Scarlet 17 (Patreon)

Scarlet 17

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Commissioned by Sivantic

Wordcount: 2500

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“I don’t know whether to be pleased or disappointed that Rias managed to convince you to sign a contract with her in a mere day.” As if my return to school wasn’t heralded by enough speculation and eye-watering gossip, Sitri decided to corner me on the rooftop the moment the lunch bell rang. While I could safely deal with the rest of the school’s antics, the cocky smirk on Sitri’s face was something that I desperately wanted to avoid looking at. Unfortunately, the Devil had my back against the wall and I was sitting down to eat, so any form of evasion would demonstrably be seen as weakness, and therefore, defeat. “Hmmm, I think I’ll be pleased with her, and disappointed in someone who I thought would be far more capable.”

Shaking her head, making her short hair swish to-and-fro, the Devil chuckled whilst crossing her arms in a self-satisfied manner. 

The words weren’t insulting. In fact, I would go as far as to say it was just slightly pointed small talk. In fact, I’m completely sure that if I wasn’t a pubescent boy, I’d just ignore the words and eat my lunch. However, that wasn’t the case, and I found myself struggling with a rising blush from the very minor teasing, as well as needing to stop myself from saying anything stupid. Stupidity along the stereotypical lines of “are you jealous” and “it’s none of your business,” too. 

After making her struggle to keep me an asset, Sitri deserved to make a few pointed comments, when the opponent who “defeated” her got defeated in turn by hormones.

Hormones activated by the inhumanly beautiful creature known as Rias Gremory, but still… hormones.

In that context, in Sitri’s shoes, I’d consider it a mercy to just make a fun of me with a comment or two. 

There’s more than a few words she knew she could say that’ll cut more deeply that I can’t deny, after all. 

Thankfully, for Devil, Sitri wasn’t the type to sit on small grudges for too long.

“So, besides the obvious, what has she offered you with her Full Contract?” Sitri sighed before taking a seat next to me. Not on the ground like a plebian mortal, though. Through some summoning magic, she had simple table, chair, and lunch appear in front of her. A white, pristine tablecloth adored the small table, while the fine china plate and silverware sat upon a blue, gold-embroidered place mat. She was having a simple soup and salad, light compared to my over-loaded bento, but probably five times more expensive than my own meal. “Rias insists that she doesn’t need any help, but I would like to help her nonetheless. And, before you refuse, know that I’m doing this to assist my friend. Not so that you owe me.”

I took a moment to appreciate Ddraig being quiet so that I can think clearly and properly approach the situation, before answering.

I know, I’m great. You’re welcome. 

“Rias will be assisting me in traveling to where I wish to train.” Rias’s offer to simply “appear” whenever I called for her attracted my attention as we spoke more on the matter. While leaving Kuoh to keep the attention on me firmly on myself instead of my family was the heart of my previous plan, being able to travel around Japan, train, and protect my family is the better option. Since Rias said she’ll be able to keep our “full contract” a secret, I can randomize where I’ll appear, make any interested parties’ question how I’m getting everywhere and returning home. “I didn’t plan on coming back to school, but I’m staying in Kuoh…”

“Rias informed you that I would have been “on your case,” if you did not return to school.” Sitri’s guessed and I confirmed it with a nod. “That would have caused gossip, word would’ve gotten ut, and more eyes would’ve been upon you, simply because I kept pestering you to go to school.”

Yep, in the end, Rias’s Full Contract let me change things, but keep things similar as well. Or, as some would say, I was getting my cake and eating it, too. The convenience of being able to use magic to travel across vast distances is simply staggering, and the “price” for it was something that I was willing to pay—

“So, you’re using Rias to travel around Japan AND satisfying your lust upon her. Have you no shame as a man, Hyoudou? In these modern times, I understand the power balance in relationships can shift with ease, but I must admit… I thought you’d aspire to be much more dominant and manly.”

Ah, I didn’t know it was possible to be turned into a mob character an murdered in real life.

Oh, wow. She Ultimate Combo’d to 1 HP JUST to finish you with an Instant Kill Finisher. Devils sure have gotten better in this new generation. 

I made the joke and depressed myself already, Ddraig.

Yeah, but it’s funnier coming from me. 

I can’t deny that.

