The teleportation circle glowed brightly before dying away. When the light faded, two strangers stood in its center.
A young man and a young girl, both with gold hair and blue eyes. The man was dressed in red and gold, looking around the room with a smirk. The girl beside him wore a pink dress, her long twin drills swaying softly as she glanced around the room with curious eyes.
The man's smirk widened when he spotted Rias.
Puffing out his chest, he took a step towards her, only for his smirk to falter when he took in the full sight and realized that she was leaning against Raytherion.
Clicking his tongue, he placed a hand over his chest. "Rias Gremory," he began, voice smooth, though carrying with it a hint of disdain. "It is an honor to finally meet you in person."
Rias blinked, exchanging a glance with Akeno before she stood to face Riser directly, narrowing her eyes. "Who are you?" she asked.
Riser's lips twitched, as if suppressing a scoff, but he maintained the polite smile. "Ah. My apologies, forgive me for the lack of a proper introduction. I assumed that you'd know who your future husband–"
"Future husband? What are you talking about?" Rias interrupted, her expression shifting from confusion to anger.
Riser frowned, and once more the polite smile he carried slipped, this time turning into a sneer. "I see… your father has kept you uninformed. Unfortunate, but it doesn't change the terms that were set to unite our families."
Rias shook her head, looking at him in disbelief. "You're lying. My father would have told me about something like this!"
"I can assure you," Riser smirked, "That what I am saying is the truth. I came here today to give you the wonderful opportunity to marry me, but your reaction is… telling. Thus, I now challenge you to a Rating Game to settle this matter, as is my right under the agreement."
Silence followed his words, everyone taking their time to process what they had just been told.
Raytherion rose from the couch, pushing gently past Rias as he stood in front of Riser, towering over him.
Riser had to tilt his head to meet Raytherion's eyes. He looked up at him with a grim expression, trying to maintain the facade of composure, but the bead of sweat forming on his temple spoke volumes.
"You speak as if you're entitled to her," Raytherion said quietly. "Do you think you can just come here and demand something like that?"
Riser let out a shaky breath. "I… I am only upholding the conditions of the agreement. T-this is a matter between House Phenex and House Gremory–"
"Oh?" Raytherion's smirked, his hand coming down to clamp onto Riser's shoulder. Riser winced, letting out a grunt of pain . "Well… isn't that just perfect? Because I happen to be a part of House Gremory."
Riser's mouth opened, preparing to stammer out a protest, only for his sister to finally speak up.
"Lord Raytherion Gremory."
The soft voice drew Raytherion's attention away. He let out a small "Hm?", looking down at the blonde girl.
Ravel stood in front of him, her small hands shaking softly, though Raytherion wasn't sure if it was because of fear.
The smile and blush made it hard to tell.
"Please forgive the abruptness of our arrival," she said, bowing deeply. "My name is Ravel Phenex. It is truly an honor to finally meet you, Lord Raytherion. I… I have heard many things about you."
Raytherion's expression softened, the cold smirk melting as he leaned over to her. "Oh? Good things, I hope."
Ravel's blush deepened with her eager nods. "Yes. Very good things."
It seemed as though Ravel wanted to continue speaking, but Raytherion's gaze was drawn to the sudden appearance of yet another magic circle on the floor, its silver light illuminating the room.
The sigil of House Lucifuge glowed at its center.
His mother's crest.
A moment later, Grayfia Lucifuge appeared, her maid uniform pristine as always. She quickly surveyed the room, taking in the sight of Rias, her Peerage members, the Phenex siblings and Raytherion's hand still on Riser's shoulder.
"Raytherion, please let him go." Grayfia asked softly.
Raytherion looked at his mother with a mildly displeased expression, but did as she asked.
Though not before leaning in to whisper something only Riser could hear.
"...You should be grateful my mother arrived when she did."
The utter fear on Riser's face as Raytherion stepped back made it all worth it for the blue-eyed teen.
Riser's body shook, but he couldn't respond. It gave Grayfia another chance to speak.
"Riser Phenex… you are not welcome here. Leave."
That shook Riser out of his stupor. He growled, brushing off the shoulder Raytherion had been holding. "I–"
But Ravel cut him off, grabbing his sleeve as she shook her head.
Ravel turned to the others, bowing once more. "My deepest apologies for the intrusion. It was not our… it was not my intention to cause such disruption."
