Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.
Betad by Priapus, Marethyu, Old man of the mountain, Mike God of Lore, Beans
The Guild of Gamers, the Cursed
Chapter 08: School Starts
– Sona Sitri –
Sitting on a bench near the training ground, she watched as Tsubasa placed her hands on the ground and made the area glow with a soft green light. She had to admit that she'd gotten a bargain for Bloom as Tsubaki jumped back from the roots that burst from the ground under her, trying to bind her legs.
Bloom was a shadow of Gaia, Samuel's own Chlorokinesis power, but even still, it was a large power boost to Tsubasa. Tsubasa was a defensive fighter, and being able to create roots and vines around her only made her more dangerous. She also wasn't that fast compared to the Knights, so again, it was a benefit to be able to enchant the ground itself to rise up and bind or impair her opponents. It had allowed her to defeat Tomoe, who usually outran her with the enhanced speed of a knight piece, by causing the vines to trip Tomoe, binding her after she hit the ground. Tsubasa had rapidly become her crowd control piece, able to manipulate the battlefield and impair their opponents. She was already making a dozen plans for how to best use this, both on and off the battlefield.
Samuel had shown off his own chlorokinesis, and she could understand why he was willing to give up Bloom when he had something so laughably stronger.
"I take it you are pleased with your purchase, Lady Sitri?" Samuel joked, sitting next to her.
"Samuel, I just masturbated to you breeding my Bishop. At this point, you can call me Sona," Sona replied blandly, getting a laugh from him. "And yes, I am very pleased with my purchase. The potential applications of both powers, on and off the battlefield, are undeniable. I suspect my Peerage will secure many more contracts in the near future, given the undeniable agricultural and horticultural applications of Bloom, as well as Tracker's immense potential for solving missing person and stolen item cases. With the right contacts, I could guarantee an endless stream of people wanting to form contracts with me."
She knew her excitement was blatant, her words coming out faster and faster as she considered just how to best utilise her new powers. She couldn't guarantee that she could hold onto them both after the first semester, but that just meant that she should get the most value out of them until then. It would also put her in a better position to negotiate for their continued loaning.
"Have you considered doing the same with Gaia? Your power could easily cause entire fields of crops to grow in seconds, likely magical plants as well as mundane ones. There are countless applications for the non-combat use of Gaia," Sona pointed out.
"True, and while I've had some vague ideas, I'll admit I don't have the contacts and, as you pointed out, the salesmanship for this. Honestly, I barely want it. I'm a professor, not some snake oil salesman," Samuel admitted with a smile before he paused in thought. "Although… tell me, Miss Sitri. Would you be interested in another contract?"
"Using your second contract already?" Sona asked easily.
"Not exactly. I like the idea of having a contract to call on your talents," Samuel replied playfully. "I'll awaken the auras of your entire Peerage, in exchange for your services in arranging such contracts for the coming year. I'll also let you keep the time bubbles for the same duration instead of just the first semester."
"Hmm, it would be time consuming to take care of the negotiations but with your time bubbles, time is something I have in excess. I've never been quite so on top of my work before," Sona said, pretending to think about it. "You have a deal, Mr Morgan. I'm sure it will be a pleasure working with you. You realise that normally your King would take care of such things?"
"I know, and while I do respect Rias, I suspect you will take this far more seriously than she would," Samuel admitted, causing her to laugh quietly.
"Rias would agree. She more or less lets her peerage do whatever they want, including handling most of their own contracts. She isn't as familiar with the legalese and the art of making more serious contracts than the ones she prefers," Sona chuckled. "I will run this by Rias, of course. I don't think she'll mind, but it is still proper to get her approval."
"I planned to do the same. Something tells me she won't mind having less work to do, however," Samuel pointed out. Once again, she chuckled. At least this time, she was getting paid for taking on Rias' work.
Sending Rias a quick message, she went back to watching the fights as she chatted lightly with Samuel. Rias' response was as quick as it was predictable.
Rias was not overly ambitious, and while she did take contracts, she took on few herself and let her Peerage decide how many they wanted to take and what types. So, the fact that Samuel wanted to take this more seriously meant she was more than happy for him to hire her to assist with such matters. In truth, it was Rias' hands-off leadership that made them such great friends. If Sona had been sharing Kuoh with a devil that wanted to handle every little detail, they'd have been at each other's throats constantly. Instead, Rias would always be willing to help when needed, but was happy to let Sona deal with the minor details.
