Her chest trembled as Rias tried to endure something.
If she was still the princess of the Gremory house and the little sister of Sirzech Lucifer, she would lash out at Akeno directly.
However, she lost her status and knew that if she didn't want to lose everything, she had to grow up.
Still—
"Why... why did you tell me all of this?"
"Do you want me to keep lying to you?"
"I..."
To be honest, if Rias didn't know the relationship between Riser and Akeno, she would think that it was better not to know anything. The two could pretend that nothing had happened, but it was different now as she knew the truth.
As she knew the truth, she wondered when Akeno was going to tell her the truth.
Still, as expected, it was hard.
Yet, she could only accept it.
"...how did it begin?"
Akeno looked at Rias with a surprised expression as her reaction exceeded her expectation. She thought that Rias would lash at her and even blast her "destruction" ability at her, but Rias only calmly asked how it began.
There was no need to hide anything as there was nothing shameful.
Nevertheless, Akeno tried to beautify it slightly as she knew when her relationship with Riser started, she was like a hungry lioness.
At this moment, no one said anything, and they just listened to Akeno's story.
Even Asia and Koneko were the same.
"...you invited him into your house?"
"Um."
Rias thought for a moment and realized that her time with Riser was quite limited. Even though they often met each other, the occasion and the time they stayed were short. Moreover, the others had always been present, which made it harder for her to develop their relationship further.
If Akeno could do it, then she could do it, too, right?
Rias knew how beautiful she was, and she also understood how men were drooling whenever they saw her. It could be said that her body was her most precious, and it was also the thing that made Riser obsessed with her.
Rias could somehow imagine how he held her body tightly, obsessively, as he ate her like a beast.
Such a thought somehow gave a shudder, yet exciting.
However, Akeno poured cold water into Rias.
"Don't copy me, Rias."
There was no need for Akeno to wait for Rias' answer as she could tell what this young man thought from her expression.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Rias looked at Akeno with confusion, then snorted. "Do you think you are more beautiful than me?" While it was true that Akeno's breasts were much bigger, she didn't think that she lost to Akeno.
"If you offer your body, it will make you appear cheap, and he will look down on you even more. Moreover, did you forget what you did before?"
"What did I do?" Rias was confused.
"You asked him to meet Hyoudo and asked him to forgive him."
Even now, Akeno calls Issei by his family name instead of his first name, as if they are strangers. However, as Issei had always tried to antagonize Riser, while she didn't say anything, she despised Issei, who could only talk behind the back like a coward, especially when whom Issei spoke to was the man she loved.
"As he had said before, you get ahead of yourselves. Your relationship might be good, but it doesn't mean that he will allow all of your selfishness like everyone around you does.
"Lastly, Rias, you are too greedy."
Akeno knew that she needed to say something to Rias, or else the Gremory house would be in ruin due to Rias' hasty and thoughtless decision.
"I know that I might sound harsh, but Rias, you are not the little sister of Lucifer anymore.
"There is only one that you can choose.
"The Red Dragon Emperor, or Riser Lucifer.
"However, you—"
Akeno sighed and didn't continue to say anything as she could see Rias realized everything.
"I... I... I..."
Rias was unable to find the proper words as she knew how terrible her current situation was.
However, she knew that Akeno was correct.
As Riser had given her his kindness, showing his support toward her, Rias thought that she could ask more from him, and she believed he would agree as if it was something given, considering how he felt toward her.
However, she knew this wasn't too late.
"Yes, as long as I sleep with him, then..."
Then, everything would be okay.
The first impression given by Riser was horrible, and even if he had changed, it stuck deep into Rias' heart and didn't change, especially after he accepted her kiss and gave her advice.
Rias thought that he was just angry as she had decided to use Issei, and as long as that feeling disappeared, then it would be okay, right?
Watching Rias, who somehow got into a misunderstanding, Akeno wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn't say anything. She knew that everything was too late. It was almost impossible for Riser to get close to Rias anymore, but she knew that Rias definitely wouldn't believe it, especially when she knew what kind of individual Rias was.
Rias might be beautiful and all, but as expected, her spoiled nature and her narcissism weren't something that could be erased with just the death of Sirzech.
If the meeting between Riser and Rias had been different, then this wouldn't have happened, and something might have changed, but as everything had happened, nothing could be changed.
Still, Akeno noticed the movement in Koneko and Asia. While it was subtle, she knew that Koneko was trying to hold Asia.
Naturally, everything was simple, as Asia definitely didn't want Issei to die.
Issei might be a pervert, and kind of... anyway, Asia definitely didn't want Issei to die. After all, like how he had helped and saved her, she would do the same, but Koneko knew that this wasn't the place for them to talk or interrupt, so Koneko tried to stop Asia.
Nevertheless, Akeno realized this, so she helped Asia. "Since you have made your decision, what are you going to do with Hyoudo, Rias?"
Rias didn't notice the movement of Asia and Koneko as she had been focused on her actions along with Akeno's words that stuck deeply into her heart. Still, this question woke her up as she thought about what she needed to do with Issei. She thought for a moment, hesitating, but she made up her mind decisively.
"I... he is still my peerage member after all, and I need the power of the Red Dragon Emperor to become the champion."
If Rias wanted to grow her house further, the only way for her to do that was to become the champion of the "Rating Game," and to do that, she needed the power of the "Red Dragon Emperor."
If Riser was displeased, Rias thought that she could use her body.
In the worst case, she could be with Akeno too.
Rias' decision might seem weird, but as a heroine who could give her virginity to escape from the engagement and expose her breasts in front of everyone and even let a pervert push and suck her nipple in public, it wasn't weird, right?
Akeno opened her lips, then closed them again.
With that answer, everything was settled.
Akeno knew that from now on, there was nothing that could save her childhood friend anymore.
Yet, it wasn't her problem.
After all, as long as she could be by his side, she was satisfied.