Another twenty minutes passed.
Now, at last, Rian was actually sitting with them—after being chased nonstop by Koneko, who looked like a tireless little destruction machine.
Rian was lightly out of breath, sunglasses back on, one hand wiping the sweat from his temple while the other casually grabbed a mochi from the snack plate.
He glanced at them, then let out a long sigh.
"By the way," Rian suddenly spoke in a lazy tone, "about the bungee jumping punishment for the loser… it still stands. So… be prepared later."
Silence fell.
Everyone turned toward him at once, their expressions a mix of disbelief, despair, and the desperate hope that maybe, just maybe, they'd misheard him.
Asia covered her mouth with both hands, face pale. "B-Bungee… from that height… that's terrifying…"
Kiba smiled politely, though a small vein was visible on his temple. "I thought… that was just a dramatic threat."
Issei tensed up. "Can't we negotiate, bro? I mean… we did lose with honor, right?"
Akeno just chuckled softly. "Fufufu~ I don't mind… as long as it's with Rian-kun."
"Eek!" Gasper squeaked, hiding behind Rias. "Rias-sama… I don't want to go bungee jumping!"
"There's no 'as long as,'" Koneko replied flatly. "I'm erasing today's memory."
Rias sighed, raising an eyebrow. "Sometimes I don't know whether to be grateful that you always keep your promises… or mourn the fact that your promises are always insane, Rian."
Rian looked at them one by one for a moment, then exhaled lightly.
"Alright," he said casually, "if you all really refuse the bungee jump… then fine, we'll just change it."
His gaze shifted to Rias, a faint smirk curling on his lips.
"Could you arrange a sparring match for me against the Student Council members?" Rian asked casually. "They're devils too, right? So that shouldn't be a problem… Rias?"
Rias turned to him, meeting his eyes for a moment before letting out a small, uncertain smile.
Meanwhile, everyone else straightened up instantly—some even holding their breath without realizing it.
After a brief silence, as if weighing several thoughts at once, Rias finally spoke.
"Alright," she said at last, exhaling softly as she brushed her crimson hair back. "I'll talk to Sona about it later."
She glanced at Rian with a look that was half resigned, half amused.
"I suppose I can't let my peerage go bungee jumping from that height… even if some of them might deserve it."
Rias's eyes flicked briefly toward Koneko, who was still pouting with puffed cheeks—while the wrecked manor behind her remained as undeniable evidence of her earlier rampage.
Not long after, a familiar voice echoed in Rian's mind through telepathy — calm, flat, yet unmistakably distinct.
"At the playground... Meet me."
Rian let out another sigh, then curved a faint smile. Rising from his seat, he brushed the grass and dust off the back of his pants.
"Sorry," he said, glancing at each of them in turn. "I've got to go meet a girl."
Rias immediately raised an eyebrow, her tone tinged with suspicion. "A girl? Don't tell me… the mysterious one you took to karaoke? With Gasper?"
"Oh? So Gasper-kun already spilled the story?" Rian replied, alternating his gaze between Gasper and Rias. "Yeah. That girl."
Akeno giggled softly. "Fufu~ You really do have a unique taste, Rian."
Koneko crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "…We're not done yet."
Asia looked a little puzzled, but smiled gently. "Please be safe, Rian-san…"
Issei, who had just managed to peel off the last sticker from his face, looked at Rian with a weary expression.
"You really live in a different world, bro…"
Gasper half-hid behind Rias, clearly remembering the terrifying aura of Ophis. "Please… don't bring her here…"
Rian just shrugged, flashing his trademark grin.
After saying his goodbyes, he left the Gremory manor grounds. His steps were light, but his mind was filled with questions.
For some reason, Ophis had been asking to meet him more and more often lately.
Their time together had been getting longer too — as if the Dragon God was slowly forming a habit… or an attachment.
Rian didn't really mind. But after a while, he started to realize that his skincare routine time was shrinking — and that was a nightmare for him.