As Sona got out her laptop and started doing some research into both human and devil gardening and farming, she watched as Samuel kept his part of the deal and went around awakening the Auras of her Peerage. While Rias may have been the luckiest of all, Sona couldn't deny that she was benefiting from Samuel's presence in Kuoh almost as much.
Momo was clinging to his side, smug at having 'gotten ahead' of the rest of the Peerage and openly boasting of Samuel's skills in the bedroom. Tsubasa seemed to be lingering around him as well. They were discussing their shared skillset, but she knew her Rook enough to see the interest. Reya and Tsubaki both wanted Kiba, though Reya was far shyer in her interest than Tsubaki (who was open about her attraction but was currently failing to get Kiba's attention). Tomoe's shotacon tendencies meant that Samuel, despite his handsome features, was not hitting her interests. As for Ruruko? Sona couldn't tell, to be honest. Interested in speaking with Samuel, but whether that translated to arousal was a different matter.
Ruruko was one of the girls who'd volunteered to be bred by Samuel when Sona asked, but she seemed far more nervous and, as the newest member of the Peerage, may have just been 'offering' out of a belief that it wasn't really a request. Tsubaki had also volunteered, but that was out of loyalty to Sona rather than a genuine desire for Samuel. She found him attractive but hadn't given up on Kiba yet. Momo had 'won' out of the three because she was the most eager, and had admitted she wanted him either way.
As she observed his interactions with her Peerage, she noted which ones he seemed most interested in and which ones seemed interested in him. Keeping Samuel on their side would be a powerful aid for her dream. If she truly wanted to open a school for Rating Games that would be open to all devils, not just the purest, she needed to become a top-ranked Rating Game member to begin with, which was not easy. The Top Three had remained unchanging for decades. Diehauser Belial, the Emperor and Champion. Roygun Belphegor, firmly in second and Bedeze Abaddon, trailing just behind her. If you weren't in the top ten, you weren't anyone to the public, but the higher she could climb, the better it would suit her dreams.
She had no delusions of besting Diehauser, but her long-term plan had her become one of those top three. She lacked her sister's raw power or talent, so she would have to make do with what she had access to. Encouraging good relations with the golden goose was just smart business. She'd have helped him with his contracts for free, but she wasn't going to turn down the generous payment. It was amusing, but she was fairly certain he was thinking that keeping good relations with her was just smart business as well. Mutually beneficial relationships were most likely to last without any backstabbing or bad blood, so she needed to ensure she was benefiting him as much as she was benefiting herself. Having one or more of her peerage in his harem was a good start. Samuel was too serious and proper to not want a part in his children's lives, and Momo's interest hadn't waned, so encouraging that relationship was simply logical.
Tsubasa giggled at something he said as he used his powers to grow a large, magically rich oak tree in an instant. Luckily, away from the actual training field. She spun around playfully, acting more girly than usual as she caused flowers to burst from the grass around her feet with a slight blush, taking a chance to brush her hand against his. Tsubasa could be confirmed as being attracted to him. Excellent.
Of course, he'd also shown interest in her. Well, it would be hard not to, given that she'd undone her clothes and masturbated in front of him, but it did confirm that her smaller breasts were not unappealing to him. Unsurprising given his relationship with Koneko. She would admit that his maturity, intelligence and power were all attractive, but she also didn't want to appear desperate by openly seducing him herself. Not to mention her parents' inevitable complaints about her courting a low-rank Devil. Well, the worst of that would be avoided as Samuel's power inevitably grew, and her mother would see it as a wise investment on her part. Still, reputation was important in the Underworld, and she wouldn't risk tarring hers before Samuel grew powerful enough that it wouldn't look bad for her to bed him.
"I do hope you aren't going to pass out on us again," Sona said, watching him awaken Ruruko's Aura.
"That won't be a problem," Samuel replied easily, giving her a reassuring smile. "The issue before came from doing too many back-to-back, and also trying to awaken the Aura of Lord Sirzechs. With all due respect, none of your Peerage are Satan-Class Devils, and I'm using time bubbles to recover between them faster."
"As long as you are taking the correct precautions," Sona agreed with an approving nod.
