POV: Rias
In the tower room at the heart of Gremory Castle, Rias surrendered herself completely to the darkness that had settled over her soul. She drew the heavy curtains around her bed and slept, then woke weeping until her breath hitched painfully in her chest, only to fall into sleep again from sheer exhaustion.
When sleep refused to come, she lay beneath the blankets, trembling as grief seeped into her bones and made even the air feel too cold to endure. Servants moved quietly in and out of the chamber, bringing meals they placed quietly near her window, yet the mere sight of food made her stomach twist and her throat close in revulsion.
The dishes accumulated beneath her window, untouched and slowly spoiling, until they were taken away again in silence, replaced only for the same fate to repeat itself. Sometimes her sleep was heavy and dreamless, dragging her down into a numb void from which she woke feeling even more exhausted than before.
Those moments were almost merciful, for when she dreamed, she dreamed of her brother.
Whether waking or sleeping, he was there. She saw his bright, teasing smile, heard the warmth in his voice as he joked with her, felt the reassurance of his presence, and each time she remembered that such a smile would never again grace the Underworld, the truth struck her anew with the same crushing force.
When Serafall Leviathan had delivered the news of her brother's death, Rias had not been able to believe it. It felt as plausible as the sky shattering into fragments, as the sun falling into the sea and freezing it solid, as infinity folding in on itself and becoming finite, as time itself reversing course and undoing the world.
Sirzechs Lucifer dying was an impossibility on that scale, something so fundamentally wrong that her mind refused to accept it.
She did not want to believe Serafall. She had wanted to turn her head away, to deny the sound of her voice entirely, yet her legs had buckled beneath her and she had collapsed to her knees, because somewhere deep within her soul she knew the truth had already taken root.
Serafall had been far too distraught to lie, trembling as she stood there with her poor nephew cradled in her arms, her composure shattered as she delivered the news to them all. Serafall's voice had broken repeatedly, her hands shaking as she spoke of Sirzechs' death, and that alone had told Rias everything she needed to know.
Her parents had been devastated, and Grayfia had broken down completely, for the first time since Rias had known her, the ever composed maid collapsing into sobs at the loss of her beloved husband. Even then, she had tried to remain strong, forcing herself upright as she held her son, who had witnessed everything with eyes far too old for his age.
Rias could not begin to imagine what it meant to watch one's own father die before one's eyes, yet she had wrapped Milcas in her arms and held him tightly, clinging to him as though that alone could shield him from the memory.
Then Serafall had spoken of Haruki, of how he had sown discord throughout the underworld, how he had turned lord against lord and people against people, revealing that he had been the architect behind the chaos that now consumed the underworld.
She spoke of his dealings with the old Satan faction, of how he had manipulated them and used them as pieces in a far greater design. Rias had listened in stunned silence, unable to reconcile those words with the man she thought she knew.
Rias could not believe it. She could not understand it, could not comprehend it, could not even imagine what justification could exist for such betrayal. Her brother had shown Haruki nothing but kindness, had trusted him, believed in him, and yet that trust had not stayed his hand.
It felt as though the man she had loved had been nothing more than an illusion crafted to deceive her, or perhaps that she had never truly known him at all, and she wondered with quiet dread what he would bring to ruin next.
Perhaps I will die too, she thought numbly, and the idea did not frighten her as it once might have. If she threw herself from the window, the pain would end, and in time singers would compose laments of her sorrow.
She almost laughed bitterly at the thought, wondering what such songs would say. Would they sing of the foolish devil who reincarnated a boy out of gratitude for a life debt, only for that boy to become the harbinger of death and devastation for her people. The thought twisted into something cruel and mocking, even as it hollowed her out from within.
"Rias, my love, may I come in?" her mother's gentle voice came through the closed door.
Rias forced herself upright and opened it, letting her mother enter. She looked exhausted, her expression hollow, her eyes dulled by endless tears, and the sight made Rias' own vision blur. Her mother, who had always taken such care in her appearance, now seemed drained of color and vitality, and Rias felt her chest tighten painfully.
They sat together on the bed, her mother offering a tired smile as she took Rias' hands and caressed her hair with slow, loving motions. "How are you, my love?" she asked, her voice rough from crying.
"I…I…" Rias broke down, the words dissolving into sobs.
Her mother gathered her into a fierce embrace, and for a moment Rias felt like a child again, crying against her mother's shoulder, afraid of imaginary monsters lurking in the dark. Sirzechs had used to comfort her then, sometimes sleeping beside her until she calmed, and the memory only deepened the ache of his absence.
"As well as I can be, given everything," Rias said eventually, her voice quiet and unsteady as she stared at the floor, unable to meet her mother's eyes.
"That's all anyone can ask of you," her mother murmured softly, as much to herself as to Rias.
