Chapter 19

"Hmm?............... Onee-sama?"

Sona, instantly recognizing the familiar voice, knew it was her sister, Serafall. Looking toward the source, she saw a magical girl flying in the sky, dressed in a pink outfit, gliding gracefully toward her.

Bang!

Sona, without hesitation, tilted her head and delivered a swift elbow strike straight to Serafall’s abdomen. Of course, with Sona's strength, it wouldn't hurt Serafall in the slightest. This was simply her way of expressing her anger.

"You used my devil pieces to reincarnate Shoyo-kun without permission, Onee-sama. You really have the nerve to show up here."

This had clearly crossed Sona’s bottom line. Still, Serafall, being the clingy older sister she was, didn’t care in the slightest. She immediately clambered up Sona’s outstretched arm and wrapped herself tightly around her waist.

"Wait… wait… Onee-sama?"

Her sister was being openly affectionate again! Onee-sama, please have some awareness of the situation!

"Onee-sama knows she was wrong, so she came to show her sincerity, you know..." Serafall's eyes welled with tears. Ahhh... Sona-chan’s body still feels so nice!

"Sincerity?" Sona narrowed her eyes suspiciously. The reincarnation had failed. What kind of sincerity could she be talking about?

"Un un! Onee-sama went to Ajuka-chin, you know! He can definitely solve Sona-chan’s problem!" Serafall said with total confidence.

"Wait! Serafall-sama? That 'Ajuka-chin'... do you mean Maou Ajuka?!"

Rias was stunned. Was it really necessary to trouble a Maou just for one failed reincarnation?
Well... Shoyo had swallowed the devil pieces again and hadn't shown any signs of being successfully reincarnated. Hm... maybe it was necessary. But did Serafall-sama know that she had also attempted to reincarnate Shoyo? Probably not.

That means Serafall went straight to another Maou just because Sona’s pieces didn’t work? That’s a whole new level of doting...

"Un un! That's right, yo! Rias-chan… come out, Ajuka-chin!"

With Serafall’s dramatic call, a green magic circle lit up the floor of the Occult Research Club.

"Oh? This magic was also in that crystal ball..."

Shoyo narrowed his eyes. Hmph, this is just basic projection magic. I know this too.
Under everyone’s gaze, a phantom image appeared on the ground, an elegant man with sharp eyes filled with wisdom. As soon as he manifested, he looked directly at Shoyo.

"You must be the young man the next head of the Sitri family values. I am Ajuka. If you don’t mind, you may call me ‘Sensei’."

Ajuka offered a calm smile. Not “Master,” but “Teacher.” He saw the potential in Shoyo to one day rival him. In the Underworld, the title of “Master” implied a much deeper, more personal bond. A mere instructional relationship didn’t warrant it.

"Hmm... Ajuka Sensei, what you teach truly is useful."

Shoyo nodded politely. The goodwill of such a powerful being, especially at his current level, was invaluable. Ajuka stood among the top tiers of strength in the world. Their compatibility felt natural, and with Shoyo’s rapid learning and immense spiritual energy, he’d need powerful spells to ascend further.

After the initial greeting, Ajuka turned to the two heiresses.

"Rias, Sona, I’m already aware of the details. From now on, Shoyo-kun will be a shared peerage member between the two of you. There's no issue updating the devil piece system to reflect this."

"Eh?!" Rias blinked in shock.

"Hmm?!" Sona raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, if you’re not satisfied, there are alternative options," Ajuka added, watching their reactions.

"What options?" Sona asked, intrigued.

"I can collect unused devil pieces from the rest of the Underworld. With those, Shoyo-kun could be successfully reincarnated and start with great power. However..."

"But he wouldn't be registered under our peerages anymore, right?" Sona adjusted her glasses.
Right, this option was out.

"Let’s forget that."

Rias also immediately dismissed it.

"Then it’s settled. From this moment forward, Shoyo-kun will be the shared peerage member of Sona Sitri and Rias Gremory."

Just as Ajuka expected, both girls agreed.

"Alright."

"No problem."

Both replied, though a hint of dissatisfaction laced their voices, not at Ajuka’s decision, but at each other.

Sona regretted agreeing to Rias’s earlier request. If she’d known the reincarnation wouldn’t succeed, Shoyo-kun would’ve been hers alone!

Rias, meanwhile, was annoyed by Sona's sister had been so reckless. If you wanted him in your sister peerage, do it properly! Don’t go shoving devil pieces into him behind our backs!

"Rias Gremory. Sona Sitri. You two will be remembered in the Underworld’s history for this, this incompletely reincarnated devil."

Ajuka spoke solemnly.

"Eh? Ajuka-chin? Are you that sure?" Serafall tilted her head curiously.

"Hmm. I just checked my crystal ball. The fact that he learned 26 lessons in a single day yesterday... with such an aptitude, he could reach Maou-level within a few years."

Ajuka stared at Shoyo. In truth, his internal estimate was much shorter. If Shoyo followed his guidance, he could reach Maou-class in a few months. Possibly even surpass it and touch the transcendent realm. But he chose not to say that aloud, yet.

"Reach Maou-level in just a few years?!"

Sona and Rias gasped. Devils experienced time differently, a few years to them was like mere weeks.

"Well... I’m not too sure either."

Shoyo’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.

Was this a joke? Become a Maou in a few years? Was that an insult?

Even Issei Hyoudou had reached that level of combat power in a year using the power of his Sacred Gear and Balance Breaker. Was he going to take years?

Although… to be fair, Issei used an external power. Shoyo was aiming to reach it with his own strength.

"By the way, Shoyo-kun," Ajuka continued, “the most promising unreincarnated devil, I want to ask you something."

That term unreincarnated devil sounded odd, but it was accurate. Ajuka had cut through the chatter and was finally reaching the core reason he appeared today.

"Ajuka-sama, please ask. What’s the question?"
Shoyo looked him in the eye. He hadn’t expected Ajuka to check his “homework” so quickly and reveal how far he'd progressed. Honestly, it was that Maou girl’s fault! If she hadn’t shown up at his house, none of this would’ve happened.

Now, Ajuka saw he’d completed all the lessons on his own.

Ajuka looked at him, a flicker of amazement in his gaze.

"I want to ask you, Shoyo-kun, would you be willing to become my closed-door disciple? My only disciple."

He spoke slowly, and everyone in the room froze.

"Eh!? Ajuka-chin? You want to take a disciple?!"
Serafall’s twin tails bounced with her shock.

"Hmm. Serafall, I see infinite potential in him. The power to change the world. If he agrees, it will benefit both the Underworld and his own growth."

"Become your disciple, huh..."

Shoyo’s eyes narrowed. Then, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

"I don’t really like the title ‘Master’. How about… ‘Ajuka-sensei’ instead?"

A transcendent-level master, with deep knowledge, high status, and the willingness to protect him if needed? Where else could he find such a teacher?

But Shoyo wasn’t the type to care much for status.

Ajuka probably wanted him as a disciple because he believed Shoyo would eventually have to give back to the Underworld.

To others, Shoyo might seem like a future cornerstone of the devil world.

But to Shoyo?

“I am not from the Underworld. The Underworld is mine.”

He just didn’t like the title Master. Sensei felt just right.


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