DxD: The Holy Knight! Chapter 13 13: He was just guiding a devil to the right path

Yasuhiro and Asia had been at Kuoh academy for almost a month now.

Aside from so initial unpleasantness between Yasuhiro and the council, he didn't do anything else out of line.

This brought a sigh of relief to the council and the ORC.

Things were going better than they had anticipated.

Rias and Sona postponed sending the letters they had prepared for their families.

"You lost."

In the student council room, everyone was present. Yasuhiro and Sona were playing chess.

On the chessboard, Yasuhiro playing as white had successfully defeated his opponent's king.

Hearing these words, the other mbers paused their work, glancing at Sona.

She was staring at the chessboard with an incredulous expression, as if she couldn't understand how she had lost.

They had lost count of how many tis the President had been tornted today.

In their view, it was simply masochism for Sona to keep playing chess against Yasuhiro.

Over the past month, their relationship had improved considerably due to their extended contact with Yasuhiro.

Moreover, they discovered that as long as they didn't cross certain lines or violate his taboos, and setting aside his identity as a church mber, he was actually a gentle person.

That was how it appeared on the surface though.

As for the chess matches with Sona, it started a week ago.

Compared to being easily defeated, the fact that Sona could now withstand a few more moves from Yasuhiro was a huge improvent.

Of course, they could only keep such thoughts to themselves.

No one dared to say it out loud...

"Your knight, wasn't it supposed to be bait? Now it has beco a hidden threat," Sona asked.

"The art of war is based on deception, you've probably heard that phrase many tis before."

Sona nodded, and the others also pricked up their ears to listen.

"Knowing is one thing, but how many people in the world can truly apply it flexibly?" Yasuhiro picked up the knight on the chessboard and said, "In your eyes, it was always bait. That's just your perception, or rather, what I led you to believe."

"Whether in a ga of chess or on the battlefield, to use a very down to earth term, it is about control. Whoever can lead the opponent's pace is the ultimate victor."

"Often, the gain or loss of a single piece or skirmish is insignificant in the grand sche of things. Whoever can dominate the overall situation is the true master of the battlefield."

Yasuhiro's remarks were like a depth charge.

The others forgot their work, and even if they didn't quite understand, they still felt a sense of awe and wonder.

Sona and Tsubaki were different.

Born into the Shinra Clan, one of the Five Principal Clans, Tsubaki had a considerable understanding of strategy since childhood.

She felt that even so clan mbers who had been imrsed in this field for many years couldn't analyze it as thoroughly as Yasuhiro sitting in front of her.

Was it a difference in perspective, or sothing else?

Sona felt that Yasuhiro at this mont resembled a certain person.

One of the Four Great Maous, Falbium Asmodeus.

As the greatest strategist in the underworld, Falbium was in charge of all military affairs for the devils.

Because her older sister was a Maou, the greatest strategist had personally tutored Sona for a period of ti.

To her surprise, she discovered that through getting to know him, these two individuals, despite being vastly different in status and allegiances had a thorough understanding of strategy and planning.

They both offered insightful and penetrating analyses that cut through the fog of confusion.

It was as if everyone else was drunk, while they alone were awake.

Or more like everyone was stupid...

Sona realized that the person in front of her was like a treasure buried deep underground, just when she thought she had uncovered all his secrets, more mysteries would occasionally erge.

This man is dangerous..

Sona thought again.

"Tsubaki, please make a cup of tea."

Sona sighed as she looked at Yasuhiro ordering her queen.

After all, the condition they had agreed upon from the beginning was that winning the chess match would grant him privileges within the council.

"Please enjoy."

Tsubaki stood up slightly, without correcting Yasuhiro's overly familiar address.

Instead, she skillfully used the tea set she had prepared to brew him a cup of tea.

Sona felt helpless and sowhat regretful for playing chess with Yasuhiro.

Now, as their master, her authority and presence in front of her peerage mbers had seriously declined.

"Amazing!"

Yasuhiro praised.

Compared to the austere life of the church, devils certainly knew how to enjoy themselves.

Yasuhiro rembered when he was training at the church, he submitted a report entitled Faith and Life, which resulted in him being severely beaten by his beautiful teacher.

To this day, the mory remained vivid.

He even suspected that if Michael hadn't intervened in ti, he might have died before he beca the strongest.

Then again, at the ti, his report contained so words that were forbidden within the church.

"Tsubaki, are you interested...?"

Yasuhiro intended to continue his efforts to gather talent, despite his recent failures.

He was just guiding a devil to the right path.

"Don't even think about it."

Sona interrupted calmly.

Yasuhiro's actions were a blatant disregard for her status as a master, openly and brazenly trying to poach her peerage mbers right in front of her.

"That's a real sha, but you should really consider it. My offer is excellent."

Even at the very end, Yasuhiro didn't forget to try and entice her.

Sona was furious.

Tsubaki simply smiled and refused, not daring to make any further moves, lest her master might do sothing irrational.

After all, it had been a month, and not only she, but all the other mbers could feel that their master's usual rationality had been pushed to its absolute limit by Yasuhiro's persistent teasing.

...

Knock, knock...

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Please co in."

It was Koneko who ca in.

"President Sona..."

Koneko politely greeted Sona, then walked up to Yasuhiro and handed him a letter.

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[Tsubaki's img]