"In this, at least," Samuel answered with a wry grin. She just laughed, wondering whether to point out that technically, he was taking the proper precautions in bed as well. After all, contraceptives weren't exactly seen positively in a society with a deathly low birthrate. "I should be able to finish awakening all of their Auras before leaving today."
"And I already have a few ideas of places that would pay extremely well to be able to have their entire crop growth happen overnight. Tsubasa's power is good for the smaller scale, but yours is able to work on a grand scale. There are several clans that cultivate magical plants in the underworld, not to mention that both major Youkai factions do the same. If your power works just as well on magical plants, and I suspect it does, the potential profit margins are astronomical," Sona admitted with an excited smile as she typed away. "I'll likely have to get Lord Lucifer involved, as the potential benefits are large enough to affect the Underworld's economy, and he is the Satan of Domestic Affairs. Likely my sister as well, if the Youkai are interested, and I suspect they will be. This will be a lot of work, but more than worth the effort."
"Then I'm glad I've hired someone who can manoeuvre these particular waters," Samuel joked, sitting next to her. "As you've rightly pointed out, I'm no salesman or negotiator."
"There's no shame in admitting to your weaknesses and relying on someone else to fill in for roles you are ill-suited for," Sona agreed. "Though I suspect I might want one of your famous massages by the time I'm done. Rias boasted."
Samuel just chuckled.
"Maybe I should start a business," Samuel replied after a moment. "I'll give you the friend's discount."
"You'll give me the employee discount, after hiring me to set up the paperwork and permits," Sona corrected with a teasing smile as she watched her peerage spar with their fun new shields. It was a straight-up endurance buff across the board. Bishops were the most vulnerable pieces, but large mana pools translated to a larger Aura pool from her testing, which meant Bishops tended to have the most to block incoming damage. That wasn't even mentioning the noticeable increase in physical speed and strength.
She hadn't come close to working out her Semblance, but as far as she knew, neither had anyone else yet.
"Fair enough," Samuel laughed, moving behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders as he slowly massaged them. "Consider this a bonus for being my first customer."
His touch was truly unfair, as he was not only talented with his hands but also whispered Edicts and utilised his Pleasure Burst powers to turn any girl he touched into putty. She suspected he also used his healing aura to fix any minor issues that the lucky victim likely hadn't even noticed. Was it any wonder Rias felt like boasting?
Of course, Akeno had immediately revealed that Rias had passed out, and Sona didn't intend to follow in her footsteps. Leaning back into his hands, she closed her eyes in pleasure as his skilled fingers worked her shoulders. He was a gentleman and didn't let his hands wander, and she had to remind herself of her reasons not to let things go any further.
Without opening her eyes, she tossed a bolt of ice-cold water at the source of the giggling she could hear, listening to the sound of Momo and Ruruko scrambling away from it. The rest of them knew better than to interrupt-
"I want a massage, it's not fair! Paperwork sucks!"
Maou, damn it.
"Sister, are you slacking off again?" Sona asked as she opened her eyes to see her pouting sister.
"No! I've been a good girl and done all my work, but just because I could do it all twenty times faster doesn't change the fact that I still had to do it all! There was so much, it's not fair!" Serafall whined, dressed in her business outfit for once, which didn't make it look much more professional as she threw herself on the ground. "Nobody told me being a Satan would mean I had to do paperwork! We used to just freeze baddies and blow them up! I want Sona-Time! I need to recharge my imouto-batteries!"
Oh Maou. Serafall had a time bubble. Serafall could do all her work in 5% of the time. Serafall would have the other 95% free to do whatever she pleased, such as bothering Sona in Kuoh for her own amusement.
"Hello again, Lady Serafall," Samuel greeted, as if Serafall wasn't currently laying on the ground flailing around as she threw a whiny fit. It was both nice that he had understood what Sera was like and embarrassing that he had to see her act like that.
"Heya, Sammy," Serafall said, rising from the floor and brushing the dirt off her clothes. "I've set up the meeting with Yasaka for this Friday. I'll pick you up after school finishes."
"So soon? Well, I'm more or less ready. As I mentioned, I succeeded in teaching Koneko one of the spells from my Tome of Beasts, so I can confirm that it is possible," Samuel replied softly, still massaging her shoulders. "I'm still not entirely sure what she expects from me."
