It turned out that Leo had been right.
Only an hour had passed, yet Asuna Yuuki seemed to have accepted her current situation and come out of her room.
"Anyway, thank you for saving me."
In the garden pavilion, Asuna Yuuki had changed back into her own uniform. Led there by a maid familiar, she bowed to Leo and Yukino Yukinoshita, who were sitting together and drinking tea.
"If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't be standing here now, so... thank you. I really mean it."
Asuna Yuuki spoke with great sincerity. Her chestnut hair swayed as she bowed, lending the gesture a certain beauty.
"Well, I'm glad you were able to accept reality. Otherwise, I might have had to put in some effort to convince you."
Leo held a cup of black tea, sipping it slowly as he smiled at Asuna Yuuki.
"Have a seat," Yukino Yukinoshita told Asuna Yuuki. "We're all allies here. Technically, this guy is our master, but he doesn't care about formalities, so you don't need to be so reserved."
Leo shot Yukino Yukinoshita a glance.
She'd changed, too. She used to be aloof and indifferent, but now she knew how to say something considerate. It was like the sun had risen in the west.
What Leo didn't know was that Yukino Yukinoshita had simply been reminded of her former self by Asuna Yuuki. That had stirred a little sympathy in her and made her more considerate. She hadn't changed her nature.
At Sobu High School, Yukino Yukinoshita was still just as solitary and distant, an indisputable Ice Flower in everyone's eyes.
Only Leo could keep her in line by virtue of being her master. If he were merely a handsome third-year student, Yukino Yukinoshita probably wouldn't even spare him a glance.
"Are you also Mr. Leo's... servant?"
Asuna Yuuki didn't refuse. After sitting beside them, she hesitated before addressing Yukino Yukinoshita.
"I don't like admitting it, but that's the truth, and there's nothing I can do about it." Yukino Yukinoshita spoke expressionlessly. "I'm Yukino Yukinoshita, this guy's... Leo Eligos's Bishop."
"Yukinoshita?" Asuna Yuuki paused, surprised. "You mean that Yukinoshita?"
Apparently, Asuna Yuuki had heard of the Yukinoshita Family.
"You know of us?"
Yukino Yukinoshita was a little surprised.
The Yukinoshita Family might be prestigious, but it was merely a local powerhouse in Chiba Prefecture. Compared to the wealthy Yuki Family in Tokyo, it still fell short.
Tokyo was the capital, while Chiba was just a provincial backwater. So even if the Yukinoshita Family wasn't weak, many of Tokyo's elite regarded it as no more than a wealthy country clan, viewing them through a faintly prejudiced lens.
In terms of family influence alone, the Yukinoshita Family had nothing that would warrant the Yuki Family's attention.
Asuna Yuuki's father was CEO of a major electronics manufacturer with a nationwide reach. Yukino Yukinoshita's father, by contrast, was merely the head of a construction company, though he also served as a prefectural assemblyman. His reputation might have been greater in politics than in business, but he was still only a prefectural assemblyman.
Asuna Yuuki's mother was a university professor with many students and a wide network of connections. Yukino Yukinoshita's mother, on the other hand, was only a member of the local guardians' association. Her position and status were nowhere near as impressive.
So although Yukino Yukinoshita knew of the Yuki Family, she hadn't thought Asuna Yuuki would know of hers.
But Asuna Yuuki did know her family.
As Yukino Yukinoshita pondered this, Asuna Yuuki told her something that wasn't exactly pleasant to hear.
"I've met your older sister, Miss Haruno Yukinoshita," Asuna Yuuki said honestly. "My older brother was invited by one of the local influential families to attend a banquet. When we arrived, many local families came to greet us, including Miss Haruno."
"She was beautiful and accomplished, and carried herself with such grace. My brother had a great time talking with her. Afterwards, he praised her highly, saying she might be able to take the Yukinoshita Family to new heights."
Asuna Yuuki had been deeply impressed by Haruno Yukinoshita. She admired how confidently and gracefully Haruno had mingled among representatives of so many prominent families, and even found herself longing to be like her. She thought that was what a true young lady ought to be like.
Not like herself, mechanically following her family's arrangements and undergoing so-called elite education, being molded bit by bit into a showpiece meant to bring prestige to her family...
At the thought, Asuna Yuuki's eyes dimmed a little.
"My sister..."
Yukino Yukinoshita's expression grew complicated, and suddenly she didn't feel much like talking.
Her older sister was still as exceptional as ever. Even the wealthy family from Tokyo had praised her.
Would she ever really catch up with her sister?
Yukino Yukinoshita felt lost.
