[Still in the Underworld, Rating Game Arena]
Rias's humiliating defeat in the Rating Game, which dragged on for three hours, left the Phoenix clan basking in the glow of victory. But the Gremory household? They were drowning in a sea of disappointment. The atmosphere was colder than a witch's tit, especially in the VIP room, where Zectas Gremory, Venelana Gremory, little Millicas, his mommy, and the rest of the Phoenix family sat in awkward silence.
Venelana's expression was particularly disturbing. Normally, she's the epitome of a loving mother, a loyal wife, and a doting parent who always supports her daughter's whims without pressuring her into anything. But tonight? It was a different story.
Her beloved daughter, Rias, who was supposed to inherit the Gremory household, had made a complete fool of herself. And why? Because Sirzechs, as Satan, couldn't claim the Gremory name, leaving Rias as the only option until Millicas came along. Sure, after Millicas was born, the pressure on Rias lessened, but still, she was the "princess" of the Gremory family, the one with the potential of a Satan-class power.
But what did Rias do with all that potential? Jack shit, that's what. She spent her days indulging in anime, otaku culture, and other useless crap. While Rias was off playing around, other kids her age in rival houses were sharpening their skills. Take Sona Sitri, for example, Satan Leviathan's little sister and Sirzechs' close friend. She's the same age as Rias, but instead of wasting time, she honed her strategic mind and became the best chess master of her generation. Her peerage? She recruited them based on their abilities, not because they were handed to her on a silver platter like Rias's peerage.
Hell, if Rias went up against Sona in a Rating Game, she'd get her ass handed to her, despite being stronger. Sona knows her strengths and her peerage's strengths and uses them wisely. Meanwhile, Rias hasn't done any real training, and her peerage members are too busy being hung up on their tragic pasts to be of any real use. They've done just enough training to know how to use their powers, but nothing more.
And it's not just Sona who's better. Take Sairaorg, for instance. Even without the Bael clan's power, he could wipe the floor with Rias's entire peerage, no problem.
=====
[Inside the VIP Room]
Zectas Gremory watched the entire match, stone-faced. Rias had gone against his wishes by challenging Riser and got her ass kicked—badly. If she hadn't done that, the Gremory name wouldn't have been dragged through the mud so publicly.
This wasn't just about winning or losing; it was about how she lost. She didn't even put up a good fight. If she had gone down with pride, that would have been one thing. But to surrender for the sake of a lowly servant in front of her future husband? It was humiliating. Their name had been smeared in the dirt.
This was about to become a full-blown controversy. The Phoenix family could very well demand compensation from the Gremory family, claiming Rias did something scandalous with a lowly servant before the wedding and tried to humiliate their house publicly.
*Sigh*
All Zectas could do was sigh in frustration. He glanced over at his wife, and she was wearing an expression that was a mix of shame and anger. Anger at herself for spoiling their daughter and shame that Rias had dragged the Gremory name through the mud, something her son had worked so hard to elevate to the stars.
What's done is done. According to the agreement, Rias now has to marry Riser. There's nothing they can do about it. If Rias tries to leave the Gremory house, she'll have to marry first, after which she can sever ties with the Gremorys. But then she'll be Phoenix property, and the Gremory's nose will be saved, at least a little.
Rias's fate is sealed. She's dug her own grave, and now she has no choice but to lie in it.
======
[Inside the V.I.P Room for Satan]
The room was as silent as a graveyard, tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Sirzechs sat there, a bitter cocktail of disappointment and frustration churning in his gut. He had hoped—prayed, even—that Rias would pull a miracle out of her hat with her trump card. Maybe, just maybe, the Red Dragon Emperor could have tipped the scales in her favor. But no, she blew it. She waited until the last minute to summon the damn thing, and how the hell did she expect a horny teenage boy with zero combat experience to suddenly become a supernatural badass?
*Sigh*
He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. What else could he do?
"My condolences, Sirzechs. Tell her I wish her a happy married life," came a voice, half-mumbled and groggy. His lazy-ass friend had spoken before promptly dozing off again. Typical. Sirzechs couldn't even argue with him—because the guy wasn't wrong. Resigned, he turned his attention to his fellow Satan and close friend, Serafall Leviathan, who was staring at the screen with a serious expression.
Sensing his gaze, Serafall turned to him with an awkward smile. "Did you ever consider that her defeat would be this humiliating? She really threw a wrench in all your plans."
Serafall's voice was tinged with sympathy, pity even. She knew exactly what Sirzechs was going through. They were both massive sis-cons, willing to go to any lengths for their sisters. But their positions as Satans meant they had limits—unlike the spoiled siblings they adored. If only Rias had fought with everything she had, maybe, just maybe, Sirzechs could've salvaged the situation. He had planned meticulously, trying to save his sister from this marriage, but all those plans had gone up in flames.
Serafall couldn't help but feel sorry for Sirzechs. After all, she had a sister the same age as Rias, but the difference between Rias and Sona was like night and day.
