Rias, along with her younger brother, departed for the Underworld without delay. She needed to meet with her parents and older brother to discuss everything. A twinge of guilt gnawed at her for leaving without warning and placing the burden of managing their territory on Sona, but she had no choice. A decision would be made tonight.
Speaking of decisions, she glanced at the very person who had stirred such turbulence in their previously mundane world. Adrien appeared completely unfazed by the events that had unfolded, showing no hint of concern about the consequences of his actions. Her eye twitched involuntarily, and she sorely wanted to smack him on the back of his head.
Instead, she sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. It was jarring to see the normally stoic and composed Adrien so animated and—exposed, for lack of a better word. He wasn't the type to wear his emotions on his sleeve, yet no one had ever questioned his devotion to their family.
A memory flashed in her mind: a seven-year-old Rias bounding through the flowery gardens of the Gremory estate, laughing freely and without a care. She had looked back and seen her six-year-old brother chasing after her, a soft look in his eyes and a satisfied smile on his lips.
"Onee-chan," a voice pulled her from her reverie. She blinked away the remnants of sleep. The stress and fear had taken their toll, and she must have dozed off. Looking at Adrien, it struck her—he had never stopped seeing her the same way he did back then: with warmth and unconditional love.
Turning her gaze to the window, she spotted their home in the distance. "We've arrived, huh?" she murmured. The train came to a halt, and they stepped off in silence, each lost in thought. When they reached the massive double doors of their mansion, the magical locks disengaged, recognizing their signatures. The towering doors swung open to reveal Sirzechs Lucifer and Grayfia, there to welcome them home.
Ordinarily, Sirzechs would have pulled them into a bear hug and bombarded them with questions like a doting parent, but this time he stood tall and imposing—the leader of all devils, the strongest since the progenitor himself.
His eyes were complicated as he looked at his siblings. He had foreseen this outcome, yet hoped it would never come to pass. His heart had nearly stopped when Adrien declared his intention to fight the Phenex scion, and when Rias accepted his hand instead. They had acted impulsively, and now everything had changed.
"Welcome home, Rias, Adrien," he greeted them warmly. Grayfia took their belongings while the two stood before him—Rias with her head bowed, Adrien smiling that cherished smile.
Sirzechs sighed and pulled them both into a hug. He loved them dearly, and no matter how reckless they had been, he couldn't stay angry. Everything they had done was born from love.
After a few moments, Rias squirmed beneath the weight of the embrace. Sirzechs let go and ruffled their hair, ignoring Rias's indignant protest and Adrien's futile attempts to escape.
"Come. Mother and Father are waiting," Sirzechs said, leading them toward their parents' study.
It had been some time since Rias had seen her parents. Though devils didn't age in the human sense, seeing them again so soon brought no joy. Her father and mother had tried to marry her off to Riser without even consulting her. It stung to realize her kind and loving parents were willing to use her as a pawn to solidify their political standing.
She had always known that women born to pillar houses were expected to marry for alliances and status. Still, she never thought her own parents would subject her to that fate. Why would they need to? The Gremorys were among the most powerful houses—second only to the Baels—and had produced the strongest devil since the original sin. Politically, they were untouchable.
But they needed money. And the Phenex clan, with their monopoly over Phenex Tears—a miracle elixir—was the ideal ally. A deal had been struck, and in the process, a young girl's dreams were crushed.
She had pleaded, raged, and begged her parents to reconsider, but they hadn't listened. To them, her time in Kuoh was just a phase—a rebellious streak to be endured. It hurt to realize they had seen her not as a daughter, but as a means to an end.
Her father sat behind his desk, hands folded, gaze piercing. Her mother, seated on a sofa to the left, wore her usual serene smile—a mask that concealed the cold calculation inherited from her Bael lineage.
"Rias," her father said, addressing her directly for the first time in ages. She straightened and met his gaze head-on. She wouldn't let him see her flinch.
"We've decided to cancel the betrothal contract with the Phenex clan," he declared. "There will be no Rating Game. Your brother will not fight."
It was exactly what she had wanted. And yet, she felt no joy—only emptiness.