Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night or Highschool DxD, or any of its characters.

Sometimes I look back and reminisce

More often than naught I didn't think outside of the box enough

My recklessness was what held me back

Simply rushing headfirst into solving things

Not even trying to take my time and see the bigger picture

It led me to fail people when it truly mattered

Far too many times.

Chapter 25:

Different perspectives

I took a moment to process what was happening, taking a long deep breath.

With the most self-control I could muster, I slowly turned around. "Mom… why is Riser Phenex at our door?"

For her part, the Matriarch of the Emiya family was perfectly peachy in spite of how clearly disturbed I was by the current turn of events. "Because he is visiting us, silly."

I couldn't stop my right eye from twitching at that response. "... Why?"

"Because I invited him?" My mother said, as if to ask what was so confusing.

"Why?!" I exclaimed.

My apparent demand for answers was met with ignorance, Iri obviously still missing my point, instead gave me a gentle push on the back. "Oh, stop gawking like that and let them in. It's rude to keep guests at the door."

Was it wrong that I wanted to bang my head against a wall?

Probably, still, the thought of it sounded incredibly tempting right now, especially with my steadily growing headache. I sighed and did as my mom wanted. When I went back to open the door, the awkwardness was quite palpable. "... Hi there."

The girl with the blonde drills was busy glaring daggers at me. "That was very rude, are you aware?"

However, the person I was worried about had a totally different type of presence to him in comparison to his companion.

"Are we perhaps too early?" Riser Phenex asked in mild panic and concern. "Should we come back at a later time?"

This was gonna be a long and excruciating day… I just knew it.

"... No, just… a failure in communication on our part," I muttered in defeat. Stepping aside I gestured to the two guests. "Please come in."

"With pleasure." Riser said with a beaming smile, one that looked so out of place from the arrogant smirk he had when I first met him… at least before he waxed poetically about my mother.

As the blonde-haired devil stepped inside I paused and noticed that the girl with him was more hesitant to accept the invitation. "Is something wrong, miss, uh?"

Now that I think about it, while I did see her together with Riser the previous day, I didn't really catch her name… though to be fair, it's not like I actually got to chat and exchange pleasantries with any of the other girls that were together with him either. Although taking into account the awkward atmosphere at the time it probably would've been difficult to do so especially considering that there were fourteen girls with him in total.

The girl in question grabbed the hem of her dress and did a textbook bow of courtesy, the kind that I saw Sona teach the girls of the Sitri peerage before in preparation for social gatherings in high society. "Ravel Phenex, the fourth child of the House of Phenex. A pleasure."

I blinked a couple of times, perhaps I simply misheard, but I decided to double-check. "Wait, does that mean the two of you are related?"

"Riser is my older brother, yes." The ojou-sama confirmed.

My already low opinion of Riser Phenex had just reached new uncharted depths. The implications of it made my mouth work faster than my brain to the point that I was unable to stop myself from speaking. "Did he really add his own sister to his harem?"

"Not this again." The younger woman quite literally rolled her eyes, a very sour look now present on her face. "Look, I'm just a member of the group to gain experience in Rating Games until I can start my own peerage, there's nothing going on between me and my brother."

"Oh, my bad," I replied awkwardly, feeling guilty about the horrible insinuation I just made. "I didn't mean to assume, but since all the other girls seemed to be part of it, I-"

"Yeah, yeah." She waved a hand in dismissal. "You are not the first one to draw that conclusion, but sadly, I'm used to it."

"Okay…" I rubbed the back of my neck and gestured to her once more to go within "So, are you coming in, Ravel-san?"

After a long moment of silence, she let out a tired sigh. "Not like I have much of a choice at this point, please lead the way."

As we stepped inside, her brother was waiting for us in the hallway, scanning the room with curious eyes.

"So this is Lady Irisviel's house?" He muttered in an almost awe-like tone, a look of realization forming when he saw me step inside. "Oh, goodness, where are my manners?"

He snapped his fingers and a gift basket materialized from a magic circle. "It's unbecoming to come empty-handed."

As he passed me the gift, I was somewhat taken aback. "Um, thank you?"

For a few moments, I read the contents of the basket and while there didn't seem to be anything dangerous, I honestly had never heard of most of the stuff that was in it.

Strottarga Bianco Caviar, Pule cheese, Swarovski Studded Chocolates. Those were just a few of the foreign items within it.

As I kept further investigating the contents of the basket I heard approaching footsteps, next thing I knew my mom stepped into the room with a jovial smile present for all to see.

"Riser-kun, it's been so long!" Before the male devil had any time to react my mother went in and gave him a hug, placing the side of her head over his chest and smothering him with affection.

Riser's face looked as if it was lit on fire, one could almost see steam pouring out of his ears.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" The devil half choked in a staggering panic, his eyes looking like they were swirling in his head. "Far too long!"

The groaning sounds I heard behind me most likely were from his younger sister, not that I could blame her.

I for one was in the midst of considering if I could possibly stab the devil without endangering my mother, latched onto him like that as she was, among other viable possibilities. My jaw felt stiff as I called out to her. "... Mom, what are you doing?"

"What, I haven't seen him in so long." Iri giggled and smiled brightly, pulling her head away and then lifting herself on the tips of her toes, enough so her hand could reach his head to ruffle his hair. "Oh my, just look at you. That small little boy is all gone and now you're taller than me."

The devil looked like he was struggling to keep himself from passing out while writhing in delight. "T-thank you! I've been doing my best!"

The more I witnessed this, the more I felt like gagging on the inside.

Please… someone, anyone, please tell me why for all that sacred to man's mortal heart is my mom doting on this guy?!

"Oh?" A twinkle lit in my mom's eyes and she finally let go of the devil, her focus now on the younger devil in the room. "Is that little Ravel by any chance?"

The younger Phenex looked like a small animal cornered by a much larger predator as her eyes wavered in panic for a moment, yet she still managed to keep proper etiquette. "... Yes, it's been a while, Lady Irisviel."

Unlike her brother, my mom didn't latch onto her and instead gave her a gentle pat on the head. "You grew up so much as well, my, how beautiful you've become. You look more and more like your mother each time I see you."

Though she sported a crimson blush, the young girl still kept her composure. "Thank you. You also are as friendly and exuberant as I recall."

My mother smiled and took a step back, gesturing to the guests. "Don't just stay there, please have a seat!"

"Right away!" Riser did exactly as he was told.

Strangely both I and Ravel were the only ones hesitating. She looked at me in concern, perhaps noticing my confusion and awkwardness over the present situation. "Are you going to be alright?"

Now that was a good question I wished I could answer. "I'm not sure, are you?"

A small sigh escaped her mouth, making sure she whispered it to me alone. "Do not take this the wrong way, but your mother can be at times rather… overbearing."

"That… sounds about right," I muttered in a defeated tone, she didn't even know the half of it when it came to Iri and her shenanigans. "Well, let's not keep everyone waiting."

After we all were seated, Leysritt and Sella dropped by and served refreshments for us all, but didn't join us and instead went to the kitchen, opting to be on standby in case we needed anything else.

As time passed more pleasantries and small talk were exchanged between Iri and our guests and before I knew it I was sipping on tea while trying to make head or tails of what was going on. As well as pondering on how my mother knew Riser Phenex of all people. Being close enough to casually invite and chat with direct members of the Phenex family, devil nobility, can't be normal. Actually further thinking on it, wasn't she also close to the current Lucifer's wife of all people. Ugh, my head is starting to hurt, I can think more on that later for now I should focus back on the conversation at hand.

"I'm so glad that you accepted my invitation, Riser-kun."

"It would have been rude of me to refuse." The devil remarked bashfully, a goofy smile present.

"Oh, how nice of you." My mom chuckled. "I hope I'm not imposing."

"We are actually busy with preparations for-"

Riser cut off whatever his sister was about to say. "Not at all!"

Though if the glare she was throwing at her brother was any indication, she did not enjoy that, not one bit. Kinda ironic really, since I also did not enjoy Iri scheduling this visit and not giving me any sort of warning either.

"Well then, I suppose some answers are in order, I'm sure you must be wondering why I called you here all of a sudden."

"Somewhat." Riser nodded in mild curiosity.

"He's been pondering on it ever since you called." His sister remarked dryly while sipping her tea.

"Ravel!"

For some reason, I was beginning to like this Ravel Phenex, more than her brother at least, but to be fair that bar was already set pretty low, to begin with.

Iri leaned back in her seat, a serious expression present on her face for once. "Well, the truth of the matter is, I have come across some rather interesting information, the kind that I couldn't just ignore. That being said, I thought a small intervention might be needed."

My mom clapped her hands and the lights suddenly went out. Before any of us could make a move another clap of hands was heard and they went back on.

My mom however was different from how she was before.

"Tadaa~!" Iri exclaimed proudly, her hair now tied in a ponytail and her clothes replaced with what one would expect from a dojo instructor, except pink. She was also holding a naginata in her hand for some reason… which she used to point at the blackboard that was behind her now. "It's the return of the Einzbern consultation room!"

My mind was having a rough time processing what just happened. She literally clapped her hands and the lights went out, the next moment they were back on and mom was in an entirely different outfit, and if that wasn't enough there was a big blackboard behind her. I mean that was literally just a few seconds at most, how did she change her clothes so quickly, and where was she hiding the blackboard? Actually, how did I miss the naginata? I feel like I should have especially been able to notice that of all things for some reason.

This made me experience a weird feeling of deja vu all over again, she must have done something like this with me before at some point.

No… just no… There are so many other things I should question, this was hardly my main concern at the moment.

Like why hell was Riser looking at my mother like he just saw enlightenment!?

"Lady Irisviel in a hakama… What a wonderful day."

Unquestioning the devil's stunned expression, my mother took back her seat and smiled all knowingly. "So Riser-kun, a little birdy, told me that you are an engaged man now."

It wasn't until his sister nudged him with her elbow that he broke out of his trance. "Oh-h, yes. Well, I am engaged to Rias Gremory and will make it official very soon."

"Is that so?" Iri hummed and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "It must be quite the big step that you are taking with your life soon, is it not?"

"That may be so, but I'm prepared to uphold tradition and tie the proverbial knot." The young Phenex declared proudly.

"That is very nice to hear, however, I can't help but worry about how you feel about it?"

The expression my mom had on was a bit off… she was still smiling nicely, but there was this look in her eyes that I wasn't familiar with.

"How I…?" Riser muttered, the bafflement present in his voice. "Good I suppose, what else is there to feel about all of this?"

"Well, I did hear that all of this was arranged by your parents. One could only assume that you might have some negative thoughts about the matter, being forced to marry someone they chose for you."

