Chapter 9: The Summoning x Contract
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Do Devils need to make deals with humans to become stronger?
Doesn't that make them too dependent on humans?
Curious, Badr expressed his doubts.
Hearing his question, Rias and the other two fell silent.
After a few seconds, Rias sighed.
"Everyone knows what you're saying. But we have no choice now. It's not just our Devils; the angels are in the same predicament. Otherwise, why do you think they work hard to spread the faith and gain followers?"
"Pure-blood Devils are very rare these days. Pure-blood angels and fallen angels are also rare. All three factions have reached the point where they must rely on humans to survive. This is the current reality of the three worlds."
Akeno Himejima added quietly, giving Badr a deeper understanding of the situation.
Badr only knew that very few angels and Devils were left in the three worlds, but he hadn't realized that the situation was so dire.
Noble Devils and angels had fallen to the point where they had to depend on fragile humans to survive. It was indeed ironic.
But wasn't it their fault?
Their endless wars had led to the death of their relatives...
Complaints aside, Badr knew it wasn't his place to judge.
Since there was no other way to gain strength, the only option now seemed to be to make treaties with humans.
Badr and the others headed for the classroom as class was about to begin. The day they were passed uneventfully.
But not long after school ended, just as Badr was about to continue handing out flyers, he suddenly felt a surge of magical energy around him!
"What's that...?"
Badr looked at the purple-black magic flowing around him in surprise.
Rias and the others, still in the clubroom, looked over in surprise.
"A contract summoning?" Rias blurted out.
Badr's eyes lit up. "Is this a summoning?"
"Exactly. That is what happens when someone summons you. Why are you hesitating? Respond quickly to the summoning. I'll prepare the teleportation circle for you."
Akeno Himejima smiled as she reminded him. Realizing this, Badr quickly responded to the summoning.
He hadn't expected that the flyers he had distributed would work.
"Thank you, Vice President."
"Good luck." Koneko Toujou encouraged him from the side.
"Thanks, I'll bring you good news." Badr smiled slightly.
With the magical help of Akeno Himejima, a magic circle glowed under Badr's feet. The next moment, he disappeared from the clubroom.
---
A few minutes earlier...
Sakurajima Mai returned to her luxury apartment and closed the door behind her.
Looking at the pineapple bread in her hand, she felt sad.
The phenomenon of not being seen by others was getting worse.
When she went to buy bread just now, the shopkeeper couldn't see her no matter what she did. Ultimately, she had to take the bread and leave the money behind.
This situation had been going on for some time. To see if anyone could still see her, Sakurajima Mai wore a bunny costume and went outside.
But the result was the same - no one noticed her.
Although she tried to stay calm, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.
She had only walked around the school grounds. Maybe there were still people outside the school who could see her?
That's right, yesterday she met a boy who could see her.
When she entered the bathroom, she took off her bunny girl costume, hung it up, and sat in the bathtub.
As she drifted off, she noticed a flyer tucked into her clothes.
She remembered that the boy who had seen her yesterday had given it to her.
Curious, she took it out. The flyer had a magic circle drawn on it, which puzzled her.
What is this drawing? The Occult Research Club... Can it grant wishes?
The flyer suddenly glowed with a purple light as if in response to her thoughts!
Sakurajima Mai was slightly startled by this change.
What's happening?
Is the drawing glowing?
Her calm demeanour allowed her to remain calm despite the sudden change.
But soon, she was stunned.
Splash! Splash!
A figure appeared out of nowhere and fell directly into the bathtub, causing the water to overflow.
Sitting in the tub, Badr looked at his wet clothes and frowned.
What is this?
He looked up and saw a familiar girl staring at him in the bathtub.
They locked eyes in silence...
Badr: "..."
Sakurajima Mai: "..."
---
In the bathroom, the only sound was the water overflowing from the bathtub.
Badr looked down and saw Sakurajima Mai's body submerged in the water. Although the water distorted the view, it was still evident.
