Chapter 19: I Guess I'm Worse Than I Thought

The next day of school was a slow one. Issei and I were sitting down listening to the teacher droning on about some bullshit happening in America. Why the fuck does he care, and why should we? Asia who was sitting directly in front of Issei looked surprisingly engaged as she listened to the bullshit that was coming out of this shitty teacher. The dude looked like a ugly bastard straight out of a hentai and with how he acts I wouldn't be surprised if he had a similar situation going on in his private time.

Finally the bell rang and I got the fuck out of there as fast as I could. Honestly school was easy but I just hated it. Now that I knew I was a god, it just felt even more useless.

Issei and Asia quickly caught up to me and started following me on my way to the clubroom, but unfortunately we were stopped by a familiar girl. She wears spectacles, has gold-colored eyes and lightly messy brunette hair tied into braids on each side. Also something to note is she has a modest sized chest and surprisingly one of the best asses in the school, but I'd never admit that to her.

"I wonder where you two are taking our precious Asia." Aika Kiryuu said with her normal mischievous grin.

Issei and I have known this girl for years although we never really did talk much. Issei absolutely hated talking to her while I liked to brush her off. It only fueled her to try harder to get my attention.

"To our club." Issei answered shortly before grabbing Asia's hand, earning a blush for the blonde.

"Oh my, taking the sweet innocent foreign student to have your way with her like a bunch of brutish thugs!" Aika assumed as she covered her breasts with one hand and pulled her skirt down like a maiden trying to stop someone from peaking. One would have taken her seriously if not for the perverted smirk that still adorned her face.

"W-What!? No, we're just going to our clubroom to do activities! Activities I tell you!" Issei shouted, which earned the attention of the students who were in the halls. I facepalmed knowing this could only get worse from here.

"Asia blink twice if these two are planning on taking you against your will!" Aika cried out.

Asia being the innocent maiden, she blinked once and looked at Issei. Then her gaze shifted to me. Then she blinked before looking back at Aika. That was all the brunette needed to fuck up our day.

"Don't worry Asia, I won't allow these horrid men to take you against your will! Here!" Aika held out her hands like she was ready to be cuffed. "Take me instead!"

I deadpanned before looking at Issei who was looking around at the disapproving faces of everyone in the halls. Yup, our popularity just dropped significantly and it's not even Asia's fault.

"Aika, you know damn well we aren't doing shit to Asia. What do you want?" I asked in an annoyed tone which only seemed to make Aika's smirk grow.

Aika pulled out four movie tickets and handed me one. I read it and cringed when I saw it was a romcom.

"My granny gave me these and I thought who else to bring than our school's resident sulker, one of the perverted trio, and our new foreign princess." Aika giggled while handing the tickets to Asia and Issei.

"So…it's just another attempt to get into my pants?" I asked with an obvious deadpan, earning a nod from her.

"You know me so well." She answered with a teasing smile.

Her boldness is honestly applaudable. Normally I would turn her down in an instant, but after the last five months of my life spent in literal hell, I'm having second thoughts. Maybe for once it would be good to go out and simply enjoy myself with my friends.

"Why the hell would we wanna-"

"You know what? Why not." I cut Issei off, earning an utterly surprised and betrayed face from him. I didn't really see why he would act like that. Hell he should be more willing to take this offer then me. I leaned in close to him and whispered. "Dude you literally get to take Asia to the movies, maybe you can make a move."

Issei froze as he listened to my words before looking at the ticket then Asia. "What do you think, Asia-chan?" He asked with a shaky voice.

Asia looked at the ticket. Before smiling. "I've never seen a movie before! I'd really like to!"

That was all Issei needed. He smiled warmly. "Yeah we'll be there."

Aika had been wearing a face of shock ever since I agreed. She had not expected me, the guy who has been avoiding her attempts to get too close like the plague to just go and accept her blatant attempt at seduction. After all, it was known to our entire class that Aika had been trying to get into my pants thanks to her 'scouting ability.'

"G-Great, the movie is at 8 pm. Let's meet at the theater by 7:30. I'd love to watch the previews and all that." Aika said with an unusually nervous voice. She then speed walked around the corner and just like that she was gone. Very out of character for her and something I enjoyed listening to thoroughly. Who knew the girl actually had a cute side?

"This will either go perfectly right or horribly wrong and there is no inbetween." I chuckled as Issei, Asia, and I continued our walk towards the clubroom.

—

When we arrived at the clubroom, I opened the door and was surprised when the only person I saw in the room was Yuuto. That was odd. Usually everyone was here before us.

"Wassup Yuuto, where's Buchou, and Akeno-senpai?" I asked as I took a seat next to him on the couch.

"They're dealing with the whole Phenex business. They won't be here today. I'm certain of that. When I saw Buchou this morning she looked exhausted so she might even take tomorrow off." Yuuto explained with a complicated expression.

I frowned then noticed the confused looks on Issei and Asia's faces. I looked at Yuuto and earned a nod. He proceeded to explain everything to the both of them so they could be caught up.

"This is bullshit! Why the hell does Buchou have to be forced to marry some damn lowlife nobody." Issei shouted and Asia nodded in agreement. She had a complicated expression on her face. Like she didn't want to believe such a thing could truly happen to the untouchable woman she viewed Rias as.

