Chapter 22: Leaving The Room To Do Contracts
Izashi stood back as the golden light surrounding Issei's arm faded away. For the others in the room, the entire process appeared to last only three or four seconds, just enough time for the glow to catch their attention.
None of them had any idea that during that brief moment, Izashi had been deep within Issei's Sacred Gear, engaged in a conversation with the legendary dragon Ddraig.
As the light dissipated, Rias found herself intrigued by the energy Izashi had just used. She had never seen him wield that kind of power before, and the sheer magnitude of it had taken her by surprise. She made a mental note to ask him about it later, but for now, there were more pressing matters at hand.
Clearing her throat, Rias took a step forward, her tone firm yet reassuring.
"As we were discussing, Issei," she began, addressing the newly revived young man, "I was summoned by your intense desire to live. In that moment, I made the decision to save you by reviving you as a devil under my command. You are now one of my servants, a devil of the Gremory House."
Issei's eyes widened in shock. Although he had seen their wings earlier and knew something was off, it was still a massive bombshell to learn that he was no longer human. He looked around the room nervously, his gaze shifting from one face to another, trying to process everything.
"Err… I wouldn't have to, like, kill someone and have their soul for dinner or anything, right?" Issei asked, his voice trembling slightly as the full weight of his situation began to sink in.
Rias chuckled softly, shaking her head.
"No, Issei, you don't have to do anything like that. That's something devils did a long time ago. These days, we simply fulfill contracts, and through those contracts, we gradually gain power."
Issei still looked skeptical, but he nodded slowly, deciding to trust her for now. Kiba, sensing the awkward tension, decided to lighten the mood by stepping forward with a warm smile.
"Well, let's start over, shall we?" Kiba said cheerfully.
"My name is Kiba Yuuto. As you already know, I'm a second-year student like you, Hyoudou Issei. And yes, I'm a devil too." He flashed a bright grin at Issei, who managed a somewhat awkward smile in return, still grappling with the idea of his new identity.
Next, Koneko, the petite white-haired girl, took a step closer. Her voice was soft, almost shy, as she introduced herself.
"First-year...Toujou Koneko. I'm a devil too..." She finished her sentence in a quiet voice, quickly averting her gaze again, as if the mere act of speaking was exhausting.
Izashi, standing with his arms crossed, gave a small nod before stepping forward.
"As you might already know, I'm Izashi Gremory. Rias-chan's twin brother and Akeno-chan's boyfriend. I'm the president of this club, and Rias-chan is my Queen. So technically, Issei, you're working under me," he added with a slight smirk, his tone teasing.
Issei blinked in surprise, taking in the information. "Wait… twin brother? And Akeno's boyfriend? Wow, I didn't know…"
Rias stepped forward, smiling at Issei. "That's right, Issei. I'm Rias Gremory, Vice President of this club alongside Akeno. And yes, since you're my servant, you're also under Izashi's authority. In fact, his orders should take priority over mine, so always keep that in mind."
Issei's eyes widened even further. This was a lot to process, and the hierarchical structure of devils was starting to confuse him. But he nodded nonetheless, eager to not appear clueless.
Akeno, who had been standing off to the side, now stepped forward. Her tone was soft and melodic as she introduced herself.
"My name is Akeno Himejima, vice president of this club, Izashi-kun's girlfriend, and Rias's Queen…"
As she said the words "Izashi-kun's girlfriend," there was a subtle, triumphant glint in her eyes as she looked at Rias.
Rias met Akeno's gaze, her eyes narrowing slightly. She understood the challenge in Akeno's stare and felt a twinge of frustration.
Although she was well aware of the situation between Akeno and Izashi, she couldn't help but feel a bit irked that Izashi wasn't more public about their own relationship.
Still, she wasn't going to let her emotions get the better of her, especially not in front of everyone.
Instead, she met Akeno's look with a steady gaze of her own, her red aura subtly flaring up around her.
The sudden appearance of Rias's red aura caught Issei off guard, causing him to take a step back.
His Sacred Gear, the red gauntlet, disappeared in a flash of light as he instinctively tried to protect himself.
The intensity of Rias's aura, combined with the barely concealed animosity between her and Akeno, made him uneasy.
Akeno, noticing Rias's reaction, allowed a creepy smile to spread across her face. Her own aura crackled to life, yellow lightning flickering around her body as she stared back at Rias with equal intensity.
