It was midday.
Since classes ended early today, Miyu and I were walking home together.
I planned to head home for now, and then swing by the clubroom tonight to take on some devil business.
"Feels like it's been a while since we've walked home together, huh, Miyu?"
"Yeah. Lately, you've been walking with your classmates, and I've been doing the same. Plus, you've been super busy with all this devil work lately."
"Can't argue with that."
There's been a lot of stuff to study and get used to, what with me being a freshly minted devil.
Thinking back on it now, it's true I haven't spent enough time with Miyu lately. Not like we used to.
Just then, Miyu grabbed my hand and leaned in with a sweet, gentle voice.
"Since we've finally got the time, let's go somewhere together! Just you and me."
"Sure, sounds good. Let's have a little sibling outing. So, where do you want to go?"
"Hmm… Let's see…"
Miyu tapped her chin, lost in thought over date destinations that might be fun for siblings.
And then…
"Ha-waahh!"
A startled yelp rang out from nearby.
Miyu and I turned toward the direction of the voice—only to find a girl in a nun's outfit sprawled face-first across the pavement in spectacular fashion.
…Oof. That looked painful.
"Whoa—!"
Her veil fluttered off in the wind and nearly got away, but I managed to snatch it out of the air.
She's a nun… which means she's probably with the Church.
Rias had told us in no uncertain terms to avoid contact with Church members—but helping someone who just face-planted is probably fine, right?
"Are you okay?"
I walked over and held a hand out to her.
"Uuugh… Why do I always trip over nothing…? Oh! I-I'm so sorry. Thank you!"
As she looked up at me—
A radiant blonde beauty appeared before my eyes.
Long golden hair, emerald-green eyes... She was breathtaking.
The kind of girl who made you want to protect her… even if you just met.
Lost in that angelic face, I stared too long and—
"U-Umm… Is something wrong?"
"Big bro, you're gawking."
Ack—snapped right out of that trance!
Miyu squinted and tugged my cheek in protest.
I quickly helped the girl to her feet and handed back her veil.
"Here. This is yours, right?"
"Y-Yes… Thank you very much."
"That's quite a bit of luggage you've got there. Are you visiting the town?"
"Oh no, I've just been assigned to the church here in town today."
Assigned to the church, huh?
She looks to be about our age, but sure carries herself well.
Come to think of it, do nuns get transferred around like that? Seems kind of strange. She's clearly not Japanese...
As I wondered about it, I gave her a friendly smile.
"Got it. We live nearby too, so we might run into each other again. Looking forward to it."
"Me too," Miyu added with her usual cheerful tone.
"Yes! I look forward to it as well."
She gave us a polite bow, then smiled softly, looking visibly relieved.
"Actually… I've been a bit lost since arriving in town. Nobody seemed to understand me… So I'm really grateful to have found someone who does."
Yeah, language barriers can be rough…
I've had foreign tourists ask me for directions before—total disaster.
In this kind of situation, being a devil actually comes in handy.
One of the perks of becoming a devil is the ability to understand all human languages.
English? French? Bring it on.
Miyu, being otherworldly herself, seems to have a similar ability.
She appears to understand everything the sister's been saying.
Whether it's because she's a former resident of another world or due to some translation magic, I'm not sure yet.
Miyu smiled and addressed the girl.
"So you're trying to find the church, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Then let us help. We'll take you there! Right, Big Bro?"
"Yeah. No way we could turn our backs on someone in need."
I may have said that with a smile, but...
Guess I'd better brace myself for the scolding I'm gonna get from President later.
Pretty sure going near a church—even just to help someone—is off-limits.
"Really? Thank you so much! Surely this is the Lord's guidance!"
The sister's eyes gleamed with joy and even a bit of emotion.
Well... that adorable smiling face kind of makes it all worth it.
Though that rosary around her neck is giving me an annoying headache…
Miyu doesn't seem to be affected—despite being from the demon side—so I guess it only targets devils directly.
And so, with that, Miyu and I escorted the girl to the church in town.
----
We were walking by a park when we heard—
"Bwaaahh!"
A child was crying nearby.
We looked over and saw a young boy with a scraped knee, blood trickling down. Looks like he fell and hurt himself.
Before we could react, the sister rushed over to him.
Miyu and I followed.
"There, there. You're a brave boy. You mustn't cry over such a small injury," she said gently, ruffling his hair.
Then, she placed her hand on his injured knee—
A gentle green glow radiated from her palm. The moment it touched the scraped skin, the wound healed instantly.
Miyu leaned close and whispered where only I could hear.
(Bro… That's…)
(Yeah. A Sacred Gear.)
Ddraig had told me before—there are Sacred Gears like my Boosted Gear for combat, but also ones used for support or healing.
Looks like hers is the latter.
It's my first time seeing a Sacred Gear besides my own, and wow—it really is something.
And apparently, they come in all kinds of types.
"Thanks, onee-chan!"
The boy beamed at her, then ran off with a wide smile.
"She said thank you," I translated.
She smiled sweetly in response.
