Chapter 69: A Game of Chess.
Disclaimer: All characters depicted in this story are eighteen years of age or older. Any sexual content involves only consenting adults. This is a work of fiction.
A Marvelous Devil.
Chapter 69: A Game of Chess.
Dante Andromalius.
"I do apologize for what the Lord of your family has done, Latia," I smiled apologetically at the blonde currently dancing with me. "I can't say I imagined stealing your spotlight by being put on the spot by those idiots."
She giggled softly. "I also didn't expect Lord Astaroth to let them use my party to pull that kind of game. Are you really that confident? Rias and Sona didn't look surprised."
She looked at me curiously, her eyes narrowing almost suspiciously. "In fact, they looked like they had been waiting for something like that. Not exactly what happened, but something."
"Hm, do you want me to lie politely or to be honest?" My lips quirked as I sent her for a spin. Latia twirled like she was made for dancing, laughing in surprise before she returned to my arms.
"I'd prefer the truth," she blinked curiously, pressing her head against my shoulder. "Those two have been my friends since we were young. I want to know the kind of man who stole their hearts away."
I nodded calmly, activating my clan trait just enough to make everyone ignore our conversation.
As the birthday girl, she was always going to get a lot of attention during the party, and after the play Bael's lackeys had pulled, I wasn't that far behind.
"Since you are friends, what do you think of Rias's situation?" I asked curiously. "Be honest, none of it will leave my lips."
She sighed, glancing back at Rias, who watched us with a small, nervous smile.
"I love her; she's always been so fun and free, more than I ever let myself be," Latia said wistfully, "but she never actually handled this. I offered to train with her for years, so did Sona, Seek, Sairaorg, and she kept finding reasons to stay out of the Underworld instead. Hoping the date would just... not come."
"A very lazy girl, yes," I chuckled. "Sai's still working on that one. And so will I, soon enough."
"So whatever you actually did," she said, her eyes sharpening as her mind went into overdrive, "you put your products on the line for some reason. To avoid her just banking on Riser's pride to accept a challenge in front of everyone. Not as she originally planned all those years ago. You wanted to avoid Lord Lucifer stepping in, as that would affect her reputation. A normal challenge would also ruin it, depending on how she handled it. I know that's the reason, but I can't think of the correlation between your actions and this."
She pouted, looking angry at not being able to figure everything out by herself.
I raised an eyebrow, grinning. "You're truly Ajuka's blood, no?"
She blushed slightly, smacking my shoulder before resting her head over it as the music turned slower.
"It's to avoid more complications between the Phenex and us," I chuckled softly. "You saw how eager Paimon and his buddies were for the bet; they will ensure it happens as soon as possible. I will ensure I destroy my opponent in a way no one will ever see the Andromalius name as lesser, and when Rias's own challenge happens, no one will say Riser even had a chance. Because everyone will believe I trained my woman."
"Devious, that way the Phenex would save face," she grinned, "but that all depends on whether you can do what you're saying, Lord Andromalius."
"Another non-believer?" I sighed dramatically. "I guess I'll just have to show you why my girls trust me this much."
"Promises, promises," she teased with a grin before letting me go. "I approve. I won't get angry when Rias challenges Riser at my birthday party."
Heh.
"And that alone earned you a special gift, my dear," I promised, "as thanks."
"I don't think you're the kind of man who does things for a single reason alone," she raised an eyebrow. "What's the second one?"
I chuckled, walking her toward the table and pulling her seat for her. "I don't like assholes, and Lord Astaroth is one. I will give you something he and his heir will want but will never be able to use. Just give me some time to think about what, Latia. I'm petty like that."
I kissed her knuckles, earning a small, eager grin.
Then I turned around, looking for someone I hadn't spoken to in almost a whole week.
"May I have this dance?" I asked carefully.
Akeno's eyes widened, glancing around in panic, but Rias, deep in conversation with a green-haired girl, didn't so much as look our way.
Good girl.
She sighed before nodding, giving me her hand.
The other devils ignored us until we found a somewhat empty corner of the ballroom.
Neither of us was focusing on that.
"Baraqiel's brat," I said quietly. "Does your father's name truly deserve that much reaction out of you? It wasn't even Kalawarna's presence that bothered you. Or her being an ass. Just the fact that something reminded you of him."