Riser seemed to ponder on this for a few moments. "I supposed that is a fair point, however, I did have a lot of time to get used to the idea. The agreement between the families was done when I was only ten after all."

I almost choked on my tea when he said that. From when he was ten?! What's wrong with these people's parents?!

"Oh my, that's a rather young age to decide for your children." My mom said, stating the obvious in mild surprise.

"It's fairly common in devil society. This way the two people involved can have the time to get to know each other and grow close by the time they are to be wed."

"Really now?" Iri hummed to herself. "It's rather curious since I've met Rias-chan recently and talked with her about this very subject, which she seemed less than happy about."

The brief twitch of his eye told me that he already knew what his fiancee must have said about him. "She is rather stubborn, I admit, but she will get used to the situation eventually."

"You say that, but I feel like there is a bit of a wall between the two of you." Iri elaborated as she locked her hands and rested her chin on them. "Tell me Riser-kun, how much effort did you actually put into making your relationship with her work out?"

That question seemed to catch the blonde-haired devil off guard, his expression that of a deer caught in the headlights. "I, uh-"

The matriarch of the Emiya family did not give him any time to find an answer. "Because, from what she told me, you seemed far more preoccupied with building your little harem than making your engagement work out."

An uncomfortable expression was on Riser's face as he grimaced and lost the words he was about to say.

"I did try, but Rias tends to ignore me." He finally admitted after a couple of minutes of silence. "We may be both pure-blooded devils, but we don't really see each other very often outside of the occasional social gathering. As children, we were sent to different schools, and for the past three years she's been attending school in the human world of all places, so we had even less of an opportunity to interact with each other than we did before."

"That might be true, but it still doesn't justify the situation." Iri sighed, a more solemn expression now present. "Riser-kun, I want you to be honest with me, no, with yourself, for just one moment. Can you do that for me?"

Judging by the way he was fidgeting around in his seat, he was most likely feeling a tad perplexed. "I believe so?"

"Good, then please, just answer this question." Gone was all the playfulness my mom previously had, she was dead serious. "Do you, Riser Phenex, truly love Rias Gremory?"

That question seemed to throw everyone present in the room out for a loop.

I was just as confused as Riser currently appeared.

"Do I… love her?" The devil muttered in a meek voice. "I mean, I think I do…?"

"You think, or are you certain?" Iri asked for further clarification.

An uncomfortable expression was growing on Riser's face. "I just… how do you know you truly love someone?" he finished weakly, not sounding sure of himself.

"As I see it Riser-kun when someone loves someone with all their heart, they would do everything they can to win them over. But from what I've been told by now, you don't seem to love her."

Those were some fair points, admittedly I'm hardly an expert on the matter, but I'd like to believe that a man that loves her wouldn't have treated her the way that Riser did yesterday.

His eyes were clearly avoiding looking into my mother's. "... Is there a point to all of this?"

"Yes." Iri paused and took a sip of her tea. "If you don't love Rias Gremory, then why this insistence to marry her?"

… Now that she put it like that, it was curious, to say the least.

"I just… I mean…"

"No need to rush, just find your words."

"Why wouldn't I want to marry her?" He began to slowly elaborate. "She is Rias Gremory, heir of the noble and renowned house of Gremory, a pure-blooded devil, and the sister of the Sirzechs Lucifer. Not only does she have all the pedigree that a devil could want from a spouse, but she is also a beauty that men would kill to embrace."

"These are all just material reasons, Riser." Iri interjected, "I know questioning a devil's greed and ambition is a lost cause, but I feel like there is more to it than what you are letting on."

That last remark seemed to hit a sore spot for the devil.

He clearly was affected by them.

"I, uh... " The devil dropped his head and let out a sigh of defeat. "I am Riser Phenex, third son of the house of Phenex."

When he lifted his head back, a resolved expression was all he had.

"Ruval Phenex, the eldest son is an accomplished veteran within the Rating Game circles, reaching the top ten by the time he reached his hundreds. A feat very few devils in history achieved. Rivai Phenex, the second son, chose a different path from his elder sibling. He used his wits and charisma to challenge the Underworld Entertainment Industry. In only a few decades he became the person whose name alone can make or break a person trying to make a career for themselves."

"Ravel Phenex, is the youngest out of all four, yet perhaps the one with the keenest mind when it comes to strategy. While she may be a novice currently, in time she has the ability to develop into a master strategist to rival the likes of Falbium Asmodeus. Then there's me, the third son." This time around, his tone lacked the admiration he previously displayed for his siblings. "All of my siblings have made unique accomplishments or have the potential that will honor the house of Phenex one way or another, and in comparison, I have yet to achieve anything worth mentioning."

"What about your Rating Game career, I hear you are an upcoming player?" Iri asked.

"It pains me to admit it, but my victories are all thanks to Ravel's support. Were it not for her I fear I may not have achieved even a third of my current wins." He made sure to gesture to his sister as he mentioned this, said sister sporting a noticeable blush as her brother praised her. "Besides, these victories were hardly anything to gloat about. I have yet to win against someone of importance."

"I see." My mom nodded and grabbed her chin. "So, if I understand this correctly, you see your engagement to Rias as a means to affirm yourself?"

"In a sense." Riser admitted in a bashful manner. "Our union would bring much pride to my family's name."

"That's only if Rias-chan would agree to it."

"Yes… as it currently stands, if our engagement doesn't work out I would be making a fool of myself and my family." His hands tightened against the teacup, the contents beginning to simmer and boil. "I would become the laughing stock of the aristocracy. Someone who had a priceless treasure laid out right in front of me, yet let it slip through their fingers."

Huh… when he put it like that, this wasn't just about his own ego that was at stake. Should this whole engagement go bad, it won't just be him who will be put in a bad light, but also his whole family.

While I cannot completely agree with the reasoning behind it, I can sort of understand the part about not wanting to ruin the reputation of your family.

"You know, even if that is the case, the way you talk about her, it doesn't sound like a man talking about a woman he fancies, but one talking about a possession," Iri remarked in a forlorn tone. "Riser-kun, what do you even know about Rias Gremory as a person?"

Before he could say anything, my mom bombarded him with more questions.

"Do you even know what her hobbies are? Her favorite food or color? If she's a dog or cat person?"

His silence was enough of an answer for everyone present.

"You see, these might seem trivial things to some, but it's the little things like that which can mean a lot to certain people." Iri mused. "Just like you don't know these things about Rias-chan, I'm certain she also doesn't know much about you. Perhaps if the two of you got to know each other better before trying to tie the knot, you wouldn't be forced to fight just to convince her."

Whether this was meant to be a form of gentle scolding from my mom or just advice, it seemed to be highly effective nonetheless, the way Riser looked like he wanted to hide his face to avoid receiving the disappointed look from Iri was in a strange way amusing to watch.

This grown-up man was getting scolded by my mother…

It sounded so wrong, and yet it was happening right before my eyes.

As Iri continued her tirade of pointing out the shortcomings that he made regarding his engagement, she would stop at a certain point.

"I also am curious though, from what I hear, the term decided between your families was sped up. Why is that?" Before he could answer, she threw an additional remark. "You do have a harem of beautiful women, so I doubt you can't keep it in your pants anymore."

That remark made me choke on my tea.

"Ah! No, nothing like that." He waved his hands in a panic, a noticeable blush present on his face. "Ahem. Since your son here is a member of Sona Sitri's peerage, I assume you have heard of the Zepar incident."

The name drop of that particular devil made my brows knit together.

Iri, just like me, was confused by the mention of the former Zepar heir ."More or less, but is that relevant?"

"It is actually." He nodded and took a sip of his tea before continuing. "Most humans that aren't aware of our inner workings assume that devils are ruled by one supreme leader, however, that is far from the truth of the matter, we do have our own form of government. There are various divisions and groups within the government, but the most influential parties are the Great King Faction and the Young Devil party."

He made sure to gesture with his hands upon mentioning the names.

He lifted his right hand up. "The first one is what you can call a conservative party, they seek to maintain and enforce the laws and traditions of the devils of Old. The core members are devils of the Old generation, those who were alive during the so-called Golden Age of devils under the Rule of the original Lucifer."

He dropped his hand and lifted his left one up. "The second one is what you can consider a Liberal party. They believe that devil society cannot progress in this day and age by holding onto the old traditions and seek to change to more modern methods of governing."

Both hands were now up and tightened in fists, smacking the two of them together. "Given the incompatibility of their views on a fundamental level, the parties are always at each other's throats and it is very rare that they can come to an agreement when it involves reviewing or adding new laws or individual rights."

"A subject that's always been a sore debate between the two parties is the matter of arranged marriages. As you can imagine, one side wants to keep it as it is, while the other wants it to change, if not have it be abolished entirely. There have been many incidents that caused the balance to tip one way or the other throughout the years, but nothing major to cause a scream for change."

There was a brief pause and Riser sighed in annoyance. "That is until the Zepar incident took place."

My hand reflexively tightened around my teacup.

"If it were the daughter of some low ranking noble, perhaps it might have been covered up without repercussions." The disgust became all the more present as a sneer formed on Riser's face. "Of all the people that Segrif Zepar could have tried to abduct and try to brainwash, it just had to be the little sister of Serafall Leviathan the Chief of Foreign affairs. One of our very leader's own family members was targeted."

Frustration became all the more present around him, though I could not tell if it was born from personal contempt, or because it was causing him complications. "Such a scandal couldn't have been swept under the rug, repercussions were bound to happen and this was exactly the kind of political disaster that the Young Devil Party was waiting for and now are milking it for all its worth. "

"The severity of this matter is at a scale that the Great King Faction cannot choose to ignore, lest they risk losing face and credibility with the people." A long sigh eventually escaped the blonde devil's lips. "My family has connections and is kept abreast day to day with how things are progressing. It's speculated that in less than a month the system will be abolished, and all marriage contracts currently in the waiting period will be invalidated."

There was a moment of silence as that revelation sunk in.

"Ohhhh, I get it now." Iri snapped her fingers as she pieced everything together. "If that happens, Rias-chan will no longer be obligated to marry you, so that's why things have been sped up. You're hoping to get things resolved before the law is officially changed."

"Exactly." Riser nodded, though his expression was one denoting mixed feelings on the matter. "However, as you most likely noticed, things haven't been going too smoothly in that regard."

"Well, what did you expect, the way you have been acting is basically forcing yourself on her." I remarked dryly from my seat, recalling how he was behaving yesterday, his hands were all over her in spite of how clearly disgusted his fiancee was by his touch.

Much to my surprise, he didn't seem annoyed by my remark, it did however make him grow frustrated. "It's not like I mean her harm, but at times civil dialogue just can't cut it with a stubborn woman like Rias."

