PHENEX MANSION – RISER'S ROOM
Ravel remained standing near the door for a few seconds, her eyes fixed on the figure of her brother sitting on the edge of the bed, his body leaning forward as if carrying something invisible. The silence in the room was not comfortable, it was heavy, dragging, as if every second there reinforced the state he was in.
"Get up from there, Onii-sama." Her voice came out direct, without softening the tone, without trying to go around what was evident.
Riser turned his face slowly, avoiding looking directly, his eyes dimmed in a way that didn't match who he had always been. The answer came low, loaded with contained irritation that didn't have the strength to explode.
"Go away, Ravel. I don't want to see anyone. Leave me alone."
She didn't move. Her gaze remained on him, evaluating not only what he said, but what he was failing to hold.
"You can't give up just because you lost. You are a Phenex." She crossed her arms, maintaining a firm posture. "That doesn't change because of one defeat."
Riser let out a dry breath, as if that sentence had more weight than it should, and finally looked at her more clearly, but without any trace of his usual arrogance.
"I lost to a servant." His jaw locked for a second before continuing. "A half-vampire destroyed my regeneration." He looked away again, his voice getting lower. "I'm nothing anymore."
Ravel took a deep breath, holding back the immediate response. The problem wasn't just the defeat, it was what it had broken inside him, and that wouldn't be resolved with a simple sentence.
'He's been like this since he lost… our family lost a beneficial marriage, the house's name was stained, and that dhampir still rose in class… this isn't just wounded pride, this is a fall in status.'
She uncrossed her arms and took a step forward, without softening her tone.
"So you're going to accept that?" Her gaze became sharper. "You're going to accept that it's over because someone managed to defeat you once?"
Riser didn't answer immediately. The silence that came after wasn't resistance, it was absence of reaction, and that bothered more than any aggressive answer.
"At least let your queen take care of you." Ravel tilted her head slightly, keeping her focus on him. "She's out there waiting."
Riser pressed his hand against his own leg, the movement short, but loaded with rejection.
"I don't want to see anyone." He spoke without raising his gaze. "Go away, Ravel."
The answer came direct, leaving no room for negotiation, and that made it clear it wasn't just pride, it was active refusal of any approach.
Ravel stayed silent for a moment, analyzing whether it was worth insisting more. His posture didn't change, and that was already enough of an answer.
"Suit yourself." She turned her body without looking back. "But this won't disappear just because you're hiding."
She walked to the door, opened it and left without hesitation, closing it right after, completely cutting off the heavy atmosphere that had been left behind.
PHENEX MANSION – CORRIDOR
The corridor was silent, but the presence outside was different. Yubelluna was already positioned near the door, as if waiting for any sign, her posture upright, but with visible tension in her gaze.
"Ravel-sama." Her voice came out low, respectful, but with a clear expectation for an answer.
Ravel nodded simply, keeping her movement without stopping. The difference between the two was evident at that moment, one waiting for permission, the other already deciding what to do.
"He won't receive you." Ravel said as she passed by her, without slowing down. "Not now."
Yubelluna didn't answer immediately. Her gaze turned to the closed door, as if there was still some chance to enter anyway.
"Even so…" She began, her voice controlled, but firm. "I can't just stand still."
Ravel shrugged, without stopping her step, making it clear that decision was no longer hers. Yubelluna was Riser's queen, and that came with responsibility, not permission.
"Do as you wish." The answer came direct, without interference.
"Yes, Ravel-sama." Yubelluna replied without hesitation, already adjusting her posture.
'Riser-sama needs me… my body… and maybe the others' as well.'
Ravel didn't look back. She kept walking down the corridor, without reducing her pace, while behind her the light sound of a knock on the door marked Yubelluna's decision.
Her focus was no longer there.
'With my brother in this state, someone needs to take responsibility for the family's future. Maybe…' the thought organized itself as she moved forward. 'Maybe I can ask my mother to offer me as a fiancée to Lucifer-sama's son… no… they would never accept… then what do I do?'
The voice that came next completely interrupted the flow.
"Damn Gremory!"
Ravel stopped in the middle of the corridor.
The sound came from the main reception hall, further ahead, where formal family meetings were held. Without hesitation, she approached silently and positioned herself beside the partially closed door, staying out of sight, but close enough to hear everything.
