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The Ark Sphere was a vessel of infinite possibility.
It had been created to preserve humanity's hope.
To carry humanity forward.
Which meant that this "reincarnation" was only a reincarnation in form.
At its core, it was a human-centered rebirth one that fused humanity with the traits of another race. Afterward, Anos would no longer simply be human.
He would be something new.
A next evolution.
A post-human.
Perhaps even the progenitor of the next era of mankind.
At that point, neither "human" nor "god" would truly define him.
[World One selected: Reincarnation method confirmed.]
[Reincarnation commencing.]
The crimson-gold light engulfed Anos completely.
A soft hiss cut through the air.
And the Ark Sphere vanished from the world.
…
Kuoh Academy.
In the student council room, Rias learned that Anos had left, The first thing she did was head straight to Sona.
Even if Anos wasn't present in the council room, Sona would be.
Bang!
Rias pushed the door open and saw the black-haired girl seated in the student council president's chair.
She was calmly handling her own paperwork.
And Anos's.
"Sona, you know about Anos leaving, right?"
Rias walked straight up to her without hesitation.
At Kuoh Academy, she was probably the only one who spoke to Sona this bluntly.
"Of course, what about it?"
Sona took a composed sip of tea.
"How can you be this calm? Aren't you worried he'll get swept away by that Church girl?"
Rias looked exasperated.
'You're supposed to be my best friend. I thought you'd at least compete with me. And now you're just giving up? Since when are you this passive?'
The "Church girl" she meant was Asia.
Between the nun's habit, the cross around her neck, and her constant habit of praying, Asia might as well have had a flashing sign over her head.
Even Koneko had noticed.
But in their brief time together, Koneko had also noticed something else Asia's clumsy innocence.
She was so transparently kind that it was almost painful.
Koneko faithfully relayed everything she had seen. And everything Anos had asked her to pass along.
Which led to the current situation.
After listening to Rias, Sona sighed.
"Swept away by a Church girl? If the president were that easy to fool, he wouldn't be who he is."
She shook her head, as though mourning Rias's lack of composure.
That was the Gremory trait.
They valued emotion deeply.
But that same depth of feeling could cloud judgment at the worst times.
Like now.
While Rias assumed Anos had been "stolen," Sona had reached a completely different conclusion.
"You do have a point…" Rias muttered.
She couldn't imagine anyone charming Anos into losing his head. After all, none of them had managed it.
A man who could become student council president at what had once been an all-girls academy wasn't ordinary.
Would he really be swayed that easily?
"So what do you think he's planning?" Rias asked.
"Nothing," Sona replied, continuing her paperwork.
"Nothing? Why?"
Rias frowned but waited for her explanation.
"Have you ever seen him make a wrong judgment? And can you honestly say that, faced with the same situation, you'd make a better decision than he would?"
Sona's question was pointed.
"You mean…"
"He told us before that he has a certain degree of foresight. It's possible he saw something ahead of time."
"Either it's something that required him to leave immediately, or something he couldn't handle properly while staying here."
"That's why he didn't explain everything himself, He trusted us to understand."
As Sona spoke, Rias's eyes gradually brightened.
Sona really was Sona.
Had she thought it through that far?
"But what if he doesn't come back in a month?"
That was what truly concerned Rias.
A month's separation meant little to devils with lifespans stretching centuries.
What mattered was whether he would return.
If he didn't… what then?
She had an idea, but she wanted to hear Sona's.
"If he hasn't returned after a month," Sona said, finally setting down her pen, "I'll file a report stating that he previously interfered with the Khaos Brigade's operations and may have uncovered critical information."
She adjusted her glasses, rose-colored eyes steady.
"And that he may have been abducted because of it."
"I'll request direct assistance from the Maou."
Rias smiled.
"Exactly what I was thinking."
This was why Sona was her best friend.
They were completely in sync.
Granted, it was slightly unfair to Kuroka and the others to pin another accusation on them.
But for Anos, it was necessary.
And besides, it would only be a formal suspicion, just like before.
Kuroka had once been labeled one of the most dangerous stray devils, yet no real action had been taken against her.
If the Maou had truly intervened, she wouldn't be living so comfortably now.
"Well then," Sona said with a faint sigh, "you don't have anything else, do you?"
"No... That's all."
Rias nodded thoughtfully.
Originally, she had planned to ask Anos to train her peerage more intensively.
Clearly, that would have to wait.
"In that case," Sona said, a "pleasant" smile forming, "why don't you stay and help me with the paperwork?"
She couldn't possibly shoulder Anos's workload alone.
She needed someone to suffer with her.
"Ah… well… about that…"
Rias forced an awkward but polite smile.
"Don't even think about running."
Sona adjusted her glasses again.
To be honest, she had been wondering why Rias hadn't come to check on her sooner.
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