The atmosphere in the pavilion turned chilly. Neither young lady said much, and both fell silent, leaving Leo unable to help smiling.
But before he could speak, Asuna Yuuki recovered first.
Compared with becoming a Devil and entering the supernatural world, her family problems seemed insignificant.
"Miss Yukinoshita, you're Mr. Leo's Bishop, right?" Asuna Yuuki looked at Leo and asked hesitantly. "What about me? Which piece was I reincarnated with?"
Since Leo had already explained the concept of Evil Pieces, Asuna Yuuki could understand what was happening.
But it wasn't Leo who answered. It was Yukino Yukinoshita.
"You're a Knight."
Yukino Yukinoshita had composed herself and answered plainly.
"Like me, your piece is worth three Pawns."
Since Yukino Yukinoshita had been there when Leo took out the Evil Pieces to reincarnate Asuna Yuuki, she knew which piece he had used and what position Asuna Yuuki now held.
"A Knight?" Asuna Yuuki looked surprised. "I'm a... Knight?"
It was no wonder she was surprised. According to Leo, a Devil Knight's specialty was speed, making it an obvious close-combat role.
And what about her?
She was a young lady who'd received an elite education, focused mainly on knowledge and etiquette. She hadn't had any athletic training.
Have her fight in close combat?
Wouldn't that just be sending her to her death?
"Don't be surprised. The piece chooses for itself." Seeing Asuna Yuuki frozen in place, Leo finally set down his teacup. "Of course, three kinds of pieces reacted to you: the Rook, the Knight, and the Pawn."
"Of those, the Knight reacted the most strongly. Its response was almost as strong as the Bishop piece I used to reincarnate Yukino."
"That means you have a great deal of potential as a Knight. You just haven't brought it out yet."
With that, Leo began guiding Asuna Yuuki.
"Like me... and Yukino, you have a special power inside you called a Sacred Gear."
"It hadn't awakened before, but now that you're a Devil, you have Demonic Power, and your body has changed considerably. You should be able to awaken the Sacred Gear inside you on your own."
"Close your eyes. Picture the strongest being in your mind, then reach out to them."
Leo's instructions sounded ordinary enough, yet his voice seemed to carry a force that resonated with Asuna Yuuki's soul, making her trust him without knowing why.
So Asuna Yuuki stood up and closed her eyes, picturing the strongest being in her mind as Leo had told her.
The strongest being in her mind... or rather, the most powerful person, was her mother.
Her mother had personally overseen and pushed her education. Asuna Yuuki had been strictly disciplined by her from a young age, so in her mind, her mother had always been an imposing figure who made her feel both fear and respect.
Now, as she recalled her mother's stern demeanor, emotions stirred within her.
At once, her emotions stirred her Demonic Power. It ignited within her body, awakening the hidden power inside Asuna Yuuki.
"Clang!"
A sword suddenly sprang from the ground beside Asuna Yuuki, ringing out with a metallic clang.
A terrifying aura radiated from the sword, sacred and powerful. Yukino Yukinoshita sprang back as if pricked by needles, while Leo felt his skin sting and narrowed his eyes.
"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!"...
One sword after another appeared around Asuna Yuuki. They all looked different, and even varied in length. Some were Western swords, others Japanese blades; some were long, others short. Yet every one of them radiated a sacred aura, forcing Yukino Yukinoshita to retreat again and again.
"What kind of Sacred Gear is this?"
Yukino Yukinoshita was aghast.
At that moment, she sensed a threat from these swords far greater than that of the Light Swords used by exorcists.
If light was poison to Devils, these swords were nuclear weapons capable of erasing even their souls.
Compared with these swords, Angels and Fallen Angels who could manipulate Light Power were nothing.
These swords were the true natural enemies of Devils.
And that was exactly what they were.
"These are Holy Swords, sacred weapons created by those who reached the realm of the gods through magic or alchemy. They're the natural enemies of all demonic beings."
Leo's voice drifted softly through the air.
"All demonic beings, Devils included, will have their bodies burned if they touch a Holy Sword. Those slain by one are erased on the spot, with no way to recover even their souls."
These sacred weapons had been passed down through history and appeared in all kinds of legends.
Excalibur, Durandal, Kusanagi no Tsurugi, Hauteclere... These legendary blades were all Holy Swords, sacred weapons that only gained a wielder once every few decades.
And Asuna Yuuki's Sacred Gear was connected to Holy Swords.
"'Sword Birth'—a Rare Sacred Gear that can create Holy Swords with any attributes its wielder can imagine. In the hands of a skilled user, it can unleash astonishing power."
This was Asuna Yuuki's Sacred Gear.
Before you continue