Talking with Mai always left a soft sweetness in Ryuya's chest. Even for someone like him, who was usually calm and composed, he would find himself chatting with her endlessly—like there was always something more he wanted to say, something that made him reluctant to hang up.
It wasn't until the bathwater had gone cold that Ryuya finally said goodbye to Mai and ended the call.
He lay back in the tub, replaying their conversation in his mind. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
That feeling of being in love… yeah, it wasn't bad at all.
After getting up and giving himself a quick wipe-down, Ryuya left the bathroom, too lazy to bother putting on clothes. He simply flopped onto his bed, already looking forward to tomorrow's trip to the Familiar Forest.
As his eyes slowly closed, he drifted into sleep.
Then, suddenly—magical energy rippled through his room.
The instant the aura flared, Ryuya's eyes snapped open.
He stared quietly toward the foot of his bed.
Even though it was the middle of the night, his devil physiology gave him perfect night vision—he could see everything inside his room, perhaps even clearer than in daylight.
Before his eyes, a glowing magic circle lit up on the floor, and from it, the figure of Rias Gremory stepped out.
Ryuya blinked once, staring silently at the crimson-haired girl who had appeared out of nowhere in his bedroom.
A night raid, huh? He couldn't even be surprised anymore. After all, for devils like her who could teleport, his house might as well have had an open door policy.
"Ryuya, did I wake you?" Rias asked softly, noticing his open eyes.
"I'm awake again," he murmured lazily, eyes half-lidded. He wasn't the least bit angry about being disturbed.
"Sorry," she said, smiling faintly. "I just couldn't fall asleep, so I came over… to sleep with you."
"'Sleep together,' huh? That's quite the phrase."
He said it half-jokingly, his tone relaxed—like this wasn't even the first time.
Seeing his attitude, Rias began to undress without hesitation.
Her movements were graceful, deliberate. Ryuya watched her in silence as each layer of fabric slipped away, revealing her smooth, snow-pale skin. When she finally stood before him in nothing but moonlight, he wordlessly shifted to the side, making room.
Without saying anything more, Rias slid beneath his blanket and nestled into the warm spot beside him—her body naturally fitting against his.
Ryuya wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. Her skin was soft—shockingly so—and the faint elasticity beneath his fingertips sent sparks through his nerves. His hand began to wander of its own accord, though Rias seemed completely unfazed by it.
Instead, she closed her eyes and let out a small sigh of contentment.
"I don't know why," she murmured, "but when I sleep with you, I feel calm… safe."
"So I'm a pretty good pillow, then," he said with a quiet chuckle.
"You do have a clear sense of self-awareness," Rias replied playfully, tracing circles on his chest with her fingertips.
Ryuya smiled faintly and shut his eyes again. There was no title between them, no defined relationship—but their closeness was undeniable.
After a pause, his voice came quietly through the darkness.
"Rias… can I marry you?"
Her body tensed ever so slightly, and she stared at him in surprise.
"You…"
"I'm sure I like you," he continued, his tone even, calm. "But I don't really understand you. And if you don't like me back—then what are we even doing, being this close?"
His words were soft, but heavy.
For a long time now, Ryuya had never been able to read Rias's true feelings.
She was his master, after all—and devils didn't seem to care much for the same moral lines humans did. Her affection for him always felt… different. Like the fondness of a master toward her servant, or worse, the way someone cherished a prized possession.
That wasn't love—at least, not the kind between a man and a woman.
So even though Rias would unhesitatingly share his bed, even cling to him bare and unguarded, Ryuya had always restrained himself—never once truly crossing the line.
But after how close they'd become that morning… he could no longer avoid asking the question that lingered in his heart.
Maybe, in the end, it was all because Ryuya still carried the emotions and mindset of a human being.
Rias looked momentarily stunned.
For two seconds, she simply froze—then realization dawned on her.
So that's what Ryuya had been thinking all along.
"I… of course I like you," she said softly. "Before, I wasn't so sure. But lately, I've been thinking about you more and more. Even when I go to bed, I can't stop picturing you. That's why I end up running to your place—I can't fall asleep otherwise."
Rias confessed honestly, though her expression carried a trace of bitterness.
"If possible, I'd want to be your wife too… but… I can't."
Her face twisted with a deep, painful conflict. Her crimson eyes dimmed, shadowed with sorrow.
Ryuya frowned. "Why not?"
Rias opened her mouth, hesitating under his steady gaze. In the end, her shoulders drooped, and she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.
"…Because… I'm already someone else's fiancée."
That revelation genuinely took Ryuya by surprise.
Rias—engaged?
And yet she'd nearly gone all the way with him just hours ago…
He wasn't an idiot; it didn't take him long to piece things together.
"You don't love that person, do you?"
"…No."
Finally—finally, she'd said it out loud. The secret she'd been carrying all this time spilled free, and her expression trembled with emotion.
In that moment, Ryuya also understood everything that had been troubling her.
Rias Gremory was the heiress of the Gremory household, one of the great devil families. Which meant her fiancé was likely from an equally powerful clan.
This engagement clearly wasn't her choice—it had to have been arranged by her family, something she couldn't easily defy.
She wanted his help. That's why she'd been pushing him so hard to become stronger—to give her a way out of this fate.
Ryuya's mind was sharp; he grasped the truth almost instantly.
"I see," he said, a small smile curving his lips.
"…What?"
"I'll help you, Rias." His voice was calm, confident. "You should've told me sooner."
"But you're no match for him," she murmured, lowering her gaze. "Even I'm not sure I can defeat him."
"Maybe," Ryuya replied lightly. "But nothing's impossible if you try."
He smiled and gently pulled her into his arms again, letting his hand rest on the smooth curve of her back.
"Bottling up your pain isn't good for you," he said softly. "Problems don't crush people—emotions do."
Rias stared at him in a daze, her heart trembling.
He was always like this—so kind, so gentle.
Before she realized it, she leaned in, closing the distance between them, and pressed her lips to his.
Even compared to the heat of that morning—when desire had nearly taken over—this kiss was different. It wasn't lust. It was pure, heartfelt affection.
When their lips finally parted, she whispered softly, her cheeks flushed crimson.
"…That was my first kiss."
----
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