"Do you believe in the existence of devils?"
In the classroom during the noon break, an extremely abrupt voice softly sounded, replacing the silence that had permeated the air just minutes before with a somewhat awkward atmosphere.
This was a classroom without any special facilities, where even the desks and chairs had been cleared to the sides, leaving a wide, open space.
In the center of this classroom, a boy and a girl were sitting opposite each other.
The girl possessed a refined countenance and delicate features, skin so fair it was nearly translucent, and long black hair reaching past her shoulders—a level of cuteness that was almost against the rules.
Her beauty was cold and intimidating, exuding an inherent mystique that made her seem untouchable. She was wearing a black uniform jacket with a red tie, a white shirt, a checkered pleated skirt, and black thigh-high socks with white trim. Red bow ribbons were tied in her hair on either side. Although it was just a school uniform, her overall appearance was still eye-catching.
But at this moment, the girl, who had an open book resting on her lap, was looking at the boy across from her with an expression that suggested she thought he was mentally deficient.
The boy was also someone who drew attention. He was handsome, with deep-set eyes. He wore the same style of boy's uniform as the girl. His tall, slender physique was fully displayed, and fleeting glimpses of his collarbone and muscles were occasionally visible through the openings of his collar and sleeves, subtly radiating an unseen masculine charm that would likely make many girls with insufficient self-control unconsciously swallow.
Yet, it was this very boy, who could make many girls' hearts flutter, who had spoken words that the girl immediately interpreted as him making fun of her.
"Are you making fun of me, Leon-senpai?"
The girl stated this without reservation. Although she addressed him as "senpai," her tone held no respect.
The boy, named Leon, didn't mind.
"The fact that you say that means you absolutely don't believe in the existence of devils, right?"
Leon seemed to enjoy this inexplicably strange conversation. A slight smile surfaced in his eyes, giving his expression a playful nuance.
"May I hear your reasoning, Yukino Yukinoshita-san?"
Leon's words seemed to further convince Yukino Yukinoshita that he was trifling with her, and her expression visibly chilled.
"I have no interest in engaging in such pointless discussion with you, Senpai. If the purpose of your visit to the Service Club is only to talk about such unrealistic topics, then please don't waste my time."
Yukino Yukinoshita's merciless sharp tongue only earned an noncommittal reaction from Leon.
"Pointless? Unrealistic? Waste of time?" Leon smiled, saying, "As the rumors say, Yukinoshita-san is quite arrogant."
Yukino Yukinoshita's expression was no longer just cold; it was genuinely icy and vexed.
"May I interpret that as malicious slander?"
Yukino Yukinoshita spoke with sharp and incisive words, completely disregarding the fact that the person before her was her senior.
"I am merely stating a fact." Leon crossed his arms and legs, looking at the beautiful underclassman before him, and said leisurely, "You think the topic I raised is pointless and unrealistic; this, in itself, tells others that you believe there is no need to even begin discussing it. Even if you didn't say it directly, it's equivalent to stating your view that you deny this matter without even needing to think."
"This is no longer a matter of firmly believing in your own opinions. It's your subconscious, instinctive belief that this topic is meaningless to discuss."
"Isn't such unilateral denial, refusal, and rejection an expression of arrogance?"
Yukino Yukinoshita's beautiful brows immediately furrowed deeply.
"That's sophistry," Yukino Yukinoshita said with a detached attitude. "Anyone who heard what you just said would react the way I have."
"See? That's your arrogance." Leon's attitude became just as unapologetic as Yukino Yukinoshita's. "You aren't everyone else, so why do you assume everyone would be the same as you?"
"Did you ask for others' opinions? Have you heard others' thoughts? Have you seen others display this attitude?"
"No, you haven't, right? If not, what gives you the right to speak for others? Isn't it because you believe that in this situation, you are correct no matter what?"
"To place yourself in the correct position from the very beginning, I actually think you are even more arrogant than I imagined, Yukinoshita."
Yukino Yukinoshita's grip on her book tightened unconsciously. Finally, as if unable to bear it any longer, she forcefully closed the book, crossed her arms, and crossed her legs, just like Leon.
"If you said those words to get my attention, then congratulations, you succeeded." Yukino Yukinoshita said coldly. "This is the Service Club, a club founded to lend a helping hand to those in need. If you, Senpai, are distressed by having no one to discuss this nonsen... this topic with, and that's why you came here, I will hear you out for now."
