Chapter 96 — Too Many Girls, Too Much Luggage

Issei

It was after school on the day before summer vacation.

There were a lot of things a man could prepare himself for.

A quiz.

A devil job.

A Fallen Angel attack.

Getting lectured by Buchou.

Getting beaten by Koneko-chan.

But there were some things you couldn’t prepare for. 

I was thinking that while standing in front of my house in the late afternoon, staring like an idiot at the pile of luggage on the ground while my brain tried to understand.

Suitcases.

Bags.

Boxes.

A long wrapped case that was probably a weapon and definitely not something a normal household should have sitting outside its front door.

And standing around all that luggage like this was somehow a perfectly ordinary thing were Akeno-san, Xenovia, Yuuto-san, Koneko-chan, and Yuki-san.

All here.

All with luggage.

All in front of my house.

I pointed at the mountain of bags. Then at the girls. Then at the bags again.

“…What… are you all doing here?”

Akeno-san smiled at me so sweetly that it immediately made me nervous.

“My, what a wonderful welcome, Ise-kun. I thought perhaps you would say something more excited.”

“I’m trying to process the situation!”

“It’s pretty simple what is happening,” Xenovia said flatly.

Yuuto-san gave me a small, apologetic smile, though there was something gentler in it than usual. “You do look a little pale, Ise-kun.”

I was confused as to why every girl in the club was standing outside of my door like they were about to move in.

Of course I was shocked!

We didn’t have space for everyone.

Koneko-chan held a large bag in each hand like it weighed nothing.

“…Senpai, your face is stupid right now.” She said.

“Koneko-chan, that’s not how you reassure somebody!”

“I wasn’t trying to.”

Yuki-san stood just a little apart from the others, one hand on the handle of a dark suitcase.

She only had that one small suitcase with her while the other girls each had at least two bags.

It had been a little while since she had asked us to start calling her Yuki rather than Kusari.

I had gotten a lot better about not slipping up with it too.

Though she never seemed upset with me when I did, which was nice.

She looked better now that Asia had managed to heal her arm.

She had said it was pretty much back to normal, but Yuki-san was still favoring her other arm at the moment 

She glanced at me. “Are you done staring?”

“Huh?”

“You’ve been standing there looking at us silently for at least a minute.”

I rubbed the back of my head and mumbled and apology.

Akeno-san giggled.

“Ise-kun is just distracted by the wall of pretty girls.”

The front door opened before I could recover.

“Ohoho, they’ve arrived?”

Mom came out first, cheerful as always, wiping her hands on her apron.

Dad leaned out from behind her with the kind of relaxed smile only a man who didn’t understand the danger around him could manage.

“Welcome, welcome,” Mom said. “Please come in. We cleared space like Rias-chan said.”

“Thank you very much for having us,” Yuuto-san said politely at once.

Each of the girls bowed to my mom as they went to enter the house with their bags.

Yuki-san did the same, careful and polite. “Thank you for letting us stay.”

Mom smiled warmly at her before giving her a small hug. “Of course. Anyone important to Ise and Rias-chan is welcome here.”

For just a second, Yuki-san went very still.

She looked lost for a moment as she was hugged.

Then when my mom backed away she bowed again. “Thank you.”

Dad whistled low as he looked over the luggage. “This sure is lively.”

“It makes sense to live together. It is more efficient," Xenovia said.

Mom blinked. “Efficient?”

“Yes. We are consolidating.”

Dad nodded like that made perfect sense. “Ah.”

Why were my parents so good at accepting strange things?

Asia came hurrying from inside the house, already wearing her apron as she must have been helping Mom. “Ah! Everyone’s here!”

She brightened immediately, especially when she saw Yuki-san. “Yuki, are you feeling alright? Your arm isn’t hurting too much?”

Yuki-san’s expression softened by a fraction. “I’m fine, Asia. That’s to you I feel must better.”

Asia beamed at her before going to greet Xenovia next.

Then Buchou stepped into the doorway behind her.

The moment she appeared, I couldn’t help but stare.

Beautiful crimson hair.

Calm posture.

That natural noble pressure around her.

Even in something as ordinary as gathering people at a house, she somehow looked like she was presiding over something important.

Buchou really was amazing.

Then I noticed she was looking entirely too amused at my confusion.

“…Buchou.”

“Yes, Ise?”

“What is going on?”

She tilted her head slightly. “The rest of the girls are moving in.”

My brain froze again.

“T-they’re really moving in?”

Akeno-san put a finger to her lips. “Ara. You don’t sound too happy about it, Ise-kun. Do you not like us?”

“It’s not that! We don’t have enough space!”

“We can fit,” Xenovia agreed. “We will just have to bunk together.”