Riser's face twisted with frustration, turning to his sister, "Ravel—"
"Enough," she whispered, her grip on his sleeve tightening as she glared at her brother.
Ravel turned her attention back to Raytherion, her gaze softening. "It was… truly an honor to meet you, Lord Raytherion. I hope the next time we speak will be under better circumstances."
Raytherion observed her quietly before giving the girl a small but firm nod as the pair vanished in a flash of light.
Grayfia sighed, raising her gloved hand to rub her temples. "I am sure that you all have many questions."
Rias' eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Grayfia… is what he said true? Did my father really arrange a marriage for me without telling me? Did… did you know about this?"
Grayfia lowered her hand and met Rias' gaze without flinching. "I… did. What Riser Phenex told you is technically true. Lord Gremory and Lord Phenex made an agreement many years ago to have their children marry and strengthen the ties between their families."
That made Raytherion's expression drop, his brows furrowing.
Rias stared at Grayfia, her lips parting as the color drained from her face. "What…?" she whispered, her hands trembling as they clenched at her sides.
"But," Grayfia continued, her gaze shifting between Raytherion and Rias, "Sirzechs, Lady Gremory and I assumed that Lord Gremory had already dissolved the agreement… it appears that was not the case."
Rias swallowed hard, forcing her voice to steady. "I… I need to speak with my father. Now."
Grayfia inclined her head. "I will accompany you."
"I'll come too—" Raytherion stepped forward instinctively–
But his mother turned to him, shaking her head gently. "No, Raytherion. This is something for Rias, her mother, and myself to handle with Lord Gremory."
Rias turned to Raytherion, her eyes softening as they met his. "Ray… please. I would prefer you stay here, just for now."
He held her gaze, jaw tightening, the desire to argue flashing across his face before he exhaled, nodding once. "Alright."
Rias gave him a small, grateful smile before she stepped beside Grayfia.
Her eyes lingered on Raytherion for a moment longer before she vanished with Grayfia, leaving the room.
He stared at where she had been standing just moments before, clicking his tongue.
"My, my," Akeno murmured, the usual teasing absent from her voice. "What a series of events."
Shirone's white ears flicked as she glanced up at Raytherion. "What do we do now?"
"We wait," he said softly, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.
Akeno and Shirone exchanged a look, but neither spoke. They returned to the couch, settling down quietly.
Raytherion joined them a few moments later, an ache twisting in his stomach.
A couple of hours passed. The sun was almost done setting by now.
Kiba, Gasper, and Zekka had returned earlier, quickly being brought up to speed.
Now, the trio sat around the same table.
Gasper looked down with a worried expression.
Kiba absently rolled a pencil between his fingers.
Zekka leaned back in her chair, eyes closed and arms folded.
On the couch, Akeno sat next to Raytherion, one leg crossed over the other as she idly played with arcs of lightning between her fingers, though her eyes were distant.
Shirone was curled up beside Raytherion, her head resting against his arm. She had fallen asleep some time ago, the exhaustion of the day finally claiming her.
Then, at last, the room shimmered with the familiar silver light.
Rias and Grayfia reappeared,
Rias looked tired, blue eyes rimmed with the slightest hint of red. Grayfia stood at her side, silent.
Everyone perked up at the sight.
"Buchou…"
"Rias, is everything alright?"
"What did your father say?"
The flood of questions made Rias smile softly, despite the heaviness in her eyes. She drew in a breath, lifting her head.
"Grayfia was right," she said, her voice hoarse. "My father confirmed that the agreement between him and Lord Phenex was real… and that he never annulled it."
Raytherion stood up and spoke in a strangely quiet voice. "What are you going to do, Rias?"
"There's only one option," she said, her voice regaining its usual quiet strength. "I'm going to accept Riser's challenge."
Raytherion's jaw clenched as he bit the inside of his cheek, considering the words he wanted to say, the arguments he wanted to make, but in the end he simply nodded.
Kiba leaned forward, his eyes meeting Rias'. "When will the Rating Game take place?"
"A week from now," Rias replied without hesitation. "We'll use the time to create a plan to defeat him and his peerage."
"A week?" Akeno echoed, skepticism flickering in her violet eyes. "That isn't much time, Rias."
