Chapter 61: Long Time No See
(One week later.)
"Again," I ordered, standing opposite Thora within the confines of the training chamber with Downfall Dragon Spear clasped firmly between my fingers.
She nodded, wordlessly bringing her palms together and firing another viciously quick stream of Piercing Blood towards me.
I inhaled sharply, pointing the gilded tip of the Sacred Gear in the direction of the sanguine projectile—milliseconds remaining until it'd hit me square in the chest.
This time, this time I'll get it!
A burst of bright, blinding gold light erupted from the lance in the shape of a spherical aura. Clashing with Thora's Blood Manipulation as the sound of what could only be described as a full speed bullet train coming to a grinding halt echoed throughout the chamber.
The arrowhead of the bloody stream did everything it could to force its way through the raw defence of Fafnir's shining radiance, but just couldn't quite seem to find the strength. Ultimately ricocheting off and crashing into the chamber's roof, a few rocks crumbling onto the floor in the process.
"Damnit!" I yelled in frustration, raising the Sacred Gear with half a mind to smash it onto the ground.
[Do that, and I'll brute force my way right out of this seal and swallow you whole. I'm serious, little parasite.]
"Tch," I clicked my tongue in resignation.
Figuring out the enhancement effect of Fafnir's Golden Aura was easy as pie, probably because using Touki has made me immensely familiar with the process of doing so.
Negation, on the other hand, is proving to potentially be the toughest thing I've ever tried to pull off.
I've been going at it for the past week, and I haven't made any progress at all, literally none.
I try, again and again, only to get the same result, again and again. I end up blocking an attack, never actually negating the spell itself—making it vanish into nothingness like Fafnir can.
Honestly, there was a point where I felt like he just made the ability up so he could relish in the sick satisfaction of watching me run around like a headless chicken. I mean, being able to just to straight up eviscerate a spell right down to the very core of its composition? Even the power I received from Tiamat doesn't seem all that outrageous put next to that.
Yet, after about four days of endlessly mocking and sneering at my efforts, Fafnir decided to disprove my theory by temporarily taking control over the Sacred Gear and performing exactly what I believed to be a farce.
Negation is real.
My ability to reproduce that phenomenon, on the other hand, remains fiction.
It's clear I'm missing something, but I can't even begin to guess what that 'something' could be.
Is it the way I'm ejecting Fafnir's Golden Aura from the Sacred Gear? Is there a fault in how I'm imposing my 'will' onto it? Is it a lack of understanding regarding draconic strength, the functionality of Sacred Gears, or a mix of the two? I can't say.
I've been studying up like crazy on the files Azazel sent me on Sacred Gears, and while they've been undeniably helpful in training my students—I'm not sure if that knowledge will translate onto an Artificial Sacred Gear, the first of its kind, mind you, as well as I'd like it to.
The laws of how Sacred Gears operate come from the Biblical God's Heavenly System, but those of what I'm holding stem from that of Azazel's laboratory.
I don't think it's far-fetched to assume they aren't functioning on the same wavelength.
[If it's that difficult, you could always ask my partner for assistance.]
Would you still consider giving me your blood if I did that?
[You say that as if I'm considering it at all in the first place, little parasite. I believe I made my opinion on the matter clear when you initially contracted me, didn't I?]
You didn't answer the question.
[Hmph. If you wish to wishfully blind yourself in your own delusions, then feel free.]
I snickered inwardly. Heh. That still wasn't a 'yes' or 'no.'
I could hear Fafnir grumble from within the gear. [You really are a stubborn one, aren't you?]
I like to think it's one of my strong points.
[Of course you do.]
"Young Lord, perhaps we should take a break for a little while? I mean no offense, but it feels like you're fruitlessly bashing your head against a brick wall hoping to achieve something other than a splitting headache."
I breathed a defeated exhale at her painfully accurate description. "Yeah, that's probably for the be—"
I paused midsentence, my eyes turning up in a particular direction. My senses picking up on an awfully powerful presence, one that had appeared in my residence completely out of the blue.
"Young Lord?" She questioned.
"Serafall?" I muttered, her being the first person that came to mind once I detected the teleportation circle's activation. No, it's not her. Only to immediately notice that a completely unfamiliar figure had found their way into my living room.
An unfamiliar, Satan-Class figure.
"What's wrong?"
"We have a guest, a rather important one it would seem." I wasted no time making my way out of the chamber. On the edge about the appearance since I hadn't received any forewarning from Serafall or Lord Lucifer.
===
Upon entering the villa's living room, Alduin found himself met with a peculiar sight.