Akeno froze momentarily as her shoulders tensed in anger. Her eyes narrowed, and she clenched her teeth hard enough to be heard even with the music going at full swing.
"I should have thought of what her presence would have done back then," I continued, sighing. "I didn't, and I apologize for that. I'm not blind to your hatred and the other thousand problems you have."
I chuckled at that, caressing her cheek with my thumb.
"But we're all a bit fucked in the head," I shrugged. "That's what makes us different. What makes you as beautiful as you are in my eyes."
"Then why did you accept her staying in the castle, Dante?" she said coldly, but even she couldn't hide her small smile at my words fast enough.
She wasn't upset with me, at least not as she was upset with herself.
"I did it, and I would do it again, Akeno," I rolled my eyes, "because the opportunity Azazel offers with his need is something I want more than coddling you when you don't need that to get better."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean, Akeno. Do you think Rias's version of helping has done anything for you? Do you think Celestine's moment with Grayfia would have happened like that without being forced to face each other? Do you honestly think I should have done it another way?" I raised her chin.
"You may think of me as cruel, and you wouldn't be wrong," I said calmly. "But it is what she needed. It is what you need to face your demons."
"I'm sorry for acting the way I did," she looked down, "but I'm not in the mood for therapy like the one I saw. Sitting with Kalawarna wouldn't fix how I feel. Nothing short of seeing my mother once more would."
Wasn't that an idea. Not that I would be able to pull it off anytime soon, considering that she was a priestess, and the Japanese Gods probably wouldn't find it nearly as amusing as I would if I pulled a soul out of their afterlife, assuming that was where she had ended up. And that wasn't even mentioning the differences between my original universe and this one.
The fact that she was a normal mortal helped, but not enough for me to risk it at this very moment.
I didn't want to poke beyond the veil without knowing more, especially after seeing what was left of Balor inside the immature brat.
Death was death, but there were differences. A being still tethered to this metaphysical plane through Heaven, or whatever other afterlife was nothing compared to one that had passed through the real veil of the beyond, where it was immensely more troublesome and dangerous. Balor's madness was a clear example of a broken psyche, and that was a very simple consequence.
I wasn't entirely ready to go around poking different divines, nor the attention that reviving someone long dead would bring.
"A talk with Kalawarna wouldn't fix anything," I rolled my eyes. "We both know it was never really about her. Or your mother, in truth."
Her eyes turned wet as she glared at me.
"It's all about your father. Your hatred for him is bigger than your love for your mother," I sighed sadly, pulling her into my chest. "I promise you that Kalawarna will behave during her stay. If she fails at that, I will allow you to be part of her punishment."
She smiled almost excitedly at that before I flicked her nose.
"Yes, yes, you would totally enjoy that, wouldn't you, my adorable sadist? But that wouldn't help you either. You, more than anyone else, need to face your demons to give your mother's sacrifice the respect it deserves."
I kissed her lips softly.
"Just think about that, love," I smiled softly, "do it for the woman who gave her life for you."
"That's an asshole move," she fisted my shirt before laughing brokenly.
"Yes. I'm still scared that my beauty is enough for you all to fight over me considering the shit I pull," I deadpanned before grinning. "I do care for you, Akeno. A lot, and that's why I'm doing this."
"You might be right," she sighed.
"I know I am," I chuckled amusedly, "and so do you."
Anna Marie.
Minutes Later.
"Are you sure she'll be fine, Dante?" I asked worriedly, watching Tandy lead Akeno outside of the castle for some alone time.
Tandy had a soft smile I knew by memory at this point, having received a fair share of them ever since I joined the madhouse. Akeno was in good hands.
"Who knew that friendship would flourish to the point of worry this fast?" Dante smiled gently as his hand around my waist tightened almost… possessively.
Another heat I knew by memory at this point gathered in my abdomen.
His skin was just so hot to the touch, every damn time.
But his words made me stop, shocked and in realization.
He wasn't wrong.
I barely knew the girl, but here I was, genuinely worried about her happiness.
"I don't understand it myself," I chuckled dryly, "it is so unlike me. Sometimes I wake up and look in the mirror in confusion, not recognizing the person I am now."
"But are you happy?" His fingers traced soft patterns on my naked back.
I shivered; never in my damn life would I have dressed this way for anyone back home. Not without the fated meeting that put this ancient, cosmic demon into my life considering I would have killed anyone getting as handsy as him.
