The drawing room was a study in contradictions. It smelled of expensive cedar and high-end Earl Grey, but the walls seemed to breathe with a faint, rhythmic pulse. Rias sat on the edge of the velvet armchair, her back straight as a spear. She didn't touch the tea Serafina had placed before her—not because she feared poison, but because she was too busy dissecting the man sitting across from her.
I leaned back, tapping the Void-Ink Pen against my chin. "You're wondering what I am," I said, breaking the silence. "Is it a Sacred Gear? An ancient spirit? A stray human who found a door he shouldn't have opened?"
Issei shifted uncomfortably behind her. "Man, your 'pet' out there almost gave me a heart attack. What is that thing? A shadow demon?"
"It's whatever I want it to be, Issei Hyoudou," I replied, my violet eyes drifting to the boy. "But for the sake of your President's peace of mind, let's call it a manifestation of thought."
Rias's eyes narrowed slightly, her analytical mind working at full speed. "Thought-manifestation on this scale... it's unheard of. Even a high-tier Longinus like Annihilation Maker has its limits. But you," she leaned forward, her voice dropping to a serious, low tone, "you don't feel like you're exerting yourself at all. This house, that maid, the guardian... they aren't just constructs. They have a presence that feels... final."
She paused, her gaze locking onto mine, demanding the one thing she hadn't yet secured. "You know our names. It's only fair we know who has moved into our backyard."
I stopped spinning the pen. The small stars in my violet eyes seemed to swirl for a moment, catching the light of the chandelier.
"Fair enough," I said, my voice calm but carrying a weight that seemed to settle over the room. "My name is Caelum Vance."
The name hung in the air. It wasn't a name from the Norse sagas or the pillars of the Underworld. It was new, untainted by the blood of the Great War, and yet it felt like it had been carved into the foundation of the house itself.
"Caelum... Vance," Rias repeated, tasting the syllables as if searching for a hidden meaning. Finding none, she nodded slowly. "A name that belongs to no house I know. And yet, you speak as if you've already decided the rules of this town."
"I have," I said, finally taking a sip of my own tea. "I'm not here to sign a treaty with Michael or Azazel. I am the Third Way."
Akeno, who had been standing silently by the door, let out a soft, sharp hum. "The Third Way? That's a bold claim. In this world, neutrality usually ends with both sides trying to crush you."
"They can try," I smiled, and for a second, the cosmic violet in my eyes flared with a cold light. "But they'll find that my ink doesn't just draw life—it can erase it, too."
Rias stayed silent for a long moment, her hand finally reaching out to pick up the tea cup. She took a sip, her expression unreadable. She was at a crossroads. As a Gremory, she was supposed to report this anomaly to the Underworld. But as a leader, she recognized a force that didn't follow the rules of the Great War.
"You don't want to fight us," Rias stated, more of a realization than a question. "But you won't follow us either. You want Kuoh to be your neutral ground."
"Exactly," I said. "Think of me as a neighbor who values his privacy. I won't interfere with your 'club' business, provided it doesn't spill onto my lawn. In return, you have a neighbor who can make things... very difficult for anyone who tries to disturb the peace of this town."
Rias set the cup down with a soft clack. "A Sovereign of the shadows. It's a dangerous gamble, Caelum Vance. But for now... I'm willing to see where this path leads."
She stood up, gesturing for her peerage to follow. At the door, she paused and looked back at me. "But remember: Kuoh is my home. If your 'imagination' ever threatens the people I care about, I won't care how many eyes your guardian has."
I watched them walk out, the crimson of her hair fading into the hallway shadows.
"Master," Serafina whispered from the corner. "The Red Dragon... he is so weak."
"He'll grow," I said, capping my pen. "But so will we. Serafina, start working on the Library of Forbidden Sketches. If the Factions are going to visit, we should give them something truly worth seeing."