The Next Day

  Natsuki gasped, pressed her palms against her knees as she bent over, trying to catch her breath.

  "You have progressed quite a bit over these st few weeks," Lux said, "And by the time of our next Rating Game, you shall be able to climb even higher above your current limits."

  "Let's hope so," Natsuki muttered, clenching her fists as she looked down at the crater she had just made with her attack.

  The sun had just risen in Kuoh Town, but Natsuki's day had started well over an hour ago when she found herself wandering to the edge of the city, needing to do something with the burning anger that had refused to leave her.

  She had tried to sleep st night, but all she could think about was Diodora Astaroth and Inaba Motonobu.

  Natsuki wanted nothing more than to go to the Underworld and drag Diodora out of whatever the hole was that he called home and take her time ripping him apart piece by piece.

  Natsuki sighed, walking over to where she had thrown her shirt after taking it off earlier. "We should go, Rias said she wanted to speak to Peerage before school starts. I think she's back from Sirzechs."

  "Perhaps he has found some proof that may connect Diodora to the Tengu you fought," Lux said.

  I doubt it. Natsuki thought as the text Rias had sent st night cked the urgency that would be needed for such a revetion.

  A few hours ter, Natsuki found herself sitting in the clubroom, surrounded by the rest of the Peerage as Rias prepared to deliver the news she had brought back from Sirzechs.

  "Everyone, listen carefully," Rias said as she addressed the room. "I spoke to my brother st night, and his investigation found nothing suspicious against House Astaroth and its heir."

  "Seriously?!" Issei excimed. "Absolutely nothing?!"

  "Nothing that can be definitively tied back to Diodora," Rias sighed. "He had even gotten Ajuka-sama himself to speak to Diodora and search through the Astaroth estate, and could find nothing."

  "This fucking blows," Issei spat, clenching his fists.

  "Do you think your brother is telling the truth?" Natsuki asked quietly, staring at the adjacent wall.

  Rias frowned. "Why would my brother be lying?"

  "Because lying and maniputing things from behind the scenes is what Sirzechs is best at. Or are we all forgetting how Issei and I became Devils in the first pce? Or how Sirzechs basically gave our peerage the win in our Rating Game against Riser? Or how he's still hiding everything he knows about my origins from me?" Natsuki asked. "For all we know, Sirzechs and the rest of the Maous know more than they're letting on."

  "But why would the Maous hide this?" Xenovia asked aloud. "Wouldn't allowing Diodora to do as he pleases be dangerous? Why would they want to risk Rias-Buchou's life like that?"

  Probably because Rias isn't the target, so far, he's only been interested in Asia and me. They also could not know what Diodora's endgame is, and want to see things py out more before making a move. Natsuki did not voice these thoughts to her friends, crossing her arms as she leaned back into the couch.

  Rias shook her head. "We are just making assumptions at this point. And right now, we can do nothing but keep our eyes open for anything and focus on preparing for our next Rating Game."

  Issei grimaced. "Yeah, against that bastard."

  "Exactly," Rias continued, meeting each of their gazes one by one. "Training will be doubled, and strategy pnning will be done daily. We're not going to give Diodora, or anyone connected to him, even the smallest opening."

  Kiba nodded. "Understood."

  Akeno's voice softened as she looked toward Natsuki. "That goes for you as well, Natsuki-chan."

  All eyes shifted toward her, but Natsuki did not look at any of them, keeping her gaze fixed on a point on the wall. Her fingers twitched as her Demonic Power pulsed beneath her skin.

  "I know that, Akeno," Natsuki said softly.

  Do you? Akeno thought, taking a half-step forward. "Natsuki-"

  Natsuki sighed. "I'm not going to run off and try to take Diodora on by myself, alright. So, can you stop looking at me like that?"

  Before anything else could be said, the doors of the clubroom suddenly swung open, and the Governor General of the Fallen Angels strolled inside.

  "Damn, what's got all of you looking so glum?" Azazel asked with a smile.

  "Can we assume that you have already been briefed about the investigation my brother led?" Rias asked, ignoring the man's question.

  "Yeah, Sirzechs told me all about that. Can't say I'm surprised about the ck of evidence." Azazel shrugged.

  "Uh, sensei, no offense, but why are you here?" Issei asked, watching as the man sat down.

  "Have you forgotten that it's my job to help you all prepare for your next Rating Game?" Azazel asked, "I came so we can watch the Agares v Astaroth Rating Game footage together since I'll be busy for the rest of the day."