Rias glanced at her. "We aren't going to spend the week just training, Akeno. We're strong enough already. This week will be for strategy, studying his peerage, finding weaknesses and preparing our plan."
The reassurance and confidence in her words washed over the room, helping ease the tension despite the situation the group now found themselves in.
Zekka, despite not being a part of Rias' peerage, spoke up softly in encouragement, a smirk tugging at her lips as she leaned forward. "You're going to crush him, Gremory. I'd bet on it."
Rias' smile softened, her eyes warm. "Thank you, Zekka."
Raytherion shifted, his eyes never leaving Rias as she spoke. "Rias," he finally said, his voice calm, but carrying something… else. "Are you sure about this?"
Her eyes met his, unwavering. "Yes, Ray. I am. I want to do this."
Raytherion searched her gaze for even the smallest flicker of doubt, but there was none, only quiet determination. Seeing this, Raytherion offered a small nod.
"Okay."
Rias stepped closer, closing the space between them. "Thank you," she whispered softly, giving him a reassuring smile.
He didn't look away, but he didn't reach for her either. His hands twitched at his sides as if they wanted to move, to hold her, but he held them back. "Of course," he murmured.
Akeno stepped forward, leaning her weight lightly against Raytherion's shoulder as she turned to Rias. "We should get started soon, then."
Kiba rose, setting the pencil he had been toying with onto the table with a soft clack. "How do you want to approach this, Rias?"
Rias turned to him. "We'll return to the Underworld and use the Gremory training grounds," she said. "Our preparation will focus on strategy, understanding his peerage and forming a plan to counter them… but like I said earlier, we won't just be discussing strategy. We'll use the training grounds to test our ideas and see what does and doesn't work."
Gasper nodded quickly, looking around at his friends before standing with Kiba. "I'll do my best, Buchou!"
Shirone, who had woken up during the discussion and now sat curled against the couch arm, rubbed her sleepy eyes. "We'll definitely win," she mumbled, determination in her voice despite her drowsiness.
Grayfia finally spoke up, seeing that the spirits in the room had lifted. "It seems like you all have a plan. I will handle the logistics of the Rating Game and its arrangements. I trust you can manage the rest."
A chorus of nods and quiet affirmations followed. Grayfia's lips curved into a small, approving smile before she bowed and vanished.
For the next three days, Raytherion went through the motions alongside the others. He attended the strategy meetings, giving Rias feedback on her proposals, and helped them out when they put their ideas into practice on the training grounds.
Yet amidst everything, he found his mind drifting.
His gaze would drop to the table or to the floor, the restless knot in his stomach tightening every time Rias' voice reached him, or when her eyes sought his approval on a tactic.
They stayed up particularly late that night, but eventually Raytherion returned to his home in the Underworld..
He didn't lie down to sleep right away.
Instead, Raytherion sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, his white hair falling around his face as he lowered his head.
His mind was a storm, unable to settle down as he thought about what had happened three days ago.
Riser's declaration, the memory of how he had looked at Rias. How he had spoken as if she was something that belonged to him. How he had essentially threatened to take her away from them…
From him.
Why did it feel like this?
The thought of Rias being taken from him gave him a headache, refusing to leave him in peace.
He didn't know how long he just… sat there, staring down at the floor, but a presence approaching his room was what finally pulled him from his thoughts.
"Come in, Mother," he called softly, not looking up.
The door opened and Grayfia stepped inside, closing it behind her quietly. She stood for a moment, taking in the sight of her son, sitting there stiffly with his head bowed.
She crossed the room with quiet steps, her heels clicking softly on the floor, until she reached the bed and sat beside him.
For a while, they did not speak.
Finally, Grayfia reached out, her gloved hand brushing through Raytherion's white hair, smoothing it back from his forehead.
"You've been troubled the past few days," she said softly.
Raytherion's fingers flexed where they clasped between his knees. "It's nothing."
"Nothing that keeps you awake is ever truly nothing, Raytherion."
His lips twitched faintly, a humorless huff escaping him at how easily she could read him. "...This is going to be a very important moment for Rias."
"Yes," Grayfia agreed, her voice warm and calm. "You trust her, don't you?"
"I do." His voice was firmer now as he lifted his eyes to meet hers.
"And yet, here you are," she said softly, not accusing, only observing, "unable to find peace."