"I keep thinking this must be a terrible nightmare," Rias said after a moment. "Yet no matter how hard I try, I can't wake from it."
"Oh, my little sunshine," her mother wept. "What terrible grief I have brought upon you."
"It's not your fault, mother," Rias said gently. "If I had never reincarnated him, none of this would have happened."
She had rushed toward that blaze believing she could master it, like a moth convinced it understood the nature of flame. She had thought she could guide his ambition, shape it with love, as though fire could be taught restraint, as though something born to consume could be persuaded to warm without burning.
"You did nothing wrong," her mother said through her tears. "It's no sin to love. The fault lies with me. I killed my son. I am the cause of his death. I am the murderer of my own child, yet grief and guilt will not bring him back."
Her mother blamed herself relentlessly, for bringing Milcas to her meeting with Lady Astaroth, for losing him during the attack on the train, knowing that Sirzechs would have rushed to save his son and died as a result.
"It's not your fault mother," Rias insisted softly.
"Of course it is," her mother replied plainly. "But that's not why I came. Come, make yourself presentable. Lady Serafall is waiting for us in the living room."
That news startled Rias, as she had not seen Serafall since she returned Milcas two days prior, and she had not expected her to come back so soon given the chaos consuming the underworld.
The son of Lucifer had appeared before all devils, broadcasting the death of Satan Sirzechs and the sealing of Satan Ajuka to the entire underworld, proclaiming it with the fervor of a prophet announcing revelation. He spoke openly of killing Sirzechs and declared his intent to claim his rightful inheritance and lead the devils to glory.
No one truly knew what that glory entailed, only that he had established himself in Lucifaad upon the ruins of his father's once magnificent castle, and devils flocked to him daily, drawn by fear, curiosity, and desperate hope.
Terrified by the unraveling world around them, many could not resist the call of the son of their creator, promising salvation in an age of uncertainty.
The destruction of the great city of Lilith, laid waste during the battle between Ajuka Beelzebub, Thor son of Odin, and a mysterious third party, only hastened the exodus toward Lucifaad, as the underworld reeled beneath loss, confusion, and the looming promise of something far worse yet to come.
…
She walked beside her mother toward the living room with slow unsteady steps, her body feeling hollow and distant as though grief had scooped out everything inside her and left only a fragile shell that moved because it had to.
When they entered she saw her father standing near the hearth with a posture that seemed to have shrunk inward, his shoulders bent under a weight no father should ever have to bear, his face lined as though years had carved themselves into him within the span of days.
Grayfia stood nearby with perfect posture as always, her sorrow hidden behind a mask of composure so strict it almost seemed brittle, dressed entirely in black instead of her usual maid attire, the dark fabric clinging to her like mourning made manifest.
On the sofa sat Serafall Leviathan, her expression grim and drained of its usual spark, dressed in the formal garments of a noblewoman in somber colors that spoke plainly of mourning.
The moment Serafall saw her, she rose quickly and crossed the room, wrapping Rias in a firm embrace that carried a desperate warmth, and for a brief fragile second Rias felt sheltered in a way she had not since childhood, as though the world outside that embrace could not reach her.
"Is everything alright, Serafall-sama?" Rias asked softly, the Japanese honorific slipping out of habit, her voice unsteady despite her effort to sound composed.
"If only it were," Serafall replied sadly, her tone heavy with resignation. "Fate has not granted us such mercy, and I can't stay long. I came here in secret, and my time is limited."
"Why? What's wrong?" Rias asked, forcing herself to keep her voice calm even as unease coiled in her chest.
"I came to warn you," Serafall said, clasping her trembling hands together as though to keep them from shaking apart. "I only hope that I'm not already too late."
"You're not making any sense, Sera," her mother said gently, though tension sharpened her words. "What has you so frightened?"
"He has taken my family hostage," Serafall said suddenly, her fingers curling into a fist so tightly that blood welled from her palm. "He's holding my Sona against me."
Rias froze. "W-who?" she asked, struggling to steady herself.
"That damned son of Lucifer," Serafall spat, her voice thick with hatred. "He must have known I would never willingly serve him, so he brought my family to Lucifaad 'to put them under protection', he says. Seven hells damn him, the only thing they need protection from is him."
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that Sera, I didn't know," Grayfia said, genuine shock breaking through her composed exterior. "Why would he do such a thing? What is he planning?"
"War and genocide," Serafall answered, her entire body trembling as though the words themselves hurt to speak.
"What do you mean?" Rias asked, her mind struggling to keep pace with the implications.
Serafall exhaled slowly. "Later today, he will make an announcement revealing the death of God and then he will declare war on Heaven."
