High School DxD: Fox of Ill Omen

Koneko

The easiest way to tell it was getting closer to summer wasn’t the change in the weather, or the longer days, or even the up coming school break.

It was Issei-senpai getting louder and more excited than normal.

Between the break from school and girls in swimsuits he was more animate than normal. 

By the time I entered the Occult Research Club after class, the room already felt warmer than it should have.

Partly because of the weather.

Mostly because Issei-senpai’s head was resting in Buchou’s lap..

He looked far too comfortable.

Buchou looked far too angry for someone giving a lap pillow.

“I cannot believe this!” she snapped.

Her fingers were still moving through his hair while she said it.

Issei-senpai looked conflicted.

He had the expression of a boy caught between concern, embarrassment, and the fact that his face was currently very close to Rias Gremory’s thighs.

I took my usual place near the sofa and sat down.

The room was the same as always.

Magic circles drawn on the floor and walls.

Old furniture. Older books. 

Enough supernatural clutter that any normal person would think we were either a real occult club or clinically insane.

Probably both.

Akeno-senpai was pouring tea for Buchou while smiling her usual soft, dangerous smile.

Asia-senpai sat nearby with her hands folded in her lap, still listening with the kind of earnest concern that made me want to protect her from the rest of us.

Xenovia-senpai was seated with rigid posture, looking like she still wasn’t entirely sure whether Buchou’s mood would lead to us fighting someone of not.

Yuuto-senpai sat near Issei-senpai, elegant as always, watching him with a look that was equal parts fondness and mild exasperation.

Kusari-senpai was standing near the shelves with a stack of documents in her hands.

Her fox ears and tails were visible.

That was one change I liked.

Around us she had started hiding them less and less.

The silver-white ears atop her head twitched sometimes when Issei-senpai said something especially stupid.

Her tails moved when she was annoyed or amused or too focused to remember stillness.

It made her feel more relaxed.

More open.

And recently, she had been more present in other ways too.

Small things.

A little less silence. A little more expression.

The kind of dry comments that slipped out before she remembered not to let people see that part of her.

The kind of tiny changes most people would miss if they weren’t paying attention.

But I had know her long enough now to notice the changes..

Especially after the everything with the stolen Excalibur blades.

Especially after Buchou and Kusari-senpai’s private conversation.

Even without knowing the exact words, I knew something had changed between them.

Whatever it was mattered.

“Because of what Kokabiel tried to do the Three Factions decided that they had come too close to another war and decided to have a summit. All three sides agreed to meet here in Kuoh and discuss what should happen next.”

Buchou was getting angrier as she continued.

“And the Governor of the Fallen Angels decided that he could arrive early and contact us through our Devil work.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“Through my peerage’s Devil work.”

That part clearly offended her even more.

Issei-senpai shifted slightly in her lap. “He was my client and I never realized . He hid his presence and identity the whole time. If he hadn’t said it himself afterward, there’s no way I would have known.”

“That is exactly the problem, Ise,” Buchou said.

The way she said his name had changed over time.

Softer.

More possessive.

More open with how she felt.

I didn’t need to be a genius to notice that.

Buchou’s fingers paused briefly in his hair before resuming. “Even if your contract work led to it, he intruded into my territory, interfered with our business, and laid hands on something precious to me.”

Issei-senpai went red immediately.

Asia-senpai made a small sound and pouted.

Akeno-senpai laughed softly into one hand.

Kusari-senpai’s ear flicked once but otherwise didn’t react.

Yuuto-senpai’s mouth curved into small smile.

Buchou leaned over Issei-senpai slightly, crimson hair falling around them both as she said, “I had already heard Azazel was obsessively interested in Sacred Gears. It’s obvious he came because of your Boosted Gear. But it will be all right, Ise. I will definitely protect you.”

It should have come across as a reassuring statement.

With Buchou, it also sounded a little like a threat aimed at the rest of the world.

Her eyes gleamed with challenge and the promise of cruelty.

