DXD: Catalyst of Legends

"Then, Connor survived?" Hearing this made Koneko stop eating and curiously look to Rias.

"Yes, he did. Not only did he survive, he patched himself up with magic once the Fallen were out of sight.

" Akeno noticed Rias straighten up in her seat and smiled. "I didn't realize Connor was keeping such secrets, Buchō.

Is that why you had Koneko scout Issei instead?"

"No, Sona would have taken offense if I kept tabs on Connor. She won't say it, but I know for sure that she was scouting him for her peerage.

Now I know why. " The exchange student was a magician, and Rias was slightly miffed at herself for not noticing sooner.

He would have made for a fine Bishop.

"Buchō," Koneko called, grabbing her king's attention. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, didn't you know, Koneko? Connor Lochlainn, your senior from across the seas, is a magician. " Akeno's lighthearted tone turned serious upon seeing Koneko's eyes widen slightly.

"You didn't know?"

Koneko just shook her head, astonished at her own lack of awareness. She was the one that had originally sensed the possible Sacred Gear within Issei, much to her disgust.

And yet, she had never noticed that anything was unusual about the American exchange student. He felt just as normal as the people around him.

"Oh my~"

"Akeno, how can you be so nonchalant about this? Even Koneko didn't notice?! He was here for two whole weeks!"

"But he didn't do anything, did he?" Akeno inquired, making Rias pause. "He could have done something to Sona's peerage, too, and yet everyone there is fine.

Besides, there are plenty of people at Kuoh who have ties to the supernatural, and Sona would have told you if he was dangerous. Don't stress about it, Buchō."

Rias sighed and leaned back in her chair. Akeno had a point; maybe she was justoverreacting.

Even if Sona had called dibs on a potential peerage member, she would not have hesitated to alert her rival if she suspected a potential threat to the school or its students.

"Do you plan on recruiting him?"

Rias shook her head. "He's on more friendly terms with some of the Student Council.

If anything, he'll likely be more partial to an offer from Sona. I've never even met him in passing, so I doubt he would be very receptive to joining us."

"That doesn't mean you can't try. "

Rias raised an eyebrow at her Queen. "You seem awfully persistent about this, Akeno.

Something I should know?"

"Oh, not really," she tittered. "I'm just curious about our resident yankee.

For Fallen Angels to leave him alive, he must have done something scary to drive them off, right?"

"Maybe. We just have to be careful about him.

Did he see you at all?"

"No. I was far enough that he wouldn't notice.

He simply walked home once he was finished anyway. "

"Alright. " Rias sat silent for a moment, contemplating her options.

"…We'll wait and see with him. I don't think he'll be a problem, but I won't disregard the possibility, either.

" The redhead turned her attention to her younger servant. "Koneko, could you keep an eye on him, maybe introduce yourself to him?"

"Okay. "

"Oh, I don't think she would mind getting to personally know the creator of Bruiseball. Ufufu~" Akeno giggled, invoking a small smile from her King and a upward twitch on Koneko's lips.

Rias smiled once more, thinking about that last snip. It was rather funny, watching the Tennis Club take a more proactive role in keeping the Perverted Trio from peeping than the Student Council did in post.

Koneko especially enjoyed it for the sheer spectacle, even if she couldn't participate.

But, back on topic, Rias was taking a gamble with this plan for Connor, and she understood that. Even so, Akeno was right.

Connor hadn't given her any reason to suspect ill intent toward her or anyone at the academy. He was certainly no friend to the Fallen Angels, so that would be a good talking point to use should the subject come up in private conversation.

She would have to talk with Sona about what she and Akeno witnessed before she tried making contact with him. With how quiet the American was, it was difficult to say how he would react.

"You meet the most interesting people in high school," the Gremory heiress mused as she got back to her paperwork. Other business aside, she had to make sure that her newest servant's integration to the ORC went off without a hitch.

"Oh, geez! Connor, what happened to you?"

The day was turning out almost exactly as Connor had suspected it would. The confused, shocked or even some piteous stares at the new decoration on his face could be seen from everybody that passed him.

Several people had stopped him and asked if he was alright, to which he politely waved off their concerns. It was only during homeroom when Reya first noticed the patch and worriedly approached him that somebody asked him for details.

"I, uh… I had an accident," he answered.

"Some accident," Aika chimed from her spot next to them. He turned to her with a dull expression to find her giving a look of uncharacteristic concern.

"Seriously, what did you do to yourself? Did somebody take a swing at you?"

"Not really. I tripped on my school bag yesterday morning and hit a corner on a kitchen counter."

"Ouch," she cringed.

"Yeah. Glad I didn't hit it with my teeth."

"You put ice on it, right?" Reya asked.

"Yeah. It probably looks worse than it is, but it still hurts to smile."

"Well, you should probably go to the nurse's office, just to be safe," she suggested.

"I appreciate it, but I think I can survive. If it starts acting up, then I'll go.

Promise. "

Reya stared for several seconds before she finally acquiesced. "Alright."

"Aika, stop reaching for my notebook," he suddenly stated, then cast a glance over his shoulder. Aika, whose expression now resembled a deer in the headlights, had in fact been leaning down toward his bag to try and grab the notebook behind his back.