All his students were gathered in formation around their King, including Asia, who was standing behind Akeno with a mix of uncertainty and intrigue written on her face.
And it wasn't just her, the pungent tension in the air seemed to be affecting all the residents, albeit in varying ways.
"Alduin Buné, I presume?" A calm, womanly voice called out to the room's latest arrival. The same voice that was soaking up everyone's attention. "I've been looking forward to meeting the one Lord Lucifer trusted with the Lady's training."
Alduin offered no immediate response, letting out a half-thoughtful, half-familiar hum as he eyed the woman up and down.
I know that face, don't I? Or rather, I'm supposed to know that face.
Like Thora, she adorned a French maid outfit with long sleeves, and a frilly white headband atop her head.
Her hair was a pristine, shimmering silver that reached down to her lower back, fashioned into two pairs of braids, a small one over her shoulders, and a longer one running down her back, both with small, blue bows tied to their ends.
Her eyes were a deep red, reminding Alduin of Fafnir's to a certain degree, imbued with a similar wisdom and observance—though not as aged.
Like Alduin, she too was taking a moment to observe him up and down. Naturally curious to see the man her husband had trusted with her beloved younger sister-in-law's protection and care.
You were right, dear husband. She mused. The rest of him might be Sebastian, but those eyes are 100% that woman's, through and through.
"I don't mean to sound rude," for the sake of not coming off as a creep, he decided to break the silence. "But I would've appreciated a little heads-up about having the Strongest Queen show up in my living room unannounced."
No resident of the Underworld that had breathed fresh air in the past few centuries failed to recognize the name of the woman who still remained the highest-ranked Queen in the Rating Games despite having stepped away from active participation for almost four centuries.
Grayfia Lucifuge.
"I apologize for the sudden intrusion," she performed a slight, respectful bow. "However, I'm afraid this is a rather urgent matter involving the Lady."
All it took was a single glance from her to Rias for Alduin to understand the situation.
So it's time.
"Care to elaborate?"
Instead of answering, Grayfia gave Rias a subtle look, giving her the room to continue.
"Apparently," Rias breathed a deep exhale. Her voice brimming with irritation. "House Phenex isn't all that pleased about the marriage being postponed while I'm staying in the human world. Who would've thought?" She waved her hands sarcastically.
"Let me guess, they interpreted it as you attempting to ditch the wedding altogether?" Alduin smiled knowingly, not because of his words, but rather the implication behind them—and those of Grayfia and Rias'.
They were all acting.
Why wouldn't they be? Pretty much everyone in the room, save for Asia, was aware that an unofficial Rating Game would soon transpire between the Gremory and Phenex peerage.
They just needed to keep it a secret from the immortal firebirds in question, the current conversation serving as no more than preparation for when they lied to their faces in person.
"For lack of better words, yes." Grayfia picked up. "House Phenex has been putting considerable pressure on the Lady's house, and in order to reconcile tensions, her father has decided she ought to return to the Underworld for some time to meet with her fiancé to offer him and his family reassurances."
"Reassurances?" Rias scoffed. Expressing a note of genuine frustration amidst the farce. "Yeah, sure. I totally won't have a ring slapped on my finger the micro-instant my feet touch Phenex soil." She rolled her eyes, displeased by her father's glaring lack of backbone.
He was a Duke, Lord Phenex was a Marquis. The latter had no actual grounds to pressure him into doing anything, which she imagined her mother had already tried to make clear to him. Evidently to little avail.
Then again, if her father were intelligent enough to actually heed his wife's words of wisdom, this whole marriage wouldn't have even been arranged in the first place.
"Whatever the case," Grayfia continued, inwardly in complete agreement with her sister-in-law's assessment. "Refusing to meet with your fiancé will come off as insulting, so I must insist that you come with—"
Before the silverly maid could finish, another presence linked up with the villa's teleportation circle. One that exuded a much hotter, fiery radiance in contrast to Grayfia's chilled demeanour.
"Man, it's been a while since I last trekked up to the surface."
A torrent of flames erupted from a familiar, blazing noble crest that appeared on the floorboard. Followed by the sound of a pompous, obnoxiously self-assured voice that spoke to the room.
Showtime. A slow grin crept up Alduin's face.
The embers cleared to reveal a slicked-back blond, red blazer-wearing individual everyone knew all too well.
"I had a feeling you'd be a little stubborn, so I decided to come get you in person, my beloved Rias." He smirked, turning around to meet the clearly unamused crimson-haired princess.
Riser Phenex was here.
Wait a minute, but his smugness only lasted for a moment, replaced by confusion when he picked up on an oddly familiar presence. One that, by all accounts, had absolutely no business whatsoever being here.
