Grayfia nodded her head, fully aware of the consequences that could arise from this affair. The weight of the situation was not lost on her, yet she remained composed, as she always did. But Izashi wasn't done, his voice laced with a dark promise as he continued, "But remember this—if Sirzechs ever tries anything with you, sexually or otherwise, forget about the consequences. I don't care if the truth comes out. Just deny him and come to me."
Grayfia met his gaze, her silvery eyes betraying no emotion, but inside, a turmoil brewed. She nodded once more, acknowledging his demand. She knew how dangerous things were becoming, but she couldn't refuse him. Not anymore.
"Understood," she whispered before resting her head back against his chest. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to sink into the warmth of his embrace, finding an odd sense of security in his possessiveness.
After a few moments of silent intimacy, she stirred. "We need to get ready, Master. Riser-sama will be arriving soon."
Izashi chuckled softly, his hand stroking through her long, silky silver hair, his fingers weaving through it as if it were the finest silk. He spoke with the same commanding tone that both thrilled and terrified her. "Grayfia," he said, his voice low and serious, "when we're alone like this, never call anyone but me your lord. No one. Not even Sirzechs."
Grayfia's breath caught in her throat for a moment, but she nodded. "I understand," she said, her tone soft but resolute. "But in front of others, I'll still address you as Izashi-sama."
Izashi grinned lazily, clearly enjoying the little power game they were playing. "Good girl. Now, one more thing before we start the day," he said, his voice teasing as his hand slid to her waist. "Give me a kiss."
Grayfia glanced at him, her expression unreadable, but then leaned forward, pressing her lips softly to his. What began as a gentle kiss quickly deepened, their lips moving together with a heated passion that contradicted her usual cold demeanor. As their kiss grew more intense, Izashi rolled her over onto the bed, his body pressing against hers as they lost themselves in the moment.
When they finally pulled apart, both were slightly breathless. Grayfia sat up, her mind a chaotic storm of conflicting emotions. But now was not the time for such thoughts. She stood from the bed, her body beginning to glow with a crimson light as she summoned her maid uniform. Within moments, the glow faded, and her usual attire appeared—flawless and professional, hiding the vulnerability she had shown just moments before.
Izashi, in contrast, took his time. He stretched lazily before getting up, walking over to the closet to pull out his clothes. As he dressed, he spoke casually, "Alright, Grayfia, it's time. I'll remove the barrier now. Hide your presence completely, as usual. When Riser arrives, you'll know what to do."
Grayfia gave a curt nod, her expression back to its usual calm and composed state. She vanished from sight, her presence completely concealed, just as she had been trained to do for centuries.
With a snap of his fingers, Izashi removed the barrier surrounding the room, allowing him to rejoin the others. As he walked down the hall toward the main gathering area, he could hear the lively discussions of his companions, their voices echoing through the manor. When he entered the room, he found Issei, Kiba, and Koneko engaged in conversation, discussing their recent training sessions.
Issei was the first to speak, bowing his head slightly as he addressed the group. "Thank you, everyone. I can feel the difference in my strength already. The training has helped me a lot. I really appreciate it."
Kiba smiled, giving a slight nod in return. "Don't mention it. We're all part of the same peerage. Besides, you're still new to all this supernatural stuff, so it's important that you catch up."
Issei chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I still have a long way to go, but I'm getting there."
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a bright flash of vermillion light, filling the room with an intense, fiery glow. A blazing magic circle materialized in the center of the room, and from the flames, a tall, blonde figure emerged.
Izashi smirked slightly as he muttered under his breath, "Grayfia should be here soon, too."
As if on cue, another flash of light filled the room, this time a deep, blood-red magic circle adorned with the symbol of the Gremory family. Grayfia appeared from the light, her expression perfectly composed and neutral as always. She took her place next to Izashi, her eyes briefly scanning the room before resting on the newcomer.
"I see Riser-sama has arrived," she said, her voice smooth and professional. "Shall we begin the talks regarding the engagement?"
Issei and Asia exchanged confused glances, clearly taken aback by the sudden turn of events. "Engagement? Buchou's engagement?" Issei mumbled, bewildered. "Nobody told us about this…"
Rias sighed heavily, folding her arms across her chest. "There was no need to tell you, Issei. I'm not going to marry him, so there's nothing to discuss."