And still, I couldn't help but smile as I pressed my chest into his.
"I am happy. Happier than I've ever been."
"That's all that matters, Rogue," he frowned momentarily before smiling, "no. That's not right. That's all that matters, Anna. You deserve to be happy, and it gladdens me to meet you when I did."
I barely managed to raise my head to look at him, finally realizing how hazy everything but his eyes looked around us.
I wasn't able to focus on the details of the devils around us, just lost in those intense blue eyes that crinkled slightly as he smiled gently. His hands guided me across the dance floor through the slow music.
I didn't even have to focus on that. He looked like he didn't even need to try to make me dance like I had been doing this for ages.
Why on earth did a demon manage to change my life for the better when no one else could?
I… I wasn't lying before. I barely recognized myself at this point.
Laughing with Jean was something I had never done before. I had disliked her. Watching her from a distance as Miss Perfect enjoyed a life I thought I would never have because of my curse.
Her perfect grades, her 'perfect' boyfriend (who turned out to be an asshole), her confidence, her strength (which came with a lot of fucking baggage no one even knew about). I used to envy everything about her, not realizing that she suffered like the rest of us.
More, probably.
My only friend had been Kitty, the memory of my peppy best friend making me smile for a moment as Dante's fingers turned into a damn furnace against my skin.
I missed her. But I didn't want to go back yet.
I stopped as my brain recognized what I had just thought.
I didn't want to go back.
I closed my eyes and ignored my nerves before leaning towards his face.
"And here we are," Dante chuckled as I felt the back of my knees hit a chair, and I fell, opening my eyes in alarm as I saw the absolute asshole grinning at me as I found myself sitting back in my spot.
He gave me one last firm squeeze that felt like lightning before taking a step back.
Jean looked like she had heard the funniest joke in the world as she gave Dante her hand, sticking her tongue out at me as he led the redhead into where we used to be.
Ohhh… It was on, bitch.
Jean Grey.
"You know we'll pay for that, right?" I smirked amusedly as his fingers intertwined with mine. "I can't say I ever imagined Rogue looking at a man like that. She looks ready to murder us."
"Does it bring you memories?" His lips quirked.
Of course the bastard knew about that. Sometimes I wondered if this was how everyone felt when being around me.
Telepathy was invasive. Something the bald bastard always waned me about, ignoring the fact that he had sealed the phoenix inside of me. Hypocrite.
Soul reading, though? That was a completely different can of worms.
One that, surprisingly, I didn't mind as much as I could have.
Dante was… different. Understatement of the century, obviously, but I trusted him more than anyone else I had ever met.
Watching his very essence back then was an experience I never imagined having. Not even the strongest telepath in the world would be able to create a connection so pure, so… real, with someone else.
Minds could lie. Souls simply… didn't.
The soul was something beautiful. Something I didn't even know existed before.
Another thing I had to thank Dante for.
"You always get pouty when you're thinking too hard," Dante smiled, taking the lead of the dance as everyone parted from our place.
How he always managed that without even trying was something I hoped to imitate one day. He hadn't bothered activating his family magic like the previous time. Same with Rogue.
He was vain like that. He loved seeing the envy from all these devils.
And his corruption meant that I could see things his way. It was freaking hilarious.
The Underworld was quite different than I expected. Devils as a whole, in truth.
"I don't pout," I scowled just before laughing, feeling all those eyes on our forms as we glided across the floor. "It's just… I can't say I ever saw myself somewhere like this."
"On a different reality?" His lips quirked. "Or you mean exactly this? Sharing a dance and stealing glances from covetous assholes who are wondering what makes you special?"
"Little bit of both," I giggled, getting closer to him as his arms tightened around my waist. "It's surreal. A couple of months ago I always thought I would finish college, be part of the team fighting a losing battle, and save the few of those we could."
"You were always going to be great, my dear," Dante smiled, "not just because of our adorably scary friend, but because you are you."
"Hoh?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Does it surprise you that originally I only took you in because of your connection with someone from my past?" he chuckled. "We're intelligent adults here."
"Hearing it being put so bluntly does not feel good, Dante," I sighed, "but I can't say I hate it. I'd rather hear blunt honesty than lies. You're the worst, you know?"
"How so?" His hand fell into the small of my back.
