Gender equality

Julian had to admit, Riser had some taste. Though his girls were still lacking compared to Rias, Akeno, Koneko and Grayfia. Yes, he even considered Ravel lacking. So it wasn't a bias toward the main cast.

Beautiful girls aside, an intrigued smile crept up on Julian's face as he examined the strength of the newcommers.

The weakest among them felt just a tad stronger than Kiba or Koneko, so mid-high class. While the strongest felt a good deal ahead of Akeno. Worse than that, Rias and Akeno had a couple of equals.

He was judging their power by their magical presence, which for normal devils, was an indicator of their physical prowess. Of course, that itself would differ depending on their "build" and skill too.

All in all, Rias was screwed. No inuendo intended. And Julian apparently wasn't the only one to think that, as Koneko, Kiba and Akeno wore extremely grims face. While the king herself was trying very hard to keep a neutral face. Though it was evident by how her body shook minutely that she was on the verge of a breakdown.

Of course, one person didn't care at all about the serious atmosphere, either that or his jealously won over his rationality.

"Argh! Julian, do you see what I see? Please tell me I'm halucinating and this guy doesn't truly have a harem of beauty." Despite saying that, Issei was already crying out of grief.

Julian didn't answer Issei's rethorical question as he simply took note of how Riser took petty pride and pleasure in his friend jealousy. And thus, despite how unlikely it was, the canon happenings came back on track.

Riser called his Queen to himself and began to play with her in front of everyone without a care in the world. Rubbing salt in the wound and taunting Issei on how he will never have with he had.

"What the heck! You piece of utter crap! How dare you play with a woman in front of your own fiance! Noble blood or not, ultimate-class or not. How dare you disrespect the president like that! Are you even a man!" Issei was seething with rage and was being quite more verbal than in the show, he was also angrier.

Julian too felt distaste for the act. But he restrained himself to not knock down Riser from his imaginary piedestal just yet.

Riser was fuming at the insults, and it was evident that he was thinking of obliterate Issei this very instant. But maybe he found it beneath his station, or because an awfully powerful maid was watching him closely. He took a disdainous expression and openly disregarded Issei as some useless low-class devil slave.

"Yeah, I'm a slave, so what! I'm her slave! Not yours! Fuck that stupid game! I'm going to destroy you right here and now!" Issei brought out the boosted gear and ignoring Rias' protest, jumped out of the group and dashed toward Riser. Righteous fury burning in his eyes.

"Miya." Riser weakly smiled and almost lazily called out.

Julian watched as the weakest signature from the other group jumped out and intercepted Issei.

Issei stopped as he found himself unable to proceed further.

"A girl?" Issei hesitated for a split second, unsure of the threat of the blue-haired samurai before him.

The split second was all it took for Miya to viciously pierce toward his stomach with her hammer spear like weapon.

Julian smiled as Issei, to the opposite of everyone expectation. wasn't taken out in one blow and sidestepped the attack out of reflex.

But it seemed he wasn't sure how to proceed as he didn't do anything after taking hold of the weapon of the girl. No, not that he was unsure on how to proceed, he was hesitant to hit a girl.

His previous dodge could have been atributed to luck too as he wasn't taken seriously by his enemy.

Proving this very fact, Miya sweeped out Issei's feet of under him in a way faster movement than before. And in the same movement, retook control of her weapon and smashed him against the roof way harder than she had in canon. Knocking him out instantly and surely breaking a couple of bones.

Julian frowned and squinted. That little bitch did it on purpose, as she felt humiliated when Issei dodged her first attack.

Riser was proving himself even more irritating than in canon. As he chuckled quietly despite Issei rather good showing.

Rias went to check on Issei and angrily accepted the rating game. Swearing that she would destroys Riser. It was a decission made impulsively, but it was the only real choice anyway.

"Hey, hey. Think you can trash my friend like that and just leave? How majestic! How worthy of a being of such noble heritage!" Just as Riser and company was preparing to go away. Julian sarcastically called out to the leaving group and came out leisurely out in the open.

There was need to hide anymore now that Issei had received his lesson. No, now was the interesting part.

Riser turned himself to face Julian and took him in, eying up and down in the process. "Oh? And who might you be? You who have the galls to judge one such as myself."

"Me? I'm just his friend. And you hurt him more than necessary, see the conflict of interest?" Julian thumbed toward Issei and deadpanned.

Riser stayed silent for a few seconds before he began to laugh his ass off. "A human!? Ahahah! This is the funniest thing I've seen in a while. A puny mortal confronting a pure-blood devil instead of groveling at their feet in hope of being granted narrow-minded wishes."

"Dear Lucifer, it's been such a long time since I've had such a good laugh. Now now, since I'm in quite a good mood today. I will ignore how questionable and insulting your presence here is and even entertain you a bit." Wiping a tear from his eye. Riser raised his head and looked down on Julian.

"I do admit that my Miya may have gone a bit too rough on Rias' poor little pawn. So, tell me, what do you want from me?."

"Mmmh... How about you apologise personally to my friend... Rias... And your father, for being such a huge douchebag and a failure of a son?" Julian stated offhandedly, as if he was talking about the weather. He simply shrugged off all the different kind of gazes he received at his answer.

A literal fire lit up in Riser eyes as he squinted even more than before and glared a hole through Julian. "Miya, please teach him the same thing you taught his friend. The fact that a dog shouldn't bark at his better."

'No mercy.' Having achieved his goal, Julian smiled viciously and waved to the stressed out members of Rias' peerage.