God is dead, the words echoed in Rias's mind like the tolling of a great bell that would never stop ringing. The scale of it was overwhelming, a truth so vast it seemed to warp the world around it, and the way Serafall spoke of revealing it meant that Heaven had been leaderless for some time while the rest of creation remained ignorant.
Her thoughts betrayed her and drifted toward a certain dark haired figure who had overturned her life, wondering what expression he would wear upon hearing such news, and she quickly forced her mind away from that path as though it led to a precipice.
"He wishes to reignite the Great War," her father said, his voice weary and hollow.
"But why?" Grayfia asked quietly. "Rizevim never cared for the Great War. He considered it crude and unsophisticated, preferring to work in the shadows, corrupting people slowly and turning them against one another through temptation. That is why he took the form of a serpent to tempt Christ in the desert back then."
"Apparently he has had a change of heart," Serafall said dryly. "And that's only the beginning, because after the declaration of war he plans another decree concerning reincarnated devils."
Rias's mother stiffened. "What decree?"
"He will announce that every reincarnated devil must report for registration and relocation into special war settlements if they wish to retain their status in the Underworld," Serafall said, each word sounding like poison. "He will speak of unity, of loyalty, of the need to separate the devoted from the untrustworthy during a time of crisis, and he will say it is for their own safety and for the security of devilkind."
Rias felt a chill crawl up her spine. "What? Why?"
"The official claim will be that they must contribute directly to the war effort so they can prove their loyalty and demonstrate that they are true devils in heart and deed," Serafall said with open disgust. "It will be presented as duty and purification, a necessary measure in dangerous times. It's all rubbish, of course. A convenient pretext to gather them all in one place and slaughter them like pigs. Rizevim will not tolerate what he calls false devils staining his noble race."
Silence filled the room, thick and suffocating. Rias struggled to grasp the madness of it, her thoughts stumbling over themselves as she tried to understand how anyone could plan the extermination of so many of their own people while preparing for war against Heaven, how hatred could eclipse reason so completely.
Her mind flew to her peerage, to Akeno with her quiet devotion and hidden storms, to Koneko with her fragile strength and stubborn heart, to every bond she had forged through trust and shared battles, and a fierce heat rose in her chest that cut through the fog of grief.
They were her family, chosen and cherished, each life a treasure she would defend with everything she had, and she would sooner see the skies crack and the seas freeze solid than stand aside while they were herded toward death like animals.
"That's… monstrous," Rias said at last, her voice low and shaking with contained fury.
"Yes," Serafall said with a hollow, humorless sound that almost resembled a laugh. "So horrible that it borders on the comical. I never fully understood what terrified Sirzechs so deeply about the son of Lucifer, why he went so far as to gather a peerage composed entirely of non sacred gear wielders. Now I finally do. Rizevim is mad in a way that can't be reasoned with, and he will keep tearing at the world until it fits the twisted vision in his head."
"He never showed interest in large-scale action before," Grayfia said thoughtfully. "I believed that to be a combination of self preservation and disinterest. He seemed far more content tormenting his own offspring than anything…. Something must have changed."
"It likely has something to do with Haruki," Serafall said with a tired sigh. "It appears they interacted, and if Haruki's interrogation of Katerea is anything to go by, he was surprised that Rizevim killed Sirzechs."
The name struck Rias like a blow. She had tried so desperately to avoid thinking of him, to seal that part of her heart away, yet it seemed every path led back to him regardless of her wishes.
"That could mean anything," her mother said evenly. "From the two of them working together to them standing as enemies on opposite sides."
What have you become, Haruki, Rias wondered silently, that your name is spoken in the same breath as monsters who dream of slaughter?
"More the latter than the former," Serafall said tiredly, the weight of too many sleepless hours evident in her voice. "Call me an optimistic fool if you wish, but I can't bring myself to believe Haruki has fallen so far that he would willingly stand beside someone like Rizevim, and from what I witnessed he didn't look pleased about Rizevim interfering with whatever plans he had set in motion."
"I find the idea of extending the benefit of the doubt to the man who orchestrated my son's death to be grotesque," her father replied sharply, the edge in his voice cutting through the room. "He has already proven he is willing to align himself with madmen when it suits his purposes. He worked with Meron Naberius and the old Satan faction without hesitation, and he was instrumental in the fall of the vampires. That alone should tell us all we need to know."
Rias felt a hollow chill at the reminder. The underworld had long sensed that the current chaos was the work of Haruki Yamashiro, laid carefully as groundwork for his apotheosis. No one had needed to say it aloud, because all of Hell had felt it, the moment he annihilated Ageras Island and ascended to godhood before the very eyes of the world.