I looked down at her hand and asked,
"That power... is it...?"
"Yes. It's a healing ability. A wonderful gift from God," she replied softly.
There was a tinge of sadness in those eyes as she said it.
It was obvious something had happened in the past—something painful because of her Sacred Gear.
Sensing that, I didn't press any further.
"I see. That's… a kind power," I offered.
She smiled again—but that same sadness still lingered behind it.
---
"Look, there's the church," Miyu pointed.
Just seeing the building gave me goosebumps all over my body.
That's the instinct of a devil, I guess.
The church… is hostile territory. Devils and holy places don't mix for a reason.
Sacred energy—light itself—is poison to us.
"There it is! I'm so glad I found it! You have no idea how much you've helped me!"
The sister checked her map, compared the location, and gave a relieved sigh once she saw it matched.
"Welp, we showed you the way, so it's time for us to go."
"Yup. Let's head out."
As Miyu and I turned to leave—
"Please wait!"
We stopped mid-step at her shout.
"I'd love to thank you properly. Would you mind coming inside the church with me?"
Proper thanks, huh…?
She's a sweet girl. A total beauty, too. I wouldn't mind seeing her again.
Sharing a cup of tea wouldn't hurt, right?
…Yeah, no. I shouldn't.
Devils and Church members don't mix. Period.
Sensing my hesitation, Miyu swooped in to save me.
"Sorry, but we've got things we need to do today. Maybe another time?"
"I understand. Then, may I at least introduce myself? I'm Asia Argento. Please, call me Asia."
Right—the whole time, she never did introduce herself.
I pointed to myself and grinned.
"I'm Hyoudou Issei. Just call me Issei. This here's my little sister, Miyu."
"Hyoudou Miyu! Nice to meet you, Asia-san."
"Until next time, Asia!"
"Yes! I look forward to seeing you again, Issei-san, Miyu-san."
Asia gave a graceful bow. Miyu and I waved back and walked away.
When I looked back, I saw her standing there, watching us until we were completely out of sight.
"She really is kinda amazing, huh?" I murmured.
"Yup. Super kind," Miyu nodded. "Oh, and no sweat, Big Bro. Entering a church would've been awful for you, right?"
Heh. No kidding.
I chuckled awkwardly—after all, I'm a devil now.
…Wait a sec.
"Come to think of it… wasn't that church shut down ages ago?"
----
That night, back in the clubroom.
"You are to never approach a church again."
I was being scolded by President.
I explained everything, and thankfully, she seemed to understand.
She'd been really worried, apparently. When she saw I was unharmed, she finally relaxed.
Even if I was just playing escort, it was still thoughtless of me.
"…Yes. I'm sorry."
"And make sure Miyu understands, too. She may not be a devil, but with her connection to us, she should steer clear of churches as well."
"Understood."
Apparently, what I did today could've easily sparked a conflict between the Church and the devils.
Rias said it wouldn't have been strange for a Holy Spear to come flying at me.
Ddraig chuckled in my mind.
[It'd take more than that to scratch you, partner. Even without your Sacred Gear, you're strong enough.]
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ddraig… but the truth is, I scared President, and that's on me.
The tension between devils and the Church is real. Even if it was "just directions," what I did could've ended horribly wrong.
I bowed my head again.
"I truly am sorry."
"It's alright, as long as you understand. I might've overreacted a bit, too… Sorry. Just be more careful from now on."
She took a breath, then suddenly narrowed her eyes.
"Say, Issei… You mentioned that church had been shut down for some time?"
"Yeah. It closed quite a while ago."
"Then why would a Sister be transferred there? Especially one with a Sacred Gear…?"
Her words trailed off, her expression serious.
"Come to think of it," she continued, "when you were attacked by a fallen angel, they said you were 'interfering with the plan,' didn't they…? Don't tell me—"
Just then, Akeno stepped into the room from the back.
"My, my. So the lecture is finally over?"
"More or less."
"I'm simply glad Issei-kun returned in one piece."
"I'm sorry for making you worry, Akeno-san."
Akeno patted her cheek with a warm smile. "If you're safe, then there's no need to fuss."
President turned to her.
"So, Akeno? Did anything come up?"
The smile slipped from Akeno's face, replaced by stern seriousness.
"…We've received a request from the Duke. A Stray Devil hunt."
---
"Stray Devils"—the term refers to devils who betray or kill their masters.
They're feral, monstrous, and dangerous enough that every faction in the supernatural world has a policy: eliminate on sight.
Apparently, one such creature has infiltrated Kuoh Town—our Gremory territory—and has been luring and devouring humans every night.
Note to self: Warn Miyu not to go out after dark.
We, the Gremory were dispatched to an abandoned building where the creature was hiding.
Sure enough… I could sense the presence of a devil inside.
"President, I'm coming in too, right?"
"I do want to see what you're capable of… but for today, you'll observe. It's also a good chance to teach you how our Evil Pieces work."
Devil pieces are based on chess. There's the King, Queen, Rook, Knight, Bishop, and Pawn—each with its own unique traits.
