Chapter 2: Just a Lost Demon
The afternoon sun cast long shadows over Kuoh Private Academy. Inside the quiet clubroom of the Supernatural Research Club, Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri sat across from each other, the faint aroma of tea lingering in the air.
Time had passed, and Sona had calmed down. Adjusting her glasses, she exhaled slowly before speaking in a measured tone.
“Rias, this time, it was my fault.”
Rias hesitated. “Sona…”
Before she could offer any words of comfort, Sona cut in, “Just like he… Lynn said.” A complex emotion flickered in her eyes as she continued, “I was only thinking of myself, never considering his situation.”
Rias remained silent for a moment, then took a sip of her tea. A soft chuckle escaped her lips.
“That’s the Sona I know.” She knew Sona as someone who never hesitated to point out the mistakes of others. But when she herself was wrong, she admitted it without excuses.
Sona, too, lifted her cup and took a sip. The composed, unshaken demeanor she was known for had returned.
“And what about your engagement?” Rias asked curiously. T
he plan to annul it had been a complete failure. Lynn had not resisted it—on the contrary, he had been surprisingly cooperative. Yet, the outcome was clear.
Sona paused. “The Rating Game is out of the question. That would only put him in the sights of the Old Maou Faction.” A slight frown crossed her face before she continued, “I’ll try to convince my family.”
Hearing the unwavering determination in her voice, Rias teased, “If you ask me, Lynn isn’t bad. Why not just keep things as they are?”
Rias, knowing her childhood friend well, immediately narrowed her eyes. “Wait. You’re actually considering it?”
“My first impression of him wasn’t bad,” Sona admitted, her voice calm. “If things can’t be changed, I’ll try to develop feelings for him.”
Rias’ eyes widened. Something was off. Very off.
Lynn’s detached gaze, his cold tone.
And that unforgettable line: You’re really full of yourself, aren’t you?
A chill ran down her spine. “Sona, you wouldn’t happen to be… that, would you?”
Sona raised an eyebrow. “That?”
“Ah, no. Haha, nothing,” Rias forced a laugh, averting her gaze. No way, right? It couldn’t be…
Sona frowned slightly but didn’t pursue it. Instead, she finished her tea and stood up. “I should get going.”
Just as she was about to leave, she pulled a set of keys from her pocket and placed them on the table.
“His living situation doesn’t seem great. The Sitri family owns a property in Tokyo’s Minato Ward. These are the keys to one of the apartments. If you get the chance, give them to him. Consider it an apology.”
Without waiting for a response, she activated a magic circle and disappeared.
Rias stared at the keys, speechless. The words Why don’t you give them to him yourself? hovered at the tip of her tongue but never left her lips.
That evening, inside the Student Council Room, a flash of red light signaled Sona’s arrival.
“Tsubaki, I need a bath.”
“Yes, President,” her queen responded immediately.
“And my clothes need washing.”
“Wait! I’ll wash my own underwear!”
The city had grown darker by the time Lynn exited the convenience store, a half-price bento in hand. The neon lights flickered against the pavement, and the occasional hum of passing cars filled the night air.
“Thanks, Aoyama. I’ll buy you ice cream next time,” he remarked casually as he stepped onto the street.
One hand gripped the plastic bag carrying his dinner; the other played idly with a black chess piece. His thoughts drifted.
Aoyama has the potential to be reborn as a demon. But she refused to let me put this piece into her body.
A regretful sigh left his lips.
The slithering voice shattered the quiet.
A grotesque figure emerged in his path—a long-tongued cursed spirit, its saliva dripping onto the pavement with a sickening sizzle.
Lynn barely spared it a glance.
The monster twitched violently. “You can see me! You must be able to see me! You aaaaah—!”
Before it could revel in its discovery, red flames erupted from its body, reducing it to ashes in an instant.
Lynn’s fingers relaxed. “You chose the wrong target,” he muttered. “For I am… a demon.”
The cursed spirits lurking in the shadows recoiled in fear. He ignored them. There were too many of these weaklings infesting the city—hardly worth his attention.
Still, his understanding of this world had grown since he broke the Secret of the Womb. This wasn’t just a single story. It was a fusion.
A mixed anime universe.
His current identity? The sole heir of a demon family from the Underworld. A new student at Shuchiin Academy. His homeroom teacher was Nagumo Nayuki. The school even had a Totsuki division.
And then there was Aoyama Nanami working at the grocery store.
Considering the cursed spirits infesting the streets, it wouldn’t be surprising if a Yotsuya Miko existed somewhere in this world too.
A soft flicker of light caught his attention.
His Demon Piece skill was glowing faintly.
Lynn’s gaze sharpened.
Another effect of Demon Piece—it reacted when someone with the potential to become his follower was nearby.
Without hesitation, he released a pulse of magic to scan the area. A few seconds later, his eyes lit up. “There,” he murmured, changing direction without a second thought.
Someone was in trouble. Chased. Cornered. The scent of fear tainted the air. Lynn moved.
Heavy, ragged breaths echoed through the deserted alley.
Kasumigaoka Utaha gritted her teeth, forcing her legs to keep moving despite the searing pain. Her once-pristine black stockings were tattered, her legs marred with fresh scrapes, but she didn’t stop.
She could feel it. The monster was right behind her, savoring the thrill of the hunt. She didn’t know if she would survive, but she knew that stopping meant death.
So she ran. She ran until—
She crashed into something warm and solid. Panic surged through her chest.
“Looks like you could use some help.”
The voice was calm. Almost amused.
Gasping, she looked up. A handsome face came into view, but she had no time to process it.
“Run… run! There’s a monster behind me!”
She had no strength left. The impact had drained the last of it. If not for the arms steadying her, she would have collapsed. She couldn’t run anymore. But he still could.
“Monster?” Lynn tilted his head slightly. “You mean that one?”
His arm tightened slightly around her waist as he gestured toward the alley’s entrance.
A grotesque creature stood there—a humanoid upper body fused with the lower half of a monstrous spider. Drool dripped from its twisted mouth as its many eyes gleamed with predatory delight.
She swallowed hard. A hollow laugh escaped her lips. “It’s too close… looks like you can’t run either.”
Lynn smirked. “Why would I run?” His gaze turned sharp. “It’s just a lower-level lost demon.”