บท 25: Pact
After the most incredible night of his life thus far, Vahn couldn't help feeling distracted throughout class. He had been apprehensive at the start, but with Rias encouraging him and Akeno making it very clear she desired him, he ended up making her the focus of his lovemaking as the former observed them like she was taking notes.
"Hey, you good, man...?" asked Issei, waiting until the end of the second period, when the girls left from gym class and the boys had a free period, to ask what was on Vahn's mind.
"I'm great..." responded Vahn, shaking his head and meeting Issei's gaze with a smile as he confessed, "I'm just a little...overwhelmed. What about you? You were late to class yesterday, and you've seemed distracted ever since."
Losing his smile and exhaling from his nose, Issei revealed, "It's because I came across this super cute and gentle girl named Asia. The problem is that she's a nun affiliated with the Church, so even though I said I would be her friend, Rias-senpai said I should avoid her..."
"I mean...you have been attacked twice in less than a week..." reminded Vahn, smiling as he appended, "But if the two of you are able to set aside your differences to remain friends despite your conflicting backgrounds, I think that would be a good thing. Rias is just concerned because you give her reasons to be."
"Well...it's not like I mean to make her worry..." contended Issei, rubbing the back of his head and smiling awkwardly before dropping his hand and adopting a more sincere expression as he expressed, "But, thanks, man. I honestly expected you to tell me to stay away from Asia as well since you seem to be pretty die-hard for Rias-senpai."
"This and that are two separate issues," asserted Vahn, shaking his head as he explained, "I don't really care about things like sides. If people can get along, that's infinitely better than fighting. You should be careful, but if you and this Asia girl can be friends, I think you should be..."
"Right on...!" exclaimed Issei, rising to his feet and pumping his left fist, causing a crimson gauntlet with gold, horn-like blades sticking out of the sides and a large green gemstone and red gemstone to appear before he hastily concealed it with his body. Fortunately, Rias had anticipated that Issei might have trouble controlling or concealing his power, so the same method used to prevent people from noticing the changes in his physical appearance was used to make people disregard what happened or what was said when he and Issei were interacting...
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"Sorry, Issei, but Koneko, once again, has multiple concurrent summon requests. Could I ask that you lighten her load and take care of at least one of them?" asked Rias, perusing a clipboard while modeling a pair of square-shaped, red-rimmed glasses.
"Sure thing, President! Just leave it to me...!" responded Issei, feeling pumped after spending hours pummeling monsters and looting all kinds of unique and interesting items in the Corridor of Intertwined Fates. One such item was a bra that could purportedly promote breast development, and though Koneko had punched him in the liver when he tried giving it to her, Issei was excited by the possibility of gifting it to the first member of the harem he aspired to create.
"Excellent. Here's the address," said Rias, adopting a faint smile as she handed Issei a slip of paper, expressing, "I'm counting on you, Issei. Do your best to secure a contract this time, okay?"
"Do I have to ride my bike...?" asked Issei, his previously excited smile cramping as he read the client's address. He was too weak to execute a transfer alone, but if someone accompanied him like during the previous night's hunt, they would be saving him a thirty-minute trip, and that was if he pedaled as fast as he could...
"Your Sacred Gear is the physical enhancing type," reminded Rias. "The stronger your physique becomes, the more effective its power. You only recently became a Devil and lived a fairly sedentary lifestyle before that, so this is a good opportunity to improve your cardio and stamina. Just try not to keep the client waiting too long, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am..." responded Issei, visibly deflating as he left the club room with drooping arms and shoulders. He wanted to argue that he got more than enough exercise in the Corridor, but that was sadly not true. Just as the injuries they sustained inside disappeared the moment they exited, so too did things like muscle fatigue. That meant that even if they built a gym on the inside, it wouldn't facilitate them getting six times the gains, just as using healing magic to recover from muscle fatigue effectively invalidated the effort that led to it...
"And there he goes..." muttered Rias, breathing a faint sigh of relief before looking to the sofa where Vahn was seated next to Koneko, his expression set in a frown as Kiba, seated across from him, schooled him in a game of Chess.
"Kiba, once you finish your match, please tail Issei. That boy seems to be a magnet for trouble," said Rias, shifting her gaze to Koneko as she added, "And Koneko, please don't keep your clients waiting. Your retention rate is very high, but we've received multiple complaints."
"Of course," responded Kiba, causing Vahn's expression to turn gloomy as he promptly placed him into check.
Though he could easily defeat Kiba with Sis's help, Vahn viewed the game as an opportunity to hone his mind and strategic capabilities. Thus, even though he felt like flipping the table, he did his best to stay calm, his gaze focused on the board, but his thoughts pivoting to Koneko as she exhaled a faint sigh and leaned her head against his shoulder.
Briefly looking to his right and finding Koneko staring off into space with a clearly reluctant expression, Vahn turned his attention to Rias, frowning as he asked, "Is the client's satisfaction more important than the feelings of the Devils they summon? Koneko doesn't enjoy being perved on or being made to pose for lewd photos, and I know this may be selfish considering how new I am to all of this...but I really don't want people summoning you or Akeno either..."
