"Grandma would have liked you to stay a bit longer, Issei," his mother said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "It's rare for our family to get an entire weekend together."
He did feel bad about it, but feeling bad wasn't going to change anything.
"I'll make sure we have the perfect weekend at Grandma's soon, Mom," he promised. "And let her know I'm just as upset about not being able to stay."
The only reply he got was a sigh followed by a few words of reassurance and a reminder to stay safe.
Hanging up, he took a deep breath of the cool, clean air of Kuoh Town.
'Smells like a mix of bat and crow shit,' Ddraig scoffed.
His breath froze as the cold air mixed with his frown, turning his expression into one of disgust.
"Great way to ruin a moment," he muttered, exhaling and letting out the air in his lungs. 'But are you ready? Things are going to get messy soon.'
As he walked through the parks of Kuoh, he wondered if the devils were watching him. Or, more accurately, if they were waiting for him to slip up.
'Not yet,' Ddraig answered his thoughts. 'And about being ready, that's a question you should be asking yourself. Facing death in someone else's memories is one thing. Facing it yourself is another.'
Issei didn't reply and instead let out a heavy sigh.
'I'll take that as a no,' Ddraig said, pressing him for an answer.
'It's not like I have much of a choice,' Issei muttered. 'My life is always on the line now, no matter what I do. And I never said anything about dying now, did I?'
'If you grow stronger, it won't be as difficult to face these threats,' Ddraig suggested.
Issei shook his head, making his way to the city park. He needed some time to relax before the crowd started gathering. Both he and Ddraig knew that soon, the Fallen and Devils would be hiding in the shadows, watching this like it was some kind of movie, waiting for him to be attacked, possibly killed by the crows, before the devils would make their move.
'From your memories, I know you're supposed to die here. But if the devils knew about you, why let you suffer in the first place?'
Issei bit his lip and leaned against the wooden bench. 'There are a lot of speculations, but no concrete answers.'
'Greed?' Ddraig suggested.
'Probably. Letting me die was an easy way to force me into their peerage, rather than trying to convince me. Or maybe they were foolish enough to think I wouldn't get killed or that it would take longer.'
Issei couldn't blame the Fallen for what happened in the past. Anyone with a sane mind would've done the same to someone like him, cursed as he was.
After thinking for a while about things that were both related and unrelated, he pulled out his phone to check the time. There were still hours before the planned date. He knew he had some time to kill.
He could have stayed at his grandmother's for a bit longer, but honestly, he needed some peace. Training with someone like Hachiman was one thing, but facing off in a life-or-death situation was a whole different story.
No matter how much weaker Yuuma was compared to Hachiman, when life was on the line, the heart never stayed steady.
"Anyway, let's hope the date goes well, at least," Issei muttered to himself.
'You can't be serious…' Ddraig groaned, sounding both amused and unimpressed.
"Come on now," Issei chuckled. "When so much is on the line, you've got to enjoy the little moments."
He glanced at his phone, checking on the restaurant reservation. Thankfully, there were no cancellations or issues. Everything was still on track for the date.
For a moment, he considered texting the Fallen Angel. They had been in contact through messages, and Yuuma had sent him cute texts. He had replied like a lovesick fool, complete with heart eyes.
All that was left now was for her to show up.
And that would be happening soon.
…
…
[A Little Bit Later — Student Council Office, Kuoh Academy]
Sitting quietly by the window, in a chair reserved for moments of distress, was Sona Sitri, the heiress of the Sitri family, or as she was known at school, Souna Shitori.
In her hand, she held a call log and text exchanges, one number standing out — highlighted.
"I still don't get why he saved her as 'D-Day,'" Momo, the white-haired bishop of Sona's peerage, mused. "But knowing him, it's definitely something perverted."
"She doesn't even have that big of a bust to be a D-cup," Saji, one of the two male members in the peerage, muttered under his breath. The rest of the group heard him loud and clear.
"What?" he asked, noticing their pointed stares.
Sona's eyes narrowed at Saji's comment, but it was Tsubaki who spoke up, offering an unexpected but plausible explanation.
"It could also be something like 'Date-Day,'" Tsubaki suggested with a playful yet logical tone. "Considering he's actually acting somewhat normal for once."
Sona's face remained impassive, but she could tell from Tsubaki's hopeful expression that she was curious, perhaps even a little hopeful about the possibility.
