Rias was having a hard time sleeping. She tossed and turned, but not a wink of rest came to her. Her mind kept looping over the aftermath of her declaration.
Adam had not responded. He only kept staring at her, eyes locked with hers. The temperature was steadily rising around them, yet she refused to show that it affected her. For some reason, she didn't want to back down. Vapor began to rise—not around Adam, but around her. It seemed he had confined the heat solely to her body. Her brother's eyes carried concern now. The heat was getting to her—her throat felt parched, her lips dry. She didn't know how to counter this.
Rias got up and slipped into a nightgown. She stepped out of her room and onto the veranda overlooking the open garden and the entrance to the training grounds. The moon was nowhere to be seen that night, and if not for the lamps on her porch… well, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Devils could see perfectly in the dark.
She sat on the railing, her legs dangling. She looked up at the night sky and stretched her hand toward it. What was she trying to grasp? She didn't know. But she felt that it was there.
She remembered her brother beseeching Adam to stop. But Adam had merely raised his arm, dismissing the Lucifer himself. She could feel the prickling gazes of the gathered devils, judging her, branding her weak. Her peerage had looked ready to step in, but why should that be necessary? She hadn't brought them into her family to protect her. No. She had wanted to help them—be their friend. And yet, here she was, weak enough to need protection from the very people she had sworn to protect.
Rias clenched her fist. The Power of Destruction crackled faintly across her skin.
She unleashed the monster writhing inside her, whispering chaos and ruin. The fabled Power of Destruction lashed outward, threads of death swirling about. Her eyes never left Adam's. She refused to back down, and that refusal was written clearly in her gaze.
The temperature dropped. Relief flooded her, and she collapsed to the ground with a sigh. Akeno rushed to support her, while Asia's Twilight Healing knit her strength back together. She felt her stamina slowly return. Her peerage stood at her side, fangs bared at the Phenex progenitor—but Adam dismissed them as if they were flies.
Then he turned to her father and declared, unilaterally:
"The Phenex clan cancels this marriage contract. She will not marry Riser."
Rias's eyes widened. Shock rippled across the hall—her brother, Grayfia, and everyone present were left stunned. Her peerage was frozen, unable to process the outcome.
Even Zeoticus faltered. His voice broke out heatedly:
"But why, My Lord? Why would you cancel this?" He looked at his wife, Venelana, in incomprehension.
Sirzechs did not intervene. As Satan, it was not his place.
Adam ignored her father entirely. His eyes met hers as he spoke:
"You have too much potential to waste."
Those words… the same ones he had said before. Then, with a single parting line, he turned and walked out of the hall under stupefied gazes. The Power of Destruction had impressed even him, a demon beyond demons. And yet Rias could not feel joy. He had only uttered those words after seeing the power she was born into—power tied to the Gremory name. Would she ever be recognized for herself?
So lost was she in thought that she didn't notice Akeno slip in behind her until two arms wrapped around her. She started, then looked down at the protective embrace of her longtime friend, her chin resting gently on her shoulder.
"Why are you not asleep, Rias?" Akeno's voice carried no teasing lilt this time. This was the true Queen of her peerage—tired, weighed down by her own demons.
"I could ask you the same, you know," Rias replied, her mind pulled back from its musings.
"Oh, you know how it is. I don't sleep much. I'm used to it." Akeno tried to play it off, but the fatigue showed.
Rias winced, berating herself. She had been so caught up in her own problems she hadn't even thought to check on her friend. "That bad, huh?"
Akeno didn't answer, but her silence was enough.
The raven-haired beauty could never forget that day. The smell of blood had taken permanent residence in her soul. The memory of her mother's sacrifice burned into her being. And the resentment toward her father—it was like eternal hellfire, tempered only by years of questioning her own existence.
Rias could not fathom the depths of Akeno's sorrow, but she had sworn long ago not to let her friend bear it alone. Akeno's smile was a mask, hiding her apathy toward herself—and Rias feared that one day, it would shatter.
She cleared her throat, trying to lift the heavy air. "But today turned out to be a good day, right, Akeno? No more Riser, no more marriage contracts!" Rias twirled playfully and clasped her friend's hands. Her eyes sparkled with genuine joy.
Akeno's lips curved into a rare, true smile. She was happy for her friend. It seemed as if a weight had fallen from her King, restoring the youthful charm everyone admired.
Speaking of that charm—
"Rias," Akeno interrupted, cutting off the rant she knew was about to spiral. "Have you spoken to Issei?"
The name dimmed Rias's light. She deflated almost visibly. Her thumb went to her lips, biting down on the pad—a bad habit she'd picked up.
Akeno smacked her hand away and gave her a pointed look.
Rias clicked her tongue, then sighed. "I have to, Akeno. I didn't treat him right. I didn't even thank him." Her voice softened with shame.
"You'll do it first thing in the morning, alright?" Akeno pressed.
Rias nodded.
"Come on then. Let's try to sleep." Akeno dragged her toward the bed. But neither of them got a wink of rest.
Next Morning – Kuoh Academy
Rias could hear the whispers as usual.
'Rias-senpai is as beautiful as ever.'
'As expected of one of the Two Great Onee-sama's.'
'Man, I wish I could squeeze those boobs.'
The last one made her eyebrow twitch, but she let it pass. She walked on until they reached an intersection, then turned to her Rook.
"I'll see you at lunch, Koneko?"
A silent nod.
Rias sighed and patted her head. Koneko closed her eyes briefly, then walked off to the left.
The half devil-half youkai reached class just in time for homeroom. The stares meant nothing to her anymore. She gazed out the window, half-bored.
"…I'd also like to introduce a new transfer."
The words caught her attention. She looked toward the teacher, who smiled as she gestured to the door.
"Adam, you may come in."
Koneko nearly jumped from her seat.
The door slid open. Blonde hair, the same nonchalance with which he had humbled devils days ago. He strode to the dais, arms loosely crossed behind his back.
The teacher looked nervous, eager to put him at ease—while all Koneko wanted was to leap from the window and run. But she couldn't. She was rooted, pinned under his gaze. Her senses sharpened until even the whispers in class rang in her ears.
'He looks alright. Not bad, but no Kiba-senpai.'
'Thank God, not another ikemen.'
Her heart doubled, tripled its pace. Sweat dampened her palms, her head spun—but she refused to show weakness. Not before a predator.
"Go on, Adam, introduce yourself," the teacher urged.
Adam nodded, stepped forward. "Hello, everyone." His voice was calm, measured. "My name is Adam Phillips." His gaze flickered toward Koneko, confusion briefly crossing his face, before returning to the class. "I hope we get along well."