The next morning brought solemn silence to the corridors of the Gremory mansion. Sunlight filtered through the tall curtains, illuminating the room where Rias and her peerage had gathered. Gasper was there, seated among them, his posture careful yet steady.
Rias kept her eyes on him, evaluating every detail of his presence. Akeno smiled discreetly, her eyes narrowed in silent provocation, while Koneko watched quietly, arms crossed against her small frame. Kiba remained calm as always, distant but attentive.
The air carried a soft tension, as if they were all waiting for the beginning of a new phase.
Rias broke the silence.
"Grayfia will be arriving soon. Gasper, it's important that you focus on your training."
Her gaze softened for a moment.
"If you need anything, you can count on me. Even my blood, if necessary."
Gasper lowered his head slightly, his voice quiet but clear.
"Thank you, Rias-senpai, but I won't need it. I'll just do my best."
Behind the simple words, a thought echoed within him.
'I just hope Grayfia doesn't find anything strange about me. From my memories, we barely saw each other… but this is my world now, and she's a Super Devil or something close to it.'
Rias sighed softly, concealing a thought burning silently within her.
'As long as this engagement exists, I'll be trapped in a prison with Riser's name. But I won't accept that as my destiny. I'll grow stronger, I'll strengthen my peerage… and when the chance comes, I'll tear this foul bond apart and prove that no one decides my life but me.'
She brushed aside the inner discomfort and extended her hand toward Koneko, resting it gently atop the younger girl's pale hair.
"You'll be important in this process as well, Koneko."
Koneko blushed faintly, averting her eyes in silence.
Akeno laughed softly, the sound flowing like a melody between malice and sweetness.
"Don't let Grayfia's cold aura intimidate you, Gasper-kun. When she looks at you, don't think you're being frozen."
Her smile curved more suggestively.
"After school, if you end up injured… I'll take care of you myself."
Her violet eyes narrowed in calculated amusement.
"I could even offer my blood, if you refuse Rias's."
Gasper blinked several times, but his tone held only innocence.
"Thank you, Akeno-senpai, but I won't need that either."
The faint blush on her face turned into a soft laugh, as if his answer made him even more interesting.
Koneko, meanwhile, clenched her fists discreetly.
Akeno noticed and leaned toward the smaller girl.
"Ah, Koneko-chan, are you blushing too? Do you want to offer him your blood?"
Koneko looked away again, silent, but the tension was obvious in the air.
The mood wavered between provocation and seriousness, and Gasper took a deep breath, holding to his center.
'I think I'll ask Kiba-senpai to help me with swords… at least with him I can train without all this confusion.'
Rias caught the shift in the scene and raised her voice, soft but firm.
"That's enough for now. Gasper needs focus, not distractions. Training begins shortly, and Grayfia will not accept half measures."
The silence spread through the hall like an invisible wave. Even Akeno's laughter faded. Everyone felt the change in atmosphere, as if the very air was bracing for what was next.
A magic circle opened in the center of the room, luminous and detailed, runes spinning in perfect rhythm.
Vuuush.
Red and silver energy took form before them, shaping into clear lines that split the space. The crest of House Lucifer glowed for a moment before fading.
Before them stood Grayfia Lucifuge.
Tall, with flawless posture, silver hair cascading down her back to her waist. Her cold eyes reflected authority and serenity. The maid's uniform fit her precisely, but nothing about her suggested fragility. Only discipline, power, and silence heavier than words.
Her presence was not hostile, yet it was inescapable. A chill slid through the room, even without the faintest hint of killing intent.
For Gasper, who had already seen many beautiful women since his reincarnation, there was no comparison. At that instant, facing Grayfia, he understood the weight of the word beauty differently. It wasn't just the perfect face or the balanced, slender figure. It was the aura. That cold elegance, that unreachable perfection.
She was, without doubt, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Grayfia tilted her head lightly toward Rias, a formal gesture carrying both respect and hierarchy.
