บท 3: Welcome to the Occult Research Club
The next morning was chaotic as Kazuki barely avoided being late, sprinting into Class 3-A's room.
As he dropped into his seat, Rias and Akeno turned to look at him. When he gave a quick nod in acknowledgment, they both responded with dazzling smiles.
Once the lessons wrapped up, the afternoon sun marking the end of the school day, Kazuki found himself pondering the events that awaited him tomorrow.
Lost in thought, he didn't even notice Akeno's approach until her lips hovered close to his ear.
"Fuwa-kun, come with me. I'll take you to the clubroom," she whispered, her voice as sweet as poison, her smile radiant.
"Uh… sure," Kazuki replied, following her out of the classroom. His classmates? Staring. Wide-eyed. Slack-jawed. No one dared utter a word.
"Hey, um, Himejima-san?" Kazuki started, curiosity bubbling up.
Akeno turned to him, a single finger pressed against her lips in a silent shush.
The two continued their trek until they reached the old school building. Stopping abruptly, Akeno turned and offered him a smirk.
"We should be safe here. I've put up a barrier to keep regular people out. Discussions about devils should remain unheard, don't you think?"
It finally clicked in Kazuki's head; Akeno wasn't just popular, she was the star of the academy. People were always watching, whispering. They'd need to be cautious.
"Shit, you're right. Sorry, my bad," he muttered.
Her chuckle was soft but teasing. "Just be more careful next time. Now, what did you want to ask?"
"Well, I think I already know, but… Himejima-senpai, you're also…?"
"Yes. I, too, am a reincarnated devil. I serve as Rias' 'Queen.'"
'Of course!' Kazuki thought she was always by Rias' side.
What he assumed was a close friendship now made sense, she wasn't just Rias' ally; she was her top-ranking servant.
"Wait, hold up!! 'Rias'?" Kazuki asked, raising a brow.
"Rias is the president of the Occult Research Club. As her servants, we're all members. From today, you'll be joining us as well." Akeno explained.
"Got it! So I should probably call her President, too?"
"That's right. Now then, shall we?"
With that, Akeno turned and led him forward. Soon, they stopped in front of a door. She opened it, stepping aside with a welcoming gesture.
"Welcome to the Occult Research Club, Kazuki-kun."
Inside the clubroom, five figures greeted Kazuki Fuwa's arrival.
Four women, one man. At the far end of the room, seated behind a large desk, was Rias Gremory. She rose, her voluptuous, yet devilish presence commanding attention.
"Glad you could join us, Kazuki. I'll be calling you that from now on. You can refer to me as 'President.'"
"Yes, President," he replied automatically.
"Good. Now, let me introduce you to your fellow members—my servants and your comrades."
Rias gestured, and Akeno took the lead.
"I'll go first. My name is Akeno Himejima, and I am a third-year student and Rias' 'Queen.' You may call me Akeno. Pleased to meet you, Kazuki-kun."
Next up was a small girl perched on the sofa, munching on sweets. She stood, her demeanor icy but somehow endearing.
"First-year. Koneko Toujou. 'Rook.' Nice to meet you, Kazuki-senpai."
Then came a timid blonde with bright eyes, her uniform pristine and new. She fidgeted nervously before speaking.
"U-um, I'm Asia Argento, a second-year and the 'Bishop.' I'm also new, so I hope we can get along, Kazuki-san."
The lone male in the room grinned broadly as he stood.
"Second-year, Issei Hyoudou. 'Pawn.' Finally, another guy joins the ranks. Great to have you, Kazuki-san!"
Kazuki Fuwa blinked; 'Another guy?' A thought struck him like a truck. 'What about Kiba?'
Before he could ask, the last member in the room stood up, answering his unspoken question.
"Second-year, Kiba Yumi. I'm the 'Knight.' Feel free to call me Yumi. Pleased to meet you, Kazuki-senpai."
And holy fuck, was she gorgeous. Long, chestnut hair that shimmered like silk, deep blue eyes that could drown anyone, and a perfectly proportioned figure that was impossible to ignore.
'Wait… Kiba? Yumi??' Kazuki's mind raced as recognition dawned.
'Oh, fuck me. That's right! In one of the later volumes, there was a female version of Kiba. She looks exactly like that illustration!'
"I'm Kazuki Fuwa, a third-year. For… reasons, I've become the President's 'Pawn.' Let's get along."
Despite the whirlwind of revelations, Kazuki kept his composure and introduced himself.
Thus, his first meeting with his comrades ended.
After receiving the basics of devil work, Kazuki and Asia settled into their roles.
They were summoned by various clients using magic circles (a relief since neither had issues deploying them).
Watching Issei pedaling a bicycle to reach clients because he lacked proficiency in summoning magic was both hilarious and pitiful.
Training sessions, hunting down stray devils and fallen angels, it all became part of their routine.
However, Kazuki's perspective toward Rias had shifted drastically.
His memories of his previous life had dulled the allure she once held. In the original story, Rias often demonstrated immaturity as a leader.
There were several instances where, if not for Issei's intervention, her entire peerage would have been crushed.
Kazuki could see glimpses of that same overconfidence in her current behavior. Likely, her pampered upbringing and lack of major failures had made her oblivious to the consequences of her decisions.
Fuwa respected her as a superior but couldn't bring himself to trust her with his life.
Consequently, he held back during training and missions. Thankfully, being a Pawn—the least valued piece—meant his lack of effort went unnoticed.
One afternoon—
Kazuki arrived late to the clubroom after cleaning duty. The tense atmosphere inside was palpable.
Rias was in her chair, visibly irritated, while Akeno stood beside her, smiling, though there was an unsettling sharpness to her demeanor. Beside them was a silver-haired beauty in a maid outfit, a presence that felt entirely out of place.
Kazuki's peers all looked uneasy.
"What's going on here, guys?" he asked, trying to cut through the awkwardness.
"Ah… Kazuki-senpai, well…," Yumi hesitated, searching for words.
Kazuki sighed, giving her a break. "Fine, I'll ask something simpler. Who's the stunning maid?"
"She's Grayfia," Yumi explained, her tone hushed, "a maid of the Gremory household."
'Oh, right. Grayfia Lucifuge!!' Kazuki's mind pieced it together.
She was the so-called "Strongest Queen," the wife of Sirzechs Lucifer, and for some reason, still served as a maid to the Gremory family. Her presence alone was enough to shift the mood in any room.
"Wait. The Gremory's maid? What's someone like her doing here?"
"That's…," Yumi trailed off again, her discomfort evident.
Before anyone could answer, the air in the room changed. A new magic circle began to glow on the floor. It wasn't the familiar aura of the Gremory family.
"Phoenix," Yumi whispered, tension evident in her voice.
The name struck a chord. The Phoenix family, like the Gremory's, was one of the 72 Pillars.
From the circle emerged a man in his twenties, exuding an aura of arrogance.
His appearance screamed playboy host, and his smirk only deepened Kazuki's annoyance.
This was Riser Phoenix, the third son of the Phoenix family and Rias' unwanted fiancé, their engagement arranged by their families.
Rias was vehemently against the union, and it didn't take long for their heated argument to escalate, filling the room with hostility.
The one to break the tension was Grayfia. She proposed resolving the matter through a Rating Game.
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