Rias and Issei walked to school . Issei still felt weird becoming a devil and Rias made small conversations with him making him feel better. Once Issei felt better and Rias sensed this , she went straight to what she wanted to ask.
" Can you tell me about your adoptive brother ?"
Issei got slightly bitter but he believed at the moment it was because she was curious if they are related.
" Well his Saki Himejima , my parents and his mother used to be good friends . He was raised only by his mother until an year ago where they got in an accident . His mother and older brother died in that car crash and he was the only survivor . He then got lost for about 4 months then he was found on a forest extremely malnourished and scared. We adopted him and he has been living with us ever since " Issei explained.
" Is he related to Akeno ?" Rias asked.
Issei shook his head.
" No , he said that he never knew her " Issei said.
" Oh "
Rias however knew that the Himejima clan was huge and Akeno being an exile may have made them unable to meet.
" And do you know anything about his father ?" Rias asked.
" No . His father died before he was born but if you ask me I do not think that was his father " Issei said.
" Why ?"
" His older brother and him were very different. His older brother had black hair and black eyes and I had his father looked like that too. He on the other hand has red hair greyish eyes . " Issei concluded.
Rias did not think much at first. Once she was in the club house she would have room to think. As of now she was more interested in securing her newest member to the team.
_-_-_-_-_-
School was boring , he already knew most things there was to know so Saki focused on reading and understanding the celestial core guide . The first chapter of the book focused on growing one's own mana by absorbing celestial ki. But it too needed a bit of basic understanding on mana usage so he co-read both of them at the same time .
He also adopted the strengthening techniques and made short notes over it. It was arduous but by the end of the school day he had simplified the techniques to better fit him.
The school bell rang and everyone rose . People started chatting together and his deskmate also stroke a conversation.
" You have been unusually quiet today , is something wrong ?" Katase asked.
Saki shook his head.
" No just some family matters , nothing to worry about " Saki responded with a smile.
Just then Kiba walked in. Girls gashed over him and so did Katase.
He walked to Issei .
" Our club president has invited you to the Occult Research Club , come with me " Kiba said .
The girls were dismayed at this. They thought Issei would affect Kiba .
" Oh ok. "
" And could you tell me where Saki sits ?" Kiba asked.
Issei frowned slightly but pointed to Saki.
Katase squealed as Kiba approached him .
" The club president invites you to the Occult research club "
Katase was excited just being next to Kiba.
Saki thought on it. Zoeticus Gremory had no idea he had a son and he needed to play the fool . The problem was if Rias was perceptive then he had revealed more than he should to perfectly play the fool.
" Let us go then " Saki agreed.
Killing is boring , the best way is to make someone suffer psychologically and what better way to do it than be inside the family. It obviously came with risks but if push came to shove he could just hop on a dungeon .
The trio entered the occult research club and were offered a sit by a white haired girl and a black haired girl whom Saki felt as familiar.
They accepted the tea and the two drank it slowly. Saki thought of what to say while Issei was busy ogling on Akeno and Koneko.
Koneko didn't take those lecherous gaze on her too kindly and would mutter pervert whenever she had the chance. Soon Rias came in with a towel that clung to her cleavage . She then sat down and crossed her legs . Her pose was sensual and it definitely excited Issei.
" Saki , could you kindly give me the room with Issei " She then turned to Akeno.
" How about you two catch up " She said.
Akeno gave a small smile and escorted Saki to another room.
Akeno then closed the door behind them.
" Hello Saki , do you remember me " She asked.
Saki smiled .
" No "
Akeno frowned .
" How could you forget your bestfriend " Her words were playful.
Saki smiled .
" I was joking Akeno , of course I remember you . We used to play hide and seek on the shrine. " Saki said with an almost nostalgic tone.
" You have grown " Saki said.
" Like what you see " Akeno asked coquettishly.
" I have no words senpai " Saki refused to answer.
The two nostalgic smiles faded.