It was impossible to deny his hand in the turmoil after that. What had shocked the underworld, in a way that was either terrifying or strangely enthralling depending on who one asked, was his role in the extinction of the vampires, a revelation the son of Lucifer had delivered with cruel relish and unsettling detail.
"Perhaps," Serafall said evenly, her gaze steady despite the tension. "I don't know about you, but I'm not eager to provoke someone who is indirectly responsible for wiping out an entire race and who became the first being in over a millennium to ascend to godhood right beneath the notice of two superdevils."
Her father offered no reply to that, his silence heavy with restrained anger.
"You said you came to bring us a warning," Grayfia said, her tone carefully neutral, though her eyes missed nothing.
"I came to urge you to leave," Serafall said, the seriousness in her voice cutting through the room. "You must go as far away as you can and as quickly as possible, because Rizevim intends to erase everything connected to Sirzechs out of spite and cruel amusement, and no one embodies Sirzechs more than his family. I would never forgive myself if I stayed silent and allowed that to happen."
A heavy silence followed, and Rias watched her parents exchange a long look filled with unspoken understanding before they both glanced toward Grayfia, who gave a subtle nod in return.
"How much time can you buy us?" her mother asked, her voice calm in a way that Rias knew masked deep urgency.
"I don't know," Serafall admitted, her hands trembling despite her effort to steady them. "He is as unpredictable as they come. I will do everything I can to distract him, but a week is the most I can reasonably promise."
"That's more time than I expected," Grayfia said with a trace of relief. "We must decide where we can go."
"Perhaps the Shinto pantheon?" her father suggested, a faint note of hope in his voice. "We have worked with them before, and they maintained good relations with Sirzechs and House Gremory."
"Sirzechs is gone," Serafall said quietly. "It would be unwise to expect aid based on old friendships, especially from the Shinto. They will not risk making an enemy of Rizevim unless they have a transcendent being on their side who can shield them from his wrath."
"That limits our options severely," her father said with a sigh. "The Norse pantheon is out of the question. They are more likely to hand us over than shelter us. The sky of the Underworld still trembles from the blow Thor dealt it. The same applies to most other factions. Those powerful enough to deter Rizevim either hold no affection for us or choose to remain aloof from such conflicts, as is the case with the Hindu pantheon."
"The human world is out of the question because of the hero faction," her mother added quietly.
"...But would they truly kill us if we went there in peace?" Rias asked hesitantly, even as she felt the answer settling heavily in her chest before it was spoken.
"No," Grayfia replied curtly, her tone devoid of comfort. "They would simply recognize that we are vulnerable and can be eliminated without consequence, and there is no guarantee Rizevim would not reach us there regardless."
"Then what about confronting him directly?" Rias asked, desperation creeping into her voice despite her effort to remain composed. "If Serafall-sama and Grayfia, along with Falbium-sama, worked together, surely you could defeat him, could you not?"
Grayfia let out a soft, humorless chuckle. "If only things were so simple. Rizevim is a Super Devil, and there is no certainty that even three Satan class devils working together could overcome him."
"It may not even be enough to force him into a serious battle," Serafall added, her expression darkening. "He has grown far stronger than he once was. When I stood before him, the sheer quantity of his demonic energy rivaled Sirzechs, or was close enough that the distinction hardly mattered. And even the three of us together could not force Sirzechs to fight in earnest."
Rias felt her breath catch at that. She was reminded again of just how powerful her brother had been, how impossibly strong he was, and how unreal it still felt to speak of him in the past tense.
"That's deeply troubling," her mother said, her brow furrowing. "How could he increase his power so drastically? Katerea was the same, and Kokabiel as well. The speed at which they grew stronger defies all reason."
"Given how utterly devoted Katerea was to Haruki," Serafall said slowly, choosing her words with care, "I am inclined to believe that he played a role in it, at least in part. It would otherwise make little sense for Katerea to revere him as she did."
"We should keep our focus on our problem for now," Grayfia said calmly, reining the discussion back in.
"And I have heard some ill omen besides," Serafall continued with a tired sigh."I have heard that Rizevim has begun sending messengers to Zaoroma Nebiros, concerning the awakening of weapons created by the satans in ages past. Any thoughts of opposing him directly would be unwise under such circumstances."
"Zauroma Nebiros?" her father repeated, his voice tightening with unease.
"Who is that, father?" Rias asked.
"A dangerous entity," he answered gravely. "He belongs to one of the six houses of Lucifer and is known as a bringer of ruin, similar in reputation to Meron Naberius though far more sinister in disposition."
"What kind of weapons would they be?" her mother asked.
"If they're enough to pique Rizevim's interest then, likely something catastrophic in scale," her father answered.
"Then what are we supposed to do?" her mother asked, exhaustion bleeding through her composed tone. "We have no allies we can rely upon, and remaining here is no longer an option."
