Re/SET

Life 2 - CH 10

SLAP!

A sharp slap resounded through the club room.

.......

.......

"How many times must I say it?" Rias lowered her hand. "If I tell you don't, then don't."

Issei cast his eyes to the floor, sad, but angry.

"Forget about her. You are a member of the House of Gremory."

"Then, please release me from your household." Issei said lowly before looking at Rias directly. "If you do, then I can go alone and-"

"There's no way I can do that." Rias disagreed.

"I'm the pawn in chess, right?" Issei argued. "You can do without one foot soldier piece."

"Be quiet!" Rias raised her voice in anger.

Issei was surprised by the sudden outburst and looked at Rias who looked away.

"Issei, do you think that the pawn is the weakest piece?" she asked him.

"Um..." Issei thought so, but had a feeling it was the wrong answer.

Rias sat down and began to explain.

"I told you that Evil pieces possessed the same attributes as their actual chess pieces." she said.

"The actual...?" Issei was confused. "What is a pawn's attribute?"

"....Promotion." Rias answered. "If a pawn piece advances into the deepest part of enemy territory, it can be promoted to any other piece besides the king."

"Are you saying that I can have the powers of all the others?" Issei asked in surprise.

As they were talking, Akeno walked into the room with Maoyu following behind her.

Maoyu silently took a seat on the couch while Akeno quietly spoke with Koneko.

"If I, as the master, acknowledge that the place is enemy territory. Say, for example, a church...." She trailed off as her eyes landed on Maoyu.

She sent the girl a smile which wasn't accepted.

Maoyu ignored her.

And she didn't acknowledge Issei.

Rias didn't take it to heart and turned back to Issei who was trying not to look hurt.

"While I'm at it, about your Sacred Gear...." She started.

Issei's eyes lit up with excitement.

"It doubles my power, right? Yuma-" he briefly paused, remembering what "Yuma" was. "Th-The fallen angel told me."

He closed his eyes, still coming to terms that the first crush wasn't what he thought it was.....

And what he thought they had wasn't real.

"Feel..." Rias touched the side of his face, catching him off guard.

He opened his eyes and looked up at her.

"Sacred Gear works according to the power of its owner's feelings." Rias closed the distance between them, resting a hand on his shoulder. "The stronger those feelings are, the more it will be sure to respond."

"The power of my feelings?" he frowned.

Rias stepped back.

She was suddenly pulled to the side by Akeno who whispered something to her.

With a serious expression on her face, she nodded to the girl.

"Something has come up. Akeno and I will step out for a while." she began to walk toward the door. "Maoyu, you're also coming with us."