DXD: Catalyst of Legends

"To exploit a man's injury? Hast thou no honor?"

"You weren't even looking!" she rebuked.

"I don't have to look. I sense a disturbance in the Force every time you try.

" It was actually true: The set of runes that he placed on the notebook's cover acted as a proximity sensor, reacting to any unknown entity or magic within arm's reach of it. He'd know if anybody tried anything.

Reya held back a giggle, catching the reference. While it was unnerving for her friend to come to school tired and hurt like he was, it was nice to know that he still had his sense of humor.

The classroom door slid open, and the homeroom teacher, Kurobe, stepped in; briefcase in one hand, a coffee mug in the other. "Good morning, everyone.

Murayama, if you woul- Mr. Lochlainn, are you alright?"

Connor bit back a sigh, slightly flustered. He had hoped that Kurobe wouldn't make a scene, but the man took pride in his students' well-being.

"It's just a bruise, Sensei. It'll heal, I'll be fine."

The middle-aged man looked skeptical, but accepted the answer regardless. "If you say so.

Alright, Murayama. "

The whole class followed on command from the class representative.

"All rise!"

"Bow!"

"Ohayougozaimasu! Oshietekudasai!" (Good morning! Please teach me!)

"Be seated!"

"Very well, class. Textbooks out.

Back to where we left off. "

From there, Kurobe continued his lecture on Japanese grammar and sentence structure. Unfortunately, Connor found it increasingly difficult to focus, which didn't go unnoticed by his friend.

Classes were dismissed at around 3:00 P. M on Mondays, and with the classroom cleaned in about 20 minutes, everyone was left to their devices.

Most tended to head for their respective clubs early, while others lingered to chat with their peers or catch up on homework. Reya had hoped to check in with Connor again to make sure he was alright after finishing up the classroom.

To her irritation, Connor had once again disappeared once the job was done without anyone realizing it.

She didn't know how he did it; for a guy who could qualify as the tallest student in the academy, he had a knack for escaping a crowded room unnoticed. His arrivals heralded the same attention as any other student, but that wasn't the issue.

On breaks or at the end of the day, he would simply… vanish… like he wasn't even there.

Reya let out a disappointed sigh as she entered the Student Council's office. Looking up, she found her President and Vice-President attending to business at their respective desks.

Tomoe Meguri, the council's most eccentric member, sat at her assigned desk with her own paperwork. She glanced toward the door and waved at the newcomer.

Across from her, tidying up her desk, was Momo Hanakai, Sona's second Bishop.

"Hey, Reya-chan!"

"Hello, Tomoe-chan, Momo-chan. Hello, Kaichō, Fukukaichō."

Sona noticed the distant tone in her Bishop's greeting and looked up. "Is something wrong, Reya?"

"No, not really. But… I'm a little concerned for Connor-kun."

Tomoe snapped up at the name. "Connor-san? What happened? What's wrong? Is he okay?" The redhead's questions were fast-paced and tinged with worry.

"What's wrong with Lochlainn-san?" Tsubaki asked, her curiosity piqued as well.

"He seemed really tired this morning, more so than I've seen from him any morning, and he has this awful bruise on his cheek covered by a patch. He said that he tripped and struck a kitchen counter yesterday, but…"

Sona and Tsubaki glanced at one another as Reya trailed off. Momo noticed but said nothing.

"Do you think that he was lying?" Sona asked.

"I don't know, Kaichō. I don't want to think he was lying.

He's been very genuine in the time I've known him, but he seemed hesitant to say what happened. I talked with him at the start of class, but he left right after class ended."

"Maybe he was just embarrassed about it?" Momo suggested offhandedly. "He could just be putting on a brave face.

Boys are like that. "

"Perhaps, but for his sake, let's err on the side of caution," Sona replied before turning to Reya. "Keep a close eye on him.

Use what opportunities you have to talk with him. If he needs something, let him know you are there to help."

"Of course, Kaichō. "

"What about me, Kaichō?" Tomoe asked.

"If you cross paths with him, you can ask how he is faring, Tomoe. For now, you have a job to do."

Tomoe pouted for a brief moment before she schooled her features. On any given day, she didn't have many chances to interact with Connor, even though she wanted to.

She had friends in both the Kendo Club and Tennis Club that spoke highly of how friendly he was despite what the rumor mill had said about him. She wanted to see for herself just what he was like.

The newest addition to Sona's peerage was a stroke of luck for her, though. Genshirou Saji, as she had been introduced, was going to take her place as secretary of the Student Council within the week, while she would be taking a more generalized position.

Maybe with this, she'd be able to at least find out where it was he would go during breaks. With her new goal in sight, she returned to her work with renewed vigor.

Sona, meanwhile, looked down at her desk. Her first thought upon hearing about Connor being extraordinarily tired was to not think anything of it.

Any number of things could occur that would prompt someone to stay up longer than normal, especially on a Sunday. She could relate.

Similarly, she paid no special heed to his injury. Accidents happen, and if Momo was right, then he was just doing what any teenager would do.

She knew that Connor was a very independent person, based on his behavior during the guided tour she gave him on his first day. He didn't ask very many questions, and the few he did ask pertained to the student body and the layout of the school.

Ever since then, she hadn't heard anything of note on him until the creation of the Tennis Club's new pastime.