Yuuto-san laughed softly. 

I pointed at her accusingly. “Yuuto-san! Don’t join them!”

“I haven’t said anything.”

“But you’re laughing!”

Koneko-chan stepped around me and started carrying one of the boxes inside. “If Issei-senpai is done making noise, we should move the luggage before it gets dark.”

Mom clapped her hands. “That’s right. Come in, everyone.”

What followed was chaos.

There was on order and each person had their own plan of how things should be moved into the house.

The entryway became clogged with bags almost immediately.

Dad took one of the heavier suitcases from Yuuto-san and nearly dropped it when he realized it weighed far more than it looked like it should.

“What’s in this thing?”

“Swords,” Xenovia answered.

Dad blinked.

Then Mom laughed. “Such an silly girl.”

Xenovia frowned. “I don’t joke about weapons.”

I grabbed the bag before Dad could ask any more questions.

Akeno-san drifted past me and leaned close enough that her voice brushed my ear.

“You seem very motivated all of a sudden, Ise-kun. It seems like you do want us here.”

“That’s because if I don’t carry things right now, my father is going to open a bag full of weapons and die!”

“My, how responsible.”

I shot her a look. She just smiled innocently and carried in two bags with ridiculous ease.

Yuuto-san was helping Asia stack boxes neatly near the stairs.

The way she moved around the house should have felt new.

Instead, somehow, she already looked like she fit.

She noticed me staring and smiled. “Do you want help with that one, Ise-kun?”

“I-I can carry one bag by myself!”

“I know. I was only asking.”

I dragged the suitcase inside.

Yuki-san came in behind me carrying her one bag. 

“Do you have anything else with you?” I asked before I could stop myself.

She looked at me.

Then at the suitcase.

Then back at me.

“No. But it’s enough for me.”

“Oh, well I’m sure once you settle in more you’ll have enough things to fill a few bags. Buchou and Akeno-san like to shop a lot.”

She smiled at me

“Maybe you’re right. I wouldn’t mind getting a few more things.”

Koneko-chan appeared next to her carrying three large bags.

Yuki-san grabbed one of the bags from her as she passed.

“I can handle it, Yuki-senpai.” Koneko-chan said.

“I know you can, but I’ll help you take them through the house.”

Koneko-chan paused for a moment before nodding.

Then, very faintly, she said. “Thank you.”

The two of them continued into the house..

I watched them go up the stairs together.

It reminded me how much had changed.

Not that long ago, Yuki-san had looked like someone who might disappear if at the first chance she was given.

Koneko-chan had liked her, sure, but it had been harder to tell then.

Now Koneko-chan just naturally moved toward her.

And Yuki-san let her.

The house kept filling.

Boxes piled up.

Voices crossed over one another.

Mom got tea ready because of course she felt the need.

Dad somehow ended up listening to Xenovia talk which was worrying in and of itself.

Asia was openly delighted to have more of the girls here.

She moved from person to person, helping, smiling, asking if anyone needed anything.

Buchou handled the whole thing like she’d already planned out six steps ahead.

Which, knowing her, she probably had.

Once most of the luggage was inside and the entrance finally looked less like a moving company had dumped a pile of luggage there, I managed to talk to her near the living room.

“Umm, first, where’s Gasper?” I asked

“He said that he didn’t want to leave the old school building yet. He doesn’t seem comfortable enough going outside yet.”

“That makes sense. Okay, next question. Buchou, why didn’t you tell me that everyone was moving into my house?”

“She folded her arms beneath her chest.

I respectfully did not stare.

Much.

“I thought I did?”

“I think I would have remembered if you had told me that five more girls were moving into my house!”

She smiled with infuriating calm. “Hmmm, but I could have sworn I said something.

Akeno-san, passing by with a box, gave me a sympathetic look that was not sympathetic at all. “Poor Ise-kun. His dream is coming true too quickly.”

“I wasn’t prepared for this!”

From the other side of the living room, said, “How would you have prepared?”

I opened and then shut my mouth.

Buchou’s smile softened a little then. “This wasn’t a sudden whim, Ise. It was a suggestion from my brother.”

That made me blink.

“Sirzechs-sama?”

“Yes.” Her tone stayed even. “With recent events, gathering the peerage more closely makes sense. It will be safer. More efficient. And…”

She trailed off just long enough that I followed her glance automatically.

Yuki-san was standing in the hallway with Asia, answering one of Mom’s questions politely.

Sirzechs Lucifer.

The man whose name was enough to make parts of Yuki-san close up even now.

Then Buchou looked back at me and continued, voice gentler.

“And it will be easier on everyone. I will be able to protect my servants if they’re closer to me.”

I nodded slowly.

I understood the practical side.