Raytherion's gaze fell once more, his hands tightening around his knees. "She's going to fight him. I know she's ready. I know she'll win. But—"
"But it doesn't change what you feel," Grayfia finished gently, her silver eyes soft as they watched him.
He didn't deny his mother's words.
Grayfia turned her gaze toward the window, where moonlight streamed through. Her lips curved faintly.
"You remind me of myself, you know."
Raytherion's eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced at her. "What do you mean?"
"I've… never truly spoken to you about how I met your father, have I? I suppose now is the right time."
Raytherion didn't speak, but the slight tilt of his head showed he was listening, fully.
"I was part of the Old Satan Faction, Raytherion," she began softly.. "Back then, I believed my duty to the old ways came before everything else. Emotions, desires, personal wants… they were weaknesses I could not afford."
She paused.
"And then I met your father."
Her eyes closed for a moment. "Again and again, across battlefields, he stood out like a beacon. Yes, he was strong, terrifyingly so, but that wasn't what initially drew me to him… It was his smile."
Raytherion blinked. "His… smile?"
Grayfia nodded, her voice now tinged with amusement. "He was infuriating, Raytherion. We would stand there and I'd be ready to tear him apart…, and he would just smile. That calm, ridiculous smile, as if nothing could bring him down."
She shook her head.. "I hated it at first. I thought it was arrogance. I was a soldier prepared to die for what I believed in, and he looked at me like this was all a game."
Raytherion's lips twitched, and he muttered, "Sounds like him."
A soft laugh slipped past Grayfia's lips, her eyes softening. "It does. But what I didn't understand then, what I came to see, was that his smile wasn't arrogance. It was conviction. A promise to himself that even amidst all the death and destruction, he would not lose himself. And that… that was what began to break me down. Every time we clashed, every time we found ourselves on opposite sides, he would smile and later, when the fighting was done, I would find myself thinking about it, wondering how he could still smile in a world like ours."
She exhaled, her hand rising to rest lightly against her heart. "Eventually, the battlefield wasn't enough. We began to meet in secret, away from the eyes of our factions and the demands of war. We would fight, but not with magic. I would argue with your father about what was right and what was wrong, and he would push back just as fiercely. I found myself thinking about him even after leaving those secret meetings."
Grayfia took a moment to pause and breath. "In those moments, I realized he was showing me a different way to live. A way to be strong without becoming cruel, to fight for something more. But… even when I knew I had fallen for him, I kept him at arm's length, telling myself it was to protect us."
Raytherion bit his tongue, realizing now why his mother was telling him all this. He looked away, towards the window where the moon shone.
"What were you afraid of?" He asked, though he wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or his mother.
Grayfia followed his gaze to the moon. "That if I allowed myself to love him openly, I would lose him. That the war would take him, or that by choosing him, I would lose who I was."
"What made you accept it?" Raytherion whispered, needing to hear her response.
She turned back to him, hearing the desperation in his voice despite how much he tried to hide it. "I realized… that if I kept pushing him away, I would lose him anyway. Not to war or death…but to my own fear."
He closed his eyes, taking his time in processing what his mother had told him.
It wasn't a perfect reflection of his own situation, of course not…
But the message remained clear. If he didn't act…
He would lose Rias.
Not because some idiot threatened to steal her away. She was strong enough to fight against that.
But because he continued to let his fear control him.
"I think I understand."
"I know you do. You always have. And I'm glad that you aren't running away from it anymore. Sometimes… it takes the threat of losing what we care about to fully appreciate it."
Raytherion nodded as he stood up, running a hand through his white hair as he prepared to teleport somewhere.
"Where are you going?" Grayfia asked softly, though in her heart she already knew the answer to her own question.
Raytherion glanced back at her, the corners of his mouth lifting into a small, confident smile. "To speak with Rias."
It was midnight now. The artificial moon of the Underworld cast Rias in a lovely light.
When he teleported to her room, she was out on the terrace, her back turned away from him, looking down onto the sea of countless crimson sakura trees.
She was still wearing her Kuoh Academy uniform,
For a moment, Raytherion simply let himself look at her as she leaned against the terrace railing.
Then, he stepped forward, quietly taking off his glasses for what would come next.
Rias turned, hearing his footsteps as he allowed Infinity to fade away completely for the first time in years.
"Couldn't sleep either, hmm?" She asked, giving him a teasing grin.