"Lady Rias."
Her gaze softened almost imperceptibly as it shifted to the rest of the group.
"Kiba, Akeno, Koneko, Gasper. It's good to see you again."
Each name left her lips in a natural tone, neither warm nor cold. Only the perfect balance between the housekeeper and the respected figure.
The peerage answered nearly in unison, each voice carrying its own intonation.
"Grayfia-san."
Respect filled the air, reflected in attentive eyes and straightened postures.
Kiba remained impeccable, with a faint formal smile.
Akeno, as always, bowed with elegance, her eyes half-closed in graceful reverence.
Koneko inclined her head silently, her expression unchanged.
And Gasper… he only muttered the words, his voice quiet, yet clear enough to be heard.
Gasper PoV
I took a deep breath.
The air felt heavier, as if every molecule vibrated under her presence. A cold aura, implacable—not intimidating through brute force, but through absolute control.
My body reacted in an unexpected way. An impulse burned in my throat. Thirst. The hunger for blood. I swallowed hard, forcing it down. I couldn't show it now, not in front of her.
Since my reincarnation I've seen countless beautiful women, but none compared to her. It wasn't just her physical appearance. It was perfection in her bearing, serenity in her gaze, natural authority. Grayfia Lucifuge was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
Anxiety coursed through me. I had to stay steady. Training would begin, and she would be the one in charge. The Super Devil standing before me could not, under any circumstance, suspect anything strange about me.
Gasper PoV – End
Rias approached Grayfia, the contrast between them highlighting the weight of the moment. The Gremory heiress breathed deeply before speaking, firm yet tender.
"Grayfia, I entrust Gasper's training to you. He needs discipline, someone who can mold what he carries. I leave this in your hands."
Grayfia inclined her head, a gesture that merged acknowledgment with acceptance of the duty.
"Understood."
The weight of her word sealed the moment.
Rias looked at Gasper one last time. Her crimson eyes radiated trust, though beneath it a hidden concern lingered. Her hand touched his shoulder briefly, but it was enough for everyone to sense the silent bond growing between them.
"I'm going to school now. I trust you, Grayfia."
She turned on firm steps, the echo of her heels fading down the hall until it vanished.
The door closed behind her.
Now the hall was left to Grayfia's presence and Gasper's uncertain future.
The silence stretched for long seconds. The housekeeper's gaze rested on him—steady, analytical, without hurry to break the weight of quiet. Gasper sat frozen, his fingers tense on his trousers, his breathing measured, trying not to reveal his nerves.
When he could no longer hold it, he raised his face.
"Sister Grayfia… what happens now?"
His tone was quiet, yet clear enough to carry through the hall.
Grayfia tilted her head slightly, not surprised but confirming. Her posture did not shift from formality.
"Now, Gasper, I will take you to the mansion's training grounds."
Her silver eyes reflected the soft light streaming through the windows.
"Before anything else, I must observe your current level. Without that, there's no way to measure the pace or direction of your learning."
The answer brought both relief and tension. Her tone carried no judgment, only absolute certainty of what must be done.
Gasper drew a deep breath, his body still rigid, but he bowed his head in assent.
"Understood, Sister Grayfia."
Her quiet breath marked the end of the pause.
"Stand. Training doesn't begin when you fight. It begins when you decide not to run."
Her words echoed through the hall, cold and solid, without needing to raise her voice.
Grayfia then moved her hand gracefully, and a magic circle bloomed beneath her feet. Crimson and silver runes spread across the floor like a perfect flower.
Vuuush.
The energy pulsed, expanding in waves that cut the air.
"Come with me."
She stepped forward, the space around her distorting. Gasper hesitated for only a second before following, crossing into the light that opened the passage to the hidden training grounds of the Gremory estate.
His future was no longer bound to the hall. It was now in the hands of the woman who led him—cold as ice, relentless as a blade, and perhaps… the first to shape his destiny.
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