"I may have one suggestion," Serafall said, and every eye in the room turned toward her. "Falbium has fled after recognizing how the winds were shifting, and he moved swiftly once he understood what was coming."
Rias blinked in shock at the implication that Satan Asmodeus had abandoned his seat.
"I assume you know where he is?" Grayfia asked, her interest sharpened. "He would not abandon his post out of fear alone. Falbium is no coward."
"No, he is not," Serafall agreed. "He is preparing to form a resistance and has already made contact with the rebels."
"Which rebels?" her mother asked carefully. With so many uprisings across the underworld, the question was a necessary one.
"The only faction that still seeks to truly change the status quo," Serafall replied.
"The low class rebellion will inevitably fall in line now that the son of Lucifer has claimed his throne," Grayfia analyzed. "That leaves only the reincarnated devils, who possess both the motivation and the resolve to ignite a true revolution."
"Exactly," Serafall said. "Falbium has met with the rebel known as Zero, and he will inform me once they reach a satisfactory agreement. Zero has every reason to oppose Rizevim, given his intent to eradicate the reincarnated devils. By working together, Falbium hopes to gather those who reject Rizevim's vision and build a foundation strong enough to challenge him."
"I didn't expect another civil war to loom so soon," her father said heavily, the weight of the words pressing down on the room.
Rias felt a deep, quiet terror settle over her. War was being discussed as though it were inevitable, and she was being forced to flee the home she loved. Everything had changed so quickly, and she could not escape the sense that the world she knew was already slipping through her fingers.
…
They remained seated in the living room for a long time after Serafall departed, the air heavy with the weight of everything that had been said and everything that still remained uncertain, and the silence between them felt fragile.
"There is another option," Grayfia said at last, her voice calm and measured in the way it always became when she was forcing emotion beneath the surface. "Serafall likely chose not to mention it because she didn't wish to offend us, yet it is an option we should still consider."
"What option, Grayfia san?" Rias asked, looking toward her sister in law.
Grayfia met her gaze directly, her silver eyes steady and unreadable. "I believe you know the answer better than any of us. Intimately"
Understanding dawned on Rias all at once. "You mean… him?" she asked, keeping her voice as even as she could manage.
"Yes," Grayfia replied without hesitation. "Haruki possesses power great enough that even Rizevim would be forced to think twice before acting against us."
Her father's expression darkened immediately, the muscles in his jaw tightening as anger and disbelief wrestled with pragmatism. "After what he has done, how can you even suggest such a thing?" he said coldly. "Are you asking us to beg the man who orchestrated the death of my son?"
Grayfia remained composed, her voice even and unyielding. "We have already established that it was Rizevim who killed my husband," she said quietly. "I understand your anger, but we must do everything necessary to survive. If swallowing our pride is what is required, then we will do so without hesitation."
"Even if we swallow our pride as you say," her father pressed, his voice growing sharper with each word, "why would he help us? Everything we know about him paints the picture of a psychopathic schemer at best. What reason would he have to act in our favor?"
"He has no reason to harm us anymore," Grayfia countered, her tone measured and calm. "Otherwise, he would not have gone out of his way to save my Milacs from Rizevim. While we can't rely entirely on Milacas's memory given the circumstances, he told me that Haruki had been arguing with the white-haired man, who was almost certainly Rizevim. This suggests at the very least that they are not allies."
Her father's expression twisted in frustration. "And somehow that makes Sirzechs' death forgivable?" he demanded, his voice tight with anger.
"No, it doesn't," Grayfia said firmly, her eyes unwavering. " I would still rather see Sirzechs's family alive and resentful than proud and dead because we refused to consider every possible avenue for survival."
Her mother spoke softly, her voice measured but laced with caution. "I agree with you to a certain extent, but we can't know whether we can truly trust Haruki. We don't truly understand his motives. He may have saved Milcas to lower our guard and draw us into something that serves his own agenda. That pattern fits with what we know of his actions among the vampires and here in the Underworld."
"That is precisely what gives me pause," Grayfia admitted, her hands folded neatly in her lap. "Yet it's not unreasonable to consider this as a worst-case scenario, something to keep in mind if all other options fail."
"Very well," her father said, his voice low and weary, "but we haven't yet exhausted all our options. Let this remain as our absolute last resort, and nothing more."
"You plan on awakening her?" her mother asked, already understanding.
"Yes," her father replied. "Her foresight could prove critical in guiding our next steps. We will need to take everyone with us in any case, and her insight may be invaluable."
He rose from his seat and looked toward Rias, offering a small, encouraging smile meant to lighten the oppressive weight in her chest. "Rias, will you come with me? It will be easier to speak with your ancestor if you are by my side."
"Of course, father," Rias replied softly, rising from her seat without hesitation.