  Before they began watching the recording, Issei already knew that the Astaroth Peerage were the victors of the match, but despite knowing the outcome, he at least assumed that the battle would have been a retively close one.

  Especially as Akeno had once mentioned before the whole tournament began that the first matches each Peerage participated in were made based on the rankings the Rating Game committee had come up with, an average rank of the strengths of each King and their servants. Bael had been ranked first, Agares second, followed by Gremory, Astaroth, Sitri, and finally Gsya-Labos.

  Damnit! So that bastard isn't just attractive, rich, and reted to a Maou, but he's also strong as hell and a good leader?! Issei thought, gritting his teeth as he watched the Devil in question eliminate both of Seekvaira's Rooks.

  "Looks like this match is going to be even shorter than the st one we watched." Kiba muttered. "Half of Seekvaira-sama's servants have already fallen, and it's only been a few minutes."

  Can't say I'm that surprised by how ruthless that fucker is being; it was pretty obvious he's hiding a darker side to himself behind that fake smile of his. Natsuki thought, watching Diodora and his Queen, Rachel, doing most of the fighting on their side, obviously the strongest of the Peerage.

  The Astaroth Peerage had moved too quickly to split up the Agares Peerage, keeping them to opposite sides of the battlefield, preventing Seekvaira from ever coordinating her Peerage's formations properly.

  "Azazel-sensei, did you give both Peerages Artificial Sacred Gears?" Asia asked, having noticed that neither side was using them.

  "I did, but the Astaroth Devils haven't given the Agares enough time to use their Artificial Sacred Gears." Azazel pouted, "Nor did they use their own. It made me question what the point of giving the gear to them was."

  "Well, it doesn't look like they need them," Koneko said dryly just as Diodora's Queen unched a torrent of fire at Seekvaira's Queen.

  "Seekvaira Agares-sama. Queen, retired." Grayfia announced.

  "But it's quite disappointing, though. I would have loved to see what those Knights could do with their swords." Xenovia said, her brows knitting together as the match continued to spiral out of Seekvaira's control.

  Azazel hummed, arms crossed as he leaned back against the couch, "That's the point, Diodora never lets his opponents fight the way they want to. He cuts off their options early, isotes them, and forces them to break down."

  On the screen, one of the Seekvaira's Bishops tried to regroup, only to be impaled by a nce of crackling Demonic light before she could finish chanting her spell.

  Asia flinched when she saw this, shuddering at the cold gleam in Diodora's eyes as he fired the attack at the opposing Devil.

  "It's over now," Akeno whispered as Diodora and the rest of his Peerage now had Seekvaira surrounded.

  Seekvaira gred at Diodora but had no choice but to utter these words at the st Devil left standing in Peerage. "I surrender."

  "Combatant Seekvaira Agares-sama has retired. The victor is Diodora Astaroth-sama."

  "Well, that wasn't too bad," Rias said, finally speaking as the magical screen disappeared.

  "Eh? Not that bad?" Issei asked. "Buchou, did we all watch the same match?"

  "Yes, we did," Rias grinned. "And from what I have seen, the Astaroth Peerage, outside of Diodora and his Queen, does not compare to our own."

  "Because the others didn't fight?" Issei asked. "But couldn't that bastard be trying to hide his Peerage strength or something?"

  "He could, but I doubt it. Those girls looked like they were barely strong enough to carry their weapons and relied entirely on Diodora and his Queen to carry the match; that kind of imbance is a weakness." Rias finished calmly.

  Akeno nodded. "Buchou is right; from what we saw, Diodora's Peerage is efficient, but not all that flexible. Take out the Queen, isote Diodora, and the rest will crumble."

  "So, we'll jump him," Issei said immediately, pumping his fist.

  "Don't get overconfident now," Azazel remarked, smirking at the group, "That's what happened to the Agares. Issei could be right, the rest of Diodora's servants could be hiding their strength for stronger foes, not to mention they do have the numbers advantage over you lot. Fifteen Devils to your nine."

  "Are you going to tell us if they're hiding their strength or are you just going to keep alluding to the possibility that they are?" Natsuki asked dryly, rolling her eyes when Azazel's smirk grew.

  She then turned to look at the others, "Regardless of this asshole's bullshit, we should focus on not letting them catch us off guard. We're most likely stronger than them, but they're fast, fast enough to catch the Agares Peerage completely off guard, separate them, and strong enough to hold them off long enough for the other two to finish them off."

