{Malrik's POV}
The morning sunlight slipped through my curtains like a nosy roommate that didn't know how to knock. I stretched, groaning a little as I rolled out of bed.
Whatever tension had been hanging on me from last night—the weight of shadows and bloodied alleys—was mostly gone now. Mostly.
Still, I felt better. Lighter.
I took a moment to clean up, splash some water on my face, and throw on my uniform. Just as I was about to button the collar, there was a soft knock knock at my door.
"Malrik?" came a familiar voice. Sweet, soft—and more hesitant than usual.
Mittelt.
I raised an eyebrow.
"Come in," I said, voice casual.
The door creaked open, and there she stood in her usual black-and-white maid uniform, though today the confidence she usually carried was missing.
Her wings weren't out, but she looked like she was trying very hard not to fidget. Eyes slightly wide, lips pursed. Worried.
Cute.
"Well, well," I said with a slow grin. "Are you… worried about me, Mittelt?"
Her eyes snapped to mine like I'd said something illegal.
"W-What? No! I—I was just checking to make sure you weren't being lazy again!"
I smirked. "Ahh, so that's it. You've finally fallen for my irresistible charm. It's okay, I understand. Happens all the time."
Her cheeks turned a shade of pink even her wings would've been jealous of.
"I have not! Idiot! Don't flatter yourself!" she huffed, turning her head so fast it might've left a wind trail.
I laughed under my breath.
"I'm fine, Mittelt. Really. You don't need to worry."
She glanced back, lips pursed again—but this time said nothing. Just nodded quietly, eyes flicking down before she turned to go.
We made our way downstairs together, the smell of breakfast already hanging in the air.
At the table, Aika was lounging in her usual way—barefoot, messy hair, mug of coffee in one hand, toast in the other. But her eyes sharpened the moment she saw me.
"You look less like you're haunted today," she said. "That's an improvement."
I slid into the seat across from her, grabbing some toast. "I'm cute when I brood, though."
"Mm. More like terrifying." She sipped her coffee. "Something definitely happened last night."
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I leaned back with a dramatic sigh. "Can't a man walk under the stars without being psychoanalyzed by his personal cheer squad?"
"Call us that again and I'll fry your eggs with lightning," Mittelt muttered from the kitchen, trying to sound tough—but the glance she gave me was still soft.
"I knew you were worried about me," I teased.
"Shut up," she muttered, placing a plate in front of me a little too forcefully. But not too forcefully. She was careful.
I looked between the two of them—the snarky friend, the tsundere ex-Fallen Angel—and smiled to myself.
Yeah. I was fine.
Things were going to get worse before they got better.
But for now?
Breakfast wasn't so bad.
——
The air was crisp as Aika and I strolled toward Kuoh Academy, the sky above already starting to turn from soft morning gold to the pale blue of a regular school day.
Aika was bouncing ideas off me about advanced circle construction—because apparently, sleep wasn't necessary when she had theories to pick apart.
She poked my side mid-rant. "You still haven't explained how you can activate a spatial loop without stabilizing the outer ring first. That goes against everything—"
"It's called innovation, Aika. You should try it sometime."
"You mean cheating."
She rolled her eyes so hard I swear I heard her pupils rotate.
As we passed through the school gate, I spotted two familiar figures up ahead—Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima, walking side by side in their usual grace-and-aura combo package.
Only this morning… something felt off.
They weren't walking as casually as they normally did. Their postures were a little stiffer. Their expressions… slightly more guarded.
The moment they noticed me, their movements faltered. Rias's eyes flicked up, and Akeno offered a faint, almost diplomatic smile.
That wasn't the usual "ara~" look she gave everyone.
"Morning," I called with a casual wave.
They returned it with matching nods and slightly too-formal tones.
"Good morning, Malrik," Rias said.
"Good morning," Akeno added, graceful but reserved.
Polite. Cautious. Controlled.
Ah, I thought, so they saw the crater.
I stepped forward slowly, grin curling at the corners of my mouth as I deliberately lowered my voice.
"So…" I drawled, "you two saw what happened last night?"
They stiffened, ever so subtly.
Rias avoided my gaze. "N-No. Not exactly. We… just saw the aftermath."
"Mmm." I narrowed my eyes, letting the tension build. "Then you should be careful."
Rias looked puzzled. "Careful of what?"
I leaned in a little. "You never know what kind of monsters are wandering around town after dark…"
Right on cue, a voice crashed into the moment like a cannonball through glass.
"HEY, MALRIK!!"
Enter: Issei Hyoudou—professional breaker of moods.
He bounded up, eyes wide with excitement and absolutely no tact, practically vibrating with curiosity.
"I saw the aftermath, man! That alley was obliterated! How strong are you, seriously?!"
My smirk froze.
My mysterious aura?
Gone. Vaporized. Laid to rest.
Next to me, Aika held it together for half a second before she choked on her own breath.
"Pfft—BWAHAHA!"
She doubled over, laughing like someone had cast Tickle Hex EX on her. "You—you were trying so hard to be edgy—and then he just—!"
I reached over and pinched her cheeks.
"Traitor."
"I regret NOTHING!" she cried, still laughing as I tugged on her face.
As the mood cracked open like an egg, I glanced back at Rias and Akeno—only to find the tension melting off them too.
Akeno's hand covered her mouth, her usual glint returning to her eyes. "Looks like he's still the same," she murmured.
Rias smiled, soft and real. "Yes. Thank goodness."
Before I could make another snarky comment, a third voice entered the scene, calm and refined.
"You caused quite a stir last night."
I turned to see Sona, the student council president herself, approaching with her usual poised expression. Beside her walked Tsubaki, her ever-composed Queen, adjusting her glasses with surgical precision.
Sona stopped just short of us, hands folded neatly behind her back, her violet eyes watching me intently.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to hide something," she said.
I smirked, meeting her gaze. "Who, me? I'm as innocent as they come."
Tsubaki arched an eyebrow ever so slightly. "Says the guy who leveled a whole alley."
"I call that landscaping."
Sona sighed quietly. "And here I thought you might give us a straight answer for once."
"I did," I replied with a wink. "You just didn't like it."
Issei shivered. "Damn. I knew Malrik was strong, but I didn't think he was freaking boss battle strong."
I turned, flipping a hand behind my back as I walked forward with a mock sigh. "Can't a guy destroy one alley without people treating him like a mini-boss?"
"Not when the crater's still smoking," Sona said dryly.
The bell rang above the school gate, sharp and clear.
I stretched lazily, glancing over my shoulder with a grin.
"Well, guess we'll all just have to survive another day together."
Rias smiled softly. "Somehow, I think that's going to be harder than it sounds."
And just like that, the group moved forward, tension replaced by laughter and low whispers.
But as we crossed the threshold into another "normal" school day—one thing was clear.
They didn't know how strong I really was.
And I wasn't in a hurry to show them.