Rias Gremory stared at her hands.
At her trembling hands.
It wasn't just Rias. Akeno sat by the window, unusually quiet. Kiba stood near the doorway, his polite smile strained. Koneko hugged her knees on the floor, golden eyes distant. And Gasper was hiding in his box again, trembling.
The silence in the Occult Research Club room was deafening. No one said anything.
They were all nervous. This was their first Rating Game, after all.
But nevertheless confident. Leon had told them they could do it.
He'd given them time. Training. And even the senzu beans. Even now, Rias could barely believe that this small green bean was a miraculous medicine on par with Phenex Tears—or perhaps even better.
That thought steadied her somewhat.
Rias took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions churning in her chest.
"Buchou," Akeno spoke softly, her voice breaking the silence. "Are you alright?"
Rias looked up, meeting her Queen's concerned gaze. "...Yeah."
The word came out quieter than she'd intended, less convincing.
Before Akeno could say anything further, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," she called out.
The door opened to reveal Sona and Tsubaki.
Her best friend stepped into the room while Tsubaki followed close behind, calm and composed as always.
Gratitude welled up in her chest at the sight of them. She knew that Sona had talked to Leon about helping them train. Knew that without Sona's intervention, Leon might not have even helped them at all.
And now, Sona had volunteered to oversee the Rating Game itself—acting as one of the referees and relay coordinators between House Gremory and House Phenex. It was a position usually reserved for neutral high-ranking devils, but Sona had volunteered immediately since it was Rias's first Rating Game.
Sona had always looked out for her, even when they bickered and competed. That was what best friends did.
"Sona," Rias said, standing up. Her hands had stopped trembling, she realized. "You came."
"Of course I came," Sona said matter-of-factly, adjusting her glasses. "Did you think I'd let you go into your first Rating Game without saying anything?"
"Ara ara, how touching," Akeno said with a faint smile.
Sona's eyes swept over the room, taking in the nervous energy, the tension hanging in the air. Then perhaps sensing Rias's nervousness, she spoke.
"You're going to win this."
It wasn't a question. It was stated as simple fact.
Rias laughed, some of the tension bleeding out of her shoulders. "I'll fight hard not to embarrass you, my rival."
"See that you don't," Sona replied with the ghost of a smile.
Then a magic circle manifested behind Sona.
Grayfia Lucifuge materialized, her silver hair and maid uniform as immaculate as always. Her expression was professional, but there was warmth in her eyes as she looked at Rias.
"Is everybody ready, then?" she asked.
Rias looked at her peerage. Then Rias looked back at Grayfia. Determination steeled in her eyes.
"Yes."
Grayfia smiled, seeing the conviction in Rias's eyes. Rias had grown up. "In a few moments, we'll use this magic circle to transport you and the rest of your team to the battlefield."
"We'll make our way to the Student Council room, our broadcast booth," Sona said, adjusting her glasses one final time. "Good hunting out there, Rias."
"Thanks a lot, Sona." Rias met her best friend's gaze. "Just try to keep the play-by-play fair, okay?"
"Of course, that's a given." Sona's expression turned sharp, competitive. "And besides, I'd say you're going to beat that scumbag seven ways from Sunday."
Rias smiled as she watched Sona and Tsubaki leave, heading toward the Student Council room where they'd coordinate the entire broadcast.
The door closed behind them, leaving just Rias's peerage and Grayfia.
After a moment, Grayfia spoke again, her tone shifting slightly. "There's something I forgot to tell you. I thought you'd like to know—the Great Devil Lucifer will be watching the Game."
They all fell silent at those words.
Sirzechs. Her brother.
"Oh... brother dearest..." Rias whispered, feeling warmth spread through her chest.
Even now, her brother was still looking out for her. Still supporting her from the shadows, even though his position as one of the Four Great Satans meant he couldn't intervene directly.
She nodded toward Grayfia, gratitude and determination mixing in her expression.
The magic circle beneath their feet began to glow brighter, pulsing with power.
"Let's go," Rias said, stepping into the center.
Her peerage gathered around her without hesitation
The Gremory peerage. Her family.
The light intensified, beginning to pull them toward the battlefield.
Rias took one last breath in the familiar space of the Occult Research Club room. When she returned here, she'd either be free from her engagement to Riser, or...
No. She wouldn't think about that.
She was going to win.
The world dissolved into crimson light.
And Rias Gremory's first Rating Game began.
=====
When they opened their eyes, they were still in the Occult Research Club room.
Or what looked like the Occult Research Club room.
Rias blinked, looking around. The furniture was in the exact same positions. The windows showed the same view of Kuoh Academy's grounds. Even the small details, like the books on the shelves, the tea set Akeno kept in the corner were perfectly replicated.
But it felt different. Empty. Like a photograph rather than the real thing.
They'd been briefed on this. The Rating Game would take place in a perfect replica of their school, created through devil magic in a pocket dimension. Familiar territory for them, which should have been an advantage.
Except Riser was also notified of the battlefield beforehand and also had the chance to familiarize it.
Then—
"Welcome everyone." Grayfia's voice resounded throughout the battlefield, clear and authoritative. "I am Grayfia Lucifuge. I am a servant of the House of Gremory. I will be your referee during today's match."
Rias felt her heart steady at the familiar voice.
