In the early morning, Rias woke before Issei, the memory of the previous night returning to her and casting a shadow over her mood. She became noticeably sad. Moving closer to Issei, she gently kissed his forehead. The dragon stirred, opened his eyes, and wrapped his arms around his mistress's waist, pulling her against him.
"Issei! Sometimes I think I'm nothing more than a hug pillow to you." The cold air in the room seemed to protest in indignation. Hyoudou reached up and began to stroke Rias's hair, causing her cheeks to flush. Suddenly, a magical communication seal appeared beside her ear.
"Rias, can you hear me?"
"Brother? What's going on?"
"The lab has finished analyzing the black liquid you provided. I have some news to share."
"Understood. I'll be there soon."
"And bring your servant with you. There's something specific I want to check."
"Alright, we'll arrive shortly."
Rias attempted to rise, but Issei's embrace kept her still for a moment longer. When he realized what she wanted, he finally released her. Rias dressed and instructed the others to head to the academy while she prepared to teleport to the demon realm.
*******************
Upon arriving in the demon realm, Grayfia greeted her.
"Hello, Grayfia."
"Good morning, Rias-sama. Please, follow me."
Grayfia led the pair to the lab, where Sirzechs was waiting. He greeted his sister, then ushered her, Issei, and a lab scientist into a separate room.
"So, what news do you have?" Rias asked.
"There are two pieces of news—one good, one bad. Which would you like first?"
"Let's start with the bad."
"We still haven't found a way to restore your servant to his former self."
Rias's sadness showed again, but after a moment she composed herself. "And the other news?"
"The reason for his condition lies within that black substance you brought us."
"Really?"
The scientist spoke up. "You see, young mistress, this black substance is akin to a highly concentrated demon aura. The trouble is, while a normal demon's aura poses no issue for its owner, this resin acts as a parasite on your servant's soul and mind, feeding on his emotions."
"What does that mean for Issei's future?"
"At this stage, it seems to have no harmful effects, but we can't guarantee that won't change. The main problem is, we have no idea how this resin might behave. The aura of demons is well-researched, but in your servant's unique case, things are far less certain. Never before has the wielder of Red Dragon Emperor's sacred gear become a demon, so there's little precedent. The potential consequences are entirely unpredictable, and unfortunately, our lack of knowledge means we can do nothing for now."
"I understand." Rias looked to her brother. "But didn't you say there was something else?"
Sirzechs nodded. "First of all, forgive me for that wedding situation. It was necessary to snap Issei out of his delirium."
"What? How does that connect to this?"
"In a way we don't fully comprehend, Issei's state is linked to your emotions. If you're scared or angry, he resonates with those feelings. That's why his emotional fluctuations seem so intense."
Rias's brow furrowed. "Then why did he calm down so quickly this morning? And what triggered his monstrous hybrid form—part resin, part metal?"
The scientist answered, "We suspect the full moon in the human world had an effect, combined with the amplification of your emotional state. Do you recall what you dreamed about?"
"I think it was a nightmare."
"That may have triggered his negative outburst. The alignment of your emotions with the lunar energy likely caused the resonance. As for why he recovered so quickly, we simply aren't sure. With your permission, we'd like to conduct a few simple tests to gather more information."
"What kind of tests?"
"We'll need to inflict a minor wound on you, with your servant some distance away. We want to observe his reaction in relation to the severity of your injury. Don't worry, you'll be safe, and medical aid will be on hand."
"If it might help return Issei to normal, I'll do it."
"Then please, come with me."
Rias followed the scientist to another room while Issei was led to the opposite wing of the lab, about five hundred meters away as the crow flies—though winding corridors and stairs made the true distance over seven hundred meters. Hyoudou was locked in a specially reinforced room, the doctors preparing for the experiment.
Rias sat in a chair in the center of her room as a lab assistant approached with a knife to nick her finger. Instantly, devices monitoring the dragon began to malfunction, alarms blaring as the surrounding space started to vibrate with raw energy. Scientists gasped as an unimaginable pressure pressed down on them, threatening to buckle their knees and split their minds. The sound of shattering walls reverberated throughout the building. The dragon's roar tore through the air, rattling windows and shaking the foundation.
"Brace yourselves, it's coming."
The roar drew nearer.
Three.
Two.
One.
The wall behind Rias exploded in a shower of debris, green gemstone eyes glittering through the swirling dust. The dragon surged into the room, scooped the scarlet-haired princess into his arms, and enfolded her protectively in his wings. Without hesitation, he burst through the opposite wall and out into the open air.
Scientists hurried to the gaping hole, watching as the dragon crouched defensively in the courtyard, wings folded around Rias.
"It looks like things got out of control," one muttered. "We need to calm him down, or else…"
A piece of metal twitched. The wings peeled back, emerald eyes blazing from the gap. Rising to all fours, Issei flared his wings and released an earth-shaking roar that shattered every window in the building. Ominous black smoke poured from his maw.
"This is bad. Evacuate the entire area!" Scientists rushed to comply as Sirzechs strode out to the courtyard, preparing for battle. The situation had escalated. The coming fight would not be easy.
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