"Knowing that you're doing things because you know everything about us while liking the result of it, you mean?" I laughed softly. "I can't even call it manipulation because you don't even hide it, Dante. Worse, I know that's how you are; it was in your very essence from the start of your existence."
"Do you hate it?" he asked quietly, stepping back just a moment as I twirled, still connected through our fingers before he pulled me back, pressing his chest against mine, feeling thoroughly enveloped by his warmth. "Do you hate what I am? What I represent? As you said, my dear, it is in my nature. I am changing, but some things might never change."
"You see the world differently than us," I admitted softly, "but I don't hate it."
We fell silent after that, just enjoying a dance in a way I hadn't before.
Being part of the popular group in school and later in university meant I had a lot of experience with somewhat formal dances. I was even prom queen a couple of years ago with the asshole I used to date.
But those dances were never as fun as this one.
"You want us," I said minutes later.
"I want a lot of things, Jean," he shrugged, somehow managing to make even that look graceful while dancing, "but I never hid that I want you both and Rogue. I'm greedy like that."
"I know," I hid my head in the crook of his neck to hide the blush, hearing the Phoenix inside my soul cooing unhelpfully. "Would you still want me if I didn't have the Phoenix?"
I didn't like how pathetic the question sounded to my ears.
But Dante just stopped in place for a moment before his hold tightened.
"I am genuinely tempted to leave you breathless with a kiss, but Rogue would probably jump at us," he said after a bit of locking gazes with me, and I knew he was speaking the truth.
I laughed, almost deliriously at the real threat. I could still feel the damn heating glare coming from the tables a fair bit away.
"But while the Phoenix presence is something I can't deny, it turned out that you yourself are the real gift," he grinned.
I winced at the coo turned scream coming from my insides as the Phoenix giggled like a schoolgirl before cursing Dante like a sailor for putting me ahead of her.
Where on earth did she learn to speak like that?! It had to be Dante's fault.
Dante's head lit up from the brightness of my eyes as my voice gained an echo.
"You'll owe me cuddles for that," the Phoenix said seriously, "both of you."
Then she retreated, and Dante and I just stared at each other before bursting out laughing and wincing at the real threat she represented.
"I'm going to need your help with that, Jean," he said just as seriously as the dread in his mind retreated.
I liked that about him. He could hide his mind from me, but he never did, especially when we were talking about anything. Maybe it was his strength that gave him the confidence, but still. It felt nice to be treated like a normal person.
"I think we'll both need each other," I said softly before doing something I knew would bite me in the ass later.
And still, I didn't feel any regret as my lips caressed his just for a second before making space.
Dante looked a bit surprised, which felt like a victory to me.
The burning glare on the back of my head didn't diminish, but the clapping coming from near Rogue's position almost made me look back.
I didn't, mostly because I didn't want them to see me with the dumb grin I probably had.
Then Dante licked his lips, his eyes lowering to mine for a moment.
"You're as delicious as I imagined," he whispered. "We're going to need to talk later about this, Jean."
"Probably for the best," I nodded, thinking the same as him.
Everything about Dante was downright sinful. And everything I had seen about his moments with the other girls made it clear that I was in for a wild ride.
Heh. Ride.
Past-Jean would probably balk at the idea of sharing a man.
Current-Jean would smack some sense into her in time. Not even my closest friends back home were as close as Tandy was with the rest of the girls.
"Are you ready?" he asked curiously.
"I'm a bit nervous about that," I winced, admitting that I wasn't entirely comfortable with what Dante had asked of me.
"That's completely fine," he said soothingly, his hand caressing my back in a way that made me lean into him. "I just thought it would be a good idea to focus on that part of your power."
"I don't like it…" I sighed. "It reminds me a lot of what makes me hate Charles."
"Is it the same, though?" he asked with a quirk of his lips.
He knew it wasn't. I was just using it as an excuse. A real one, sure, but an excuse all the same.
"I'm not asking you to plant ideas into the boy's head," Dante rolled his eyes. "That's too tacky, and while useful, you're not ready for that. Neither in control nor experience. We can focus on that part with some prisoners later; that way you won't have to worry if you fry their brains by going too hard."
He always managed to make us remember that he was a demon, I thought with my lips twitching.
Truly. He saw the world differently.
