After Asia and I returned home, I went  to my room to think.

 

So from tomorrow we will have intense training for 10 days for defeating Riser. I have some ideas as how to accomplish that by that I mean defeating Riser. Today’s devil work was cancelled due to obvious reasons so I can get a good night’s sleep and get up early tomorrow to go to the training location.

 

This is one of the rare opportunities for intense training that we will get so I must make sure to utilize it properly so as to get the maximum benefit from it.

 

I have also decided to ask Rias to teach me that demonic mind control power she used on my parents I have no doubt it will be helpful in the future.

 

Anyway I made up my mind to work hard and decided to go take a bath and rest for the night.

 

I went downstairs and got ready to take a bath. I went inside the bathroom while feeling fired up and then took my clothes off quickly.

 

OPEN.

 

I opened the door of the bath and……

 

“Ah……”, said Asia.

 

“What the……”, I said in shock.

 

Asia was naked inside the bath and I was naked too. This cliché thing. Sigh. Why does this have to happen to me? To be fair it was my fault I should have knocked first to check but I was absentmindedly thinking about the upcoming training.

 

Asia’s body is wet because she was taking a shower.

 

Her blonde hair which is wet with hot water is glued onto her soft looking white skin.

 

She looked quite good. But ahem I am getting distracted here. I should apologize and leave.

 

C-Crap—!!

 

If I look carefully, Asia’s gaze is moving down towards my crotch.

 

—No!

 

I immediately covered it with both my hands.

 

But it was too late.

 

“—Ah”, said Asia.

 

Asia’s whole body starts to go really red, and she looks away.

 

“S-Sorry! I-I will leave now!”, I said and hurriedly turned to leave.

 

Asia grabs my wrist as if she is trying to stop me from leaving.

 

“…………I-I’m sorry. It was……my first time seeing a boy’s…… I’m sorry……”, mumbled Asia and most of it was inaudible.

 

“N-No, I’m sorry too…… I came in without checking…… I’m sorry, I saw a lot of your……”, I said.

 

“No, I understand…… Everyone told me about the rule when you have a bath in Japan, s-so I’m all right……”, said Asia shyly.

 

“What rule?”, I asked surprised and naturally turned to see her face. I tried my best not to look elsewhere.

 

“In Japan, I heard that there is the thing called having a bath together…… That you get to know each other by having a bath together……”, Asia continued.

 

What the heck? Who said that? That’s only between the same genders!

 

“……I-I was told……to do this with someone I want to form a special relationship with…… I-I don’t mind if its Akira-san……no, I want to deepen my relation with Akira-san even more…… That’s why will you have a bath together with me……?”, Asia continues while having her cheeks go red.

 

I have to stop this misunderstanding before this thing gets out of hand.

 

“Listen Asia, whoever taught you that, taught you wrong. The thing about having a bath together only applies to people of the same gender. So we shouldn’t do, it’s inappropriate”.

 

 Well if we were dating then I could have understood but we aren’t so I don’t think we should.

 

Then the door suddenly opened.

 

“Asia-chan. I will leave the towel here—”, said my mother.

 

It seems like she is trying to put the towel on top of the washing machine, but she froze her posture after seeing me and Asia together.

 

……Holy shit. I can’t make any excuses, since we don’t have our clothes on!

 

No matter how you look at us, we only look like a guy and a girl that is trying to have sex!

 

Mother leaves the bathroom while moving like a robot. Then, my mother shouts, “O-Otou-san~! W-We are going to have a grandchild~!”.

 

What the hell? I had enough of it and just got dressed quickly and left the bathroom to go to room.

 

The shame. Someone, please kill me!

 

 That night I didn’t take a bath at all.

 

By the way, after that incident, my parents went to a discount store which is opened even at night. They bought baby clothes and baby toys while putting on a big smile.

 

No matter how much I explained to them, they simply said things like, “Don’t worry, I know about it. Shotgun marriage are accepted nowadays. Oh my, I sure would like a girl for my first grandchild!”, or, “So I ‘m going to become a grandpa…… If it’s a boy then I have to buy him a new carp streamer. Looks like my family has become “international” now. Maybe I should learn how to speak English.”

 

It’s useless. My family is worthless. Or maybe it’s due to the magic Rias cast, I don’t know but it’s weird and embarrassing as hell.

 

The next morning.

 

I called Asia into my room. We are sitting opposite each other in a seiza posture.

 

“Asia-san I need to tell you something”, I said.

 

“Yes. Akira-san”, replied Asia.

 

“Asia from now on don’t just do things that others tell you. First think about what they say is the truth or not. And if you can’t find an answer to that you can always ask me, if you are too embarrassed to ask me, you can ask Buchou or Akeno-senpai or even Koneko-chan. Don’t just blindly believe what people say, it can get you into trouble”, I said seriously.