"She's seeking to empower her loyalists. I suspect she has reason to fear either betrayal from the East Youkai faction or an outside force," Serafall explained, going from acting like a baby to dead serious in an instant. "This lets her extend an olive branch to us devils while getting enough out of it that it won't be seen as weakness. Yasaka is a wily old fox. I don't think anyone truly knows how old she is, but she is both ancient and powerful. At the bare minimum, she's on par with some of the stronger Ultimate-Class Devils. Honestly, I'm worried about what would have her acting like this. She isn't desperate, but it's a clear sign of preparing for something when you combine it with her other movements."
"So, we should expect her interest in the beast magic to be her testing the waters if the rumours of my ability to empower others have reached her?" Samuel asked.
"Exactly. Aura, by itself, is a powerful tool. Sirzechs has already shown his off, because we Satans are effectively deterrents and the stronger we seem the better," Serafall agreed. "If I was her, and I feared that my faction was being targeted or that there was an internal conflict approaching, I'd bargain both for this new branch of magic that has such a powerful effect on Youkai, ensuring I could control who learnt it and control it within my faction, and I'd want Aura for all my most loyal followers."
Samuel paused his hands in thought, a frown crossing his face, but his musings were interrupted.
"No! I came here to get away from work. Bad Sammy, naughty boy," Serafall scolded, hands on her hips. "And stop molesting my Sona-tan! That's my job!"
"He is not molesting me!" Sona barked back, standing rapidly as she grabbed her sister's twintails and tugged them in opposite directions. "And it is certainly not your job!"
"Sona-tan hates me! Curse you, Sammy! You've turned her against me!" Serafall whined, pouting outrageously. "I demand imouto cuddle times as reparations! Use an Edict to make all little sisters cuddlebugs!"
"I'm afraid that's not quite how they work, Lady Serafall," Samuel replied with far more grace and propriety than the situation called for.
"Then use your tentacles to tie her up for special sisterly cuddle bonding!" Serafall demanded. "Ooh, right. I don't suppose you're interested in a career in acting? Miracle☆Levia-tan could use a new character with lewd tentacle powers!"
"My apologies, Samuel. It appears that any further work is a lost cause today. If we don't humour her, she'll cry and simply get worse," Sona replied with a groan.
"I'm serious! We can dress you up as a villain and 'fight' with lots of sexy wardrobe malfunctions and a scene of the beautiful Levia-tan all tied up and defenceless!" Serafall whined, and what made Sona sigh even harder was the fact that she was probably telling the truth. "Well, the final version on TV never actually shows anything, but as my co-star you'd get the unedited show. We can use a potion that melts clothes and coat your tentacles with it so-"
Silencing Serafall by simply pinching her lips together, Sona gave Samuel an apologetic smile.
"I believe that's enough for today. We can arrange the last couple of awakenings at school tomorrow. I'm sure you have preparations to do for your first day at Kuoh, anyway," Sona suggested, ignoring the mumbling of Serafall as she continued to yap into Sona's hand.
"Quite right," Samuel admitted, taking the hint. "A pleasure as always, Lady Serafall, Lady Sitri."
Sona smirked as she watched him jog over to Momo to say goodbye to her, giving her a kiss before he left. Yes, encouraging that budding relationship was only going to help her in the long run.
"So-tan is no fun," Serafall whined as she let go of her sister's lips.
"So-tan was having a lot of fun and intended to have even more before you showed up and ruined it. But, as it happens… I do have some work for the Satan of Foreign Affairs. How convenient your timing was," Sona said cruelly, pushing her glasses up as they glinted in the light. As Serafall tried to run, Sona grabbed her shoulder with an unmoving smile.
"Nooooo! Sona-tan, come back to me. Don't be corrupted by the dark arts of bureaucracy!" Serafall cried as Sona prevented her from fleeing. She planned to be getting a back, and possibly a foot massage right now, with enough teasing and flirting to further her plans to bind Samuel to her peerage, but since Serafall had interrupted, it was time to put the big baby to work.
– Samuel Morgan –
After managing to escape the pleasant flesh-pile of Rias and Koneko, which proved to be a challenging task, especially when Koneko woke up and jumped me in the shower, I have to admit that there are benefits to staying in the Occult Research Building. It makes my commute to work far easier than I'm used to, being a swift five minute walk.