Hmm, not bad...
"Uh... I should remember to put a note on the flyers: never use summoning magic while bathing."
He muttered softly, his voice clear in the quiet bathroom.
Sakurajima Mai snapped back to reality, her face flushing red as she recognized Badr as the boy who gave her the flyer.
She stopped herself from screaming and instead curled up in the bathtub, her eyes fixed on Badr.
"Get out."
Sakurajima Mai's voice was cold, though she was clearly struggling to stay calm.
From how Badr appeared out of nowhere, she realized she was dealing with another supernatural event. Given her experience with such events, she managed to remain relatively calm.
"I apologize for the intrusion."
Badr turned his head and quickly got out of the bathtub, his wet clothes dripping as he left the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
The first summoning, and he ended up in such an embarrassing situation, possibly offending Sakurajima Mai...
What if she was angry and refused to make a contract or made things difficult for him?
This was a headache...
Soon, Sakurajima Mai finished dressing and came out. Badr, still wet, stood there and waited quietly.
"I haven't introduced myself yet. Miss Sakurajima Mai, my name is Badr. I came in response to your summons. I am a Devil."
Seeing her come out, Badr spoke calmly as if the embarrassing incident hadn't happened.
Indeed, Sakurajima Mai was intrigued by his words.
"A Devil?"
"Yes, the one you're thinking of."
As he spoke, Badr walked over to the sofa. His magical energy surged, causing his hair and clothes to flutter. The wet garments dried quickly under the influence of his magic.
Seeing this supernatural display, Sakurajima Mai had to believe his words.
"It feels like the world is becoming more and more bizarre."
Sakurajima Mai muttered, her worldview shaken once again.
Badr understood what she meant and sympathized with her feelings.
After all, not long ago, he, too, had experienced a significant upheaval in his life.
His experience, from being killed and transmigrated to being reborn as a Devil, could be described as seamless. His feelings at the time were much more complicated than Sakurajima Mai's.
"The world is always bizarre. You just met reality.
Sitting comfortably on the sofa, Badr looked seriously at Sakurajima Mai.
"I have come to fulfil your wish. You want me to solve the problem of not being seen, right?"
Knowing that his acting skills wouldn't fool Sakurajima Mai, Badr decided to be sincere and maintain a calm demeanour while talking to her.
His behaviour was a little unsettling to Sakurajima Mai.
Yesterday, he was smiling, humble, and ingratiating.
"How did you know?" Sakurajima Mai asked curiously.
"I felt it through the soul resonance when you called me. The flyer I gave you is a summoning spell that connects with your soul, understands your wish and transmits it to me."
He patiently explained the function of the summoning circle.
If the conversation went well, Sakurajima Mai could continue summoning him in the future, so he needed to clarify things.
"What do I have to do in return for you fulfilling my wish?"
Sakurajima Mai didn't show any excitement and remained unusually calm.
This made Badr think that she was pretty exceptional.
She was incredibly calm. Her initial shock was brief, and she seemed unruffled in such a short time.
"My goal is to make a contract with you."
There was no need to hide this, so Badr spoke openly.
"A contract? What's the purpose?"
"After the contract is made, your emotions and desires will provide me with energy, making me stronger. In return, I can fulfil some of your wishes within my power."
Sakurajima Mai was surprised. "So the legends about Devils tempting humans for power are true."
"You misunderstand. It's not a temptation but a fair trade."
Badr leaned back on the sofa and spoke quietly.
"Making a treaty is completely voluntary. I won't force you. After the contract, it won't affect you. Your everyday emotions are wasted energy."
This surprised Sakurajima Mai.
"Devils are so reasonable?"
"What did you expect? To eat people and not leave any bones? Or to be greedy, lustful and bloodthirsty?" Badr replied calmly.
Isn't that right? Sakurajima Mai thought.
She oversaw Badr.