Part 2

It's late it night, and I'm on my bicycle heading towards a particular house.

Not a mansion or an apartment, but just an ordinary house.

It's my first time, so what shall I do?

Since the client isn't living alone, won't the client's family see me?

After all, I actually have to visit the house to make a contract. I was told before that ordinary human can't detect me, but does it apply to this situation as well?

I'm worried but I realise it when I'm about to push the bell.

The entrance door is open.

...Seriously, leaving the door open in the middle of the night.

HEARTBEAT

I suddenly felt uneasy. What is this? I have a really bad feeling.

But I'm already walking into house.

I look inside from the entrance.

There are no lights in the hallway. There is a staircase that led to the second floor, but there are no lights on.

There is only one room at the end of the first floor with some lights on, and it's a faint light.

...Yeah, there's something definitely wrong. I feel no presence of any human.

Are they sleeping? Impossible. Then I won't be feeling this uneasiness.

I take my shoes off at the entrance and carried them in my hand.

I walk into the room without making a sound.

I'm a Devil, not a thief. I'm thinking of an excuse like that.

I look into the room from the door that is slightly opened, and the brightness is due to the candles.

"...Hello. I'm a Devil from the Gremory's household... Umm, is the client here?"

I ask quietly, but there is no reply.

It can't be helped, so I enter the room.

It's a living room and there is a television, a sofa, a table, and such. It looks like an ordinary living room—.

Then I stop my breath. My eyes are glued to the wall.

A wall. There is a corpse nailed to the wall. It's upside down.

...A human. It's a male. Is he the person who lives here? But why...?

The corpse has been cut viciously. Something that looks like a giblet is coming out from the wounds...

"Gough."

I vomit out the thing inside my stomach on the spot.

I didn't vomit when I saw that monster, but my body reacted to seeing this corpse.

I can't endure looking at this corpse any more.

The corpse is attached to the wall with screws, making the shape of a cross upside down.

There are big and thick screws screwed into the palm of each hand, into the feet, and at the middle of its torso.

This isn't normal. Not normal at all!

You can't kill a person like this with a normal mind!

There is a puddle of blood on the floor from the drips of blood falling from the corpse.

There is writing on the wall.

"W-What is this...?"

"It's written as "Punishment for those who did bad deeds!". I just borrowed the sentence from someone important."

Suddenly the voice of a young male comes from behind me.

When I turn around, there is a man with white hair. He seems to be a foreigner and he looks like he's still a teenager.

He's dressing up like a priest. He's also a bishounen.

Seeing me, the priest makes an evil smile.

"Hmm hmm. Well, well, if it isn't a Devil-kun!"

He seems to be really happy.

Then, the thing that Buchou told me comes back to my mind.

—Don't get involved with people from the Church. Especially the Exorcists. They are our biggest enemy. They can easily eliminate us because their powers are supported by the prayer of God.

He's a priest, so he's related to the Church. This is bad...

He even knows that I'm a Devil, so am I in the worst situation there is, again?

"I'm a priest~♪ A boy priest~♪ I cut down devil-like people~, and I laugh at them~♪ I cut the head of you Devils, and receive my meal~♪"

The priest starts to sing.

I-I don't get it. What is wrong with this guy!?

"My name is Freed Zelzan. I belong to a certain Exorcism organisation. Ah, just because I introduced myself doesn't mean you have to. I don't want to remember your name in my memory, so please don't. It's okay, since you are going to die soon. I will make sure of it. It might hurt at first, but later you will feel so good that you will cry. Now let's open the new door -ZE!"

I've never met someone like him before. His words don't make any sense.

So this guy is an Exorcist. I'm in trouble now.

But there's something I want to say to him. I swallowed down my spit and ask him.

"Hey, was it you? The one who killed this person?"

"Yes, yes. I killed him. Because~, he was a regular criminal who has been summoning Devils, so I had to kill him."

W-What kind of an excuse is that!?