He gave her a moment before sending her to gather several items in preparation for awakening her ancestor, while he attended to other preparations of his own. Rias moved through the halls of the castle carefully, collecting the objects he had requested with careful hands.
When she finished she also arranged a tray of food and drink, thinking that after such an extended hibernation even an ancient devil might wake with hunger, and it felt strangely comforting to perform such an ordinary act in a time when nothing else in her world felt steady or familiar.
When Rias returned to the chamber where her father had been waiting, she realized at once that he was no longer alone, and her steps faltered for a brief moment as her eyes settled on the elegant figure standing beside him.
A woman with long crimson hair that flowed freely down her back in the same rich shade as her own, dressed in a refined lavender gown that suited her dignified bearing, and whose features resembled Rias so closely that it felt like looking at a more mature reflection of herself shaped by time and experience.
"Grandma," Rias exclaimed, rushing forward and wrapping her arms tightly around her grandmother, Chysis Gremory, who returned the embrace with surprising force and warmth. "I didn't know you had returned."
"Well, considering the survival of my house is at stake here, I decided that staying retired would be in poor taste," her grandmother said in her usual dry tone that somehow made even grim circumstances sound like mild inconveniences.
Rias giggled despite herself. "So you heard about it too…" she said, a little lamely, feeling the tension ease slightly in her grandmother's presence.
"Of course I did, I'm retired, not senile yet," Chysis replied at once, giving her a sideways look. "And what is this expression you are wearing, hm? That gloomy face does not suit a lovely face like yours." She reached out, grasped Rias by the chin, and examined her with exaggerated scrutiny. "Your boobs are big, it pleases me to see you take after your father's side of the family."
She gestured toward her own ample chest with a self-satisfied grin.
Rias laughed and defended her mother lightly. "Mom also has big breasts."
"Yes, that cow certainly has some size, though mine are superior in shape," Chysis said disdainfully, tilting her head in mock critique.
"Ehrm, shall we go now, Mother?" her father interrupted with a small cough, clearly trying to rein in the conversation.
"Look at my Zeoctis trying to appear all mature," her grandmother whispered into his ear, earning an exasperated sigh from him.
They descended slowly into the lowest reaches of Gremory Castle, the stairwell stretching seemingly endlessly, the echo of their steps filling the cold, quiet corridors as they moved deeper underground for nearly ten minutes.
At last, they reached a colossal golden door, its surface covered in intricate engravings and arcane symbols. Dominating the center was a depiction of a regal woman wearing a duchess' crown at her waist, riding a camel across a stylized desert.
Her father carefully produced a key, sliding it into the ornate lock, and slowly swung the massive door open. Beyond lay a vast hall, its space filled with towering shelves of ancient scrolls and tomes that seemed impossibly old, even by devil standards, alongside lavish furnishings and treasures that had clearly once belonged to kings and nobles of distant eras.
Chysis walked forward without hesitation toward a single ornate coffin placed at the center of the chamber, opened it, and lifted a small vial, pouring a glowing potion between the lips of the woman lying within.
For several tense seconds, nothing happened.
Then, without warning, a hand shot out from the coffin and pulled Chysis into a firm embrace, hugging her tightly against the cold stone.
"For Lucifer's sake, you old hag, you scared me!" Chysis muffled, her voice caught against the chest of their ancestor as she was pressed into the ancient woman's ample bosom. Runeas Gremory, the first-generation matriarch of the family, laughed boisterously, her voice echoing through the chamber.
"What was that, you ungrateful brat?" Runeas said loudly, her voice vibrant with life. "You wake me after ages and complain instead of greeting your ancestor properly. Do you think you are too old for familial affection?"
Rias found herself laughing helplessly at the sight of her dignified grandmother being smothered and scolded like a misbehaving girl.
"Whose giggle is that I hear?" Runeas demanded suddenly, turning her predatory gaze on Rias. Before she could respond, Runeas lunged and wrapped her arms around her firmly. "Well, well, if it isn't my beloved Rias. Look at you, all grown up and beautiful."
She released her and placed her hands on Rias' chin, appraising her with the careful scrutiny of a master examining a masterpiece. "Hmm… big breasts, check… perfectly round ass with childbearing hips, all the curves in the right places, and that beautiful face framed by mesmerizing hair. There is no doubt about it – you are my descendant."
Without warning, Runeas hugged her again, peppering her face with affectionate kisses as one might a beloved child, and Rias did not resist, caught up in the strange warmth of the moment.
"If you are done with your unnecessarily over-energetic greeting, we have something to discuss," her grandmother said finally, unimpressed, clearly accustomed to Runeas' exuberance.
