Chapter 30: A Maiden in Love~ (Patreon)

The time reached 7 PM. At Kuoh Academy, the girls, having just finished dinner at the nearby school cafeteria, strolled back to the old school building.

"Ah~ Another tiring day. Speaking of which, did Asia eat enough for dinner just now?"

"Th-Thank you for asking, Asia ate her fill."

The blonde girl, still looking like a timid little bunny, followed Rias and Akeno Himejima through the door. Hearing the question directed at her, she showed a shy, healing smile.

After all, she had indeed eaten quite a lot tonight, and it was rather sumptuous.

Back in the church, unless it was an important holiday like Christmas, daily dinners were usually very simple things like bread or rice porridge. As for feasting on fish and meat, that would be seen as indulging in pleasure, a shameful act.

So, compared to that, a bowl of Chashu Ramen plus a serving of fried Tempura was already an incredibly rare delicacy.

"But... Asia thought Miss Rias might be upset."

"Upset? Why?"

Rias, who was about to head straight upstairs, stopped at the foot of the stairs and looked back curiously.

Do I really seem like such a moody person?

"That's not what I meant..."

Gently closing the main door of the old school building behind her, the blonde nun scratched her cheek embarrassedly.

"After all, I've troubled Miss Rias and everyone so much, helping me find a place to live and handling my school enrollment, while I... um, how should I put it? Anyway, I just feel a little bit..."

"Mah~ Don't worry too much about that kind of thing. Since I promised to give you time to think it over slowly, Asia, I certainly won't go back on my word."

Rias smiled slightly and gave a small shrug.

"Actually, when I was little, I also thought the more peerage members, the better. But later, as I saw and experienced more things, I slowly realized that the so-called peerage merely forces the transformation of the other person's race into a demon, nothing more."

"Ultimately, someone who intends to betray you will find a way to do so even if they become a peerage member. And someone who won't betray you, even if they are not of your kind and there's no contract binding you, will still step forward to save you when you face danger."

As she spoke the last sentence, a trace of tenderness unconsciously surfaced on her face.

However, this gentle expression was shattered in the next second by Asia's words.

"Like Mr. Fubuki?"

"Erk... Fu-Fubuki?! Why suddenly mention him? It has nothing to do with him..."

Two clouds of red instantly bloomed on her cheeks. Rias was thrown into a bit of a fluster by this sudden truth bomb.

"Ahem! Anyway, that's the principle! Besides, although your Sacred Gear is quite special, Asia, it's not like we absolutely have to forcibly take it."

Rias quickly composed herself, clearing her throat with a light cough behind her fist.

"Besides, our Gremory family isn't that kind of unreasonable demon..."

"Speaking of Sacred Gears—"

Asia tapped her lips thoughtfully.

"Doesn't Mr. Fubuki have a Sacred Gear?"

"Him... I remember he mentioned having one, but I think it was because he didn't want to use it or didn't like using it, something like that. Anyway, we've never seen him use it."

Rias paused here for a moment.

"Right, I almost forgot the important news. The school just sent a message saying Asia's enrollment procedures are complete. You're in the same class as Fubuki. When classes officially start, you can..."

"Really? That's wonderful!"

Before Rias could finish, the blonde girl, learning she would be in the same class as Hanakain Fubuki, instantly pumped her fists high in the air, cheering adorably with unrestrained joy.

"That means starting tomorrow, not just in the afternoon, but also during the day and at lunchtime, I can be with Mr. Fubuki! Yay..."

"Ah, unfortunately, not tomorrow."

"Eh? Why?"

"Because tomorrow and the day after are the weekend. School's closed. Fubuki won't be coming to school. You'll have to wait until Monday to see him."

"What a shame..."

"Well, that's how it is. I'm heading upstairs first. Akeno, Koneko, Asia, if you want to bathe, go ahead first."

Tossing out this last sentence lightly, Rias turned and went upstairs.

...

The perspective shifts to the bedroom.

"Phew~ All done."

At the desk by the window, as the final stroke was completed in the notebook, Rias let out a long sigh, tossed aside the ballpoint pen, leaned back, and stretched her arms high above her head with a big yawn.

She had just finished writing today's diary entry.

A quick glance showed that she didn't record much each day; several days' worth of entries could fit on a single page.

[April 25th: Fubuki said he picked up some treasure during yesterday's operation and wanted to show us. Turned out to be just a finger segment. Looked ugly and a bit disgusting, but supposedly it's an important cursed object sealed by some Jujutsu Association. He got called away halfway through the club activity by someone who came looking for him. Wonder how that turned out... Really, stop picking up weird things.]

[April 26th: That guy Fubuki really encounters all sorts of strange things. He bumps into a nun just going downstairs in the morning, and runs into a Fallen Angel after school. Drags us out to a church late at night to save someone, and it turns out to be the same nun. How does he manage such coincidences? Did he plant a tracker on her or something?

...But him saying he'd come save me if I was in danger was actually kind of cool.]

[April 27th: Akeno has been getting weirder these past two days. Started picking fights with me over seating for no reason, even said she likes Fubuki so she wants to sit with him. And Fubuki, honestly! Why didn't he make her sit properly when she was clinging to him? What kind of spectacle is that, being all touchy-feely in public? I never even noticed them being that close before...]

Like clocking in for work, various names came and went in the diary entries over consecutive days, but one name remained a constant fixture.

Moreover, she hadn't felt anything particular while writing these entries, but looking back now, didn't they increasingly resemble the petty complaints of a girl in love?

Feeling a slight warmth on her face, Rias let out a soft, slightly tsundere "hmph," pressing the cool back of her hand against her cheeks to try and cool down.

However, just then, a magic circle suddenly appeared on the floor behind the girl, emitting a soft red glow along with fluctuations of magical power.

Hm?

Sensing the power fluctuation behind her, Rias quickly closed her diary and turned around.

Within the red teleportation magic circle, the figure of a mature woman dressed in a maid outfit, bearing a resemblance to Sakuya Izayoi from Touhou, gradually became clear.

The girl froze for a moment, murmuring.

"Grayfia... nee-san."

"Good evening, Lady Rias."