More importantly, there was no way Rian could fight back if Ophis ever got angry. Because? Obviously — Ophis was far stronger than him, Six Eyes and Limitless technique aside.
***
At the playground, lively with the noise of children enjoying their holiday, the air was filled with laughter and the creak of swings.
Some kids were on the seesaws, others sliding down bright plastic slides, swinging high into the air, or busy building sandcastles under the warm sun.
But on one of the park benches sat a girl who stood in sharp contrast to the cheerful scene around her.
She had a pale, beautiful face and sharp gray eyes — eyes with reptilian pupils that gleamed faintly.
Her gaze was empty, cold, as if the world before her was nothing more than a dull illusion.
She was Ophis — the Dragon God of Infinity, though none of the people around her had the faintest idea of her true nature.
Today, Ophis wore a long-sleeved shirt with a cyan cross pattern across the chest, paired with a thigh-length skirt in the same hue and light purple sandals.
Over the shirt, she had on a bright purple zip-up sweater left open, giving her a relaxed yet strangely out-of-place look amidst the noise of the playground.
Ophis sat silently, her gaze fixed on the laughing, running children. There was no interest in her eyes. No emotion.
To her, it was as if everything before her was nothing more than a swarm of ants moving without purpose or meaning.
Strangely, none of the children around her seemed to notice her presence — even though, physically, she looked to be around their age.
It was as if the world itself had chosen to forget Ophis.
Or perhaps… the world had simply decided not to disturb her.
She turned her head slightly, as if checking on something. Her expression remained flat, cold as ever.
But a moment later, she saw him — Rian, approaching from a distance.
After teleporting from the Gremory manor, Rian had stopped by his apartment. Not to rest, of course — but to take a shower and change his clothes.
After the sparring match and the rather intense chase with Koneko — and that, without using Limitless — his body was sweaty, and his clothes were a mess.
And for Rian, a man who prided himself on maintaining his image, that was an unforgivable violation of his sacred code of handsomeness.
Upon arriving at the playground, Rian took a seat on the same bench—right beside Ophis.
He sat casually, glancing at the girl for a moment before flashing a small smile. "Did you wait long for this handsome man?" he asked lightly.
Ophis turned her gray, reptilian eyes toward him. Her gaze, as always, was blank yet observant—silent, unreadable. She didn't respond immediately, merely stared at the boy beside her without a hint of expression.
Rian looked back at her briefly before shifting his gaze to the children laughing and playing across the playground.
"Ophis-chan," Rian said in his usual relaxed, friendly tone, "you know, I've got a pretty tight schedule sometimes. School, training, club activities… not easy to manage free time."
Silence followed.
No response came. The air itself seemed to still, as if time had momentarily stopped.
Then, Ophis tilted her head slightly—a small, familiar gesture that reminded Rian of his own expression whenever he was confused.
Without changing her flat tone, Ophis asked, "Is that… important?"
Rian chuckled softly, shrugging his shoulders. "Not that important, really. But if I focus on you too much… this world might just become a little too heavy for a handsome man like me to handle alone."
A faint smile curved on his lips—half teasing, half sincere.
"Need time?" Ophis asked in her usual flat tone, though this time it was quieter, almost like a whisper drifting amidst the lively noise of the playground.
Rian nodded lightly, his smile easy and genuine. "Exactly! One hundred points for Ophis-chan."
Silence returned once more, as if the world itself held its breath, waiting for the Dragon God's response.
"…Alright," Ophis finally said.
Just one word—but it was enough.
"I'm glad you understand, Ophis-chan," Rian said, reaching out his right hand to gently pat Ophis on the head—a soft, familiar gesture filled with quiet fondness.
Afterward, he looked at her expressionless face and asked in his usual casual tone, "So, what's the plan this time?"
"I was thinking we could visit that popular crepe place. They say they've got your favorite—banana and chocolate."
Without a word, Ophis hopped down from the playground bench.
That silence alone… said everything.
It wasn't rejection—it was agreement, in the most Ophis-like way possible.
A simple reaction, yet one that clearly showed her interest.