Issei-senpai smiled weakly. “I’m happy about that, Buchou. Really. But also... a little scared by that look.”

“…. probably should be…,” I said.

He looked at me from his lap-pillow prison. “Koneko-chan, whose side are you on?”

“Ours.”

“That includes me!”

“I don’t know if it does right now,” Kusari-senpai said.

The answer came lightly.

More lightly than it would have a few weeks ago.

I glanced at her.

She was still looking at the documents in her hands, expression calm, but one tail swayed once behind her.

She had probably not meant to say it aloud.

Or she had and just didn’t mind anymore.

Buchou noticed too.

Her gaze moved briefly from Issei-senpai to Kusari-senpai.

I only caught it because I was watching them. 

Then Yuuto-senpai spoke.

“I also heard Azazel has been researching sacred gears and gathering capable users,” she said, voice calm. “But it’ll be all right, Ise-kun.”

Issei-senpai looked over at her from Buchou’s lap.

She held his gaze.

Not for too long.

Just long enough.

“I’ll protect you too,” she added.

There was a tiny pause after that.

I saw the instant Issei-senpai’s face changed.

I also saw the way Yuuto’s expression softened, just slightly, before she schooled it again.

Subtly.

And because Issei-senpai was Issei-senpai, he immediately ruined it.

“Uh,” he said, scratching his cheek awkwardly, “that’s… nice. Really nice. But it’s one thing when it’s coming from Buchou and another from you or anyone else.”

Yuuto tilted her head. Why does it matter?”

“Because I’m supposed to be the man of the peerage!”

Akeno-senpai shoulders shook.

Asia-senpai looked confused.

Xenovia-senpai looked interested, which was dangerous.

Yuuto-senpai smiled more visibly. “You helped me even when it meant going against Buchou’s wishes. You’re one of my precious comrades. If I can’t protect a comrade, then I can’t call myself a [Knight] of the Gremory household.”

Issei-senpai made a face as if Yuuto-senpai completely missed his point.

“See! See, that’s exactly what I mean! I’m supposed to be the one to say lines like that!”

Yuuto-senpai blinked once, then smiled in exasperation.

Kusari-senpai muttered, just loud enough for me to hear, “It wouldn’t feel as reliable if it came from you.”

I almost smiled.

Buchou exhaled through her nose and finally returned to the real issue. “The problem is that we still can’t move carelessly. If Azazel doesn’t act openly, we won’t be able to do anything. We cannot worsen the relationship between Devils and Fallen Angels on our own.”

That silenced the room a little.

Not entirely.

Nothing ever fully silenced a room containing Issei-senpai.

But enough.

Then a voice spoke that did not belong to anyone inside the clubroom.

“Azazel has always acted however he pleased, Rias.”

Everyone turned.

Sirzechs Lucifer.

His crimson hair that matched Rias-Buchou’s was unmistakable.

He stood there smiling pleasantly as if he had simply stepped through an ordinary door instead of appearing in the middle of a school clubroom full of Devils, a former nun, a former exorcist, and one extremely loud pervert.

I recognized him immediately.

So did everyone else.

Kusari-senpai moved first, dropping to one knee in an instant with practiced ease

Yuuto-senpai did the same.

Buchou shoved Issei-senpai off her lap so fast he almost rolled into the table, then stood.

I was already lowering myself by then, and so was Akeno-senpai.

Asia-senpai copied us a heartbeat later.

Xenovia hesitated for half a breath before following suit.

Sirzechs Lucifer-sama smiled down at us with impossible ease.

Grayfia-san stood a little behind him, flawless as always.

The room had changed instantly.

Authority and power.

It filled the space before either of them spoke again.

I had to keep myself from showing my emotions at seeing them again.

The last time we had seen them was when Kusari-senpai was given back to us after Issei-senpai had defeated Riser Phenex.

And Geayfia-san had been the ones to take her away from us on Sirzechs-Dana’s orders.

