Ayato returned home after the event at the school. It was like usual. Aside from using Shic, Ayato had a few other hobbies. Like reading theses, playing video games and training. But after that fight with Greed, he didn't feel like doing anything.
As he got to Shic, he decided to revise everything he knew about the jesters.
They first appeared at Ikebukuro Station destroying the surrounding buildings. Their names are Wrath and Greed. It is assumed that it was for recognition.
Then the report of the detonating magic circles. With the encounter at school, Ayato confirmed that it was Wrath's Magic Seal or brand at least.
Originally, Ayato believed that the jesters were after him but they didn't do anything to him at the school. What were they after?
That was the first and final question Ayato arrived at.
"Man, I'm as tired as shit! I can't be asked to think about those guys right now. Instead, I should be—"
Suddenly, the phone on his desk vibrated. Someone was calling him. Ayato picked up the phone and stared at the name.
"Unknown number... Shic, can you track it?"
[Untraceable.]
An autonomous voice spoke from the phone.
"Hello?"
He answered.
["Ayato Kyouya, is it?"]
Someone asked him. The voice was different from Wrath and Greed, the two jesters that he met. Perhaps, this was someone else unrelated. Ayato thought of this until...
["My name is Pride."]
'The Seven Deadly Sins, that's what the jesters are named after, I assume.'
["Just so that you're sure, I'm with those jesters you met. Meet me in the park near Auralia Magic High School. I want to talk to you."]
Sure enough, it was a jester. One named Pride. With the assumption that they were named after the Seven Deadly Sins, there would have to be four more in their group.
"Okay then. Let's meet up now."
["No police or third party. I'm sure you at least know that rule."]
"You need to know a lot more about me if you think I'm that stupid."
The jester chuckled over the phone. Ayato sensed that Pride was smiling.
["Yes, I do. I hope I learn a lot more about you, Ayato."]
He cut the phone. Ayato got a coat and went downstairs. He saw Anastasia at the bottom.
"Are you going out, Master?"
She asked him.
"Anastasia. How long left for Asteria?"
"Asteria? There are still around two days left. It should be ready by Monday."
"Monday, hm... I'm going out. You don't have to make dinner."
He said while opening the door. Anastasia mockingly laughed. Ayato frowned.
"What is it?!"
"Why would I not make food for you, Master? This is our home, after all. We're family."
His eyes lit up. He turned away to hide his flushed face. He wanted to hide how pleased he felt hearing that but Ayato didn't want Anastasia to mock him.
"I'm off then..."
Ayato retreated from the house and made his way to the park.
·———·
"Welcome, Ayato Kyouya!"
Sitting on a bench was a man. He was about Ayato's height—around 5 foot 9 inches—and wore a black suit with a white coat. The coat was long and reached the floor.
He crossed his legs. Unlike the other jesters, this man's mask covered his entire face. His mask frowned, although it didn't fit his attitude. The way he spread himself across the bench while crossing his legs gave off an air of dominance, like a king.
From his crossed legs to his tall build, his wide shoulders, and his uptilted chin. It screamed dominance. It screamed supremacy. It screamed...
"... Absolute fucking arrogance. How conceited can you be?"
Ayato asked the man on the bench. He leaned forward. The boy could sense the smile on his face.
"I am Pride, so don't think lightly of me."
"Really now?"
The black-haired boy narrowed his eyes. He was using his sixth sense. He was assessing Pride.
"Don't do that now."
"Ack!"
Suddenly, Ayato had a migraine. He held his head as he averted his eyes from the jester.
"I know how much of a problem the Blue Eyes of the Asanagis are."
Blue Eyes was what people outside of the Asanagi Family called their extrasensory perception. It had an official name but was known to only those of the Asanagi Family.
'He's doing something to disturb the mana particles around him. Almost like a cloak.'
This could mean a few things. Firstly, it could mean that Pride wanted to hide his mana pool from him. Knowing how much mana that one had was an advantage of the Blue Eyes. It could also gauge how strong someone may be from that factor.
Secondly, it could mean that Pride was too powerful for Ayato to read. This option was close to impossible.
Finally, and most likely, it was to keep his identity hidden. Ayato could remember the wavelengths of mana of people he would archive. The fact that Pride blocked the Blue Eyes meant...
"You... You know me, don't you? That's why you're hiding yourself from me."
"Bingo!"
His voice was filtered from the mask. It was hard to figure out who he was. The fact that he had black hair didn't help. Was he a Kyouya or someone else he had met? There was also the possibility that it was a wig and the male build was fake.
Ayato grimaced when he considered all of the possibilities. Instead, he decided to carry on with the current state of affairs.
"So, what did you want to talk about with me?"
Pride stood up and slowly paced around, with his chin lifted. It was quite the arrogant way of walking. He truly kept true to his title as Pride.
"Let's say this, agree with my request, then I'll remove my mask and tell you who I am."
He spoke in absolute certainty.
"What is this request?"
The jester stopped and turned toward Ayato. He laid out his hand, showing his palm.
"Join us, Ayato, join us. We call ourselves the Court of Jesters—the Court for short."
"..."