High School DxD: Lionheart of the Academy Festival, Vol. 10, page 1
Copyright
Volume 10
Ichiei Ishibumi
Translation by Haydn Trowell
Cover art by Miyama-Zero
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
HIGH SCHOOL DXD Vol. 10 GAKUENSAI NO LIONHEART
©Ichiei Ishibumi, Miyama-Zero 2011
First published in Japan in 2011 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo.
English translation rights arranged with KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo, through TUTTLE-MORI AGENCY, INC., Tokyo.
English translation © 2023 by Yen Press, LLC
Yen Press, LLC supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Ishibumi, Ichiei, 1981– author. | Miyama-Zero, illustrator. | Trowell, Haydn, translator.
Title: High school DxD / Ichiei Ishibumi ; illustration by Miyama-Zero ; translation by Haydn Trowell.
Other titles: Haisukūru Dī Dī. English
Description: First Yen On edition. | New York, NY : Yen On, 2020.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020032159 | ISBN 9781975312251 (v. 1 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975312275 (v. 2 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975312299 (v. 3 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975312312 (v. 4 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975312336 (v. 5 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975312350 (v. 6 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975312374 (v. 7 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975312398 (v. 8 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975343811 (v. 9 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975348144 (v. 10 ; trade paperback)
Subjects: CYAC: Fantasy. | Demonology—Fiction. | Angels—Fiction. | High schools—Fiction. | Schools—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.I836 Hi 2020 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020032159
ISBNs: 978-1-9753-4814-4 (paperback)
978-1-9753-4815-1 (ebook)
E3-20221213-JV-NF-ORI
CONTENTS
Cover
Insert
Title Page
Copyright
Epigraph
Life.0
Life.1 Preparing for the Academy Festival!
Life.2 A Maiden’s Heart Is Complicated
Life.3 The Battle to Decide the Strongest Demon Youth Begins!
King
Life.4 As a Servant of Rias Gremory
Pawn
Life.MAX vs Power.MAX The Red Dragon Emperor vs the Nemean Lion
Life.MAXIMUM vs Power.MAXIMUM Crimson and Red
Emperor
Lionheart
Indra
New Life
Extra Life Waking Dreams, Unwaking Dreams
Afterword
Yen Newsletter
I’ll get back up, no matter how many times it takes.
For her…
For my dreams…
Life.0
“Squishy, squishy squish!”
“““Squishy, squishy squish!”””
The children in the audience responded to my exaggerated cry with the brightest smiles imaginable.
The Academy Festival was just around the corner, yet I was standing in the middle of a stage at a large concert hall. It was part of a show in Lucifard, the old capital city of the underworld.
Of course, this was in my capacity as the hero of the hit children’s show The Breast Dragon Emperor. Normally, an actor filled in for me at events like this, but Sirzechs had offered me a chance to perform for myself today.
I couldn’t possibly refuse an offer straight from a Demon King. Although he had said that there was no pressure if I couldn’t make it…
“Here I go! Dragon Kick!”
“““Kiiiiick!”””
I lashed out theatrically at the monster playing the role of my opponent, which prompted the children to erupt in excited applause.
It was all so…embarrassing! Still, the joyous reactions of all those kids filled me with a tremendous sense of elation.
The venue was packed, most seats occupied by chidren or their mothers. People must have come from all over the underworld.
The stage was covered with flashy sets and equipment, and every time I made a move, the props lit up with fake explosions… Seriously, demon society had taken human special effects technology to the next level!
Beside me on the stage stood the prez, known as the Switch Princess, along with Kiba, who played the villainous Darkness Knight known as Fang.
When the prez in her Switch Princess costume waved to the crowd, her male fans and all the children gave a thunderous cheer.
There were just as many admirers on Kiba’s side, mostly mothers and young women… Damn that cursed pretty boy! I was fuming with jealousy here!
All the same…
“““Breast Dragonnnnn!”””
…I couldn’t resist the adulation of the young fans who’d come all this way to see me.
Life.1
Preparing for the Academy Festival!
“Phew…”
The hero performance was finally over, so I went backstage for a break.
When I was finished here, I’d have to return to the human world to help prepare for Kuou Academy’s celebration. The Occult Research Club was planning a pretty large-scale event, and we were short on hands, so Kiba and I were pushing ourselves day after day to ensure things were ready on time.
“…It’s time now for the Breast Dragon’s Quiz Corner!”
“““Yaaaaay! Hellcat! Hellcaaaaat!”””