  "We could try splitting them up as they did to the Agares Peerage," Kiba suggested.

  Xenovia nodded her head. "We can split them up into three or four groups. The King, the Queen, and then the rest."

  "That would be best," Rias said. "Xenovia, Gasper, Koneko, and Yuuto can go after Diodora's Knights, Pawns, Rooks, and Bishops. Akeno and Natsuki can go after Diodora's Queen while Asia supports them, and Issei and I will go after Diodora himself."

  "And why should this be the lineup?" Natsuki asked, her voice cold as she stared bnkly at her King.

  Rias met the stare head-on, undeterred by it. "Because I can't trust you not to let your emotions get the better of you. You're blinded by anger and a need for revenge, Natsuki, don't try to deny it."

  Natsuki gred at her. "So, what if I am? That fucking evil bastard is responsible for the death of an innocent man! Or how he's been floating around here to spy on all of us. Excuse me for not wanting him to get away with any of that."

  "And excuse me for not wanting you to be so singurly focused on this. And excuse me for not wanting you to throw your life away in the process because you're too foolish to see reason." Rias finished; her voice was steady but strained.

  Natsuki's hands curled into fists at her sides, and golden sparks of Demonic Power briefly flickered around her knuckles before she forced them away. "So that's it, then? You don't trust me."

  "That's not what I said," Rias replied immediately. "I trust your strength, and I trust your loyalty. What I don't trust right now is your judgment, even if you manage to do what, kill Diodora? What do you think House Astaroth would do to you in response to killing their heir?"

  Natsuki's jaw tightened, turning away from the redhead to look at the floor, having not thought about House Astaroth outside of its heir.

  Rias stood up for her desk, walked around it, and pced her hands on Natsuki's face, lifting her head up so that they were looking directly into each other's eyes. "The moment you cross that line, I'm not sure that I will be able to protect you. So, I'm asking you, begging you not to make the rest of us find out what the consequences of that would be."

  For a moment, Natsuki said nothing; the storm inside her raged, demanding blood, demanding justice, demanding vengeance.

  Eventually, she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine, I'll follow your pn, Rias."

  "Do you promise?"

  "I promise."

  Rias sighed with relief, her face rexing as she smiled softly at her servant.

  "I don't know, maybe you should let Natsuki-chan do what she wants. Nothing would spice up a Rating Game more like unresolved murderous intent." Azazel chuckled lowly.

  "Stop talking," Rias warned, gring at the Fallen Angel, but Azazel only ughed in response.

  Hours Later

  Unlike the other students around her, Natsuki stood on the field with no emotion on her face and with her hands zily stuffed into the pockets of her sweatpants. The school was already halfway through the Sports Festival, but Natsuki could not bring herself to care about any of it.

  "Sukehiro-san," Kamo called out, jogging towards the other girl.

  Natsuki turned her head slightly to look at her, "Kamo."

  "I wanted to let you know that they're almost done setting up for the obstacle course." The student representative said, pointing in the direction of the other end of the school yard.

  Natsuki nodded her head as she turned to walk over there, "Right, thanks."

  "Uh, wait, Sukehiro!" Kamo called out, interlocking her fingers together awkwardly as Natsuki stopped to look at her again. "I just... I just wanted to say that the rest of Css 2-B and I will be rooting for you, so give it your all."

  Natsuki stared at Kamo, and for a moment, Kamo was worried that she had said the wrong thing, but rexed when a small smile appeared on Natsuki's face.

  "Then I can't lose now," Natsuki said as her smile became more teasing and pyful, "Wouldn't want to let down everyone."

  She's really pretty when she smiles. Kamo thought before following Natsuki.

  As she reached the obstacle course, Natsuki took her pce among the other runners at the starting line, her id-back demeanor contrasting with that of the other runners.

  "Sukehiro-san," Yura said, greeting the other Devil as she looked at her, the ends of her shoulder-length blue hair bouncing as she moved.

  "Yura," Natsuki said with a short nod of her head.

  She ignored the introduction the announcer was giving to the crowd of students around her, already knowing that the outcome of this race was predetermined, not that the humans around her were aware of this.

  When the starting pistol was finally fired, Natsuki moved, and to the human eye, it looked like a clean, powerful sprint, but to anyone who could truly see what was happening, it was something else entirely. Her feet barely touched the ground as she cleared the first wall in a single fluid motion, vaulting over it with effortless precision.

