The clubroom door opened slowly. The metallic sound of the handle echoed through the quiet room. All eyes turned at once to the entrance.
Sona entered first, her steps firm and silent. Her immaculate uniform reflected her rigid posture. Behind her, Tsubaki followed like a shadow, every movement carrying the same cold discipline that defined her presence.
Kiba rose from his chair as soon as the two crossed the threshold. He walked slowly until he stood behind Rias, like a faithful knight awaiting orders.
The silence was thick. Only the sound of curtains swaying in the wind broke the tension.
Rias stepped forward. Her red hair caught the soft light from the window, but her crimson eyes were fixed on Sona.
"Why did you call this meeting so early? You could have spoken about your new member at any other time."
Her tone wasn't harsh, but it carried calculated disdain, as if the matter were irrelevant.
Sona didn't react immediately. The silence between them stretched, heavy. Tsubaki, unmoving at her side, seemed like a raised blade awaiting the command to strike.
In Sona's mind, that moment only reinforced why she had stopped trusting Rias with certain decisions. The redhead was her childhood friend, but that air of superiority, that habit of dismissing serious matters, were reason enough not to regret her choice regarding Issei.
"That is only one of the reasons I came."
Sona's words rang firm, pulling everyone's attention.
Rias's gaze shifted, disdain giving way to subtle interest. Her crossed arms relaxed just enough to show that curiosity had won over arrogance.
"So there's another reason?"
Sona adjusted her glasses, her cold voice flawless.
"Yes. Two, to be exact. The first you already suspect, but I won't dwell on it now."
Rias's heart quickened. It was impossible not to think of the rumor she'd already heard about her friend's peerage gaining a new member. Akeno's teasing words still echoed in her memory.
Sona, however, left no room for questions.
"That first reason you'll discover on your own. Consider it a surprise."
Rias frowned. A faint blush touched her face, caught between impatience and the sting of being tested.
Akeno arched an eyebrow, her provocative smile widening. Kiba, standing still behind Rias, kept his face neutral, though his eyes carefully observed every gesture.
Sona then stepped forward. The window's light glinted off her glasses, hiding her eyes yet still cutting into the room.
"The second reason is more direct. A name: Saji Genshirou."
The silence grew heavy. No one reacted at first, until Rias blinked slowly, her brow furrowing in puzzlement.
"Saji?"
Sona nodded, her voice unhurried.
"A human from Kuoh. Unusual potential hidden among the crowd. I researched him carefully when considering options to expand my peerage. And I confess, in a moment of regret over certain choices, I wondered if he might have been a better candidate."
Rias's eyes narrowed. The comment felt like a veiled provocation, though Sona's tone remained cool and neutral.
"Why are you telling me this now?"
Sona lifted her chin, each word precise.
"Because I decided not to recruit him. But it would be a mistake to waste such talent. I'm giving you this opportunity. Consider Saji an open piece, someone who could strengthen your peerage—if you have the vision to guide him."
Rias stepped back slightly, surprise hidden by her stiff posture. The silence stretched as she absorbed the weight of the offer.
Her heart beat faster. Since hearing about Sona's new member, the unease had burned inside her. The memory of dismissing the subject moments earlier now felt like a stain on her role as King. And now, with her friend offering her a golden chance, guilt became unavoidable.
"Thank you, Sona."
Her voice came calm, but lower than usual. A faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her inner struggle.
Sona showed neither superiority nor excess coldness. She simply adjusted her glasses and replied naturally.
"That's what friends are for."
The words sounded polite to everyone else in the room. But to Rias, they were sharp blades. Her chest tightened. Pride had always been her shield, and feeling guilt was the emotion she hated most. Now, she was drowning in it.
Akeno, who had until then kept her teasing smile, noticed the growing weight in the air. The dense atmosphere threatened to consume the room. With a graceful motion, she stepped away from the wall, her voice melodic and strategic.
"How about some tea to lighten this mood?"
The gesture was delicate but effective. The curtains swayed with the breeze, following the shift Akeno tried to impose.
Sona turned her eyes to her. Tsubaki, rigid as ever, remained still at the president's side, but observed the suggestion carefully.
"That's kind of you, Akeno."
The Sitri Queen gave a slight bow, discreet yet filled with courtesy.
"But we have other matters today. We can't linger."
Tsubaki added, her voice firm.
"Indeed. The president has unavoidable commitments."
The silence lingered for a few seconds more, but it was no longer suffocating. Akeno's intervention had broken the heaviest tension, giving everyone a chance to reset.
Rias took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Her crimson gaze swept the faces before her, settling on Sona. The memory of her words still echoed. That's what friends are for.
Her pride wounded, her guilt throbbing, and the uncomfortable sense of having missed something important. The Gremory heiress hated feeling like this, but couldn't deny the truth.
Sona inclined her head slightly in parting.
"Consider what I've said, Rias."
The sharp sound of the door opening marked their departure.
Clack.
Tsubaki was the last to cross the threshold, the glint of her glasses flashing before the wood closed completely.
Silence held for a while longer. Only the soft sound of the wind through the curtains remained, filling the heavy room.
Akeno turned slowly to Kiba, her teasing smile returning, though subdued.
"Kiba, do you know this Saji?"
Kiba straightened, standing tall behind Rias. His voice came calm but firm.
"Yes. I know Saji. He's a student here. Doesn't stand out, but I've noticed there's something unusual about him."
Akeno narrowed her eyes, intrigued.
"Good. Then keep watch on him for us. I want to know just how far this 'unusual potential' Sona mentioned goes."
Kiba nodded silently. He stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"Understood. I'll return with information."
He crossed the room with steady steps, the sound of his boots echoing until it faded down the corridor.
Clack.
The door closed behind him, and the room sank into a different silence. It wasn't heavy anymore, but it carried a subtler tension.
There had been no real need to send Kiba so soon. Anyone could see it was only an excuse. The truth was clear: Akeno wanted to be alone with Rias.
The Queen walked to the central table. Her teasing gaze softened slightly, and her voice came lower, almost intimate.
"How are you, Rias?"
The redhead took a few seconds to reply. Her crossed arms pressed tighter against her body, her eyes lost in the distance.
"I'd feel better with a good cup of tea."
Akeno let out a soft laugh, almost musical. Her smile brightened again, now tinged with charm.
"Then I'll make one for you."
She walked to the corner of the room, where a magic kettle rested on a small table. The soft sound of water pouring and the aroma of tea spreading soon broke the lingering tension.
Rias stood by the window. The sunlight glowed in her hair, but her crimson eyes were distant. Regret gnawed at her. She had been cold, dismissive, and now Sona's words echoed like an accusation. That's what friends are for.
The weight in her chest grew. Rias despised this feeling. Pride had always been her greatest shield, but now it felt fragile, almost broken.
And she didn't yet know the worst of it. Regret was only the surface. The real blow would come when she learned who Sona's new peerage member truly was: the legendary Red Dragon Emperor.
When that truth came to light, what regret would remain? Would it be fleeting guilt, or the beginning of a deeper wound?
The future held the answer.
Akeno returned slowly, carrying a cup in her hands. The warm aroma of tea filled the air, gentle, almost sweet. She held it out to Rias with a teasing smile, though her eyes carried something more: silent observation, curiosity about what stirred in her friend's heart.
"Here. Maybe this will help ease the weight."
Rias accepted the cup without a word. Her crimson eyes flicked briefly to the trembling liquid inside.
Silence reigned between them. Only the distant ticking of the clock filled the room.
It was the end of a morning marked by uncomfortable truths and choices that would echo into the future.
The political game between the heiresses had just gained new pieces. But the board was far from fully revealed.
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