Koneko, who hosted the Quiz Corner, was greeted by a round of ecstatic cheers. She was insanely popular among a certain kind of fan—older men who were infatuated with petite female characters. A fair number of people had come just to see her…
We’d all wound up becoming pretty famous, albeit in a way that we couldn’t possibly have imagined. I was grateful for the attention, but I would have never expected The Breast Dragon Emperor to be such a hit… I guess with how little popular entertainment there was in the underworld, this kind of cheesy superhero stuff was still a novelty.
This little setup that Sirzechs had put together to add a bit of spice to life in the underworld and brighten everyone’s futures was an undeniable success.
Underworld media had been gushing nonstop about both the Loki attack and the incident in Kyoto. Reporters dedicated plenty of coverage to us members of Rias Gremory’s Familia, who had the unfortunate honor of getting wrapped up in both those events.
Perhaps owing to that, photographers had mobbed me when I arrived for the show today.
Ever since the end of the Great War, flashy battles had become a rarity in demon society. Our successes were being treated as welcome news, especially considering that there had been so many terrorist attacks of late, not to mention the rapidly shifting alliances between the various forces, too complex by far for most to grasp.
Our successes had been broadcast to the children of the underworld with headlines like BREAST DRAGON SNATCHES ANOTHER GLORIOUS VICTORY! As far as the kids here were concerned, our real-world triumphs were indistinguishable from what they saw on television. In their minds, their fictional heroes were taking on real-life enemies ranging from the evil god Loki to the terrorist Khaos Brigade.
I cradled my head in my hands and breathed out a sigh.
I was overjoyed, but at the same time, I was so conflicted! Fights were supposed to be uncommon in the modern underworld, right? So why did we keep getting caught in the middle of so many?! Already we’d faced legendary beings, the old Demon King regime, and even a god! And to top it all off, our most recent fight had been with the descendants of true-blue human heroes! What were the odds of getting ensnared in all these crazy supernatural conflicts?!
Peace! Nothing could beat peace! All I wanted was to live in harmony with the prez, Asia, and Akeno! We might get up to some erotic activities now and then, but what I craved the most was an ordinary existence full of laughter and smiles! A romantic comedy! Yes, I had a perfectly normal dream, a yearning to live out my own serene, love-filled days!
So why did I keep getting swallowed up by this violent vortex?!
Admittedly, it was nice to see all those kids having so much fun. Today’s event was honestly pretty enjoyable.
Still, I needed a break from the nonstop boss rush! I didn’t want to die or drag my friends into danger. If anyone in our group was to perish, I’d be a wreck…
Nonetheless, it was precisely because we’d been pulled into all those battles that our Familia had become what it was today. The situation really was a mess. We owed our unshakable team bond to all that conflict. Maybe pushing through impossible trials together was what made the greatest Familia?
Or perhaps it really was my dragon qualities, the innate power of attraction possessed by Heavenly Dragons, that had brought us all so close. I was actually pretty worried about that idea… With each passing day, I became more convinced that all these incidents were ultimately my fault.
Even Azazel had said that there seemed to be too many irregular occurrences lately…
…
I had to put a stop to these thoughts. The more I brooded over it, the more it’d get to me. There was nothing to do but accept what came and work to make the best of it.
“…Phew.”
I decided to go to the bathroom to wash my face. I needed to do something to lift my mood.
Stepping out into the hall, I heard a commotion in the distance.
“Nooooo!”
It sounded like a kid crying his eyes out. Glancing around the corner, I spotted a mother speaking with a staff member near the back door as her child sobbed.
“I wanna meet the Breast Dragon!”
The kid was stomping his feet in anger, and his parent seemed at a loss for how to deal with the situation.
“I’m sorry. We’ve already finished distributing tickets for the handshake and autograph sessions…,” the staff member apologized.
Oh, he didn’t get a ticket to the autograph session? Apparently, the tickets had all sold out before the show even started. The event organizers tried to emulate how similar performances were run in the human world. However, for demons unfamiliar with human customs, it must have seemed bewildering to need a ticket to get someone’s autograph or shake their hand.
“I—I see… We’re too late. They’ve already finished giving out the tickets,” the mother said to her son.
This only prompted the boy to start crying even harder. He clutched tight an action figure of me in my armor, practically treasuring it.
I couldn’t watch on and do nothing.
“Nooooo!”
…
I’d dispelled my armor a few minutes ago, yet I restarted the countdown.
A child weeping for his crushed dreams was too much to bear.
With a flash of red light, I reentered my Balance Breaker state. I made my way over with the visor portion of my mask retracted to show my face.
“What’s the matter?” I called out.
Mother, child, and the staff member all turned at the sound of my voice.
“Breast Dragon!” The child beamed in delight.
