The fallout at the Gremory estate was nothing short of a catastrophe. While the Runcandels walked away with their heads held high, the Crimson House was left in a state of frantic damage control.
In the grand drawing room of the Gremory mansion, the air was cold. Zeoticus sat with his head in his hands, while Sirzechs stood by the window, his face a mask of disappointment. On the floor, Malty was a sobbing mess, her dress disheveled as she clutched at her father's knees.
"Father, please! You don't understand!" Malty wailed, her voice cracking. "Issei... he's not just a human! He's my pawn, and he holds the Boosted Gear! It's a Longinus! With his power and my status, we could have surpassed the Runcandels eventually! Alexander was just a placeholder!"
Zeoticus looked down at his daughter with a gaze so cold it made her blood freeze. "A placeholder? You traded a Runcandel—a family that holds the Three Factions together—for a perverted boy with a gauntlet he can barely control?"
"But Father! The Red Dragon Emperor—"
"SILENCE!" Zeoticus roared, slamming his fist onto the table. "You have humiliated this House. You have cost us the favor of the Bael and the protection of the Runcandels. Because of your 'pawn,' we are now a target for every Pillar family that wants our territory."
He turned to a servant, his voice devoid of emotion. "Send a message to the Phenex Family. Tell them the engagement for their third son, Riser, is back on the table. We will meet them tomorrow to sign the contract for Malty."
"NO!" Malty screamed, her face paling. "Riser is a monster! He treats women like toys! Father, you can't!"
"You chose to play with toys, Malty," Lisana said, looking away from her daughter in shame. "Now you will become one. It is the only way to save our House from the debt you've created."
Saturday Morning: The Battle of the Wardrobe
Back at the Runcandel estate, the atmosphere was much more... intense, but for a very different reason. It was the morning of the date.
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: I can hear Malty's screaming from here. Not literally, but I can feel the 'trash' being taken out. Phenex, huh? Well, Riser and Malty deserve each other. Now, if I can just focus on my own problems... like why there are three women in my bedroom holding different outfits like they're ready for war.]
Grayfia, Sylpha, and Kuroka stood in a semi-circle around Alex, who was currently only in his silk boxers, showing off the "Dragon Monarch" physique that made the air in the room feel thin.
"Master," Grayfia said, holding up a bespoke charcoal-grey suit. "This is classic. It commands respect and shows your status as a Runcandel. Sona Sitri values order; she will appreciate the formality."
"No way, Young Master!" Sylpha countered, thrusting a casual dark-blue leather jacket and slim-fit jeans forward. "It's a date, not a board meeting! You need to look cool and approachable. Show off those shoulders!"
Kuroka, in a frilly maid outfit she was still getting used to, held up a deep crimson shirt, unbuttoned at the top. "Nya~ Master should show a little skin! Make her heart skip a beat before the appetizers even arrive. I'd certainly jump you if you wore this."
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Grayfia wants me to look like a CEO, Sylpha wants me to look like a rockstar, and Kuroka wants me to look like... well, Kuroka. Ciel, help. If I choose one, the other two might actually duel in the hallway.]
Ciel:[Master, I suggest a compromise. The charcoal trousers with the dark-blue shirt, sleeves rolled up. It shows 'Monarch' power while remaining 'Date' casual. Also, your heart rate is spiking again. Are we nervous about a little Sitri girl?]
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Shut up, Ciel. I'm not nervous. I'm just... making sure my 15% power doesn't accidentally crush her hand when I hold it. Yeah. That's it.]
The Mental Audience:
Sona Sitri: (In her room, surrounded by ten different dresses, heard the 'hold her hand' thought and fell off her chair) "He's planning to hold my hand... he's actually planning it!"Rias & Akeno: (In their spy gear, ready to follow them) "He's looking at clothes in his boxers? Why aren't we there?!"Venelana: (Watching through a scrying pool) "Oh, Alexander... charcoal is definitely your color. This is better than any drama on TV."