Chapter 3: Two Meetings!

When we arrived at the student council room, Saji knocked and opened the door. Inside, Sona Sitri sat at her desk, her presence calm yet commanding.

As soon as I stepped in, I used [Observe] again, curious about her stats.

[Observe]

[Name: Sona Sitri

Race: Pure-Blooded Devil

Title: Second Heir to the Sitri Clan

Fame: Student Council President

Sacred Gear: None

Gender: Female

Level: 35

HP: 1100/1100

MP: 1000/1000

Stamina: 400/400

Strength: 30

Endurance: 32

Agility: 29

Intelligence: 53

Wisdom: 50]

I raised an eyebrow. Her intelligence and wisdom were incredible, but the rest of her stats seemed… underwhelming for someone of her level.

Sona looked up from her desk and smiled. "You must be the new transfer student from America."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied politely.

Her smile widened slightly. "How polite. Here's your class schedule." She handed me a piece of paper and scanned the details. "Your first class is… ah, a cooking class. Since you're a first-year and new here, I'll have Saji escort you there. I hope you enjoy your time at Kuoh Academy."

I nodded, taking the schedule.

"Thank you, Miss. Um, can I ask a question?" I asked, his tone polite but curious.

Sona adjusted her glasses, tilting her head slightly. "Yes, what is it?"

"Do I have to call you senpai, or is that just something in anime?" I asked bluntly.

For a moment, silence filled the room. Saji struggled to hold back a laugh, his shoulders shaking, while Sona's cheeks flushed ever so slightly.

"No, just Sona is fine," she replied, her composure slipping for a fraction of a second.

I smiled. "Okay, thanks."

And then I turned to follow Saji, leaving the room.

….

Sona's POV:

I watched Shiro leave, but something about him felt… off. I couldn't place it. Was it a Sacred Gear? Or something else entirely? The curiosity gnawed at me.

Determined to dig deeper, I opened the records sent by his previous school. My eyes widened as I read the file.

Tsubaki, my vice-president, noticed my expression. "What's wrong?"

"It's the new student's records," I said, scanning the pages.

"What about them?" she asked, stepping closer.

"It says he sent seven students to the hospital. In one fight. And it was self-defense," I explained, my voice tinged with disbelief.

Tsubaki's eyes widened in shock. "Seven? By himself?"

I nodded. "Apparently, the students he fought were part of some gang. He… rubbed them the wrong way. It also notes that he has a habit of causing trouble just to 'see what happens.'"

Tsubaki crossed her arms, her expression contemplative.

"I'll need to keep an eye on him," I said thoughtfully. "He might have potential for my peerage."

….

Shiro's POV:

As Saji led me to my class, he stopped in front of the door. "Alright, this is it. Good luck."

"Thanks," I said, smirking. Then, with exaggerated sarcasm, I added, "Thanks, senpai."

Saji shuddered at the word, muttering something under his breath as he walked away.

I knocked on the door, and a moment later, the teacher opened it.

"I'm the new transfer student," I explained.

The teacher nodded, stepping aside. "Come in and introduce yourself."

I walked to the front of the classroom, feeling dozens of eyes on me. The girls were already looking at me with sparkling eyes, while the boys glared at me with open hostility. Classic.

"Hi, I'm Shiro," I began, keeping my tone casual. "I just transferred from America. I like fighting, making trouble, training, and sweets. Please take care of me."

The teacher sighed, muttering, "A troublemaker, huh? Well, at least you're honest. For now, head to Koneko's station. She doesn't have a partner yet, so you'll work with her. Koneko, raise your hand."

I spotted a small girl with short white hair and piercing hazel eyes raising her hand. She was petite, barely coming up to my nose, but her presence was commanding. I made my way over to her as the teacher excused himself, leaving the classroom for a moment.

Curious, I used [Observe].

[Observe]

Name: Koneko Toujou

Gender: Female

Race: Devil/Neko

Title: Rook of Rias Gremory

Fame: Mascot of Kuoh Academy

Sacred Gear: None

Level: 27

HP: 400/400

MP: 200/200

Stamina: 150/150

Strength: 40

Endurance: 40

Agility: 19

Intelligence: 22

Wisdom: 22

Luck: 10

Her stats were impressive, particularly her strength and endurance. Definitely befitting someone with her title.

I sat down next to her, but immediately noticed her intense stare. She was practically boring a hole into my soul.

"Hi, I'm Shiro," I said, trying to break the tension.

"Koneko," she replied curtly, just as she did in the anime.

The silence stretched between us, her golden eyes still fixed on me. Feeling a little uncomfortable, I scratched my cheek. "Um, is there something on my face?"

Realizing she had been staring, Koneko quickly turned away, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

"…No," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The teacher returned to the classroom, clapping his hands to get Shirone's attention.

"Alright, class," he announced. "Today, we'll be making vegetable soup. One of you will handle chopping the carrots while the other prepares the pot and water. Decide quickly and get started."

I glanced at Koneko, who was still eerily quiet but focused. "I'll chop the carrots. You handle the pot," I offered.

She nodded. "Okay."

I grabbed the carrots, placed one on the cutting board, and picked up the knife. As confident as I tried to look, I quickly realized cutting carrots was a lot harder than it seemed. 

My first few cuts were awkward, and I misjudged the angle, nicking my finger.

"Ah, crap," I muttered under my breath, holding my finger to inspect the small cut.

Koneko noticed immediately. Without a word, she walked over to the first-aid kit, pulled out a bandage, and silently placed it on my finger.

"You know, it's nothing."