PHENEX MANSION – RECEPTION HALL
Inside the hall, Lord Phenex was standing, his posture rigid, the tension evident as he faced the figure in front of him. Lady Gremory remained on the other side, in silence, holding her position without retreating.
"They set this up from the beginning…" His voice came out heavy, more controlled than the first shout, but still firm. "They put that half-vampire on the field, a monster disguised as a servant… and still had the audacity to promote him afterward."
He took a few short steps through the hall, keeping control just at the necessary limit.
"My son was humiliated in front of all the houses." His gaze remained fixed. "And they turned it into a spectacle… into merit… as if it were fair."
The room fell silent for a moment, but there was no retreat.
"And now that dhampir rises as a High-Class Devil." He clenched his hand slightly, keeping his gaze forward. "Rewarded for breaking my family's name."
Lady Gremory remained silent on the other side of the hall, holding her position without retreating or responding, letting the weight of his words remain in the environment without interference.
"My dear, do not speak like that of the Gremory." Lady Phenex intervened in the same space, her voice firm enough to cut the sequence before it advanced. "Remember… the walls have ears."
The silence that followed was shorter.
Lord Phenex let the air out slowly, regaining control.
"I'm going to my office." His voice returned to a standard tone, more restrained.
Footsteps echoed through the hall.
The door opened.
Ravel moved subtly away from the side, maintaining a neutral posture as Lord Phenex exited without noticing her presence. He walked down the corridor without looking back.
The door closed again.
Ravel waited a second.
Then stepped out of position.
Her expression was no longer the same, there was clear decision now, without hesitation.
She entered the hall and approached her mother.
"Mother." Her voice came out firm, direct.
Lady Phenex turned her gaze immediately, analyzing her daughter for a moment before responding.
"Ravel… you heard?" The question came without detour. "What is it?"
Ravel kept her gaze fixed.
"I heard." She didn't look away. "And that's exactly why I came to speak with you."
Her words clearly caught Lady Phenex's attention. The silence that followed wasn't empty, it was evaluation. Her daughter's posture was not common, and that alone already indicated that this wasn't a momentary whim.
"Then tell me, Ravel, what do you want." Her voice came out controlled, but more attentive than before.
Ravel let the air out slowly, the conflict still present, but being pushed aside by the decision that needed to be made.
'If I do this, there will be no turning back… but it might be the only way to save the family. Gasper has that flame… the Gremory family has power… and Lucifer-sama… I am a noble… this is my duty.'
Lady Phenex remained silent, observing. Her daughter's hesitation wasn't weakness, it was weight, and that only made the next words more important.
"Mother…" Ravel began, maintaining control of her own voice. "I want to leave Onii-sama's peerage."
"My daughter… you want to abandon your brother at this moment?" The question came firm, without raising tone, but loaded with direct pressure.
"No, mother." Ravel answered without backing down. "It's for him that I'm doing this… and I will take on where he failed… and I will protect this family." Her posture didn't change, her gaze holding her mother's without hesitation.
Lady Phenex kept her focus on her for a few seconds before responding, evaluating each word.
"Ravel, you entered his peerage to train." She spoke precisely. "And your training is not over yet."
"And you think that, in his state, he can teach me anything?" The answer came immediate, leaving no room to soften.
The silence that followed wasn't light. Lady Phenex didn't respond because there was no way to deny that without ignoring reality.
Ravel didn't look away.
Lady Phenex took a deep breath once, reorganizing her own reasoning before moving to the point that was still missing.
"Alright, Ravel." She conceded, but kept her tone controlled. "But what are you going to do? Start your own peerage?"
Ravel hesitated.
It wasn't retreat.
It was weight.
The decision was already made, but saying it out loud made everything final.
"I…" She began, but stopped for a second, organizing her words before continuing.
Her gaze didn't waver when it returned to her mother.
"I will offer myself." Her voice came out firm, without deviation. "As queen… and as fiancée… of Gasper-kun… bishop of Rias-senpai's peerage."
The silence that came wasn't short.
It was direct impact.
Lady Phenex didn't answer immediately.
She just looked at her daughter.
"…What."
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