A small part of me was squeamish about how little he thought of others' lives.
Another part of me screamed that it made sense, taking pleasure in a way that went against Xavier's teachings.
Signs of this beautiful bastard's corruption, of course. But Logan was similar, too. Some people didn't deserve second chances. Like Trask, or Stryker. Or many governments across the world that preyed on my kind.
Xavier's talking wouldn't work. Ever. I could see that clearly now that I was away from his doctrine.
Magneto's way wouldn't work either.
No. As much as I hated to admit it, Emma's way was potentially one that could work. With enough tweaks, obviously, but it was more possible than the other two.
"Only amplify what's already there?" I asked hesitantly.
"Only that," he nodded firmly, a smile growing on his face as we looked at the fuming blonde man near Rias. "The kid already knows it; he isn't as dumb as Rias makes him out to be. You only need to ensure that he focuses on what he should."
"And if I don't want to?"
Then Dante's smile turned gentle. "Then you don't. Simple as that, my dear. I can do it myself; I just thought it would be a nice opportunity to continue your training."
"You should just mold the bastard into your puppet," the Phoenix scoffed inside my head. "It wouldn't even be that hard."
Dante chuckled amusedly at my twitching eyebrow.
"Not helping," I hissed at the uncaring firebird.
"Not trying to," I felt her sticking her tongue out at me. "You would be wasting time instead of trying to get Seere's tongue into your throat. That looks… interesting. Do you remember that he can change his biology?"
When I heard that I had a cosmic force representing life itself inside of me, I thought I would have a force of good guiding my path. Someone to go against Dante's darker ideas by helping me find more… tolerable solutions.
But sometimes, it felt more like I had two devils on my shoulder instead of one.
And a pair of perverts, to boot. Unhinged ones, at that.
"Fine," I sighed, feeling the Phoenix jump excitedly inside my head.
"No, I'm not puppeteering him," I hissed under my breath, feeling the Phoenix pout. "I'll just do it to make sure nothing bad happens to him if Dante does it himself."
Dante looked offended at that as he guided me towards the table, his hand never leaving my back.
Knowing what my life was becoming, I would take that as a win. Who knew when the next one would come.
Later.
Jean Grey.
"You're lucky we all have a part in the plan right now, bitch," Rogue hissed, taking a seat next to me as we both watched Dante approach Rias with the confidence only a man like him could muster.
Devils, young and old, parted as he walked with firm strides, a grin on his face as he literally ignored everyone and locked eyes with the now almost sweating redhead.
Rias was super adorable, and someone I could call a friend at this point. She was kind of dorky at times, but that just added to her charm.
"I banked on it," I laughed freely as Rogue's hand clamped on my thigh for a moment.
Heh. She wanted a secondhand experience? Adorable.
"Was it as good as I hoped?" she asked just as Dante reached the small gaggle of girls.
She was acting as if we didn't know what she was doing with her hand on my thigh.
"Better. But I'd need to try more later to make sure. I'll let you know, sugah," I imitated her accent.
Who knew fucking with people was this much fun? Another thing to blame Dante for, because Miss Proper as Rogue liked to call me wouldn't do something like this before.
I was the popular girl, but that didn't mean I was a bitch.
"He's rubbing too much on you, Red," Rogue scoffed, but I had a direct access to her mind, and we both knew how much she wanted Dante's soft lips on her.
God, he was so damn unfair.
"Did we miss anything?!" a very peppy voice came from our side as Tandy returned, followed sedately by Akeno, who looked a lot better than before.
Calmer. Like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
She was thinking about her mother a lot.
"You know you didn't," I rolled my eyes, sending a grin her way. Her connection with Dante meant that she knew better than anyone what was going on inside his head. "But it's time. Make sure no one bothers me."
With that done, I looked around to ensure no one would be able to approach us from behind, nodded at the girls, and then focused on the blond-haired devil near Rias.
Riser was… honestly, a normal devil.
A completely hedonistic devil, sure, but then again, I could count the ones who weren't with a single hand with fingers to spare.
Rias herself was pretty hedonistic, even if it didn't reach the lengths her current fiancé did. But they all were like that.
He was also prideful, egocentric, entitled, spoiled. There were many more I could name, but the most noticeable was insecure.
And he had all the reasons. His much, much stronger and useful siblings. His jealousy of the strength of his oldest brother and the talent of the second son, and even his little sister, surpassed his by a large margin.