He reached for his face and started rubbing his forehead. "Believe it or not, I do want to make this work and have a proper marriage with Rias but she makes such a big deal out of it at times, it's like she believes I will make her my slave or something once we are wed."

"You won't?" I deadpanned an action that got me negative looks from the women present.

"Rude." Ravel glared at me clearly offended that I would even think such a thing of her brother.

"She is right, Shirou, that was uncalled for, apologize to our guest." My mom more or less commanded with a disappointed look on her face as she frowned at me.

It was quite unexpected that I was the one apologizing to him of all people, that certainly wasn't something I was ever expecting to do. Still, that remark was rather rude as Ravel put it, and likely uncalled for. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Riser waved his hand in dismissal, not showing any real sign of being offended or even bothered by my words. "Rias does have a habit of over exaggerating the flaws that she sees in me, so it has become common for those around her to have rather distasteful opinions of me as well."

"In any case… when Rias and I do get married, it won't be like much would change between us relationship-wise, I cannot exactly just force myself onto her unless I'm being suicidal." He sighed before further elaborating, noticing the confusion on our faces. "While it is a bit embarrassing to admit, as much as I like to make myself appear as the dominant one in our relationship, I'm afraid it's mostly just for show. Rias herself doesn't have much leverage over me by herself, but if her family were to interfere, that would be… problematic."

His last explanation was quite confusing and I wasn't too sure what he meant by it, Iri also seemed to ponder for a bit, until the answer hit her and she snapped her fingers in realization. "Oh! I get it! You're scared of Grayfia's hubby!"

"Not my exact choice of words, but yes." Riser coughed in his fist, clearly caught off guard by my mom's unique description. "I take it you had the pleasure of meeting Lord Lucifer?"

"Why yes! Such a nice and funny man that Sirzechs-san is, Grayfia is one lucky girl." My mom said all excited. "His hair is also something else, I just gotta learn what he uses on it to make it softer than silk and so incredibly lustrous."

At this point, I shouldn't be surprised that my mother also somehow personally knew the strongest devil in existence, especially when you consider that she is, and I quote, 'besties' with his wife. Though the part about his hair made me do a double-take.

The devils present also had looks that made it clear that they weren't sure how to handle this conversation either.

"Magic, most likely." Ravel deadpanned from her seat.

"In any case, as pleasant a presence Lord Lucifer may be to many, do keep in mind that he is allegedly the strongest devil to ever spawn from Hell and the de facto leader of devil kind in the face of the world." Riser locked his fingers, a grim look forming on his face. "I personally do not believe that one would be able to carry the mantle of Lucifer for so long unless they had the wit to back it up besides possessing raw power. That is not the kind of man you want to cross in any way, regardless of your status in society."

"So you are scared of him." Iri once more hit him directly with her blunt reply.

"… I would prefer saying that I do not want to get on his bad side, and from what I can tell he is barely tolerating my presence as it is. "

"You're trying to marry his sister. " Iri deadpanned. "It's an unwritten rule that all big brothers will hate their sister's suitors by default barring special exceptions."

"That sounds really dumb Iri." I couldn't help but say, unable to believe such a thing.

My little remark made my mom throw an 'Oh really?' look at me. "Then tell me Shirou, what would you do if you saw some ugly bastard hitting on your little sister?"

…

Imagination was surely a weird thing.

Sometimes all it takes is just a few specific words to make it go into overdrive.

Several images flashed through my mind that I wish never spawned from the cesspool that is my imagination. My eyes narrowed as my thoughts continued and my hands clenched into fists.

My answer came out naturally with no hesitation. "I'd stab them… many, many times."

"If it ever comes to that, give me a call, I'll recommend you some weapons that cause the most excruciating type of pain."

Unlike most parents who would probably be disturbed by their child saying such macabre things, Iri simply puffed her chest victoriously. "See, just like I said."

Riser on the other hand was nodding sagely, the empathy clearly present in his eyes. "That is a valid point, in my case I'd personally burn them alive if some sordid bastard were to make advances on Ravel."

Upon hearing this the young female Phenex tried her best not to hide her face out of shame while trying to repress a groan of embarrassment. Even as the conversation continued on.

"Then you can see why Sirzechs-san wouldn't like you." Iri half chuckled, though her amusement was short-lived. "In any case, if this is really how the situation is, this marriage will be nothing but a burden, not just on Rias-chan, but for you as well. You may get the benefits of marrying her, but it would be a marriage just in name only. Neither of you can be truly happy like that."

His fingers tightened around his knee caps, the frustration coming to life in the form of small sparks of fire around his knuckles. "All the more reason why I want Rias to stop being so stubborn and help me figure things out. You may be correct that I haven't put in enough effort, but Rias put no effort into this at all!"

The sparks would eventually fizzle out, leaving behind just disappointment. "I have to digress in the end. Many marriages had been arranged in such a way, and I doubt I'm the first to experience such obstacles. While there are many cases of things ending poorly, there are also a number of cases of the two parties actually developing a proper relationship even after they were forced into the marriage."

He leaned back in his seat and sighed in defeat. "At this point, I can only hope for the latter."

"Is that really all you can do?" Iri questioned, a sad disappointment growing ever more present. "Just hope that everything will work out along the way?"

"Time is of the essence. The rating game between us will be settled and our marriage contract will be finalized. What happens after that… Only time will tell. "

Iri paused and just stared at her teacup. "That's really sad, Riser-kun."

"Unfortunately, not all relationships are built on the mutual love that some tend to glorify." Riser stated bitterly.

"Maybe not all aren't, but when they do, it's the most wonderful feeling in the world. Even if you know it isn't meant to last for long. "

…

There it was again.

Something just wasn't right when mom talked like that. It was like that time when Rias was here and she was giving her those strange words of support.

"Mom, what are-"

"Now, how about we stop with the depression and focus on more fun things." Iri chirped and all her energy returned. "So tell me all about your harem! Maybe you can give my son some pointers on forming his own!"

And that was my cue to make a run for it.

"I'm going out for some air!"

Some may consider running with my tail between my legs a coward's move, but I call it strategic retreat.

Before I knew it I was in the backyard, but strangely I noticed I wasn't alone. I looked over my shoulder and noticed that one of the guests had followed me. "May I join you?"

It would seem that I wasn't the only one not in the mood to listen to Riser talking about his harem.

Though a bit surprised I took a seat on the porch and gestured next to me. "Be my guest."

As she seated herself, the two of us would sit in silence for the next few minutes or so. Not surprising since the two of us were pretty much strangers.

Still, a part of me couldn't help but vent a little about the current situation.

A sigh would eventually escape my lips. "I should have expected this was going to be a rough day."

"That would make two of us then." Ravel nodded in agreement.

So it seemed that I wasn't alone in this… that was reassuring in a strange way. It gave me a sense of relief that I wasn't the only one making a big deal out of this whole event.

At this point, all I could do is try to get some insight on the matter from a third party. "So what's your opinion about all of this?"

Though her expression told me she didn't want to talk about it, she did humor me in the end. "If you want my honest thoughts, personally I'd wish I wasn't involved in this mess. But since I'm family and part of the peerage, I have no choice but to deal with this nonsense."

A long exasperated sigh escaped her lips, showing how tiring this all must have been for her. "In any case, I don't like to admit it, but your mother raised some good points. While I do love my brother, he hasn't put enough effort into making things work out with Lady Rias. I should most likely feel offended by how she is treating my brother, but I can understand her point of view. If I were in a similar position with my fiance, I would most likely start looking for a means to call it off as well."

Much to my surprise, she was defending her potential sister-in-law rather than her own brother. "Are you engaged as well Ravel-san?"

She shook her head lightly. "Fortunately no, my parents have yet to find me a proper suitor, and with how things are progressing I most likely won't end up in a similar situation."

Considering that the law is about to get changed, she pretty much dodged the bullet there. She seemed nice, I wouldn't want her to end up marrying someone that she couldn't stand.

A feeling which I'm sure she also shares, not just for the concept alone, but also due to witnessing the mayhem taking place by her brother's difficult engagement, I'm almost certain she doesn't want it to go through as well.

The more I keep thinking about it, the more livid I get knowing that things like this still happen in modern society.

"Man, this whole situation is way over my head, I'm used to dealing with deadly monsters, not couples counseling."

The twin-drilled devil gave me a dry look. "Couples counseling would require a couple first and foremost. In any case, if this is bothering you, then you don't want to know how things have been on our end."

I could just feel more incoming drama coming my way.

"I take it has been affecting your family as well?"

"Too much so." She admitted with a frown. "Gossip is a dreadful weapon within the aristocracy. They take something insignificant and blow it out of proportion."

"How bad can it be?" I asked, feeling a bit bewildered.

"Take for instance the current distance between the two of them. It is a known fact that Lady Rias has a passion for Japan and its culture. It's for that reason that she chose this place out of all viable devil-owned territories within the human world to act as its landlord. However, many people have interpreted her decision to study in the human world as something negative, such as her putting as much distance as she possibly can between herself and my brother. Not shortly after that people began speculating that my brother might be abusive towards her and that's the real reason for her departure."

I had to take a moment and pause at that. "Wait, they really drew a stupid conclusion like that?"

"You would be surprised how rumors circulate and escalate." The hands over her knees started to tighten. "If that wasn't bad enough as it is, these kinds of rumors also affect our family's image as a whole. It's most frustrating to go to social gatherings and hear people gossip about facts that aren't even real."

Strangely enough, I was now slowly beginning to feel sympathetic for her and her family. "So that also puts you in a bad light?"

"My brother is a son of a noble house, his actions are reflected upon the house as a whole." She turned around and stared at me intensively. "You were involved in the Zepar incident so that should be enough of an example. The actions of Segrif have dragged the noble name of Zepar through the mud and right now the house is crumbling upon itself, all because of the actions of one fool. It's one thing when it's a servant or a contractor, with those types of individuals a house can cut off ties and save face This is however an heir to the house, not just someone you can easily dispose of or deny knowing."

… It was actually sad when you thought about it. While I cannot pity Segrif for what he did, his family shouldn't be blamed for his actions. The fact that they were now suffering on his behalf was nothing but a tragedy in itself. The more I try to think about it, the more I realize how much knowledge I lack about how the world works.

A few words escaped my lips. "... I'm sorry."

Confused blue orbs blinked repeatedly at me. "What are you apologizing for?"

"Let's just say I was fast to believe some of those bad rumors before I heard it from both sides," I admitted, feeling somewhat ashamed of myself.

It was really easy to instantly see Riser Phenex as the proverbial 'Bad guy' in this scenario, his fiancee certainly made it sound like he was the worst kind of man, but after hearing his side of the story, while it doesn't justify everything that is happening or some of his actions it does make me feel like this isn't entirely his fault.

It was amazing how much my opinion could change from how it was yesterday after hearing the facts from the other side of the fence.