“Do I want to be the dominant, manly boyfriend who doesn’t rely on his girlfriend? Yes. I do. But right now, I can’t. So, I’m not going to whine and cry over it.” On the outside that is. In the inside, my teenage male instincts were crying out for me to start bench pressing, grunting out all my answers, and do everything to become independent and strong. Manly man is good. Strong man keep woman. Weak man will not survive winter, or will be NTR’d. A fate worse than death. However, seeing how serious Sitri is, I'll have to put the joke aside.  “I want to be able to protect, Rias, Sitri. I’m not content with being someone she’s spoiling and taking care of. If I wanted that, I’d have become a Devil.”

“Hmph, well, I know that you’re honest, so I’ll trust you not to overwork my friend in any way.” Sitri finished her lunch just as I was getting to the third layer of my bento. Having the metabolism of a half-dragon human made me require a lot of food, so it made Sitri’s lack of food all the more confusing. I’d like to know how a soup and salad can turn into spears of ice that could tear apart an armored car. I mean, I’m not eating enough to justify any of my antics, but I certainly eat for three-to-four regular human beings with ease. “However, I want you to know… if you make Rias sad, I’ll do my best to ruin you, Hyoudou Issei. Despite everything you’ve done for me, and no matter how much more powerful you get, I WILL protect my friend if you hurt her.”

Sitri’s declaration, even though she was expressing doubts regarding my character, only made me smile and nod. 

Rias is lucky to have a friend like her.

…

Stray Devils, as the name implies, are Devils who have strayed from them masters, thus losing themselves to their newfound abilities and power. Given that Devils have an entire civilization in Hell, with Rias Gremory being the princess of a province the size of Japan, there’s plenty of Devil “nobility” who could give our Peerage pieces, lose them, and leave superhumans running around that could endanger mortals on Earth. 

And, apparently, the Devils involved just lose “Status” and their “Chess Piece” as a result. 

You’d think that there’d be a harsher punishment on someone for letting loose a mad Parahuman on a country, than a slap on the wrist and a tactical disadvantage in a Peerage Game. However, given that humans are just considered “Stock” to pick from by most Demons to uplift into their new race, I suppose that humans don’t count as people until they’re turned into the Devils, have power, or are Contractors.

I didn’t like it, even though having strong opponents to face and defeat in battle is nice.

Rias clapped as she entered the room.

“Well done, Ise-kun!” Though there was a smile on her face, her gait was different from usual. Instead of the teasing, slight sway of the hips that accompanied her walk when we were alone, she walked with caution. Her eyes were also sharp and focused entirely on the Stray Devil I defeated. The clapping of her hands resounded through the abandoned warehouse her Peerage flushed the Devil into, while the monster itself struggled in the trap I’d set. “It’s a wonderful capture!”

The Stray Devil was a “Drider” a giant spider with the torso of a woman where it’s head would normally be. Unlike the efforts of many prolific doujin-writers and thirsty artists, the creature wasn’t attractive in the slightest. Sure, she wasnude from the waist up, but her features were feral, her skin more insect than human, and there’s absolutely nothing sexy about having a spider the size of a small car as an ass in reality.

That is because you are a coward.

Ddraig, you hate this too. 

I hate because it’s ugly. Not because I get frightened by giant spiders.

It’s less fear and more knowledge of what a giant spider can do, really. Given my past life, and my knowledge of spiders and other insects, monstergirls of that particular variety are forever untouchable. After all, how can I ever be attracted to something that I’ve used to rot the crotch off of someone?

Oh. I guess I’m a coward now, too.

Anyway, I used lured the creature into a square filled with shipping containers, leapt atop a wall, and knocked it down when it followed me. Once it’s was on its “back” and scrambling to get up, Koneko and I worked together to topple the many, hollow things upon the creature. Naturally, that only slowed it down, but with a few creative applications of reinforced concrete to the legs, the creature became incapable of moving. 

Though I still found it hard to believe that Koneko is in high school, I did like her approach to battle. 

Most would hesitate before helping kneecap someone eight times, but she helped without blinking. 

Thus, with the Stray Devil secured, Rias was free to interrogate it while the rest of her Peerage filtered in. 

“Ara, ara, ma…” Akena arrived and greeted the three of us with the Onee-san’s Standard Greeting and Mysterious Smile ™. As incorrigibly flirty as she was, I’d thought that Rias’s Queen would get on my nerves sooner rather than later. However, surprisingly, teenage boy bodies are into lewd creatures with long ponytails, impressive bodies, and teasing personalities. Truly, I am utterly shocked. I didn’t expect it all. In the slightest. Dammit. “Your work is always wonderful to see, Ise-kun.”

