Kazuki's POV
Kuoh Academy, which had only recently become a public school after years as an all-girls academy, was... not my kind of place.
I didn't mean the facilities.
The campus was great, the atmosphere was peaceful, the teachers were professional.
It wasn't any of that.
It was the stares.
And the constant feeling of being watched.
Almost everyone in my class was girls
In fact... almost the entire school was.
It was... uncomfortable.
Yeah, I know...
I always ended up with the highest score during P.E.
Then I'd have to leave class before the girls started changing because I was the only male student there.
Sometimes I'd catch them whispering behind my back.
Whether they were saying something good or bad, I never bothered finding out.
During lunch, I usually ate alone.
Thankfully, my scholarship covered both meals and drinks.
Honestly... that was probably the best part of the scholarship.
But still...
Was enrolling in this school... really the right choice?
Meh, it's not like I had the privilege to choose in the first place.
When the lunch bell rang, I headed to the cafeteria to pick up my free meal.
The moment I stepped inside and saw countless girls already occupying the tables...
My danger alarm immediately went off.
Yeah... No thanks.
I took my lunch outside instead and found a shady spot beneath a nearby tree.
Much better.
No constant stares.
No curious gazes.
Just peace and quiet.
As I began eating, a faint scent of roses drifted past me.
I looked around instinctively.
No one was nearby.
My eyes wandered toward the old school building before stopping at one of the open windows.
Standing by it was a beautiful girl with long crimson hair.
She seemed to be looking straight at me.
I glanced behind me, wondering if she was actually looking at someone else.
There was no one.
When I looked back at the window, she was already gone.
"...Weird," I muttered before taking another bite of my lunch. "Well... better finish eating before the next class starts."
3rd Person POV
Rias Gremory instinctively took a step back after the first-year suddenly looked around, as though searching for the source of someone's gaze.
"Did he..." she murmured, genuinely confused. "Did he just notice me?"
She walked over to the sofa and took a seat.
"Interesting. Are you sure it's him, Akeno?"
"Mhm~" Akeno hummed as she poured tea into a teacup before placing it in front of Rias. "I still don't know if he possesses a Sacred Gear, but I can sense something unusual within him. So, I'd say the possibility is quite high."
"Thank you," Rias said before taking a sip. "So, we've found two potential Sacred Gear users... Issei Hyoudou and this boy."
"Yes," Akeno replied with a smile. "The real question is... will Sona make the first move, or will you?"
"It'll definitely be me."
Rias gently set her teacup back onto the table.
"Sona is too respectful to interfere with another person's affairs without a good reason. It's one of her greatest strengths but it also makes her less proactive."
"You're right." Akeno nodded. "And that's why her peerage is so loyal to her."
Rias raised an eyebrow, "And mine isn't?"
"I never said that," Akeno answered with a soft laugh. "I only said what I think makes the two of you different."
Akeno then stepped beside Rias.
"Sona is the Student Council President. People are naturally drawn to her—not because of her beauty, but because they can see her influence throughout the academy."
She paused for a moment, resting a finger against her chin.
"Meanwhile, both of us rely on beauty and mystery to attract attention. That's why we only have a handful of members, while Sona's Student Council quickly gathers more. After all, not many people are interested in the occult... only rather unusual ones."
"And that makes her better than me, Akeno? I feel insulted."
Rias dramatically placed a hand over her chest, causing Akeno to chuckle.
"Of course not, Rias," Akeno replied with a smile. "Quality is more important than quantity."
"And that's exactly why..." Rias smiled faintly. "You're my Queen, Akeno."
"And here I was hoping..." Akeno shook her head with a soft chuckle. "...that I'd finally get a raise and a promotion, Rias."
Rias pretended to think for a moment.
"Hmm... Nope."
"What a shame."
The smile on Akeno's face slowly faded. Her eyes sharpened as she glanced toward the window before looking back at Rias.
"So," she began. "Do you have a plan?"
"Not yet," Rias replied as she picked up several documents from the table. "We still don't have enough information about this Kazuki Sakuragi."
She flipped through the pages.
"Our investigation found almost nothing. No parents, no relatives, only records from a church-run orphanage and the fact that he somehow enrolled here on an academic scholarship."
"If you're wondering how he managed to receive the scholarship..." Akeno tilted her head slightly. "...do you think your father had something to do with it?"
"I don't know."
Rias let out a quiet sigh before setting the documents back down.
"I honestly don't know what Father is thinking. Whether he intended for me to recruit him... or whether this is part of some other plan."
She shook her head.
"Mother doesn't know either but one thing I'm certain of," Resting her fingers against her chin, Rias fell silent for a moment.
"Father rarely acts without a reason. If he had a hand in this... then there's something special about Kazuki."
Akeno smiled knowingly.
"That certainly sounds like your father."
"But..." Rias said thoughtfully. "We'll need to keep an eye on him. I'll have Koneko watch him and gather whatever information she can."
Akeno remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"If you don't mind..."
Rias looked at her.
"I'd like to do it instead."
"Oh?"
"He already knows me. If Koneko-chan suddenly starts following him, he'd become suspicious much sooner. Besides..." She smiled softly. "I was the one who found him first."
Rias rested her chin on her hand.
"...And yet you're already calling him 'Kazu-kun.'"
Akeno blinked.
"Oh my~ Was that too soon?"
"I wasn't complaining." Rias chuckled. "I just didn't expect you to take such an interest in him."
"I simply think I'm the better choice."
Rias smiled knowingly.
"...Very well." She pointed a finger toward Akeno. "But don't get too comfortable."
Akeno placed a hand over her chest and bowed dramatically.
"Yes, President~"