The sun was rising with a soft light, heralding the start of another morning over the land.
It was the kind of scene that evoked calm and serenity, with golden rays caressing the landscape. But on that occasion, the tranquility was merely a facade.
In front of the gate of a mansion, a black American-style fence adorned with flowering vines that swayed in the breeze, five figures stood out. Their gazes scrutinized the property ahead, a structure that seemed plucked from a Hollywood movie, completely out of place amid the Japanese architectural style.
The mansion, with its three stories, boasted an opulent, almost theatrical architecture, surrounded by meticulously trimmed lawns. In the background, a shimmering lake reflected the morning light, creating a hypnotic effect. It was impossible not to be impressed by the grandeur of the place.
The doorbell rang for the second time, its crystalline sound echoing with a politeness that contrasted with the silent tension hanging over the group.
Akeno Himejima was the one who pressed the button. Her characteristic smile, sweet and refined, adorned her lips, but her half-closed eyes hinted at a spark of impatience.
"He's taking a while to answer…" she commented, with that melodic tone that always seemed to carry a touch of mystery. "Could our dear transfer student be ignoring us on purpose?"
Koneko Toujou, standing a couple of steps away, nibbled on a biscuit that, somehow, had appeared in her hands. Her amber eyes fixed on the doorbell, as if she were considering resolving the situation with a direct strike.
"Looks like it…" she muttered, her voice low and monotonous as usual.
Kiba Yuuto let out a soft laugh, running a hand through his golden hair with his natural elegance. Always the gentleman, even in moments of uncertainty.
Issei, on the other hand, was visibly restless. Far from his usual state of fascination with Kiba, he seemed uncomfortable, tugging at the collar of his uniform and casting nervous glances at the gate, as if fearing something might appear at any moment.
"I don't know about you guys…" he began, hesitantly, his tone dragging. "But there's something here that makes me… I don't know, uneasy. Like it's wrong for us to be in this place."
Kiba raised an eyebrow, giving his friend a curious look.
"It's just a visit to a classmate who stopped attending school, Ise-kun. No need to be so worried…"
Issei fell silent, looking away as if reluctant to press the issue. Koneko munched on another piece of her biscuit, oblivious to the growing tension, while Akeno maintained her enigmatic smile, laced with an aura that suggested she knew more than she let on.
At the center of it all, Rias Gremory stood motionless. Her narrowed eyes fixed on the mansion, her long crimson hair dancing under the golden morning light, capturing the glow with an almost supernatural grace. Her celestial blue eyes, however, carried a silent, almost obsessive intensity.
She hadn't said a word since they left the school.
But she didn't need to.
None of them believed this visit was merely a formality.
Akeno, with the familiarity of someone who had known Rias for years and was her closest confidante, broke the silence after another failed attempt with the doorbell.
"Maybe we should have warned him beforehand, Buchou," she said, with a sweetness that bordered on teasing. "I could have stopped by yesterday and informed him through the intercom that we'd be coming today…"
The corner of her smile curved into something slightly mischievous.
"Or perhaps you really wanted to make this a surprise?"
Rias kept her eyes fixed on the door.
"He'll answer…" Her voice came out low, firm, imbued with a natural authority. "No matter how much he tries to avoid it."
Koneko, at her side, munched on what seemed to be her fourth biscuit since they arrived.
"Doesn't seem like he wants to…" she murmured, with her characteristic monotony.
Akeno let out a melodic giggle, a slightly mischievous glint sparkling in her eyes.
"I wouldn't mind forcing our way in… Just to see his reaction, of course."
"Don't start, Akeno," Rias said with a slight sigh, though without the energy for a genuine reprimand.
Kiba observed the mansion's entrance with genuine interest. He tilted his head, crossing his arms with a friendly smile.
"It's a beautiful property… Looks like a set from an American movie. Luxurious, but with a touch of class."
Issei, in the background, couldn't hide his unease. He tugged at the collar of his uniform as if it were choking him.
"All this is giving me the creeps… Seriously. It feels like at any moment someone's going to open the door and throw a spell in our faces."
