Highschool DxD: Spin to Win

"Fuck, how am I gonna take the conversation from here?"

I muttered the words under my breath, unsure if she even heard them or even, she did, she won't understand. I have to get a spin to make a damage at the language barrier between us, but it's all in hands of Lady Luck so no point in thinking about it.

From here on, I will be using translator between our conversation so don't complain that how she knows Japanese all of a sudden.

Asia's eyes flickered around my sparsely furnished living room, taking in the bare walls, the simple furniture. She was trying not to judge, but I could see the way her gaze lingered for a moment longer than normal, like she was trying to understand what kind of person would live here. And it was not hard to guess that person who lived here have zero taste but if you go to my bedroom, there will be a totally different vibe to it.

The anime girls figurines were replaced by Berserk ones… Brezerk ones. A rip off Berserk anime.

It felt like she was trying hard to come up with good words but I know it's not going to be easy for her. If I were to visit this place, I would have given it a rating of 3/10. I spent most of my time in the bedroom after training, eating and school so it's no point in putting efforts to decorate this part of my house. It's a surprise that I am in my living room for more than 15 minutes.

"It's a nice place, Kazuya-san" she said with a smile.

Nice? Good joke but that's to be expected from her. I can't imagine her saying "This is shit!"

I gave a half-hearted shrug and typed into my phone quickly. "It's nothing special. Less you see it, more you like it"

Her eyes stayed on me for a second, that hesitation still lingering. Maybe she wasn't buying it. Maybe she knew something was off. But what do I expect? She's probably questioning why someone like me is alone in a place like this and why the person who sent me is nowhere in the picture yet.

"Who else lives here?" she asked in curious tone.

I typed quickly, trying to sound casual. "No one. Just me."

Her gaze softened for a brief moment, her eyes flickering with something close to concern.

"I'm sorry," she said, almost too quickly. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

I could feel her concern, and sincerity behind those words but it didn't faze me. I was used to living by myself and thanks to my rich grandpa, I can get enough money to go in a restaurant and not regret it after having a good meal there.

"It's fine. Really."

Asia looked at me, and I could almost see her searching for the right thing to say. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then closed it again. Why does she keep doing that? It's like she is trying hard to be nice without offending me in the slightest.

"Asia," I said aloud, getting her attention.

She turned to face me, her brow furrowing slightly as she tilted her head in curiosity. Her expression was so open, so innocent. It made me feel even more like a liar than I already did.

I couldn't delay it any longer.

I typed quickly into my phone, watching her eyes as she read the words, "I killed Freed"

I watched her face closely, my heart pounding. I could see the shock hit her like a wave. Her lips parted slightly, but nothing came out at first. The questions were storming inside her mind. I should've known she'd react like this. Who wouldn't be shocked?

I don't know how to talk in circles, I get straight to the point.

She blinked, staring at the phone in my hand as if trying to process it. She doesn't understand. She's probably thinking if I'm a monster or if I'm just a liar. And I don't know which one is worse. Monster sounds cooler than a liar but it's up to her what she took me as in her mind.

She took a slow breath before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why? Why did you... kill him?"

That's a fair question.

I typed into my phone again, my fingers moving faster than I expected. "He was after your Sacred Gear. He was going to take it from you and for the very same reason, he attacked me last night. If I hadn't done something, he would have killed me."

I could feel her gaze on me now—steady, but still uncertain. She was thinking deeply now, I can tell she doesn't trust me. Not yet. And why should she? She doesn't know if I was a good or an evil person

There was a pause. I was waiting for her to lash out, to question me further, but instead, she just looked down for a moment, like she was gathering her thoughts. She looked... tired. Tired in a way I couldn't explain, but it felt like she had already been through too much for someone so young.

"I see..." she murmured, her voice quiet. "I didn't know... I didn't know someone would go that far just to take my Sacred Gear."

Of course, she didn't know. She never asked for any of this. She didn't ask for the troubles that came with the sacred gear. I bet if she never got this power, she would have lived a good life in church.

I looked at her, fighting the urge to look away. She's been through enough. She doesn't need to carry this burden alone. But I don't know if I'm the person to help her. I don't even know if I'm any better than the ones who've used her before.

"I am looking members for my group. Would you like to join?"

She looked at me, her eyes wide, and I could see the hesitation there. But there was a faint glimmer of hope, or maybe desperation. It was hard to tell but

"Can I join…you?," she said slowly, almost as if it wasn't real what she just heard.

I nodded. She's trying to piece it together. She's asking more, but she's still afraid to ask everything. She wants to know what's really going on. She wants to know if she's just a pawn in my game.

"Yes," I typed. "Kinda like a faction. I don't know how it will happen, but I will make it happen and I will protect you till the very end of my life if you join me"

She didn't say anything for a long moment, just stared at me, her eyes soft and thoughtful. She's thinking it over. She's trying to decide if she believes me.

I could feel the tension rising between us, the gap between us growing with every second she stayed silent. I didn't know if this was the right thing to do. If I should even ask. But I had to.

I typed, my fingers shaking slightly. "So will you join me?"

She blinked, looking surprised, and then she smiled, though it was faint. "I... I think I will."

Her voice was soft, and there was something fragile in it. She's trusting me. But why? She barely knows me. She's just... desperate. Maybe that's all this is. But it feels different. I don't want her to regret this decision.

I felt the weight of it all settle over me. I'm not sure what I'm offering her. Or if I'm even capable of protecting her. But now she's here, with me, and I can't back out on my words.

I looked at her, trying to find the words. "Thank you" I typed finally "I'll protect you. I swear it."

She gave a small nod, her expression softening just a little. It's not much. But it's a start of new relationship between me and her.

Asia's gaze softened slightly; her expression still thoughtful but more relaxed than before. We had navigated the awkwardness between us for long enough, but I could still feel the weight of her questions pressing down on me. Her trust in me, tentative as it was, seemed to be growing with every word.

Then, after a moment, she asked a question that caught me off guard. "You said you're building a group… Who else is in it?"

Who else, huh?

"Well," I said, glancing away for a moment as I tried to figure out how to put this. "I do have one other member"

Her eyebrows knitted together as curiosity flickered in her eyes. She doesn't expect me to say something like this, does she?

I raised my hand, snapping my fingers. The familiar hum of energy pulsed through the room. My fingers tingled, and in the next instant, the small marble that had been resting on the table earlier began to glow faintly.

Asia gasped as a stream of energy swirled around it, the marble cracking open with a faint sound, revealing a burst of light that almost seemed to shimmer in the air. With a soft, playful pop, Espeon graced us with it's presence.

"Espeon," I said softly, giving a small, almost apologetic glance toward Asia. "He's... well, he's not quite human, but he's loyal."

Asia's eyes widened in surprise, but there was no fear in her expression—just genuine wonder. Of course, she would react like that. She's never seen anything like it before.

Espeon tilted its head, inspecting her for a moment. Then, with a soft leap, it hopped onto her lap. Asia stiffened for a second, clearly not expecting it, but then a warm smile spread across her face. She looked down at the Pokemon, her hands reaching out hesitantly, and soon enough, Espeon nudged its head against her arm, as if urging her to pet it.

"Ah…" she breathed, her voice softer now. "He's... so cute."

She seemed genuinely happy—maybe more than she had been since the moment I met her.

I let out a small sigh. For a moment, I just watched them—Asia's hands slowly moving over Espeon's smooth fur as the creature purred contentedly.

How can someone think of hurting an angel like her?