But he wasn't a monster as I expected. More importantly, he wasn't stupid, nor blind to his faults.
In fact, he didn't particularly like Rias herself. The whole reason why he was going through with the contract was his family's expectations.
Sure, he thought she was hot, but… who didn't? Rias was downright sinful with how attractive she was, even amongst devils.
But Riser was surprisingly pragmatic.
He planned to do what his family asked of him, but he wouldn't bother Rias too much after that, considering that upsetting her would bring a very scary man against him in the form of Sirzechs. A single child between them, and he would probably ignore Rias for the remainder of their immortal life.
He wasn't even the jealous type, having shared his Queen with several devils throughout their relationship. Both were hedonistic through and through and found it fun experimenting that way.
But his pride flared as soon as Dante stepped into Rias's group and took her hand, kissing her knuckles while never breaking her gaze.
The way Dante's lips quirked as the girls giggled made Riser's body tense.
I amplified the realization of the danger Dante represented to his family legacy. Doing it gently, slowly, like a memory that had escaped him before I pulled it to the forefront.
I brought to light the conjectures he had drawn from the little snippets of conversation between his parents and second brother, about Dante surely having better healing methods than what his territory was pushing into the market.
A conversation that happened not that long ago, just after Dante's appearance at the council and how he healed some news reporter with just a touch.
My lips twitched just slightly at that. Dante hadn't mentioned that, probably not thinking much of it. He likely didn't do it solely to do good, but it showed he could do good despite what he was.
Rias accepted the offer, following Dante with a girlish giggle that was echoed by her friends, barring Sona, who played the part of the overtly serious one.
If only the other devils could see what filthy things she did with her boyfriend. Or what she was currently thinking about... She was one thirsty devil.
Not that anyone else seemed to notice. It was like everyone in the ballroom was focused on the pair as they glided across the room.
I couldn't focus on them as much as I wanted, as Riser's flare of possessiveness took a fair bit to control. Smoothing it wasn't as hard, but making it look natural was the difficult part.
I had to redirect it into the dread I had already been feeding him for the last few minutes.
Beside him, an adorable young blonde glanced between her brother and their father nervously.
Ravel, Riser's mind provided as he took her hand in his and clenched surprisingly gently.
They stayed put, silent as Rias and Dante took over the ballroom like they were the only devils that mattered. Rias wasn't even thinking of her upcoming challenge anymore, just entirely focused on Dante's eyes as she smiled sweetly.
Lord Phenex looked at the scene with a blank expression that almost made me laugh. Something Rias's dad's reaction didn't help with, as the man frowned deeply at his daughter.
He looked ready to stand up and make a scene, but Venelana Gremory clenched her hand around his arm none too gently with a curious grin.
Not even five minutes later, Dante and Rias returned to the table.
Rias had the smile of a woman in love, one that everyone recognized as genuine.
She didn't feel nervousness anymore; her mind was firm, almost floating from happiness as she stepped toward Riser.
"Riser," she said quietly. Not that everyone didn't hear it, considering how deadly silent everyone became. "I owe you a genuine apology, and an explanation. I'd like to give you both. I wronged you."
She chuckled sadly, looking at everyone's attention on herself as Dante retreated with a curious smile.
She wasn't following the script, but Dante didn't look particularly worried or angry as he sat next to Tandy and kissed her cheek.
I had noticed that about him. He always planned, almost pathologically so, but he was always open to seeing what the rest chose for themselves.
"Maybe I owe it to the entire Underworld," she shrugged.
Riser's mind had gone very confused.
"I have always been a very slothful devil. More than my pride, or my lust. I avoided dealing with my problems, hoping that things would fix themselves. I never trained, even when I knew I needed it, and I always told myself that nothing was ever my fault," she sighed. "I always told myself that everything happened because of you. It was easy to make you the villain of our story, even when you aren't any different than me, or than the rest of us."
Riser looked at her in surprise, even as Ravel stopped caressing his palm as she gaped in Rias's direction. She didn't need to worry. His surprise had destroyed the indignation he felt at Rias's actions.
"Expectations are… troublesome," Rias's lips quirked. "The little sister of Sirzechs Lucifer, the strongest devil in history. The aunt of Millicas Gremory, someone who shows potential that could rival his father's own. My mother, the Ruin Princess. I never lived up to those expectations. I never expected to live up to them. All this time? I disappointed my lineage."
