A Tasteless Encounter (3/3)

"You can't seriously be thinking of defeating Riser?" The man looked at Rias as if she were foolish.

Despite my strong dislike for this guy, I had to begrudgingly agree. Rias' peerage is stronger on its own, but Riser has the advantage in sheer numbers.

I wasn't sure if the women standing like statues around him were his entire peerage, but if they were, even with a Low-Low threat level, they could overwhelm Rias' peerage.

Rias needs a serious strategy or more members in her peerage if she hopes to win.

"Lord Lucifer did say that a rating game could be arranged within three weeks if either of you suggested it," the maid said. I still wasn't clear on her relationship with Rias, but she seemed somewhat pleased with Rias suggesting the rating game, though I could also see concern.

Or maybe I was just imagining it.

After all, I was observing her impassive expression.

"She doesn't even have a complete peerage!" Riser pointed out the obvious. "It's ridiculous to think she could go up against Riser's full peerage with so few people."

"That is for Lady Rias to consider and decide, Lord Riser," the maid devil reminded him. "I believe I have delivered all the messages I was entrusted with."

She slowly turned to him. "And I believe you should return as well. Lord Phenex has instructed that you be back by the time I return to the Underworld."

The guy seemed to jerk at that statement.

Is he scared of his father?

That's an interesting revelation.

"This…" He gritted his teeth, annoyed at not being able to do as he pleased. "You…"

Surprisingly, he looked at me.

"Riser will deal with you later!" He hissed. "Consider yourself lucky for now."

I knew it would be extremely difficult to win against him, but I genuinely wanted to see how it would play out.

I wanted to understand how his immortality worked.

{Quest: Show the Phenex that immortality is not a boon but a bane! 

Defeat Riser Phenex!}

And this quest was still active, with some tempting rewards.

So it was clear that I had to face him.

I just needed to figure out how.

"Let's go, Yubelluna." He whispered to the woman with purplish hair next to him.

"As you wish, lord."

There are some things I've noticed about devils.

Especially the women.

They have very unique hair colors.

At first, I thought they were dyeing their hair like the girls in my class.

But no.

Devils really do have hair colors that humans cannot naturally have.

The same goes for their eye colors; they have very beautiful and unique ones.

And above all else, their bodies literally stand out. Either they have overly large breasts or they have massive asses.

Not that I'm complaining.

It's just an amusing observation.

Just as I was making these observations, I heard Riser say—

"Let's go, Ravel."

And the reply astonished me.

"Yes, brother."

Brother?

I didn't mishear, did I?

She just called him brother?

This strange creep has his sister among these scantily clad women in his peerage?

I couldn't have misheard that, could I?

Because if I didn't, this guy is the biggest creep I've ever seen.

And that's saying something with Issei and his two friends roaming around this school.

But that was all they said before a golden magical circle appeared under the feet of everyone in Riser's peerage.

"That we shall meet again soon," Riser said with a grin that was incredibly punchable. "Future wife."

I wondered if he was smart enough to mock Rias by calling her that because he believed she could never win against him.

Or if he said it because he was a creep.

Probably the latter, right?

"Grayfia…" Rias looked at her feet, shaken by everything that had happened.

"Rias!" She nearly startled us all as she seemed to lose her strength to stand.

Thankfully, Akeno was there to support her.

"Lady Rias," the maid also rushed to her, but Rias reassured her that she was fine.

"Why is Father rushing this?" Rias sounded heartbroken. "Why would he go back on the promise he made to me?"

The woman seemed unsure of how to answer. She glanced at me once; I wondered if it was because my presence made it difficult for her to speak freely.

"Trust me, Lord Lucifer is doing his best to help you," she said.

"Then why didn't he stop Father?"

"That…" The woman looked at me again, and this time, I knew it was best to let them have their moment.

With Riser gone, my mind cleared a bit.

"I'll leave you two to yourselves," I said. "Call me if you need anything, Rias."