"Yeah. A lot on my mind." He moved to lean against the railing on his side, looking at her as she turned back to the scenery.
"I like it here," she admitted, her voice reflective. "I mean, it's nice being down there amidst all the petals, but sometimes it's nice to also get a view from above."
Raytherion hummed, taking a moment to glance at the sight. "I can see why. It's picturesque… probably better in the day, though."
Rias laughed, reaching over to gently nudge his shoulder. "Stop ruining the moment."
He grinned, letting her cozy up next to him as they both watched the trees. Raytherion allowed himself to simply enjoy her presence, her warmth pressed against his side.
"You know… I wanted to challenge Riser myself."
Rias smirked. "Did you?"
She was amused, he could tell from looking down at her.
It made him laugh a bit, nodding as he rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah."
"Like a knight in shining armor? To defend my honor?"
"Something like that… but now that you're saying it out loud, it's kind of embarrassing."
Rias' laughter softened, melting into a warm hum. "It's not embarrassing! It's… sweet, but this is something I need to do. With Akeno, Kiba, Gasper, Shirone… all of them. We all need to prove ourselves, not just to you, but to everyone else."
Raytherion's eyes softened, nodding "I know."
"Still," Rias added, leaning into him. "You've played an important role, even if you won't be there on the battlefield with us. You're the reason we've become as strong as we are. You trained us, Raytherion."
The breeze caught her hair, some strands moving across her face. "You've always been helping me, Ray. And now… I want to show you how far we've come."
Raytherion felt that feeling in his chest arise again, this time mixed with something more… warm.
"You're giving me too much credit," he murmured softly.
"I'm not," she said firmly, taking his hands into her own and bringing them up to his chest. "In the Rating Game, we'll prove it to him. To everyone."
His eyes lingered on her, the quiet strength in her voice, tempered by the warm smile she was giving him, ready to face the world.
In that moment, looking at her beneath the moonlight, he knew.
He knew.
His heart beat rapidly, and he breathed deeply, trying to steady it.
Rias gave him a small frown, feeling the quick heartbeats with her hands against his chest.
"Ray? What's wrong—"
"Why did you fall in love with me?"
Rias blinked, taken aback, her eyes widening.
"Ray…?" she whispered, her voice so soft it was nearly lost in the wind.
Raytherion swallowed, his hand slipping from hers to tuck a strand of red hair behind her ear, his thumb lingering against her cheek. "I… need to hear you say it."
She closed her eyes briefly, leaning into his touch, before looking up at him again.
"Why I love you…" she murmured, tasting the words.
"I love you, Ray," she began softly, "because you've always seen me."
She held his gaze, her voice growing stronger. "When I was trying to prove myself, you never treated me like I was fragile. You challenged me, argued with me, teased me, but you always stood beside me, even when you didn't have to."
Flashes of sparring matches, teasing and tender moments passed through his mind as she spoke.
"Because you're infuriatingly stubborn, so confident it makes me want to scream sometimes… but you're also kind, gentle, and patient when it matters most."
A small laugh slipped from her as she looked down, a blush warming her cheeks. "Because even when you pretended not to care, you did. You protected me, encouraged me, and believed in me."
When she lifted her gaze again, her eyes were a bit wet, though there was still a smile on her face. "Because when you're around, I feel like I can do anything. That's why."
Raytherion let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
Rias smiled faintly, pulling her hands back to wipe at the moisture near her eyes. "Why… why are you asking me this now?"
"Do you know why I never let myself truly return your feelings?" he asked, his voice low. "Why I let you say you loved me, let you hold my hand, kiss my cheek… but never let myself say it back?"
Her lips parted, but no words came. She only searched his eyes, her eyes becoming teary again.
"It wasn't because I didn't know," Raytherion said, swallowing. "It wasn't because I didn't feel the same."
His voice trembled, but he continued. "It was because I was afraid. Afraid of what it would mean if I let myself have this. Afraid that loving you would make me vulnerable, that it would put you in danger, that I'd lose you… or worse, that you'd lose yourself because of me."
Rias' brow furrowed softly, but she remained quiet, letting him speak, letting the tears run down from her eyes.
"I kept telling myself it wasn't the right time," Raytherion said, a small, mocking laugh leaving him. "That there was too much at stake, too many reasons to wait. But every time you smiled and laughed, looking at me the way you're looking at me now… I felt it."