The morning passes easily enough, and despite the supernatural nature of the school, our faculty meeting feels all too familiar. I don't know how many teachers are aware of the supernatural, but given the way many of them act around me as well as the cautious looks I'm receiving, I suspect the answer is 'most'. Well, it could also be the fact that I'm the only male teacher. Apparently, my predecessor was male as well, but he was an old, balding man who got caught placing a hidden camera in the girls' locker room.
It's hard to keep a straight face during the discussion, considering I've already impregnated two students, driven another into a pleasure coma and watched a fourth masturbate while she watched me breed her friend. Someone really should take away my teaching credentials.
None of my fellow devils are in my first class, of the college-age students, and it doesn't take me long to find myself back in a familiar position. The young male teacher faced with a horde of hormonal teenage girls. Or, better described as a slab of steak tossed out in front of starving lionesses. The more things change, I suppose.
I am well aware that I am good-looking, and becoming a devil has only increased my attractiveness. That, combined with the alleged effect of having a 'draconic aura' from Boosted Gear, means that the girls at Kuoh are thirstier than my more zealous admirers in my last life.
Of course, in this life I have to admit I am not quite as… professional as I once was. Honestly, it's rather freeing to not spend every class panicking over what could be misconstrued as inappropriate behaviour while interacting with the female student body. I have no real interest in any of the human students, but it still allows me to actually interact with my students better.
But not all attention is positive as I begin my second-year class. I wish I could say it's the girl who adjusted her steamed-up glasses and is actively drooling as she stares at my crotch that is the problem, but-
"Go away, pretty boy!" "Handsome bastards, die!" "That's not fair! There weren't supposed to be any good-looking guys in Kuoh! First Kiba and now this?!"
Staring at the so-called 'perverted trio' in disbelief, I wonder if they've actually considered the scene they are making.
"Quiet down, please. This is a classroom, not a stadium," I respond simply, giving all three a stern look as I call upon my animalistic nature from the beast ritual. And maybe a little draconic aura thrown in for good measure. I probably shouldn't have, given the way many of the girls are blushing, and the bespectacled girl is currently heavily breathing. Going through the introductions, I learn that my latest 'admirer' is named Aika, and I can already tell that she's likely as, if not more, degenerate than the trio currently hiding in the back.
She's just better at controlling herself. No, wait, she just openly flashed me. Well, she's better at plausible deniability. If I call her out, she asks why I was looking there in the first place and claims it was an accident.
…are those three reading porn mags in the middle of class?
Disrupting my class? I don't fucking think so. Witness the pettiness of a devil teacher who can get away with abusing his students. They whine as I confiscate their magazines, which they shouldn't have access to at their age anyway, and tell them that they are welcome to ask their parents to come and reclaim them. Something tells me none of them will take me up on that offer. What they don't realise is that our brief contact is their downfall. In a past life, I'd have dragged them to the principal, very offended. In this world? I'm going to introduce them to a simple truth. Excessive masturbation causes baldness. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
[Induce Baldness] is my most subtle power, as it leaves no visible signs of its effect. I can also set it to cause hair to fall out gradually, rather than all at once. As for the one that is already bald? Koneko agreed to kick him in the balls for a cookie. Phantom Strikes is great for plausible deniability as well. Yes, I'll admit that it is not very original or elegant, but it is a start.
Witness my vengeance. This is for every teacher who has had to deal with a pack of idiots hiding at the back of the class, causing a scene and making our jobs harder! Witness it!
Feats Achieved: Become the Eternal Rival of the Perverted Trio, one roll. Make Aika Kiryuu cum without touching her, one roll. Two rolls granted.
…is she fucking masturbating in class? Boosting my enhanced senses, I pick up the quietest whirring sound from between her now clamped closed thighs. What, in the name of the Four Satans, is wrong with this class?
Rolling. Results: Uncommon, Rare.
[Patrol] - Uncommon Power
You can create invisible spectres that travel a designated route. While they don't share senses with you, you have a sense of the things happening around them. While there are no limits on how many you can make, they only move as fast as a normal walking speed.
[Hydrokinesis: Holy Water] - Rare Power
Allows you to create and control holy water. Holy water is very effective against unholy beings; you expend more energy to either generate more water or create more potent holy water.
