The clubroom was quiet that morning. Only Akeno Himejima was there when Rias Gremory and Ryuichi arrived.
"Good morning," Akeno greeted with her usual graceful smile.
Then, noticing Ryuichi, she tilted her head slightly, her tone soft with concern. "How's your body feeling? Any better?"
"Thanks for asking. President already healed me," Ryuichi replied, glancing casually around the room. Not seeing Koneko Toujou, he asked in a low voice, "Where's Koneko? Haven't seen her today."
"She went to investigate that Fallen Angel last night," Rias explained, taking a seat. "Then she got summoned for another contract afterward. She might be a little late today."
"Hehe, Ryuichi, you handed out quite a few flyers yesterday too," Akeno teased, her voice carrying that playful lilt she was known for. "Maybe you'll get a summon of your own soon~."
"…Let's hope so."
Ryuichi didn't sound convinced. Deep down, he wasn't expecting much. Who would actually take those flyers seriously? Most people probably glanced at them once and tossed them aside.
"By the way," Rias asked, her tone turning a bit more serious, "did you find anything new about that Fallen Angel from last night?"
Rias still hadn't forgotten the one who'd injured Ryuichi. The one Ryuichi killed was only a servant—what she really wanted was the master behind it.
"Hmm… since that Fallen Angel's already dead, there's not much left to go on," Akeno said thoughtfully, touching her chin. "But if I run into another servant from the same clan, I should be able to recognize the same divine energy signature."
Rias sighed softly at that. "So for now, we can't take revenge yet. Still… if we get the chance to meet their master, I promise I'll make them pay. I won't let you suffer for nothing, Ryuichi."
Ryuichi couldn't help but chuckle. "President, I don't really think I suffered. I got off with a few wounds—compared to that Fallen Angel, I'd say I came out ahead."
Rias blinked, then smiled in agreement. "You're right. I suppose that's fair enough. Let's just hope their master prays never to run into us again."
At that moment, a magic circle flickered to life—Koneko Toujou had returned.
"Oh my, back already?" Akeno asked with her serene smile. "Did the contract go well?"
"It did," Koneko replied simply, giving a small nod. A rare hint of a smile touched her usually blank face.
"Congrats. And thanks for your hard work last night," Ryuichi said, meaning it sincerely.
Koneko shook her head. "No problem. Here—this is for you."
She handed out breakfast to everyone.
"Cream bread, huh? Nice choice. Thanks, Koneko~," Rias said cheerfully, accepting hers.
The group sat together enjoying breakfast, while Ryuichi's thoughts began to wander.
Contracts…
Did devils really need to make contracts with humans to grow stronger?
Wasn't that a bit… dependent?
Since he didn't understand, Ryuichi just asked outright.
The moment the question left his mouth, the room fell silent.
After a few seconds, Rias sighed softly.
"You're not wrong," she admitted. "Everyone knows it feels humiliating. But we don't really have a choice anymore. It's not just us devils, either. Even the angels are facing the same situation. Why else do you think they're so desperate to spread their faith and gather believers?"
Akeno nodded, continuing in a quiet voice. "Pureblood devils have become incredibly rare… and the same goes for pure angels, gods, and Fallen Angels. All three sides have reached a point where survival itself depends on humans. That's the current reality of the Three Factions."
Hearing that, Ryuichi finally grasped the full picture.
He'd known that the numbers of devils and angels were dwindling, but he hadn't realized it had gotten that bad.
The mighty races of Heaven and Hell—reduced to relying on fragile humans just to survive.
It was… honestly kind of ironic.
Then again… wasn't it their own fault?
They'd waged endless wars, killing off their own kind. Who else was there to blame?
Still, Ryuichi kept that thought to himself. There was no point in criticizing the past.
If there was no other way to gain power, then—at least for now—signing contracts with humans really was their only path forward.
Before long, class time approached. The group headed off together, and the rest of the school day passed uneventfully.
But after school, just as Ryuichi was about to head out to hand out more flyers, he suddenly felt a strange surge of energy.
"What the…?"
A swirl of violet-black magic began to rise around his body.
Everyone in the clubroom turned toward him, eyes widening.
"A contract summon?" Rias blurted out.
Ryuichi's eyes lit up. "So this is what it feels like?"
"Ara ara~ exactly," Akeno said with a knowing smile. "Someone's summoning you. Don't just stand there—respond to it! I'll set up the teleportation circle for you."
"Right!" Ryuichi said quickly, finally realizing what was happening.
He hadn't thought those flyers would actually work.
"Thanks, Vice President."
"Good luck," Koneko said softly from the side.
Ryuichi smiled. "Yeah. I'll bring back good news."
Akeno's magic circle flared beneath his feet. With a flash of light, Ryuichi's figure vanished from the room.
——
A few minutes earlier.
The door to a high-class apartment opened quietly. Sakurajima Mai stepped inside and closed it behind her.
She held a small bag with a loaf of pineapple bread inside, her face tinged with faint worry.
The strange phenomenon—the one where no one could see her—had grown worse.
Just earlier, when she'd gone to buy bread, the store clerk couldn't see her at all. In the end, she'd had no choice but to take the bread herself, leave money on the counter, and walk out.
It had been like this for some time now. To test it, Mai had even put on a bunny girl outfit and walked around outside just to see if anyone would notice her.
No one did.
Not a single person could see her.
She tried not to panic, though her heart felt tight.
Maybe it was only around the school area, she told herself. Maybe people elsewhere could still see her.
After all—yesterday, she had met one person who could see her.
Setting the bag aside, Mai walked into the bathroom, undressing and hanging up her bunny suit neatly before slipping into the warm bath.
As she soaked in silence, her gaze wandered to a piece of paper tucked into her clothes on the hanger.
It was the flyer that boy—the one who could see her—had given her yesterday.
Curious, she picked it up. The strange pattern of a magic circle was drawn on it.
"What even is this…? 'Occult Research Club'? Can this thing really grant wishes?" she murmured to herself.
As if answering her thought, the flyer suddenly began to glow with a soft violet light.
Mai's eyes widened in shock.
"What the—?"
The pattern on the paper was really shining.
Her calm nature kept her from panicking—but only for a second.
Because then—
Splash!
Water erupted out of the tub as a person suddenly appeared out of thin air and fell straight into the bath, sending hot water cascading over the edge.
Ryuichi blinked, drenched from head to toe, his expression darkening.
What the hell…
He lifted his gaze—and froze.
Sitting opposite him in the tub was a girl he immediately recognized. She was staring at him in stunned silence.
The two of them locked eyes. Neither spoke.
Ryuichi: "…"
Sakurajima Mai: "…"
The only sound in the room was the dripping of water and the faint hiss of steam rising between them.
——
To be continued.