Riser Phoenix stood in the grand engagement hall, his presence commanding yet subtly scrutinized by the heirs of various noble houses. Their skeptical gazes bore into him, questions clearly swirling in their minds. Riser could almost hear their thoughts, each one trying to decipher the enigma before them.
He thought to himself, You can judge people's intellect at times like this.
Some are simply confused, wondering why I gave up after practically winning. They'll puzzle over it, unable to grasp why I'd forfeit just as victory was within reach.
Then there are those who will overthink it, convinced I must have some ulterior motive. They'll fill in the blanks themselves, their minds working overtime to reach a conclusion that they'll believe reflects their superior intellect—like Cersei Lannister, the kind of people who are too smart for their own good.
But then, there were the third types, those who might see more deeply or remain silent, pondering the larger picture.
Riser's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the appearance of a magic circle, glowing with the distinct aura of the Gremory family.
He guessed immediately—Rias.
Rias Gremory appeared in the hall, her peerage surrounding her, though Issei was notably absent. Riser assumed Grayfia had taken him for treatment. If Rias was here, then most likely Sirzechs was lurking somewhere close.
Rias's eyes met Riser's, her expression a mix of confusion and frustration. "Riser, why did you quit? What are your intentions?"
Before Riser could answer, Birgir Oriax, the heir of the Oriax house, stepped forward, his voice brimming with passionate indignation. "Yes, Riser, why did you forsake your own lady like that? You go and do this after inviting us all here!"
Diodora Astaroth, the cunning heir of the Astaroth house, chimed in with a sly, sarcastic tone. "You invite us to your engagement, only to break it technically yourself. Did you wish to insult us by wasting our time, or was it the Gremory family you sought to dishonor by quitting after you'd won a Rating Game?"
Several other heirs nodded in agreement, murmuring their support for Birgir and Diodora's accusations. Riser smirked inwardly, categorizing them as he had earlier—Birgir, type one, and Diodora, type two. And Rias? She seemed to lose brain cells the moment she got emotionally involved.
With a loud, clear voice that silenced the room, Riser began, "Ladies and gentlemen, I had no intention of insulting you or your houses by calling you here and wasting your time."
Diodora, eager to pounce, opened his mouth to interject. "Riser—"
But Riser cut him off, his voice firm. "Neither did I intend to insult House Gremory."
Diodora's face twisted in irritation, but he held his tongue as Riser continued.
"As I fought Rias's pawn, Issei, and prepared to end the duel, we all saw Miss Rias teleport in front of Issei, desperate to save her pawn. In that moment, a thought occurred to me—this marriage is not destined to be successful. And so, I decided to quit then and there."
Just as Riser finished speaking, Sirzechs Lucifer, who had been hidden from view, made his entrance. His voice was calm, yet carried the weight of authority. "Well spoken, Riser. A marriage should be pursued only when both parties have agreed and come to terms."
Riser turned to face him, bowing his head slightly in respect. "Sir Lucifer, I would like to apologize for ending the engagement on my own accord."
Sirzechs smiled, knowing some of thought of riser . "Don't be so hard on yourself, Riser. The heart has its own ways of guiding us."
With that, Riser knew it was time to make his exit. "I would like to take my leave then, Sir Lucifer. I must inform my father of today's events."
He then turned to address the assembled heirs and nobles. "Thank you all for attending. I apologize for wasting your time."
As he made his way toward Rias, her eyes were still wide with questions, her heart likely torn between relief and confusion. Riser stopped in front of her, his expression softening. "Heir of House Gremory, I hope you find peace and love in your life."
Without waiting for a response, Riser activated his magic circle and teleported away, leaving behind a hall filled with speculation, but no clear answers.
Riser Phoenix materialized in the grand hall of the Phoenix Clan mansion, his magic circle dissipating as he arrived. His peerage was already assembled, their faces a mixture of concern and anticipation. Ravel, his younger sister, stepped forward, her eyes filled with worry.
"Oni-san..." she began, but before she could continue, Yubelluna, Riser's Queen, gently interrupted.
"Lord and Lady Phoenix are waiting for you in the study."
Understanding the gravity of the situation,
Riser nodded. "Thank you," he said, his voice steady.
He turned to his peerage, offering a brief but reassuring glance. "Wait for me."
He walked through the familiar corridors of the mansion, each step echoing his resolve. Upon reaching the study door, he paused, taking a deep breath before knocking lightly.
"Enter," came the commanding voice of his father.