"At least you are willing to apologize." The Phenex heiress said with a small puff of her cheeks. "Most don't even realize their mistake, let alone try to mend it."

She held that expression for a bit more before she let it and gave me a small smile. "Apology accepted."

"Thank you Ravel-san." I smiled slightly at her, as pointless as this conversation may have sounded to another, it actually helped me. "Should we go back inside?"

"After you."

Just as we stepped back inside the house, I could hear my mom chatting eagerly with our other devil guest. A lone question began plaguing my mind again. "By the way, do you have any idea what's the deal between your brother and my mom?"

A sour expression formed on her face at this inquiry. "I'm not clear on the specifics, but my brother holds your mother on a pedestal for some reason I can't fathom."

That answer only made me draw more bad speculations as I did my best to suppress a groan. "… Should I be worried about leaving the two of them alone in the same room?"

Though my question was rude, Ravel didn't seem bothered by it and simply waved her hand in dismissal. "Perish the thought, he admires her platonically, he wouldn't even consider doing anything inappropriate to her. "

"You see, I want to believe you, but the way he was parading his harem the other day makes me think otherwise."

I'm pretty sure I am not the only guy that would be worried about leaving his mom alone with a guy like him.

"That's just my brother showing off. He says there's a certain pleasure to be had when people look at your girlfriends and get envious of you."

I don't see the logic in that… I really don't.

The moment we stepped back into the living room, I almost gagged at what I saw.

My mother was giving Riser head pats and was doting on him. "Oh, just look at you. I still can't believe how tall you grew. "

Riser on his part looked absolutely blissful, to the point that he looked like he was one step away from passing out. "T-Thank you very m-much!"

My head turned mechanically towards his sister, the expression she had on told me she was enjoying this scene about just as much as I did. "Can I stab him please?"

"I would rather you not." She replied, in a flat and detached tone.

"He can instantly heal, it wouldn't really matter in the long run. It won't even leave a scar."

"No is still no." She once more denied my request. "As tempting as your offer may sound."

Thus the two of us stood there forced to endure the sight of my mother fawning over her enthusiastic brother. Both of us felt sympathy and empathy for the other as we did our best to muddle through this bizarre predicament.

After what felt like a life sentence of listening to my mother chat with our guests and what felt like capital punishment when she took out the dreaded photo album, the Phenex siblings finally left. No more serious matters were brought up for the rest of their stay, so I mostly stood aside and let them be, occasionally sharing small talk with Ravel.

As the living room was finally quiet I leaned back on the couch, staring tiredly at the ceiling. When the sounds of footsteps got closer my eyes drifted to the side.

"You know Iri, a part of me was expecting you to convince him to call the whole thing off."

Considering how much Riser seemingly changed from an arrogant self-absorbed playboy to a happy puppy whenever my mother was involved, I could sort of picture my mom being able to convince him to change his tune on a lot of things he would normally seem adamant about.

Much to my surprise, Iri seemed offended by my remark. "Now Shirou, that would have been very rude of me. I have neither the right nor intention to get involved in his private life directly."

Not a muscle on my face was willing to move. "… You say that after you've pretty much been his counselor on this exact matter for the past few hours."

"I said directly. I cannot tell him what to do, all I can do is talk to him, give advice and help him see beyond what he believes."

While that sounded nice and all, it didn't really solve this whole apparent engagement affair that has been dropped over my head the past few days. "Then what was the point of all of this?"

"Help out a boy in need of guidance." Iri smiled brightly as she left the room.

A long sigh once again escaped my lips.

This whole thing was bad as it is, but the more I think about it, there are problems here that are directly linked to me.

Finding out how Iri was seemingly connected in some way or form with all these different people from the devil side of things… yet not being told how that is even a thing…

There was so much here that mom wasn't telling me, that much I can tell. Just like how she kept how the supernatural was actually real a secret from me at first, and now I have this strange feeling that she is deliberately keeping stuff from me.

I didn't like it…

My head leaned to the side and I blinked a couple of times. There behind the coffee table Leys was peeking her head, hand silently sliding towards the gift basket that Riser brought. In spite of catching her red-handed, she only stared back at me impassively and greeted me. "Hey, Shirou."

"What is it, Leys?"

"Can I have the chocolate in the basket?"

"Uh, I think that's mom's, so I'm not sure."

Before she could reply, Sella stepped behind her and yanked her up by her shirt collar. "Really Leysritt, what sort of maid are you, drooling over your master's treats."

In spite of how prim and proper the maid delivered that verbal attack, Leys just stared boredly at her sister. "Sella, the only one drooling here is you…"

Sadly, she wasn't wrong. A trace of drool could clearly be seen on the petite woman's mouth.

Feeling an inevitable confrontation approaching between the two sisters, I decided not to care anymore and instead decided to pour more gas on the fire.

I cupped a hand next to my mouth and shouted. "Hey, Iri, the girls want to open the gift basket, is that okay?"

The reply was instant. "What?! No one opens it without me!"

… Sometimes I just have such a hard time understanding mom.

The days went by fast and the confrontation between the Gremory and Phenex was closing in at a steady pace. As it stands, our schoolmate's team had five days left to train and prepare, which was startlingly short.

As informative as the whole visit of the Phenex siblings at our house was, it didn't ease my overall concern for what was to come.

Surprisingly though, I wasn't the only one at school feeling the pressure of the approaching match, in spite of not being a direct participant.

"Are we there yet?!" Asked Saji while yelling.

Other people, though, were having other sorts of problems at the moment.

In response to the pain-filled moans, Momo half snapped. "Like all the previous dozen times you asked, no we aren't!"

"Ahhhhhh!" whined Saji piteously.

Regardless, Tsubasa did not enjoy the complaining that had been going on for a while. "Man up already Saji, it's just a three-hour hike."

"Why couldn't we take a damn car?!" The blonde pawn groaned in exhaustion, looking like he was a few steps away from passing out. It also didn't help that it was quite hot outside.

Momo could only deadpan. "No one from our group has a driver's license."

Reya ignored the rest of the banter and focused on me after Momo's remark. "Weren't you studying to get a license, Shirou?"

I wiped the sweat from my brow and nodded. "Yeah, but for motorcycles, not cars. "

The Sitri Bishop pulled away at the collar of her shirt to cool herself, unintentionally giving me a good view of her cleavage. "Oh right, you have Kurosaiga's motorcycle. Did you finally fix it?"

Trying my best to ignore what I just saw, I talked in a hurry. "I did, now Aunt Maiya is teaching me how to drive it."

"How is that going?"

That question made me flashback to the driving lessons we had… and the several small incidents involved that followed. "Well… I need more practice."

"Crashed into something with it?"

Many things, unfortunately, many of them were quite painful to crash into. The rose bush, in particular, was the worst of them all. "… Maybe."

"Next time you practice, call us over, I'm sure it will be fun," Reya said in a rather peppy tone.

I could only stare dryly at her. "I'm so glad the prospect of me making a fool out of myself puts a smile on your face Reya."

"What are friends for?"

As the two of us kept going back and forth, Tomoe would pass by us. The moment the group's Knight was within our line of sight she avoided eye contact and sped up ahead.

Leaving the two of us a little baffled.

"I see you're still on thin ice with Tomoe". Reya remarked, the concern all too present in her voice.

I silently nodded in agreement.

"Pretty sure she is still awkward about what happened a few days ago."

In spite of her saying that I doubted things were that simple. "You think?"

"I know she was a bit out of line, but she probably didn't mean to be so aggressive."

As Reya said this, I couldn't help but recall what happened previously.

It was the next day after the Phenex siblings visited, that I told the other members of the student council about it, and it baffled most of them, which was a feeling I mutually shared.

As the others learned just like I did that there was more to this than simply Riser being an unreasonable fiance, they all started to ponder further on the matter.

Sona and Tsubaki were exceptions since they were away with some other school-related work, though I'm sure telling Sona all of this was redundant since she probably knew everything even before I did, and if she knew, I was certain she also told Tsubaki early on.

Though if that were the case, I wish Sona would have told me earlier as well.

Tsubasa was the first to complain about this matter. "You know, I'm starting to get really tired of this pureblood devil nonsense."

"After what happened with that Zepar douchebag, I can see why." Saji groaned in agreement, no doubt the said devil was still a sore spot for him.

"I'm starting to believe peaceful communication is the very last resort some people like to take." Reya sighed.

Momo nodded at her fellow bishop. "And they prefer literally fighting it out instead."

"If you can even call this a fair fight." Ruruko clicked her tongue. "The Gremory team has too much of a disadvantage regardless of the training period they were given."

"A shame none of us got the chance to help out." Tsubasa leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling. "If some of us were allowed to fill the vacant spots, that would at least reduce the number difference a bit."

"Tell me about it," I replied in a flat tone, though my fingers were gripping the desk's edge.

That action did not go unnoticed by Reya. "You really are bothered by that, aren't you Shirou?"

"Kind of hard not to." More than I wanted to admit, unfortunately. They didn't know how truly desperate Rias Gremory was about this whole situation. I kept it a secret from them about what almost happened between me and her at my house due to that desperation.

They just didn't understand how it really felt like when someone so clearly at the end of their rope came to you in a last-ditch effort to get out of their engagement by having sex with you. Then later you have the chance to help their situation but due to their pride are told not to and to stay out of it.

Momo was playing with her hair seemingly uncaring, but her eyes were fixated on me. "While I can understand your frustration Shirou, there's only so much we can do that would not further complicate things for Rias-senpai and her peerage."

The hand that was hidden beneath my desk tightened in a fist. "I know that… it's just… it's not fair."

Before anyone else could comment on this, the sound of a chair scratching at the floor was heard, we all turned over and stared at Tomoe who had been silent this whole conversation. "Shi-chan, care to answer a question?"

The way she was staring at me was… off, in a way, definitely different from how she usually looks at me. "Uh, sure?"

"Are you menstruating?" The Sitri Knight asked with a dead serious look on her face.

"... What?" I almost slipped off my chair from that baffling question. "I'm a guy, why would you even ask that?"

"Oh, I dunno, maybe it's because of how much of a bitch you are being right now!"

Her sudden snap had taken everyone by surprise, some of us recoiling from the uncharacteristic behavior Tomoe was showing.

I for one was at a loss of words. "I, uh-"

She didn't let me recover and started her verbal assault. "Look at me, I'm Emiya mother fucking Shirou, I get off helping and saving people and when I don't I feel like the biggest piece of trash in the world."

A few steps were all it took for her to get over to my desk and lean over to pull me by the collar of my shirt. "Well, how about you pull your head out of your ass, wipe the shit from your eyes and look around to see that life is hardly ever fair! If you are just gonna sob over it all day long then do it somewhere else where nobody can see you!"

