53 An Ascendant Flame 2

Traveling via Magic Circle was rather convenient. By the time I could blink, I was already in the club room, and at that moment, my previous good mood was ruined once more as I saw the redhead and her peerage staring at my circle and then at me with intense dislike.

Sighing internally, I walked forward past the pawn and sat down on the couch opposite the princess of ruin, and as I sat down, I saw the cat sitting next to me. Looking forward, I simply asked, "So how do you want this to go, heiress Gremory?"

Rias seemed surprised at this as she asked, " What do you mean, Riser?"

"Okay, I'm lost here. Who is this guy?" The perverted pawn asked, but everyone ignored him.

Scoffing, I replied, " You and I both know that Lady Lucifuge would not be here if you did not have a proposition for me." The maid that had just shown up looked at me with narrowed eyes as if studying a foreign creature. I do admit I was slightly envious that Sirzechs was able to land with such a beautiful woman, but it went no further than that.

"What are you talking about, and why are you even here if you are only accusing me of such actions?" Looking to the maid, she addressed the room.

"To answer the previous question, this is Riser Phenex, the third son of the Phenex family and Lady Rias's fiance. They are arranged to be married, but the date has been recently pushed forward. I am surprised you knew of the proposition beforehand, Lord Riser." Is it hypocritical to hate most of your race because they always speak in double meanings?

Specifically, how she mentioned I was the third son and the whole lore title, she said without a speck of respect. Still, such is Devil's society as you can even be the highest in the hierarchy, but if you are weaker than the lower rungs, you are treated as second rate. But I have better self-control than that, so I simply listened.

"I may not be as politically versed as my brothers or father, but I am not a fool. A conflict between two devils can only be solved one way these days. So, I simply put two and two together. Besides, the whole Underworld knows of the amount of "care" Lord Lucifer gives his sister." As I continue, I almost see a small amount of unease behind the maid's eyes.

"You were going to have her challenge me even though her peerage is nowhere near complete, and she is not of an eligible age to fight a rating game just yet. But exceptions could always be made given the "circumstances." I smirked seeing Rias somewhat shift in her seat in irritation, understanding the context but in the worst way possible.

"I do not need my brother's help. Besides, my members are more than enough-"

"To lose entirely. Let me put this in perspective: the only one in this room that would be able to match up with the higher levels of my retinue would be your queen over there, even if she's only flying at half mast. That or the little one here." I gesture to Koneko sitting next to me, and as I do so, I can see her eyes slim as her nature shows itself ever so slightly. At the same time, Akeno's closed-eye smile becomes ever darker.

"In the end, you'd still have to contend with me. But when have devils ever been logical, so Lady Lucifuge, when does this game begin?" But before she could answer, Issei butts in as usual.

"Hey, asshole! I may not understand what is going on, but the president should not be forced to marry you if she doesn't want to!" And there is the shonen at full strength.

Looking at him, I could feel the tension increase as Rias would be somewhat afraid for her precious dragon, but I had just turned away, utterly bored of this already. I would rather be training my flames or my peerage right now, but I have to be here instead. Lucifer, give me strength.

Ignoring him, however, makes him even more annoyed as he summons his gauntlet, which wasn't even past the stage where he could boost. It does truly show the amount of plot that surrounds this kid. Men and devils alike would train their whole lives to reach the ultimate class alone. Ultimate class!

Never mind that ultimate classes are fodder in and of itself in the later parts of the story, and he reaches past that in a year. Such misfortune for everyone but him.

I then use my innate wind magic inherent in my family to increase my speed, stand before him, and grab his gauntlet.

Power surges through the room as everyone, but Grayfia reacts rather violently while I just examine the gear and try to get a feel for it. Issei had been trying to pull away, but it was like an ant trying to pull away from a black hole.

"Lord Riser, that is enough! Cease this hostility." She then summons some of her ice magic, and it slightly taps my arm, freeing it entirely. Looking at my frozen left arm, I let go of the pawn and smashed my arm to pieces. However, using my essence of the elements, I simply made it so that my arm turned into flames instead of actually being broken apart, as while regeneration is a nifty power, I can still feel all of the pain.

My arm returns to normal as the room is left shocked by the utter lack of care for what happened. After a few seconds, I utter, "You know longinuses are rarely seen even after decades, yet as I try to examine one and not even attempt to hurt the wielder, I am attacked unprovoked. Truly an exemplification of care and trust, I say!" 

The pawn I simply pushed away and said, " I'm going to put this in very simple terms: we are going to have a rating game in 10 days, and when you lose, you will cease this foolishness, but I will also be seeking reparations from the Gremory family due to my physical and emotional damage sustained in these meetings."

It was shameless. Did I care? No, I had a trump card thanks to Riser sending his familiar to watch over his fiance last night. I did not even summon my peerage as I sat back down on the couch, and Rias had one last thing to say.

"Riser, I will never marry you!" 

The silence after that statement left the room confused as I began to shake in anger and utter laughter. I can't tell if this girl is delusional or so out of touch that she thinks that being married to me would bring her so much trouble.