"Miss me?" Alduin waved at him from across the room, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"…The fuck?" Riser's face whitened as he rubbed his eyes in disbelief, wondering if he had been put under an illusion. "What the hell are you doing here, lizard!?"
"What's with that reaction?" He pouted. "I came rushing to the surface the moment I heard my adorable pookie-wookie Riser was going to be here, or does our relationship no longer mean anything to you now that you're engaged?" He sniffled, clutching his chest and wiping a tear. "I'm heartbroken. Who would've thought that I could fall for such a heartless man?"
Riser clenched his fist, turning to Grayfia with a fierce scowl. "There had better be a good explanation for this."
The maid nodded. "He was designated as Lady Rias and Lady Sona's Guardian by Lord Lucifer and Lady Leviathan—and appointed a representative of the Foreign Affairs Department."
"Since when?" Riser knitted his brow, all but convinced something nefarious was at play. He could count the number of times Alduin had been let out of the Buné Manor on one hand, let alone the territory itself.
The fact that he was here, outside of the Underworld, might as well be a part of one highly alcohol-influenced fever dream.
"It was decided roughly a month and a half ago, and officialised upon the beginning of their oversight over Kuoh Town." She clarified, letting nothing slip through her tone.
A month and a half? A lightbulb went off in Riser's brain as he recalled the last time he saw Alduin. That was the same time as Sona's eighteenth birthday, wasn't it?
"I'm a civil servant now, pretty cool, right?" Alduin beamed. Thoroughly enjoying the Phenex's look of sheer befuddlement.
Riser adjusted his cuffs in an effort to retain his composure. "Being a civil servant doesn't give you the authority to interfere with my marriage."
"Did I say I was going to interfere?" He tilted his head. "You heard her, my job's merely to keep her safe while she remains in Kuoh." His eyes narrowed. "Though on that same note, I'm not sure I can let you take her back to the Underworld if she's unwilling to go." He turned to Rias. "Are you unwilling?"
"Most definitely," she replied without hesitation, staring Riser dead in the eye.
"Well, there you have it." Alduin clasped his hands behind his back. "If she doesn't want to leave, she doesn't have to."
Riser's scowl deepened. "So you say, but our fathers have already signed off on this." He faced his supposed bride-to-be. "Rias, don't you think it's rather inconsiderate of you to ignore your father's wishes?"
She scoffed. "How so? Judging by the fact you're here, he did a pretty fine job of ignoring mine. I'm simply returning the favour."
"Why must you insist on being so childish?" He groaned, rubbing his nape in frustration. "We both know why this marriage was even called for in the first place, don't we? It's for the sake of—"
"Pureblood propagation, I'm well aware." She breathed a heavy, disapproving sigh. "I assure you I'm perfectly capable of passing down my bloodline, with a spouse of my choosing, that is."
He clicked his tongue. "You know damn well that isn't how things work. This isn't just a matter of you passing down your blood, it's whoyou pass your blood down with."
"And you're somehow the ideal candidate?" She snickered. "If that's the case, I fear for all the young women of the Underworld."
Riser clenched his fist, his patience beginning to wane. "There you go again with you and your accursed selfishness." He started to approach her, all the while wearing a fierce glare. "Do you think I was given any consultation about this in advance either? No. But I did complain? No, because unlike you, I understand that certain things haveto be done for our house's sake, regardless of personal opinion."
She nodded slowly. In truth, she did understand his point of view—but couldn't bring herself to sympathize with it.
Her life was her own. Why did her father get to decide who she spent the rest of it with? Her older brother was allowed to choose his own partner, why shouldn't she be awarded the same privilege?
Even her closest friend, Sona, had found a way to take some level of control over who became her spouse, using her intellect as both a shield and a suitability test at the same time.
She'd feel pretty damn pathetic if she didn't at least try to fight for her right to choose.
After all, that's how the Underworld worked, didn't it?
The strong could have what they wanted, the weak could have what they were allowed to have.
Only those willing to fight for what they want could ever hope to be among the former.
She took a deep breath. "You might be satisfied with being an obedient little daddy's boy, but I'm different. I value my independence, my freedom. I'm the next head of my house, not a broodmare to be shipped off at my father's pleasure."
"You just don't get it, do you?" He growled, his hands reaching out to grab her by the shoulders. "Neither of us are in a position to defy the will of our houses! The only difference between you and me is that I have the maturity to understand the necessity of this marriage. Yet you insist on your stubbornness, flailing your arms and throwing a tantrum like a spoiled little sh—!"
Slash!