She’s so attractive that I keep forgetting she’s a massive sadist.

“Now, now, Akeno, don’t scare Rias-sama’s boyfriend away.” Kiba arrived the same way as Akeno, entering the abandoned warehouse from the open ceiling. It sure must be nice to be able to just fly where-ever you want. I can’t fly unless I start giving up pieces of my humanity that I’d rather not give up, so that I can use more of Ddraig’s power. “Sorry about relying on you so much, Ise-san.”

“I asked for training and I got it. It’s not an issue.” I studiously ignored Akeno Himejima. It’s easy enough when Rias is around, and when she’s lightly blushing while looking at a Drider with most of its legs bent at wrong angles. Still, I preferred not to risk being in the same room as her. The spirit is strong, but the flesh of a hormonal, teenage boy is really, really weak. A battle avoided is a battle won. “Rias, are you getting anything useful?”

“Unfortunately, again, this one has lost its mind before it can be recovered.” Stray Devils tend to go irreversibly insane after spending too long “defying” their Kings. According to Rias, she’s yet to meet one that has survived more than a few weeks, even though there are a notable few who can resist the madness. Unfortunately, that required having ample amounts of actual power and will power to manage. Even if a human had the latter, the former was harder to find amongst us. We tended to not have supernatural powers that let us overcome the leash involved in becoming a Devil. “But, perhaps with your suggestions, we can still punish the Devil who caused this to happen.”

That was my cue.

Even though I didn’t think the punishment for creating Stray Devils wasn’t enough, it was still more than nothing. Not remotely close to acceptable, but at least it was a punishment. 

So, I pulled out my phone with intent to take pictures when a familiar scent filled the air.

The scent of Light.

I reacted as quickly as I could.

“Mew!?”

“Kyah!?”

“Everyone MOVE!”

I pulled both Koneko and Rias back from the Stray Devil, while alerting Akeno and Kiba to leap back. 

Not a moment after I pulled the Devil Princess out of the way, along with her Rook, did the attack I predicted come forth. It was a solid beam of Light, an artillery strike compared to the bullets that the superhuman Exorcist I fought used, and it struck the Stray Devil with enough force to shatter its bones on impact, crushing it against the concrete floor of the abandoned warehouse, and begin eradicating its very existence. The attack’s strength and power was enough to make the Devils wince, and shield their faces behind their arms.

Needless to say, the recipient of the attack didn’t have a chance, and ceased to exist in body and spirit mere seconds after being struck by the attack. 

Which was courtesy of two figures cloaked in white standing atop the rooftop.

So, after mere days of making a contract with Rias Gremory, I’ll be battling exorcists once again—

“Eh, Issei-kun, is that you!?”

Or, not.

“Irina?” A squeal of glee left one of the cloaked figures, who then promptly dropped down from the ceiling. Within seconds, instead of a superhuman exorcist against whom I would be the only efficient fighter against, I was facing Irina, my friend from kindergarten. A friend who’s apparently wearing some sort of combat BDSM outfit with both thigh- and glove-based absolute territory. “You’re an Exorcist?”

“And, you’re still human! Hooray!” Despite being… squishier than I remember… my childhood friend still seemed to be the same, and without the same crazed mindset as the previous Exorcist I’d fought. She was actually doing the same thing where she’d contently hum whilst hugging anyone. It was cute when we were kids, but with the onset of time and the fact I have a girlfriend, I had to pull away and leave her confused. “Eh? Is something wrong, Issei-kun?”

I was wracking my mind for a way to de-escalation the situation, since I still had four Devils behind me. 

Unfortunately, luck was not one my side.

“Irina, control yourself. The Devils still remain.” The other, white-cloaked figure landed beside us and promptly summoned her sword for battle. It was a strange sword with axe blades as a guard, black in color, and with three points. “Draw Excalibur Rapidly. We must deal with these Devils before you speak to your friend.”

Now, if that were all that happened, I would’ve still had a chance at making sure a fight didn’t break out. 

But I was too focused on Irina and the cloaked, hooded Exorcist.

“Kiba… stop!”

“Raaaahhhh!”

And, didn’t at all expect for Kiba to attack them in the slightest.