Serefall cast a suspicious glance in Riser's direction, her eyes narrowed in distrust. "You're not thinking of using Ophis against me, are you?"
Riser raised his hands in a gesture of innocence, his charming smile never faltering. "Serefall, my dear, you know me better than that. I would never use Ophis as a threat against you."
Serefall's expression remained skeptical, but she decided to give Riser the benefit of the doubt for now. "I hope you're serious. Ophis is a force not to be underestimated."
Riser observed Serefall with a mischievous smile on his lips, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he tried to ease her concerns.
"You know I wouldn't do that, Serefall," he said, his voice soft and persuasive. "Ophis is a trump card we can use to show our strength, nothing more."
Serefall watched Riser cautiously, her suspicion still present in her eyes, but she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Riser, I choose to believe you. But know that if this gets out of hand, I won't hesitate to intervene."
"I'm curious to know how you plan to intervene if things go awry with Ophis," teased Riser, a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.
Serefall arched an eyebrow, clearly skeptical of Riser's sincerity. "Are you trying to provoke me, Riser?"
Riser shook his head with an innocent smile. "Me? Never." He quickly changed the subject. "By the way, is there anything you can do for Kuroka?"
Serefall sighed, her shoulders tense with the memory of Kuroka's situation. "I won't report her, if that's what you're thinking. But that's all I can do."
Riser frowned, a slight disappointment passing through his eyes. "Is that all? It seems insufficient."
Serefall looked at Riser with a serious look. "It's the most I can offer at the moment, Riser. I can't risk myself any further than that."
Riser nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself. He knew Serefall was doing what she could within her limitations, and it wasn't fair to press her further.
"I understand, Serefall. I appreciate your help," he said, his tone sincere.
Serefall watched Riser cautiously, her narrowed eyes conveying mistrust. "I need you to keep her a secret for now,"
Riser winked at her with a mischievous smile. "Who do you want me to keep a secret, Serefall? Ophis or Kuroka?" He teased, knowing full well the answer.
"Both," replied Serefall, her voice serious indicating she wasn't joking.
Riser smiled as he watched Serefall, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Don't worry, Serefall. My alliance with Ophis and Kuroka's whereabouts are secrets I'll keep under lock and key."
Serefall nodded, a cautious look in her eyes. "I hope you're serious, Riser. We can't afford to entrust all these secrets to just anyone."
Riser raised his hands in a gesture of innocence. "You know me, Serefall. I'm a man of my word."
"I need to think about this situation for a while," said Serefall, her voice laden with concern. "I'll take a walk and reflect on what was discussed here."
Riser nodded, understanding Serefall's need for space to process everything they had talked about. He watched as she teleported away.
Now alone outside Ophis's room, Riser felt a mix of emotions stirring within him.
Deciding to set aside his concerns about Ophis for now, Riser made his way to the room where he would find Merlin and Kuroka. Upon entering the room, he found the two of them engaged in lively conversation, but Kuroka's mood changed as soon as he entered.
"How was the conversation, Nya?" asked Kuroka, her voice filled with curiosity and a hint of anxiety.
Riser sighed, letting out a soft sigh as he settled onto the couch. "Well, it seems we'll have to handle this on our own. Serefall won't help, but she won't hinder us either."
Kuroka frowned, confused by Riser's response. "So, what does that exactly mean, Nya?"
Merlin chuckled softly, amused by Kuroka's puzzled expression. "It seems we're on our own, Kuroka. Serefall isn't willing to get involved."
Kuroka looked at Merlin with an irritated expression. "You don't have to treat me like an idiot, Merlin."
Merlin raised her hands in surrender, her amused smile still present on her lips.
Kuroka huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
Riser interrupted the discussion, watching the two with a mischievous smile on his lips. "Well, since we're all here, I think it's time we discuss our next steps."
Merlin and Kuroka turned to him, curious to hear what he had in mind.
"First, Kuroka, I want you to know that you can stay at my house, but we have to keep this a secret," said Riser, his voice calm and determined. "We can't risk drawing unwanted attention."
Kuroka nodded, understanding the need for secrecy. "Got it, Nya. I'll be careful."
As Riser prepared to reveal the next step of his plan, Merlin arched an eyebrow with curiosity, hoping to hear more details. "So, Riser, what else do you have in mind?"
Riser let out a soft laugh, his mischievous expression indicating he was about to make a joke. "Well, the next step is... hmm, let me think..." He paused for dramatic effect, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he thought of a suitable response. "Ah, yes, the next step is to have a cup of tea. We need to stay hydrated to face the challenges ahead."
Kuroka rolled her eyes, her expression clearly showing she wasn't impressed with Riser's joke. "Very funny, Nya. Now, seriously, what's the plan?"
Riser looked at Kuroka with a mischievous smile on his lips. "Don't worry, Kuroka, I'm not Thomas Shelby. I haven't thought that far ahead yet."
Kuroka furrowed her brow, her curiosity piqued by the reference she didn't understand. "Who is Thomas Shelby, Nya?"
Merlin tilted her head in confusion, her eyes meeting Riser's. "Sorry, Riser, but I don't know who Thomas Shelby is either."
Riser let out a soft laugh, shaking his head with amusement. "Forget about it, Merlin. It's not important right now."
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