When the sun rose, pale light spilling across the rooftops of Kuoh, Silas was already awake.
His room was quiet except for the steady rhythm of controlled breathing and the soft thud of movement against the floor. He moved through a series of exercises with disciplined precision—push-ups, core work, squats, shadowboxing combinations. Each motion was clean. But of course.....
Not that he needed to do any of this.
His body didn't fatigue at all not like normal human's would. His muscles didn't truly burn. His stamina was, for all practical purposes, endless.
Still—It was habit. Routine grounded him. It reminded him that he had once been human.
Sweat beaded lightly along his temples as he transitioned into a final set, finishing with a slow exhale before straightening fully.
He rolled his shoulders once, then twice, stretching his arms above his head.
'What to do today?' he wondered idly. 'Find myself a stray devil and mirk them? That would be funny.'
He wanted to test the waters.
He imagined how the Underworld would react if a random "transfer student" casually erased one of their problems overnight. The mental image amused him.
He stretched properly this time—neck, back, legs—loosening everything before heading to the bathroom.
A hot shower followed, steam rising and fogging the mirror as water ran over his shoulders, washing away the light sheen of sweat.
Minutes later, dressed neatly in his Kuoh Academy uniform, he adjusted his collar and grabbed his bag.
He stepped out of his apartment and locked the door behind him.
And froze. Standing just outside the small gate of the building was Sona Sitri.
Composed and neatly dressed, like always.
Her posture was straight, hands folded lightly in front of her. She looked as if she had been standing there for a few minutes already.
She smiled faintly when she saw him.
"Good morning, Silas."
He blinked once, genuinely surprised. "Well… good morning to you too. I thought I'd seen it all. What brings you here this fine morning?" he asked, closing the gate and stepping in front of her.
She shrugged lightly, maintaining her calm expression. "I figured it would be nice to walk you to school. Perhaps show you a shortcut. As Student Council President, it's my responsibility to ensure students take recommended routes so they arrive on time and avoid… unnecessary trouble."
He listened carefully, nodding slowly.
'Sounds made up,' he thought.
At the exact same time—
'I just made that up,' Sona thought.
Neither showed it.
"Well, thanks I guess," he replied with an easy smile. "We should get going then."
She nodded and turned smoothly. "Good. Follow me."
Silas shrugged and fell into step beside her as they began walking down the quiet morning street.
The air was cool, carrying the scent of dew and fresh pavement. A few other students walked in the distance, unaware of the quiet strategic maneuver happening right beside them.
Sona kept her gaze forward, but her mind was active.
'I should use this to get ahead of Rias.'
If Silas truly was a god—or something beyond their structure—then proximity mattered. Understanding mattered and more importantly, trust.
And she had no intention of letting Rias monopolize the situation.
Beside her, Silas glanced sideways at her composed expression.
'This should be interesting,' he thought.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke. It wasn't awkward—just measured. Two people aware of each other's presence, testing the rhythm.
"So," Silas began casually, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, "do you usually escort transfer students personally? Or am I receiving special treatment?"
Sona adjusted her glasses slightly, keeping her gaze forward. "As Student Council President, I take my responsibilities seriously."
"That doesn't answer the question."
A faint pause.
"…It is uncommon," she admitted.
Silas smirked lightly. "I'll take that as special treatment."
She ignored the remark, though the corner of her lips twitched almost imperceptibly. "You adapted quickly yesterday."
"To devils and hidden factions?" he asked lightly. "It's not the strangest thing I've experienced."
"You say that often," Sona observed. "As if you measure everything against something else."
He tilted his head slightly. "Maybe I do."
She glanced at him briefly now, studying his profile. "You don't seem surprised by anything."
"I'm surprised," he replied calmly. "Just not easily shaken."
Sona hummed thoughtfully. "Confidence can border on arrogance."
"And caution can border on fear," he countered smoothly.
That earned him a side glance.
"I am not afraid of you," she said evenly.
"I didn't say you were."
Their eyes met for half a second before both looked ahead again.
A group of younger students passed them, whispering quietly when they recognized Sona. She acknowledged them with a polite nod, posture effortlessly composed.
"You carry yourself differently at school," Silas noted.
"In what way?"
"More authority. Less… hesitation."
"I do not hesitate."
He chuckled softly. "You did yesterday. When you asked what I was. Though it was blunt I could tell it took your all to ask me"
She didn't respond immediately.
"That was calculation," she corrected after a moment. "Not hesitation."
"Of course."
They turned a corner, the academy gates now visible in the distance.
Sona decided to shift the topic. "What did you mean yesterday when you said you maintain balance in your universe?"
He looked up at the sky briefly before answering. "Balance isn't always about saving people. Sometimes it's about removing things that disrupt the natural order."
"Removing," she repeated.
"Yes."
Her expression remained neutral, but she was clearly processing that.
"And what would you remove here?" she asked.
He smiled faintly. "That depends on what I find."
They reached the front of the school gates. Students were already gathering, conversations buzzing in clusters.
Sona slowed her pace slightly.
"This is where I leave you," she said calmly. "The 'recommended route' ends here."
Silas stopped in front of her.
"Thank you for the escort, President Sitri," he said, tone light but sincere.
"You're welcome."
He stepped slightly closer—not invading her space, but close enough that she had to tilt her head just a fraction to maintain eye contact.
"You know," he added casually, lowering his voice just a touch, "if this is how you handle student welfare, I might start getting into trouble on purpose."
Her brows lifted faintly. "I would advise against that."
"Would you now?"
"Yes."
He smiled, slow and deliberate. "Then I suppose I'll behave. Wouldn't want to disappoint you."
For the first time that morning, she hesitated.
Just slightly.
"…See you, Silas," she said, turning before he could read too much into her expression.
He watched her walk toward the council building, posture perfectly composed once more.
' Interesting,' he thought.
Then he turned toward the main building, hands slipping back into his pockets as a faint grin rested on his face.
' This is how fights in death note be fr' he thought.
TO BE CONTINUED