_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On the bed, a flawless, porcelain-smooth body lay stretched out, its soft, alluring curves enough to make anyone's heartbeat quicken, impossible to look away from.
Jack stepped closer, slipped off his shoes, and climbed onto the bed, straddling Rias without hesitation.
A faint glow of magic swirled around his palms as he began massaging her back and waist.
Her skin was smooth as silk, pale and luminous, the kind that would make other women envious. As his hands pressed down, it felt warm and supple beneath his touch.
Guiding his hands with magic, he worked upward from the base of her spine, slow and steady. Rias couldn't help the soft hum that escaped her lips.
She bent her arms, burying her face in them, her long crimson hair spilling over one shoulder as she relaxed into his care.
"Hehe… what's gotten into you today? You're being unusually sweet."
She glanced back at him with a smile.
"Oh? Am I not usually to your liking?" Jack replied casually, his hands never stopping as he continued pressing along her body, eyes lingering on the fair skin beneath him.
To be fair, his technique was precise. He knew exactly where to press to get the best results.
All those books he read hadn't gone to waste.
Rias could feel the strength in his hands, firm but perfectly controlled. Combined with the subtle stimulation of magic, it made her feel like her bones were melting.
A soft, almost kitten-like sound slipped from her throat.
"I always like you… but today, you're so gentle I can't help but like you even more."
"I know you've been under a lot of pressure. I just wanted to do something for you."
His quiet words made her pause.
After a moment, she gave a helpless smile. "Honestly… you saw right through me."
"It's about your family, isn't it?"
"Yeah…" Rias sighed softly. "But it's fine. I can still handle it for now."
Jack pressed his lips together slightly, then said in a low voice,
"If you don't want to endure it anymore, just lay everything out. I'll help you."
"Huh? How would you help…" She blinked, then shook her head. "You're still not strong enough yet…"
"…That's not necessarily true."
He paused for a second before answering calmly.
She couldn't see it from her position, but as he lowered his gaze, a faint golden glint flickered in his eyes.
Sensing something in his presence, Rias looked surprised. She propped herself up slightly and glanced back.
What she saw was the same composed, steady expression he always wore, calm yet quietly confident.
"What are you looking at? Lie still."
He gave her a light smack.
She let out a small cry, her eyes turning a little more sultry as she obediently lay back down, smiling.
"This is unexpected… I actually feel safe with you. You're really making my heart race today."
"Isn't that what a man's supposed to do?" Jack replied evenly, then added, "Rias, I wasn't joking earlier."
His hands continued easing the tension from her body. Her eyes slowly closed in comfort.
"I get it. You must have your own plans or some kind of trump card… but I don't want you taking risks. I can still handle this pressure for now."
He went quiet for a couple of seconds before saying softly, "Don't force yourself."
"Hehe, I won't. After all, I'm the future head of the Gremory family."
Jack could only give a silent, knowing smile at that.
If that position really solved everything, she wouldn't be struggling like this.
Suddenly, Rias reached back and grabbed his hand, stopping him.
"Alright, let me turn over."
He shifted aside, and she rolled onto her back, now facing him, her eyes glinting with playful mischief.
"I want a massage on the front too."
"…Alright."
Embarrassment wasn't something Jack worried about. He went straight to work.
It wasn't like it was his first time anyway.
Wave after wave of sensation hit her, and her breathing grew heavier.
She opened her arms toward him, her voice tinged with heat. "Come here… let me hold you."
Seeing the emotion in her eyes, Jack leaned down. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and he lowered his head to kiss her.
The kiss lingered, deep and unbroken, for over a minute before they finally parted, both a little dazed.
Rias rested her hands on his shoulders, staring at him for a couple of seconds before whispering,
"Take me."
Her eyes burned with desire, her restraint slipping.
Up close, Jack met her gaze… then quietly refused.
"Not yet."
"Why?" she asked, startled. "I'm still a virgin, you know!"
"That's not the point."
He explained gently, "If we act on impulse now, it'll make things harder for you later. You're the future head of the Gremory family. Acting recklessly has consequences. At the very least, it could spark a conflict between two families."
He wasn't exaggerating.
Rias was still bound by an engagement. Even if it was something she'd reluctantly accepted for the sake of her race, it still existed.
If she crossed the line now, the pure-blood devil she was engaged to wouldn't let it go—and he'd have every justification to make trouble.
Jack wasn't afraid of that.
But he didn't want Rias to suffer because of it.
Hearing him out, she could only sigh helplessly.
Of course she understood all this.
It was just that, in that moment, she had desperately wanted to break free from those chains.
Thankfully, Jack stayed clear-headed. This wasn't the time to give in to desire.
Only after breaking off that engagement could she truly be free—free to choose, to love, to be with the person she wanted, without restraint.
She hugged him tightly, whispering softly,
"Jack… I like you the most."
Seeing her flushed, emotional expression, Jack smiled faintly. Then he shed his outer gear and leaned over her again.
"Hey… didn't you say we couldn't?"
"I said we can't go all the way," he replied calmly. "Doesn't mean we can't do anything else. Your family won't be able to detect this much."
As he spoke, he lowered his head and left a mark on her neck.
"Hehe…"
Rias finally laughed, bright and unrestrained, as she wrapped herself around him, the two of them lost in each other, giving and taking warmth without holding back.
"..."
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________