Inside the clubroom, only Akeno was present. When she saw Rias and Ryuya appear through teleportation, she greeted them with a warm smile.
"Good morning."
Then her gaze shifted to Ryuya, concern in her gentle eyes. "How are you feeling? Any better?"
"Thank you for asking. President Rias already treated me," Ryuya replied.
His eyes wandered around the room—and he noticed that Koneko wasn't there. "Where's Koneko? I don't see her."
"She went to investigate that Fallen Angel last night," Akeno explained with her usual calm smile. "Afterward, she received another contract summon. She'll probably be back a bit later today."
"Hehe, Ryuya, you handed out quite a few flyers yesterday, didn't you?" Akeno teased softly. "Maybe you'll get summoned too in the next day or two~"
"…Let's hope so."
Ryuya didn't hold much expectation. Realistically, those flyers were probably tossed into trash bins the moment people saw them.
Rias turned to Akeno. "Any new information about last night's Fallen Angel?"
She was still thinking about the one who'd injured Ryuya. The one he killed was only a servant—the real target was the master behind it.
Akeno frowned slightly, thinking. "Hmm… since that Fallen Angel's already dead, it's hard to track much from the divine residue left behind. But if I encounter another servant from the same lineage, I'll definitely recognize that same wavelength of holy power."
"I see," Rias said, sighing lightly. "Then it looks like we can't avenge you just yet. If we run into that master again, I'll make sure they pay. You shouldn't have to suffer for nothing."
Ryuya chuckled. "President, there's nothing to avenge. I just got a little hurt—while that fallen angel paid with her life."
"…You've got a point," Rias said with a small laugh. "Then let's hope their master prays never to meet us again."
Just then, a crimson teleportation circle lit up, and Koneko Toujou returned.
"Oh my, you're back already," Akeno smiled. "Did the contract go well?"
"Successful," Koneko replied with a rare, faint smile.
"Congrats—and thanks for your hard work last night," Ryuya said sincerely.
"You're welcome. Here, for you…"
Koneko handed him breakfast, having brought food for everyone.
Rias grinned as she accepted her share. "Cream bread, huh? Not bad at all. Thanks, Koneko~"
As they all sat together eating breakfast, Ryuya's mind wandered to the idea of contracts.
Did devils really have to make pacts with humans to grow stronger?
Wasn't that… a bit too dependent on humans?
Unable to shake his curiosity, he asked the question aloud.
The moment the words left his lips, all three girls went silent.
After several seconds, Rias finally sighed softly.
"Everyone knows what you're thinking," she said quietly. "But at this point, we have no other choice. It's not just us devils—angels are facing the same crisis. Why do you think they're so desperate to spread faith and gather followers?"
Akeno added gently, "Pure-blooded devils are nearly extinct now. The same goes for true angels, gods, and Fallen Angels. All three factions have dwindled so much that each side has become dependent on humans just to survive. That's the reality of the Three Realms today."
Ryuya listened silently, taking it all in. He had known their numbers were low, but he hadn't realized things were this dire.
The once-proud devils and angels—reduced to relying on fragile humans to stay alive. It was almost laughably ironic.
But then again… wasn't it their own fault?
They'd fought endless wars until nearly wiping out their own races.
He wanted to mock them for it, but seeing the way things were now, there wasn't much he could say.
If there was no other way to gain power, then making contracts with humans really was the only path forward.
When the school day began, Ryuya headed to class with Rias, Akeno, and Koneko. The day passed peacefully and uneventfully.
However, not long after school ended—just as Ryuya was about to continue handing out more flyers—he suddenly felt a surge of energy ripple through his body!
"This is…?"
He stared in surprise as streams of purple-black demonic energy began swirling around him.
Something—or someone—was summoning him.
Everyone in the clubroom turned their heads toward Ryuya, surprised by the sudden surge of power.
"A contract summon?" Rias blurted out.
Ryuya's eyes lit up instantly. "So this is… a summoning?"
"My, my~ that's right," Akeno said with her usual elegant smile. "That's exactly what it looks like when someone calls for you. What are you waiting for? Go on and respond to it—I'll prepare the teleportation circle for you."
Realizing what was happening, Ryuya quickly nodded. "Got it. Thank you, Vice President."
"Do your best," Koneko said softly from the side, offering a quiet word of encouragement.
Ryuya smiled faintly. "Yeah. I'll be back with good news."
As Akeno infused her magic into the teleportation circle beneath him, the runes glowed with crimson light.
In the next moment, Ryuya Kurobane's figure vanished from the clubroom.
———
A few minutes earlier.
The door of a high-end apartment clicked open. Sakurajima Mai stepped inside, closing it behind her with a tired sigh.
She looked down at the pineapple bread in her hand—her expression faintly clouded with frustration.
The phenomenon of being unseen… was getting worse.
Just now, when she tried to buy bread, no matter what she did, the shop clerk couldn't perceive her. In the end, she had no choice but to pick up the bread herself, leave the money on the counter, and walk out silently.
It had been like this for some time now.
To confirm whether anyone could still see her, Mai had even put on a bunny girl costume and walked through the streets in broad daylight—something she would never normally do.
But the result was devastating: not a single person noticed her.
She told herself she wasn't panicking… but of course, that was a lie. Still, she tried to stay calm.
Maybe it was just this area around the school. Maybe outside the city, there were still people who could see her.
Yes—yesterday, she had met someone who could see her. That boy…
Entering the bathroom, she took off her bunny girl outfit and hung it on the rack. Then she sank into the warm water of the bathtub, letting out a quiet breath.
As she stared absentmindedly at the ceiling, something caught her eye—a piece of paper sticking out between the folds of her clothes.
She reached out and pulled it free.
Ah, right. This was the flyer that boy had handed her yesterday—the one who could actually see her.
She looked at it curiously. A strange, intricate magic circle was printed across its surface.
"What even is this…? Occult Research Club?" she murmured to herself. "It says it can grant wishes… seriously?"
Just as she was thinking that, the paper suddenly began to glow—radiating a faint, pulsing violet light!
Mai's eyes widened in surprise.
"What the—?!"
The pattern… it was really glowing?
Even with her calm, composed personality, this was enough to rattle her. Still, she tried to keep her composure, blinking as the light grew brighter.
Then—
Splash! Splash!
A surge of hot water burst from the tub as a figure appeared out of thin air, dropping straight into the bath with a heavy splash!
Water sloshed over the edge, flooding the tiles.
Ryuya sat up in the tub, dripping wet, his soaked clothes clinging to his body. He frowned, clearly unamused.
"…What the hell?"
When he looked up, he froze.
Right in front of him, sitting across in the same bathtub, was a very familiar girl—Sakurajima Mai—staring at him in stunned silence.
The two of them locked eyes, neither speaking a word.
"…"
Sakurajima Mai: "…"
...
---