At the Occult Research Club, Meguna sat casually on the couch, his chin resting against one hand.
Across from him sat Rias, her posture straight and composed, while the rest of her peerage stood behind her.
Rias leaned slightly forward, preparing to speak, her expression calm and focused as she began. "So, let's begi—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Meguna raised his free hand slightly, cutting her off. His interruption was casual, almost lazy, yet firm enough to halt her immediately.
"First," Meguna said, his tone flat as he opened his mouth to speak, "let's wait for the tea and desserts. Then we can begin."
For a brief second, the room fell silent, rias paused, clearly not expecting to be interrupted so abruptly.
Behind her, a few members of her peerage exchanged subtle glances, surprised by his behavior, though none of them spoke. Without arguing, Rias leaned back slightly, deciding to humor him.
Not long after, the soft sound of footsteps approached from the side of the room.
Akeno returned, carrying a neatly arranged tray in her hands, the faint aroma of tea and freshly prepared desserts accompanying her.
She moved gracefully, placing a cup of tea in front of Meguna first before setting down a slice of cake beside it.
Then, she placed the rest of the set before Rias, arranging everything neatly.
"Shall we begin now?" Rias asked, her tone composed as she looked directly at him from across the table.
Meguna reached for the cup placed in front of him and took a small sip. Only after setting it back down did he respond. "Sure," he said, his voice relaxed.
Rias mirrored the motion, picking up her own cup before continuing. "I'm sure you understand why I called you here, right?" she asked, her gaze steady as she observed his reaction closely.
"You're curious about what Sacred Gear I possess," he said plainly, his eyes narrowing slightly as his tone grew sharper. "And you probably want to recruit me as well." There was a brief pause. "Well, my answer will always be no." His words firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
Rias expression remain calm as she processed his statement. Then, with the same composed demeanor, she spoke. "You're right that we are curious about your Sacred Gear and your abilities," she admitted. "But I'm not here to recruit you."
Meguna's gaze, which had been sharp and probing, lowered slightly at her response. A faint smile began to form on his lips, subtle but noticeable.
"Go on," he said, leaning back slightly in his chair, his attention now fully on her.
Rias met his gaze her voice remained calm, steady, and deliberate as she spoke her next words. "Meguna Fushi, I want to propose a deal one that will benefit both of us in the long run."
Meguna closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if weighing her words before she had even finished speaking. "I don't think you have anything that I would particularly want," he said slowly, his tone calm yet slightly dismissive. "But go on I might consider it."
Rias maintained her confident smile, clearly expecting that kind of response from him. "I want you, Meguna Fushi, to act as my accomplice," she said, her voice steady and composed. "More specifically, I want your assistance in situations where I am cornered and unable to resolve things on my own."
She paused briefly, making sure her words were understood clearly before continuing.
"I will not call on you unnecessarily, nor will I burden you with trivial matters or minor tasks. Your involvement will only be requested when it is truly necessary."
Her gaze remained fixed on him, calm yet firm. "In exchange," she continued, "I will use everything within my power as the heir of the Gremory clan to ensure that your life proceeds as smoothly as possible. I will provide support, resources, and assistance anything that falls within my capabilities."
Rias looked at Meguna, her thoughts quietly forming beneath her composed exterior. 'Meguna Fushi, even though I don't know much about you, I'm placing my faith in your strength based on what I've seen so far. I believe you have the potential'. Her thoughts paused briefly 'maybe even more than the dragons?'
Meguna looked at her, his expression settling into neutrality as he processed everything she had said. 'She's serious,' he thought. 'And this offer is far more reasonable than Sitri's.'
His gaze remained on Rias, sharp yet controlled. 'At least this one understands negotiation, she's not trying to put a leash on me from the start. Let's just hope she doesn't turn into some kind of ungrateful brat later.'
With that, Meguna removed his chin from his fist and leaned slightly forward, bringing both hands to rest on the table. "Looks like we have a deal then," he said plainly.
Rias reached forward and took his hand sealing the agreement. "Thank you for your cooperation, Fushi-san," she said, her voice calm and sincere, though there was a clear sense of satisfaction behind it.
"Likewise," Meguna replied shortly, his tone steady as he withdrew his hand and leaned back into his chair, returning to his usual relaxed posture.
He rested his chin lightly against his hand again before continuing. "Now, I'm sure you're very interested in learning what kind of Sacred Gear I possess, right?" he said, his voice carrying a faint hint of amusement.
Rias leaned forward slightly at that, her interest sharpening, while the members of her peerage behind her subtly shifted their attention toward him.
Akeno maintained her gentle smile, though her eyes narrowed slightly in focus, clearly intrigued by what he was about to reveal. Koneko paused mid motion, her fork hovering slightly as her gaze lifted toward Meguna, quietly attentive. Kiba, standing beside the others, remained composed, his sharp eyes observing Meguna more.
Meguna let the moment settle before speaking again. "Well, first off, I'm not exactly human," he began, his tone calm. "And what I mean by that is that my body itself is cursed."
He paused briefly, as if deciding how much to reveal. "Cursed in the sense that while I do possess human like traits and functions, there's still something fundamentally different about me," he continued. "That difference is one of the reasons behind my abnormal physical abilities. So in a way, you could say I fall closer to the supernatural side rather than being purely human."
Rias's eyes sharpened slightly as she processed the implications of his words, her thoughts clearly moving beneath her composed exterior.
Akeno's smile softened into something more thoughtful, her curiosity deepened. Koneko continued to stare at Meguna in silence, her expression unchanged, though there was a subtle intensity in her gaze. Kiba, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes slightly, his calm demeanor remaining intact, but there was a clear shift in his attention as he silently evaluated what Meguna's words truly implied.
Rias adjusted her posture slightly before speaking, her tone measured. "From what I've read about you," she said carefully, "you were raised by human parents, weren't you? Or are they not your biological parents?"
Meguna shook his head lightly. "No, they are my real parents. Me being born like this has nothing to do with them."
Rias gave a small nod, acknowledging the answer as she organized the information.
"You mentioned that this is only one of the reasons for your strength," she continued, her gaze steady. "Which means the other reason must be related to your Sacred Gear, correct?"
Rias leaned forward slightly once more. "So then what exactly is your Sacred Gear?" she asked.
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[A/N: Do give your thoughts]