Chapter 85: Why? akeno!

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Tsubaki acknowledged him with a respectful nod. "Your wishes will be honored."

Sona then shifted gears, her tone turning decidedly serious. "There's one more matter that needs discussing. We understand you were in Kyoto last night."

"Yeah," Issei admitted, "I went for a street race."

"Word has gotten around, and not just within the walls of this school. Dozens of people have reported your activities to both the faculty and local law enforcement. We've had to mind-wipe the local authorities to keep you out of hot water. Given how openly you drove your motorcycle into the school, you probably weren't too concerned about being discreet," Sona paused, her eyes narrowing. "What concerns me more is the other racer involved—identified as Crom Cruach. He's another dragon, like you, but an evil one. I don't know what transpired between you two, but I'd urge you to exercise caution. If he finds out you're not aligned with any faction, he might see it as an invitation to eliminate you."

Issei scoffed, "You're worried about me now?"

Sona chose not to address his rhetorical question directly. "That's all we had to discuss. Take care, Issei Hyoudou."

Understanding he was dismissed, Issei nodded and walked toward the door. Just before exiting, he looked back at the room filled with devils and nodded, "Later."

"Farewell, Hyoudou-san," Sona replied as he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

Once in the hallway, Issei took a deep breath, as if releasing the accumulated tension. 'They went through all that trouble just for me? Serafall even intervened on my behalf. Well, no point in dwelling on it. At least now I can expect some peace and quiet from these devils at Kuoh.'

Ddraig's voice resonated in his mind. 'You did well by throwing them off with the Vali and Tiamat story. It's an excellent diversion, and it should keep them off your back for a while.'

'Yeah, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, but it worked. Let's hope it keeps the peace,' Issei mused as he resumed his walk down the corridor.

Just as he was about to turn the corner, he heard his name being called. "Hyoudou-san!"

He turned and found Akeno Himejima approaching him. Her usually playful demeanor was absent, replaced by a serious expression. "Could we meet later? There's something I'd like to discuss."

Issei looked at her, perplexed. "Why? What's going on?"

Akeno hesitated, as if measuring her words, deepening the intrigue. It was another twist in an already complex narrative of dragons and devils, friendships and alliances. A story that seemed far from its conclusion.

Akeno's eyes met Issei's, filled with an earnestness that was unusual for her. "It's important," she emphasized, her voice tinged with a gravity that was hard to ignore.

"Why didn't you mention it back in the room then?" Issei inquired, puzzled by her sudden secrecy.

Akeno hesitated, her eyes drifting downward momentarily as if grappling with an internal debate. "It's something I'd prefer to discuss privately, away from the others."

Normally, Issei would have dismissed such a request, but given the significant favor the devils had done for him today, he felt a slight obligation. Added to this was a growing curiosity, piqued by her uncharacteristic somberness. "Look, I'm not one for wasting time. This better be worth it," he cautioned.

She met his gaze again, her eyes softer now. "I promise, it will be worth your time. Please, meet me at the town shrine after school. 4:00 P.M., if that works for you."

Slightly intrigued but still wary, Issei found himself agreeing. 'Something's off here. What could be so important that she'd want to exclude the others?' he pondered.

Ddraig chimed in. 'You're going to meet her then?'

Issei mentally shrugged, 'Might as well. If she's going through the trouble of making it a secret, it could be something worth hearing.'

With a mental bookmark placed on that chapter for later, Issei decided to head back to class as the lunch hour was coming to an end.

---Later that Afternoon---

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. Even Xenovia's antics in class seemed to pale in comparison to the odd mixture of politics and mysticism that had unfolded earlier. As for Tiamat and Vali, they too seemed quieter than usual.

Their moods were not just clouded; they seemed weighed down by some undisclosed matters. Given their parting words, Issei suspected they were troubled by something far more significant than the intricacies of high school life.

Whatever was bothering them, it appeared to be rooted in the shadowy world of Khaos Brigade politics. They both bid him farewell but exited the school premises almost hastily as the final bell rang.

Issei headed outside to where his motorcycle was parked. As he approached, he noticed a small crowd gathered around it—some students were leaning in for a closer inspection, and one girl was even taking a photo.

"Hey, back off!" Issei called out, his voice ringing with authority.

As if startled by a gunshot, the cluster of people scattered, leaving Issei to approach his bike unhindered. He slipped on his jacket and mounted the motorcycle, mentally thanking whoever was responsible for its undamaged state.

Irina walked up, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I can't believe no one reported your bike to the police. It's not exactly what you'd call 'school appropriate.'"

Issei grinned as he revved the engine slightly. "Oh, they did. But it seems the devils have more influence than I thought. They cleaned up the mess before it could become a problem."

Irina looked genuinely surprised. "Really? That's incredibly generous of them, given the circumstances."

"I don't plan on getting all chummy with them either," Issei responded, his words tinged with a note of caution. "But they've made it clear they're not going to meddle in my affairs anymore, which is all I really wanted in the first place."