DxD: The Truth of the World

CHAPTER 2

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A full school year and four months later, he could confidently say that he was getting used to being a teacher full-time. The initial rush of adapting to lesson planning, handling students, and balancing administrative work had settled into a somewhat consistent rhythm.

The word "somewhat" is being used due to a short moment when he almost choked to death on his coffee when he read on the school staff's group chat that a few students with rather distinct names were being transferred to Kuoh Academy.

Definitely did not see that coming.

That was a few months into the school year, and the two completely blew his expectations. Shitori Souna and her friend at her side, Shinra Tsubaki, were exceptional role models who carried themselves with grace that was far more uncommon for students their age.

On the same side of the coin are Rias Gremory and Himejima Akeno, who were just as remarkable in a vastly different way. While Souna and Tsubaki had an air of quiet authority around them, Gremory-san and Himejima-san carried themselves with an almost magnetic charisma, effortlessly drawing people in.

Together, the four of them stood out in a way that was difficult to ignore, even as first-years. And now, as second-year students, they were drawing more and more admiration from both their peers and the faculty.

Now, on the other side of the coin... Sigh, the Perverted Trio in Class 1-B.

Listen, Ren did his best to curb the perverted nature of his younger brother, who started exhibiting questionable tendencies at an alarmingly young age. To this day, he still had no idea how or what corrupted his brother.

But despite his efforts ranging from endless lectures, warnings, and even the occasional smack upside the head, Issei had somehow found kindred spirits in two equally hopeless idiots: Motohama and Matsuda.

The three of them together were a menace, whispering and scheming during breaks, their antics earning them glares from the female student body and exasperated sighs from the teachers.

It wasn’t uncommon for Ren to overhear complaints in the staff office about their latest "operation" or to see them running for their lives after angering the wrong upperclassman.

Of course, mainly due to his connections with the three idiots, he was the one responsible for understanding the tells that usually preceded their latest leering. And if he wasn’t intercepting their "missions" before they spiraled out of control, he was the one getting roped into the aftermath, either by staff complaints or the occasional "Ren-sensei, please talk to your brother" from the exasperated students.

At this point, he was practically their unofficial handler.

... At the very least, the students understand that it isn't his fault, so he was spared from any misplaced blame.

That didn’t mean he was spared from the secondhand embarrassment, though. There were only so many times he could hear, "Ren-sensei, why is your brother like this?" before he wanted to bury his head in his hands.

But the worst part? The trio was frustratingly persistent. No matter how many lectures, detentions, or near-death experiences at the hands of enraged members of the school they endured, they never learned.

If anything, he didn’t know whether to be impressed or horrified by their resilience.

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Taking his glasses off, he massaged the bridge of his nose before taking a sip from his water bottle. Classes had just finished for the day, yet here he was, buried under a fresh stack of paperwork and homework.

Summer break had just ended, and instead of easing into the new semester, he found himself drowning in the year-end lesson plans for all three years, sudden curriculum adjustments from the government, and the ever-growing pile of student homework submissions.

He groaned at the pile of assignments on his desk, waiting to be reviewed and graded.

"Somehow, I think the students got the better deal here..."

He muttered to himself before reluctantly reaching for his personal phone. After his senior’s advice about owning two phones, one for work and one for personal use, he couldn't help but admit how enlightening the suggestion had been.

The sheer volume of notifications that bombarded his work phone every night still made his spine shiver in fright.

Opening LINE and navigating to his chat logs, he hesitated for a moment with a nervous swallow before sending a text message through.

RN = ["I might not be able to come."]

Not even a second had passed since he sent the message before a reply came through.

SR = ["You're going, no questions asked."]

SR = ["I'll teleport to your workplace if I have to!"]

He stared at the responses, a dull sense of resignation settling over him. Of course, she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

RN = ["I have a lot of work, the same load as last year."]

RN = ["Besides, don't you have work as well?"]

SR = ["I'll make time."]

A shiver ran down his spine at the sheer certainty in their words. Knowing her, it was best to tread carefully.

RN = ["You say that like it's so easy."]

SR = ["It is. What's the point when I can't do anything that I want?"]

He exhaled slowly, staring at the message with exhaustion.

RN = ["Can't we just reschedule?"]

SR = ["Nope. Just accept it, Ren~".]

