A faint wind brushed past the red-eyed man standing atop one of the buildings, his gaze fixed sharply on Ryusei below.
He let out a low whistle, smirking.
"There you are... finally. Now all I need is to get you alone-no interference this time."
---
Ryusei, Issei, Koneko, and Saji wandered down a quiet street, the hum of the city blending with their chatter.
Saji groaned, dragging his feet.
"Cool, so I don't have to be here anymore, right? You've got Koneko and Ryusei with you-why do you even need me?"
Issei sighed.
"Because the more people we have, the better. It's not like finding those two Church girls will be easy, even with Ryusei's shadow soldiers helping us."
Ryusei, walking slightly ahead, tilted her head.
"They found them."
"What-already?!" Issei stumbles forward, eyes wide. "That's so cool!"
Koneko quietly nods in agreement. "Efficient as always."
"Ugh, great," Saji mutters. "Guess my hopes of heading home early are crushed."
"Stop whining," Ryusei says, already walking toward the location. "They're a few blocks from here."
{Meanwhile - Outside Kuoh Academy}
EX adjusts her school bag over her shoulder, preparing to leave when a familiar, commanding voice stops her.
"EX."
She turns, blinking in surprise. "Ah, Gremory-senpai. Did you need something?"
Rias walks toward her, arms crossed and a calm yet serious expression on her face.
"Yes, I do," Rias says, her sapphire eyes narrowing slightly. "Tell me... who are you really?"
EX freezes. "I-I don't understand what you mean."
"You heard me." Rias steps closer. "You look far too much like my Ryusei... same face, same aura. And that crimson hair-it's from my family line. That's not something I can overlook."
"I-uh-" EX takes a step back, her heart racing.
"Relax," Rias says softly but firmly, her tone lowering. "Let's talk somewhere private, shall we?"
EX glances toward the school gate, realizing she won't be able to walk away from this conversation.
"Alright..." she finally says, her voice barely above a whisper. "Lead the way."
Rias gives a small, knowing smile. "Good girl."
'Your lucky you're my mother...'
-----
"Relax, Saji," Issei says as the group walks down the street, following Ryusei's lead. "It's not like we're gonna run into a couple of weirdos in white robes on Main Street."
"Would you look at that," Koneko deadpans, pointing ahead. "Two weirdos in white robes in the middle of the street."
Sure enough, both Xenovia and Irina are wearing white Church robes with their hoods up. Passersby give them strange looks as the two zealously clasp their hands together.
"Oh, blessings upon the wandering sheep before us," Xenovia intones dramatically.
"We are pitiful compared to you, O Lord! Please have mercy upon us!" Irina adds, holding a small bowl like she's collecting divine donations.
"…Or maybe we will see two weirdos in white robes," Ryusei mutters, unimpressed.
---
{Later— Local Diner}
Moments later, the five of them (plus the two exorcists) are seated inside a small diner. The table's already stacked with dishes, and the smell of food fills the air. Irina, hood now off, eats like she's been starving for days, while Xenovia keeps hers up as she calmly devours her meal.
"Thanks for taking care of the bill, Ryusei…" Issei says, still staring at the mountain of plates piling up.
"It's fine," Ryusei says between bites of noodles. "I've got more money than I know what to do with anyway."
"Guess being a hunter really pays, huh," Koneko comments, watching Irina inhale another plate of rice.
"So delicious!" Xenovia says, barely pausing as she chews. "This is heaven!"
"Oh yeah!" Irina agrees, voice muffled through a mouthful of food. "Every bite feels like divine forgiveness!"
Ryusei finishes her third bowl and sets it down with a sigh. "This is nothing compared to my sister's cooking though."
"Your sister?" Irina perks up. "Haruka, right?"
Ryusei blinks. "Uh—yeah? How do you know her name?"
Irina smiles. "We met when we were a lot younger, back when Issei and I used to hang out. Not surprised you don't remember."
"Oh!" Issei suddenly exclaims. "That's right! I even have a picture of the three of us together!" He points at Ryusei. "I can't believe I never recognized you till now!"
"This is getting weirdly emotional," Saji says, leaning back in the booth.
"Yeah," Issei nods, glancing at the exorcists still eating like locusts. "They were really hungry, huh?"
The waitress arrives again, smiling politely despite the chaos. "Here's your hamburger steak."
A few minutes later, the entire table is buried under empty dishes. Xenovia stares blankly at the mess. "What just happened…? Even if this strengthens our faith, being saved by devils must mean the end of days."
"We practically sold our souls for this meal!" Irina cries dramatically, clasping her hands and looking upward as a soft beam of sunlight hits her face. "How will we ever be forgiven?"
Ryusei's eye twitches. "Is that my thanks for buying you food?! And for the record—I'm not a devil! I'm still human!"
"Relax, best bud," Issei says, patting her back with a grin. "You're making it sound like being a devil's a bad thing."
Irina gasps and presses her palms together again. "Lord, please have mercy on Ryusei's kind soul—even if she keeps company with the fallen!"
"Now you're really pissing me off!!" Ryusei shouts.
"For the love of thick thighs—damn it, stop praying already!" Issei yells, clutching his ears as a faint divine ringing echoes through the diner. Koneko and Saji wince beside him.
"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" Irina says, waving her hands nervously. "It's kind of a habit!"
"Yeah, well, unlearn it!"