The sun filtered through the windows of the Gremory mansion, bathing the living room in a soft glow. The scent of freshly brewed tea lingered in the air, and the crimson curtains swayed gently with the morning breeze.
Rias watched Gasper standing before her, her crimson eyes reflecting quiet attention. He remained upright, tense, but his voice came out clear.
"Today I'm not going to school. I'll stay and train."
The redhead raised an eyebrow. For a moment, she seemed to weigh his words, but a faint smile soon softened the air.
"Alright. But when I come back, I expect a surprise."
The request hung in the air like a veiled challenge. Gasper didn't answer immediately. He only nodded, his gaze steady, revealing nothing about whether he truly understood what that meant.
Rias turned toward the door. Koneko followed silently, her steps light, while Kiba walked just behind, his expression as impeccable as always.
Clack
The sound of the door echoed through the hall, leaving Gasper alone with the mansion's silence.
He walked toward the training field behind the estate, where the ground bore the marks of old spells and cracks from residual energy. The breeze carried dust and a faint sense of solitude.
He raised his hand, focusing. The energy within him stirred, and the dark flame began to manifest. Strange heat coursed through his arm, heavy and alive.
Fwoooosh
The Twilight Flame flickered unsteadily, wavering as if about to die out at any second. Gasper gritted his teeth, trying to hold the flow steady, but the flame danced out of control, ignoring his effort.
'It's useless. I'm here, but my mind isn't. Without focus, nothing changes.'
The flame vanished, leaving only emptiness behind. He exhaled softly, frustration weighing on him. The morning stretched on through similar attempts, but the result was always the same. Instability. No real progress.
When the sun had climbed high, Gasper ended his training. His body was tired, but not as much as his mind. He left the field and walked toward the distant streets until stopping before an abandoned church.
The old structure loomed tall. The worn, dark walls cast long shadows under the afternoon light. The air there was colder, heavy with an uneasy silence.
Gasper stood at a distance, eyes fixed on the building. His breathing slowed, and an unsettling feeling crept over him. It wasn't pain. It wasn't fear. It was a silent warning—an instinct beyond logic.
'Something's wrong here. It's not just the fallen angels' presence. It's different. The story isn't following what I remember.'
He waited a few minutes, studying every shadow, every sound. But no one appeared.
'Asia… isn't here.'
The empty street confirmed his suspicion. Fate had diverged. His presence was already changing more than he'd expected.
A cold gust swept by, scattering dust across the pavement. Gasper stayed still, his red eyes reflecting the weight of uncertainty.
'What else has changed without me noticing?'
The presence appeared without warning. A young woman with black hair walked down the street, her steps light, her smile far too gentle to be genuine. Yuuma Amano. But to him, she was only Raynare.
A faint smile crossed Gasper's lips. No surprise—just confirmation.
Raynare frowned briefly. Even beneath her sweet facade, irritation surfaced. The boy's calm stare, unmoved by her disguise, was too unsettling.
'I could strike now. Erase this problem before it grows.'
The thought cut deep, but logic won. How could he explain to Rias why he was so close to a church? The risk outweighed any immediate gain.
He stepped back once, his gaze locked on the masked figure.
'Too soon. Not yet.'
Fwoooosh
A faint trace of demonic energy slipped from his body, dispersing into the air like a dying ember. Just enough to draw attention, not enough to reveal himself.
Raynare stopped mid-street. Among the passersby, her eyes caught a glimpse of a blonde boy walking away slowly. The energy was weak, insignificant. She didn't recognize him.
Her lips curled into a false smile. Yuuma had to maintain her act. She turned her gaze back to the church.
But hatred burned quietly beneath the mask.
'That brat… dares cross my path now? Damn worthless humans. As if failing with Issei wasn't enough. If I can't take it out on him, I'll unleash it on someone else. That blonde won't escape me.'
A poisonous glint flashed in her eyes before her gentle mask returned, flawless once more.
She resumed walking, her dark coat swaying in the wind.
Clack
Her heels echoed on the pavement, each step carrying a dark promise.
The abandoned church awaited her.
And so did vengeance.
The mansion's training field lay silent. A faint breeze swept grains of sand across the scorched ground marked by old spell circles. Gasper stood with his hand raised, eyes fixed on the wooden dummy ahead.
The flame appeared—small, dense, dark as night in motion.
Fwoooosh
The fire engulfed the dummy. Unlike normal flames, it burned the object's essence itself. The wood, reinforced by magic, should not have yielded so easily, yet cracks began to split across its surface.
Crack
A slight smile touched Gasper's lips. It wasn't perfect, but better than before. The Twilight Flame still wavered, but its power was undeniable.
'School should be ending soon. I'd better get ready before Rias comes back.'
He turned on his heel, leaving the burning dummy behind. The cold wind carried black smoke across the field as he walked back toward the mansion.
In the Occult Research Club, the atmosphere seemed ordinary. The curtains were drawn, blocking the afternoon sun, and the room was lit by suspended orbs of magic. The table was set with teacups and a plate of cookies.
The door opened.
Clack
Kiba entered first, his steps firm. Behind him came Saji, composed but visibly nervous.
Rias looked up from the sofa and smiled softly.
"Saji, I'm glad you came. Have a seat."
The boy bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you, Gremory-san."
He sat across from Koneko. The small girl was distracted, nibbling cookies without caring about the meeting.
Akeno approached in silence, balancing the tray with effortless grace. Her voice flowed like silk.
"Tea?"
Saji's eyes widened briefly, then he nodded quickly.
"Yes, please."
The cup met his hands, warmth seeping through his fingers. His heart began to race.
'What did I do to deserve the attention of the prettiest girls in school? This is unreal.'
Rias leaned forward slightly, her crimson eyes glowing under the magical light.
"Saji, do you believe in the supernatural?"
He froze for a second. The question caught him off guard. The club's name echoed in his mind, and he forced a quick smile.
"Yes. Of course I do."
'That's a lie, but if that's what she wants to hear, fine.'
The silence stretched a moment before Rias stood. Her gaze was steady, and the soft smile on her lips didn't hide the decision already made.
"Then I'm glad to hear you're willing to become my servant."
Her wings unfurled in a single fluid motion—black, majestic.
Fwoooosh
The teacup slipped from Saji's hands.
Clang
Tea splashed across the floor, hot liquid spotting the carpet. His body went rigid with shock.
"This… this can't be…"
His eyes darted toward Kiba for reassurance. The knight silently opened his own wings.
Koneko stopped chewing, revealing hers as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Akeno smiled as she spread hers too, the glint in her eyes as sharp as it was seductive.
Saji's heart pounded. Cold sweat traced his temple.
'I sold my soul to the devil.'
His breathing grew shallow. The wings before him weren't illusions—they were real. His hasty acceptance had just turned into a sentence.
And now, there was no going back.
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