In terms of cooking skills, Miku was indeed not very proficient.
Badr didn't say much. He picked up a fork, took a bite, and his eyebrows shot up.
"...So sweet."
It was not only overly sweet but also stuck to his teeth.
As for what it was... it seemed to be a cake.
Badr thanked his lucky stars that it wasn't bitter or burnt.
"In terms of taste, it's still edible. People with a sweet tooth might enjoy it."
Seeing Miku's disheartened expression, Badr tried to find something positive to say.
He understood the girl's intentions. Badr felt that it was normal for girls to have their first crushes. After all, who didn't experience the pure and innocent pangs of first love?
These feelings would naturally fade away as they matured.
He wasn't boasting, but Badr genuinely believed he was a decent catch. A little bit of confidence was necessary.
Moreover, Badr knew he was only here because of his devil identity. After completing the commission, who knew what would happen?
Perhaps after a while, they would come to dislike him.
Hearing Badr's words, Miku's confidence recovered slightly.
Seeing this, Ichika smiled and pulled her aside, whispering,
"Miku, do you like Badr?"
"Eh?"
Miku was taken aback by the straightforward question but didn't want to deny it. She nodded softly.
"Yes."
Ichika sighed inwardly. As expected, Miku also liked Badr. The dessert she had just made was specifically learned for him.
She had already taken action.
So what did her own feelings count for...?
A wave of bitterness washed over Ichika.
As they spent more time together, Ichika gradually realized that she had also fallen for Badr.
He was always so confident and composed, likely stemming from his immense strength and confidence, which amplified his charm.
But now, Miku also liked him. Was she, as the older sister, supposed to compete with her for his affection?
"I plan to confess to him after getting the highest score among the five of us in this exam," Miku suddenly declared with newfound courage, as if she had made up her mind.
"Is... is that so?"
After a moment of surprise, Ichika quickly put on a smile and expressed her support. "That's great, Miku. You have to do your best."
"I will. I'm confident."
Miku appeared determined and resolute. This usually reserved girl had become much braver and more open.
Glancing at the time, it was already past eight in the evening, so Badr stood up to leave.
"I'll come back on Wednesday. The exam results should be out by then."
The girls' eyes held a hint of reluctance. Although they spent most of their time with Badr studying, they found that time seemed to fly by whenever they were with him.
Miku silently encouraged herself.
There was a saying that a person could change drastically in just three days. She had to achieve that. When Badr returned in three days, she would make him see her in a new light.
After bidding farewell to everyone, Badr returned home through a magic circle.
Rias and Asia weren't there. They must have gone back to the castle. Badr sent a message to Rias, informing her of his return.
Although he had only been away for a few days, it felt like he had experienced a lot during that time.
Moreover, Mai Sakurajima and Nodoka Toyohama's issues were still unresolved, and the quintuplets' final exam results were yet to be released. These matters weighed on his mind...
After taking a shower, he went back to his room and collapsed onto the bed, closing his eyes and entering a meditative state.
Soon, the light of a magic circle illuminated his room, and Rias figure emerged...
...
It was five in the morning.
Despite being the weekend, Badr woke up early.
his control over his powers had improved significantly.
He had nearly mastered the newly acquired holy power.
It was a strange sensation. In the past, merely coming into contact with holy power would cause him discomfort and pain, but now he felt nothing of the sort.
These changes made Badr incredibly curious about his own situation.
He didn't understand how he had become like this, but considering the immense power of the black city within his consciousness, these transformations didn't seem so far-fetched.
In any case, he had become stronger, which was a good thing.
Opening his eyes, Badr heard the steady rhythm of breathing beside him.
He turned his head, and as expected, it was Rias.
After receiving his message last night, she must have come here alone without even calling Asia...
Indeed, if she wasn't careful, it wouldn't be just Asia. Even Akeno Himejima might sneak over for a nighttime visit...
Badr turned on his side, gazing at Rias beautiful sleeping face, so close to his own.
Rias truly lived up to her title of "Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess." She possessed a cool and aloof aura, always exuding a regal presence, and her demeanor and speech reflected her upbringing as a high-class devil noblewoman.
