[300 PS = 1 Chapter Bonus]
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I looked at Raynare, noticing the slight blush on her cheeks and her eyes trying to hide her surprise.
I knew exactly what she was doing.
Raynare was used to using boys' feelings to manipulate them and enjoy seeing their broken hearts. That was why she pretended to be someone else and never showed her true personality to girls.
However, she showed me the side of herself that no one liked, the true facet of her twisted personality, and I told her that I still liked her. That was enough to make her start questioning how she felt.
Besides, the system had proposed a good option at the best possible moment, and considering the number of points and the context, I knew I couldn't waste this chance.
"You're so beautiful when you're confused, you know?" I said, and my hand, which had been fixing her hair, moved down to her cheek.
Her eyes widened slightly, and she immediately turned her face away. "Huh? Who said I'm confused? You sure talk a lot, you know!"
"I talk too much?" I asked, and my hand continued down until it cupped her chin and forced her to turn her face toward me.
And then, without giving her any room to doubt or back away, I closed the distance between us with a kiss.
The moment our lips touched was... simple. It wasn't the romantic, soft touch often described in novels, because Raynare stood still for a moment. Her half-open mouth indicated that I had taken her by surprise, but she soon accepted what was happening and returned the kiss.
[Ding! The Owner chose option 3! Reward: 60 fusion points]
It wasn't soft or perfectly synchronized, which made me wonder if that was Raynare's first kiss. Could it be?
In the end, it didn't matter if it was or not. I wasn't doing this because I really liked Raynare, but because I wanted to turn her into something more than she was now. A partnership alone wouldn't guarantee her loyalty to me. But turning her into a slave to her feelings for me would.
When we pulled apart, it was like emerging from underwater. Our eyes opened simultaneously, and Raynare brought two fingers to her lips.
"Are you kidding me?! You kissed me? You're so bold…" she murmured, looking away and placing her hands on her pants to pull the fabric.
"Only when it's worth it," I replied, running my fingers down the side of her face before stepping back slightly to give her space.
She crossed her arms, looking anywhere but at me, and her usual tsundere tone returned with full force.
"Don't think this means anything! I just... let it happen because you're too persistent, that's all!"
"Oh, sure," I said, leaning back on the couch with a victorious smile. "And I suppose the fact that you kissed me back doesn't mean anything either, right?"
She turned red as a tomato and immediately stood up. "Shut up! You're unbearable!"
Before she could walk out the door or come up with some lame excuse, I grabbed her hand. She stopped but didn't turn to face me.
"Raynare."
The way I said her name made her freeze in place.
"I'm guessing you didn't come here just because you wanted to see me. So, how about you hear me out?"
Raynare looked into my eyes and saw how serious I was this time.
"Fine, spit it out. What's on your mind?" she asked, crossing her arms and sitting back down on the couch.
"Well, for starters, Raynare, I know you want to prove yourself. Not to me, of course, but to Azazel. You want him to see something in you that goes beyond simply following orders. You want to stand out among the other Fallen Angels."
She raised an eyebrow.
"I also know that your mission here in Kuoh is to find humans with Sacred Gears and harvest their abilities."
Her jaw dropped. "H-how do you know that?"
"Why else would a Fallen Angel risk themselves in enemy territory?" I said with a smug smile. "What you haven't considered yet are the reasons why Kokabiel, your boss, wants these weapons. Tell me: why would he need weapons during a time of peace?"
This time, Raynare noticed the detail that I had mentioned Kokabiel and lost herself in the meaning of the question. So, I answered it for her myself.
"A war."
"No, that doesn't make sense. The agreement between the Three Great Factions exists to prevent that. Besides, Kokabiel wouldn't—"
"Do you really believe Azazel and Kokabiel share exactly the same ideals? That the peace agreement is enough to appease the resentment of someone like Kokabiel?"
Raynare was about to respond but paused to think.
"Raynare, Azazel was one of those responsible for ensuring the survival of the Fallen Angels during and after the Great War. Even though he was outnumbered by the Angels and Demons, he managed to keep them united and alive. And Kokabiel? He has always been one of the most disappointed with the end of the war. So again, I'll ask you: doesn't it seem odd that, in times of peace, you're being sent to search for Sacred Gears? Why would they need such weapons now?"
Her eyes wandered across the wooden floor, and I could see the pieces starting to fall into place in her mind.
"Are you saying that Kokabiel...?" she murmured.
"Exactly. Kokabiel wants to reignite the flames of war. He does not accept peace, and his actions go against everything Azazel tries to uphold. That is why you are doing all of this in secret from the other Fallen Angels."
She stared at me, speechless. "And how do you know all of this? Where did you get this information?"
I smiled slightly, crossing my fingers. "Let's just say my parents were exceptional history teachers. They taught me to analyze patterns, understand political movements, and, most importantly, interpret actions. They told me that this would be what would keep me alive after they died."
Raynare fell silent. For the first time since I had met her, she seemed to be truly reflecting on her choices and the implications of her actions.
"Then I need to tell Azazel immediately. He'll thank me for telling him all this," Raynare said, almost smiling at the opportunity.
"No."
"... What? Why not?"
I took a deep breath. "Who do you think Azazel is more likely to believe? You or Kokabiel, one of the great leaders of the Fallen Angels? If you want to achieve your goals — and if I want to prevent a war — we'll need to work together."
"Together?" she asked, and I nodded. "Humph! I think we can do that. What's your plan, genius?"
"First of all, I want you to ignore a boy from Kuoh Academy named Hyoudou Issei."
"Hyoudou Issei?" she repeated the name, frowning. "Why should I ignore him? Does he have something to do with this?"
"It's not important for you to know that yet. Trust me, Raynare. Just don't get involved with him. And one more thing: when a girl named Asia Argento arrives in this city, I want you to inform me immediately. She's transferring from a church and has already been identified as a potential target by one of Kokabiel's loyal men. She will be crucial to what is to come."
Luckily, this time she didn't even question how I knew who Issei and Asia were. Her eyes told me she was starting to look at me with more admiration than doubt.
[Ding! The Owner has achieved a "Full Trust Relationship" with Raynare. Reward: 10 fusion points!]
"Right... What about this Hyoudou Issei? Are you going to talk to him?" Raynare asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Talk? No. I'm going to kill him."
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