"Says the lowlife." I decided to joke, although it didn't even come close to landing.

"Fuck you, this is serious. We have to do something about it!" Issei said as he grabbed the collar of my shirt with both hands and pulled. Obviously I didn't budge and my smile faded.

"I know it's serious, but getting mad over it won't help anyone. Calm the fuck down and think about this rationally for once in your life Issei." I said calmly. Issei looked conflicted but when Asia put her hand on his and looked at him caringly he let go of my shirt and sat down on the couch. Asia quickly took a seat between me and him to avoid such physicality from breaking out again.

"I agree with both of you." Yuuto said with a frown. "We need to do something but as of right now there is nothing we can do. Not yet. We can plan but without informing Buchou, we could end up making this worse than it already is."

I nodded. I never thought of Yuuto as an analytical thinker but it seems like he can when the situation calls for it.

"Do you have the contract?" I asked Yuuto and frowned when he shook his head.

"Well that blows." I sighed.

Issei and Asia wore complicated expressions. Trying their best to come up with something. Anything that could help Buchou out of her current predicament. Alas their silence signified their ineptitude to do such.

"We won't get anywhere worrying about it." I said with a sigh. "So is the club canceled for the day?"

Yuuto hummed in confirmation. I wasted no time in getting up from my seat.

"Then I'm gonna head home. See you tomorrow, Yuuto."

"Have a good day, Isamu." Yuuto waved with his usual smile.

I walked out and a few moments later I noticed Issei and Asia had left as well and were rushing a bit to catch up to me. I slowed my pace.

"Do you both need something?"

"S-Shouldn't we be doing more?" Asia asked timidly and Issei seemed to agree. It took just about everything in my power not to facepalm and the innocent girl's question.

"Like I said there isn't much we can do. I have a few ideas on how we can go about helping her, but all of them would most likely be turned down by Rias. At least for now." I explained with a little bit of extra bass in my voice. I didn't wait for them to respond and instead settled for teleporting home.

—

I appeared in my bedroom and sat at my desk. Talking about the whole Rias deal really pissed me off. I felt much more weak than I felt as an ordinary human and I hated that. There wasn't anything I could do that would make this situation end well.

I could storm the Phenex house and beat Riser's ass until he voids the contract, but that would make not only me but the entire Egyptian Pantheon an enemy of the devils. I could try and talk to both families, but if they didn't listen to Rias why would they listen to an outsider like me?

I had never been so close to a woman in my entire life, and now I can't save the first girl who so desperately threw herself at me. It pissed me off to my core and now a hatred for Riser was beginning to form in my stomach. Was he really such an asshole that he couldn't just back off knowing Rias would get so desperate?

The girl of perfection who I had thought untouchable stripping herself in front of me and ruining her image all for the sake of getting out of a marriage she wanted no part in. My anger started rising even more. He's putting her through all that for what? Just to fuck her?

"[Your not much better yourself, Partner.]" The gauntlet manifested on my arm and Ddraig made it clear he was listening to my internal conflict.

"Of course I am! I'm not some asshole who has a girl trapped in a marriage she'd do anything to get out of!" I shouted at the shitty reptile.

"[Oh? Need I remind you what you would have done to that very same girl had I not stepped in?]"

My silence was my answer.

"[I care not for the Phenex brat, however you talking down on him is like the pot calling the kettle black. You would have taken her purity and ravished her without any regard for her own being.]" The bass in Ddraig's tone only increased as he talked. "[Then the Lucifuge would have shown up and killed you for such an offense. If you continued you would have undoubtedly been worse than the Phenex.]"

I still couldn't say anything. The realization along with Ddraig's words hit me like a truck. Initially I thought Riser wasn't a bad guy. Could that have been because I related to him? That his actions were justifiable because I would have done them two? I had a lot to think about.

"[I am not telling you all this to bring you down, Partner. I simply do not want you to collude your mind into thinking you're something you're not. You're not the good guy. You're a God and God's are even more flawed than humans in more ways than one. However I do not think that is a bad thing. As long as you know your flawed you'll be able to live a more enjoyable life embracing life as you see fit and enjoying your carnal desires.]"

I leaned back into my chair and exhaled a deep sigh before chuckling although there was no amusement in it.

"You should be my therapist, Ddraig."

He didn't respond and cut the link. I thanked him silently for that. I needed to think about everything. About my life up until now. My younger days with Daiko and Issei. My recent days with the ORC and last night with Rias.

I turned on my PC and brought my cursor over to the most peaceful game I owned. The one I would usually play for years when Issei and the boys weren't at my house.

Dig and Craft.

The opening music gave me nostalgia and I let it play for a few minutes before I started a new world. I have some time to spare before the movies and this shit is fucking therapeutic.

—

After hours of playing, my phone went off with a text from Issei. I didn't even read it. Once I saw the time I started to internally panic a bit. It read 7:23 pm.

How the hell has so much time passed? I got up and changed into some casual clothes, consisting of a black sweatshirt, gray joggers, white brand shoes and a white fitted cap. I checked myself out in the mirror and gave a small nod. I loved seeing that cute expression on Aika's face. Hopefully I can see more of that tonight.