I… am very conflicted. I should be, at the very least, annoyed at Aika. On the other hand, holy fucking shit. I am a devil that can produce an unlimited amount of holy water. More than produce, I can generate and then control it like a holy water bender.
As the class continues, with the trio quieting down at the urging of the glasses-wearing member, Motohama, who seems like what passes for the brains of their operation, I immediately create several spectres with [Patrol] and begin to spread them out throughout the school.
The lesson goes well enough once the idiots quiet down, but I can already tell they are going to be a problem.
"Miss Kiryuu, remain after class," I say, causing a series of oooohs as the class engages in that long-standing teenage tradition of schadenfreude. Aika pauses, midway through putting her books away.
"Sure, sensei~" Aika agrees easily, unbothered by my words. I wait for the other students to filter out, some lingering around in the hopes of seeing some drama, before I shoo them away. "Hoping I want to earn some extra credit, sir?"
"Not quite," I say simply, approaching her after using Patrol to make sure nobody is listening in. "I simply wanted to discuss the school's dress code with you. While some accessorising is permitted, you seem to be pushing the limits on what can be classified as an accessory, Miss Kiryuu."
Her smug smile fades in an instant, face going from hungry to bright red instantaneously as she realises what I'm hinting at.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about-" Aika starts, face burning red and eyes wide in panic. Not out of embarrassment, but out of the knowledge that as lax as the rules in Kuoh are, she'd crossed those lines today.
"I have very good hearing, and the buzzing and whirring coming from you is telling, unless you happen to have another device on you responsible for it," I scold, arms crossed, before I make my move. Stepping forward, I slip my hand into her bag and pull out a small pink remote I had noticed her toying with during class, after I realised what she was doing.
"W-wait-" Aika says, seeing my fingers primed. I ignore her and dial up the device, watching her entire body shudder as the two dildos inside her ass and pussy and two small egg vibrators taped to her nipples all begin buzzing louder. Falling to her knees, she muffles a moan with her hands, eyes wide in disbelief.
This is not my old world. At first, I thought it was just the devil girls, being literal creatures of sin, but today has shown me that it isn't.
"Do you think this is an appropriate toy to be bringing into school, Miss Kiryuu?" I ask, my draconic aura flaring as Aika pants and struggles to rise. I dial it down to let her rise to her feet, but the fear on her face has faded into something else entirely.
"Sorry I'm such a naughty girl, sen-sei~" Aika flirts, gasping as I pin her next to her desk. It's becoming rather apparent that I've changed far more than I originally believed as I slip my hand beneath her skirt and pull the first dildo out of her soaked pussy. This is so far past the line it's not even funny, but Aika is doing nothing but panting like a dog in heat as I remove the smaller one from her lubed-up asshole. This girl is far worse than the trio, it turns out.
She has every chance to complain as my hands slide up and under her shirt, moving up to cup her unsurprisingly bare breasts. Instead, she pushes her chest out further into my hands and only lets out a small yelp as I remove the toys taped to her nipples. Instead of pulling back, I let my hands linger there for a moment as I squeeze her small but incredibly perky breasts and tease her nipples.
This world is insane, but when in Rome…
— Bonus Scene — Kaho Saji
Sitting in her home, she considered her options.
Genshirou was dead. She had been horrified when she'd found his body, but realism forced her to consider the future even as she tried to comfort Gengo. She knew she was mature for a middle-schooler, but she wasn't left with much of a choice. Genshirou had done his best after their parents died, but they'd all had to grow up far too fast and now that he was dead?
She'd assumed she'd end up in an orphanage, where it was entirely possible that she'd be separated from Gengo. She'd even been trying to prepare herself for that eventuality.
Then she'd had a visitor. She'd not trusted Miss Gremory at first. Of course, she hadn't. Everything Rias had said sounded insane, but insanity seemed to be her usual state at the moment. At the very least, once she'd proven that she truly was a devil, Rias had informed her that her brother's mysterious death was suspected of being committed by a group of Fallen Angels, but Kaho didn't have time to think about revenge or anything like that.
Looking down at the pawn in her hands, Kaho nodded to herself. She had a way to keep her family, or what was left of it, together. Calling Miss Gremory, she hoped she wasn't making a mistake.