  She did not unleash her full speed; there was no need to, given who her competition was. Even Yura, who despite being a Devil, and who was currently in second pce, struggled to keep pace with Natsuki as Natsuki firmly left her in the dust.

  Students shouted as Natsuki passed them, voices blurring into noise as she weaved through swinging logs and leapt across pits that sent other runners scrambling for footing.

  Her Demonic Power stirred beneath her skin, but she forced it down, clenching her jaw as she nded from a high drop and rolled smoothly back to her feet. The ground cracked faintly beneath her palms before she pushed off again.

  By the time the final obstacle came into view, the distance between her and the rest of the runners was undeniable. And when she crossed the finish line first, chest rising and falling steadily, not a hint of strain on her face, the announcer's voice cracked in disbelief, and the field erupted into cheers.

  Natsuki slipped her hands back into her pockets, her gaze lifting briefly toward the sky, but for some reason, her victory only made the fire inside her burn hotter.

  I nearly lost control of myself back there. Natsuki thought, seeing Yura cross the finish line second from the corner of her eye.

  In her mind, she once again could not stop herself from thinking about how pointless all of this was, and how she should be focusing on everything that was going on beyond Kuoh Academy.

  "Damn, Natsuki, did you have to show off like that?" Issei said as he, Asia, Xenovia, and Irina walked towards her.

  "Don't act like you wouldn't be ughing your ass off if I lost," Natsuki said.

  "I totally would," Issei said, not even bothering to deny it.

  Natsuki snorted softly, shaking her head. "Yeah, figures."

  Asia giggled beside him, relief clear on her face. "You were amazing out there, Natsuki-san."

  "Just doing what I had to," Natsuki replied, though her eyes drifted away from them, scanning the field without really seeing it.

  Irina tilted her head, studying the Devil carefully. "You didn't look very happy that you've won."

  Before Natsuki could answer Irina, the group found themselves quickly swarmed by the rest of Css 2-B.

  "Did you see that jump?!"

  "She cleared that wall like it was nothing!"

  "Sukehiro-san, that was insane!"

  Before she knew it, hands were cpping her on the back; voices were overpping as her cssmates crowded around her, excitement buzzing through the air. Someone shoved a towel into her hands, another tried to ask how she trained, and a few were already arguing whether what they had just seen was even humanly possible.

  What the hell? Natsuki could only stand there, confused by the reaction of her cssmates, having been used to being feared and avoided by them.

  So, is this all it took to get a little bit of acceptance? Win a Sports Festival event? Natsuki could not say that she was all that surprised by her cssmates' shallowness, but it mostly just brought out a sense of apathy within her.

  She had long since accepted that she would not fit in with other people, and when she looked at her fellow Devils and Irina, she quickly realized another reason why she did not care about the sudden praise that was being heaped upon her.

  What need did she have for this fake sincerity when she had already experienced genuine friendship from the rest of the Gremory Peerage?

  Natsuki forced a small smile as she handed the towel back, nodding absently to the praise still being thrown her way, but her mind was already elsewhere, and the cheers around her faded into background noise.

  But most of all, this just proved to be yet another small and irrelevant distraction from what was enormously important.

  I… I don't feel like myself anymore. What's wrong with me? Natsuki clenched her fists as her thoughts moved away from the festival and her cssmates and back to the murdered human whom she failed to save.

  Asia had thought that after the Sports Festival concluded, the rest of her day would be uneventful, but found herself quickly mistaken as the Devil who had been haunting her thoughts for days suddenly appeared behind her as she was leaving the girls' locker room.

  "Asia-san," Diodora said, smiling sweetly and brightly at the former nun standing in front of him.

  "D-Diodora-sama." Asia stuttered. "Why-What are you doing here?"

  The hallway was strangely empty except for the two of them, leaving Asia to wonder if Diodora had something to do with this or if it was just a coincidence.

  "I came to see my dear; it has simply been far too long since I have id eyes on your beautiful form. I could not help myself."

  Diodora reached for Asia's hand, bringing it up to his lips, and kissing the back of it.

  "Oh." Was all Asia could say, not knowing how to respond.

  "I have also come-"

  "Diodora-san, what are you doing here? And why are your hands on my servant?" When Asia turned around, she saw Rias standing nearby, her jaw clenched, and her eyes narrowed at Diodora.

  "B-Buchou-san!" Asia excimed.

  "Asia-chan, come over here," Rias said calmly.