Rias was a bombshell, no doubt about it. Her body was a succubus's wet dream—curvy, voluptuous, with boobs and an ass that screamed "perfect for childbirth." Meanwhile, Sona's figure was petite, her chest flat, and her hips narrow. She wasn't as drop-dead gorgeous as Rias, but she wasn't ugly either.
But—oh, there's a big 'but' here—when it comes to brains, Sona is leagues ahead of Rias. Sona always considers her family's name and honor before making any move, avoiding any game she knows she might lose. She understands the stakes, the consequences. Rias, on the other hand, charges in headfirst, driven by ego and a useless sense of pride. While that might seem commendable, this isn't some ordinary world, and she's not just any girl. She needs to think about her position, her responsibilities as the future head of the Gremory family.
"Hahah—!" Sirzechs let out a hollow laugh, the sound empty and bitter. He refocused on the screen, knowing full well that his options were running out.
Now, he had only one path left to walk, but he knew it was going to be a hell of a painful journey.
The screen displayed a two-hour break timer, with just thirty minutes left until the final match—the one that every devil in the arena was dying to see.
Rias and her peerage members were currently in the hospital, recovering from their injuries. No one had gone to visit her; they were all too ashamed to face her. But they all wanted to see the person who had humiliated the Phoenix heir, to find out whether the power he showed in that brief glimpse on the video was just a fluke or if he really was the big deal he appeared to be.
======
[Underworld – Rudra and Co.Room]
Unlike the other rooms and the arena where victory and defeat brought their own waves of celebration and disappointment, the atmosphere in this chamber was... different. You could cut the tension with a knife, but for a totally different reason. Every pair of eyes was glued to a laptop screen on the table, where a football match was in its final, nail-biting moments.
It was penalty kick time. The fate of Listiyano Donaldo's team hung in the balance.
With the referee's whistle, Donaldo sprinted forward, his foot connecting with the ball in a thunderous kick. The ball soared through the air, curving impossibly towards the goal. The goalkeeper dived, stretching his hands out, eyes locked on the ball, but despite his desperate attempt, he was just inches short. The ball sailed past him and into the net.
"""GOAL!!!!"""
""YAAAAYYYY!!!"" 🎉🎉🎉🎉
The room erupted into cheers. Rudra, Sera, Miu, and Kaori were all engrossed in the football match, completely ignoring the important Rating Game that Rias was involved in. Even Grayfia, who was supposed to be overseeing their needs, found herself caught up in the excitement, despite knowing the outcome of Rias's match already.
And let's not forget Night, who was enjoying the match just as much as the rest of them. The match had been so intense and captivating that they didn't even notice the announcement for the final match.
It got so bad that someone had to come and fetch them. And who else but the still-injured Akeno, who dragged herself there despite her condition, just to find Rudra.
Akeno had expected a more serious atmosphere. After all, Rudra was just a human, albeit a slightly powerful one, compared to the other devils. She thought he'd be using this time to analyze Rias and Riser's weaknesses to exploit later. But when she knocked on the door and got no answer, she was confused. Turning the handle, she found the door unlocked.
What she saw inside blew her mind.
This guy, Rudra, was lounging like a king between his lovers, casually watching a football match. *Is he out of his mind?* Akeno thought, or maybe someone hit him too hard on the head.
She was still debating whether to zap him back to his senses with some lightning when the match ended and everyone started celebrating. Sera and Miu both gave Rudra a quick kiss—well, Sera was his wife, so that was normal, but what shocked Akeno was Miu doing the same. And Kaori, her friend, was watching them enviously from the side.
*What the hell is going on here?* Akeno thought, not knowing that Miu was in line to be Rudra's next wife, with Kaori already getting the green light from Sera, the head wife. She didn't know anything about Rudra, other than what little Sera or Rudra had told her. And because Sera was practically born to be Rudra's protector, she instinctively put him above everything else, like a fierce beast guarding its treasure.
But ever since Akeno met Rudra, she couldn't shake this familiar feeling—like something about him reminded her of… her mother.
Suddenly, Grayfia noticed Akeno standing there and called out to her, snapping Akeno out of her thoughts.
"Miss Akeno, why are you here? You should be in the hospital right now," Grayfia questioned, a hint of worry in her voice despite her otherwise stoic face. After all, she had known Akeno since she was a child, and being the maid of the Gremory family, it was her duty to look out for her.
"No, I'm fine. I just… I need to talk to Rudra… about that thing," Akeno replied, taking a deep breath. She had walked all the way from the hospital, which was outside the arena, in her injured state. Given her already poor health and stamina, she was out of breath.
Despite Akeno's broken sentences, Grayfia understood what she meant, having been there when the conversation took place.
"Alright, come in and sit down for a bit. Rest," Grayfia said, gesturing for Akeno to enter.
Akeno nodded and made her way to the sofa, drawing everyone's attention as she did. She barely sat down when all eyes in the room turned to her, creating an awkward silence.
*Ahem*
Grayfia cleared her throat, redirecting everyone's attention to her before addressing Rudra with the grace of a seasoned maid.
"Mr. Rudra, Miss Akeno would like to have a chat with you about the matter you decided on."
Rudra nodded, signaling everyone to sit down and settle in.