But part of it that was obviously something Buchou did to try and help Yuki-san

Before I could say anything else, Yuuto-san approached with two empty tea pots in hand.

“Rias-Buchou, should I put these in the kitchen?”

“Thank you, Yuuto.”

She nodded and turned to go. When she passed me, her shoulder brushed mine lightly.

“Ise-kun,” she said, low enough that only I heard it, “try not to look so panicked. Everything will be fine.”

She glanced at me, warm and composed.

Then she smiled again and walked away.

Dinner somehow happened with only minimal disasters.

My parents, having assumed years ago that I was generally disliked by girls, welcomed everyone with excitement.

Mom only got misty-eyed twice.

Once because the house felt lively, and once because she said having so many “good girls” around made her happy.

Xenovia spoke far to seriously.

Koneko-chan ate quietly.

Asia smiled a lot.

Akeno-san chuckled at my mothers jokes.

Buchou looked calm.

Yuuto-san looked comfortable.

Yuki-san ate less than she should have.

Asia noticed too.

I could tell by the tiny worried glances she kept sending her.

At one point, Mom asked Yuki-san if she didn’t like the food.

Yuki paused for a moment.

Then she answered carefully, “No, the food is very good. It’s just more than enough for me.”

Mom laughed. “No need to be so formal, dear.”

Yuki-san’s smile this time was small, but more real. “Then… yes. I like it.”

That seemed to satisfy Mom.

By the time we were done eating and cleaning up, the sky outside had gone dark.

The house felt different already.

Louder.

More crowded.

More dangerous with all the girls around me.

I was heading upstairs with a box of smaller things when I found Yuki-san standing in the hallway by herself.

The others were moving in and out of rooms, sorting things, arguing quietly about where certain bags had been put.

Down the hall, I could hear Akeno-san teasing Xenovia about how many bags she had to unpack.

Xenovia had responded that she had gathered things from all of her travels with the Church.

Yuki-san was standing near a partially open door, one hand resting lightly against the frame.

“You okay?” I asked.

She looked over at me. “You ask that a lot.”

“Maybe because the answer is usually ‘I’m fine’ even when you aren’t.”

She was quiet for a beat.

“This is all different for me. I’m not used to a…. family setting. It will take some time to adjust.”

“I think you’ll be fine,” I said. “We are all here for us.”

She smiled faintly at that.

Then her gaze slipped past me, toward the staircase, toward the noise of the house.

“It’s strange,” she said quietly.

“The move?”

“Yes.”

I shifted the box in my arms. “Bad strange?”

She was silent for a moment.

“I don’t know yet.” She said, 

After another second, she added, “Asia and Buchou already being here made it easier.”

“Huh?”

“For everyone moving into the house.” She glanced at me. “It would have felt more abrupt otherwise.”

I smiled a little. “Yeah. Maybe.”

“And it’s only a matter of time before you end up sexually harassing someone.”

Blood rushed into my face so fast I nearly dropped the box.

“I will not!”

“You’ve already been staring at everyone since they’ve arrived.”

“That’s because there are too many girls in my house now!”

“And you’ve never seen any of us before?.”

“You’re making fun of me.”

“A little.”

I groaned. “Why are you like this?”

“Because it’s funny.”

Then Koneko-chan appeared, because apparently she had perfect timing for either ruining or preserving moments.

Hard to tell which.

“Yuki-san-senpai, Issei-senpai, Buchou is calling everyone.”

Yuki-san straightened slightly. “I’m coming.”

Koneko-chan looked at the box in my arms. “Issei-senpai, you’ve been holding that for too long.”

“…I forgot.”

“…You’ve been acting strange today.”

“I know!”

She took the box from me without effort and set it down before stepping back toward Yuki-san.

The two of them ended up walking side by side toward the larger guest room area where everyone had gathered.

Again, that same natural closeness.

Again, that same tiny ache in my chest.

By the time I got there, everyone was assembled.

Buchou stood near the center of the room, arms folded lightly.

Asia was beside her.

 Akeno-san leaned near the wall with a knowing smile that said she already understood the mood. Xenovia stood upright like she was waiting for a briefing.

Yuuto-san was calm but attentive.

Koneko-chan had stopped just close enough to Yuki-san that it was obvious only if you knew to look for it.

Yuki-san stood quietly watching the room.

She seemed to know what this was about.

The playful warmth of the move-in, the luggage, the jokes, the crowded rooms—it all seemed to pull tighter and quieter around us.

Buchou looked over the room once.

Then she spoke.

“Before everyone settles into their rooms for the night,” she said, voice calm and steady, “there are a few things the peerage needs to talk about.”

We all looked at Buchou.

The room went silent as we waited for her to start.