In spite of still appearing absolutely livid, she would let go of me and take a step back. Realization seemed to have hit her over what she had just done and she clicked her teeth.

"Damn!" Tomoe did not waste any more time in the room and quickly left, slamming the door behind her.

Everyone that witnessed what just happened, was just as baffled as I was.

"Wow…" Saji muttered, sounding uncertain.

"What just happened?" Tsubasa half choked.

"Who would've thought that Tomoe could snap like that," I replied dryly, my eyes locked at the said girl up far ahead of us.

Reya's lips thinned. "She most likely was just venting at you Shirou. Truth be told, she told me that she's been trying very hard to get better control over the Juuchi Yosamu, but there have been hardly any results and it's been stressing her out."

That got my attention.

"Really now… she never really mentioned that. Actually, whenever I asked her how things are going with her training she would laugh it off and change the subject."

"That's how Tomoe usually deals with stress, but it's been getting to the point that her old methods aren't cutting it anymore." The Bishop sighed bitterness clearly present in her tone. "All of us have been struggling one way or another recently. Those spellbooks that you lent each of us aren't exactly beginner stuff and we each are finding it hard to make any progress in increasing our fighting repertoires."

I rubbed the back of my head. "I see, well, I guess I can relate. My practice with Runes isn't going as well as I hoped it would be either."

"Hurray for the losers team." Reya fake cheered.

A half smile cracked on my face. "… We'll figure something out eventually."

"Let's hope we do that before the next disaster strikes, since they keep appearing one after the other for the past several months." Momo chimed in, most likely after listening to us.

A bead of sweat ran down my face, feeling like Momo just jinxed us by saying that, but I decided to remain silent.

"We're finally here." Ruruko cheered in a half happy, half exhausted tone.

Saji all but collapsed on the grass in relief.

It took us a while to get here, but the overextended stroll through the mountain area had finally come to an end.

The very moment I stepped within the perimeter of the property, my nose started acting up and I stood in place, which was immediately noticed by Tsubasa. "You okay there Shirou?

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Yeah… just noticed the bounded field around this place?"

The Rook stared at me confused. "Huh?"

"I'm surprised you noticed it, Shirou, it's a very subtle one," Sona explained as she walked past me, most likely having heard what I said.

"I didn't know there even was one here." Tsubasa shrugged her shoulders.

"This area has a natural bounded field enclosing it, perfect for creating a vacation/training villa." Sona detailed as she pointed at the surrounding area.

When she put it like that, this was an ideal place for such activities for the ones of the supernatural side. "So that's why they choose this location."

"You can't exactly train in the human world as you please, it has to be a location that doesn't risk the exposure of the supernatural."

"Makes sense I guess." Tsubasa nodded at her King.

The more you think about it, the more everything begins to make sense. Why the villa was hidden all the way up in the mountains without any sign of civilization nearby and the closest location being hours away like this and all.

It would be rather redundant to train in a place where anyone can spot you. Looking back, whenever we have a training session at school Sona always places wards around the perimeter to prevent any exposure.

As we got deeper into the property, the villa came into view, quite the large estate in my opinion, which made it stick out like a sore thumb here in the middle of nowhere. Though I suppose there were some spells placed on it so no one can see it from afar. It only became visible to me after I walked past the bounded field.

Just as we entered the front yard, something seemed to make my nose tingle again, and this time it wasn't the bounded field.

"Dragon shot!"

A laser-like stream of red demonic energy was shot forward, directed at one of the nearby mountains. A thunderous explosion roared in the distance as it impacted, the resultant wave of wind threatening to blast me away. As the pressure faded, what was left were smoldering rocks. I couldn't help but stare a bit skeptical at what I just witnessed and at the person nearby that caused that stunt. "… Did Hyoudou just vaporize the top of that mountain?"

"So it seems." Reya nodded, her jaw dropped and unable to go back up.

"Ah, so I wasn't imagining it then." I nodded slowly and started to reconsider what I knew about Kuoh's resident pervert.

Saji also seemed to do something similar to me, but for different reasons. "Now I feel inadequate. I'm supposed to be the senior devil and I can't do stuff like that."

"Senior devil by a few weeks, clearly a large threshold between the two of you," Momo remarked a bit awkwardly, most likely also taken aback by what Hyoudou did.

Tsubasa picked herself up and clicked her tongue, the sudden blast of wind apparently caused her to fall over and get dirty. "Just put a sock in it, Saji, it's not like your sacred gear is focused on offense in the first place."

After we got over our little state of shellshock we experienced all thanks to Hyoudou, I walked closer and took a better look, there was more to that attack than I initially assumed. "That attack may have been amazing but it seems to be rather draining."

The brunette was pretty much drained of energy and breathing heavily on the ground. Given how condensed that attack looked, it must be very taxing to use.

Still, if used at the right time, that could be a deadly weapon in one's arsenal.

If I were to use my own experience as a reference, if that would've hit Kurosaiga head-on, even he wouldn't be able to get away without some serious injuries.

As we walked over to the group, they finally took notice of us as they were far too distracted with helping Hyoudou recover. "Good afternoon, Rias."

"Sona?" The crimson-haired devil blinked a couple of times, the surprise quite visible on her face. "What are you guys doing here?"

It seemed that Sona did not inform her friend of our visit.

"Just dropped by to see how things are going," Sona explained casually, her eyes drifting as Hyoudou was being helped up by Kiba-san. "Judging by Hyoudou-kun's previous display, it would seem solid progress has been made."

The Gremory heiress seemed to have mixed feelings about that remark. "It has, but we still have a long way to go with preparations."

Sona may have kept a calm look, but the way her hands were tightening said otherwise. "Practice makes wonders as they say. Who knows, perhaps you might figure something out before time runs out."

"That's easier said than done." She then turned around and gestured to her peerage with a smile. "Everyone, let's take a break for now."

"... Finally," Hyoudou exhaled, clearly out of breath as he continued to gasp, one could very well assume he just went through a marathon of running.

Just by looking at his body, I could tell that the Gremory Pawn had been training himself until he had nothing left.

Himejima-senpai clapped her hands and gave us a welcoming smile. "So, how about we all go inside for some ice tea?"

After walking through the heat for what seemed like a whole day, the invitation was one each of us eagerly accepted.

Half an hour later we were all seated in the main living room, enjoying the nice and cool embrace of the air conditioner.

It was strange how I repaired so many AC units, yet I never seemed to really appreciate their value. Though to be fair, they aren't exactly healthy in the long run, but once in a hot while, they are a Godsend.

Sona's teacup clinked as she looked over at her best friend. "Is the itinerary coming along?"

"To a degree." The Gremory heiress said. "Out of everyone here, Issei and Asia are the ones with the least combat experience so we are primarily focusing on preparing them at the moment."

"Is that so?" violet eyes drifted over at the aforementioned people. They were a bit skittish at this remark, granted I would probably feel the same if I were in their shoes.

The blue-eyed devil further elaborated. "Asia may lack in offensive capabilities, however, her healing abilities will give us a noticeable advantage. If she can heal and keep us going, it will make up in part for the numerical disadvantage we have."

"What about Hyoudou-kun?"

"Issei is in a difficult spot." She sighed. "As you saw, if given enough time to prepare he can produce attacks that are quite devastating. One thing I am banking on is that Riser won't prioritize Issei as a threat at first and-"

"-With some luck most of his pieces might get taken out before he realizes that, is it?" Sona continued her sentence, reaching the same conclusion.

"... Yes." She nodded bitterly. "The regenerative powers of the Phenex house are not to be underestimated, however, it is still a power that originates from a devil. Riser will most likely recover from whatever sort of damage I may inflict on him, but his regeneration is still tied to his own demonic power, which is by no means limitless. My only option is to keep fighting until his body runs out of energy to use."

"So a war of attrition." Sona nodded. "Given that your peerage doesn't have a member that could mitigate his regeneration or a member that could immobilize him for long periods of time, this is your most viable option. Unless you count your other Bishop that is."

That made the redhead show a very sour expression. "You are well aware, Sona, his powers are still far too unstable. They could backfire at the worst possible time."

"I know, Rias. Just wanted to point it out."

A hand was raised by the Sitri Queen. "I am curious about one thing though."

"What is it, Shinra-san?" Her fellow Queen asked.

Tsubaki-senpai pointed her arm at the Gremory Knight. "You say you have no ways of countering Riser's regeneration, but wouldn't it be possible for Kiba-kun's sacred gear to create a counter for him?"

That question alone seemed to create a wave of hope and anxiousness within the present parties. The one who was now under everyone's gaze however did not seem to share any of that.

"... I tried that already, but it didn't work out." The blonde knight admitted bitterly. "In order for me to do what you were imagining, I need to have a good understanding of how I can counter it in the first place. I would need to know the intricate details of how the Phenex regeneration works. Otherwise, I would've just made anti-regeneration swords for everyone here from the get-go."

"He isn't wrong, you know, weapons with anti-regeneration properties aren't easy to make in general."

And just like that, whatever hope had previously been built, has just shattered.

I was hoping that they may be able to figure something out, but I guess I was too optimistic.

Before I could muse some more about this, the sounds of hands clapping stole my attention.

"I have a suggestion."Himejima-senpai's eyes were closed and a mischievous smile was present on her face. "How about we cast aside the depressing subjects for now and take advantage of our guests here?"

I wasn't too sure what the Gremory Queen was all about, but her idea was one that I welcomed gladly once she went into detail.

The sound of knives chopping against the wooden boards resounded in the kitchen, several pots boiling loudly in the back.

While the timing wasn't all that great, the dark-haired yamato nadeshiko suggested since we're all here together, we should just throw a big dinner. At first, one may argue that it was hardly the time to party, but it may be just the thing everyone needed to get rid of some of the tension that was currently felt.

For the Gremory team especially when you consider how hard they have been training the past couple of days, a few hours of winding down may be more necessary than one may realize.

That being said, everyone was split up to help with preparations. I volunteered for kitchen duty and was welcomed with open hands, especially when you consider the number of people here we had to feed. Himejima-senpai assigned me to handle the chicken before going back to her station which was next to me. Unexpectedly though, I soon found myself incredibly distracted by my surroundings.

My eyes would occasionally drift to my right at the person next to me. Though I did my best to maintain my focus, the sight that I had in view was quite the captivating one. So much so it was hard to take my eyes off of every move they made. Seeing those wonderful curves and the abundant lusciousness they contained within was truly an eye-opener. A sweet fresh scent constantly tickled my nose from the constant exposure and I couldn't help but breathe it in. Truly a wonder to behold while in the kitchen as I felt my heart quicken with desire at the visage I saw before me.