The room fell silent.
In the blink of an eye, a fierce, invisible force blitzed through the room. One no-one besides the Gremory's Head Maid could observe.
What? Riser looked down, only to notice that both of his hands had been severed clean off.
"I'd appreciate it if you kept your hands off my protectee, Riser." Alduin chided him calmly, his finger still outstretched, making it clear that he was ready to fire another wind projectile if need be.
"What happened to not interfering, lizard?" His flames of Immortality regrew his appendages just as quickly as they had been chopped off. "Don't tell me you're jealou—!"
Another gust of wind followed, only this time it came from behind the Phenex, and in the form of a pushing force rather than a cutting one.
Riser flew straight towards Alduin, the former's neck ending up clasped firmly between the latter's grip. His fingers tightened to the point where Riser could do naught but let out a hoarse, croaking noise.
"That wasn't an invitation for you to talk back to me," he pulled the firebird's face closer to his. "You're under my roof at the moment, which means you'll follow my rules. Understood?"
Riser gritted his teeth, mustering up the strength to latch onto Alduin's wrist and spew Hellfire out of his hands, as if he were about to make an attempt to break free.
"Where do you get off ordering me around like some—!?"
"Wrong answer."
Bam!
With his spare hand, Alduin slugged his fist into Riser's abdomen. A chunk of saliva bolted out of the supposed groom's mouth as he was freed from the Buné's grasp.
Riser fell to the floor with a thud, clutching his stomach as his brows knitted in confusion, his body experiencing a sensation very few members of the Phenex Clan understood by virtue of their Immortality.
Pain.
It… hurts? Why? Why does it hurt?
He looked up in horror, noticing the purple flecks that had begun to swim around Alduin's verdant irises as the horned devil looked down on him with sheer indifference.
"W‒what did you do to me!?"
"I punched you, that's all." In a moment of realization, Alduin surveyed the room, noticing all the shocked, smitten stares he was getting. "Whoops, it looks like I let my emotions get the better of me for a moment." He chuckled lightly, his demeanour shifting back to its usual, easy-going self in an instant. "Perhaps it'd be better if Mrs. Grayfia took over from this point? For the sake of keeping things civil."
He took a step back, giving the Satan-Class devil the room.
"Very well," she nodded, her eyes shifting between Riser and Rias, pretending as if the scolding that was just administered hadn't happened at all. "Lord Lucifer had a feeling Lady Rias' opinion on the marriage wouldn't change, which is why he prepared a last resort proposal to settle everything between the two houses."
"…Cough! Last resort?" Riser planted his palm on his knee, wearily hauling himself to his feet while shooting Alduin a fiercely spiteful side-eye.
"Indeed. He proposed a Rating Game between the two of you," Rias' eyes widened, totally taken aback by the totally unexpected development. "Should Lord Riser win, the wedding will continue as planned. Should Lady Rias win, the wedding will be immediately annulled."
"Seriously? That's his grand proposal?" Riser sneered. "Putting aside how hopelessly outmatched and inexperienced she is compared to me, she isn't even qualified to partake in a Rating Game in the first place."
Official participation required a devil to be at least eighteen years of age, and there were still a few weeks left until that became true for Rias.
(AN: Don't take my word for this, Rias is supposedly already eighteen at the start of DxD, but at this point they still deem her 'immature.' Ishibumi things I guess.)
"Lord Lucifer is well aware of that," Grayfia continued with a brief exhale. "Which is why the match will be deemed unofficial. All the rules will remain the same as if it were a real bout, but it will not be counted towards any records, nor televised in any manner."
"That certainly saves her the embarrassment," he chuckled. "Oh well, if this is how our glorious Satan Lucifer wishes to settle things, who am I to refuse?" He grinned in Rias' direction. "I'll even offer you time to prepare to even the playing field a little. How does ten days sound?"
Idiot, Rias withheld the urge to grin.
"Ten days," she repeated in agreement. Though part of her felt like she was ready to take him on at a moment's notice, even someone as dense as Riser might realize something's up if she were to agree so readily.
Besides, more time to prepare meant more time to ensure that Riser's defeat was nothing but one of utter humiliation.
"Excellent," Riser strolled back towards the teleportation circle, preparing to make his departure—but not before sparing Alduin one final glance. "Just to make sure, you aren't planning to trade one of yours to her before the game?"
Alduin rolled his eyes. "That suggests I have anyone to trade in the first place."
Riser blinked, genuinely surprised. "You don't?"
"No."
"Not even one?"
"Not even one."
He stroked his chin. "What? Mommy and Daddy won't let you have any Evil Pieces either? Sheesh, talk about controlling."
