Bellegno went all in, desperate and wild—if she was going down, she'd take Draconis with her. Light Thorns flashed, stabbing toward him with lethal intent.
But Draconis didn't flinch. He tore through the barrage, ignoring the sword-like spears of light, charging straight for the Fallen Angel.
Bellegno's face twisted into a mask of rage and madness. "Die!!" she screamed, her voice raw, as if centuries of hatred had boiled over in a single instant.
She watched, triumphant, as her Light Thorns closed in—then froze. Out of nowhere, a silver-white shield materialized before Draconis, blazing with power and casting a shimmering force field. Every Light Thorn shattered on impact, unable to touch him.
In a single, fluid motion, Draconis's sword swept past her. He stopped behind Bellegno as a spray of blood erupted—a deep, diagonal wound running from shoulder to rib. Her upper body slid away, collapsing to the ground.
Draconis glanced back at her crumpled form and spat the word, cold and final:
"Idiot."
Who'd waste their life for someone like her? She wasn't important enough for a glorious last stand. Mutual destruction with a nobody—what a joke.
He'd kept his trump card hidden from the start. The real power of his Sacred Gear wasn't just the Regalia Blade—it was the shield, Divine Lament, a guardian that protected its wielder without command.
Bellegno's vitality kept her clinging to life, refusing to accept death at the hands of a low-ranked devil. Draconis stepped forward, calm, and finished her with a single stroke. The Fallen Angel vanished, leaving only ashes swirling in the night breeze.
Only then did Draconis's body finally sag. He looked up—Bellegno's barrier dissolved with her death.
He raised his hand, and a dark red devil's crest shimmered into existence on his palm. Earlier, the barrier had blocked his signal to Rias, but now, with the threat gone, he could call for help.
He'd gotten lucky tonight. The Fallen Angel wasn't as strong as she could've been. Next time, he might not be so fortunate. He needed to get stronger—needed contracts, and fast.
A crimson magic circle flared, and Rias appeared, flanked by Akeno and Koneko. Seeing Draconis kneeling, braced on his sword, all three rushed to his side.
"Draconis! What happened?"
Rias's face was grim. Her eyes darkened as she spotted the bleeding wound on his leg—a flash of anger sparking in her gaze.
"That's… a Light Spear wound!? Who did this to you?"
For a moment, Rias radiated pure, demonic menace. The air around her chilled. Seeing her servant hurt, she was genuinely furious.
Draconis met her eyes, feeling the warmth of her concern. His usual cool demeanor softened just a little.
"President, relax. The one who hurt me is dust now."
He waved it off, forcing himself upright with the Regalia Blade. The pain still burned through him, and he couldn't help but wince.
"Damn… President, how do you cure Fallen Angel light poisoning? It hurts like hell!"
Sweat dripped down his face; his clothes were soaked.
"Light poisoning?" Rias's eyes widened, then she understood:
"You mean divine light. For low-level devils, that stuff is pure poison—it's agony. Come with me, I'll heal you."
"Thanks… sorry to trouble you again." Draconis managed a weak smile, holding back a groan.
Rias brushed off his apology with a gentle laugh. "Why say that, silly? I'm your master, remember?"
She slipped her arm around him, letting him lean his full weight against her. Then she turned to Akeno and Koneko:
"I'll leave cleanup to you two. And check into that Fallen Angel's background."
"Ara ara, leave it to us," Akeno replied, her smile tinged with something dangerous.
Rias wasted no time, teleporting Draconis home and starting treatment immediately.
…
When Rias's soft, cool body pressed against his back, Draconis remembered that night—the night she'd embraced him, transforming him into a devil.
Damn… this was dangerously tempting.
"Draconis, your heart's beating faster," Rias teased, arms wrapped around him, her palm resting over his heart.
He could feel her skin against his, and more than that—a surge of pure, potent demonic power, flowing into him through their contact. The pain gnawing at his nerves faded, replaced by soothing warmth.
Draconis bit his lip. "I didn't expect your healing method to be… like this."
Rias leaned in, her breath warm against his ear. "Hmm? Do you mind? Don't you like my body?"
"…If you don't mind, how could I?" Draconis smiled, voice gentle. "And as for your body, President—I doubt anyone could dislike it."
Rias laughed, satisfied. "Barely acceptable answer, I suppose."
She patted his back. "All done. You're drenched in sweat—go clean up."
"That fast?" Draconis blinked, almost disappointed. The warmth of her body was gone, and he found himself missing it.
"What's wrong? Want to get closer? If it's you, Draconis, I don't mind. You can do anything you want to me—anything at all~"
Rias smiled, her fingers tracing his cheek, her beauty radiant and dangerously alluring.
"…I never imagined words could sound so beautiful," Draconis murmured, but he didn't move, his expression still composed.
"Shame, really. Maybe it's the remnants of my human heart, but I just can't bring myself to want something so… empty."
…
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📚 Thank you for reading and supporting!
💬 Want to discuss plot theories with other fans?
🎯 Exclusive content and community awaits on Patreon!
🤝 Join our amazing reader family → [-patreon.com/GoldenLong]