The park was already wrapped in twilight when Rias Gremory stepped forward. The evening breeze brushed against her crimson hair as she stopped before the body lying motionless on the ground.
Her beautiful face showed a trace of surprise—rare for someone of her composure.
"…He actually defeated a Fallen Angel. Now that's unexpected. And that Sacred Gear… I've never even heard of it."
That single strike just now had annihilated the Fallen Angel in an instant.Even Rias—who had been secretly watching from a distance—had been shocked.
The power of that Sacred Gear, if unleashed at its fullest, would far surpass most others she had encountered. It wasn't quite at the level of the legendary Longinus-class Gears, but it could probably stand against one in a fight.
"With strength like that," she murmured, "you're more than qualified to become my Knight."
A faint smile curved her lips, lighting up her cool, regal features. She lifted her hand, and a glowing crystal chess piece appeared above her palm—a shimmering Knight.
"At last," she whispered, "I've found another fitting servant."
The piece floated down and settled gently onto Ryuichi's chest.
Slowly, the crystal sank into his body.A surge of demonic energy began to flow through him, reshaping his human frame into that of a devil.
But almost at once, Rias sensed something was wrong. The energy—her own demonic power—was being pulled away, devoured by some unseen force inside him.
"Huh…?"
The unexpected reaction startled her. She felt the link of the reincarnation ritual start to unravel.
Could the conversion fail?
Her expression tensed—a rare hint of anxiety crossing her refined face.
A failed reincarnation would mean one thing: she would permanently lose the chance to have a Knight in her peerage. In the battles among devils, that imbalance could be disastrous.
Was it because her magic was being absorbed?
She took a breath, forcing herself to calm down. A Reincarnation of the Devil ritual never failed without cause—she just needed to find what was wrong.
Examining him carefully, she realized the truth.
"My power… isn't enough?"
Her brows knit slightly. She remembered the family records:When a potential servant's power far exceeds expectation, a single Evil Piece may not suffice. Multiple pieces might be required to complete the transformation.
Could Ryuichi be that kind of talent?
Rias exhaled slowly, then reached into her pocket dimension and drew out another piece—this time a Pawn.
Using two different types of Evil Pieces on one person had never been attempted.A Knight and a Pawn together—would it even work?
Her crimson eyes stayed fixed on him as the second piece sank into his body.Nothing exploded, nothing warped; instead, the mysterious pull inside Ryuichi only grew stronger, greedier, like it had tasted something it wanted more of.
"Still not enough…?"
She bit her lip and added another Pawn. Then another.Still, the absorption continued.
Finally, Rias made her decision.
"Then take them all!"
She poured every remaining Pawn piece she had onto him, eight in total, plus the two Knights.
Ten pieces—an investment that would shock any other King.
At last, the devouring stopped. The ritual circle around them glowed brilliantly, and the demonic power stabilized.
Rias released a long breath, the tension easing from her shoulders.
Ryuichi's breathing returned, faint but steady. His body had accepted the transformation—he was now a devil, a member of the House of Gremory.
Rias smiled softly. The glow of the magic circle reflected in her eyes as she looked down at him.
"Welcome to my family, Ryuichi."
The warmth in her voice carried both relief and a quiet pride. This young man's potential was terrifying—and precious.
Crimson light spread beneath her feet. The teleportation sigil flared, and in an instant she and Ryuichi vanished from the park.
They reappeared in his home. Rias carefully laid him on the bed in what had once been his room.
His body was still riddled with lingering injuries—deep, dangerous wounds no ordinary healing could mend. To fully restore him, she had to share her demonic power directly.
Closing her eyes, she gathered her magic, surrounding them both in a soft red glow. The energy pulsed between them, intimate and gentle, her warmth flowing into him like a heartbeat.
"This might take all night…" she murmured, a wry smile touching her lips.
When Ryuichi finally stirred, it felt as though he were drifting between dreams. His mind floated somewhere hazy, heavy with sleep.
He opened his eyes to a familiar ceiling.
My house?
For a moment he couldn't recall what had happened. Then flashes returned—black wings, a spear of light, pain… and then nothing.
Had he died again?Was this another rebirth?
He touched his side, where the spear had pierced him. The wound was gone, the skin smooth and unbroken.
Before he could process it, the mattress shifted behind him. A slender arm slid around his waist from behind—soft, warm, unmistakably real.
Ryuichi froze.
A woman's body pressed lightly against his back, her warmth seeping through the sheets.
Wait—what… who…?
Heart pounding, he slowly turned his head.
Crimson hair. Porcelain skin. A peaceful expression, lips parted in faint, rhythmic breaths.
Rias Gremory.
The undisputed idol of Kuoh Academy, the academy's number-one beauty, often seen beside Akeno Himejima—the two queens of the campus.
Now she was sleeping beside him, her face serene, her breathing steady.
Ryuichi blinked, utterly speechless.
He sat up slowly, looking down at her. Under the morning light, her features seemed almost ethereal. Every line of her body radiated grace and quiet strength.
His throat tightened.
Just what happened last night…?
He remembered dying—and then… nothing.
Had she saved him? Brought him back somehow?
He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
"Did I… seriously just die and wake up next to Rias Gremory?"
The absurdity almost made him laugh.
As he stared, Rias stirred, her lashes fluttering open. Her azure eyes met his, still hazy with sleep.
For a heartbeat, neither spoke.
Then Rias smiled faintly, a touch of mischief in her sleepy voice.
"Good morning, Ryuichi. How do you feel?"
He blinked, still half-dazed.
"Alive… I think?"
"That's a relief," she said, sitting up gracefully. "You gave me quite a scare. Your Sacred Gear is extraordinary—but it nearly tore you apart."
Her tone was gentle, yet the authority of a King underlay every word.
Ryuichi swallowed, his mind still catching up.
"So… you saved me?"
Rias's smile deepened.
"I brought you back. You're one of us now—my servant, my Knight… and perhaps something even more."
Crimson light glimmered faintly in her eyes as she spoke, soft but proud.
Ryuichi could only stare, stunned by the surreal reality of it all.
The girl every student at Kuoh Academy admired—the heir to the House of Gremory—was smiling at him like that.
"…Welcome back to life, Ryuichi."
Her words carried a warmth that felt almost like sunlight breaking through the dark.
And somewhere in his chest, he felt it—the pulse of a new power, and the beginning of a bond that would change his world forever.