If Kusari-senpai had not asked me to stop I would have tried to physically stop Grayfia-san from taking Kusari-senpai from the room.

“Onii-sama! I-I didn’t know you’d be coming!” Buchou said.

Sirzechs-sama chuckled. “I figured I would surprise you. And you don’t need to worry about Azazel. He’s nothing like Kokabiel is. The Governor of the Fallen Angles simply arrived earlier than the rest of us and was interested in the current Sekiryuuti. Though he may play another prank on you. 

His tone was so casual that it made the content stranger.

Then he added, “I’m not here for anything official, so please relax.”

We rose as ordered.

I looked at Kusari-senpai.

And saw her vanish.

The traces of looseness she had shown a minute earlier disappeared so quickly it would have been easy to pretend I imagined them.

Her tails drew in closer.

Her shoulders aligned too neatly.

Her expression emptied into something calm and polished and impossible to criticize.

The Kusari-senpai who had muttered dry comments and let herself be a little more present around us was gone.

This Kusari-senpai was the one from when she first joined us.

Still, so that she didn’t draw attention.

Perfectly careful.

Distant and quietly wary.

Sirzechs-sama hadn’t looked at her yet.

He didn’t need to.

I felt a small pulse of anger under my ribs.

I didn’t like it.

Not him.

And not the way Kusari-senpai reshaped herself.

“Say, Rias,” Sirzechs-sama said, glancing around the clubroom with amused disbelief. Couldn’t you have gone for more casual decor for your club room? I get that it’s supposed to be “occult”, but this looks less like students studying and more like preparing a sacrifice.”

Buchou u decided to ignore his opinion of her club room.

“Onii-sama,” Buchou said, recovering her composure, “why are you here?”

Grayfia-san watched from Sirzechs-sama’s side quietly.

Sirzechs-sama produced a printed form and held it up. “Well, little sister, it seems that it is time for your schools classroom visits. I figure I could see where you go to school and observe you working on your studies before the summit.”

There was a beat of silence.

Then Buchou stared at him. “Grayfia. You told him?”

Grayfia-san answered immediately. “Yes. I receive the reports from the school and manage the Gremory household’s schedule. Since I am also Sirzechs-sama’s [Queen], I informed my master.”

Buchou sighed.

It was a familiar sound.

What wasn’t familiar was the thread of strain under it.

Even before she spoke again, I could tell something about this whole interaction was wrong in a way the others weren’t reading yet.

“I chose to work ahead in my duties as Maou and take some time off in order to be here for my little sister’s class visit. And don’t worry—Otou-ue be will coming too.”

That should have been sweet.

Buchou looked horrified.

“T-That’s too much!” she protested. “Onii-sama, you’re the Maou! A Maou can’t give special treatment to a single devil like this!”

He tilted his head with exaggerated innocence. “But this also pertains to my work too, Rias.”

Then his smile shifted, losing some of its playful shape.

“I’ve been considering holding the conference between the Three Factions at this school. I came to inspect the meeting place.”

The idea of the conference being here at our school was something none of us had considered.

Even Issei-senpai forgot to speak for a second.

Asia-senpai’s eyes widened.

Xenovia-senpai looked excited.

Yuuto-senpai straightened.

Akeno-senpai’s smile sharpened slightly.

Buchou stared. “...Are you sure? Here?

Sirzechs-sama nodded. “This school seems to have fate tied to it. You, my little sister, the legendary Sekiryuutei, the Holy Demonic Sword user, the wielder of Durandal, and Serafall Leviathan-sama’s little sister are all attached to this place. Kokabiel and the Hakuryuukou also came here. Powerful currents keep colliding around Kuoh Academy. It is difficult to call that coincidence.”

His eyes moved to Issei-senpai.

I saw Issei-senpai straighten instinctively under that attention.

Then Xenovia-senpai spoke.

Of course she did.

“You are one of the Maou? It is an honor. I am the one called Xenovia.”