"Listen here, you little-" Runeas' expression froze mid-sentence, her eyes widening as a faint golden glow spread across them. She became still as stone, her body rigid, and both Chysis and her father exchanged worried glances.
Rias felt a shiver run through her as she realized her ancestor was staring into something beyond the room, beyond the present entirely.
After a long, heavy pause, Runeas exhaled sharply. "W-what has happened?" Her voice, so often boisterous, was now grave and strangely hollow. "The threads of the future are tangled beyond recognition, paths that once flowed clearly now break apart or vanish entirely, and new possibilities bloom where nothing existed before, leaving the road ahead clouded and unstable."
"Yeah, about that…" her father said awkwardly, stepping forward as he began to explain the chain of events that had forced them to awaken her from her long slumber.
…
Three days after Serafall had visited them and the preparations to escape had begun in earnest, their ancestor Runeas had also pressed them relentlessly to hurry, making it very clear that she had no desire to give Rizevim even a moment of leisure in which he might suddenly decide that House Gremory had outlived its usefulness and needed to be dealt with personally.
With that weight hanging over her thoughts, Rias made her way to Akeno's room, where the rest of her peerage had been instructed to gather.
As she entered, she was met with the sight of what appeared to be a tense and half-finished discussion between Kiba and Akeno, their voices low but sharp, while Koneko sat idly on the bed with her legs crossed, her expression unreadable as always.
Issei stood near the window with an unusually serious look on his face, and Gasper had retreated to the farthest corner of the room, practically melting into the shadows as if hoping no one would remember he was there.
"Buchou!" Issei shouted the moment he noticed her, relief and happiness breaking through his seriousness. The others turned toward her as well, and Rias responded with a weak smile that she hoped looked reassuring.
"Has everyone finished packing?" she asked calmly, moving to sit down on the edge of the bed.
"Yes, Buchou," Akeno replied at once, though her eyes lingered on Rias with unmistakable concern. "Is everything alright?"
"Of course," Rias said, doing her best to sound confident. "With our ancestor awake, things are moving more smoothly now. Her future sight should allow us to see any complications that might arise and plan around them."
"That isn't what I meant," Akeno said softly as she sat beside her on the bed, close enough that their shoulders nearly touched. "You haven't had time to mourn your brother at all, not with everything that has happened. I know what it's like to lose someone dear."
At those words, Rias found herself thinking about her peerage in a way she rarely had before, truly thinking about them rather than simply caring for them as their king. Almost all of them had suffered deeply and lost people precious to them, and she wondered if this quiet ache she felt now was something they had always carried with them.
She realized how sheltered her own life had been, how she had grown up loved and protected, never truly forced to confront loss or hardship until now. A sense of guilt settled in her chest as she acknowledged how little she had done to reach out to them when they were the ones suffering, and how blind she had been to their pain.
She had been a terrible king in that regard, and only now, after losing someone so dear to her, could she truly see how strong her peerage was to still stand upright after everything they had endured.
"Does it ever get easier?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper, though she did not direct the question at anyone in particular.
"No," Akeno said softly. "But you learn to live with it, and to find moments of happiness in spite of it."
"I see," Rias said, nodding slowly, her expression calm even though her heart felt anything but.
"Buchou," Issei said hesitantly, clearly unsure whether he should interrupt.
"Yes, Issei-san?" she replied encouragingly, turning her attention fully toward him, since it would not do for her peerage to be afraid of speaking their minds around her, especially now when they needed unity more than ever.
"Where are we going now?" he asked sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I don't really understand everything that is happening, but I do know that someone really powerful is trying to kill us."
"We will be going to the revolutionary faction that opposes the son of Lucifer," Rias explained carefully. "They have several hideouts spread across different territories, and they have agreed to take us in on the condition that we assist them with their objective."
She recalled Serafall's surprise at how quickly and easily Zero had agreed to shelter House Gremory, mentioning almost casually that they had always maintained good relations with the reincarnated devils, which in hindsight felt almost ominous.
"Couldn't we just hide in the human world or something?" Issei asked, his tone hopeful despite the situation. "I heard there are really strong groups there. If we explained what is going on, they would not just let us die, right?"
Rias smiled softly at his boundless optimism, which felt strangely comforting even now. "I'm afraid that won't be possible," she said gently. "Ever since my brother has… died," she continued with great difficulty, the word itself feeling heavy in her mouth, "and with the sealing of Satan Beelzebub, the human world may actually be more dangerous for the devils in diaspora. The Hero Faction already despises devils, and with two major deterrents gone, they will not hesitate to strike at anything they consider an enemy."
"Oh," Issei said quietly, his shoulders drooping as the reality of it sank in.
"Don't worry about your family, Issei," Rias added quickly, trying to ease his concern. "Since they are human and have no knowledge of the supernatural, they should be safe."
