"...What?"
Issei thought he misheard her. But when he went through his excellent memory, he knew that was not the case.
"Please, if only for tonight. I really need your help." She begged. Issei looked into her worried eyes with an unreadable expression. Using his observation technique on her to find out what brought about this sudden act, he sighed.
[Intentions: Lose virginity in hopes of nullifying engagement]
He sighed again." Rias, losing your virginity won't end your engagement. That'll only happen if you ended up getting pregnant. And considering the devil race's none-existant fertility, I highly doubt that'll happen.
The only thing you'll succeed in doing is pissing off your fiance and his family as well as put a target on my back. So I implore you to calm the hell down and relax." He spoke. His eyes looked at her dissatisfied.' Did she honestly think I'd sleep with her after she tried to kill me? Twice?' He thought.
Rias looked quite surprised and also shocked. She didn't expect for him to refuse. This was Issei after all. She expected he'd be more than willing to jump in bed with her.
How wrong she was.
Though, even she had to admit, that when she thought about it, what he said made sense.
He parents, brother and Rizer wouldn't care much if she lost her virginity to a man other than her fiance. After all, they were devils. Some of them have been engaging in the act since their birth. Who the hell would give a damn if she slept with another man?
No one.
But if that man is an important and powerful individual, like a Cardinal Hero for instance, then they'd back off.
This was ultimately the driving thought behind her actions. But once again, her plans did not turn out as she hoped.
"Then what do you want me to do?" She asked as tears began to build up in her eyes.' Drama queen.' He thought in response to her words and actions.
But nevertheless, he answered her." Rias, if the man is such a pain in your side, then challenge him to a rating game or something. It's a simple method and very easy to deploy. And doesn't involve you being in my room." He spoke, his voice turning quite sarcastic at the end.
Rias shook her head." I couldn't beat him in a rating game even if I tried. I have no experience in the games while he has never lost a single one. He has a thousand years worth of experience behind him on the battlefield while I only have eighteen. He has a full peerage while I only have three at my command. Not to mention his heritage as a Phenex grants him instant regeneration. Essentially making him immortal on the battlefield." She spoke and began to cry. She let her face fall into her hands, trying to cover up the tears and sorrow she felt at that moment.
"Everything is stacked against me and I don't know what to do..."
Issei merely shook his head at the girl. While he hated seeing a girl cry, he couldn't care less if the one in front of him wailed in agony.
"Oh, and who's fault is that? Rias, just listen to yourself. No experience? So what? You said you have eighteen years of experience, I only had two months of experience and still kicked your entire peerage's ass!
Heritage? You are a devil princess. Descending from two powerful clans. Possessing both the power of destruction and the spacial magic unique to the Gremory. And yet still, you lost to me, a human with no such heritage.
All your doing is making excuses for your short comings. If you hadn't ran away from home and continued training under your teachers, you would have been powerful enough to take him on and win. If you hadn't been so neglectful towards your peerage, they would have been able to handle an entire peerage on their own.
And you might think I'm being sarcastic but despite your clear inability to train them, each of your peerage members has the potential and the means to not only defeat, but to kill your fiance." He finished.
Once again, Rias' eyes widened. When Issei said that her peerage members could defeat Rizer, it gave her hope. But that hope soon dwindled as she realized they were almost out of time.
Before she could respond to his claim, a silvery light illuminated the room as a magic circle appeared on the floor.
Rias' eyes narrowed at the circle while Issei rolled his eyes. Another devil had appeared from the circle.
Wearing a white and blue maid outfit, she had icy silver eyes and silver white hair. With the aura of nobility and the body of a succubus, it was quite hard for Issei to not notice her.
Especially her level!
[Grayfia Lucifuge LV???]
Grayfia looked at the seen before her. Rias was on bed, sitting on top of a boy who looked like he had better things to do.
She sighed before turning her gaze back to Rias." My lady, while I can understand your panic, this is no way to resolve it. Now come, you must prepare, he will arrive tomorrow to see you." She spoke.
Rias' expression dropped once more." Can I at least have Akeno there with me?" She asked. Her voice seeming to be an inch away from despair.
Grayfia nodded." Indeed. It is most advisable that a king have his or her queen by their side at such important gatherings." Grayfia spoke.
Rias stood up and moved to Graygia's side. Turning back to Issei she spoke with a saddened gaze." Sorry for having disturbed you, Issei." Upon hearing the name of the young man, did Grayfia's eyes narrow.' So he is the one!'
The magic circle lit up once more and within another second, the two woman vanished.
Issei sighed, not caring in the least, as he covered himself with his blanket.' Finally, now I can sleep.'
Sadly, that wasn't an option since his senses reminded him of what he was doing before Rias first appeared.' Damnit Asia!'
