Chapter 31: The King's Chest and the Bishop's Sanctuary
The moon hung low over the Gremory estate at Kuoh, casting long, silvery shadows through the windows. Inside Lucian's quarters, the air was warm with the scent of fox spirit incense and the faint, lingering hum of healing magic.
Lucian sat on the edge of his bed, his back still tingling with the residual sting of Rias's "discipline." He turned to Yubelluna, giving her a soft, lingering peck on the cheek, then reached over to pat Tamamo's head.
"You both should rest," Lucian said, his voice a weary rasp. "I have a very angry Heiress to calm down downstairs. If I don't go now, she might actually blast my room into the next dimension in the middle of the night."
Yubelluna giggled, though her orange eyes held a trace of sadness. "My Master... you could have called for me when you made that chaotic decision to storm the Church. We would have happily taken the punishment for you."
Lucian stretched, his joints popping with a series of satisfying clicks. "What kind of Master would I be if I dragged you two into a mess I didn't even know I'd survive? A leader takes the hit for his team, not the other way around."
Tamamo shifted into her small, one-tailed fox form and hopped onto his shoulder, nipping his ear playfully. "You should stay alive, Master," she chirped. "Or else Yubelluna and I will personally march into Hell and drag your soul back by the hair!"
"I'll keep that in mind," Lucian laughed, standing up and heading for the door.
The Pouting Heiress
In the living room, Rias Gremory was a picture of aristocratic misery. She was curled up on the velvet sofa, her face buried in a cushion, her legs tucked under her.
"I don't care... I don't care... I don't care..." she muttered into the fabric, her voice muffled but dripping with a very obvious, very sharp jealousy.
Lucian approached silently and sat on the edge of the sofa next to her. The moment his weight shifted the cushions, Rias bolted upright, her face flushed and her eyes narrowed into lethal slits.
"Get out!" she snapped, pointing a trembling finger toward the stairs. "Go back to your lovers! You were spoiled quite enough by them minutes ago, weren't you?"
Lucian sighed, reaching out and gently taking her hand, pressing it against his cheek. "It was half an hour ago, Rias. And technically, I was the injured party. You beat me so bad I can barely sit down, and yet you're the one pouting? I should be the one crying for justice."
Rias tried to pull her hand away, but her grip was weak. "You scoundrel! You're talking like this after you disobeyed my orders? You chased after Kiba, you went romancing with Akeno in a love hotel, and the moment we get home, you retreat to your little harem!"
She looked away, her bottom lip trembling. "Who am I to judge, huh? I'm just a little Heiress who lost her heart to a reckless scoundrel."
The Responsibility of a King
Lucian knew words wouldn't work anymore. Rias wasn't acting as a King right now; she was a girl who wanted to feel like she was the center of his world.
He leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Before she could launch into another tirade, he captured her lips in a deep, possessive kiss. It wasn't the chaste peck he'd given Yubelluna; it was the kind of kiss that tasted of fire and soul-binding contracts.
Tamamo, still on his shoulder, squeezed her eyes shut with her paws, though she peeked through one tiny gap. "I want one like this too later, Master!" she squeaked.
Rias finally pulled back, her breath hitching, her face a radiant shade of crimson. "You... you... taking advantage of me! You're a pervert, Lucian!"
Lucian, feeling the heat of the moment, began to unbutton his shirt, revealing the pale, muscular chest that bore the faint red marks of her magic. "Rias, you literally just violated me with a magic circle thirty minutes ago. Why are you acting like the victim? Aren't you going to take responsibility for what you did to your favorite Bishop?"
"I did nothing!" Rias shouted, though her eyes were wandering over his collarbone.
"You did everything," Lucian countered.
"I am your King!" Rias reminded him, her voice gaining a bit of its noble edge.
"But I am your King too," Lucian whispered, leaning back in.
SLAP!
It was a light one, more of a playful reprimand, but it caught him off guard. "Pervert!" Rias cried out, though she was smiling now.
"That really hurts, you know," Lucian groaned, rubbing his cheek.
"It should hurt!" Tamamo chimed in, suddenly glowing with spirit energy. "I'm leaving for the Spirit Realm for the night. Master, I don't want a kiss like that if it comes with a slap! Reserve a better one for me later!"
Rias turned toward the fox, her eyes flashing. "Absolutely not! No spirit-harem today!"
Tamamo stuck her tongue out at the Gremory Heiress. "No one decides when my Master gives me affection but him!" With a 'poof' of smoke, she vanished.
The Sanctuary of the Chest
The silence returned, heavier and more intimate than before. Lucian slumped forward, his forehead resting against Rias's shoulder. The adrenaline of the day—the fight with Freed, the confrontation with the Church, and the discipline from Rias—had finally drained him.
"Rias... I'm not ready to argue anymore," Lucian whispered, his hands moving to wrap around her waist. "My magic power is drained. My ego is bruised. Please... let's keep the strikes for tomorrow."
Instead of fighting, he snuggled his face into the soft, warm curve of her chest, seeking the comfort only she could provide. "I'm tired. Please... take care of me."
Rias let out a long, weary sigh, her fingers tracing the back of his neck. "You hateful, wonderful man," she whispered.
She took his hands in hers, bringing them to her lips and kissing each of his knuckles with a tenderness that made the earlier punishment feel like a lifetime ago. "I love you, Lucian."
Then, she added with a smirk, "I hate you though."
"Me too," Lucian murmured, already half-asleep against her.
Rias looked down at him, her heart swelling with a fierce, protective possessiveness. She combed his crimson hair back with her fingers, her touch light. "Ah, what a pain you are. I think I went a bit overboard being jealous of Akeno today... but look at you. Sleeping like a child."
Using her magic, she gently lifted his body, carrying him toward her master bedroom.
The Queen's Watch
As Rias moved through the hallway, she passed Yubelluna, who was peeking out of her room. The former Queen saw Lucian draped in Rias's arms, fast asleep, and her lip curled into a tiny, silent pout.
He's already sleeping in her room, Yubelluna thought, crossing her arms. I should probably lull him to sleep myself next time. She always gets the best snuggles. With a huff, Yubelluna turned back into her room to take her own nap, knowing the "Master" was in safe—if slightly bossy—hands.
Inside the bedroom, Rias placed Lucian onto the massive, silken bed. She didn't leave. She climbed in beside him, pulling his body close so he became her personal "sleeping buddy."
Lucian, even in his sleep, instinctively sought her warmth, his head nestling into the crook of her neck. "Don't tell... Lucy... or Grayfia..." he mumbled into her skin.
Rias chuckled, pulling the covers over them both. "I won't, my idiot. I won't tell a soul that the 'Elegant Prince' is actually just a big baby."
She gave the top of his head a soft, lingering kiss, her arms locking around him like a fortress. "Now sleep, my dear scoundrel. Tomorrow, we have a war to win."
Outside, the rain began to fall again, but inside the Gremory chambers, the only sound was the steady, synchronized breathing of a King and her Bishop, finally at peace.