Life 5-3

In the kerfuffle that was the previous night's incident, it wasn't until school the following day Noé had remembered the one thing he had forgotten to do: That being report to Rias about the summoning request.

So, now here he was, standing in the ORC room, and giving the biggest 'could not care less' expression as he slouched on the free sofa, all eyes from the Peerage on him as Rias looked over the flyer that had returned to her the night before. Noé returned the held gaze Rias was giving him between glances at the flyer, not a word from her as his placid gaze shifted.

"This kind of thing's never really happened before," Yuuto said, Noé giving him and acknowledging glance before looking back at Rias.

"Edelweiss…" Rias said.

"Hm?"

"So… you talked with the client about tokusatsu shows… and then what else? What about the contract?"

Noé just sighed as he started messing with his bangs. Rias cleared her throat, the teenager leaning forward.

"Yeah, well, problem… all the stuff he wanted to wish for would've outright killed him. So… nothing. Then we just kind of chatted for a few more hours till it got too dark, and I left," he said.

"And did anything else happen?" Rias's question was the kind posed by someone who already knew the answer, at least, partly. She hasn't been using her familiars to spy on me, has she? Was Noé's train of thought. "Anything we may… want to know?"

"Just to ask, do you already know the answer?"

"Just… say it yourself," Rias sighed and tented her hands. Noé grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head. There was no avoiding this it seemed. But he also wasn't about to tell them about this strange new 'Darklight' power of his. Not until he also knew more about it… and could actually control it for that matter.

"I got attacked by one of those Fallen Angels again. And during the fight… I may or may not have accidentally killed her."

"How… how does someone accidentally kill a person?"

"The same way you accidentally step on a bug."

"Noé, answer me seriously."

"I didn't hold back as much as I thought I had with a blast," Noé said, doing his best to not make it clear he was half-lying. "Must've mistimed it with the Boosted Gear's next power-spike going off at the same time," Noé grumbled as Rias's gaze kept boring into him, "Look it was self-defense alright?! I tried to make her back off, but the stubborn ass wouldn't give. Not even showing the mark made her back off."

"Meaning they thought you were enough of a threat to them being my ward wouldn't matter," Rias clicked her tongue in annoyance. Quite clearly, she felt rather slighted by the brazenness of such a move being made in her territory, against someone her family had under protection no less. Guess in that regard she's at least willing to put up with me. Noé thought. "I can only hope that by one of them being killed over it, the rest are wise enough to flee rather than continue attempting to attack you."

"Dad said the same thing," Noé sighed, leaning on a hand. "But if they don't, be aware I'm not gonna take it that easy on 'em. They're the ones picking a fight."

"I can't deny you you're right to self-defense," Rias said, "I only wish we had more information as to what kind of activity these fallens were even up to. They have to have some reason to be in this area. But why? It's not as if anything important is in Kuoh…"

"By the looks of it they were only scouts," Akeno stated, setting a cup of tea before Rias, "If I had to guess, they were sent to survey Noé and verify information on him, and one of them perhaps had the bright idea to just attack him outright since he was unaffiliated until recently."

"Makes sense," Koneko commented. "Still stupid though."

"With that covered, there is another thing I want to go over," Rias said, her air relaxing a bit. "You're aware that the leaflets we pass out have questionnaires on the back of them, yes?"

"I am now."

"…well, after making a contract, we ask the client to fill it out. Things like 'How was your experience with the Devil?' and all of that."

"Surprisingly fair."

"It's too build up a good repertoire, as best as we can anyway. There's those who aren't so… friendly about it. Now, the questionnaire is filled out but… well, read it for yourself."

Rias handed Akeno the paper, who then passed it on to Noé. Noé flicked the folder flyer to open it, turning it over to view the writing on the back. [Huh, the guy's handwriting is pretty dang formal. Though, makes sense for a government worker.] Was his observation.

[It was fun. It was my first time having this much fun with a Devil. I'd like to meet with Noé-kun again, and hope that next time, I can actually form a contract with him.]

"Damn, he actually had my back on this," Noé hummed, actually feeling a bit touched by such a positive response.

"This is the first time I've gotten this kind of feedback from a client," Rias said, getting Noé's attention back to her, "I wasn't sure what to do at first, so it's why my expression was, strange, when you first arrived."

"Wait… you're not mad about this?" Noé raised a brow, Rias shaking her head with an amused smile.

"For Devil's, what's usually the most important thing is that we actually get the contract with the humans who summon us. We than take the price for the contract. That's how it's been for a long time… so I don't really know how to react because this is the first time I've encountered something like this. You might have failed as a Devil…"

"Ah yeah just fuckin' shoot me why don't you…" As Noé grumbled, Akeno and Yuuto chuckled, even Koneko seeming a bit amused by his dry annoyance.

"But the client was pleased with you all the same. It's… downright bizarre!" Noé found Rias's smile oddly pleasant as she made the remark, a chuckle coming from the red-head, "It's interesting, it's truly interesting! I don't know if it's because you were raised in a human society, or if it's just some kind of natural skill, but perhaps you'll be number one in unexpected things for a Devil. Just remember that next time, you need to actually get a wish."

"It's not my fault if their wish would kill them. People don't really like to die you know? And quit talkin' to me like I'm a subordinate."

"Exactly the point. Since this was your first go it's not so bad… though I suppose some humans' greed just outweighs their value," Rias hummed to herself as she made the remark, "I guess it's something that can't be helped when it happens."

"Just human nature I suppose," Noé sighed.