" I am sorry to hear what happened to you family "
" Likewise . Mother really wanted to adopt you , we even looked for you but you were gone . One day she told us you got adopted " Saki said.
" Yeah , though I do not blame you . She too had to take care of you guys too " Akeno said. Her words conveyed she knew more than she let on. Even Saki didn't know much .
Soon Rias asked them to enter after Issei went away.
Saki was once again offered a sit.
" I see you two got along after a while. "
" Yes . It is nice to meet an old friend " Saki said with a smile .
" Good , Saki could you tell me more about yourself ? " Rias asked.
" What do you wish to know Miss Gremory ?"
" Please call me Rias "
Rias said as she changed her pose making her look more sensual . Saki obviously did not fall into such a trap.
" Ok. What do you wish to know Rias ?"
Rias sighed.
" I am sorry if this question comes out wrong Saki but I must know , Did you know your real father " Rias said. Saki was the person who liked straightforward questions.
" So Issei told you a bit about me . " Saki then looked to Rias.
" Yes I know my father or at least I believe what I eavesdropped on was true " Saki said.
" Could you tell me what you heard ?"
A smart person wouldn't have said anything or even gone there to begin with but he needed to act the fool , get closer to the family .
" I heard my mother cry and say she hated ever meeting Zoeticus Gremory and falling for his silky red hair "
Rias tensed . This came as a shock to her and not only her but Akeno.
' He is my brother ?' She thought. Originally she had thought he was a distant relative but a brother ? That never crossed her mind.
Perhaps it was because he did not have any devil energy within him that she thought he had come from a family where one of his ancestors had slept with a human . At least that seemed more realistic than him being her brother.
Akeno whispered something to Rias and her eyes shone with understanding.
" Are you sure ?"
" I believe so . Brother too had told me about a guy that used to give him sweets when he was young a guy with the name Zoeticus in his name . "
" This is hard to take on " Rias murmured. It was short and only Akeno heard it.
" Is anything wrong ? "
" No no nothing . Saki , could we perhaps meet tomorrow . I will like to talk to you more , after all we have the same surname " Rias said with a wink .
Saki stood up .
" Ok , but if you know anything about him could you tell me tomorrow ?" Saki said.
Rias smiled.
" I promise to tell you everything "
Saki got out of the house and Rias crumbled.
" Saki is my brother ?" She said , she could not believe those words.
Akeno calmed her down .
" Do you believe him Akeno , what if he is lying to me "
" Saki is not the guy to lie and he lost his family. The hope that he has a living family member still burns in him . I believe he is not a fool and he approached you with ulterior motives the moment he heard your name and saw your red hair.
He also took note of our shocked faces when he told us his father's name . He knows we know and the way he is willing to come back means he wants to meet his family " Akeno said.
Rias looked at Akeno .
" You were oddly sharp "
" No , I just know Saki well " Akeno said
" So what will you do ? "
" I will contact my brother . Sirzechs usually knows what is going with our father and he will definitely know if he had a bastard child. And after that maybe he can marry into the Phenex family instead of me " Rias said.
" Will you tell your father ?"
" No , my father will kill him if he gets wind of this . It seems his mother knew my father well too as she always hid him "
" And she hid him well , it seems even he doesn't know he is a devil . She definitely sealed his powers " Akeno said . One elder of the Himejima clan had done this before so it was not far-fetched that Saki's mother could do the same.
" Yeah. Sirzechs will definitely coerce father by making him use Saki . Father values profit above his children after all so the only thing needed is to make Saki prove useful preferably if he were to marry into the Phenex family in my steed. " Rias said.
Akeno did not say anything. This was after all the best option for Saki.
_-_-_-_-_-
" What do you think the President and Saki are talking about ?" Issei asked as he handed out the fliers. Kiba and Koneko were next to him.
" Probably on how much of a pervert you are " Koneko said.