The staffer hurriedly explained the situation. “Oh, Mr. Hyoudou. These two guests here missed out on tickets to the autograph session, so…”
Nodding, I got down on one knee and asked the kid, “What’s your name?”
“…Lirenkus.”
“Thanks for coming to see me, Lirenkus.” I glanced up at the staff member. “Um, do you have anything to write with?”
“W-will this do…?” The staffer held out a marker.
“Your hat, the one with my picture. Do you mind if I write on it?”
The boy—Lirenkus—nodded three times.
Every time I signed my name, I was reminded of my ineptitude with the demon script. Kids looked up to me as a role model; the last thing I wanted was to disappoint them.
Whether fighting or writing, I was acutely aware of my need to improve.
I signed my name on Lirenkus’s cap and placed it back on his head. Beaming brightly, the boy took it off to look and put it back on several times in a row.
“Thank you!” his mother said.
I placed a hand on the boy’s head. “Lirenkus. You shouldn’t cry. You need to be strong. No matter how many times you fall to the ground, you need to get back up to protect the girls around you.”
With those words, I rose back to my feet and returned to the waiting area backstage.
The staff member walked beside me with a conflicted expression on her face. “Mr. Hyoudou… Please refrain from doing that again. We can’t meet everyone’s requests, so if you make exceptions…”
She was right. I’d acted without thinking. The event crew members were all doing their best, but they understood that fulfilling everyone’s dreams was impossible.
If I kept making special allowances, it could cause trouble for them, betraying their efforts.
I should have recognized that. Honestly, I did. Yet I couldn’t leave that kid in tears, either.
Yup. I was hopeless.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful,” I apologized, stricken with guilt.
The staffer nodded in understanding, then returned to her post without further words.
I was genuinely remorseful. But still, I…
“That’s my Issei. You were incredible.”
Recognizing the prez’s voice, I glanced around, and sure enough, there she was.
She approached and stroked my cheek with her hand. “That was a little rash of you, yet you kept that child’s dream alive.”
“Prez…”
Prez! She understood me better than anyone! This gesture alone was enough to lift my spirits! Ah, she really was the greatest woman I’d ever met.
I was touched. She always looked out for me.
At that moment, another familiar face appeared down the corridor.
“Oh dear. Greetings, Rias, Issei. What are you both doing out here?”
This newcomer was a flaxen-haired woman and the spitting image of the prez!
“M-Mother! And Millicas! I didn’t know you were here!” The prez looked flustered, clearly taken aback by the pair’s sudden appearance.
Yep, this woman, who seemed nearly the prez’s twin, was none other than Rias’s mother, Venelana!
“Rias! Issei! I really loved the show!”
Standing beside Venelana was a young boy—Millicas. He was as bright and lively as ever. Lately, he’d started addressing me like I was a member of the family… I was touched!
The prez’s mother flashed us both a smile. “Yes, I wanted to see one of these events we’re hosting for myself. Naturally, Millicas wanted to come along. You cut a fine image there, Issei. Very virile. It was a good performance.”
Whoa, they both watched the whole thing?! I was embarrassed but, at the same time, filled with joy. Venelana’s reason for attending made sense—the House of Gremory was responsible for managing the Breast Dragon Emperor franchise.
“Th-thank you!” I said gratefully.
I didn’t want to be rude to the prez’s mother, but more than that, I found myself powerless to resist her. She truly was a gorgeous beauty.
Venelana approached Rias and me, her heels clacking against the floor. “This superhero program has become an important revenue stream for the House of Gremory. Obviously, its value is immeasurable for the children of the underworld. I would be immensely grateful if you would continue working on behalf of our House, the underworld, and my daughter.”
“Of course! I’ll push myself to my very limits, until my bones are ground to dust! I’d do anything for the prez’s mother!”
“Until your bones are ground to dust? That’s a Japanese expression, isn’t it? A good response. I would expect no less of a future scion of the Gremory name. Although…” Venelana peered at me with gentle eyes, stroking her chin, deep in thought. I felt a sudden chill! That look of hers was filled with sex appeal! “I don’t like it when you call me ‘the prez’s mother.’ You should address me as Mother-in-Law or just Mother. ”
That again? What exactly did the prez’s family expect from me?
“B-but I don’t want to seem rude…”
“There’s nothing rude about it. In fact, you would be embarrassing me if you continued addressing me publicly as anything less.” Venelana’s expression underwent a complete reversal, turning powerful and stern. “Rias,” she continued, turning to the prez with narrowed eyes. “It seems you’ve been lax instructing him.”
“I’m sorry, Mother. It’s just—”