He gently embraced Rias, feeling the warmth and softness of her body. Badr's heart was filled with tranquility.
It was quite enjoyable to be able to indulge in such tenderness every day.
Badr smiled to himself, his hands tracing the contours of Rias body, unintentionally waking her up.
"Morning..."
She mumbled, her eyes fluttering open to meet Badr's gaze. She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.
"Are you going for your morning training?"
"Yes."
"I'll join you."
Rias sat up, revealing her smooth, fair skin beneath the covers, a sight of breathtaking beauty.
"Today's training might be a bit different," Badr said softly. "Do you know how to increase holy power?"
"Huh? That's something angels and Fallen Angels would worry about. Why do you care?"
Yawning, Rias seemed a bit drowsy. She stretched languidly, accentuating her curves.
Badr naturally took the opportunity to admire her for a moment. Sensing his gaze, Rias gave him a seductive look, extending her leg to gently caress his calf, her touch filled with playful invitation.
On any other day, Badr would have succumbed to her advances, but right now, there were more important matters at hand.
So, Badr silently raised his hands.
In the next moment, two distinct powers, holy power and demonic power, condensed above his palms.
Rias expression froze.
"What... what's going on?"
"I discovered it accidentally during my training yesterday. Remember what Kokabiel said about the imbalance between holy and demonic power? It's probably related to that."
Badr calmly explained his hypothesis.
Her expression turned serious, and Rias quickly got out of bed, ignoring her current state of undress, and approached Badr, carefully sensing the energies emanating from him.
"...You're right. It really is holy power. This intense feeling of discomfort can't be fake..."
She looked at Badr with astonishment. "Don't you feel uncomfortable? A devil's body should reject holy power."
"I don't feel anything at all."
...
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Chapter 104: Xenovia Joining, Summer's Pool!
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...
And so, Badr shared his suspicions about the possible influence of his Sacred Gear with Rias. She nodded thoughtfully.
"I've done extensive research on your Sacred Gear, but there are no records of it anywhere. However, considering its immense power, it's not unreasonable to think it might possess some extraordinary abilities..."
"Indeed. Leaving it unused would be a waste. We need to find a way to utilize this power."
"You're right."
Rias smiled. "It's certainly a good thing that you're becoming stronger. However, you've asked the wrong person about Enhancing holy power... I've got it! Let's head to school. I'll introduce you to a new companion!"
"...A new companion? Someone you recruited recently?"
"Hehe, you'll find out when we get there."
Rias chuckled mysteriously. After changing her clothes, she dragged Badr off for their morning training.
After their workout and a brief rest, it was 8 a.m. Badr and Rias arrived at the Occult Research Club's clubroom.
Akeno and the others had already gathered, but there was an extra person present, someone Badr knew quite well.
"Xenovia?"
The person who had teleported into the clubroom with them was one of the two Holy Sword wielders they had encountered before. Moreover, unlike the other, Xenovia was a natural-born Holy Sword user, wielding the complete Durandal.
"We meet again."
Xenovia greeted Badr.
"Is the new companion you mentioned Xenovia?"
In response, Xenovia answered Badr's question with an action.
A pair of black devil wings unfolded behind her, then quickly retracted.
Badr was silent for two seconds before looking at her with a puzzled expression. "Is this really alright? You were a Holy Sword wielder before. Reincarnating as a devil must be something you find hard to accept, right?"
He remembered how Xenovia had harshly mocked Asia initially, which had angered Badr enough to reprimand her.
"Ah, that's precisely why I need to apologize to Asia. I'm sorry. I didn't consider things from your perspective. After becoming a devil, I've experienced the same scorn and hatred from others."
Xenovia spoke sincerely. "So, Asia, if you want to vent your anger, you can hit me."
"Eh... There's no need. I'm actually quite happy after becoming a devil!" Asia replied with a smile.
For some reason, Badr felt a faint holy aura emanating from Asia...
Was he mistaken? Asia was clearly a devil...
"Honestly, I don't know if the decision I made was right or wrong. Oh, Almighty God, please guide me... Amen... Ouch!!!"