"I have my pieces thank you very much," he narrowed his eyes, not particularly pleased about Riser mentioning his parents. "Though I don't see how whether or not I have a peerage is any of your business."
Riser hummed, shrugging his shoulders shortly after. "Hmph. Weirdo." He stepped into the circle, returning to the Underworld in a burst of flames.
"Well, that was eventful." Rias sighed in relief, rolling her shoulders and facing her teacher. "Do you really not have a peerage though?"
That question's quickly starting to get annoying.
Alduin exhaled. "Is it really that interesting? I don't have one because I don't, that's all. There's nothing more to it."
"Hey, I'm not trying to sound judgmental or anything." She put her hands up in a surrendering gesture. "Just curious, that's all."
"Your curiosity is noted," he replied blankly, offering no elaboration.
"Lord Alduin," Grayfia chimed in. "You are aware that the gathering of young devils will be taking place soon?"
"I am."
She raised a brow. "And you are aware that it's tradition for your generation to compete with one another in a series of Rating Games, correct?"
He breathed a resigned sigh, knowing exactly what she was implying.
"I'm sure the event will survive just fine without my participation." He crossed his arms, eager to put the topic to rest as soon as possible.
Neither Sebastian nor Martha had a peerage, as a matter of fact, he was pretty sure they didn't even have any Evil Pieces in the first place. Why was it so fascinating to them that he hadn't gone recruiting?
"It's not that simple, Lord Alduin." She shook her head disapprovingly. "For a young devil, that event all but shapes a large portion of their future. It's a place where you're able to declare your ambitions, your hopes, and your aspirations, to your elders. The words you offer them are a lot more than just noise, they're opportunities—they open doors."
Or close them, depending on your performance.
"I see," unfortunately, her words seemed to arouse absolutely no interest whatsoever from the young Buné. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
Grayfia simply nodded, clearly there was no use in pressing him any further.
I hope you know you have a place in the Underworld beyond what you're doing for my husband and Serafall, Alduin. Most of noble society doesn't know of you yet, but they will, and once they do—they'll expect great things of you.
"Now that everything's been settled, I believe it's about time I take my leave." The maid offered Rias a slight nod. "I wish you the best of luck in your upcoming game, Lady Rias."
"I appreciate it, but I don't plan on relying on luck to defeat him." She wore a confident grin.
"Of course," Grayfia returned a faint smile, pleased with her sister-in-law's mindset. Even just by looking at her and her peerage, she could see how much they had grown over the past two weeks and some change.
It was like they had all undergone a complete metamorphosis, sharpening themselves with training and resolve the likes of which should've required a far more substantial amount of time had they chased after it on their lonesome.
And it was all thanks to House Buné's peculiar Heir.
"As for you, Lord Alduin. I hope you'll continue to support the Lady in her endeavours as you have been thus far. I assure you, Lord Lucifer won't forget your efforts."
He'd better, Lilith knows I'll need him to if my misdeeds ever come to light.
"You needn't even ask," he replied assuringly. Watching as Grayfia stepped into the circle and vanished under a sheen of frost.
"She makes a good point, you know?" Rias began. "It'd be a waste for you not to participate in the gathering. I might not be a combat guru, but I think you'd have a pretty good shot and taking Sairaorg's crown as our generation's strongest." Her peerage nodded in agreement.
But Alduin's gaze remained blank. "You should focus on dethroning him yourself rather than putting me on a pedestal." He flicked his wrist, checking his watch. "I'm going to be in my greenhouse for about half an hour, training will resume afterwards. Don't be late."
Rias frowned, finding herself staring at his back as he stepped out into the backyard. A mix of emotions running through her head.
There has to be a reason why you don't have a peerage, or rather, why you don't seem to even want to consider having one.
Her teacher was a complicated, perhaps even troubled figure, the whole scuffle involving his mother made that clear to her.
In a weird way, she was almost grateful that the incident occurred. It was the only reason she was able to get a glimpse of his true feelings—the things that made him the person he was.
Yet, part of her wasn't satisfied with just knowing about his conflict. Part of her wanted to help him deal with that conflict, just as he had done for her treasured subordinates.
But how?
How would she even begin to accomplish such a thing? The conversation they shared in the greenhouse was merely the tip of the iceberg, it was miles away from the full picture of House Buné itself.
Of course, she understood that the wise thing to do would be to steer clear of that house, not touching it with a ten-foot pole.
However, if it could help her teacher in anyway—perhaps it was worth the trouble.
First things first, she shook her head. Deal with the rooster, then we can start worrying about Alduin.
———
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