"Vahn..." muttered Koneko, a faint smile adorning her face as she rubbed her head against his shoulder.
Exhaling a faint sigh from her nose, Rias leaned forward with her elbows on her desk, linking her fingers together as she stated, "I appreciate your desire to protect us, and I'm also not particularly fond of lewd requests, but this is just the way things are, Vahn. Devils feed off human desires to sustain their existences and grow. I want to respect your feelings, I really do, but if we simply cease forming contracts, our power and lifespans will deteriorate until we eventually crumple to dust..."
Frowning deeper, Vahn countered Rias's argument by proposing, "Then form a contract with me...I will give you all the spirit energy and life force you require. Then you would only need to form contracts with people who make reasonable requests..."
"How bold~" hummed Akeno, finding Vahn's earnestness and desire to protect and monopolize them adorable.
"It's certainly possible for us to form a contract," confirmed Rias, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms as she contended, "But it would be difficult for a single human, no matter how exceptional they might be, to sustain multiple Devils long-term. It would also negatively impact your growth, so we can attempt it if you insist, but—"
"I insist," said Vahn, his expression and tone firm. As the vessel for The Path, he possessed a functionally infinite lifespan, meaning his life force was just as boundless. And if it meant protecting those he had grown to care about, there were few sacrifices he wasn't willing to make...
"Oh, Vahn..." sighed Rias, her previously firm expression developing into a helpless and affectionate smile. She couldn't help thinking he was getting in over his head and being too considerate, but whenever he stared at her with such sincere resolution...she simply didn't have the heart to refuse or tell him he was pushing himself too hard...
Having made up her mind, Rias narrowed her eyes and proposed, "Then, how about this? You can start by forging a contract with Koneko. If the burden on your spirit and body isn't too noticeable, you can try contacting Kiba or Akeno in a few weeks' time. If even that doesn't seriously impact your daily life, growth, and activities, you and I can consider forming one by the end of this year...just don't be too surprised if the terms happen to include marriage..."
Exhaling a faint snort, Vahn adopted an almost cheeky smile and asked, "Why would I be surprised? Everything I'm doing is to ensure we can be together forever. You've just given me more to look forward to..."
"You're becoming quite the charmer..." hummed Rias, feeling a growing sense of yearning within her heart and a place much lower. However, as it was presently the time for club activities and she fully expected that Issei would get into more trouble as he adjusted to his new life as a Devil, she just adjusted her position to be more comfortable as she asked, "So, what will the terms of your contract with Koneko be? I'm curious..."
"As am I," appended Kiba, rising to his feet as he expressed, "But since a fair amount of time has passed, I should head out and see that Issei-kun reaches his client and home safely. Have fun, you four."
"Alright. Have a good night, Kiba. And thank you for agreeing to look after Issei for me," said Rias.
"As your Knight, it is my honor," responded Kiba, offering Rias a courteous bow before raising his head and directing a wink at Vahn before departing the room.
"Kiba is such a considerate boy~" hummed Akeno.
"He truly is..." appended Rias, sporting a proud, almost motherly smile before turning her attention to Vahn and Koneko.
Making her intentions clear, Koneko, in response to Vahn looking at her, plainly stated, "I want to do perverted things..."
"Don't we already do perverted things...?" asked Vahn, his smile cramping slightly as the words felt awkward on his lips.
"We do," confirmed Koneko, nodding. "But since it's a contract, you need to make me do perverted things. If we do it normally, it won't count as an exchange..."
"Oh...I see..." responded Vahn, suddenly feeling a bit sheepish with Rias and Akeno observing him with amused smiles and Koneko staring at him, unblinking, with her large, expectant golden eyes.
(You could ask her to become your pet cat...) suggested Sis, her words arriving like a lifeline as Vahn struggled with the notion of making Koneko do perverted things.
'Is that really okay...?' asked Vahn, swallowing hard as Koneko produced a faint jiiiiiiiii sound while waiting to hear his response.
(You won't know unless you try.) responded Sis. (However, based on your interactions and this morning's events, there is a 92.84% possibility she will find the proposition novel, if not exciting.)
Choosing to trust in Sis's words, as even the thought of telling Koneko to do perverted things was overwhelming, Vahn forced a cramped smile and said, "I want you...to become my pet cat..."
Showing the most emotion Vahn had ever seen her exhibit, Koneko's eyes became as round as saucers while Rias and Akeno uttered, "Oh, my..." and "How daring..." from the side.
Though innumerable questions regarding the specifics of Vahn's request appeared in her mind, Koneko's expression regained its usual impassivity but with notably reddened cheeks as she responded, "I agree...but only if I get to be a naughty kitten..."
"Sure..." responded Vahn, swallowing a second time as Koneko gradually turned her body, her left hand grasping the back of his shirt and her right resting on his inner right thigh as she whispered, "Because Koneko wants to do naughty things with Master...nya..." before raising her face to lick his cheek, the roughness of her tongue heralding the fluffy white ears and tail that protruded from her head and above her butt...
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