  Asia stepped back, allowing Diodora's hand to fall off from her own, and walking to where her master stood.

  "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Rias asked, looking for any sign of injury on the Bishop's body.

  Asia shook her head. "No, he didn't. I'm fine."

  Rias smiled softly, "Good."

  "Damnit! Why is he here?!" Issei excimed as he turned the corner and ran down the hallway, standing protectively in front of Rias and Asia, and gring at Diodora.

  "Tch! Seriously, Issei?" Natsuki said as she and the rest of the Peerage joined them in the hallway. "I thought I told you to wait for us."

  When Natsuki felt Diodora's presence in the school and that he was with Asia, she wasted no time gathering the others, but Rias was already heading towards Diodora and Asia when she sensed him, and Issei had run off the moment Diodora's name left her mouth.

  This idiot really has a lot of nerve showing his face here again. Natsuki thought, once again appalled by the arrogance that Devils seemed to exude from every facet of their bodies.

  Diodora ignored everyone else as he looked at Rias. "Rias-san, just the girl I wanted to speak to."

  Rias crossed her arms. "If you wished to speak to me, Diodora-san, I would have preferred it if you had sent word ahead of time instead of just forcing your way here. It is quite rude to simply intrude on another's territory, and yet you have done so multiple times. My patience is starting to tire of you."

  "I sincerely apologize, Rias-san," Diodora said, giving her a deep and exceptionally low bow of his head. "My actions must have come across as quite petunt and irritating, and so I have come rectify this, along with speaking clearly of what I want. I would like to trade Bishops."

  "Iyan! I-I-Is he t-talking about me!?" Gasper excimed, trying to hide her body behind Kiba.

  Koneko quickly spped the back of his head. "Of course not."

  The moment Asia heard the word Bishops, she immediately grabbed Issei's hand, squeezing it tightly. And in response, Issei used more of his body to shield Asia from view.

  "And the Bishop I am seeking from you, Rias-san, is Asia Argento," Diodora said, smiling at Asia without hesitation before looking back at Rias. "Along with having your choice of either of my Bishops, I would also be willing to give you several of the Astaroth family grimoires, as much gold as you-"

  Rias quickly raised her hand, cutting Diodora off. "I thought as much that this is what you wanted, Diodora-san, but I have no intention or desire to trade. It's not that your Bishop doesn't match up with mine, but I simply don't want to lose Asia; she is dearly important to me, as are the rest of my servants."

  "Is it because of her ability? Or is it because of her charm as an individual?" Diodora asked.

  "Both. I think of her as my little sister."

  "Buchou-san!" Asia covered her mouth with her hand as a choked gasp escaped her lips, and her green eyes became teary.

  It made her happier than she could ever imagine hearing that the older girl thought of her as a little sister.

  I've never… I've never had anyone who thinks of me like this. Asia thought, reminded of how much she cares for the Gremory Peerage and how much they care for her in turn.

  "We live together, and she holds affection for me and I for her, so I would say that is a good enough reason not to want to let her go, don't you think? And to be honest, I can't bring myself to understand why you are trying to use a method like this to try to get Asia from me, Diodora-san. It boils my blood to know that you think so lowly of me and the worth I give to my friends, that you would try to bribe me. Did you think that I would not find this to be an insult?" Rias said with a smile that those who knew her meant that she was holding back her anger.

  "I see." Diodora's lips twitched, and his smile became creepier. "I understand. I will return for today, but I will not give up."

  "Can't you just take the fucking hint that you're not getting Asia-chan already?!" Issei shouted, having had enough of the Devil's persistence.

  "Ise, that is enough," Rias said, keeping her eyes on Diodora.

  Diodora ignored Issei and tried to walk towards Asia, but Natsuki stepped in front of her and Issei.

  "You are in my way," Diodora said, his smile intensifying.

  "Asia already told you that she doesn't want to marry you. Don't you know that women aren't attracted to desperation?" Natsuki said coldly. "Or are you just that arrogant to believe that everything in the world is yours to take and do with as you please?"

  Diodora's smile fell, and he gred at Natsuki and Issei. "What do filthy, disgusting dragons such as yourselves know about the world? The very idea of being a part of the same species as fools like you-"

  "Stop!" Asia excimed, letting go of Issei's hand and jumping in front of her friends. "Just stop it!"

  "Asia-san-" Diodora tried to speak to Asia, but she was having none of it.