Kiba and Koneko exchanged worried glances. They knew all too well what happened the last time Rias and Akeno had clashed like this. It had taken hours of work to repair the damage to the clubroom, and neither of them was keen on going through that again.
Just as the tension was about to reach its peak, Izashi stepped in between the two women. He raised a hand and swiftly brought it down on both of their heads with a sharp "bonk." "No fighting!" he scolded, frowning at them both. "We're in a clubroom, not a battlefield."
Rias and Akeno both flinched at the reprimand, their auras flickering out as they turned their attention to Izashi, who had moved closer to them. Leaning in, he whispered something in their ears, his tone low and suggestive, "If you flare up your auras and try to fight each other, then I'll have to punish you…"
The word "punish" was spoken in such a provocative tone that it sent shivers down their spines, making their ears turn red. But Izashi didn't stop there. He leaned in even closer, his breath hot against their skin. "For this little scene, I'll forgive you… this time."
And then, without warning, both Rias and Akeno felt a rough hand squeeze their behinds. The sudden, intimate contact made their bodies tense up, their faces flushing with heat as the blood rushed to their cheeks. Izashi's grip tightened for just a moment longer before he released them, a final, firm squeeze leaving them breathless.
As he pulled away, Izashi glanced over his shoulder at Issei, who was standing awkwardly on the other side of the room, trying to pretend he hadn't noticed anything. "I think you've got the basic idea about devils now, right, Issei?" Izashi said, his voice returning to its usual authoritative tone. "Now, what you need to know is that as a devil under the Gremory House, you'll have to deliver the contract leaflets just like you received to various houses."
Issei furrowed his brow, clearly not thrilled about the idea. "So, I'm basically just running errands?"
Izashi let out a sigh, shaking his head. "No, Issei. You're far too weak right now to do anything other than what you might call 'chores.' The only way for a low-class devil to gain power is by completing contracts. That's your path to getting stronger. Now go!"
Issei glanced at Akeno as she handed him a packet of leaflets. He opened it and scanned the list of names and addresses inside. His eyes widened in shock. "Wait… over 200 houses? And they're all at least a kilometer apart?" he muttered, clearly dismayed.
Izashi's smile turned sharp and anything but comforting. "Oh, right," he added nonchalantly, "you can take the bicycle parked outside in the parking area under the tree."
Issei let out a long, defeated sigh but nodded, accepting the task without further protest. He took the packet of leaflets from Akeno and, with a final, resigned look at the group, left the clubroom.
Once Issei was gone, Izashi turned to Kiba and Koneko, who were still standing by the door. "So," Izashi said, his voice suddenly more commanding, "why are you two still here? Don't tell me you don't have any requests to handle."
Kiba and Koneko both coughed awkwardly, exchanging sheepish glances before lowering their heads. "We, uh, actually do have some contracts to fulfill…" Kiba admitted, scratching the back of his head.
"Then get to it," Izashi ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Kiba and Koneko quickly nodded and, without another word, activated their teleportation circles. Within seconds, they were gone, leaving Izashi alone with Rias and Akeno.
The room fell into a tense silence, both Rias and Akeno still flustered from their earlier encounter with Izashi. Akeno was the first to break the silence, trying to regain her composure. With a teasing smile, she started to sway her hips as she walked towards Izashi. "Ahh… I remember, I have a contract request too, Izashi-kun…"
Before she could finish her sentence, Izashi was already in front of her, his hand covering her mouth. His eyes locked onto hers as he whispered in her ear, "The contract request can go fuck itself."
Akeno's eyes widened in surprise, her heart skipping a beat as Izashi's fingers deftly began to undo the buttons of her shirt. Each button he released caused her large breasts to bounce slightly, her body responding to his every touch. Izashi lowered his head, pressing a soft kiss to her neck, his hands moving up to cup her ample breasts, which were warm and inviting beneath his palms.
Akeno let out a soft, breathy moan, her body leaning into his touch. "Mhm~... Touch me more, Izashi-kun. My whole body is for you to enjoy~" she whispered, her voice trembling with anticipation.
Izashi grinned, tightening his grip on her breasts as he squeezed them a little harder. He could feel her pulse quicken under his touch, and her breath hitching in her throat.