Chapter 15: Uncovering Secrets and Silent Reactions

Chapter 15: Uncovering Secrets and Silent Reactions

The walk home from school was quiet, as always. Tadashi wasn't the type to attract attention, and that suited him just fine. The events from the night before—Issei Hyoudou's death—were nothing more than a memory now. Issei was gone, and with him, any potential he might have had to disrupt Tadashi's plans. No one had noticed yet, and Tadashi wasn't worried about anyone connecting him to the disappearance.

As Tadashi reached the front gates of Kuoh Academy, he felt a presence approaching. Kiba Yuuto, the Knight of Rias Gremory's peerage, was making his way toward him, his expression friendly as usual but with a hint of formality.

"Tadashi, right?" Kiba asked, offering a polite smile as he stopped in front of him. "Our President, Rias Gremory, has asked me to invite you to the Occult Research Club after school. She'd like to speak with you."

Tadashi's gaze remained neutral. He had expected Rias to make her move eventually, especially with Issei's disappearance weighing on her. He gave Kiba a brief nod. "Alright. Lead the way."

The walk to the Occult Research Club was uneventful, though Tadashi could feel Kiba's eyes on him a few times, as if the Knight was trying to figure something out. Tadashi ignored it, knowing full well what was about to happen.

When they arrived at the club, Rias and Akeno were already waiting. The room was warmly lit, with Rias sitting at her desk and Akeno standing beside her, both of them watching Tadashi closely as he entered.

"Tadashi," Rias greeted, her voice calm but with an undertone of curiosity. "Thank you for coming."

Tadashi gave a small nod, his expression unreadable as he took a seat across from her.

Rias exchanged a glance with Akeno before speaking again. "You've been attending Kuoh Academy for a while now, and I've noticed that there's something... different about you."

Tadashi didn't react, letting her continue.

Rias folded her hands on the desk. "You don't seem like the other students here. There's an air of... mystery around you. That's why I asked you here—to tell you something important."

Tadashi waited, his gaze unwavering.

Rias leaned forward slightly, her eyes locking with his. "We're not just ordinary students. We're devils. I am the heir of the Gremory clan here, and those around you, including Kiba, Akeno, and Koneko, are part of my peerage. This town is full of supernatural forces, and we believe you may have a part to play in it."

She paused, watching for any reaction from Tadashi. But to her surprise, his expression didn't change. He simply sat there, his face unreadable, as if her words hadn't come as a shock at all.

Akeno's smile faltered slightly, her curiosity piqued. "You're not surprised, Tadashi?"

Tadashi leaned back in his chair, his eyes still calm. "Should I be?"

That response made Rias and Akeno exchange another glance. They had expected shock, confusion, maybe even fear—but not this calm indifference. It was as though Tadashi had already known, or at least suspected, that they weren't normal.

Rias sat back in her chair, her mind racing. "Do you... already know about the supernatural world?"

Tadashi's lips twitched slightly, though not enough to form a smile. He didn't answer directly. "Let's just say I've seen a lot of things."

That cryptic response didn't do much to ease Rias's curiosity, but it did confirm one thing—Tadashi wasn't as uninformed as they had thought. He knew more than he was letting on, and that made her all the more interested.

Akeno's eyes gleamed with amusement. "You're an interesting one, Tadashi."

Rias sighed softly, deciding to cut to the chase. "I wanted to invite you to join my peerage. I believe you could be a valuable ally, and in return, I can offer you power beyond what any ordinary human could imagine."

Tadashi's expression hardened, though only for a moment. He had no interest in serving under anyone, least of all a devil. "I'm not interested."

Rias blinked, surprised by the firmness of his refusal. "You're sure? I can—"

"I'm sure," Tadashi interrupted, his tone sharp. "I don't need your power."

The room fell into a brief silence as Rias and Akeno processed his rejection. It wasn't the first time someone had refused the offer to join a devil's peerage, but Tadashi's resolve was unlike anything they had seen before.

Finally, Rias spoke again, her voice softer. "I see. I won't press the issue then."

Tadashi gave a small nod, satisfied with the end of the conversation. "If that's all, I'll be on my way."

Rias hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, that's all. But if you ever change your mind, my offer stands."

Tadashi stood and made his way toward the door, his back to them. "I won't."

With that, he left the room, leaving Rias and Akeno behind, both of them now more intrigued by him than ever before.

As Tadashi walked through the quiet streets on his way home, he opened the Chat Group interface. Subaru had been messaging again, this time with one of his usual questions.

[Unlucky Adventurer]: Okay, but seriously, how do I get closer to a girl? I need help!

[Tadashi Jin]: I already told you, don't act desperate.

[Maki]: Subaru, if you have to ask, you're trying too hard.

[Unlucky Adventurer]: But it's so hard to talk to girls! They're all so... intimidating!

[Scarlet Monarch]: UMU! Confidence, Subaru! You must show them the glory of your personality!

[Unlucky Adventurer]: Easier said than done...

Tadashi smirked slightly at Subaru's ongoing struggle but quickly closed the chat. His mind was elsewhere, focused on the events of the day. Rias and her peerage now knew that he wasn't ordinary, but they still didn't know what he truly was. That was fine. He would keep his secrets for now.

As he approached the outskirts of town, his gaze landed on a familiar figure standing near the abandoned church—Asia Argento, the kind-hearted nun he had noticed before. She stood alone, looking lost and unsure as she stared at the building.

Tadashi sighed softly and made his way over to her. "That church is abandoned, you know."

Asia turned, her eyes wide with surprise. "A-abandoned? But I was told to come here..."

Tadashi shook his head. "There's no one there. It's been empty for a while now. It's not safe."

Asia looked down, her face filled with confusion and sadness. "Oh... I didn't know."

Tadashi glanced at the darkened building, then back at her. "If you don't have anywhere else to go, you can stay with me for the night. It's better than staying in a place like that."

Asia hesitated for a moment, her soft smile returning as she nodded. "Thank you. That's very kind of you."

Tadashi simply nodded and began leading her away from the church. He knew what dangers awaited her if she stayed there, but for now, he would play it cool. Asia was innocent—too innocent for the harsh reality of the supernatural world. He wasn't going to let her fall into that world just yet.