I mean this purely politically, as the only thing she would ever be forced to do would be to Bear a child of mine and her blood. Other than that, I would be her trophy husband. I would have no say over her own retinue nor her actions as due to my house being of lower political standing than her own, and I would be marrying into her home, not the other way around.

Yet here I am, utterly baffled that she finds that one simple thing so repulsive. While I could slightly pity her for it, the precedent had long been in place for things like this, and pure marriages for love were as rare as an angel sighting in the Underworld in the present day.

"What so funny?" Rias asks as Asia checks on Issei. I do admit I wish I could have that healer girl in my retirement or at least in my sister's future retirement, as I believe they would get along quite well. Also, I am imagining training her as that woman did in that new anime I watched before I died. I believe it was called the wrong way to use healing magic. Intrusive thought aside, I stood up and said nothing in return as I could feel myself losing brain cells at this behavior.

"Remember Rias, ten days." Not even giving her the respect of her title, I teleported away before anyone could say anything more.

The others in the room had so much more to say, but I did not care. All that mattered to me was my peerage and family. The world could burn for all I care, and it would if the future was set in stone.

(Third Person POV)

The room that was once filled with animosity was then filled with confusion as Rias asked Grayfia, " Grayfia, did Riser seem different to you?"

"Yes, he did, Lady Rias, but the matter is set, and you all must train for the coming battle. I need to return to Lord Lucifer and inform him of this development. I wish you luck, Rias." With a small smile, she left as Rias could not take Riser's reaction out of her mind. The laughter was mocking, as if she was nothing in his eyes, even when she could clearly remember Riser's lust the last time they met all those years ago.

But when she looked into his eyes, all she saw was emptiness, as if he wanted to be anywhere else but here. According to the rumor, she would have been looking towards every beautiful woman here yet he barely even gave any of her retinue a passing glance. And the information he heard should not have been known to anyone but her family.

So they either had a leak, or Riser wasn't as two-dimensional as she thought. Before she could think further about this, Issei went over and checked on her. " President, are you okay?" Rias slightly smiled at her pawn's concern so she nodded slightly and replied.

"Yes, I am fine, but my older sister is right. We need to train, and we have ten days. Riser won't know what hit him!" Issei and the rest looked as excited as she was, but she could see Koneko and Akeno looking almost passive, as if they were going with the flow.

While worrisome, Rias ignored the slight edge in her emotional state and gave them orders to meet her here later the next day so they could head to her daily's vacation home to train.

(Grayfia POV)

I had never felt threatened for over a hundred years, yet to have my ice, even at my lowest power, be ignored like that was alarming. My ice not only froze someone, it also flash-froze them so they would feel unending pain, yet Riser, a "spoiled" brat, did not even flinch. 

Entering my lord's office, I find him haunched over the desk, writing and writing as he filled out documents for hours on end. Noticing my presence, he smiled at me and bid me rise from my bow.

"So Grayfia, how did it go?" Taking a hesitant breath, I answered.

"It went as planned, my Lord, but there has been a bit of an issue." Sirzech's eyes slightly narrowed as he bid me to continue.

"Riser agreed to the rating game and even had the exact same set time we thought of and then left. He made no insults toward Lady Rias or her peerage and simply left. There was no overwhelming pride or entitlement. He just simply left." Sirzechs remained silent, ruminating over what I just said.

"It seems that there is more to Riser than meets the eye. However, since we have no proof of any wrongdoing or suspicious activity, we will have to wait until the rating game to speak with him. But I will be sending Souji and Surtr to watch over them as they train." As he sighed, he sat back in his chair, and I stood behind him and started to give him a massage.

Groaning in happiness, Sirzechs continued, " Well, I wish this marriage could have worked. It seems that my sister has found something more interesting in the human world, don't you think?"

I am less sure of that than I should be, but I nodded as the Red Dragon on the side of the devils would be a greater boon if he survived. But with his perversion, which, while eccentric, would be a burden in the wrong environments at least, he would be simple to motivate and manipulate.

But that odd feeling would not cease as she thought back to the Phenex and his utter lack of care for the coming game.

They would simply have to see what came next.

(Riser POV)

Arriving back at the Phenex manner, I could feel a presence approaching, and as she did, I was already being hugged by my mother. While I will always enjoy hugs, I did want to breathe, so as I tried to escape the heavenly hell, my mother had other ideas.

"My little boy is back! Quick, tell Mom how it went." I tried to say that I could not, but Yubelluna managed to pull her off, and as I leaned against my queen, I could see my mother faux struggling against my peerage.

"It went as well as I expected, Mother. There will be a rating game in ten days. The winner shall have their desire granted, and the other shall be shamed." I could see my mother's eyes light ablaze as I said that.

"How dare those red-headed siscons to threaten my boy! You better kick her butt in ten days, son." grinning at her anger, I nodded and looked to my own peerage, and as I did so, they stood at attention, and I addressed them.

"Our opponent is filled with people of potential, and the powers they have honestly trump our own in terms of Versatility, but even now, I can see our superiority from a mile away. We have the numbers, the might, and the experience on our foes. We shall train ourselves to not bring shame to this house and me. Can I ask this of you all?"

"Yes, Lord Riser!" They all said, and I grinned, awaiting the next days with bated breath.