The grand halls of the Gremory estate were quiet when Riser entered, his steps echoing against polished marble. The servants whispered nervously, for everyone knew the rumor already: Riser Phenex, the immortal heir, had claimed the Sitri heiress as his fiancée.
Zeoticus and Venelana sat in the receiving hall, their expressions controlled but sharp.
"Riser Phenex," Zeoticus said, his voice low but carrying weight. "We have heard troubling rumors. You've come to explain yourself, I trust?"
Riser inclined his head slightly, his golden eyes gleaming with calm authority. "Yes. The rumors are true. I have chosen Sona Sitri as my fiancée, and I am here to officially cancel the arrangement with Rias."
Venelana's eyes narrowed. "So easily, after years of family planning? Why? Do you not consider what this means for both our clans?"
Riser chuckled—low, dangerous, dismissive. "Lady Venelana, allow me to be blunt. This entire engagement was a farce. Your daughter, Rias Gremory, is unworthy of my time, much less of my hand in marriage."
Both parents stiffened at the insult, but Riser pressed forward, unflinching.
"She has confidence, yes—but it is empty. A spoiled child's arrogance. Tell me, what has she ever achieved? No victories in Rating Games. No contribution to her family. No vision for the Underworld's future. She is nothing but a vase—good figure, pretty face, and a large chest that hides the fact she has no brains to match."
Venelana's lips parted in shock, while Zeoticus' eyes darkened dangerously. Still, Riser continued, his words sharp as steel.
"If not for the Gremory name and her brother's title as Maou Lucifer, what would she be? Nothing. A brat living in delusion, believing herself equal to those who've actually earned respect."
He leaned forward slightly, voice lowering into a growl. "Compare her to Sona Sitri. A true noblewoman. Intelligent. Independent. Carrying herself with grace and discipline. That is a woman worth standing at my side. Not your pampered daughter who plays at being powerful while contributing nothing."
Venelana's hands clenched at her dress. Zeoticus opened his mouth, but Riser cut across him with finality.
"Tell me honestly, Lord Gremory, Lady Gremory. What does Rias have, apart from your names, that makes her worthy of respect? Nothing."
The silence was deafening.
Finally, Riser straightened, his expression turning cold. "I came here out of courtesy. But let this be clear: if she continues acting like a spoiled princess, I will not show mercy—even if she is a Gremory, even if she is the sister of Lucifer. Tell her that, from me."
Golden flame burst across his body, searing the air without burning the hall. The sheer pressure of his aura—Martial King's Haki entwined with Phoenix fire—filled the room like a storm, pressing down on even Zeoticus and Venelana. The sensation was Maou-level, undeniable, and terrifying.
And just as suddenly, he reined it back in, the room falling deathly still.
"That will be all," Riser said with chilling calm, turning his back on them as though they were beneath him. "The engagement is over."
He walked away, leaving only the echo of his power behind.
Zeoticus exhaled slowly, his expression grim. "This boy… he has changed."
Venelana's gaze lingered where the fire had scorched faint cracks in the marble. "No. Not changed. Awakened."