Chapter 16.5 - Bonus Chapter

[Chapters marked ".5" are bonus chapters that help the story fit together better. These are shorter chapters where nothing relevant to the story happens, but if you want a better reading experience, you should read them].

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As a devil, Asia Argento joined the Kuoh Academy and also the Occult Research Club. So I got a companion for my boring work.

I spent a whole week handing out flyers for the Occult Research Club on the streets of the city and fulfilling some strange requests, but I still couldn't get a subscription. It was harder than it looked.

So it was good not to be the only newcomer.

In the first few days, Asia took a while to get used to the devil activities, but she got the main idea. For me, it was even better to have a pretty girl by my side all the time.

However, the opportunities to get hearts didn't come as easily as I had hoped. I seemed to get them more easily at crucial and important moments. Also, since each character had a distinct personality, tastes, and backstory, it was a bit difficult to predict how to win hearts with them. The system was balanced in its own way.

I could have compelling conversations with Asia, and I certainly had her affection. After all, she and I had the same amount of hearts as I did with Akeno, but I still didn't know if I could go any further.

Akeno and I only kissed for the first time because I took the initiative and he was ambivalent about the kiss. Asia might react the same way as Akeno, or better or worse. It was an unknown, so I decided to take it easy.

When I arrived at the Occult Research Club room one morning, Rias was the only one there. I had left early in the morning because we had been told the night before to arrive before classes started.

Rias was sitting on the sofa, sipping her green tea elegantly.

"Good morning, Arias."

"Good morning, Leo. How's the wound?"

"It's completely healed thanks to Asia's healing powers." I replied with a smile. "And you too."

I sat down on the same couch as Rias.

There were several things I had to ask her to try to get closer to her naturally. I had watched the High School DxD anime dozens of times. I knew several lines by heart, and the conversation I should have with Rias at this moment was one of them.

"Rias, let me ask you something: If there are as many [devil Pieces] as in a normal chess game, then it's possible that you have seven other [Pawns] besides me. Right? So there will be a day when another [Pawn] will join us?

Rias shook her head to the side at my question.

"No, my [Pawn] is only you, Leo." She said, resting her glass of tea. "When we reincarnate a human into a devil, we use the [devil Pieces], but, depending on the person's ability, more pieces will be used."

"And how many were used on me?"

"Well, there's a saying in the devil world: [Queens] are worth nine [Pawns]. [Rooks] are worth five [Pawns]. [Knights] and [Bishops] are worth three [Pawns] each. So there's also a value pattern for each [devil Piece]. A similar phenomenon occurs with reincarnations. There are those who can only be reincarnated with two [Horses], and there are those who can only be reincarnated with two [Rook] pieces. There is also the compatibility of the pieces. You can use two different pieces to give them different orders, so you have to think about how to use the pieces. Once used, devils can't get new [devil Pieces]."

"Does that mean...?"

"I used all the [Pawn] pieces on you. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to resurrect you as a devil." She said.

"So I am worth eight [Pawns]?"

"Exactly. When I found out, I decided to make you my servant forever. However, I couldn't find a reason for it for a while, at least until you died. You have the Boosted Gear, which is said to be one of the [Longinus], so it's worth that much."

The Boosted Gear was the best holy gear I could have received, considering my condition.

Yes, there were stronger powers I could have wished for, like being Lucifer for myself, but that wouldn't have taken Issei out of the story and it wouldn't have given me an open field to flirt with those girls. I never regretted my decision.

"When I tried to reincarnate you, the only pieces I had left were 1 [Knight], 1 [Rook], 1 [Bishop], and 8 [Pawns]. To make you my servant, I could only use all the [Pawn] pieces. And their compatibility with [Pawn] was also good. The other pieces didn't have the power to reincarnate you."

She then leaned forward and touched my cheeks with her fingers.

"Our combination is also great. After all, we're Red and Red; a Crimson Princess of Ruin and [Boosted Gear]... Leo, continue to strive to become the strongest [Pawn]. You can definitely do that if you continue to be yourself."

Rias then approached me, bringing her face close to mine and then brushing her lips against my forehead.

"I should probably stop worshipping you here. The new girl is going to be jealous of me."

"L-leo....?"

When I turned around, Asia tried to smile.

"A-Asia?"

"Rias is very pretty, so even Leo would like her.... I can't think like that, so maybe we can share and...! No, no. Oh, God. Please forgive my sinful heart."

It was then that I realized I was wrong. Asia certainly didn't see me as just a friend, nor was she as holy as I thought. Of course not! How could I have forgotten?

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NEXT CHAPTERS:

Chapter 24 - Sona Sitri, The President of the Student Council

Chapter 23 - Koneko and The Art of Intimidation

Chapter 22.5 - Akeno Himejima's POV (R-18)

Chapter 22 - Choice Point 1 (R-18)

Chapter 21 - Women's Bathroom Cabin (R-18)

Chapter 20 - Women's Bathroom

Chapter 19 - Sona Sitri Finally Shows Up

Chapter 18 - Romance in the Park

Chapter 17 - System Features