"Huh? Are you shocked? Aren't you running away? That's weird? Really Weird. I mean humans who make a pact with Devils are scum. Scum indeed. Can't you understand that? No? Is that so? Well you are a scum Devil after all."

This guy is crazy! You can't even have a normal conversation with him!

But I will say what I have to!

"How can a human kill another human, then!? Aren't you only supposed to kill Devils?"

"Haaaaa? What the fuck is that? A mere Devil like you is lecturing me? Hahaha. I will laugh at this. You probably could get a reward for being funny. Okay then, listen carefully you shitty Devil. Devils also use humans' greed to survive. Relying on a Devil proves that you are no longer a human. It's the end. That's why I killed him~. I make a living by killing Devils and those that are contracted to a Devil. That's my job."

"Even Devil's won't go this far!"

"Haa~~? What are you talking about? Devils are trash. Do you know they are a shitty existence? Do you know this is common sense? Didn't you know? Seriously, you should start your life back from a toddler. Wait, it's useless to tell this to a reincarnated Devil like you. More like, I have to kill you! Hahahaha. It's awesome, isn't it? It's the best, isn't it?"

The priest pulls out a sword that had no blade, and a gun.

BOOOM.

A sound vibrates in the air.

The sword that only has a handle turns into a thing like a beam saber.

What is that? It looks like a beam saber from Gundam.

"You kind of irritate me, so can I cut you? Can I shoot you? Is it OK? Okay then. Now I'm going to stab your heart with this blade of light, and I'm going to blow your head with this cool looking gun! Man, I'm seriously going to fall in love!"

SWIFT!

The priest came sprinting towards me!

He slashes his blade of light at me.

Oh crap!

I just dodged it, but intense pain runs through my leg.

There are smokes coming out of the priest's gun. Was I shot?

But I don't hear any gunshots. Then suddenly I felt another shot of pain on my leg again.

"Guaaaah!"

I fell on my knees while moaning. This time, I was shot on my left calf!

It hurts! But I know this pain!

"How is it!? The special bullet made for the Exorcists, the bullet of light! And it doesn't make any sound. Since its bullet of light. This situation turns both of us on, doesn't it?"

The pain of light. Yeah, this is the pain of light.

To a Devil, light is poisonous. Once hit, the pain goes through your entire body.

"Die, die, Devil! Die Devil! Turn to dust and disappear! This is all for my entertainment!"

The priest is laughing madly and is about to finish me off.

"Please stop!"

Then there is a voice of a woman I am familiar with.

The priest froze his posture to where he was about to attack me, and looks towards the direction where the voice came from.

I also look to the same direction.

—!

A girl is there, and I know her.

"Asia."

Yes, the blond Sister is standing there.

"Well if it isn't my assistant, Asia-chan. What happened? Did you finish putting the barrier?"

"! N-Noooooooo!"

Asia screams after seeing the corpse that is nailed to the wall.

"Thank you for the adorable scream! Oh yeah, this is your first time seeing a corpse like this, isn't it, Asia-chan? Then look carefully. We have the humans that are entranced by a Devil die like this."

"...N-No..."

She then looks at us and gets shocked to see me.

"...Father Freed...that person..."

Asia looks at me directly.

"Person? No, no. This shit here is a Devil. Hahaha, what are you misunderstanding?"

"—! Ise-san is a...Devil...?"

She seems to be shocked to find out the truth, and didn't know what to say.

"What, what? You guys know each other? Wow. Now this is a big surprise. Is it the forbidden love between a Devil and a Sister? Seriously? Are you serious? "

Freed, the priest, looks at both Asia and me.

...I didn't want her to know.

It should have stayed like that. It's better that she didn't know. I didn't plan on seeing her again.

I just wanted her to think of me as a kind high school student who lives in this town.

Man, I don't know what to say. What a rotten destiny. Asia's eyes are making me feel bad.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being a Devil.

