Chapitre 7: Chapter 7: Despair
So there were many tells when Issei looked away and answered hesitantly, "Souna-senpai says I have a lot more potential than it appears. She says that that joining the student council will teach me discipline, and she can help me study."
The other two clearly bought it. Matsuda crossed his arms as he declared stiffly, "Don't see why you accepted then. Sounds like a drag. It will cut into your peeping time."
"Oh, there are certainly benefits," Issei claimed slyly. Looking around like he was trying to be subtle, he then leaned forward and continued, "Let's just say this brings me one step closer to my harem."
While Matsuda and Motohama recoiled in shock, Naruto just raised an eyebrow before questioning, "Does this have to do with the fact that the entire student council is female?"
Issei laughed uncomfortably while shifting before claiming, "Yeah, that's it. Being around all those girls all the time is a good step, right?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly when he detected that as another lie. Issei is hiding something, which is weird.
Usually he blurts everything out, even stuff Naruto wishes he kept to himself. For him to be hiding something indicates it is important.
And why is Issei shying away from the sun? He keeps raising his arm to try and block the rising sun's rays from getting in his eyes. He also seems tired.
Deciding to put away those thoughts, Naruto just put a hand on Issei's head. He then ruffled his hair before commenting, "Don't really know what's going on, but you seem happy about it. That's good enough for me. Good luck with the student council."
Issei grinned happily at Naruto's approval and acceptance. Not surprising since he did honestly idolize Naruto to a rather disturbing degree.
Any further attempts by Matsuda and Motohama to interrogate Issei were cut off by the teacher coming in to start class.
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"Buchou, are you in here?" Akeno called out as she slowly opened the door to the clubroom. She quickly got her answer when she saw Rias at her desk.
The young devil was in her chair, her face planted on her desk. An aura of gloom and depression surrounding her.
Akeno blinked in surprise at the sight. Rias had been fine that morning. She'd gone to talk when her friend/rival Sona requested she come to the student council room.
Akeno had only come here when she heard Rias hadn't shown up for her classes. Rias and her lived in the old school building, so they never really missed school. What had happened during her talk with Sona that had left Rias so…miserable?
Moving forward, Akeno touched Rias' shoulder before asking gently, "Rias. What happened?" Her use of her name instead of her title showed how concerned Akeno was.
Rias eventually said something, but it was nonsensical because her face was still pressed against her desk. Akeno sweat dropped before asking, "Can you repeat that?"
Rias slowly lifted her head to show a despairing face. She then informed her queen, "Sona made Issei part of her peerage last night."
"What?" Akeno asked in shock and dismay.
"You heard me," Rias grumbled before putting her face back against the desk.
Akeno moved to a chair and collapsed into it as she absorbed the news. She then questioned in a tense voice, "What happened? I thought Sona was stepping aside on Issei since you let her pick up three of the more magically talented students without issue."
Rias lifted her head just enough to explain clearly, "She says she did. She says that she has stayed to the sideline for months, but that time ran out.
That she gave me plenty of time to make him part of my peerage, but didn't make use of the opportunity. That if I wasn't going to act, she wasn't going to restrain herself."
Akeno wanted to argue, but couldn't. What Sona was saying was true. They identified Issei as a Sacred Gear holder at the end of the last year.
They had immediately gone to Sona to claim him, cashing in the favors she owed them to prevent any arguments, but they haven't acted since.
They had the entire summer and several more months since to induct him into Rias' peerage, but they hadn't. They had sat by on Rias' orders. To Sona, it must have appeared they had chosen to ignore Issei entirely.
Since she had given Rias the chance to claim him, there was no issue in her claiming him now. From a logical standpoint, Sona had every right to claim Issei. So she did.
"This is horrible!" Akeno finally exclaimed.
"I know."
"Riser is sure to come calling soon!"
"I know."
"We have no chance to beat him in a rating game in our current condition!"
"I KNOW, AKENO!"
That stopped Akeno. She immediately stopped talking. She had just been repeating what Rias no doubt knew, and Rias was probably even more terrified by the implications than she was.
Seeing Akeno calm down, Rias put her face back against her desk with a groan of despair. No matter how she thought about it, things did not look good. No, they looked downright terrible.
The reason is because one Riser Phenex, her fiancée. Not by choice though. The two had been engaged since before she had even been born.
Put simply, Rias didn't want to marry him…at all. The marriage had a lot of political implications though. With so few pure-blooded devils remaining, it was viewed as a way to ensure the next generation of pure-blooded devils.
It would also cement an alliance between the Gremory Clan and Phenex Family, two of the remaining 34 pillar families. So the marriage was pretty much set in stone.
Almost, but not quite. Devils value power greatly. If Rias can prove her power and leadership abilities before the marriage, she could end it.
She had few real options to do just that though, considering her age and current power level. The only real option was to beat Riser in an unofficial Rating Match. Rating Matches are a sign of a devils personal power, and the power of their peerage.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone