"So, Kurosaki-kun. Is there anything you want to ask about?"
"Hmm... In that case, tell me things I should know beforehand."
"Ah, yeah. Well... There are some people you should be careful of at this school. They're guys, so you probably won't be a target, Kurosaki-kun, but it's better not to get involved with them."
"Oh, those guys... Seriously gross..."
When Suzuka said that in response to Renya's question, Rikka and the other girls grimaced in disgust. Not at the question, but seemingly recalling the "people to be careful of" and feeling unpleasant.
"I get that. But who exactly are these 'people to be careful of,' and what did they do?"
"Their names are Hyoudou, Matsuda, and Motohama. They don't have any particular outstanding qualities. It's just... they're often peeping on girls changing."
Rikka answered his question, but it only raised more questions.
"...Isn't that a crime?"
As a devil, Renya didn't pay much heed to human world laws. If he worried about such things, he'd have to face charges every time he killed an enemy.
However, the context changed when it involved ordinary people or everyday situations. With Orihime and Elfaria here, Renya listened carefully to what Rikka and the others had to say.
Apparently, those three male students were known as the Perverted Trio. Ever since enrolling, they had been peeping on girls changing, spreading obscene DVDs and photo books around the classroom, talking openly about lewd things, and threatening girls who tried to warn them—a never-ending stream of problematic behavior. As a result, the number of female students refusing to attend school, transferring out, or avoiding PE and club activities has been increasing.
"...Don't you report them to the school or your parents?"
"We have reported them to the school, but... You know, declining birthrate and all? Our school went co-ed to attract more applicants, so they want to avoid scandals and aren't very proactive. Telling our parents is... kind of awkward."
Rikka answered Renya's perfectly reasonable question. A dirty adult story. It seemed they were prioritizing new student acquisition over their current students' well-being.
"Seriously gross... I've even thought, 'Why not just upload it online?' you know?"
"Can't you?"
"It just never seems to work out..."
Rikka had apparently considered stirring up a scandal online to get them suspended or expelled, but mysteriously, it never gained traction.
It was a harsh reality, but Renya felt a sense of doubt.
'The school's response... well, I get it. Typical behavior from teachers who don't want to stain their record or avoid hassle. But they don't want to tell their parents? Is it like bullying or molestation victims just suffering in silence?'
He thought that, but something felt off. Could such extensive harassment really stay this suppressed? In this day and age, anything could be spread and blown up on social media, forcing the school's hand. They shouldn't be able to cover it up completely.
'...Ah, I see. That barrier.'
Renya understood.
The barrier he'd seen this morning reduced or nullified awareness of internal school issues.
It likely applied not only to supernatural matters but also to the old school building and petty crimes like peeping.
'Whether intentional or not, the design and scope of that spell are naive.'
Renya judged internally. He could test it by dispelling or altering the barrier, but doing so without the owner's permission would cause trouble. And even if he sought permission, that prideful Rias would never agree. Renya gave up on that front.
"Well, we've learned our lesson after a year. When changing, we girls take turns as lookouts or check every corner of the room first... But it's a hassle, y'know? Like, why do we, the victims, have to do this?"
"Yeah... It's really scary. Our school used to be all-girls, so some girls are so scared of those guys that they refuse to come to school or transfer out... It just makes the student numbers drop even more."
Rikka sighed languidly, while Suzuka, perhaps a bit timid, looked slightly scared but still concerned for the other girls.
"Hey! Stop right there!"
Suddenly, the angry shouts of female students came from outside. The girls in class exchanged glances, their expressions showing a familiar disgust.
Renya stood and moved closer to the window to see three male students being chased by several female students. It was undoubtedly the Perverted Trio in question. It seemed they had been caught peeping and were now on the run.
"...That pathetic-looking one is Hyoudou, the shaved-head is Matsuda, and the lanky one is Motohama. Those bastards did it again. Seriously gross."