-------------------------------
The next day, after school Rias returned to the ORC club room and prepared herself, emotionally, for Rizer's arrival.
Her peerage members each took up their positions. Akeno at her side, Koneko on the couch, Kiba near the window and Rias herself, on the opposite couch.
Grayfia was already stationed at the corner of the room, next to the door.
An additional member, Eto was also stationed here. She was sent to observe the meeting on Issei's behave. She stood on the opposite corner of Grafia, next to the door, dressed in a similar made outfit which consisted of colours white and black. The outfit stretched to her mid thighs, with black stockings covering her legs and black pumps. Her long green hair was flowing down her back while two strands laid down her shoulders and onto her breasts. Her hair was glistening as though they were well oiled.
Grayfia wondered as to who she was, but dismissed her as a either a servant or ally of Rias.
Everyone waited in suspense. None chose to speak a word. Already experiencing the intensity of the situation.
Everyone was on edge.
Which is why it should come as no surprise that Kiba's hand instinctively went to his sword when a fiery magic circle appeared at the entrance.
And with a flare of flames, a man appeared from the circle. Yellow hair with green eyes, dressed in a maroon suit with the upper buttons undone, on both the blazer and the white shirt beneath. Revealing his some of his chest to the world, for all to see. Leather shoes and golden cufflinks accompanied with the golden ring on his ring finger, gave him quite the wealthy appearance.
Sadly, the same could not be said for his demeanor.
While his appearance portrayed wealth and status, his demeanor spoke of arrogance. He was the perfect representation of the typical 'young master'.
Looking over the group before him, his eyes carried indifference. Eventually they reached Rias and those same indifferent eyes blazed with desire.
"Rizer has arrived for his fiance, my darling Rias." He spoke his first words to the group. Refusing to address the group and only directing his focus onto Rias. His voice carrying the arrogance which his demeanor foretold.
This was Rizer Phenex. A devil raised in wealth, status and authority. Each of which only adding to his foul character.
Born of wealth, he has always had what he needed and never had to work for anything costly. This made him a very materialistic individual. Someone who values others by what they possess and how wealthy or influential they are.
Naturally this led to him fostering emotions of hatred and disgust towards other beings who are poor and struggle to make ends meat.
His status as a high born devil granted him many privileges and abilities unique to him. Yet this standard of life has made him prideful. Believing that all his status and power isn't his priviledge, but his right. Giving him a sense of superiority over his peers.
The authority brought about by his status ultimately led to him being arrogant. No one could do anything to him if he did something wrong, since he was a prince among the devil clans. No one would reprimand him or punish him, at least, no one that wasn't of equal status as him.
This ultimately led to him disregarding low born people. Considering them as nothing more than slaves and toys for his amusement and pleasures.
Rias sneered." Rizer. Why have you come?" She asked in a threatening tone. Rizer smirked." Am I not permitted to visit my fiance?" He inquired. Rias' eyes blazed with disgust at the meer mention of the word fiance.
When her father told her she was engaged, from birth, to this devil who treated all females as though they are but only creatures meant to be used for lust and birth, she was mad.
No...she was outraged!
Did her father think nothing of her? To give his daughter to such a man? Even if it was out of friendship that the two clan heads wanted their children to be wed and unite their clans, it was still not something she desired. Thus, she ran away from home, and continued running...
..until she realized it was useless. No matter where she went, no matter how far she ran, she couldn't get away. She was still bound by the marriage contract. And when she turned of age, she would be forcefully summoned back to Hell to wed the lunatic she had come to know.
"For the last time Rizer, I will not marry you!" She exclaimed. Rizer sneered." You have no say in the matter. Or have you forgotten? Devil law demands you be wed to a devil of noble status when you turn of age. Not to mention the oath our fathers made, binding you to Rizer as his betrothed. It is inescapable." He spoke irritated.
But Rias didn't care." I'd rather die than marry you. Go back to Hell, Rizer! I am in no mood for you today! Nor any day for that matter!" She spoke once more.
Lifting his head to the heavens, he took a deep breath through his nose. A second later, a powerful pressure invaded the room. It was hot to the point of causing the floor to ignite beneath his feet. The pressure assaulted the peerage members and suppressed them. They clenched their teeth as they felt their skin burn.
Rias' eyes ignited with fury as she also let her power loose. It repelled the pressure of Rizer's presence to a small degree, but still succeeded in relieving her peerage members of the pressure.
Rizer sneered." Rizer will not tolerate such disrespect! If you refuse to return to the underworld with him then he'll simply have to punish your peerage, now won't he?" He stated as his flames consumed the room.
"Fat chance I'll allow that!" Rias' power clashed with his, directing it away from her peerage members.