Koneko shot him an indifferent look.
"Wouldn't be so bad if it was in your face…"
"Hey! I'm the most vulnerable one in the group here, just so you know! This place has been giving me chills since we passed through the gate."
"Maybe because you've got something to feel guilty about?" Akeno teased, with a sly little smile.
Issei's eyes widened. "What?! No! I barely even talked to the guy at school!"
Rias remained silent. Her gaze fixed on the entrance seemed capable of piercing through the door, her clenched fingers betraying a patience that was wearing thin.
Kiba shrugged. "Maybe he's just sleeping. Could have a heavy sleep, who knows."
The doorbell rang for the third time.
The silence that followed was long… longer than it should have been.
"He'll answer," Rias repeated, now in a whisper, almost as if speaking to herself. Still, everyone heard.
And, by instinct, everyone fell silent too.
Suddenly, the automatic gate opened smoothly, the bars sliding to either side, emitting a faint mechanical hum that broke the group's tense silence. From the intercom, a clear and relaxed male voice echoed without hesitation: "Come in."
No questions about identification. Just those two words, spoken with a calm and natural ease that made Rias's eyebrows rise almost imperceptibly. Akeno tilted her head, her mischievous smile gaining a spark of curiosity, while Koneko munched on another biscuit, her amber eyes narrowing as if trying to solve a puzzle. Kiba, ever the diplomat, merely adjusted his posture, keeping his friendly smile, but his eyes glinted with subtle caution.
Issei, meanwhile, let out a low "Huh?" clearly thrown off by the lack of formalities.
"He didn't even ask who we are…" Issei muttered, scratching the back of his neck as he followed the group along the polished stone path leading to the mansion's entrance. His eyes roamed over the impeccable lawn, the shimmering lake in the distance, and the vines adorning the low walls. "Man, this place is like… a movie castle! Who lives here and has this kind of money?!"
For the others, however, the mansion wasn't exactly impressive. Compared to the opulence of the Gremory Clan's territory, with its grand halls and palaces that seemed to defy mortal logic, Kazuya's property was, at best, charming. Well-maintained, yes, but almost humble compared to what they were used to. Still, there was something in the atmosphere, something intangible, that kept everyone on edge.
Rias, walking ahead with firm steps, didn't respond. Her expression remained focused, her crimson hair swaying in the breeze like a living flame.
Akeno, at her side, let out a muffled giggle. "You're impressed by so little, Ise-kun. Compared to the Gremory palace, this place is… modest."
Koneko snorted, almost inaudibly. "Modest for someone who lives in demonic castles…"
Kiba merely smiled, his eyes scanning the architecture with an almost academic interest. "It's elegant, but not as extravagant as the Gremory territory. Still, it has a unique charm."
Issei opened his mouth to retort, but any comment died in his throat as the group reached the main entrance. The double dark wooden door, with blue stained-glass panels that seemed to capture the morning light, was slightly ajar. And there, standing with a relaxed posture, was Ryougi Kazuya.
He was wearing white martial arts pants and a tight black shirt that highlighted a physique that seemed almost impossible for any teenager—or anyone, for that matter—without some kind of enhancement. His snow-white hair fell in meticulously styled, disheveled strands, framing a face with sharp features and eyes of an otherworldly blue, so intense they seemed to pierce through anyone who met them.
Kazuya crossed his arms, a faint smile curving his lips. His eyes, however, remained calm, almost indifferent, as they scanned the group.
"Good morning, everyone. What brings you to my humble abode so early?"
His voice was light, with a touch of amusement, but there was an unshakable confidence behind every word, as if he already knew the answer before asking.
Rias took a step forward, her blue eyes locked on his. For a moment, the air seemed charged with a silent electricity, as if two predators were sizing each other up before making a move.
"Kazuya-kun," she began, her voice firm but betraying a mix of relief and frustration. "You disappear for an entire week, ignore messages, abandon school… Change your address, and now you greet us as if nothing happened? As if this were just a casual visit? Sona was tasked by the administration to find out what happened to you. But since she's swamped with board reports, and since… I'm the one who's spent the most time with you so far, I was assigned to come talk to you…"
Her eyes narrowed, and the intensity in her gaze was almost palpable.
