4. Bridges
The last bell had long since rang to signify the end of classes for the day.
Right now, Anos sat separately and opposite of two bands of devil peerages. One leg loftily over the other with his hands joined in his lap. From the outside looking in, one would expect that he was in charge of this little meeting.
Though it would be more accurate to say that Anos found himself in the audience of not just the student council president alongside her own peerage but the ORC as well. Most of them at least, a certain Pawn wasn't in attendance.
Checking their magic over, he sensed everyone in the room was a devil. Well, Rias' Queen also had fallen and even human traits. Though Anos had already known that. He and she were a little acquainted. It also turned out that many of them were also reincarnated devils and not pure blood.
Now, Anos didn't know what to fully expect from this little gathering but it certainly wasn't something like this. The two Kings, both Gremory and Shitouri— Sitri as Sona later revealed— apparently owned Kuoh Town. It was their territory.
That wasn't all either. As the meeting progressed, it wouldn't be wrong to say that they basically hand wrapped and gifted him all the information he needed to know without much input from his part. At least so far. The Factions. The Underworld. The past war... He integrated the information while going over the memories of Raynare when he casted Liknos on her. He used that spell to determine whether she deserved to perish permanently that night.
She still had her uses.
"Voldigoad," The president began but Anos raised a hand to stop her.
"Just Anos will do." He lowers his hand and Sona spoke soon after.
"Anos," Sona took the time to adjust her perfectly framed glasses as his name rolled right off her tongue, "As you are a human, my fellow King has informed us of your rather unusual abilities. I myself have one question for you: Are you with or against us?"
'Hmmm, so that's what she was so worried about.' Anos felt her well-hidden nervousness throughout the meeting. Almost all of them had similar feelings. Save for Rias who felt strangely at peace.
"Keep in mind that we've been nothing but truthful to you this entire meeting. Please resolve to do the same with my question." The bespectacled devil further spoke.
It wasn't an order or threat, Anos could tell. Anyone with any experience would know a silent plea wrapped within an innocent statement.
Luckily for her, he wasn't going to have any of these devils lose sleep over worrying about his alignment. He was neutral and would remain so.
And that's exactly what he told them. Anos also had a sneaking feeling that these devils would have the useful knack for finding trouble, so not causing conflict on either side would be mutually beneficial.
Everyone listened to his words and gave acknowledgement to his sound logic. Anos was the pinnacle of rationality after all, he hardly left room for disagreement.
"If that's all, I'll be taking my leave," Anos said this as he stood up. If the clock on the wall wasn't lying to him then he was making decent time in being able to open his restaurant for the afternoon.
"That's not all, Anos," Sona addressed him once more, he patiently waited. "How much magical power do you have? I can't read your energy levels and neither can my associates. No devil in this room can."
Normally this would be the part that Anos would tell the band of devils to peer into the abyss and find out for themselves; but he knew that wouldn't work. They would all die in fear by trying to grasp the shallowest surface of his power even if they could reach it.
That wasn't his arrogance speaking. Demons far more powerful than these two peerages combined fell into self-destruction of their own accord when gazing longer than they should at his abyss.
Thank goodness for Najila, it was a spell he used to conceal his magic since birth.
"My magical power is potent but not so plentiful, casting a spell to conceal the little reserves I have wasn't anything too difficult," Anos wasn't exactly lying, since his reincarnation, one tenth of his original power was all that was afforded to him, "it is the reason I've been able to stay unnoticed for the better part of my senior year."
What he neglected to mention was that one-tenth of a never ending abyss was... well, the implications spoke for themselves.
Barring that, it would be quite jarring for him to publicize how truly inadequate they were in comparison to him. At least in his eyes. The devils knew their place, they weren't like the fallen.
"Still," Sona started, "you're an obvious special case. Do you have a Sacred Gear?"