"Both of you, that is enough!" Grayfia's voice stretched out through the room, and instantly neutralized their power. Both Rias and Rizer stood shocked at this.
'She snuffed out our power, with her voice!?' Both parties thought. They knew she possessed the title of Ultimate Queen and was one of the few devils who could challenge the devil king Lucifer, but it was only now that they got a glimpse of her strength.
"Well, if it is the Ultimate Queen that requests his humbleness, then surely Rizer must comply." Rizer spoke and let out a breath as a way to express him letting go of his anger. Rias nodded, accepting the temporary truce.
Grayfia, seeing that they had calmed down, continued." The devil king Lucifer knew this would happen and as such, proposed a solution to your conflict." She turned her gaze to Rias." Lady Rias, if you wish to dissolve the marriage, then you will be granted the same chance as every other devil to oppose your marriage. You will face lord Rizer in a rating game. And should you lose, then your marriage will continue as planned." She finished.
Rias stared wide eyed at Grayfia. She knew that she could appeal for the rating game, but even she doubted that she could win against him.
"Of course, if you agree, a handicap will be offered onto you, considering your lack of peerage members as well as inexperience in the rating games. Lord Rizer has participated in the rating games for nearly a thousand years, thus, it was deemed acceptable to grant you one thousand human hours to prepare for the match. Should you agree. On the other hand, should you refuse, then you will marry lord Rizer immediately." Grayfia finished.
Rias nodded." I accept. I'll face Rizer in the rating game!" She exclaimed. After all, what other choice did she have?
Rizer laughed at her proclamation." Rias deer, you might as well give up now. You are far to inexperienced, not to mention have...one..two.." he began counting her peerage members, starting with Akeno and moving on to the rest of the peerage.
When he finished with Kiba, he turned his attention to the presence behind him. Eto." Oh, and who might this be?" He inquired as he looked her over.
Eto smiled and bowed." I am Eto, lord Rizer. I am but a humble servant." She spoke. Rizer was very much pleased with her appearance, not to mention the presence she radiated. It was clear that she possessed the most power after Rias. Furthermore, she appeared to be Rias' age!
Rizer nodded at her." You possess quite the potential. You are Rias' age yet your power is almost on par with her's. She who is a high born devil. Impressive indeed. Once I have wed Rias, I will surely make you my concubine." He proclaimed.
Rias sneered." She is not yours to have Rizer!" Rias spoke outraged. And what she said was true. If Rizer messed with Eto, then he'd be dealing with Issei!
And unbeknownst to her, that was precisely what Issei had intended by sending Eto there.
Rizer merely waved his hand, swatting away her words as though they meant nothing." She is only a mere servant not even a peerage member. Many in the underworld would see it as the chance of a lifetime to even be in the presence of a high born devil. Much less to be taken as his concubine." He spoke once more. This time his demeanor was one of a man that just got a free purchase at a strore.' Is this the old, buy one get one free?' He thought, pleased with himself.
"You have fine servants Rias, to bad it won't matter in the match. You only have four servants while I have a full set!" He spoke and with a snap of his fingers, flames engulfed the entrance to the room. From it, fifteen women appeared. Each one with great beauty and devilish charm.
These were Rizer's sex slav- ah, I mean peerage members.
Rias shook her head when she saw a familiar blonde beauty in his peerage.' Now he even has a thing for his sister?' She thought as she looked at the sixteen year old blonde. Her name was Ravel Phenex and she appeared to be resonating a similar aura as he brother.
Everyone looked at the crew of beautiful ladies. Each one was a stunning beauty in their own right. Especially the queen of the peerage.
Sadly, the same thoughts dud not travel through their minds. They looked at Rias' peerage with superiority clearly evident in their eyes. Not even believing them to be qualified to stand in the same room as them.
Rias sighed seeing their expressions. She turned her gaze to meet Rizer's smug look." Rizer, our rating match has been finalised and I have accepted it. Please return to Hell. I have a rating game to prepare for." He spoke. Rizer looked at his fiance and nodded." As you wish my, dear Rias. Rizer will even be as kind as to through in an extra day for you to prepare. Do use it wisely." He spoke arrogantly.
Turning to his peerage he proceeded to walk to them. Snapping his fingers, a magic circle baring his clan's symbol appeared beneath the group. He stepped into it and turned to Rias.
"Until the rating game, darling Rias." He greeted. The circle immediately shrouded them in a cloak of flames. The circle instantly expanded a bit towards the door just before vanishing. Those in front did not notice as a result of the flames.
Rias sighed, Rizer was finally gone. Now she had to prepare for their inevitable match. She was just about to sit back down when she noticed a crucial detail.
Eto was missing!