Right now, Leo was still slumped over his desk in class, secretly trying to catch up on sleep.
Lunch break was almost here, and the final period for Class 3-C wasn't anything important. Leo had simply knocked out on his desk, and Utaha had done the same. More than a few classmates watching them from the corners of their eyes let their imaginations run wild.
When Sona contacted him, Leo was still groggy, barely awake. But once class ended, he dragged himself out of the room and headed for the rooftop, where he summoned a small magic circle in his palm.
"Going to Kuoh Academy?"
Hearing Sona's request woke him up a bit. He looked noticeably more alert now.
"Why are you suddenly asking me to bring my servants over to Kuoh Academy as guests?"
He slapped his cheeks, forcing himself awake, and asked Sona.
"It's not sudden. We've talked about this, haven't we? If there's a chance, our servants should meet each other. They'll be able to look out for one another in the future." Sona always acted quickly and decisively. "Rias happened to be curious about you too, so I thought we might as well set up a meeting."
Leo, Sona, and Rias were the new generation of devils preparing to officially debut. They were the same age, peers who might one day become competitors—or allies. Getting to know each other early wasn't a bad thing.
The Underworld wasn't only about fighting. Pureblood devil families valued connections just like the prestigious families of the human world. With the number of pureblood devils shrinking, alliances were more important than ever. Marriage between families was even more encouraged—both Sona and Rias had been bound by arranged engagements since childhood.
Leo, though technically half-devil and half–human exorcist, was still the last heir of the long-fallen Eligos lineage. Now that he'd become a High-Class Devil and received a rank and Evil Pieces, the higher-ups had no choice but to recognize his pureblood status. They needed more pureblood devils—no matter how inconvenient it was.
With the Sitri House sponsoring him from the shadows, the two houses were already seen as budding allies. Naturally, Sona wanted to introduce Leo and Rias, strengthen ties, and perhaps even help with Rias's long-standing dilemma…
After all, they were the two people closest to her in their generation. Why wouldn't she help the two of them get along?
Leo could guess her intentions.
"Alright. Let's meet." Leo agreed easily. "I'm pretty curious about the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess myself."
She was the main heroine of the original story, glowing with every possible spotlight. Pretending not to want to meet her would be a lie.
And beyond that, Rias, like Sona, was the heir of a noble house. Both had close relatives who were Maou. Getting on good terms with her would only bring benefits.
Not to mention, her servants were all absurdly exceptional. Even if Leo's servants were all promising in their own right, they couldn't yet compare to the future lineup under Rias's banner—characters who, in the original timeline, included multiple Longinus wielders, people with special bloodlines, and talents destined to rise to High-Class Devil status and beyond. Some would eventually reach Maou-Class or higher.
Rias might think she was envying Leo, but Leo was the one who truly felt envious.
If he had servants of that quality, he'd take off instantly.
Even as things stood now, Rias's current servants weren't inferior to his at all. They lacked a Longinus wielder so far, but they were already impressive.
Leo and Sona arranged a time. He would bring his servants and travel directly to Kuoh Academy through a magic circle.
After that, Leo remembered his agreement with Tiamat and mentioned it.
"You actually met the Chaos Karma Dragon?"
Sona was visibly shocked.
"More like… I might have drawn her in." Leo scratched his cheek. "I didn't expect to meet the ruler of the Familiar Forest when I was just trying to catch a familiar."
"Then your luck is amazing." Sona sounded impressed. "Everyone knows the Dragon King lives in the Familiar Forest, but few ever meet her. She doesn't like getting involved with the Underworld. For you to encounter her at all… that's rare fortune."
Hearing this, Leo understood—Sona clearly didn't know that Tiamat and Ajuka Beelzebub were allies. While she appeared uninvolved with devil society, she was actually the underground referee of the Rating Games—one of the most important figures in the Underworld.
But that was to be expected. Even in the original story, barely anyone knew this secret. The number-one Rating Game champion, "the Emperor," had only heard rumors before eventually confirming it. Sona hadn't even had her debut yet—there was no way she would know.
Since Sona didn't know, Leo naturally wouldn't expose the truth.
"If you have time, help me look into the Tablet of Destiny," Leo said, revealing his actual reason. "Even just a lead is fine."
"Alright. I'll ask my family to keep an eye out." Sona agreed as readily as always. "If you find it, you'll not only get two excellent servants—you'll also build a connection with the strongest Dragon King. That'll help you a lot in the future."
"Yeah." Leo let out a joking sigh. "If only I could recruit her as my servant."
"You want the Chaos Karma Dragon as your servant?" Sona laughed. "You really dare to dream."
If Leo could recruit Tiamat, he wouldn't need to wait for the future—he'd shoot to the top immediately.
With Tiamat's unmatched, nearly Maou-Class–surpassing power, any Rating Game involving Leo would be over before it began. The other teams might as well surrender outright.
Leo knew it was impossible… but he couldn't help it. His Evil Pieces had reacted.
When Tiamat appeared before him, the Evil Pieces in his subspace reacted more violently than ever—especially the Queen piece. Even Yukino, with her Longinus, hadn't provoked such a response. Back then, the Bishop piece had merely lit up.
But in Tiamat's presence, the Queen piece shone with blinding light.
If he could recruit her, not only would he secure the most important servant spot—the Queen—but the resulting feedback would probably surpass even what he'd gained from Yukino, potentially boosting him straight into ten-winged devil territory.
Unfortunately, she was the strongest Dragon King. Even the Four Great Maou likely couldn't recruit her as a servant. Otherwise, Ajuka Beelzebub wouldn't just be allies with her.
His most important Queen piece would have to wait. Hopefully, one day it would find a suitable match.
Sona ended the communication. Leo dispersed his magic circle and left the rooftop, heading toward the Occult Affairs Club room.
He figured his girls were probably still half-asleep and wondered whether they'd skip lunch and go nap in the clubroom instead.
Thinking this, he entered the room—only to be surprised to find all three girls awake, looking far more refreshed than expected.
"President, you're here?"
Asuna was pouring tea for Yukino and Utaha. Whatever tea she brewed filled the room with a rich aroma. Yukino and Utaha each held a cup, drinking with utter satisfaction—their dark circles completely gone.
"You all skipped class to nap this morning?" Leo asked as he walked inside. "Why do you look so awake now?"
"Skipped class?" Yukino shot him a sideways glance. "Do you take us for someone like you? As if we'd skip class just because we're tired."
Of course not—they were straight-A students. Skipping class casually was unthinkable.
"It's thanks to Asuna," Utaha said, no longer looking like the half-dead girl from the morning. She took another leisurely sip. "This tea is amazing. If I'd known something this good existed, I would've gone to her right away."
Tea?
Leo looked at the steaming cups.
Just smelling it refreshed him instantly, wiping away a chunk of his fatigue.
Where did this tea even come from…?
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