Hyoudou stopped his novice chopping and gave me the stink eye. "You've been staring at me for a while. Do I have something on my face or something?"

My eyes narrowed in focus, a deadly serious look present on my face. "How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

I pointed at the small piles of peeled vegetables next to his chopping block. "That whole trick you use that peels away all of the skin for the fruits and vegetables yet leaves its content entirely intact without even a single blemish. I want that."

From the moment Hyoudou started helping with the prepping, he'd be picking up different fruits and vegetables, and their exterior would seemingly always shred to pieces without any visible effort or resistance. They were all flawlessly peeled every single time.

Hyoudou paused and looked at me like I had grown a second head. "Are you for real? "

I was surprised how he wasn't seeing the same thing that I was. "You have no idea how handy that would be in the kitchen."

"I can't tell if you are serious or making fun of me," The other boy muttered and went back to peeling. "Earlier you saw me blow a freaking mountain top off and didn't seem that impressed. I peel some vegetables with a botched spell attempt and suddenly your eyes are sparkling in awe."

I didn't really get why he seemed so skeptical of my claim, such a spell would be a treasure for any chef. Just imagining being able to instantly peel away at tough vegetables and save so much time and effort gave me a most exhilarating feeling. Does he not understand how amazing that is?

"That's just how Shirou is," Momo remarked on my opposite side in wry amusement, whisking away as she was in charge of dessert. "He puts cooking above power."

Hyoudou just stared at me in bewilderment. "… You're weird, man."

"Am I?"

The chuckles of Himejima-senpai revealed that she found this back and forth amusing. "Whatever the case may be, it's nice to have extra hands in the kitchen."

"You are housing us for the night, so it's only fair we help out," I remarked as I stopped chopping.

It was the least we can do, we just dropped out of nowhere and crashed at the place for the night. Sona did tell me her family had shared rights over this estate with the Gremorys, so she didn't need to ask for approval when she wanted to come and use it, but it still felt bad for me to just drop in unannounced like this.

As I finished and cleaned up my workstation and utensils, I took a look around to see if anyone else needed help. All in all, we were pretty much done and the food in the pots should be finished in about ten minutes.

I paused when I looked at the nearby counter where Reya was working. Her phone was next to her and its screen was on, showing that she got a message.

That made me realize that I still haven't texted my family to let them know I arrived here safely.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." I told the rest of the improvised kitchen staff and made my way to the guest room I left my backpack in.

As I stepped into the foreign room, I made a mental note never to leave my phone in my backpack ever again. The moment I took a seat on the bed and started digging for my phone, yet soon after I felt something strange rubbing against my fingers.

It wasn't an unpleasant feeling though, the opposite, in fact, it was really soft and fluffy, and very familiar.

My lips froze into a flat line as the realization soon hit me.

I pulled my hand out together with the mysterious fluffy object and just stared at it.

"I knew I didn't have a furry phone cover." Small amethyst eyes stared back at me. "… What are you doing here?"

"Fou!"

It dawned on me that my apparent familiar must have snuck in my backpack sometime before I left home and thus have been carrying him this whole time.

"You know, if you wanted to you could've just tagged along, rather than hiding in my backpack." A part of me was curious as to how the small ball of fluff even managed to stay put in my backpack for so long, it should've felt like a damn oven inside of it, and yet he never made the smallest sound or movement to give himself away.

I paused as a new realization dawned on me. He snuck into my backpack, and if I never figured out that he was with me, that means no one at home probably knows about his whereabouts either.

"I should tell the others back home that you're with me." I let go of Fou and took out my phone dialing my number, it was roughly a minute before the other side picked up. "Hi Illya, I just called to tell you-"

"Onii-chan it's terrible!"

The sudden bawling of my sister made me jump up from my seat. "Illya what's wrong?!"

"Fou-san ran away!"

A sudden pang of guilt struck me, my eyes drifting towards the perpetrator of this problem, who was obviously avoiding looking me in the eyes. This wasn't going to be a happy phone call, I could tell.

"Oh… Illya about that-"

"I've looked for him everywhere in the house but there's no trace of him!"

"Illya that's not-"

"I even put out his favorite snack hoping he would appear, but he didn't!"

"Illya-"

"What if someone took him away! What if he is run over by a car?! What if-"

"ILLYA!" I finally snapped, this being most likely the first time in my life that I raised my voice at my sister in such a way.

"Y-Yes?!"

As expected and unfortunate as it was, this must-have shook Illya quite a bit, but at the very least it gave me a chance to explain the situation to her. "Sorry for snapping like that, but I had to get your attention, Fou isn't missing, he's with me on the trip."

"…"

The sudden silence from my sister started to worry me. "Illya?"

"Why didn't you tell me?!" In a strange and perhaps unfair twist of fate, Illya was now the one snapping at me. "Onii-chan you idiot!"

Without any warning, she hung up on me.

I stared silently at my phone, then once more at the small ball of fluff that caused all of this.

"Fou…" He was definitely trying to act cute and innocent, but I could almost see him sweat nervously, which was weird since he was covered in fur. "You're on a belly rubs ban for a week, mister."

That seemed to get a strong reaction out of the little guy. "Fou, fou?!"

"Sorry buddy, I like you, but I like my sister more, and you made her worried sick about you." I sighed and let go of him, surprisingly he decided to showcase his protest to my decision by jumping on my shoulder and beginning to tap me repeatedly in the check with his paws in objection. It was more annoying than painful so I let him be.

As I returned back to the dining area once more, the girls were right in the middle of bringing the food over. My return was noticed, gaining many long interested stares, most likely to the small fur ball boxing against my cheek.

Kiba-san couldn't help but chuckle. "Guess we have an extra guest."

Dinner went better than expected.

Everyone got their fill and enjoyed the food, some of us far more than others. Toujou-san for instance must have had more than three servings… of each dish… how it was anatomically possible for so much food to fit in such a small body was beyond me.

Even Leys didn't eat that much.

I'd chalk it up as a devil thing, but the others didn't eat nearly that much.

That aside, everything else went smoothly. It was rather amusing how Argento-san would keep asking what each dish was. The former nun was most likely used to the more simple fare that the church offered to its members.

Currently, we all were back in the main living room relaxing with everyone winding down in their own way.

The Kings and Queens were chatting.

Momo, Reya, and Kiba-san were watching TV.

Tsubasa, Tomoe, Saji, Argento-san, Ruruko, and Hyoudou were playing cards, with the latter trying his best to teach the former nun the rules.

Fou also decided to take a seat on the blonde's shoulder and maybe it was just me, but I think there were moments when the small critter was pointing with his paw at certain cards to help her play. All the while totally ignoring my presence.

It seemed that my familiar and I were on a break.

If the previous fights we had back at the house for various reasons were any indication, Fou will be over it by tomorrow, I think?

At one point Hyoudou tried to help out the Italian girl, but surprisingly Fou didn't let him. The situation seemed to quickly degenerate, Hyoudou muttering something likely unflattering under his breath, I did not hear what he said, but Fou did, and his eyes seemed to gain a glow to them as he pounced. "Fou!"

The next moment the lone Pawn of Gremory was rolling on the floor, unable to fend off the attack of the squirrel-sized pet. "Ack! Get it off me! Get it off me!"

I sighed and walked over to the two, picking up the one that was winning this epic confrontation. "That's enough Fou, I know you're in a bad mood, but you shouldn't take it out on Hyoudou."

"Fou…" stated as he huffed at Issei and walked away.

The battered young man picked himself up and glared at his new apparent nemesis, face full of tiny scratch marks. "... I swear Emiya, that pet of yours is evil."

"Oh come on, he's just a bit moody."

The aforementioned moody pet on the other hand seemed to bark back at Hyoudou. "Fou, kyuu!"

"See! He just told me 'Fuck you'!" Exclaimed Issei in indignation.

I just stared at him with a blank expression. "You are overthinking it, you really should let it go man."

The Pawn muttered something under his breath but seemed to drop it, a few seconds later he was getting healed by the blonde Bishop.

It wasn't long before the others playing cards put a stop to their game. Saji was the one to call me out. "Hey Emiya, the rest of us are heading to the hot spring in a minute, you coming?"

So the estate also had a hot spring it seemed. That was a very tempting invitation, not gonna lie, but still. "Sorry, I think I'll head out for some fresh air."

"Suit yourself." Saji shrugged his shoulders.

"What's the matter, buddy?" As the others slowly made their way out of the room, I noticed that Fou was staring at the group quite intensely. "If you want to take a bath, then go ahead. Don't stay back on my account"

"Fou!" that seemed to cheer up my familiar and he jumped off and tailed after the others.

Not surprisingly I'd say, even back home Fou always seemed to love baths. You'd expect that a dog-like animal like him with so much fur would hate getting wet, but this little fella seems to enjoy swimming in the bathtub of all things as well knowing how to appreciate a nice hot soak.

Now that I was alone, I headed outside.

Turquoise light danced around me as I jumped from one tree to another, landing at a nearby clearing. A long breath escaped my mouth as the reinforcement was undone and the strain on my body was lifted.

In spite of saying that I was merely going for some fresh air, I instead decided to dash as fast as I could through the mountain area, swinging and jumping through the forest like a monkey on steroids.

There was a tree stump nearby so I took a break and sat on it to catch my breath. In spite of having improved my overall control over reinforcing my body, I could still feel the strain from it if I kept it going for prolonged periods of time.

As the night air cooled me off, I took a moment to admire the half-present moon.

I wasn't alone though, I had company on the other side of the tree stump. "So, what's got you so depressed?"

"Do you really need to ask?" I replied sarcastically, Archer perceived the outside world through me, so he knew all that I knew.

The steel-eyed man shrugged his shoulders. "Not really, but you moping over it is just a sad sight. Everyone seems to be having fun back there and yet you came all the way out here in the middle of nowhere just to clear your head of problems that aren't even yours, to begin with."

It was easy for him to say that. He's not the one that's been dragged into this mess and not being able to do anything to make a difference.

I kept ransacking my brain the past couple of days for something, anything I can do to help them indirectly, but I couldn't come up with anything… and it's been driving me crazy.

A resigned sigh escaped my lips. "… Be honest with me Archer, do these guys have any chance of winning?"

He seemed to ponder over my question for a few moments before answering. "Given what I saw previously from them and what you watched on those recordings of that Riser guy and his team, I'd say they have a twenty percent chance of winning."

My face grew grim. "That low?"

"You saw it yourself, didn't you? " The older man crossed his arms. "That guy has some decent firepower, no pun intended, but his regeneration is the real issue and I doubt Miss Red's friends have any means to cancel or bypass it."

"I don't suppose you have some weapons that can do just that?"

"I do, several actually last time I checked."

"Then-"

"No, don't even think about it."

