"The heart is such a nuisance. Unless you're strong, you 't proteything."

  — Gabimaru, Hell's Paradise

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  Sona wasn't worried about whether Roy could defeat her. Her stemmed from the potential fallout if their agreement became publiowledge.

  "Don't worry, Sona-senpai. I won't tell anyone about this until I'm fident I defeat you," Roy reassured her seriously.

  Sona breathed a sigh of relief.

  However, her rea irked Roy somewhat.

  "Ahem, Sona-senpai, you don't seem worried at all about me actually defeating you. Is it because you already have feelings for me?" Roy mused, stroking his with a mock-serious expression. He even nodded, as if vinced of his owion.

  "Absolutely not!" Sona dely.

  "Eh? Really?" Roy feigned disappoi.

  Sona couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for him.

  "Of course, if you 'do' mao defeat me..."

  "Then what?"

  "Then you'll have proven yourself worthy of being my fiancé. And I will keep my word." A faint blush crept onto Sona's cheeks. Evehe posed and intelligent heiress, felt a touch of shyness discussing such matters.

  A fident smirk pyed on Roy's lips. "Don't worry, Sona-senpai. That day won't be far off."

  With that, he turned ahe student cil room.

  Sona was momentarily stunned by his sudden dispy of fidend assertiveness.

  Then, a smile touched her lips.

  "I look forward to it," she murmured, watg him leave. She had clearly aowledged Roy's potential. Now, all he o do was overe the obstacles in his path.

  The biggest obstacle being Serafall Leviathan, Sona's older sister and one of the Freat Satans. Without power rivaling a Maou, challenging her would be futile.

  Ba the :

  "Css, we have araudent joining us today, this time from overseas. Everyone, please wele her!" The teacher led Asia to the front of the .

  The students' eyes lit up at the sight of the blonde girl.

  No one could dislike someone as gentle and kind as Asia.

  The erupted in appuse.

  "Asia-san, please introduce yourself," the teacher said.

  "Yes!" Asia, overwhelmed by the warm wele, felt a flutter of nervousness.

  "M-My name is Asia Argento. I'm currently living with Roy... I mean, Roy-san. Pleased to meet you all." She bowed politely.

  Another round of appuse followed, along with excited whispers.

  "She's so cute!"

  "She's living with Buchou? I'm so jealous!"

  "I wish I could live with Buchou too!"

  "How does this new girl know Buchou?"

  ...

  The whispers tinued, filled with envy towards Asia.

  "Asia-san, you take that empty seat over there," the teacher instructed, pointing to the desk o Saya.

  "Okay!" Asia walked over to Saya with a cheerful smile. "Saya-san, pleased to meet you."

  "o be so formal, Asia!" Saya replied, pulling Asia down to sit beside her.

  They had bee quite close after spending the previous day together.

  "Hey, Buchou, is this another one of *those* retionships?" Aika Kiryuu nudged Roy with her elbow, whispering in his ear.

  "Hmm... I'm not sure what kind of retionship you're referring to, but I suppose it's simir," Roy replied thoughtfully.

  He assumed Aika was referring to a romantic retionship. However, his retionship with Asia was more plex than that.

  "But aren't you and Saya in that kind of retionship? And now..." Aika looked at him questioningly.

  "Our retionship isn't as simple as you think," Roy said vaguely, avoiding a direct expnation.

  Aika, however, jumped to her own clusions, assuming Asia was Roy's mistress or something simir. It was the only expnation that made seo her.

  She wasn't surprised by Roy's supposed behavior. She had seen such things before. Besides, for someone as outstanding and perfect as Roy, having a few romantiterests wasn't unusual.

  "Why didn't he ask *me*?" she muttered under her breath.

  "What was that, Kiryuu-san? I didn't quite hear you," Roy asked.

  "Oh, nothing!" Aika waved her hand dismissively, her face flushing crimson. She hadn't meant to say that out loud.

  Relieved that Roy hadn't heard her, she g him and sighed inwardly.

  However, with his enhanced demonises, Roy had heard her clearly. He found her flustered reausing.

  He pondered whether to make Aika Kiryuu, Murayama, and Katase his servants. He was quite fond of the three of them. And now that he had more demonic pieces, it wouldn't be difficult.

  But after some sideration, he decided to wait.

  After school:

  "Roy-senpai, Rias-buchou invites you to the Occult Research Club," Kooujou said, intercepting Roy, Asia, and Saya just as they were about to meet up with Saeko and head home.

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