Xenovia suddenly clutched her head and crouched down, her face contorted in pain.
Badr and the others watched, speechless.
The scene seemed oddly familiar.
Asia had been like this before.
Praying to God after becoming a devil was bound to cause a headache.
"Rias, what's Xenovia's peerage piece?"
"She's a Bishop."
Rias explained with a smile. Xenovia would have been a good fit for a Knight, but that position was already occupied by Badr, who held two peerage pieces.
Since Xenovia wielded Durandal, she required a substantial amount of demonic power. Therefore, between the remaining Rook and Bishop pieces, Rias chose to bestow upon her the Bishop piece.
Its vast magical capacity was perfect for the former Holy Sword wielder.
...
With the addition of a new comrade, Badr extended his warm welcome.
Moreover, as a natural-born Holy Sword user, Xenovia possessed considerable strength. Her presence would undoubtedly make future battles much easier.
"Speaking of which, Xenovia, I have a question for you." After welcoming her, Badr posed his question.
"How does one enhance holy power?"
Except for Rias, everyone was puzzled by Badr's sudden inquiry.
Seeing their confusion, Badr didn't hide anything. He demonstrated his holy power in front of everyone.
"...Incredible. Aren't you a devil?"
Xenovia, intimately familiar with holy power, stared wide-eyed.
"It might be due to my Sacred Gear. I've become capable of manipulating holy power, but I don't know how to strengthen it quickly. I can only instinctively gather and accumulate it, which is incredibly inefficient."
After listening to Badr's explanation, Xenovia didn't hold back.
"Holy power typically comes from the blessings of faith or bestowed by a God."
Badr frowned slightly. "Those are difficult for me to achieve."
As a devil, how could he possibly gather faith?
As for receiving a God's blessing, that was even more ludicrous. The Gods were all dead. Even if one were still alive, they would likely try to kill him, a devil, rather than bless him...
Xenovia realized he was right and chuckled awkwardly. "Other than that, you can only slowly meditate..."
Suddenly, an idea struck her, and her eyes lit up. "Oh, there's another way. You can absorb holy power from sacred objects."
"What are holy objects?"
Rias interjected.
"Things like holy swords, holy cross seals, sacred relics, and the like. They're basically objects capable of inflicting large-scale damage on devils."
She sighed, spreading her hands. "During the previous Great War, the devil race suffered greatly at the hands of these sacred objects. Later, their numbers dwindled. I never thought we'd need them now..."
Badr felt a pang of regret. If that was the case, he had lost a potential avenue for rapid growth.
"There are still quite a few sacred objects out there, they just haven't been discovered yet. Even among the common folk, there might be Gears once used by saints."
Xenovia paused in thought, then added, "I'll teach you the meditation. There are no shortcuts to success."
"Alright, thank you."
Badr expressed his gratitude with a smile, not feeling discouraged. He always maintained a positive attitude.
After all, in this world, there was no such thing as free power. Power always came at a price.
Having obtained the method for Enhancing holy power from Xenovia, Badr was in good spirits. He stood by the window, gazing at the school outside.
"It seems the school has been mostly repaired."
"It's fully restored. Classes will resume tomorrow. We have one more task to complete today, and that's cleaning the swimming pool," Rias said with a smile.
"Isn't that the Student Council's job?" Badr asked, puzzled.
"Oh my, have you forgotten who accidentally injured the Student Council members with a single sword strike that day?" Akeno teased, her eyes twinkling.
"..."
Reminded by Akeno, Badr recalled that day when he had not only sliced through half the school and over a dozen mountains with a single swing of his sword but also accidentally injured the Student Council members who were maintaining the barrier.
"...Are they alright?"
"Don't worry, the Maou Leviathan healed them," Rias assured him, waving her hand dismissively. "To repay the favor, I took on the task of cleaning the swimming pool. And as a reward, we get to have the pool all to ourselves today!"
Akeno suddenly wrapped her arms around Badr's neck from behind, whispering seductively into his ear, "I've prepared a very sexy swimsuit, you know~"
"Hey, Akeno!"