He pinched the bridge of his nose. There was no winning this, was there?

Looking at the large pile of paperwork before him, he let out a weary sigh before putting his glasses back on, rolling up his sleeves, and getting to work. If he was going to be dragged out regardless, he might as well try to clear as much of his workload as possible beforehand.

Ugh, knowing her, she would definitely mock the dark circles under his eyes. Dark circles that were, ironically, due to her being so bossy.

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Meanwhile, in the Student Council Room on the third floor, Sona Sitri was meticulously reviewing a stack of documents in a file with the help of her Vice-President, Shinra Tsubaki, when a faint glow caught her attention.

A crimson magic circle with the intricate engravings of the Gremory Clan shimmered into existence in the empty space of the room before the figures of both Rias Gremory and Himejima Akeno emerged from within.

Souna barely spared them a glance as she continued reviewing the document in her hands, though Tsubaki acknowledged their arrival with a polite nod.

Rias, however, was unbothered by the lack of reaction, as if she had expected it. She strode forward while Akeno immediately went to the pantry area of the Student Council Room to prepare tea.

"Congratulations on your promotion, Sona. From an ordinary member to the Student Council President in less than a year is an achievement. And congratulations to you on the Vice position as well, Tsubaki."

"Thank you, Rias-sama."

Tsubaki, sitting at the table next to her King, offered a small nod at the remark but remained focused on the papers in her hands.

Rias chuckled, unfazed.

The soft clinking of porcelain echoed through the room as Akeno exited the pantry, carrying a tray of freshly brewed tea. With practiced movements, she set it down on the table and began pouring, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

"Here you go, Sona-kaicho. Tsubaki-fukukaicho."

Sona finally looked up, adjusting her glasses with a composed expression as she laid the documents on the table.

"Thank you, Akeno. And Rias, I assume you didn’t come here just to waste my time with pleasantries?"

Rias took a seat on the couch opposite Sona, crossing her legs with a relaxed air. She lifted her teacup gracefully, taking a small sip before meeting her childhood friend's gaze with an easy smile.

"Of course not. I wanted to hear your thoughts on something… or rather, someone."

Sona arched a delicate brow, her fingers lacing together atop the table as she immediately understood who Rias was referring to.

"Hyodo-sensei, am I correct?"

"You always were quick on the uptake."

Rias smiled, swirling the tea in her cup before taking a sip. Akeno, who sat beside her King, continued.

"Ever since we enrolled in Kuoh Academy, he’s been quite the topic of interest. Both in our mundane and the supernatural topics."

"Sensei is a capable instructor; his lessons are structured, and his students perform well academically. However..."

Tsubaki trailed off as Sona sat back slightly, her fingers still laced together in a thoughtful pose.

"It was brief, but Akeno, you sensed a large amount of magical energy from him, didn't you?"

Akeno's eyes glinted as she gave a soft laugh.

"Indeed, Sona-kaicho. It was barely a flicker, but when Hyodo-sensei first saw us for the tour around the school, I could sense it. His magical energy is far more than what one might expect from an ordinary human."

She paused for a moment before continuing.

"The type of magic he exudes. It’s... familiar, yet different."

Rias stepped into the conversation as she leaned forward slightly.

"I call dibs on him."

Sona clicked her tongue, her sharp gaze narrowing at Rias, clearly unimpressed.

"I recall that our agreement was that we would vet any potential candidates carefully as a team before we decided, Rias. I'm not letting you randomly invite anyone into your Peerage without my honest opinion."

The heiress of the Gremory Clan grinned, unfazed by Sona's pointed comment, and leaned back into her chair, her posture still relaxed but her eyes shining with amusement.

"Oh, come on, Sona. You know I’m not one to rush things. I’m just saying, there’s something about him that piques my interest, and I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way."

Sona's expression remained cool, but the tint of red that crept across her cheeks betrayed her composure as she coughed into her fist.

"Well, ahem. I suppose I see your point."

Rias watched Sona as she hid a smirk behind her teacup. Akeno’s lips curled slightly at the corners, while Tsubaki simply smiled at the contrast between her King's composed exterior and the subtle shift in her demeanor.

"Mhmm, just don't let your teacher-student fantasies get in the way of the "logic" you always preach about."

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about, Rias."