Morning light filtered through the curtains as Lucian returned, his body dissolving into the quiet hum of the familiar room. He blinked at the sunlight streaking across the floor. It was morning here, too.
So time syncs between dimensions now? he mused. Essence of Nomad's doing, maybe... or something else entirely.
The house was silent. After a quick look around, he found it empty.
"They're probably at Kuoh Academy," he muttered, unaware that his little midnight disappearance had set Kuoh's entire Devil community into motion.
Left alone, Lucian's curiosity got the better of him.
He had never been to Japan in his previous life, and now that he could understand and speak Japanese — courtesy of the Essence of Nomad — the town outside beckoned like a new world.
He walked through the quiet streets, savoring the subtle differences in everything: the smell of clean air mixed with grilled food from street stalls, the soft chatter of shopkeepers, the hum of vending machines that glowed even in daylight. For someone who had spent most of his time in this world around magic, devils, and cosmic absurdities, there was something refreshingly human about this simplicity.
And, being a self-professed fan of anime and manga, there was only one logical first stop.
A manga café.
He spent hours there, surrounded by the comforting scent of ink and paper, scanning through shelves of stories that once felt like fantasies — now echoes of worlds he could almost touch.
By noon, hunger pulled him back to reality. He tried everything from takoyaki to onigiri, each bite an experiment. Japanese food, he decided, was good — great, even — but the raw eggs and sashimi were definitely not for him. The texture was too real.
What did win him over, though, was the bottled juice — the ones that mixed themselves when you pressed the button. "Human technology might actually beat magic in creativity," he said, amused, watching the swirling blend through the bottle.
Evening rolled in as he sat at a small food stall, eating fried rice while the sky dimmed to amber. The moment was perfect — peaceful — until a pair of sharp golden eyes spotted him from across the street.
A certain cat-like girl froze, sketch in hand. The resemblance was unmistakable.
---
Across Kuoh, Sona had been methodical. The lack of magical residue from his teleportation told her two things: the energy used was minuscule, and thus, the range was limited. He couldn't have gone far.
She'd enlisted her friend Rias for help, and soon, sketches of Lucian circulated through town — a rather poor sketch, but enough.
And luck, as it happened, favored the curious.
---
"Hi, are you Lucian?"
The sudden voice almost made him drop his chopsticks. He turned — and froze.
The girl standing before him had crimson hair that seemed to catch the light like molten silk, her presence commanding yet effortless. For a brief moment, he wondered if the world had slowed down just to frame her better.
"Uh... yes?" he managed. "You are...?"
Her lips curved into a gentle smile. "Rias. Sona's friend. She's been looking for you."
He blinked, realization dawning instantly. Red hair, refined beauty, Kuoh Town... Of course. Rias Gremory.
Before he could reply, another voice called out from the alleyway. "Rias! Is he the one?"
A familiar cat-eared girl jogged over, slightly out of breath.
With their actions, from the sketch and their reactions, he immediately understand what happened.
Lucian rubbed his temple. "Right. So I was missing."
Rias chuckled softly. "More like 'mysteriously vanished,' according to Sona. She's been... very thorough in her search."
She didn't share much else — Sona hadn't told her much — but curiosity flickered in her eyes. Lucian carried himself with the calm of someone who didn't quite belong anywhere. That intrigued her.
She discreetly summoned her Evil Pieces, just to gauge his potential. The response came swiftly — six pawn points. A strong reading. For a moment, temptation whispered. She could use someone like him in her Peerage... but she quickly dismissed the thought. Sona trusted her, and Rias wasn't one to betray a friend.
"Come on," she said warmly. "Let's get you back before she sends the entire student council after you."
---
A few minutes later — and a long walk back —
"So," Sona said flatly, arms crossed, eyes sharp. "Care to tell me why I spent all morning searching for you while you were enjoying yakitori?"
Lucian offered a weak grin. "I came back and no one was home. I figured you were all at the academy."
"You could've called."
"I don't have your number." He paused. "Or a phone."
Sona sighed, rubbing her temple. "Right. Of course."
"Did you accidentally teleport again?" she asked finally.
Lucian shrugged, avoiding her gaze. "Something like that."
Her irritation faded, replaced by a more thoughtful look. She knew he wasn't telling her everything — but she also knew pushing him wouldn't help. Whatever his ability was, it wasn't ordinary. Still, he didn't seem malicious, just... detached.
"Now that we've solved that," Rias chimed in playfully, "care to tell your best friend who this mysterious guest is?"
Sona adjusted her glasses. "Remember that slaver case? The one with the collars? He was one of the targets. I'm just helping him out."
Rias' expression softened. "Then allow me to apologize too. Kuoh's my territory as well — I should've been more vigilant."
Sona rolled her eyes at the overly formal tone, but said nothing.
Lucian merely smiled. "It's fine. I'm not exactly easy to track."
The rest of the evening passed in conversation, mostly between the two girls. Lucian listened quietly, half amused at their dynamic — Sona the strategist, Rias the charismatic free spirit. When night came, Rias took her leave, and the house grew quiet again.
---
"You really should learn to control your powers," Sona said during dinner, her tone soft but firm. "We can't have you teleporting at random. What if you end up in a dangerous place?"
Lucian hesitated. "Do I have to?"
Her gaze narrowed just enough to make him sigh. "Fine."
He didn't actually need to learn — his control was already precise on the Essence of Nomad — but he wasn't about to reveal that. He could just let her think it was just a skill. If Sona wanted to teach him, he'd play along.
---
The next morning, the Sitri residence backyard shimmered with faint mist as magic filled the air. Sona stood at the center, poised and graceful, her Peerage gathered nearby to observe.
"Before we start," she began, "you need to understand the basics of megicules. They're the building blocks of magic — think of them as particles of power that respond to intent."
Lucian nodded, letting her guide him through meditation and channeling exercises. To his surprise, he did learn something new — the raw mechanics of how this world's energy flowed.
Once he managed to stabilize his aura, Sona clasped her hands. "Good. Now, let me demonstrate."
The air around her pulsed, drawing in the morning light. Blue circles spun to life beneath her feet — intricate, geometric, humming softly like a heartbeat. The temperature dropped; frost gathered on the grass.
With a calm breath, Sona raised her hand.
A crystalline glow condensed before her fingertips, swirling into multiple spheres of icy light that stretched, sharpened — and became arrows of ice.
They launched in perfect sequence, shattering into glittering shards midair, the mist they produced catching the sunlight like falling stars.
Lucian couldn't help but admire the precision — it was controlled, elegant, powerful without being ostentatious.
"Now," she said, her breath fogging faintly, "try it with me. Remember: chant, intent, and megicule supply. Magic requires structure."
Lucian studied her once more — then extended his hand.
No chant. No preparation. Just a single thought.
The air rippled. Dozens of ice arrows materialized instantly and fired into the distance, leaving streaks of cold light.
Tsubaki and the others gasped audibly, the sound cutting through the stillness.
Sona blinked once — twice — before her composure returned. Her mind was already dissecting the event, eyes narrowing in thought.
So he has Chant Annulment... and something else. But what?
Her lips curved in quiet satisfaction. "Impressive," she said smoothly. "It seems you learn fast."
Lucian smiled faintly. "Good teacher, I suppose."
For a moment, the faintest flicker of warmth crossed her features before she turned away, already planning the next lesson.
And as the morning sun broke through the clouds, the faint trail of frost across the training field glimmered — a silent promise that this strange guest of hers would not stay ordinary for long.
A/n: I found out that I'm not best at writing exploring the city type chapters. It took me so much time but couldn't write what I wanted so I just moved the story a bit.