DXD: Samsara Finis

As we walked down the corridor, silence draped over us—not tense, but awkward.

I cleared my throat, hoping to slice through it.

"Hmm… Kaichou?"

Sona glanced sideways, her expression unreadable behind her glasses.

"I finally got a break from paperwork," she said, her voice calm as ever. "I thought I'd take a walk around the festival. Then I was informed that someone causing a scene."

Her gaze sharpened, landing squarely on me. I scratched the back of my neck, sheepish.

"Um… sorry?"

She raised an eyebrow.

I straightened and gave a mock salute. "Then allow me to accompany you, Kaichou. I'll ensure no further disturbances interrupt your well-earned peace."

For a moment, I expected a dry remark, maybe a sharp dismissal. But instead, she sighed—and the corners of her mouth twitched, like a smile almost slipped through.

"Very well."

We began to walk again. Then it hit me.

"Wait… Kaichou, is this a date?"

She stopped mid-step, turned, and smacked me lightly on the head with her clipboard.

"No."

I grinned, rubbing the spot. "Got it. Not a date. Copy that."

The school festival was in full swing by the time we stepped outside. The courtyard was a blur of colors and sounds—laughter, chatter, the hum of music from nearby performances. Students in yukata and cosplay drifted between booths, lights from paper lanterns overhead casting warm glows across the path. The air was thick with the scent of grilled yakitori, sweet mochi, and fried squid.

I walked slightly ahead but glanced back every few steps. Sona wasn't rushing, nor was she stiff as usual. Her eyes flicked from booth to booth, taking everything in with a quiet sort of curiosity.

"So," I asked, "what's your festival weakness? Cotton candy? Shooting gallery? Goldfish scooping?"

"I don't indulge in such frivolities," she began—but then stopped.

Just ahead, a young child had dropped her candy apple and started to cry. Without hesitation, Sona knelt down, produced a folded handkerchief from her coat, and gently dabbed the sticky tears from the girl's cheeks.

"There, it's alright," she said gently. "Let's go get you another one."

The girl sniffled and nodded. Her mother gave a grateful bow before leading her away.

I blinked. "You're… surprisingly gentle, Kaichou."

"I'm strict, not unkind," she replied without looking at me.

We stopped at a ring toss booth next. At the back, like some smug final boss, a massive capybara plush sat surrounded by lesser prizes.

I pointed at it. "That thing's staring into my soul," I said. "I must have it."

Sona raised a brow. "Are you always this childish?"

"Not childish—but look at that thing tho," I said. "I bet I can win it in one try."

"Then I propose a deal," she said, folding her arms. "If you win, I'll overlook today's disturbance. No punishment."

My grin widened. "And if I lose?"

"You owe me lunch."

Challenge accepted.

I grabbed two rings. First throw—clink. A miss.

I exhaled, narrowed my eyes. Visualized the target. Tossed.

Second ring sailed in a perfect arc—and thunk—landed squarely around the bottle's neck.

A bell rang, and the booth runner clapped. "Winner! Big prize!"

Sona blinked. "You actually did it."

I cradled the oversized capybara in my arms and turned to her with mock grandeur. "Behold. Fluff-sama, the guardian of my dignity."

"Your naming sense is tragic."

We wandered on, Fluff-sama nestled in my arms. Soon, we found a taiyaki stall. I bought two—one red bean, one custard—and handed her the latter.

"Here. Custard. Your favorite, right?"

She paused. "How did you know?"

"I noticed. Back when I offered you that sandwich at the rooftop—you took the custard-filled one without hesitation."

Her eyes lingered on me for a beat. Then she accepted it with a quiet "…Hmm."

We settled near a koi pond where floating lanterns bobbed gently across the water's surface. The noise of the festival faded into a soft background melody of laughter and cheer.

Sona took a small bite of the taiyaki. For a moment, her usual mask slipped—just a little.

"It's good," she murmured.

We sat there a while, beneath the paper lanterns and early stars, the plush capybara sitting between us like a peace treaty.

And for the first time in a long while, the silence between us didn't feel awkward at all.

For a while, Sona said nothing. 

Then, finally—

"You were going to attack him."

It wasn't a question.

I didn't respond.

She turned to face me. Her voice lowered.

"You almost lost control, Lucivar."

I met her eyes. For a moment, I wanted to lie. To pretend it was nothing. But the weight in her gaze wouldn't let me.

"…He talked about someone important to me," I said. "Mocked them. Used them. And said he'd make sure I failed."

Sona's expression didn't change, but something in her eyes flickered—understanding, perhaps.

"You're right. He crossed a line." She paused, her gaze steady. "But if you had struck him… he would've made sure you were the one punished."

My jaw tightened. "I know."

She studied me for a long moment, her expression unreadable.

"Next time, wait for us. The Student Council takes these matters seriously, and you're a student under our protection. "

I blinked at her choice of words—there was a subtle undertone to it—but decided not to poke the sleeping devil.

Then she changed the topic. "So… about the bet. Do you think you can win?"

I scratched my cheek, exhaling slowly. "Honestly? I'm not sure. The competition format is based on votes—70% from the student body, 30% from the judges. Each student can only vote for one performer. If I manage to get maybe 80 to 90% of the student votes, then yeah… I could win."

Sona tilted her head. "But?"

I blinked, caught off guard, then i look at the sky.