Miya went for a quick strike to his head as Julian was wide open. Blow he dodged easily by inclining his head. Stepping forward at the same speed the weapon was retreating. He thus swiftly entered melee range and for a brief moment, towered over the girl that he kicked in the stomach in an upward. Throwing her rather light body into the air and making her drop her weapon. Only for him to immediatly follow up with grabbing one of her leg and with the help of a full rotatio. Threw her toward Riser group with enough force to make the poor form of the samurai girl blurs.

"Watch out!" Some members of Riser's peerage cried out as they quickly tried to to help their ally.

"I got her!" One girl looking like a melee fighter went forward and braced herself for impact and caught the flying Miya.

*OOF* Only for her to be knocked out of breath and sent flying back into the ones behind her.

Regaining their bearings, they checked on their peerage's sister and found her out of breath, face cramped in pain and craddling her stomach. Only for her to pass out a moment later.

"You bastard!" Everyone on Riser side shouted various profanity at Julian while like their master, burned holes through him with their gazes.

"She hurt my friend, I hurt her. I'm petty like that. Anyway, what was it about teaching me a lesson again? Because I can't quite say that I learned anything out of this." Julian yawned and smiled at Riser.

Riser threw a deep look at Miya and turned his head to gaze coldly at Julian. "You shouldn't have done that."

Just as the tension was climbing at an all high time high. Grayfia appeared between the two.

"Gentlemen, I unfortunately cannot allow the situation to worsen any more than this." Grayfia impassively looked at Julian and Riser.

And while Julian threw her a mild annoyed look, Riser looked just about ready to attack him. But he caught himself in the end and didn't do anything drastic.

"Riser-Sama, someone of your stature should have a cool mind in all time and have an unwavering composure. And I believe it is time for your departure, as your servant may be in need of medical attention. Because if it is not treated soon, I'm afraid there is a chance she would find herself unable to properly participate in your rating game against Rias-Sama."

Riser glowered at Julian for a bit before he closed his eyes and took multiple deep breaths. Reopening them, he exhaled and smiled as not even a bit of anger remained on his face. "Uwaah, what a disaster this was... You are right, strongest of queen. This was an unsightly display on my part. And it is highly time I depart this realm."

Riser positioned himself before his peerage, looking toward Rias. "I find myself impatient for our marriage ceremony, Rias. Still, try to not make too much of a fool of yourself in our rating game. After all, it wouldn't do for my wife to look bad in the public eye."

He shifted his gaze to Julian and codly spat. "As for you, this is far from over. I may not know who you are, but I will make you regret what you did today all the same."

Julian laughed lowly and smiled. "Wouldn't have it any other way. You still owe Rias and Issei an apology. And I'll make sure it'll happen."

He added after some thought. "Shouldn't forget the one for your dad too. As I believe he does indeed deserve an apology."

Riser sneered and smiled too. "We shall see... And as you seem to know Rias pretty well, I'll make sure to give you an invitation to our marriage."

And with this, Riser and his peerage vanished in a blaze of fire.

After a few seconds of silence. A bout of laughter cut trough the silence as everyone gave weird looks to each other.

It was Julian.

—————

~Julian's POV

So pathetic, so petty, so... absurb. That was how the situation looked to Julian. No risk of death, no true threat on the horizon. Just a political marriage doomed to fail from the start and a douche born with a golden spoon in his mouth.

There was no true stakes in it for him, only some more time building his foundations and picking up some skills. Of course, from Rias' perspectives, the world could as well be ending.

Still, it seem the fact some antagonists would be stronger than in canon prompted some change in their characters. As demonstrated by how much worse Riser arrogant persona was right then. A change he had to keep in mind for the future.

Julian approached Rias, who had given Issei to the care of Asia's healing.

"You're going on a training camp with everyone right?" Julian asked after making sure Issei would be okay. He also took note of how meek Rias looked right now, she seemed shaken and downtrodden. She had reasons to, as from an outsider perspective. They were dommed to lose the match

"Yes, How did you kn-."

"I'm coming." Julian interrupted her and not waiting for her answer, began to walk away.

"What? Why?" Rias asked somewhat weakly.

"L'ets be honest, ten days is nowhere near enough for you to get a signifiant change in your magical energy. And thus making it impossible for you to win by a lack of time to grow or training." Julian stopped and faced Rias, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Unless you have access to some elixir or whatnot that can make you grow another pair of wings of course. But by your face, I'll assume that such a thing doesn't exist." Worth a try.

Not only Rias but also the rest of the peerage was listening to his words now.

"If base power is out of the question, then there is only a handful of thing that together can offer you the tiniest chance of winning." Julian thought for bit and said.

"Stealth, teamwork, and your killing move. Of course, personal strentgh is still important. Because a thousand ants cannot bring down an elephant. No matter the strategy used."

Julian began to walk away again. Already thinking of ways to train them to win the seemingly impossible match. Though he had no delusion that it would really work. They didn't win in the canon and the odds were way better.

"And didn't you offered me to teach me magic yesterday? Then that camp is the perfect opportunity."

"Though I am helping you because you are my aunt and Issei my friend, I also want to give Riser hell."

Julian paused and threw a soft look to Rias. "Don't worry, Rias. I can promise you that you will not have to marry Riser. I just know it."

"And worse come to worse. Accidents happen, you know?" Julian added in musing as he left the ORC.

Yes, he know he was being ominous. But it was fun. And he was totaly serious. This Riser seemed worse than the one in canon. As such, he wouldn't hesitate to dispose of him if he became too much.

Still, it was too soon to know for real. Maybe a good beating would work like it did in canon? Who know?