Sirzechs-sama looked delighted. “Good day to you, Xenovia. I heard of you from Rias. The wielder of Durandal becoming a devil and joining my sister’s peerage was a surprise, even to me.”

Xenovia folded her arms. “It was also a surprise to me. I still sometimes think it was an extremely reckless decision. But at the time, anything was acceptable.”

Then she frowned.

“Actually... was it acceptable? Should I have become a Devil? Was it what I should have done? At the time I truly felt anything would do, but perhaps—”

There she went.

Thinking in circles again.

Sirzechs-sama only laughed warmly. “Even so, I hope you’ll support the Gremory household as Rias’s family.”

Xenovia straightened. “If I am asked by the legendary Maou written in the Bible, then I cannot refuse. I may still have my doubts, but I will do whatever I can to help.”

That made him smile.

And annoyingly, his smile looked like Buchou’s.

“Thank you,” he said.

Xenovia’s looked embarrassed. 

I looked at Kusari-senpai again.

Still the same. Still too controlled.

And then Sirzechs-sama finally addressed her directly.

“Kusari-chan,” he said smoothly, “I’m glad to see you recovering well.”

Her reply came instantly.

“Thank you, Sirzechs-sama. I am well enough to fulfill my duties.”

The words were perfect.

That was what made them awful.

No hesitation. No warmth. No visible fear either. Just polished obedience.

My hands tightened in my lap.

I think by now everyone noticed the way Kusari-senpai reacted to him.

But Rias-Buchou noticed her reaction.

I knew she noticed because I was already watching her face.

Her smile toward her brother did not change.

Her eyes did.

Only a little.

Before her private talk with Kusari-senpai I may have missed it.

Now I didn’t.

She knew something I didn’t.

Not everything, probably.

Unfortunately. But enough that Kusari-senpai’s tone toward Sirzechs-sama bothered her more than it did before.

It showed in the way her shoulders held.

In the slight delay before she answered him next. 

In how carefully she controlled her expression.

Sirzechs-sama went on discussing the conference. Security. Timing.

Why the school was becoming an important point in the balance between the factions.

On the surface, everything was fine.

Important people talking about important things.

But there was a tension present in the room that no one addressed.

Akeno-senpai refilled tea and spent more time near Kusari-senpai and avoided any of her usual teasing.

Asia-senpai was trying to look composed and only succeeding half the time.

Yuuto-senpai was calmly listening to the conversation but had shifted herself slightly between Grayfia-san and Kusari-senpai.

Issei-senpai looked between Sirzechs-sama, Grayfia-san, and Kusari-senpai, then to Buchou.

He did so with just enough subtly not to be rude.

Xenovia listened as if we were going into battle and not simply being informed as a 

Buchou remained outwardly calm, but I could see the tension threading under every line of her.

And Kusari-senpai still looked like she had taken three steps backward into some older version of herself.

It made me want to do something.

There was nothing to do.

That was the worst part.

Eventually Sirzechs-sama’s tone softened again.

“We can finish covering the fine details of what will happen later. For now I will need to find lodging for the night. It’s night, so I wonder if I will be able to find something this late.”

He said it almost lightly.

Like it was a practical issue and not a statement guaranteed to create chaos.

I could practically hear Issei-senpai’s brain trying to assemble itself around the fact that the current Maou of the devil world was standing in his clubroom discussing where to stay for the night.

Then I saw it.

A tiny glance from Buchou toward Kusari-senpai.

Her noticing but not reacting in any way.

But the tension between them flickered like a pulled thread.

And I suddenly understood that whatever had been said in private between them, Sirzechs-sama standing here was making it worse.

That explained Buchou’s careful tone. Her too-perfect smile.

The way Kusari-senpai had sealed herself shut the instant he arrived.

I still didn’t know the whole truth.

I knew enough to dislike what I saw.

The room stayed quiet for one more second.

Then Issei-senpai raised his hand.

“Ah,” he said, “well if that’s the case...”

And like usual he decided to make things more complicated and most likely ridiculous. 

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