  "I don't want this! I don't want any of this fighting, especially not over me." Asia's voice shook, but she did not step back. Her hands were clenched at her sides, her eyes wet as she faced Diodora directly.

  "I've already told you no." Asia continued, more firmly. "I don't want to be traded, and I don't want to be married. I want to stay with Buchou, I want to stay with everyone here. Please… stop trying to take that choice away from me."

  The hallway was silent, and for a moment, Diodora simply stared at her, something unreadable flickering behind his eyes. Then, slowly, his expression softened once more into that same pleasant, practiced smile.

  "I see." He straightened, csping his hands behind his back, "It seems I have caused you distress. That was never my intention, Asia-san."

  Liar. Natsuki felt her teeth grind together at just how easily the words slipped through Diodora's lips, further exemplifying the Devil's two-faced nature to her.

  Diodora turned his gaze to Rias, bowing again, although less deeply this time. "Rias-san, I apologize for overstepping. I will respect your answer… for now."

  "For now?" Issei snapped.

  Diodora's eyes flicked to him briefly, cold and dismissive, "Affection is not something so easily abandoned. Nor is destiny."

  He looked back at Asia one st time, his smile gentler than before, and yet far more unsettling. "I will wait. I trust that in time, you will come to understand what is best for you."

  "That's enough," Rias said sharply, her Power of Destruction pressing outwardly enough to make the air around her hum. "You've said your piece. Leave now."

  It seemed like Diodora might argue with Rias, but then he chuckled softly. "Very well."

  He stepped back, turning toward the exit, and as he passed Natsuki, his shoulder brushed hers closely enough that she could feel the chill of his aura.

  "This isn't over," Diodora murmured, too quietly for anyone else to hear. "For either of us."

  The moment his presence vanished from the school, the tension snapped.

  Asia sagged slightly, and Issei was immediately at her side, steadying her. "Asia-chan, are you okay?"

  She nodded shakily, clutching the front of her uniform. "I think… I think so."

  Rias pced a hand on her shoulder, and her expression softened. "You did very well, Asia. I'm proud of you."

  Natsuki stood a few steps away, fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms, golden sparks flickering and dying beneath her skin.

  I should've hit him. Just once.

  She forced herself to breathe, turning away before anyone could see the fury on her face.

  Whatever Diodora Astaroth was pnning, Natsuki knew one thing with absolute certainty: when the Rating Game came, there would be no room left for restraint.

  Two Days Later

  As the teleportation circle disappeared, Natsuki found herself standing within the living room of a dimly lit apartment.

  The room had not been cleaned recently, as clothes, used diapers, and ptes of old food were scattered about. She could see and smell the wine that stained the adjacent wall, along with the scattered gss that y beneath it.

  And kneeling before Natsuki, holding a small flyer with a magic circle on it in her hand, was a short woman with tangled, knotted, and greasy bck hair, dark circles under her brown eyes, pale skin, and wearing a rumpled shirt and sweatpants.

  "I… It-It worked," The woman whispered, staring at Natsuki in shock.

  Natsuki then gave the woman a slight bow. "Good evening. I am a Devil of House Gremory, my name is Sukehiro Natsuki. How may I be of service to you?"

  When she had been given a flyer for the services of a Devil by a beautiful woman with long bck hair, gold eyes, and with almost unnaturally long and sharp fingernails, Inaba Makiko did not expect it to work, having only taken the flyer because the woman who gave it to her had been insistent and Makiko wanted to get on with her grocery shopping so she could return home as quickly as possible. And even when she read the incantation on the flyer, she only did so jokingly.

  "I…I…" Makiko did not know what to say, struggling to accept the situation at hand. Tears started to form in the corners of her eye, her body shaking as she tried to compose herself.

  Makiko jumped when she felt a hand touching her shoulder, and when she looked up, she saw the empathetic expression the Devil was giving her.

  "Take your time," Natsuki said softly, her voice was steady and gentle, "You're safe. I'm here to listen."

  Makiko's lips trembled, and for a few seconds she only stared at the floor, her fingers tightening around the flyer until it crumpled in her grasp.

  "M-My name is In-Inaba Makiko, an-and my husband, I-Inaba Motonobu, is… is dead." The words came out in a barely audible whisper. "He… He was killed three nights ago."

  Natsuki showed no emotion; she already knew who this woman was, as she had purposely sent Midnight in her human disguise to give Makiko the flyer in her hands.