She was too shaken to respond. I felt bad for leaving, but this was a matter that didn't involve me as an outsider.

"Take care, Reo," Akeno said on Rias' behalf. "Do let us know if you need anything as well. I'll inform Asia that you've left."

"Thank you."

However, the lady had something to say to me too.

"I heard you are a friend of Rias."

I expected her to stop and interrogate me.

"Ah, yes," I nodded. "I am, ma'am."

I made sure to be as respectful as possible while speaking to her.

Despite her maid persona, she was someone important. Even Riser had to act modest in her presence.

"I heard you've helped her quite a lot," she said, her expression softening. It was quite amusing.

I had expected her to look down on me for being human, as Riser did.

Especially since she was an Ultimate-Class devil, which is even higher than High-Class devils.

"I just did what any friend would do, ma'am."

"Not every friend would risk their safety to help another," she said, shaking her head. "Thank you."

That… was not what I was expecting from her.

"From both me and Lord Lucifer."

And as I wondered about her relationship with Rias, I got the answer directly from her.

"That's the least I can do as her sister-in-law."

For a few seconds, I stared blankly at her.

I…

I didn't know what to say.

This lady.

The one in the maid outfit.

The one who referred to Rias with such respect, as if her own position was below Rias'…

Is Rias' sister-in-law?

She is… the wife of Lucifer?

What the fuck.

…

…

[Same Time — Fallen Angel's Headquarters]

{Raynare}

My heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest.

My body was cold, and my head felt light.

"Harming innocent humans, causing trouble at a devil's camp, and risking the already fragile relationship." His voice echoed around us. "How do you plan to take responsibility?"

I wasn't the only one shuddering.

Kalawarner was trembling in fear as we both knelt in front of him.

We didn't dare look up. We didn't know if he had an angry expression or not.

But we could feel the lack of emotion in his voice.

"To be fair," another voice came from the corner, "they would have more than likely died if I hadn't arrived in time. Two already died, and if I had been a minute late, they would have died too."

"T-That's not true!" Kalawarner tried to argue, though she didn't dare to look up. "There's no way we would have lost to some mere child devils!"

The boy, Vali, scoffed.

Meanwhile, the man we knelt before sighed.

"When will the two of you mature?" His voice, for some reason, sounded pained. "I've already lost Mittelt and Dohnaseek. I would have lost both of you too, all because of your stupidity."

He sounded disappointed.

"Why even chase after Sacred Gears?"

"B-Because you adore them," I said. "I thought… maybe you would have a more favorable opinion of us if I brought you a rare Sacred Gear."

"I already had a favorable view, Raynare." He sighed. "And if I wanted the Gears, I would have looked for them personally. I'm a researcher; I want to understand the Gears, not steal them."

"Why did you even save these idiots?" Even Vali sounded amused, which irritated me greatly. "Clearly, they would die the next time they try using their empty brains."

"They are still Fallens, Vali." Azazel, the man for whom I did everything, sighed. "They are still family."

Vali scoffed, but Azazel's words felt warm.

Even after everything, he still saw us as family.

That man was right.

If I said that it was him who suggested I go after the Gears, would he have a better opinion of me?

Should I—

No.

If he found out that I told Azazel about him, he would kill me.

No, I cannot use his name.

"So, what are you going to do with them?" Vali asked. "I refuse to believe you wouldn't punish them."

I hoped that he wouldn't.

He said that we were family.

However,

"Oh, they are certainly getting punished."

That hope was shattered instantly.

"And it will be a punishment that will forever be etched into their memories."

"I don't like that smile of yours, Azazel," Vali said, while I wondered what Azazel was planning for us.

"Vali," he said, calling the boy's name. "Do you want to go to Kuoh again?"

What…

Was he planning?

"What do you mean?"

But Azazel didn't answer.

Instead, he approached us and whispered,

"Get ready, you two." He said, "Your punishment will be in Kuoh."

At that moment, I had no idea.

About how cruel Azazel could be.

And how horrifying his punishments could be.

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