"Why not?!"

Gray eyes glared dangerously at me. "Because it's not worth the risk. Let's imagine for a moment that you do manage by some miracle to trace the exact weapon that they need, something that up until now you haven't been able to do outside of life and death situations might I add, and even if you go around to lend them that weapon, people will be asking questions left and right about how did they obtain such a weapon, putting more eyes on you even though you were specifically told to lay low and not draw any attention."

"Getting involved will only make it more difficult for you and your friends." His words were blunt and harsh, yet they were backed up by painfully accurate facts. "So give up already and let it sink through that thick skull of yours that you cannot save everyone in need."

Once more the white-haired man vanished back into the depths of my subconscious, leaving me alone to seethe in my own frustration.

I guess one tends to not notice how fast time passes by when your mind is busy. What was originally meant to be a ten-minute stroll to relax ended up being a three-hour outing to clear my head.

After I stopped sitting in the middle of the forest like some depressed bear, I finally headed back to the villa.

It was probably when I was back on the perimeter that my phone rang, the notification popping up one after the other. Most were missed calls, the area I previously explored was most likely either a dead zone or had a poor signal so only now did they come in.

Oh boy….

Those were a lot of missed calls…

There was also a text from Momo.

"[Shirou, heads up, Sona is rather annoyed with you disappearing and not answering your phone, so be careful on whatever excuse you give her.]" I further scrolled down and saw that there was still more to it. "[P.S. We left your dessert in the fridge, so don't let it go to waste.]"

A small smile formed on my lips, sometimes I wondered what I would do without the girls of the student council looking out for me.

As I arrived back at the villa, I noticed that no lights were on anymore. It was pretty late so the others had probably hit the sack by now.

I was tempted to just go back to the guest room and call it a day, but I recalled what everyone did while I was out in the forest. In spite of being a bit tired, I just wasn't sleepy at all.

Might as well take a quick dip in the hot spring before turning in.

Finding it wasn't that hard, there had been a small sign placed on the wall. As I went inside I noticed that there were two doors, each with its own sign, male and female.

It was obvious which door I went through.

After finding some clean towels and preparing myself, I finally went inside, luckily for me, the water was still hot, though it was pretty easy to see that considering all the steam around.

As I approached the hot spring, there was a sudden sound of water splashing. "Who's there?!"

"Huh?" I paused and looked around, there, on the further right side of the spring, Tsubaki-senpai was half-submerged in the water, using a towel to desperately cover her feminine parts.

"S-S-Shirou what are you doing here?!" Her voice was a mixture of utter shock and sheer panic.

It wasn't long before everything kicked in and I realized what was going on.

I almost choked on my tongue. "Me?! This is the men's side!"

"What?!" She snapped, still trying to cover herself with the towel. "No, it isn't! It's the women's!"

"A-Are you sure?" I said in a panic, averting my eyes and trying to cover myself before things got out of control. "I'm pretty sure it said men at the entrance!"

"Yes, I'm sure!" She exclaimed, her voice one step away from cracking. "I was here earlier with the others so I'm certain!"

This was bad! Really bad!

I had to put a stop to this before it was too late.

"Y-You know what, never mind! I'll just get out and-" I stopped mid-sentence, my leg slipping forward after stepping on something. Before I knew it, I was down on my butt, and a surge of pain rushed through me causing me to seize up in pain.

Keeping the groans from leaking out turned out a bit difficult after that.

"Did you really just slip on a bar of soap?" The bewildered yet calmer voice of the Sitri Queen was a welcomed change, at least my little accident seems to have removed some of the nervousness she had.

"So... So it seems," I admitted with a grimace.

"You okay over there?"

"I think… nothing seems to be broken but I landed right on my tailbone and I don't think I'm standing back up for a while."

I did hear that blunt strikes in certain areas can cause pain that feels like it's weakening or draining the strength in one's legs, but it was another thing entirely to experience it all together.

Well, it was a preferable alternative compared to what was happening a minute ago.

"You're a real piece of work Shirou." The heterochromia beauty sighed tiredly. "J-Just stay in the water until it gets better."

My head slowly turned around in her direction. "A-Are you sure, I wouldn't want to impose?"

"After what just happened, I would feel bad to make you crawl your way out of here."

I said nothing more, this situation was already a mess as it is.

With a bit of difficulty, I slipped into the spring. The water may have been the perfect temperature, but I wasn't in a situation to really enjoy it. The two of us would just sit silently in the water, looking at the other.

In spite of having already sunken herself to the collarbone, she still fidgeted around and sunk herself deeper. "J-Just don't stare too much in my direction okay?"

I wasn't trying to but nodded quickly. "S-Sure."

The awkward silence continued.

"So…"

"So…"

The two of us said at the same time and stopped. Both of us seemed to be at a loss for words. Not very surprising, all things considered. This was a first for me, and I'm pretty sure it was the same for her as well.

That being said, I kept digging in my brain for a way to make things less awkward.

However, Tsubaki-senpai seemed to beat me to it. "H-How come you're here this late?"

"I d-didn't get to take a dip with the others earlier so I thought of doing it fast while enjoying the peace and quiet. You?"

It was a couple of moments before she exhaled and replied. "I couldn't enjoy it earlier, it was too noisy and crowded. It also didn't help that Saji and Hyoudou-kun kept trying to peek at us."

That piece of information made me stare blankly.

I did hear something in the distance while I was in the forest, but couldn't quite make out what it was.

Now I knew.

"I was wondering what those screams were earlier..."

"Yes, Toujou-san was in good form today." The Sitri Queen nodded. "… It's been quite chaotic the past several months, hasn't it?"

The somber tone that she took was odd… I didn't like it.

"I can't deny that," I said.

"It's been one thing after the other, and it's been very stressful."

I reached and rubbed the back of my head. "I take it stuff like this didn't happen all that much before I joined, did it?"

She shook her head. "Hardly. For as long as I've been with Sona the biggest threats we faced were perhaps the occasional stray devils. And with those, the biggest hurdle was completing the reports on their extermination or capture."

That was in a strange way… concerning to hear.

The more I think about it…

"… Maybe I'm just bad luck for the group and keep dragging everyone into trouble."

There was the incident with Kurosaiga, if I didn't find that hidden pathway it's possible we never would have run into him thus putting everyone at risk. Then there was the situation with Zepar and the whole mess that entailed. Not to mention how certain truths came out afterward. I've been causing Sona a lot of stress with my current status, with me still being human, on top of that there is the whole Riser business and upcoming rating game to decide Rias's fate.

Tomoe also seems to grow frustrated by my presence lately.

Who is to say that the others aren't also feeling upset by my actions to a certain extent.

Her lips were now a thin line. "Shirou, don't say that. None of the situations we've been involved in within the past months were your fault."

"I know, but it's weird how things started suddenly escalating like this immediately right after I joined."

"I don't like it when you talk like that Shirou." She said in an almost sad tone. "It's like you are regretting being part of this group."

"... I'm not saying that."

"Then what are you saying Shirou?!" She half snapped, splashing the water in my eyes, blinding me for a moment.

When my sight returned, Tsubaki-senpai wasn't away from me anymore, she was right next to me, her face equally furious as it was beet red.

What I said must have angered her more than me walking in on her ever did. "… I know this probably is wrong of me to say, but with everything that has happened recently, there are times when I'm just wondering if my place on the team is more a hindrance than anything."

She was biting her lower lip, the frustration in the air almost palpable.

A long pause was needed before she finally let out an exhausted breath, sitting herself down right next to me.

Her head rested against my shoulder.

"… Shirou, please listen carefully." She began slowly. "I can't and shouldn't speak for everybody else, but for me personally, your presence here is important. If tomorrow you decided to leave I would be very sad… so sad that I'm not sure I can handle it."

My eyes went wide, beneath the water, her arm rubbed against mine and it reached for my hand, soft fingers resting upon it. "Tsubaki-senpai…?"

"It may sound selfish of me to say this, but… I don't want you to leave us, even if times become difficult and your presence does indeed become a hindrance as you say, I would still want you to stay."

Her fingers tightened so strongly. .. almost as if I was a lifeline for her.

Maybe I was in some way…

Perhaps I never truly realized it up until now.

But the time she almost got raped had scarred her… so badly. To the point that simply being touched suddenly by a male would cause her to break down in a hysteric panic.

She'd been avoiding contact with male students like the plague. Even with Saji, who she knew wasn't someone to be feared.

And there was me.

The one male whose touch she did not reject.

It was so simple yet I still did not notice it. I was the one that saved her that day from a fate I didn't even want to begin to imagine.

She may be scared now, denying help that was offered to her by others, but she still is able to reach out to the one person who was there for her in that time of need.

The very same person that kept spouting nonsense like he was considering leaving… who would leave her behind when she is at an all-time low.

My head tilted on her side, resting against her head.

"I didn't mean to make you feel like this…" I reached for her face, pushing aside the wet strands of hair, allowing me to see into her eyes, those teary eyes. "I, uh… I'm not sure what to say…"

There was a moment when we just stared into the eyes of each other. A thundering heartbeat could be heard within my ears and for an instant, something surged within me as Tsubaki began to lean forward and I made no move to back away.

But fate had other plans as a cold shiver ran down my spine, caused by the soft giggles. "My, my, watching you two is just adorable."

Both of us jerked from our seats and stared at one of the nearby stone cliffs in the water. Someone was standing on top of it. "Himejima-san?!"

"Since when were you here?!" I half snapped and panicked at the woman, not only was she here as well, but she was just as naked as the day she was born. Her intimate parts were obstructed merely because she was sitting both crossed-legged and crossed-armed but neither action did anything to stop the imagination from flowing or hide the abundant curvaceousness of her figure. Her ample bosom was almost completely visible and her luscious thighs were apparent for all to see.

A smile spread on her face, all the way to her ears, it terrified me, most likely because it reminded me so much of the smile my mom made when she found a new way to amuse herself, at the cost of my suffering. "Since Emiya-kun over there fell flat on his cute toned butt. The two of you were so immersed in your own little world that you didn't even notice me."

She shifted around, likely preparing to stand up and dive into the water when suddenly everything went black. "Shirou, don't look!"

"I wasn't trying to!" I said in a panic, it was quite strange how Tsubaki-senpai was so fast to wrap her hands around my eyes.

At the same time, I tried my best to ignore the two very large soft mounds that were now pressing up against me regardless of how nice they felt. All the while struggling to maintain my self-control.

Fortunately, it didn't last long and she did let go of me. Himejima-senpai was now opposite of her fellow Queen, her body submerged with only the collarbone and above past the surface of the water. However, what was unfortunate for me was the fact that I was now seemingly stuck between the two of them. "I must say though, you aren't as innocent as you seem, taking a dip in the hot spring all alone with a boy so late at night, how naughty of you Shinra-san."

