A golden magic circle lit up in the middle of the ORC Club room, its lines spinning like a crown of fire woven with arrogant precision. As the light bloomed fully, an unfamiliar heat pressed into the room, forcing everyone to shift their gaze.
And there he appeared.
Riser Phenex—blazing blond hair, the smug smile of a noble who believed the world finished judging him the moment he was born, and a long aristocratic coat that fluttered as though the room belonged to his family. The eternal-flame-like aura of a Phenex instantly made the atmosphere suffocating.
Behind him, Ravel and several members of the Phenex family appeared as well, but it was Riser's stride that dominated the room.
Rias exhaled softly. Her expression remained polite, but it was clear she was hiding discomfort with great difficulty. Akeno stood beside her, her gentle smile still in place—but the glint in her eyes showed she was ready to electrocute anyone who made Rias uneasy.
"Rias. It has been a very long time." Riser spoke like a prince greeting his subjects, not an unwanted fiancé.
Rias replied politely, "Riser. Your arrival is… abrupt."
"Not abrupt," Riser answered, smiling wider. "I merely wished to ensure my future wife is in good condition."
This time, Koneko's shoulders rose slightly as if holding herself back from flipping a table. Kiba maintained his formal smile.
And Akeno… simply smiled. A dangerous smile.
Riser glanced around the room, then chuckled lightly.
"This place… quite simple, but fitting for Rias's lifestyle, I suppose."
Rias smiled thinly—a smile clearly maintained for the sake of etiquette.
But the most interesting thing was the final look Riser gave before speaking again. His gaze swept the room intensely, as if searching for something… or someone.
A day prior, thanks to Akeno's report about her lunch with a normal human, Rias had indeed grown curious. Especially after hearing that the man was "rather intriguing"—in a way even Akeno struggled to describe.
And now, as though sensing a small shift in the flow of Rias's life, Riser came like a storm to plant his claim.
"Rias," he said while spreading his arms, "I hope you are ready to discuss our marriage."
Rias looked at him without changing her smile, but everyone in the ORC could feel the subtle pressure beginning to flow from her body.
Akeno looked at Riser with a soft chuckle. "Fufu… the atmosphere is getting quite hot, isn't it? Like—"
"—a campfire," Koneko cut in with her flat tone.
Riser ignored all of them. His demeanor clearly showed he only cared about himself and Rias.
And so, the canon chapter resumed—though now slightly diverged, because someone named Jun had begun disturbing the original balance of the story without realizing it.
The light from Riser's teleportation circle hadn't fully faded when the atmosphere in the ORC Club room had already turned into simmering embers ready to explode. Riser stood in arrogant posture, his eyes evaluating the room like a noble choosing items at a cheap auction.
And of course, Issei couldn't tolerate it.
"Oi, oi… say whatever you want, huh!" Issei shouted, unable to hold himself back. "Rias-senpai isn't just yours!"
Akeno raised an eyebrow, Koneko clicked her tongue softly as if she already knew what would happen, while Rias closed her eyes for a moment—a bad sign.
Riser turned slowly, as if only now realizing someone named Issei Hyoudou existed in the room. His smile widened—not warmly, but mockingly.
"Ah, the newly recruited pawn," Riser said. "You seem rather noisy."
Issei stepped forward. "I'm just saying what's right! Rias-senpai has the right to choose her own life!"
The words were noble… but delivered with Issei's signature energy: loud, impulsive, and without evaluating his opponent.
Riser chuckled quietly. "So bold to speak that way to a noble. Or perhaps… you simply don't know your place?"
With a snap of his fingers, Riser's fiery aura flared. Like an invisible hot slap, the energy shot straight at Issei.
BAAM.
Issei was flung back, crashing into a small table that shattered. He groaned while clutching his chest, his breaths heavy.
"Issei!" Rias called reflexively, but Riser merely waved a hand.
"Just a small warning. Nobles do not appreciate unnecessary noise."
Issei rose again despite his shaky body. "I… wasn't done!"
"Issei, don't—" Rias tried to stop him.
Too late.
Issei charged again, without strategy, without plan—pure emotion and blind courage. But the difference was glaring. Riser didn't even move from his spot. He simply raised his hand, and—
WHUUM.
A tongue of flame wrapped around Issei like a scorching whip, flinging him into a corner. Issei winced, his body trembling.
Ravel covered her mouth, looking slightly surprised but not truly concerned. Koneko muttered flatly, "Idiot." Kiba only lowered his gaze, understanding that this fight was unfair from the start.
Riser approached, his steps slow. "You must learn to respect status, low-class child."
He pressed his shoulder against Issei, flames flickering in his palm—not to kill, but to humiliate.
Rias stood.
Ruby-red aura vibrated from her body like a storm suddenly awakened.
"Enough, Riser."
Riser stopped. Only slightly… but enough to notice.
"He is my servant," Rias said softly but firmly. "And I will not allow anyone to treat him like trash."
Rias's energy thickened. Her flowing red hair swayed with the pressure filling the room. Even Riser, with all his arrogance and Phenex blood, was forced to step back from the Gremory aura of genuine anger.
Akeno watched the scene with a thin but satisfied smile. Koneko stopped chewing her chocolate. Kiba looked at Rias with respect.
Riser lifted his chin, trying to maintain his dignity. "Very well. If that is your request, Rias. I will not touch your pawn again… for now."
Rias stared without blinking. "And do not repeat it."
Silence hovered. Riser's heat seemed swallowed by the cold weight of Gremory pressure.
Riser smiled again—a smile full of the superior arrogance of the Phenex, like someone used to watching the world bend to his whims.
"Of course, Rias. After all… you will become my wife," he said casually, as though marriage was just ticking a box.
Rias replied with a thin smile—a gentle-looking one, though behind it was tension even Akeno could feel across the room.
"Don't be so certain, Riser. Not… if I win the bet."
And there, for the first time since he emerged from the teleportation circle, Riser's smile cracked. Just slightly, like a scratch on glass, but enough to show Rias had struck the right spot.
But Riser Phenex was not the type to show defeat. In a heartbeat, his expression straightened, and he laughed lightly—a laugh that sounded more like mockery.
"Yes, yes… if you win."
He raised an eyebrow, deliberately emphasizing the word.
"Hahaha! Let's hope so."
As if wanting to assert his position, Riser wrapped his arm around Yubelluna's waist—his queen, who looked resigned yet still elegant—and pulled her halfway into his embrace.
And Ravel only bowed politely, though from the look in her eyes it was clear she wanted to leave the place as soon as possible.
Riser waved his hand with a dramatic gesture.
"Don't forget to prepare a grand party, my dear Rias!" he shouted in a tone that made Koneko click her tongue loudly and Akeno smile… far too sweetly.
The Phenex teleportation circle lit up again, golden flames spinning like a whirl of hot wind. In an instant, the entire noble entourage—Riser, Ravel, and their attendants—were swallowed by the signature flames of the Phenex clan.
FWOOSH.
Everything vanished.
Only the lingering heat remained, slowly evaporating in the air.
And in the now-quiet ORC Club room, Rias still stood tall. Her thin smile had disappeared, replaced with a serious, dark gaze—a resolve that had just hardened.
"…The wager has already begun," she murmured quietly, more to herself than anyone else.
Akeno glanced at Rias while lightly leaning against the table. "Ufufu… it seems we will be very busy after this, Rias."
Koneko spoke briefly, as usual. "Annoying."
Kiba exhaled softly, formal and polite. "We must prepare as best we can."
And Issei—still sitting while clutching his bruised stomach—tightened his fist, his face hardened with newfound resolve.
//--//
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