"No," Anos replied, "I have no doubt if I possessed such an item then I wouldn't fly under your radar so easily. That goes for the fallen and any other supernatural beings. At most, I am simply a talented mage with a knack for magic."
Sensing and visibly seeing his words spark a calmer atmosphere, Anos studied the look of relief and vindication on the president's face, all the slight nervousness from before was all but gone. He took it as a cue to leave. He had a restaurant to maintain after all.
"Anos."
Ah, there it was. The demon turned human wondered when the crimson King would speak to him directly. Rias was rather silent during this meeting, all things considered. Giving her a look, she uttered a small but significant ask.
"Do try to keep this matter behind closed doors."
"No worries. I don't plan on telling anyone else anyway."
"Also," Rias resolved to say the next part as naturally as she could. "would you be willing to come to the ORC tomorrow, after classes?"
A simple gesture. One Anos hummed over in thought before answering. "How considerate. I'll swing around then, Rias."
The doors clicked open and clicked closed a second later. Anos left the two peerages in each other's company. In that moment, one shared thought came amongst all the devils in the room. Something none of them understood.
When were Rias and Anos on a first name basis?
—————
Later, much later, after the meeting with Anos had come to an end, Rias felt noticeably peeved. Not for the meeting but what came after.
The events that followed weren't kind to a certain precious Pawn; Issei Hyodou. The informal member of her peerage, he had found himself in conflict with yet another fallen angel. Dohnaseek was what he claimed his name was. Good of him to be courteous but Rias didn't care for his pleasantries.
What she actually cared about was the two unprompted attacks night after night in her town. At the same park, on the same person.
The fallen, this one in particular was much more aggressive than most would be in her presence. Eagerly trying to murder her Pawn even when she had the backing of her Queen and Rook.
It made no sense. The fallen were stepping out of line. Threatening a delicate balance that should never be tried and Rias didn't understand why.
The King would have loved to question the fallen on the matter but he retreated as soon as she raised her own magic at his insolence, so had her Queen. The man must have finally realized how outmatched he really was so he swiftly left after some parting words in the form of a warning.
Shortly after the altercations, Issei was taken home. This was actually where Rias was now. On his bed and naked as the day she was born, a small demand for her healing magic to function at its best. Skin to skin contact was key afterall. Transferring magic wouldn't work better in any other way unless she had completely mastered such an art.
But it would be worth it. Soon, he'd wake up, and Rias would properly explain who he was now and what would be expected of his new life as a devil.
Turning over to stare at her newest peerage member, Rias gained a softer smile. The fresh wounds he acquired tonight were gone as he was in a deep sleep. He was snuggling up to her with near soundless snores. In any other circumstances, she would've found it cute but not now. Her mind was still preoccupied with a certain man who Rias couldn't quite shake from her head.
Anos Voldigoad. He was many things; a normal person he was not.
It was obvious at this point in time. Especially with the fallen's input. Mumbling something about looking for a red eyed, black haired man at the same park from yesterday. Connecting the dots well enough was what tipped Rias off; who he was talking about became all too clear.
Solving the mystery that was Anos Voldigoad was becoming a top priority. Luckily she'd see him tomorrow once again, this time at the ORC.
Still, Rias was deep in thought about this. At first she had a burning curiosity for him but could there be something else? She was enamored with him and she didn't really understand it.
Could it be his looks? He was rather handsome, she wouldn't lie. Many would agree. After all, Anos did surpass her Knight in terms of popularity with the female populace at Kuoh Academy. Whether he knew it or not.
But, that could hardly be the only reason.
Was it his strength? Their first interaction revealed that Anos' magic was potent enough to completely outclass her own. It was scary how easily he'd done it too. He had the makings for a High-Class Devil status, maybe higher. So was that it?
That assessment was close but not quite what she is looking for.
Well, whatever the reason, she was sure to get it tomorrow. It was safe to say that Rias Gremory had more things on her mind than just proving fate wrong.
