Rias crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You had us worried, Alex. We were about to go after the stray devil without you."
At Rias, I give a smile, "I appreciate your patience."
Akeno's teasing grin returned. "Ara, ara, Alex-kun. You always know how to make an entrance."
Issey, still blushing, glanced at me. "It's fine. We were just getting ready to move out."
What were they taking about for Issey to blush like apple.
"Alex, I thought I told you that I don't want to be kept in the dark about anything related to my peerage," Rias said.
Despite her words, She wasn't angry. She seemed more... jealous?
I glanced at Issey for some context, but she just looked down at the ground, blushing. Don't tell me she told Rias about what happened between us.
"You are really quick with your work, Alex-kun," Akeno said, her usual teasing grin on her face.
"Pervert," Koneko added bluntly, her tone accusatory.
Ah, that hurt, Koneko-chan.
Akeno continued, "Because of what you did to Issey, Rias is jealous."
"No, I am not," Rias suddenly interjected, her face turning a deep shade of red. She quickly changed the subject.
"Seems like you didn't bring Asia," Rias noted.
"Yes, it's her first day as a devil, so I didn't want her to witness what we're going to do," I explained.
Rias nodded, accepting my reasoning. As she looked at me, her eyes suddenly caught sight of something on my hands.
"Alex," she said, her voice curious, "why do you have rings on both hands?"
I looked down at the rings and smiled. "These are special artifacts, something like sacred gear. While I'm with you on your stray devil hunt, I'm going to test them."
Rias's eyes widened with interest. "Artifacts, you say? What do they do?"
I held up my hands, displaying the intricate designs on the rings. "They enhance abilities and provide additional protection. I thought they might come in handy during our missions."
Akeno's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Interesting. Where did you get them?"
"From my subordinate," I replied, knowing that Rias was already aware of my true identity. "They recently made this prototype."
Rias looked thoughtful. "It's good to know you have extra protection. We can't be too careful with stray devils."
"It's not for me," I said, turning to Kiba, who had been quietly listening to the conversation.
I removed both rings and called out to Kiba, "Kiba, here, take these."
As powerful as I am, the boost the rings provide is minor, especially against the low-level opponents we are about to face. I can't fully measure the potential of these rings if I wear them, but with Kiba, I can assess their true power.
There was an option to give these rings to Koneko since she is also a frontline fighter. However, I need to see how the rings interact with the sacred gear that Kiba possesses.
As for why I didn't give them to Issey, despite her possessing a Sacred Gear, she is still a newbie and won't be able to fully utilize the rings' power.
Kiba looked surprised, hesitating for a moment before stepping forward. "Are you sure, Alex?"
I nodded. "Yes, Kiba. These rings can enhance your abilities and give you a slight healing factor. They'll be more useful to you in battle. Of course, I'll take them back after the battle."
Kiba accepted the rings, slipping them onto his fingers. "Thank you, Alex. I'll make the most of them."
Akeno's smile broadened, her eyes twinkling with approval. "You're always thinking of others, Alex-kun. It's one of the things I like about you."
Thinking of others? Akeno, you are so mistaken about me. My only thought is how I can get under those panties of yours.
Rias's expression softened, and she nodded in agreement. "It's a good call. Kiba will benefit from the added protection."
Issey, finally looking up from the ground, gave a small smile. "Yeah, Kiba's our knight. He should have the best gear."
Kiba flexed his fingers, feeling the power of the rings. "I'll make sure to live up to your expectations."
With the matter settled, we turned our focus back to the mission at hand. As we advanced towards our target, I kept an eye on Kiba, eager to see how the rings would perform in the heat of battle.
If the prototype rings were able to yield desirable outcomes, it would mean I could instruct Demiurge to continue on his path. Perhaps, in the future, I could even create world-class items.
Excitement coursed through me as we neared our destination. This mission wasn't just about defeating stray devils; it was about testing the limits the new artifact.
"We are here," Rias announced as we approached our destination.
~~~
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