Rikka said, directing a cold expression and gaze at the Perverted Trio.
"Aren't the other classes supposed to be in session?"
"Skipping, probably. They've got zero redeeming qualities, but they're dead serious when it comes to crime, I guess."
Rikka answered Renya's question, turning away from the Perverted Trio as if she couldn't stand the sight of them.
"You jerks! Every single time! Enough is enough!"
"Shut up! This burning passion of youth cannot be stopped by anyone!"
"Refraining from viewing such magnificent subjects would be the true insult! Be honored you were chosen!"
"Yeah, yeah! Unlike those handsome bastards who get girlfriends easily, this is the only way we can lay eyes on a naked female body!"
Matsuda, Motohama, and Hyoudou yelled back their utterly deplorable excuses at the pursuing girls, who shrieked in shock and anger.
Finding it utterly distasteful, Renya flicked a compressed bullet of air at Motohama's feet, who was running at the very back.
"Whoa—!? W-What the—?!"
"H-Hey, Motohama—?! Whoa—?!"
"W-What're you doing—?! Oof—!"
The result: Motohama tripped and pitched forward, taking Hyoudou down with him, who then tangled up with Matsuda. The Perverted Trio slid face-first across the ground. The girls caught up instantly and began beating them mercilessly with brooms and dustpans.
"Serves them right. Don't get involved with scum like that, okay, Kurosaki-kun?"
"...Yeah, understood."
Renya shrugged and nodded at Rikka's warning. For now, he'd file this issue away in his mind as pending.
"Ah, it's Gremory-senpai."
Rikka suddenly uttered that name. Renya looked, puzzled, and saw a beautiful girl with long crimson hair and pure-blue eyes standing at the window opposite, looking down at the commotion below.
"You know her?"
"Ah, yeah. One of the things I wanted to tell you about, Kurosaki-kun. She's one of our school's two great 'Older Sister' figures, third-year Rias Gremory-senpai. Like you, she's apparently a returnee from Northern Europe. Her dad's work brought her to a Japanese school. You've got similar circumstances, so you might get along?"
It seemed Rikka was being considerate, thinking that having someone in a similar position, especially a senior, might ease the anxiety of unfamiliar school life in Japan, or provide someone to consult. But for Renya, her concern was entirely misplaced.
First, "unfamiliar" was just a convenient excuse; he'd stayed in Japan for a while four years prior, and he felt no anxiety to begin with. It was just a cover story for being a transfer student returnee.
And more importantly—
'Wondering how Takarada knew her name, and she's just using her real one openly? A name from the 72 Pillars just floating around the human world. The reason no one finds it strange... Ah, that barrier again.'
The truth was, Rias Gremory—the one Renya had been referring to as "the other party"—was someone he found difficult to deal with.
The reason: her typical High-Class Devil demeanor and attitude reminded him all too keenly of the noble devils who had once tried to kill him and his mother.
He didn't hate her, but he preferred to avoid her as much as possible. She was the type of person he was uncomfortable around.
'Our values are so different, I doubt we could even hold a conversation. And she's the classic spoiled princess, thanks to her family and her Maou brother coddling her.'
She was someone he wanted minimal contact with. Yet, considering their respective positions despite his superior abilities in many areas, he knew he'd have to go and greet her formally later. The thought filled Renya with nothing but gloom.
'Well, at least there aren't any Gremory peerage members in our class. The other party's peerage member seems to be here, though... I'll have to go pay respects there too.'
Yes, besides Rias, the overseer of Kuoh Town, there was another High-Class Devil and her peerage residing here.
Both were from the 72 Pillars nobility, meaning they held higher social standing than Renya, an outsider devil who kept his distance from the government.
Renya honestly believed that rank determined by anything other than actual power was worthless, but he resigned himself to it as a necessary evil to avoid hassle from the Maou faction's upper echelons.
'A pain in the ass, but it's for the objective. Might as well play it smooth.'
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