"To create the battlefield you'll be competing in, I took suggestions from both Lady Rias and Lord Riser. You may recognize this place, as it's an exact replica of Kuoh Academy, an educational institution in the human world."
Kiba moved to the window, peering out at the perfectly replicated campus.
"Each team has been given an area that will serve as its home base," Grayfia continued. "Lady Rias, your crew will be in the Occult Research Club headquarters in the old schoolhouse."
Rias felt relief wash over her. This room—their room. The place where they'd trained, where they'd grown as a peerage. It was fitting.
"Lord Riser's home base will be located in the principal's office in the new schoolhouse."
The opposite end of campus. Exactly as they'd anticipated.
"Good luck to all," Grayfia finished.
Silence fell over the room for a moment.
Then Rias turned to face her peerage. "You all heard her. This is it."
"Ara ara, how exciting," Akeno said as she lick her lips.
"You all know the plan. Everyone ready?"
"More than ready." Kiba and Koneko nodded.
They'd gone over this strategy dozens of times. Stay defensive. Let Riser's overconfidence work against him. His fifteen pieces against their four would make him arrogant, make him send his peerage in waves to overwhelm them quickly.
And they'd pick them off. One by one.
Use the home base advantage—every corner of this building memorized, every potential ambush point mapped out. Eliminate his pieces individually before they could regroup or coordinate.
By the time Riser realized what was happening, it would be too late.
Once they'd evened the numbers—or better yet, gained the advantage—that's when they'd go on the offensive. That's when they'd take the fight to him.
Rias looked at each of her peerage members. A year of training had transformed them. They were confident in their abilities, and more importantly, Rias was confident they could defeat Riser's pieces individually.
The year of training allowed them to master their latent potential.
Leon had said so that they were ready.
"Competitors, the match will begin in ten seconds."
Rias closed her eyes for just a moment, centering herself. When she opened them, all doubt was gone.
Her Power of Destruction surged, responding to her resolve. The crimson energy danced around her fingers.
"Five... four... three... two... one..."
Grayfia's voice rang out across the battlefield.
"BEGIN!"
Rias's eyes burned crimson as she gazed out at the campus, watching for the first sign of Riser's forces.
"Let them come," she said quietly. "And let's show that bird what happens when he underestimates us."
=====
Riser Phenex stood in the replica of Kuoh Academy's principal's office, examining his perfectly manicured nails with an expression of mild boredom.
Around him, his peerage waited for orders. Fifteen pieces—his Queen Yubelluna, his Knights, his Rooks, his Bishops, and his Pawns. All beautiful women, all trained, all loyal.
And all completely unnecessary for this farce of a match.
"My Lord," Yubelluna spoke, her voice respectful. "What are your orders?"
Riser waved his hand dismissively. "Send a few Pawns to scout. Maybe a Rook for support. The Gremory girl only has four pieces. This will be over before I finish my drink."
Four pieces. The thought was almost insulting.
Rias had always been stubborn, always thinking she could defy their families' arrangement with her pride and her ideals. But pride didn't win Rating Games. Power did. Numbers did. Experience did.
And he had all three advantages.
Did she really think she could win with such pathetic numbers? Even with that man's training—
Riser's hand tightened slightly on his wine glass, just for a moment, before he forced himself to relax.
No. He wouldn't think about that day.
Leon Mishima wasn't here.
This was a Rating Game between devil peerages, and Mishima had no power here. The rules were clear—only the competitors could fight.
"Are you certain, my Lord?" one of his Knights asked hesitantly. "I've heard that the Gremory peerage received special training—"
"Training?" Riser laughed, the sound echoing through the office. "What training could possibly make up for the difference in our forces? I am a Phoenix. I have immortality itself on my side. And even if by some miracle they managed to harm me, I regenerate."
His peerage nodded, though Yubelluna's expression remained thoughtful.
"My Lord," Yubelluna said carefully, "perhaps we should approach this more cautiously?"
Riser shook off the thought. So what if Mishima had trained them? Training could only do so much. He was still a Phoenix with fifteen pieces against a newly formed peerage of four.
The odds were overwhelmingly in his favor.
He leaned back in the principal's chair, putting his feet up on the desk with arrogance. "No, this match is already decided. I'm merely allowing it to proceed so Rias can embarrass herself publicly. After this humiliating defeat, she'll have no choice but to accept our engagement without any further resistance."
The thought brought a satisfied smirk to his face. He could already imagine it—Rias's proud expression crumbling as her peerage fell one by one. The humiliation of defeat. The realization that she'd never had a chance.
And after the wedding, he'd have her peerage as well. The beautiful Queen. The elegant Knight. That cute little Nekomata…
No, the nekomata was off limits…
Because if there was one thing that day in the Occult Research Club had taught him, it was that there were beings in this world who could make even a Phoenix wish for true death.
And Riser Phenex had no intention of provoking one of them ever again.
"Inform me when the Pawns make contact," he said, waving dismissively. "I'll be waiting here, enjoying my wine. This shouldn't take long."
Outside the windows, he could see the replica campus stretching toward the old schoolhouse where Rias waited.
Let her hope. Let her plan. Let her believe that training would make a difference.
It would make watching her face when she lost that much sweeter.
Riser Phenex smiled and took another sip of wine.
Victory was already his.
====
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