His hand lifted, brushing a tear from her cheek, his thumb gentle against her warm skin.
"I love you."
Her breath caught, a small, choked sound escaping her. "Ray…"
"I love the way you've never given up, how you've always pushed yourself forward even when it hurts. I love how much you care about the people around you and how you put their needs above your own without thinking twice."
His voice grew stronger as he continued.
"The way your eyes light up whenever you talk about your dreams… I love your smile, your laughter, how you look at me when it's just the two of us… I love how much you believe in yourself… and how much you believe in me, never letting me hide behind jokes or letting me pretend that I don't care."
Raytherion swallowed, but his voice remained steady.
"I love you Rias, for everything that you are… and for everything that we've become together."
He leaned down, cupping her cheek as her eyes fluttered shut, another tear slipping free as she tilted her face into his hand.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his forehead brushing against hers, "For making you wait so long to hear me say it back."
His lips met hers.
It was a gentle kiss at first.
Rias closed her eyes, letting out a soft trembling sound of contentment as she shifted, her back now pressing against the terrace. Her hands slipped up to wrap around Raytherion's neck, pulling him closer.
After a few moments, Raytherion felt her lips part for him.
He accepted the invitation, letting his tongue enter her mouth and push against hers. His hand moved from her cheek to cradle the back of her head, his fingers running through her crimson hair while the other wrapped around her waist.
When he finally began to pull back for breath, Rias let out a soft whine, her eyes fluttering open.
She lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist, drawing him in until their bodies were fully pressed against each other.
This time, it was Rias who took the initiative, her tongue slipping into his mouth as she tasted him, making him groan softly into her mouth.
Raytherion's hands slid to her hips, steadying Rias as she began to rock her hips against his.
Finally breaking the kiss, she pressed her forehead against his, their pants visible in the cold air of the night.
Slowly, Rias let her arms slide down from his neck. Her fingers fumbled as she began to undo the buttons of her blouse, one by one, until he could see hints of her red lace bra.
Raytherion blinked, realizing what she wanted. "Rias–" he managed, cheeks flushed as he reached for her wrists.
But Rias only leaned forward, pressing another quick kiss to his lips, even biting on his lower lip. "I've waited long enough, Ray," she whispered.
"I know…" he whispered right back, "But… I'll give you what you want after the Rating Game. I promise."
For a moment, she just stared at him, considering his words and what they meant.
Then, she laughed softly, kissing him again.
"Seriously?" Rias rubbed her nose against his. "That's… quite the motivation, Ray." She pulled back to study his face and then leaned in to whisper into his ear. "Say it. I need to hear you say it so you can't back out."
Raytherion pulled back as well, some exasperation in his gaze, but he didn't deny her.
"Four days from now, when you win… I'll give you what you want. Not just my heart, but also my body."
"I'll make you mine."
Author's Note:
Chapter's OG version of Riser had him be a lot more arrogant. I toned it down just a bit, though I think it's more of him somehow managing to restrain himself in front of them all because this is a much different situation to canon.
I hope that I didn't fuck up anything with the last minute additions/edits that I made.
I also hope that I did a good job with the whole confession thing. I will admit it was a little dramatic, but I hope it was in a good way.
First lemon will probably be either next chapter or the one after that, depending on if I want to split the lemon from the Rating Game.
After writing a story for the first time, I can see why some people don't like harems. I write this connection between them, this (hopefully) heartfelt scene where two characters talk and confess their love for one another...
And now I'm supposed to do that for all the other girls.
Oh well. Hopefully when it's the other girls time to shine, I can do it in a way that doesn't feel shallow. If I can manage that, then I will be able to put away these feelings.
I'm not going to back out of it now because that would be even worse haha.
Uhhhhh, what else? Oh. The line where Raytherion tells Riser that he's lucky his mom is here? I hope that was... funny. Kind of like him telling him "you're lucky my mom's here now, or i'd kick your ass". allows me to show the respect that Satoray has for his mom, but still with a little bit of flair (is that the right word for it? IDK)
I was going to add a line about Zeoticus (Rias' father) having to sleep on the couch now but I felt like it was humor that would have taken away from the scene. I mean, it's still happening, of course. I'd imagine Venelana wouldn't be too happy. I just didn't write it in the chapter.