Chapter 14 (Patreon)

“I’m jealous,” I admitted to the guys, and I meant it. During my gate duty today, Ise had stopped to chat, then Kiba Yuuto had joined him—the school’s top heartthrob, a student from another class in our year, and a Knight in Rias Gremory’s clan.

I only knew Kiba in passing. We’d said hello and goodbye, but this was the first time we’d really talked. Ise dropped a bombshell: the Gremory clan had beaten the hell out of a stray devil the night before. Kiba-kun filled in some interesting details. We kept our voices low, and the guys stood a little off to one side so they wouldn’t get in the way of my duties.

“It wasn’t exactly a pleasant sight,” Kiba said cautiously, giving me a puzzled look.

“Ah.” I waved a hand dismissively. “I’ve seen all kinds of shit, pardon my language, Kiba-kun. What I haven’t had in a long time is a proper fight. I’d love a chance to throw some punches. And… wait! Did you dispose of the stray’s body?”

“Uh… the President destroyed it completely.” That was disappointing. I didn’t let it show, though, and even managed to keep myself from saying, What a waste. All those valuable organs gone! The Gremory clan’s Knight seemed to notice something anyway: he gave me a sidelong look of surprise.

“I see…” I drawled, pretending not to care. “Ise, invite me along next time, if Gremory-senpai allows it! I’ll owe you one. Stray devils, Angels—Fallen or otherwise—monsters, whatever comes up. I’ll try to work something out with Sitri-sama. Call it helping an allied clan, or… I’ll think of something.”

Hyoudou hesitated, shifting uncertainly from foot to foot. I just sighed and gave him a light pat on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it. If your Lady says no, I won’t be offended. I serve someone too, so I understand. I’m just tired of beating up one bunch of punks after another, castrating perverts, and breaking the odd limb. There’s no spark of Satanic wrath in work like that. No rapture in battle, there on the brink of the dark abyss, you know?” I said in Russian, tweaking Pushkin a little. Dialectos would make sure they understood me. “People’s enemies and tormentors are usually just other people, so I’m… not getting much of a challenge.”

“Okay,” Ise said with a nod. “I’ll ask if anything comes up.”

“So you handle the muscle work, Chiba-kun?” Yuuto asked with a polite smile. “Akeno-san usually takes care of that for us.”

“Himejima-san likes a good fight?” I asked in surprise. I wasn’t the only one—Issei was staring wide-eyed at Kiba-kun. “She always seemed so… um…”

“Heh, I know what you mean. You don’t have to finish that.” The blond grinned at me, then offered a strained smile to a gaggle of squealing girls who were coming through the gates and devouring him with their eyes. “Akeno-san… doesn’t mind punishing a villain or two now and then.”

I raised an eyebrow and gave Kiba a puzzled look. What did villains have to do with it? Mortals hire demons to deal with people who’ve wronged them, but sometimes the one claiming to have been wronged is utter scum. And sometimes the people those scumbags complain about are perfectly decent.

Oh, right. Contracts are assigned so that demons feel comfortable carrying them out. That must be why I’d never had to grant the wishes of any twisted degenerates. The magical contract system looks after the peace of mind of the heirs’ Pieces.

“Ahem.” The Knight cleared his throat as he spotted another, larger group of girls. They were chattering excitedly and casting glances at the school’s Prince. “I should get going. Issei-kun, don’t be late either.”

“Yeah, yeah.” My classmate watched the pretty boy walk away without much interest, then snorted quietly as he glanced at the girls disappointed by Kiba’s departure. “Off you go, smartass.”

“You two still haven’t learned to get along?” I asked, surprised by Hyoudou’s attitude toward him.

“It’s not that we don’t…” Ise hesitated. “He’s all right. It just bugs me how popular Kiba is with girls.”

“Oh, trust Ise to make it about girls.” I rolled my eyes. My classmate straightened his back and squared his shoulders.

“That’s what I’m all about,” declared this victim of puberty, letting out an amused snort.

“Well, I’ve got good news for you: the girls in our class have started looking at you more favorably,” I said, hoping to cheer him up a little. “Just don’t ruin your progress by pulling another idiotic stunt.”

“Wait, seriously?!” Our “mighty hunter” perked up. “Tell me everything!”

“What are you boys whispering about?” A voice from behind made me jump. What the…

“Kiryu-chan.” I stared at the pleased girl, whose glasses flashed ominously. “How do you sneak up on people like that? Come clean! Are you actually a shinobi? Hmm… You don’t happen to have a cousin named Kabuto Yakushi, do you? Wears glasses, does some guy called Orochimaru’s dirty work, and works at a hospital when he isn’t busy spying?”

Kiryu laughed and gave my shoulder a light tap with her fist. I swear, I might have been smiling, but I was seriously on edge. She couldn’t catch me off guard every single time she was outside my line of sight. That was absurd! A practitioner at my level of cultivation could easily sense someone’s attention, even without hostile intent behind it. Especially at close range!

“You’re overreacting, Dark Prince-san!” She gave me a bright look full of warmth and amusement.

“Another nickname?” I sighed quietly and turned my attention back to the dwindling stream of students. It would soon be time to close the gates. “I thought I was the Silent Prince?”

