports.
"There's a contract I need you to handle tonight. A stray devil named Viser. She's been spotted in the abandoned factory district." Rias slid a photo across the desk—a woman with wild hair and an unsettling smile. "She's relatively weak, nothing you can't handle on your own. Consider it routine cleanup."
'Finally, something straightforward,' Yuuto thought with relief. 'Quick mission, quick kill, home in time for a decent night's sleep.'
"Understood, Buchou. I'll take care of it."
"Ara ara~"
That sultry voice made every instinct in Yuuto's body scream danger.
He turned to find Akeno looking at him with a smile that could only be described as predatory. "Buchou, if I may?" She glanced at Rias. "I'd like to accompany Kiba-kun on this mission."
Every alarm bell in Yuuto's head started ringing at once.
"That's... really not necessary, Akeno-san," he said, trying to keep his voice polite and professional. "You said it yourself, Buchou—it's just a weak stray devil. I can handle it easily."
'Please don't send her with me. Please don't send her with me. Please don't—'
"I think it's a good idea," Rias said, completely oblivious to Yuuto's internal panic. "Akeno, I'm tasking you with monitoring Kiba's progress. Make sure he's not putting himself in any danger, with his breathing technique"
Akeno looked at Yuuto, and there was genuine concern in her eyes. "You've been training hard lately. I just want to make sure you don't end up in trouble while using your breathing technique~"
'No, no, no—'
"Isn't that right, Buchou?" Akeno's smile widened as she looked at Rias, her voice dripping with false innocence.
"That's right," Rias confirmed with a nod. "Akeno, please observe Kiba carefully and report back to me."
Yuuto opened his mouth to protest further, but stopped when he caught Akeno's expression.
She was licking her lips. Slowly. Deliberately, as if there was no escape for him.
Her violet eyes had a gleam in them that promised extremely uncomfortable things.
'I'm going to suffer,' Yuuto thought with resignation. 'Not from the stray devil. From whatever sadistic thing Akeno decides to do in name of observation purpose."'
*[QUEST ALERT]*
*Mission: Exterminate Stray Devil "Viser"*
*Conditions: Complete extermination alongside Akeno Himejima*
*Reward: 1 Character Card*
*Failure: None*
The system notification popped up in his vision, cheerfully oblivious to his suffering.
Akeno said sweetly, standing up and smoothing her school uniform. "I'll make sure to take very good care of you, Kiba-kun. We're going to have so much fun together~"
The way she emphasized "fun" made it sound like a threat.
Yuuto sighed internally, accepting his fate with the grace of a man walking toward the gallows.
'This won't go smoothly,' he thought, watching Akeno smiling looking at him 'I can already feel it.'
. . .
For advance chapters, you can check on p*treon.com/opeler