"Whatever the reason," Sona stated calmly, "Issei is back in town, and the Fallen will make their move the moment the date ends."
"Are we supposed to stand guard?" Saji asked, his concern for the boy who was the same age as him clear in his voice.
Sona took a deep breath, setting aside the records. "Rias will take responsibility for Issei's safety. We'll remain here to secure the school in case of an attack."
The group nodded in agreement, knowing that securing their stronghold — the school — was their priority. But Saji, though understanding, was still uneasy about leaving Issei to someone else's protection. Unfortunately, he couldn't defy the orders of his King.
Sona, noticing his hesitation, softened her stance slightly.
"However," she added, her voice carrying a hint of thoughtfulness, "Rias's group will likely be too focused on Issei and the Fallen, and the nearby residents might be caught in the crossfire."
This caught Saji's attention.
"So, Saji," Sona said with a rare smile, "I want you to keep watch over Issei. But don't intervene unless absolutely necessary. I promised Rias I'd let her lead on this."
Saji's face brightened at the responsibility, and he almost sprang to his feet. "I'll keep that in mind, President!"
He dashed out of the room, leaving the others with amused smiles. Sona, too, allowed herself a small smile, pleased by the loyalty and care her peerage showed.
As Saji left —unknown to everyone that he would be stuck in a ditch and never make it to Issei— Tsubaki leaned in close to Sona, her voice a soft whisper.
"Do you think it will be as easy as we hope?"
Sona sighed, a touch of weariness in her voice. "One can hope, can't they?"
…
…
[Same Time — Occult Research Club]
"The Fallen have made their move, President," Kiba's voice came through, clear and steady. "They're leaving their old hideout."
Rias Gremory stood in front of the mirror, her gaze fixed on her flawless reflection. Her perfect figure, the elegance of her dress, everything about her exuded calm composure, but her mind was focused on the situation unfolding in Kuoh.
"And Raynare?" she asked, her tone even, betraying no hint of emotion.
"Koneko's keeping an eye on her," Kiba replied. "In fact, they might have already made contact as we speak."
Rias ran her fingers through her thick, crimson hair, effortlessly removing a single knot that had formed in the waves.
"Good work, Kiba," she said, her voice a touch warmer. "Keep watch. I'll be there soon."
"As you wish, President."
After hanging up, Rias closed her eyes, taking a steadying breath.
"It's finally happening," she murmured to herself, her heart pounding despite the calm façade she maintained.
The room was quiet, the stillness only broken by the echo of another voice entering the space from the adjacent room.
"You've waited a long time for this, Rias," came Akeno's voice, confident and soothing. "And we know this will succeed."
Rias, the Princess of the Devil World, the heir to the Gremory family, and the President of the Occult Research Club, allowed herself a small, bittersweet smile.
"This is my last chance, Akeno," she confessed, her voice tinged with vulnerability. "If Issei doesn't turn out to be the answer I'm looking for, then everything will have been for nothing."
Akeno stepped closer. "Don't say that," she urged. "We've been in this fight together for years. We know we'll succeed."
Rias shook her head. "Even if we fail, I won't risk you all. I'll disband this peerage rather than let that bastard claim you all as his mistresses."
Akeno's eyes widened in shock. "Rias! Don't talk like that. Dissolving a peerage is not something to be taken lightly. It's a stain on a Pureblood's name."
"Better a stain than the guilt of failure, Akeno," Rias replied sharply, her lips tight. "Please, don't say anything more. Not until we have an answer."
Akeno fell silent.
She, too, wanted answers. She wanted to know what Rias would do if Issei rejected her.
But deep down, she already knew the answer. As harsh as it sounded, there would be no room for Issei to decline. Rias would make sure of it. And there was nothing that could stop her.
Desperation had driven them to this point. This was their chance, and they couldn't afford to let it slip away.
If necessary, they would show the world why they were called devils.
The creatures of sin.
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[[A/N: 25+ Advanced Chapters on Patreon + Other Stories: https://www.patreon.com/Greedyfrog
P.S. About my Harry Potter story (if anyone is reading that), I have been using a software to edit that story whereas I am using grammarly for this. And I have realized that using that software for the Harry Potter story was a mistake. So, my question is… Should I rewrite that story or write an entirely new one with a different idea. Something like FatexHP, Fate magic in HP kinda thing.]]