  After memorizing Motonobu's ID and after leaving the clubroom that first night, Natsuki had wasted no time going to the man's home to see if there was anyone there who would mourn him.

  "I was told it was a mugging," Makiko continued, her voice cracking. "That he was in the wrong pce at the wrong time. But that doesn't make sense, my husband wasn't careless, and he hated being out te."

  Her shoulders shook as she pressed a hand to her mouth. "He promised he'd be home before dinner."

  The apartment felt unbearably small to Natsuki, and she could feel her heart bleed for the woman.

  "I don't know what I'm supposed to do now. They told me that they would continue the case, but that they were sure nothing would be found because of how little evidence there was at the scene. But I know this can't be true, that something is wrong here." Makiko sobbed before she looked up at Natsuki, her eyes red and desperate. "You're a Devil… right? You deal in contracts and truths and things people like me aren't supposed to understand."

  Natsuki knelt in front of her, meeting her eye level, "Yes, I am, and I do."

  Makiko swallowed hard, "T-Then can you bring him back? He wasn't supposed to die, my Motonobu was a good man, Sukehiro-san!"

  Natsuki shook her head, guilt filling her heart as she saw the devastation on Makiko's face. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that; it's not within my power to bring back the dead."

  Makiko's breath hitched, and for a moment, it looked like she might shatter completely. Then her shoulders slumped, and she let out a broken sound that was somewhere between a sob and a ugh as she pressed both hands against her face.

  "I knew it," Makiko whispered hoarsely. "I knew it was stupid to ask." Tears slipped through her fingers, dripping onto the stained carpet below. "I just… I didn't want to believe that that was it. That someone could just take him away, and that would be the end of it."

  Natsuki stayed where she was, kneeling, unmoving. She did not reach out this time, not wanting to interrupt.

  Makiko wiped her eyes with trembling hands, inhaling sharply as she forced herself to look at the Devil again.

  "T-Then can you tell me-" Just as Makiko was going to finish her question, a sharp, piercing cry ripped through the apartment.

  "Gennai…" Makiko whispered, jumping to her feet and rushing towards her son's bedroom.

  Natsuki slowly stood and followed the woman, standing in the doorway, and watching as Makiko lifted the crying baby out of his crib and began rocking him.

  "Your son?" Natsuki asked.

  "Yes, he's my son." Makiko nodded, her eyes glossing over as she spoke. "Motonobu and I… we have-had been married for a long time, and we struggled to convince. So, when I became pregnant with Gennai, he… he became our little miracle."

  "How old is he?" Natsuki asked, stepping into the room.

  "He… He turned a year old two months ago," Makiko whispered. "Motonobu had been so excited when we celebrated his birthday, and now… now h-he'll never g-g-get to celebrate another o-one, and Gennai w-will never k-know his father."

  Fucking hell… Natsuki clenched her fists. "I'm so sorry, Inaba-san."

  "It's not your fault, Sukehiro-san," Makiko whispered, but Natsuki only felt guiltier.

  "Make a contract with me." Natsuki quickly said.

  Makiko blinked. "A contract?"

  "While I cannot bring your husband back, there are plenty of other things I can do for you." Natsuki expined, "Cleaning, grocery shopping, babysitting, working out together, and paperwork. Or even if you just need someone there to talk to, you will only need to summon me, and I'll be there." Natsuki said earnestly, her gaze fell to the floor. "I can do anything you need of me."

  "Do you know me?" Makiko asked, "I'm sure I've never seen you before, but you are acting… acting as if you owe me something."

  "I don't know you." Natsuki lied. "It's just hearing about your husband's death had broken my heart."

  "A Devil can feel remorse? Now I've seen everything." Makiko joked, her voice cracking.

  A small smile appeared on Natsuki's face. "So what do you say?"

  Makiko thought over Natsuki's proposal, her gaze drifting down to the sleeping child in her arms. Gennai had finally settled; his small fingers curled into the fabric of her shirt as if afraid she might disappear too.

  "I don't…" Makiko began, then stopped, swallowing hard. "I don't have anything to give you. Unless you want money, then I think I can scrounge together some-"

  Natsuki looked up at her immediately, "I don't want that."

  Makiko frowned faintly, confusion flickering across her face, "Then why?"

  "I have no need for money, Inaba-san. All contracts are transactional; by making one with me, I will provide services for you, and through the contract, I gain magical energy, which increases my power. It's kind of like those old tales of people giving up their souls to Devils, except we don't do that anymore since the system has been streamlined."