"Ahaha! Devils and humans can never coexist! Especially humans from the Church and the Devils are the biggest enemies! Also, we are a group of heretics that was deserted by God. Asia-tan and I are humans that can't survive without the support of Fallen Angels-sama."

Fallen Angel?

What does he mean? Don't priests and nuns work under God?

"Well now, leaving that aside, I need to kill this trash here or else I can't finish my job, so here I come. Are you ready?"

The priest thrusts his sword toward me again.

If I get stabbed by that in my chest, I will be killed... Even if I do survive, I will end up like that the client who is nailed to the wall and then have my body slashed.

Feeling of fear controls my body when I think about it. This is bad. This situation is really bad!

I will be killed without being able to move my body!

While I was thinking about it, the blond Sister walks between the priest and I.

She stood in front of me with her arms spread as if she is protecting me.

The priest puts on a stern look when he sees this.

"...Hey, hey. Are you serious? Asia-tan, do you know what you are doing?"

"...I do. Father Freed, I beg you. Please forgive this person. Please let him go."

I became speechless after hearing her.

Asia? Are you protecting me?

"I can't stand it any more... You can't kill people just because they are entranced to a Devil and you also can't kill Devils. It's wrong!"

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!? Don't talk shit, bitch! You also learned that Devils are trash at the Church! Seriously, is there something wrong with your brain!?"

Freed now has an anguished expression.

"There are good people, even among Devils!"

"There aren't, idiooooooot!"

"T-That's what I thought until recently... But Ise-san is a good person. That fact doesn't change even after I found out that he is a Devil! Killing someone is unforgivable! This kind of act! God won't allow such acts!"

She saw the corpse, and she found out that I'm a Devil, so she should be shocked. But Asia isn't backing down to speak her beliefs to the priest.

What a strong willed girl. This girl is amazing.

BAKI!

"Kyaa!"

The bastard priest hit Asia to the side with his gun.

Asia fell to the ground.

"Hey, Asia!"

I went to Asia who was struck away.

...There's a bruise mark on her face. That bastard actually hit her.

"...The Fallen Angel girl told me very strongly that I can't kill you. But I'm getting a bit pissed. Since I can't kill you, than can I rape you or something? If I don't, I won't be able to heal my heart. But before that, I need to kill that trash over there."

The priest points his blade of light at me again.

...I can't run away while leaving Asia here.

I can't leave her here with him who just talked about doing scary stuff!

If I'm running away, then it will be with Asia. So I have to fight...

Can I fight using my Sacred Gear? Even though I don't know its effect?

I'm also the weakest Piece, [Pawn]. I have a slim chance of winning.

But I have to...

"I can't leave a girl who just defended me. So come!"

I made a fighting posture in front of the priest.

The priest whistles and seems really happy.

"Eh? Eh? Seriously? Seriously? You are going to fight me? You will die, you know? You will die with a lot of pain? I have no intention of killing you painlessly, okay? Now then. Let's see if I can make a new record for the smallest minced-meat!"

He's talking something creepy again.

But I can't act pathetically front of Asia!

The priest jumps up high, —then the floor glows in a blue and white colour.

"What is this?"

The priest becomes suspicious when the floor glows. The blue light starts to form a shape.

—It's a magic-circle.

And I have seen this before.

The magic-circle of the Gremory household! I-Is it...!

FLASH!

The magic-circle that appeared on the floor shines. Then the people I know appear from it. I mean, Devils.

"Hyoudou-kun, we came to rescue you."

Kiba smiles at me.

"Ara ara. This is awful."

"...Priest."

Akeno-san and Koneko-chan!

Yes, my comrades.

Kuu! They came to rescue me!

I'm so moved that I feel like crying! Great! Something like this actually happens!?

"Hyahou! Here's a present for a group of Devils!"

The priest starts slashing his sword.

KAGIN!

The sound of the metal echoes through the room. Kiba blocks the priest's attack with his sword.

"I'm sorry. He's one of us! We can't let you lay a finger on him!"