"Won't you invite us in? Since we have a lot to talk about…"
Kazuya raised an eyebrow, his smile widening with a touch of irony. He seemed genuinely amused by the scene before him.
"Gremory-san, no need to get so emotional…" he said in a calm, almost lazy tone. "I was… busy. Life's been hectic. But since you're here, come in. I won't leave my friends waiting at the door, even if I've never spoken to some of them, though I know your names from the whispers in the school hallways, so please, skip any introductions. You're all welcome…"
Akeno laughed softly, covering her mouth with her hand.
"What a charming host. I'm almost tempted to accept just to see what else you're hiding, Kazuya-kun."
Her violet eyes sparkled with a mix of provocation and curiosity, as if testing his limits.
Koneko, still munching on her biscuit, shot Kazuya a suspicious glance as she followed the group into the mansion.
Kiba, ever diplomatic, offered a friendly wave. "Thank you for the invitation, Ryougi-san. It's our first time talking, isn't it? Your house is… impressive."
Issei, on the other hand, seemed torn between admiration for the place and the unease that wouldn't leave him.
"Seriously, this guy… he's cool, but something about him gives me chills. Like, he's too… I don't know, perfect?" He shook his head, as if trying to shake off the thought, suddenly letting out a loud, almost exaggerated laugh that echoed through the entrance. "Hahaha! This place is like a villain's castle from an anime, don't you think?"
Kazuya shot Issei a sidelong glance, the corner of his mouth curling into a smile that seemed to hide a private joke.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and took the lead. As he walked through the door, he couldn't help but reflect.
Rias's excuse was well-crafted, superficially speaking. But… there were too many holes to ignore. Seriously? School administration? If that were the case, Sona herself would have come. That woman was sharper than a katana's blade. Firm principles, an unyielding sense of duty. Not the type to "pass the ball" to someone else, let alone a friend. And even if, by some miracle, she did, she would have sent Tsubaki. Or, at the very least, a formal notice.
And there was more.
Why the hell was the entire Occult Research Club here?
If it were just an administrative visit, one person would have been enough.
Maybe two, if they wanted to be formal.
But no.
Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, Issei… they were all here. It was obvious that the motivation behind the visit was personal, far more personal than Rias was willing to admit. And that only made things more entertaining.
For a moment, the group hesitated at the entrance. But soon, one by one, they crossed the threshold.
The interior of the mansion was even more impressive than the exterior suggested. The entrance hall opened into a spacious area, the dark wooden floor gleaming under the soft light streaming through tall windows. A spiral staircase dominated the center, elegant and imposing, with a brushed steel and carved wood railing. Persian rugs cushioned their steps, while stained-glass windows filtered the morning light, casting soft reflections across the light-colored walls. The atmosphere was refined, but there was something almost… theatrical about the place. As if every detail had been chosen to impress.
Rias kept walking, her eyes fixed on Kazuya as she asked, "You still haven't answered my question. Why did you disappear? And why are you acting like this is normal?"
Kazuya tilted his head, keeping the smile on his lips. Then, with a broad gesture, he invited the group to follow: "Come on, I'll get something to drink. I'm not as cruel a host as I seem. Then I'll answer your questions, and we can have a pleasant conversation…"
The group began to move, still cautious but curious. Kazuya turned and led the way, his relaxed steps contrasting with the restrained tension in the air.
Issei, trailing behind, couldn't take his eyes off Kazuya's back.
"Haha… this guy is like… I don't know, why does he give me such a bad vibe?" he muttered to no one in particular, forcing a nervous laugh.
But no one responded. Not even Kiba.
Unknown to Issei, the reason was simple. When Kazuya rewrote the boy's memories and personality with his Longinus, he erased any impression Issei had of him, leaving only the basics of a transfer student. He also made Issei incapable of even having the "motivation" to fight him. Why? Because he found it amusing that way…
Putting that aside, the group quickly reached the mansion's living room.
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