—————
Anos waves his last customer goodbye. She was a regular who also attended Kuoh Academy. Taking the tip money she left on his counter, he saw the not so discreetly attached phone number that went along with it.
This was the fourth time this week that a girl around his age felt the need to do this, even a few older women if they were so forward.
The demon turned human was no one's fool in any sense of the word. In his eighteen years, he'd learned what his physical features and outwardly charming visage meant to those of the opposite sex.
Pulling his thoughts back, he grabbed at the piece of paper and pulled a drawer from under the counter open. Inside the drawer were numerous small slips of papers. One after the other, they had either lewd messages or flirtatious signals. All of them had numbers and some even had the bold action of putting their addresses.
Anos didn't dislike the attention but he wasn't looking for any attachments. There was still plenty to do regarding his new role in all of... well, whatever this was. After eighteen years the world was still new to him in a few aspects.
Pushing the drawer shut, Anos wiped a cloth over his countertop. Choosing to focus on today's recent events. Despite the new developments and a sort of mutual alliance with the devil's of Kuoh, it was still ultimately just another day for him.
Just another day. The reincarnated man looks around his establishment for a bit. Making sure nothing was out of place and everything was as it should. He smiles as he does.
His restaurant was modest, not too small but not an overly large place. It was perfectly in the middle. Stools lined down the counter, and one long comfy sofa. A few chairs sitting at the corners next to even fewer tables. Anyone could attest to the fact that the interior had a nice homely feel.
The restaurant was something of a passion project he'd wanted to do for a good while now. It wasn't until he turned eighteen did he have a say in owning some property of his own. The process was tedious and boring— he'd finally understand why paperwork was such a common enemy.
But, it was worth it in the end to smile at his own creation.
Wind of the Sun; Anos was proud to build from the ground up. Without magic mind you. Not that he needed it. A stark contrast to his previous life where all he knew was destruction and the various applications that came with it. He'd often wonder if the world he left behind could experience such drastic changes after his sacrifice.
He hoped. It was rather nice that he didn't have to wake up every morning and polish spells specifically designed to kill and resurrect at his command. Now his mornings consisted of him worrying about what cereal he needed to buy.
Turning the sign to the side that said closed, Anos walked to a table to roll out the bill of his last customer and today's purchases.
But before he could start, the air was overcome with the scent of something not known to him. It was hard to pinpoint exactly but he knew one thing.
It was getting closer, and fast; very fast.
Whoever it was, inched closer every moment. They were surely making their presence known with the way they exude such a dense aura, yet, it felt as if Anos alone could feel it.
He had pondered this for a while now. To speak the truth of the matter— Anos sensed this immense force since the sun had risen this morning. None of the devils could feel it, if they could, they would have been more alert or called upon one of those Satans they spoke so highly of.
Now it seemed that the mysterious individual was active, deciding to move to its target. To its prey. Or so it believes.
At first it started as if a small dew of a water droplet softly rolled off a leaf, to gently distill the waters below it. And just before now it got more forceful, the winds felt stronger and wilder, a few violently swaying trees proved it. But right this moment was the most important, because Anos could clearly smell and even taste whatever it was. Snakes.
Anos doubts this force would be stalking him if it didn't want something from him. The best course of action would be to wait and find the reason why it sought him out. If he was met with a confrontation he didn't like, then he would retaliate with destruction.
And now, the pressure was unbearably thick. If it was anyone else, they would have been passively suffocated.
Anos let out a small, unbothered sigh. Instantly, the thick and dense aura had no choice but to disperse and pass away into a ticklish breeze, "Identify yourself."
"Not until you give me what I want." It was a small but powerful voice; belonging to a little girl, a creepy little girl, with sweeping pitch-black hair, false eyes, and a tiny stature.
It was sitting on the table in front of him. Its short legs were dangling over the edge while spread apart, its arms were tucked in between. Its lips curled upwards.
"Then what is it that you want?"
Its eyes stare into his, as if becoming its own.
"I want you."