She raised an eyebrow.

I sighed. "But… I'm not confident in the performance itself. I feel like something's missing. It doesn't feel complete, like there's a note I can't quite reach—not musically, but emotionally."

She was quiet for a moment, then said, "Don't worry, Lucivar, just do your best. As Student Council President, I promise to support you as best I can. You don't have to carry everything alone. Just focus on your performance."

That caught me off guard more than I expected.

"…Thanks, Kaichou."

I adjusted the plush capybara under my arm—Fluff-sama—and gave her a small smile. "Then I'll excuse myself for now. I need to prepare for tomorrow's performance."

I extended Fluff-sama toward her. "Oh—here. For you."

Her brow lifted. "Are you trying to bribe me for a vote?"

Stunned, I let out a laugh. "Hahaha! No, Kaichou. This is just a thank-you gift. For helping me today."

She stared at the plush toy for a second longer than necessary, then accepted it—awkwardly, like someone unfamiliar with receiving gifts.

"…Thank you," she said, so softly I almost didn't catch it.

As I walked away, I glanced back once. Sona stood there, holding the oversized plushie, watching me disappear into the crowd.

And for just a second, I thought I saw the faintest smile on her lips.

Sona Sitri's POV

As Eishi Lucivar disappeared into the crowd, still carrying the energy of his smile, I felt Tsubaki's familiar presence behind me.

She approached with her usual grace. I spoke first.

"What did you find?"

Tsubaki didn't hesitate. "Tenjou Kazuma. Human. Affiliated with the Gremory Corporation. Officially, he holds the title of Talent Acquisition Manager… but unofficially, he knows about the supernatural. He's contracted with one of the Gremory devils—likely a mid-tier."

I let out a quiet sigh. "I see. Then under normal conditions, we can't move against him."

Tsubaki nodded. "Correct. He's protected under Gremory jurisdiction. But... Kaichou, are you willing to let him do as he pleases?"

My jaw tightened at the implication. "Of course not. Eishi Lucivar is still a student of Kuoh Academy. That means he's under my protection, regardless of what world Tenjou plays in. If he crosses the line…" I paused. "I'll speak to Rias first. But if push comes to shove, I'll take Lucivar under my household."

Tsubaki's eyes widened slightly. "You mean…"

"I'll make him my pawn."

"…Understood, Kaichou."

There was a moment of silence. Then Tsubaki fidgeted—unusual for her.

"Something else?" I asked.

She hesitated, then spoke, "About Eishi Lucivar… Is he…?"

I nodded before she could finish. "Yes. He's — a"

______________________________________________________

By the time I returned home, the stars had already settled into their usual constellations, winking down from a velvet sky.

I dropped my bag by the door, still half-floating from the day—walking with Sona, that weird but warm moment at the koi pond, and giving her Fluff-sama.

After a quick shower, I collapsed onto my bed, letting the hum of the ceiling fan lull my nerves. Then, without thinking, I raised my hand.

"Status window," I whispered.

The faint blue screen shimmered into existence, its ethereal glow lighting up the room like moonlight.

________________________________________________________

Name: Eishi lucivar

Age: 17

Points:12

Main Class : (B) Violinist - Mastery (99%)

Sub Class : (B) Singer - Mastery (67%)

Others:

(B) Martial Artist - Mastery ( 62%)

(C) Pianist - Mastery (80%)

(C) Chess Master - Mastery (53%)

Available Classes:

(C) Villager – 1 pts

(C) Illustrator – 1 pts

(B) Chef – 2 pts

(B) Alchemist – 2 pts

(B) Soccer (GoalKeeper) – 2 pts

(A) Dark Slayer – Mastery (5%) - 20 pts

(A) Tech Engineer – 20 pts

(A) Dreamweaver – 20 pts

(S) Unknown – Locked

The moment I saw it, my heart sank.

Violinist – Mastery: 99%

Still stuck.

Still unchanging.

A number that mocked me with its perfect imperfection.

It didn't make sense. I'd done everything right. My bowing was precise, my timing flawless. I had spent countless hours perfecting technique.

But it didn't matter.

No matter how passionately I threw myself into the music, that single missing percent refused to budge. Like a door I couldn't open, no matter how hard I pounded on it.

That 1%.

My shoulders slumped.

I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, palms over my face. My fingers curled and tensed, brushing against air as if trying to grab something invisible. Maybe… hoping to grab an answer that just wouldn't come.

What am I missing…?

My eyes flicked back to the system window, shifting away from the mastery list and toward the newly unlocked section.

A-Rank Classes.

Unlocked after… that dream.

(A) Dark Slayer - Mastery (5%) - 20pts

(A) Tech Engineer - 20pts

(A) Dreamweaver - 20pts

20 points each. I only had 12.

I exhaled slowly through my nose. 

But my heart wasn't in it. Not right now. Not when my mind kept circling back to the stage tomorrow.

The school festival performance. That mattered more.

I closed the system window with a lazy wave. The digital interface blinked out of existence, and the room was plunged into darkness again, lit only by the moonlight spilling through the window.

I leaned back into my bed, the mattress creaking slightly under the weight of exhaustion. My mind buzzed with noise, with frustration—but my body had long since run out of fuel.

The tension in my muscles melted into the sheets. My eyes closed before I even told them to.

. . . .