Riser opened the door and stepped inside. The study was a room of elegance and tradition, with shelves lined with ancient tomes and the scent of old parchment lingering in the air. Lord Robert Phoenix and Lady Rachel Phoenix were seated, their faces unreadable.
Riser took a seat across from them, bowing his head in respect. "Father, Mother."
Silence hung heavy in the room until Robert finally spoke, his tone measured. "Riser, why did you admit defeat?"
Riser allowed himself a small, almost imperceptible smile before answering. "This whole engagement was destined to fail, Father."
Robert, the patriarch of the Phoenix family, narrowed his eyes, his curiosity piqued. "And how did you know?"
There was a pause, both parents waiting for Riser to reveal his reasoning. Riser met his father's gaze, his expression calm. "Father, don't pretend you didn't see this coming. You know what was going to happen."
Robert's expression stiffened, though he remained composed. "And why do you accuse me of knowing you were going to break the engagement?"
Riser's smile widened slightly. "I didn't break the engagement, Father. I simply lost the duel."
Rachel, ever the voice of maternal concern, leaned forward slightly. "Now, my dear son, don't play games with us. We're just trying to understand why our son, who seemed so eager this morning for his engagement, has suddenly forfeited his engagement."
Classic bad cop, good cop, Riser thought to himself. He knew he had to be careful; despite being his parents, they represented the clan's interests, and he had been their representative in a very public, very important event.
With a steady, commanding voice, he spoke one name: "Sirzechs Lucifer."
Both Robert and Rachel exchanged a glance, a mixture of surprise and recognition crossing their faces. They were beginning to see how much their son had grown, how his perspective had sharpened in such a short time.
Riser continued, his tone confident. "The duel between Issei and me was orchestrated by Sirzechs.
He disguised it as a harmless game, pretending to be the doting older brother, offering entertainment.
But it was obvious—too obvious, really—when he asked Issei what he wanted, knowing full well that Issei was obsessed with Rias. That was the most blatant giveaway."
Robert leaned back slightly, contemplating his son's words. "And what do you make of it?"
Riser's voice was firm, but there was a hint of frustration. "I was too weak to express my true feelings, to call him out on his bullshit."
Rachel's voice was gentle but probing. "And what do you plan to do now?"
Riser's eyes hardened. "Revenge."
Robert's eyes widened in shock. "Have you lost your mind, Riser? You're talking about Sirzechs Lucifer, the strongest devil alive. Just because you've done the Rebirth ability doesn't mean you can challenge him!"
Riser raised a hand to calm his father. "Father, calm down. I'm not suggesting a suicidal confrontation. Revenge will be taken only if he doesn't apologize to me. And you will be the one to send him this message."
Robert looked at his son, startled by his audacity and the clarity of his logic. "Why me?"
Riser's voice was steady, his reasoning sound. "Because this situation would never have happened if you and Lord Gremory hadn't granted your permissions for this farce of an engagement and duel."
Robert sat back in his chair, the realization of his son's deductions hitting him hard. Rachel, ever the supportive partner, placed a hand on her husband's arm and smiled softly.
"He's got you there, dear. Riser, you should understand—your father wanted to do this for your own good."
Riser turned to his mother, his expression unyielding. "I don't know, Mother, what lesson you or Father hoped to teach me—whether it was humility or something else. But I don't care. All I know is that I never want to feel like that again."
Rachel stood up and walked over to her son, embracing him warmly. "Oh, my baby, are you okay?"
Riser returned the hug briefly, then pulled back. "Mother, I'm fine."
They spent some time discussing Riser's newfound abilities, the Rebirth in particular, with Riser assuring them that he was in control and that the transformation hadn't harmed him. However, Robert had one more concern.
"Do you know what happened to your peerage?" he asked, his tone more serious.
Riser nodded slightly. "I have an inkling."
He called for his peerage to enter the study. They filed in, their expressions a mix of worry and confusion. As they gathered, it became clear what had happened—the chess pieces that once marked them as his servants had been expelled from their bodies, now glowing with a red-blue hue.
Riser studied the pieces for a moment, then turned to his peerage, his voice calm but reassuring. "Don't worry. We'll figure this out."
He attempted to reintegrate the pieces into his peerage, but despite his best efforts, the pieces refused to merge with their bodies. He frowned, but then looked up at them, his resolve unshaken.
"We'll find a solution," he assured them, though his mind was already racing with the implications. This was just one more challenge to overcome, but he would face it head-on, just as he had everything else. For the first time, Riser Phoenix was not merely the arrogant noble playing a role; he was becoming something more—someone capable of writing his own destiny.