"But I must warn you first, Leon Ellig Senpai: although the Service Club I founded accepts requests to solve people's problems, if someone tries to use this point to intentionally get close to me to achieve some ulterior motive, I will not let it slide."
"Please keep that firmly in mind."
Hearing this, Leon's gaze toward Yukino Yukinoshita became strange.
Then, he laughed.
His laugh was very thought-provoking.
"Tell me, Yukinoshita, you don't seriously think I brought up this topic to deliberately get your attention because I'm pursuing you and want to date you, do you?"
Leon's smile, when seen by other girls, would probably be perceived as bright and sunny.
But when that smile met Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes, she only found it irritating.
"Are you suggesting I'm conceited?" Yukino Yukinoshita said with displeasure. "But your actions only led me to assume such a thing."
Leon shook his head, sighing with a smile as he did so.
"It makes sense. For an arrogant person who firmly believes their own views are correct and unilaterally denies others, having such a thought is perfectly normal, especially when this person is a woman who certainly has the capital to think that way."
Saying this, Leon stood up.
"It seems there is no need to continue chatting today. I apologize for wasting your time, Yukinoshita-san."
Leaving those words behind, Leon turned and walked away without hesitation, while Yukino Yukinoshita was still stunned.
"Wait!" Yukino Yukinoshita also stood up, her expression no longer describable as mere displeasure, but genuine anger. "What do you mean by that? Are you taking me for a fool?"
"You're being a little emotional, Yukinoshita." Leon stopped, turned his head, and met Yukino Yukinoshita's indignant gaze, smiling. "Don't misunderstand; I mean exactly what I said."
"When you haven't yet seen the reality of this world, and still hold onto the concepts cultivated by the education you've received over these past seventeen years, continuing to chat would simply be futile."
"Therefore, I've decided to wait until you encounter something that truly shatters everything you've always believed, and then we can discuss the topic we touched on today."
After slowly speaking these words, Leon took out a palm-sized piece of paper and placed it on a nearby desk.
"Consider this the compensation for today's conversation. Keep it with you; I believe it will be helpful. Of course, you can also throw it away; that will completely sever the connection between us and allow you to stay far away from me, a person with an ulterior motive."
Leon raised his eyelids, looking at Yukino Yukinoshita for the first time with a look full of profound meaning.
"Finally, let me correct one more thought you have, Yukinoshita-san."
"When a devil sets their sights on you, their goal is absolutely not to date you, but to make you sell your soul."
"Please keep that firmly in mind."
Having returned the girl's warning to her exactly as she had delivered it, Leon pulled open the classroom door without lingering and walked out of the Service Club's activity room.
"What an infuriating person."
Yukino Yukinoshita, watching Leon leave, was trembling with anger.
Whether she kept his words firmly in mind was debatable, but she felt this was definitely a provocation.
If her upbringing as a Yukinoshita didn't prohibit her from doing something too shameful, she truly wanted to chase after him right now and verbally blast him into instant self-isolation with her usual sharp tongue.
It took quite some effort for Yukino Yukinoshita to finally quell the fire in her chest. She walked over and picked up the paper placed on the desk.
It wasn't just any paper, but some kind of vintage parchment, upon which a crimson magic circle was drawn, giving it a somewhat eerie appearance.
Seeing this, Yukino Yukinoshita was once again convinced.
Leon Ellig, this third-year senpai at Sobu High, if he wasn't making fun of her and deliberately finding excuses to get close to her, was definitely a pitiful male who had lost touch with reality and was hopelessly immersed in fantasy.
And a devil's goal is absolutely not to date me?
Even if she went blind and jumped out of the window of this activity room, she would absolutely never date someone who claimed to be a devil!
At this time, Leon, who had successfully enraged the second daughter of the Yukinoshita family to the point of making a "solemn vow," was heading up the stairs to the rooftop.
Along the way, many people greeted him, and he returned their greetings with a smile, showing none of the "unruly" demeanor he had displayed in front of Yukino Yukinoshita.
Upon reaching the rooftop, Leon glanced around and, finding no one, stretched languidly.
Snap!
The next second, a pair of completely black, bat-like wings abruptly unfolded behind Leon.
With a light flap of his wings, Leon took to the sky.
Though he lacked horns and a tail, that posture was truly devilish...