" Don't mind her Issei , but I honestly do not know. Though she was a bit disturbed this whole day " Yuuto said
" She thinks Saki might be related to her but for as long as I have known him he is not a devil " Issei said.
" If Rias was that disturbed then she believes that there is a high possibility " Koneko said.
" This is weird but at least he won't go for the President if they are related " Issei said
" Pervert " Koneko said as she saw Issei's lewd gaze.
_-_-_-_-_-_-
The moment Saki arrived in his room he opened a portal to the lvl 1 dungeon. Thi would be his training ground henceforth.
He first focused on collecting celestial energy. It was dim but after an hour of concentration he felt full . He held it in letting nothing escape and then followed the body strengthening techniques in the other book.
His movement was fluid and full of grace with minor errors but his body pained all over . The energy inside him burnt with every movement and a simple jab made him sweat and pant . Nevertheless he endured for thirty minutes before opening a portal and falling to his bed.
The session was grueling .
' Status '
[ Saki Himejima
Power Level : 5 ]
' The fuck , all that pain for a plus one ? ' He felt like cursing.
But right now he was too much in agony . He opted to sleep now and then think of other things later.
Hunger was what woke Saki in the middle of the night .
His status was still open and to his surprise it had increased.
[ Saki Himejima
Power Lvl : 7 ]
It was not much and he did not feel stronger but he was glad at least the progress was not as slow as he thought. It seemed this power level incorporated his strength at the moment and not when he is in peak condition.
He descended down the stairs and ate the supper prepared. He usually was unable to finish food so he would ration it even upto eating a half of what a normal person should eat but that night he ate food worth 4 people in less than 10 minutes. Once he was full he ascended back the stairs and went to sleep.
_-_-_-_-_-_-
Rias sat next to her brother , her gaze ashen as she received the truth from her brother.
" Why didn't you try to help him ?" Rias asked.
Sirzechs looked at Rias .
" I did . Him being in the Hyoudou household is no mere coincidence " Sirzechs said.
He watched Rias face and understood what she was thinking .
" Don't Rias . It is far much better for Saki to live as a normal human being. For both the Gremory household sake and ours " Sirzechs said as he slumped back to his chair.
" And how would you know ?"
" Listen to reason Ria , he comes back Zoeticus will just kill him to hide his shameful deed. Our father is unforgiving , a true devil " Sirzechs said.
" But the apple does not fall far from the tree does it ? " Sirzechs said as he noticed something in Rias.
Rias glared at his brother.
" Do not compare me to him . "
" Yet you wish to use Saki to marry into the Phenex family instead of you " Sirzechs said.
Sirzechs noticed the shameful face of Rias . It was understandable , they did not know the boy.
" Do you really wish to make your brother suffer more ?" Sirzechs asked.
Rias contemplated about it .
" No "
" Good then do not bring him into the family "
Rias looked slightly dejected .
She wished to get out of this marriage but how ?
" Train your peerage and then challenge Riser in a rating game " Sirzechs said it like it was something normal . "
Rias got hope and smiled. She had the possessor of the boosted gear a tool with the power to destroy God .
Sirzechs thought on something
" I will send someone to train you once the holidays reach . And on regards to Saki , introduce him to the devil world and tell him who you are to him. Do not put him in your peerage and do not at all costs take him to father "
" What are you planning brother ?"
" For now observation . Oh give him this too "
Sirzechs gave her a vial with blue liquid in it. Rias took it and looked at it .
" What is it ?"
" The contents in it are unnecessary . The point is it will stimulate his devil genes and reawaken him once again .Though at the level of a low-class devil . I trust you will help him increase his devil powers "
" Leave it to me " Rias said.
Sirzechs let a smile and then a very well knowing smile.
" You are sooo cuuuttteee . It's only a decade ago you were following me now look at you " Sirzechs said.
Rias cringed . Sirzechs was a sis-con and she just hoped when Saki entered he will distribute some of his obsessive love to him