“Not yet, but I can see it coming.” Her glasses flashed again, and she grinned. “You were seen with the handsome Yuuto today.”

“I don’t see the connection,” I said. That was almost true.

“Think about it. Kiba is our school’s Prince: kind, sweet, always smiling. Anything connected to him becomes popular! Even our Issei-kun is getting talked about now—not just as the school’s biggest pervert, but as one half of the Hyoudou/Yuuto ship… or maybe Yuuto/Hyoudou.”

“What?!” my classmate protested.

“What did you expect? A little yaoi and all that. You and Kiba-san are in the same club.” She giggled, enjoying the stunned look on Ise’s face.

“I hope nobody tries to shove me into a yaoi pairing…” I muttered.

“No guarantees. None at all.” Her glasses flashed ominously again, and she gave me a dazzling smile. “You’re becoming quite the star yourself, and soon everyone will know you were talking to the Prince… Besides, you’re complete opposites: the outgoing, friendly blond Kiba Yuuto and the silent, perpetually scowling, black-haired Chiba Taro. Brace yourself, Chiba-kun. Brace yourself!”

“Dad, what have you done, sending me here?” I whispered, shaking my head. As if I needed stories about guys’ asses on top of everything else.

“What was that?” Kiryu hadn’t heard me. Ise, meanwhile, was still reeling from her news.

“I said, get inside. It’s time to close the gates,” I grumbled, checking my watch and motioning for a group of girls hurrying toward the entrance to pick up the pace.

After classes, I felt a little put out thinking about how Ise had fought to his heart’s content while I hadn’t. J for jealous. That was me. I even pestered Sona-san about finding someone for us to fight. The Gremory clan got to have fun taking out strays, I argued, while we just worked contracts like office drones. All we needed was a company group chat so we could argue about who’d forgotten to buy the cookies…

The girls giggled, and Sona-san promised we’d have our chance when the opportunity arose. They were ready to leave it at that. I, however, bowed properly and, with a respectful expression, asked permission to join Ise if his clan had to deal with another incident like last night’s.

“Issei Hyoudou specifically?” Sona-san looked up at me with those keen eyes of hers.

“He’s my classmate.” I shrugged and gave her a knowing smile. “One comrade helping another, so to speak.”

Yeah, yeah, I’m a hypocritical bastard. So what? For the most part, I couldn’t give a damn about Hyoudou. But if the kid led me into a good, exciting fight where I could show someone who was boss and beat the hell out of them, I’d call him a friend, not just a comrade.

“How thoughtful of you to look after your classmates,” Momo said with a sly little smile.

“If that’s how you put it…” Sitri-san considered for a moment. “I’ll speak to Rias, since you’re so bored.”

“I don’t have time to be bored, Sona-san.” I shook my head and pulled a stack of disciplinary committee paperwork toward me. “But I would like a proper fight.”

“So the golems aren’t good enough for you anymore?” Tsubaki looked up from her own pile of papers long enough to give me a disapproving glance over her glasses.

“I’ve learned all their combat patterns. Lately I’ve been fighting them with my eyes closed, using only one hand.” I sighed and slid yet another complaint from one of those two girls about the other over to Tsubasa. Best friends, my ass.

Those two had jerked me around so much since I joined the disciplinary committee that I was practically a sine wave. Every time they fell out—which happened like clockwork every other day—they started filing complaints about each other. Most of them were lies. Budding old biddies gossiping on a bench, just like the ones I remembered from a life long, long ago.

This time, the disciplinary committee had been informed that Nakame Reika was coming to school without underwear. I snorted at the thought of being the one sent to “check.”

“Those two again?” My senpai echoed my sigh as she read the complaint. “What?! Oh, that’s going too far!”

“I agree.” I nodded gravely. “We need to investigate this report as soon as possible!”

She stared at my face in disbelief for a few seconds, then burst out laughing and handed the paper to a curious Tsubaki.

“Oh, Taro-sensei, you’re too much.” She wiped tears from her eyes.

“We are the disciplinary committee.” I drew my brows together sternly. “It’s our duty to maintain order at this school, Tsubasa-senpai. How can you laugh when our students face… such grave danger?!”

At that, the Queen gave a loud snort and passed the paper to Sona-san.

“Someone’s been spending too much time with Issei-kun,” the student council vice president said, shaking her head.

“Whenever I hear that a school rule has been broken, an irresistible urge to restore order rises from the depths of my soul!” I waved away Tsubaki’s lewd insinuations.

“If you’re that eager, I don’t mind.” Sitri-san sighed and thoughtfully set the complaint at the edge of her desk. “But I have one condition.”

“What?” everyone who had read the complaint exclaimed in unison.

Sona’s violet eyes swept over us with mild confusion. Then she shook her head reproachfully, and Momo picked up the paper from the edge of her desk.

“I meant helping Rias’s Pawn,” she explained, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. “But if you’re that eager to check whether Nakame-chan is wearing underwear, Taro-kun…”

“Oh, I see.” I smiled faintly at Sona-san’s joke. Momo, meanwhile, was squeaking with laughter behind her hand as she passed the paper to Tomoe, who was practically dancing with impatience. “What’s the condition?”