 

“I understand Akira-san. But if I am in trouble Akira-san will come and save me”, Asia said with a smile.

 

She truly believes in me. I’m emotionally moved.

 

I smiled and said, “Of course I would but you still need to be careful”.

 

“I understand Akira-san”, Asia replied.

 

Then Asia asks me a question, “U-Umm……Akira-san, there’s one question I want to ask you”.

 

Asia got shy and her face got red. What is it? So abruptly.

 

“I-If the bath incident……happened with Buchou-san instead of me……would you have had a bath with her……?”, asked Asia.

 

What the hell? Why would she ask me that? She didn’t know about  the incident that night either.

 

But I decided to answer her firmly and honestly, “No, I wouldn’t”.

 

“Really?”, Asia looked a bit happy.

 

“Yes”, I answered firmly. Asia looked relieved But I had to ask why would ask this question.

 

“But why are you asking me this Asia? And with Buchou of all people?”, I asked.

 

“Well from what I saw yesterday I thought you know…you might be interested in Buchou-san”, said Asia fidgeting.

 

“Well I won’t deny that I am not attracted to her. She is indeed very beautiful, however we are not in any kind of relationship so that sort of thing is out of the question”, I said.

 

Asia froze a bit at what I said and then appeared to be a bit sad. But after about a second or two she cheered up and nodded and said, “I understand Akira-san”.

 

“Geez, what are you two doing, early in the morning?”, I heard a voice behind us. It was Rias.

 

“B-Buchou”, I said.

 

“A lover’s quarrel in the morning? You two are so close like always”, said Buchou.

 

“N-No, t-this is!”, I said trying to clear up the misunderstanding.

 

“Hurry, let’s go. Get ready for lodging”, said Rias.

 

We were climbing upwards in a mountainous path. There were drinking water stations in between. We were in casual clothes.

 

Me, Issei, Koneko and Kiba were carrying luggage behind back. Issei was carry a big heavy backpack, Kiba’s was twice bigger than Issei’s and he was carry stuff in his hand, and Koneko was carrying a huge sack tied with ropes, I was carrying a big backpack slightly bigger than Kiba’s but I added weights inside so it should be heavier than Koneko’s by quite a bit. I need to do at least this much if I want to be stronger.

 

Rias, Akeno and Asia were waving at from the top of a cliff . Rias said, “Come on Ise, hurry up!”.

 

Akeno said, “The water is delicious”.

 

“Yes”, said Issei.

 

But Issei was struggling to climb and he was moving very slowly. The rest of us were not really struggling so we really didn’t need any motivation.

 

As Issei was struggling, Kiba went past him saying, “I am going on ahead”.

 

Issei angrily said, “Damn you for showing off how easy you have it!”.

 

Koneko passed him too and said, “Pardon me!”.

 

Issei was startled and said , “Whoa” and fell down.

 

“I give up!”, he said on his knees.

 

I approached him and said, “Don’t give up, you can do this, if you give up like this what will happen to your dream of becoming a harem king?”.

 

On hearing that Issei’s eyes fired up and he got up saying, “Y-Yes you are right. I will become harem king so I can’t give up”.

 

“That’s the spirit”, I said while looking at him smiling.

 

“No if you will excuse me!”, I said and before he could say anything, I dashed to the op of the cliff and joined the others.

 

“Damn you. You too Akira? You traitor”, said Issei angrily.

 

Asia asked worriedly, “Are you ok Akira-san? The weight is not too heavy is it? Should I carry some of the things inside?”.

 

I looked at her and smiled at her and said, “Don’t worry Asia, I am alright, rather than me…” and looked at Issei.

 

I got an idea so I shouted, “Ise there are naked girls with big oppai’s over here, if you don’t hurry they will be gone”.

 

“Really? Oppai! here I come”, shouted Issei as he dashed to the top with all his strength.

 

“Where? Where are they?”, asked Issei looking around excitedly.

 

I looked at him smiled and said, “I lied”.

 

“You”, said Issei angrily. “Look on the bright side, you managed to climb up”, I said.

 

Issei shut up unable to say anything but he still looked pissed.

 

BAM!

 

I felt a sharp pain on my chest, I almost toppled over.

 

I looked to see it was Koneko who had a disgruntled looked on her face and told me, “Pervert!”.

 

Akeno was smiling, Rias was shaking her head and Asia was blushing. Kiba had a strained smile.

 

Anyway the top of the cliff was our destination. There was a beautiful white mansion in the middle of the woods with a lake.

 

Asia looked at it in wonder and said happily, “Wow! This place looks lovely!”.

 

“Let’s get inside and start training right away”, said Rias.

 

“Training?”, said Issei worried and tired.

 

“Just as I thought, you are an Oni, Buchou”, he continued.

 

Rias looked back and said smugly, “No, I am a devil”.