Riser Phenex, standing in the center of the room with a smug grin plastered on his face, stepped forward. His sharp golden eyes gleamed with amusement as he looked at Rias. "Now, now, Rias. Don't be so quick to dismiss the situation. The state of your household is more serious than you think. You and Izashi are the only ones left with Gremory blood. Do you really want to let your family's bloodline die out?"
Rias bristled at his words, her hands tightening into fists at her sides. She hated that he was right. Both her father and Sirzechs had expressed their concerns over the future of the Gremory lineage, and this engagement was supposed to be a solution to that problem. But she couldn't bring herself to agree to it. Not with him.
Riser continued, his tone dripping with arrogance. "Besides, this is a chance to strengthen the bonds between the Gremory family and the Phenex family. Imagine the power we'd hold together."
Grayfia remained silent, observing the exchange with her usual cold detachment. Akeno, who had been standing beside Rias, returned to the room carrying a tray of tea. As she approached the group, Riser extended his hand, fully expecting her to hand him the cup. But to his surprise, Akeno walked right past him, completely ignoring his outstretched hand as if he didn't exist.
Instead, she offered the cup to Izashi, who accepted it with a smile, patting Akeno on the head. "Thank you, Akeno-chan," he said warmly, taking a sip of the tea as he watched the scene unfold before him.
The room fell into an awkward silence for a moment as Riser's smirk faltered, his pride clearly wounded by the blatant disregard. Izashi, sensing the tension, casually leaned back in his chair and grinned. "Why'd you all stop? Don't mind me. Keep going," he said, gesturing with his tea cup. "I'm just here for the show."
Rias shot Izashi a quick glare before turning her attention back to Riser. Her voice was cold, but there was a fire in her eyes. "Listen to me, Riser. I'm not marrying you, and that's final. I will choose my own husband, and it won't be you."
As she spoke, an image of Izashi flashed through her mind, but she quickly pushed it aside. This wasn't the time for those thoughts.
Riser's smirk returned, his tone growing more aggressive. "You're being unreasonable, Rias. Do you even understand the danger your house is in? Pure-blood devils like us are constantly at risk, especially in this war with the Fallen Angels and Heaven. Marrying a high-class devil like me is your best option."
Issei, who had been standing silently up until this point, was growing more and more confused. He didn't know much about devil society or the pressures Rias was facing, so he didn't feel it was his place to intervene. Instead, he kept glancing at Izashi, wondering if he was going to step in and put an end to the argument. But Izashi remained seated, sipping his tea with an amused expression, clearly enjoying the drama.
Rias, however, was not amused. She clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over as she stared down Riser. "I won't let my house fall. But I will marry the person I choose, not someone who's been forced on me."
Riser's expression darkened. His patience was wearing thin, and the arrogance in his tone was gone, replaced with cold determination. "Rias, you're a Gremory. You carry your family's name, just like I carry the name of Phenex. We have responsibilities—"
"And I will fulfill those responsibilities in my own way!" Rias snapped, cutting him off. "I have the right to choose my future, just like any other devil from the old noble families."
Riser's frown deepened, his voice lowering to a menacing tone. "You're making a mistake, Rias. I won't let you tarnish the name of the Phenex family."
There was a moment of tense silence before Riser sneered, his gaze sweeping over the room with
disdain. "I didn't even want to come here, to this filthy human world. The air here is disgusting, the fire is weak and dirty. For a devil like me, who controls fire and wind, this place is unbearable."
Izashi, who had finally finished his tea, set his cup down and stood up slowly. He stretched his arms above his head, cracking his neck as he casually walked toward Riser. His voice was calm, but there was a cold edge to it that sent a chill through the room. "So, you don't like the air or the fire here, huh?"
Riser looked at him, confused by the sudden shift in tone. "Yeah, it's disgusting. What about it?"
Izashi smiled—a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Well, let me help you with that."
Before Riser could react, Izashi raised his hand, and a magic circle appeared above his palm. The room darkened as an ominous energy filled the air. Within seconds, a dense, swirling ball of power materialized around Riser, the destructive energy suffocating him as it tore through the air around him.