  Makiko stared at her for a long moment, searching her face for deceit, for mockery, for the sharp edges she had been warned Devils possessed and found none. Makiko's shoulders sagged, exhaustion finally overtaking her disbelief. "If… if this is a trick, it's a cruel one."

  "It's not a trick," Natsuki replied, pcing a hand over her own chest. "I swear it."

  Makiko let out a shaky breath, nodding once. "Then… then I'll accept."

  Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "You will?"

  "Yes," Makiko said softly. "Not because you're a Devil, but because right now, I don't think I'll survive if I don't let someone help me."

  She shifted Gennai gently, careful not to wake him. "If you can just… help me stand again, even a little… that's enough."

  Natsuki stood slowly, a familiar warmth stirring in her chest as crimson sigils began to form faintly beneath her feet. "Then let us make a contract."

  The magic circle bloomed between them, soft and steady rather than overwhelming. Makiko flinched at first, but she did not pull away.

  "Take my hand and then say your name and then the words 'I enter into a contract with the Devil, Sukehiro Natsuki'," Natsuki commanded as she held out her hand towards the human.

  Makiko trembled as she gently pced her hand on top of Natsuki's. "I, Inaba Makiko, enter into a contract with the Devil, Sukehiro Natsuki."

  The light fred once and then faded away, the apartment remained just as broken and cluttered as before.

  But Makiko felt a warmth on the back of her hand, and when she looked down, she saw the crest of the magic circle that was on the flyer, and that happened in the center of the magic circle that appeared beneath Natsuki's feet. After a few seconds, the marking disappeared, but the warmth stayed with her. And when she looked up, she found Natsuki bowing deeply.

  "From this moment on, you are under my protection," Natsuki said as she stood back up.

  Makiko ughed softly through fresh tears, "That's… that's a strange thing to hear from a Devil."

  The same burgundy red eyes that Makiko had found frightening when Natsuki first arrived softened, gleaming with an emotion that Makiko could not pce.

  "Maybe." Natsuki said with a shrug, "Now, what's the first thing this Devil can do for you?"

  The Next Day

  "What do you mean we're going on a talk show?" Natsuki asked incredulously as she sat on the floor of Issei's bedroom.

  "It's exactly as it sounds." Rias sighed, looking at everyone with a doubtful expression on her face. "The Rating Game Tournament for the Young Devils' Gathering has become immensely popur in the Underworld and Heaven, which has led to demands for more of us contestants. So tomorrow, we will be going down to the Underworld to be interviewed. And no, we don't have a choice in the matter, my brother is adamant about us doing this when he set the interview up."

  "Sirzechs-sama organized this? But why, Buchou?" Issei asked.

  Rias crossed hers. "I don't know why, Onii-sama refused to tell him. Knowing my brother, the reason could be just about anything."

  "Do we know which talk show we'll be going on, Buchou?" Kiba asked.

  "Roundtable of Sin."

  "R-Really?" Gasper asked excitedly.

  Issei scratched the back of his head. "Is that a popur show or something?"

  Gasper bounded happily in his seat, the paper bag on his head fluttering slightly. "It's one of the most famous talk shows in the Underworld! It's hosted by Lord Zepar, a noble Devil. He invites anyone who's popur, interesting, or controversial to discuss things like TV shows, movies, music, Rating Games, politics, and… um… scandals."

  "Scandals?" Issei echoed.

  Gasper nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! It's extremely popur because of it. People really love seeing Devils argue live on broadcast."

  "You can go without stuttering when you're talking about a TV show, but not when you're talking to me, Gya-kun?" Koneko asked, using her hands to lift the paper bag covering Gasper's face and painfully pinching his cheeks.

  "Ack! I-I-I-I'm sw-sworry!" Gasper whined as Koneko picked his cheeks harder.

  Natsuki groaned, leaning back on her hands. "Fantastic. So, we're being thrown into a daytime trash for entertainment?"

  "That's certainly one way to put it, Natsuki-chan," Akeno said lightly. "It's not as bad as you're making it out to be."

  Natsuki groaned again. "Akeno, you watch that shit too?"

  "Everyone," Rais said, calling back attention to herself. "Regardless of how we feel, we are doing this interview. This will be the first and possibly the only opportunity to make a good impression with the greater public of the Underworld and beyond. We cannot mess this up."

  Issei sat up straighter. "You can count on me, Buchou!"

  This is going to fucking suck. Natsuki thought, already dreading tomorrow.