"Oh, oh! A mere Devil being concerned about their comrade? What are you guys? Devil Squadron, the Devil Rangers? That's nice. I can feel the heat. I'm getting turned on! So how is it? Are you the one sticking it in, and is he the one bending? So are you guys in that sort of relationship?"

They are exchanging swords but the priest is getting cocky and sticking his tongue out while he is shaking his tongue and his head.

That guy is completely looking down on us!

Even Kiba has an anguished expression. Yeah, that guy is definitely disgusting.

"...What a vulgar mouth. It's hard to believe you are a priest... Oh, that's why you are a "Stray Exorcist", right?"

"Yeah, yeah! I'm vulgar! Sorry about that! That's because I strayed away! I was kicked out! That's why, screw the Vatican! I'm all right as long as I get to cut Devils whenever I feel like it!"

Both of them are still exchanging their swords.

Kiba has a calm expression, but his eyes have already captured his foe.

The boy priest, Freed, is still laughing and enjoying the fight.

"You are the type that is the most hard to deal with. Someone who feels like they are living by cutting Devils...the one who causes the most harm to us."

"Haaaaah!? You know, I don't want to be told off by a Devil? I'm trying to live now just like other people! I'm not in a position where pests like you can talk down to me!"

"Even Devils have rules."

Akeno-san is smiling, but her eyes are serious.

She is showing a sign of will to fight and hostility towards Freed.

"Nice. I like those passionate eyes. Onee-san, you are the best. I can feel your urge of wanting to kill me. Is this love? No. I think it's a killing intent! Superb! This is great! I love the feeling of intending to kill and getting intended to kill!"

"Then disappear."

The person who appears on my side is the crimson-haired girl, — Rias-buchou!

"Ise, I'm sorry. I never expected that a Stray Exorcist will visit this client's house."

Buchou, who is apologising to me, narrows her eyes after seeing my wounds.

"...Ise. Did you get wounded?"

"Ah, sorry... I was shot..."

I try to deceive her by laughing.

Ah, looks like she will yell at me afterwards. Sorry for being weak, Buchou.

But Buchou didn't say anything to me and gives a cold expression to the priest.

"Looks like you have been looking after my cute servant?"

Her voice is low and sounds scary.

Wow, Buchou is pissed. Am I the reason?

"Yes, yes. I have been playing around with it. I was planning to cut his body all over but I was interrupted and it finished as a dream."

BON!

A section of the furniture behind the priest is blown away.

It's Buchou. Buchou shot out a ball of demonic-power.

"I make sure I never forgive those who harm my servants. I especially can't forgive a lowlife like you damaging my personal possessions."

Her intensity causes the atmosphere to feel frozen.

Her killing intent lurks around the room. There is a thing that looks like waves of demonic-power surrounding Buchou.

"! Buchou, there seems to be few Fallen Angels heading to this house. At this rate we will be at a disadvantage."

Seems like Akeno-san detected something and informs us.

The Fallen Angels are approaching? Those guys with black wings?

Buchou gives another stare at the priest.

"...Akeno, we will return to our headquarters once we retrieve Ise. Prepare for teleportation."

"Yes."

Akeno-san starts to cast a spell as soon as Buchou urges her to. Teleport?

Are we running away?

I then look at Asia.

"Buchou! We have to take her as well!"

I say it to Buchou.

"It's impossible. Only Devils can use the magic-circle to transport. Also, this magic-circle can only teleport me and my servants."

N-No... My eyes and Asia's eyes met. She just smiles at me.

"Asia!"

"Ise-san, let's meet again."

That was the last words we exchanged at this place.

Next moment, Akeno-san finishes casting the spell, and the magic-circle on the floor starts to glow blue again.

"Like I will let you escape!"

The priest came slashing at us, but Koneko-chan threw the sofa against him.

By the time the priest smacks away the sofa with his sword, we were already teleported to the club room.

I don't have the time to think about the impression of my first teleportation through the magic-circle, and I only remember the smile Asia gave me last.