“The kendo club.” My Lady looked me in the eye, her expression serious. “I know you’re always short on time, and joining the kendo club would do nothing for you personally. But this is MY academy. It matters to me to run this school as well as I can. Rias gave me the final say in its affairs some time ago… though I think she simply has no interest in dealing with the academy. The school’s achievements are my achievements too, Taro-kun. It’s a good school that still has an elite reputation, and elite schools attract… students of a certain standing.” Her violet gaze moved over all of us with warmth. “I’d like Kuo Academy to remain an elite school that talented children aspire to attend for as long as possible.”

“Headhunting.” I nodded in understanding, watching out of the corner of my eye as Reya’s face turned red. She was reading the complaint over Tomoe’s shoulder while Tomoe shook with silent laughter.

“That too,” Sona-san agreed with a gentle smile. “The Sitori Talent Search Program was created for a reason. At the academy, we find promising recruits for Sitori’s companies, as well as servants for devils born into the Sitri and Gremory Houses and our vassal Houses. Naturally”—her smile widened, and her eyes sparkled with amusement—“Rias and I take the most interesting candidates, but the others get their share too. Headhunting isn’t my only goal, though. Gaining experience in leadership matters just as much to me. I have… plans for the future that my experience running the academy may help me achieve. That’s the other reason our school’s reputation and renown matter to me.”

“I understand, my Lady.” I bowed my head. “You could have simply given me an order.”

“We’re a clan.” She gave me another warm smile. “In battle, there will certainly be orders, and I expect them to be obeyed without question. But in peacetime, I prefer to explain why I’m asking.”

“You want to raise the school’s prestige by having the kendo club win tournaments. But, my Lady, we don’t have enough boys to form a full team.” I paused, recalling the club’s members. “Actually, we don’t have any boys at all. Even if I join, until we find enough…”

“No, no, Taro-kun.” Sitri-san shook her head. “Joining the girls’ kendo club is out of the question. Tsubasa-chan has only just had a chance to catch her breath now that her workload is lighter, and I want you to spend as much time with the rest of us as possible. But helping the girls train a couple of days a week is quite manageable. We’ll divide your work among ourselves on those days, so there won’t be a problem.”

“And the captain…”

“Katase-chan has already come to see me.” The student council president adjusted her glasses and cast an unreadable glance at her vice president. “Apparently… there are quite a few rumors going around about you, Taro-kun.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask what kind…” I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

“And… you’re right to be,” Sona-san agreed. Tsubaki gave a carefree little giggle, wildly at odds with her usual serious expression. “But Katase Yui-chan was interested only in your apprenticeship under Master Goto and whether she might borrow you from the student council now and then. The captain of our school team is devoted to kendo, and our academy’s victories in tournaments matter a great deal to her. A chance to learn from the senior student of a master renowned throughout Japan… Katase-chan couldn’t pass that up.”

“If it matters that much to you, Sona-san, I could help too,” Tomoe offered, now recovered from her fit of silent laughter. Shy little Reya, meanwhile, sat there bright red, unconsciously straightening her skirt.

“But could you hold back? Your training with the Meguri clan was in exorcising evil spirits with a holy sword, using your clan’s fighting style. It wasn’t kendo. And your strength has been beyond human limits for a long time now.” Sitri-san gave our Knight a doubtful look.

“Well… heh-heh… You’re right, I didn’t quite think that through.” Tomoe scratched the back of her head with an embarrassed smile.

“Taro-kun?” The president turned to me, adjusting her glasses with a charming little gesture.

“Your wish is reason enough, my Lady. I’ll do everything I can to make sure our academy’s kendo team finishes on the podium every time. You’ll be pleased.”

“Thank you.” She gave me another warm smile, with just a hint of a blush. “And about your request, remember: you’re helping neither the Gremory clan nor Rias Gremory. You’re helping your friend Issei Hyoudou, and him alone. Neither Rias nor I need rumors that the Gremory clan can’t handle its own problems, or that a member of the Sitri clan wants to change Houses.”

“Of course, Sitri-sama…”

“Sona, Taro-kun!”

“Yes, sorry, Sona-san. By the way… could we head off rumors like that by making an official agreement with Rias-san’s Gremory clan? A training exchange for new members, perhaps? When one clan goes out to hunt stray devils, it could bring along one or two newcomers from the other as observers.”

“That’s…” Interest flashed in Sona-san’s eyes. “An interesting idea. Sharing experience, perhaps even learning to coordinate between clans on the battlefield… There would be complications when it comes to Rating Games, of course, but we’d both be on equal footing. I’ll think it over and speak to Rias. Thank you for the idea, Taro-kun.”

“A servant’s duty is to be of use to his radiant Lady.” I bowed respectfully, noticing the blush deepen on the lovely girl’s cheeks.

“Flatterer,” Tsubaki said, shaking her head.

“I think it’s sweet,” Tomoe giggled.

“Even a little romantic,” Momo agreed.

“Why isn’t anyone working?” Sona-san arched her left eyebrow in surprise, her face settling back into its usual calm expression.