She spoke with a certainty she did not truly feel, knowing that she had already made arrangements to protect Issei's parents should things escalate further, even if she could not guarantee their safety completely. If nothing else, the Hero Faction's love for ordinary humans could, in this one instance, be considered a small mercy.
"Thank you, Buchou," Issei said with a relieved smile, some of the tension leaving his face.
At that moment, a servant knocked on the door and informed them that their presence was required in the living room of the great castle. They wasted no time in following the instruction, and when they arrived, Rias saw that nearly every member of her family had gathered, along with several servants and a few members of her brother's former peerage.
All of them were focused on a large television set placed prominently in the room. Runeas noticed her immediately and waved her over, gesturing for her to sit beside her.
"What's happening?" Rias asked quietly as she took her seat.
"The Prince of Hell is about to give a speech," Runeas replied, her eyes fixed on the screen where a silver-haired figure with a regal and unsettling presence stood, waiting to address the citizens of hell.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the infernal realm, mighty kings of the demonic diaspora," the son of Lucifer proclaimed, his voice carried across every circle of the Underworld through spells and sigils prepared long in advance. "It is Rizevim Livan Lucifer who speaks, the only son of Lucifer Morningstar. Hear my words and rejoice, for I bring glorious news.
"It has been a little over five centuries since our great race was torn apart by civil war, a conflict born from division between those who upheld the old ways and those younglings who dreamed of a new beginning, who in their arrogance believed they could rewrite our nature and bend destiny itself to their comfort. They sought to take Devils, beings forged for eternal struggle, and reshape them into a docile and timid people, chasing fantasies of peace while denying the truth carved into our very souls.
"To reject our heritage is heresy of the highest order. To turn from our purpose is betrayal written in the language of cowardice. They reached across battle lines to clasp hands with the Fallen of the West and the feathered servants of the great tyrant in Heaven, whispering of cooperation and coexistence as though such words were not poison to our kind. They called it progress. They called it enlightenment. I call it treason against blood, against memory, against fate itself.
"For centuries our race has been led astray by false prophets wearing crowns they never deserved, rulers who preached restraint to warriors and humility to conquerors, who taught our children to bow their heads and dull their fangs. They fed you the lie that survival is enough, that comfort is victory, that peace is preferable to dominion. Under their guidance the fire in our veins was treated as a sickness to be cured instead of our birthright."
Rizevim's gaze snapped directly to the camera, eyes gleaming with manic delight, his smile sharp and predatory as he spoke: "That age ends now."
Around Rias, she could hear the low murmur of shock and awe, voices tightening in disbelief at the proclamation. Beside her, Runeas clicked her tongue, a gesture of restrained disapproval tempered with curiosity.
Rizevim continued, his voice rising with fervor. "The path of our people has been bent away from its rightful course, and today it is set straight again. The dream of heresy that sought to chain our race to treaties and compromises has been shattered. Sirzechs Lucifer is dead. Ajuka Beelzebub has been sealed away beyond reach, his schemes silenced, his vision buried with him. With their fall, the last pillars of that delusion have crumbled into dust.
"Lift your heads, children of the Underworld, for the era of apology is over. The era of conquest dawns once more.
"I will lead you as Devils were always meant to be led, toward greatness measured in dominion and fear, toward a future where our banners cast their shadows across every realm that dared to look down upon us. Heaven stands above us still, fat with arrogance, guarded by self-righteous angels who believe history has already ended in their favor. They sit upon stolen authority and dare to call it justice. We will remind them what Devils were created to do.
"To those among you who feel the stirrings of doubt, who wonder whether war against Heaven is a hopeless dream born of pride, rejoice, for I bring greater news still. The tyrant they served is gone. God is dead, and remains dead since the end of the Great War a thousand years ago. His throne stands empty. His voice has been silent. His so-called chosen race of winged servants are orphans clinging to a corpse of faith, the last thin wall between the fall of Heaven and the total victory of Hell over the cosmos.
"They are leaderless. They are divided. They are afraid, though they dare not show it.
"We are none of those things.
"We are the inheritors of a destiny written in flame and blood. We are the storm that does not ask permission to break. We are Devils, and the universe remembers what that means even if we have tried to forget. Sharpen your claws. Gather your legions. Let the realms tremble at the sound of our march, for the age of restraint has ended and the age of infernal glory begins now."
When he finished his declaration at last, there was only silence.
AN: And with this chapter, the Devils arc comes to an end. I originally wanted to finish it with a Haruki POV, but I thought it would be more fitting to show the consequences of his actions instead, so I chose Rias for that. The next chapter will be an interlude, where we'll see how the other relevant factions react to these new developments. If there's a specific faction you'd like to see the reaction from, feel free to say so.
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