…I hadn't actually gotten that briefing yet.
Guess today, I'm learning on the fly.
President continued.
"You remember why devils started reincarnating humans?"
"Because of declining birthrates?"
"Yes, but that's only part of the picture."
Kiba explained.
"In the last great war, the devils lost many of their pure-blooded kind… and with them, their armies. But the tense standoff with angels and fallen angels continues. So instead of rebuilding the army with numbers, the Devils leaned into quality."
"Which led to the Evil Piece system, right?"
"Exactly. It's quite popular among nobles, especially with the Rating Game system."
"Rating Game?"
"It's essentially a sport where High-Class Devils command their pieces like chess—only the pieces are real. I'll explain more later. For now, what you should know is that each piece grants different abilities to the reincarnated devil—like what you're seeing right now."
Her voice trailed off.
And I understood why.
Standing opposite us—was the Stray Devil.
Its upper body resembled a woman, but from the waist down… it was a monstrous beast.
It brandished two long, spear-like weapons.
"Smell's kinda gross… But tasty, maybe? Sweet? Bitter?" it muttered, voice low and queasy.
All I could say was—
"Ugh… Gross!"
I couldn't stop myself.
It looked, moved, even spoke in a way that just felt wrong on every level.
Even its laugh was a creepy, "Kehee… kehee…"
Kiba awkwardly grimaced.
President raised her voice.
"Stray Devil, Viser. You've forsaken your duty, killing and feasting on humans. In the name of the Duke of Gremory… I will erase you from existence!"
"A mere girl dares threaten me!?"
Viser let out a shriek and lunged.
"Kiba!"
"Yes, President!"
Kiba flew forward, rapidly closing the distance.
"Watch closely, Issei. This is the power of a Knight."
Kiba danced around the Stray's spear attacks with near-unbelievable speed.
"He's a Knight Piece. Knights gain immense speed. And in Yuuto's case—his greatest asset is the sword."
A sword appeared in Kiba's hands—when, I didn't even see.
In a flash, he closed in and sliced both of Viser's arms clean off.
"GYAAAAAAA!"
Viser shrieked, blood gushing.
But then—I glanced down and spotted Koneko-chan beneath the Stray.
"She's a Rook. Rook pieces grant superhuman strength and incredible durability."
Viser tried to stomp her, but Koneko-chan casually blocked the massive foot—and shoved it aside.
"…Fly."
She soared up to Viser's abdomen and punched it with immense force.
The impact boomed through the abandoned building.
Her small body held ridiculous strength.
This is what it means to be a Rook?
Then—
WHAM!
"Why'd you throw rubble at ME, Koneko-chan!?"
"…Because you called me small."
SHE READ MY MIND!?
Do Rooks get mind-reading powers now!?
"That's not a thing," President said with a sigh.
Did she… read my mind too!?
"I-It was just coincidence, Issei-kun," Kiba offered.
"You too!?"
"Now, pay attention. We'll explain the last piece. Akeno."
"My, my… Yes, President," Akeno giggled.
She strode forward, hand crackling with electricity.
"She holds the Queen. The Queen possesses all the abilities of the other pieces—aside from the King. She's my ultimate Vice-President."
A thundercloud swelled above Viser, and in the blink of an eye—
Lightning struck.
Bolt after bolt slammed down, blackening Viser's monstrous body.
And even as the lightning ceased, she remained twitching and scorched.
"Grrrr…"
Yet she still glared, barely holding together.
"Oh dear. Still want more? Then I shall oblige."
She sent strike after strike into the already-charred creature.
O-Okay, now it's just cruel!
That has GOT to be overkill!?
And she's…
"Ufu fu fu fu…"
She's smiling!? She's enjoying this!?
"That's our Akeno—devilishly S."
"I can SEE that."
"Don't worry. She's sweet to her allies."
O-Okay. I'll believe you… but if I ever get whipped or zapped, I'll remember this, President!
Under the endless barrage, Viser finally collapsed in total defeat.
President stepped forward and extended her hand.
"Any last words?"
"J-Just… kill me…"
"I see. Then disappear."
A wave of pitch-black magic surged from her hand—consuming Viser whole.
And then… silence.
"It's over. Good work, Akeno, Yuuto, Koneko."
And so, the Stray Devil extermination mission came to an end.
Whatever shred of humanity that creature once had—it was long gone.
Yeah. I definitely don't want to end up like that.
Everyone started heading back when I found myself asking—
"President… Do Pawns have any special traits?"
"A Pawn's true strength lies in Promotion."
"Promotion? Like in chess?"
"Exactly. When a Pawn enters enemy territory—as designated by the master—they can promote to any piece except the King."
So at first, Pawns don't get powers—but when promoted, they can gain the abilities of a Queen, Rook, Knight, or Bishop.
Flexible, but timing and strategy matter.
"I think you'd benefit from experiencing that firsthand. Next time, you'll be part of the fight. I'll be counting on you."
"Yes, ma'am!"
And with that, the mission concluded—and I returned to the clubroom with a much deeper understanding of the devil chess pieces.