"And more importantly… I disappointed myself."
Rias had really strayed from the original script, but fanning the surprise inside most of these devils wasn't even as hard as I would have liked it to be. Or the small seed of respect about the young lady laying the ugly truth out about herself in the open in front of everyone important enough to be inside the castle.
"You all knew that about me before I was willing to admit it to myself," she chuckled, looking around the room, focusing on her friends. "And because it was easier than admitting I was a disappointment, I made a caricature out of you. That wasn't fair to you, nor your family, Riser. And I'm truly sorry for it."
Dante started clapping, then Latia joined, followed by Sona, then Seekvaira who looked just as serious as Sona. Some lords joined in, especially Sona's mother.
Not a surprise there, as the woman hollered from her table, much to her husband's consternation.
Sirzechs had a small smile as he joined the fray, looking at his sister like he didn't recognize the woman she had become.
Rias herself put a stop to that by raising her hand.
"I don't deserve that. Not yet," she smiled apologetically. "I'm done waiting for someone to hand me a way out of a life I never chose for myself. It's not your fault, Riser. But we are devils, and I want to be free to choose to live a life with someone I pick, not under the orders or hopes of someone else. I'm not challenging you to a Rating Game because I hate you, Riser. I'm not even doing it to prove to this room what I'm capable of, as many here already picked that answer a long time ago. I'm challenging you to prove to myself that I have what it takes."
I gave the small seed of respect around the room a single fan, chuckling as I realized I shouldn't have bothered. She had done that by herself.
The flame inside Riser grew to the point where he didn't need more of my aid, and I pulled back just slightly before nodding at Dante.
Riser looked around slowly, feeling the eyes of hundreds of devils on his form. He found his mother's curious eyes and his father's blank expression. Zeoticus's frown couldn't hide how surprised he was at his daughter's words. He was a bit elated, but he didn't show it.
Lord Phenex nodded once before his eyes passed through Dante's location.
"Fine. Prove it to us, Rias," Riser replied, looking at her like he had just met her, respectful behind the irritation he felt at being put on the spot. "You want a game for yourself, you'll get it. But since you're the one making the challenge, I choose the date."
Rias inclined her head, smiling brightly at him. "Thank you, Riser. Truly."
Riser opened his mouth to say something, but his father's voice cut through the silence as he called him and his sister to them before they retreated for the night.
He just called out, loudly, that they'd let Zeoticus know the date of the game soon.
The moment they were gone, the ballroom felt a lot less tense, and the devils showed they weren't that different from us humans by posting about it on their social media.
Only for a roar of excitement and surprise to erupt all at once.
Then another, and another, until everyone inside the room was glued to their screens.
Including some very frowning Satans who looked to the side in barely concealed anger.
I didn't need to look to know who they were looking at, considering the gloating feeling coming from that side.
Everyone, almost in unison, turned to look at Dante, who ignored the attention as he fed Tandy some of the cake.
Excitement, mockery, gloating, worry, outright dread.
Everything infused the room to the point I felt my nose bleed just a little as a very hurried Latia approached us with a pale face.
"It's up. Dante's opponent's already been assigned."
Rias and Sona's eyes widened as they pulled out their phones, and both paled similarly to Latia.
"Who is it?" Rogue asked worriedly, seeing their expressions. "And does it normally happen this fast?"
Latia's vacant eyes didn't fill me with confidence as she shook her head.
Dante's eager grin, though? It somewhat did.
Author's note: I know... I know, this cliff was downright evil. But I do have an excuse! I had four options, of which I really loved two a damn lot and couldn't pick which one. The reveal happens on next chapter as the preparations continue for the battle. It will be fun, and I am really excited for it. Y'all learn in a couple of days! Hope you enjoy the chap! Let me know what you think!
Rogue and Jean finally lost the losing battle, and the peerage will get bigger on this arc in preparation for the Rating game. Draconic Deus doesn't have any idea of what's coming for them and it will be hilarious.
If you'd like to support me and read up to FIVE chapters ahead, you can find me on pat * e*n . com (slash) Infinityreads99 Heads up: I post chapters fully edited, but I sometimes make minor tweaks before they go live here. Thanks for reading!