Mismatched eyes twitched violently at the scandalous implication being made. "It's none of your business what I do and with whom!"

"Oh, but it is." The Gremory Queen almost purred. "After all, someone would have to clean the water if someone were to, let's say, get a little bit too frisky in it."

This was getting out of hand. I had to put my foot down. "Just drop it, we're not like that."

"Is that so?" She hummed in a singsong-like tone. "How curious, Shinra-san is quite the beautiful girl, do you mean to say you don't find her attractive at all?"

My face instantly lit up and felt like it was on fire. "I... I never said that."

"Oh, so you do find her attractive." She declared victoriously.

"I didn't say that either!"

"Then which one is it, Emiya-kun?"

At that point, I was backed into a corner I had no hope of getting out of, all I could do was swing around at random and hope I will hit something, "I find her attractive, yes, but that's hardly your business so drop it already, you're making Tsubaki-senpai feel uncomfortable."

"… Real smooth their kid."

Realization hit me like a sledgehammer upon hearing Archer's words. "... Oh crap."

The Sitri Queen looked absolutely catatonic, eyes spinning in her head, submerging herself further in the water to hide her clearly flushed face and obvious embarrassment.

Himejima-senpai on her part seemed absolutely ecstatic at this turn of events. "Oh my, did you hear that Shinra-san, it appears your womanly wiles have been well received in-kind has it not."

I was beginning to see what Tsubasa meant that this girl wasn't all 'niceties and smiles' as she led others to believe.

… This bad joke had gone on long enough.

My mom may like teasing me to hell and back, but she does it within a certain limit, this girl on the other hand seems like she is deliberately trying to push the envelope as far as she can take it with no intention to stop. "… You really like messing with people, don't you?"

Her eyes closed and caressed her cheek, feigning innocence. "Oh my, whatever could you mean?"

Normally I wasn't one to engage in such exchanges, but this however had gone way past the point of tolerance, I could've ignored if it was just me that was the target, but I wasn't the only one involved here.

Exchanges of this type were hardly my expertise, so what came out next out my mouth was something I just said at random. "Your dad must be so proud of you for behaving like this."

*Crack*

"..." Whatever amusement or smiles the beautiful devil had had instantly died and got replaced by an emotionless glare. "... Oh my, it seems that the time for fun is over."

She wasted no time and stood up, immediately wrapping a towel around herself.

Each step she took towards the exit had a certain weight to them.

"Goodnight."

She slammed the door as she left.

Leaving the two of us baffled by what just happened.

"Well, that was a good bath," Tsubaki-senpai remarked, offering me a can of ice tea. "... For the most part at least."

I humbly accepted it and took a long sip.

If the whole situation that happened between us in the hot spring wasn't enough to create some complex emotions between us, what happened with Himejima-senpai at the end really threw both of us out for a loop.

For the next ten minutes or so none of us talked at all, only after we got out and were properly dressed did we decide to go out on the front porch.

"Do you have any idea what happened back in the hot spring?" I asked in a flat tone, a part of me was still bothered by how that girl behaved, but I was still confused by how she reacted at the end.

The older girl pondered about it for a couple of minutes before she finally gave her opinion. "I believe you hit a sore spot Shirou. "

She may have said that, but I couldn't see the reasoning.

"What did I do?"

"I think it was the mention of her father." She explained in a neutral tone, most likely having mixed feelings about what happened similar to mine. "I don't know Himejima-san that well, but from what I know she's living all alone at an abandoned shrine close to the city."

That was something I wasn't aware of but failed to see the relevance. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"The Himejima clan, just like the Shinra's, are old onmyouji families with very strict traditions linked to Shintoism." She spoke with a bitter tone, the mention of her family most likely bringing up some bad memories. "Just like how my family couldn't accept a freak that attracted apparitions with her powers, I'm certain the Himejima clan couldn't accept a person with devil allegiance among them."

Her nails began digging in her can, some of them even penetrating its case.

"Chances are she has some very strained relationship with her father, or perhaps her family in general." She bit her lower lip before going on. "Or maybe I'm just looking too much into it, like I said, I don't know her that well, let alone what's going on between her and her family."

I didn't say anything at first and just tried to digest this. If what she said is true to some extent, I must've pressed a really sore spot for her.

"... I can't even begin to imagine what that even feels like."

The person next to me though knew what that felt like firsthand.

Slowly, my hand reached and sat on top of hers.

Our fingers interlocked.

She was stiff at first, but little by little her body began to relax. Her head leaned and rested on my shoulder.

"It's not easy, but in time you get accustomed to it." Soft yet bitter words echoed. "When Sona took me in I kept telling myself that it was for the best. Like moving away to start a new life far away from the people that hurt you."

She had told us how her life was before meeting Sona, I still can't fathom how her own family could treat her like this.

If this was something normal within families like hers and Himejima-san, then something was definitely wrong with them. It was a cruel thing to do, but perhaps her leaving them was the best thing she could do for herself.

"Still, it feels wrong to me, leaving everything behind."

A stiff shake of her head was her reaction. "You wouldn't understand Shirou, you lived all your life with your loving family, so you never experienced something similar."

She pulled her knees close to her chest, hugging them tightly with her free arm.

"I was never too good at trusting in people." She admitted bitterly. "If you can't trust in your own family, it becomes difficult to trust in strangers… even in people close to you that you want to trust."

Her head dropped, resting against her kneecaps.

"I guess that's why it's difficult to reach out and ask for help at times," she said in a strained tone that lacked any strength. "In spite of knowing you need help…"

It was difficult for her to talk about all of this, but that went without saying. Perhaps me keeping this discussion going wasn't the best for her, but it was something that had to go through.

My fingers tightened around hers. "... You can always reach for me if you ever need help."

"... I know." She whispered weakly, fighting the urge to burst into tears. "And it's frustrating that I can't even ask you for help when I need it."

Sona had been trying to help her however she could, however not much progress had been made, maybe her approach wasn't the right one.

I wasn't any better, perhaps I should have been more involved, instead, I listened and gave her space and time to figure things out when what she may have needed the most at those rough times was someone to be next to her.

None of that anymore.

"Then I'll just barge in and help you without you asking."

Her fingers tightened strongly around mine. "Can we just stay like this for a little while longer?"

"Take as much time as you need."

Before I knew it, the new day was upon us and this little excursion of ours was reaching its end. Some may argue that it was rather short, but given the circumstances, the Gremory group was on a tight schedule and our presence here would only hinder them.

The fact that we dropped by unannounced the way we did was enough of a distraction for them, there was no need to make them waste any more time.

It was early in the morning, after everyone served breakfast, we each packed our stuff and were currently on the verge of leaving. If I was right about the itinerary, we should arrive back home before the heat becomes unbearable like yesterday.

I really didn't want to listen to Saji groan for hours again.

The two Kings were staring at each other, there was a certain level of awkwardness between them, something which had persisted since yesterday.

Not that it wasn't expected to a certain degree. Sona made it clear how this whole fiasco was also affecting her, but I doubt she ever told her friend how she really felt.

A sigh eventually escaped Sona's lips. "Well, it was good seeing you Rias."

"Likewise." Her oldest friend nodded with a small smile. "After I win the match, I say we will have another party like this."

That remark actually made Sona smile. "If you win, then we will really have a reason to party."

"I thought you didn't like parties."

"I'm not overly fond of social gatherings. But with you, they are enjoyable." Before her red-haired friend could give any more remarks, she leaned forward and gave her a hug. "Good luck, Rias."

The Gremory heiress seemed surprised for a long moment, but she soon softly smiled and returned the affection, each of them silently standing embracing one another.

The people present, me included, all allowed them to have this moment. Although some of us couldn't help but throw in a few remarks. "Ah, look, they really do love each other."

"I think we should give them a few minutes." Kiba-san nodded to Tsubasa's comment. "They don't get to be honest with each other too often."

"Most of the time they end up competing over all sorts of mundane stuff." Reya added.

My eyes drifted to the rest of the group, momentarily freezing on the Gremory Queen. This didn't go unnoticed by her either, and she smiled.

Unfortunately for me, it wasn't a nice smile.

It was the sort of smile that reminded me of the ones my mom had for my dad when he did something that really got on her nerves, which would lead to her dragging him to their room and not allowing him to leave until morning. The Kiritsugu who came out of that room looked like a man that had just returned from the frontlines of a bloody war.

For the sake of my sanity, I will not even begin to imagine what my mother did to him.

Needless to say, the smile that Himejima-senpai gave me was a crystal clear message, she was REALLY pissed at me.

"Ouch, that is one nasty glare," Tsubasa whispered behind me. "Did you do something to piss her off?"

That was an understatement if I ever heard one. "I… might have slipped up and said something insensitive."

"Well that sucks, I'd watch my back at school from now on unless you want to end up in some S&M dungeon."

The edge of my mouth twitched. At this point, I'm starting to believe that what Tsubasa is saying about this girl may be truer than I initially thought. "Duly noted."

My eyes drifted around, the Queen aside, the rest of the ORC seemed anxious to get back to work, their pawn probably the most, given how his arm was already covered in that red gauntlet.

Speaking of which…

"Say Hyoudou, can we talk for a bit?" I gestured to him to move with me away from the group.

When he caught up to me, he wasn't in the best of moods. "What is it?"

"Before we leave, there's something that I want to try."

"That being?" he asked.

My eyes were practically glued to his armored arm. "Let's just say I have a means of analyzing your sacred gear. I might be able to find or unlock something if I do so."

There was a moment of shock on the Pawn's face, but it quickly got overtaken by a resolute one. "Okay, so how are we gonna do this?"

It surprised me to an extent. "That's fast. Aren't you worried about what I might do?"

"Look man, we're literally running against the clock here so any edge I can get I'll gladly take."

That was fair, I'd probably react the same if the roles were reversed.

I thought it best if we were not standing up when I did this so after both of us were seated down in seiza position did I begin.

While I couldn't comprehend sacred gears in their entirety at the moment, I might still be able to find something that might help out.

"Okay… here goes.." I took a deep breath and my hand touched the red gauntlet, magic circuits igniting and manifesting its turquoise lights on my arm, connecting with the foreign object. "Trace, on!"

At first, it was the same sensations I always experienced when structuring and grasping an object.

Badum~

However, something echoed within the sacred gear… and then everything went white.

"I remember this place."

I muttered in bewilderment as a new reality seemed to twist and manifest forming around me.

A foreign plane of existence, a mere round stage within an endless black void.

It was the very same place I awoke in when I came into contact with the Regulus Nemea Longinus a while back.

Everything was the same as last time, with two exceptions. The monument that I touched previously now stands tall and awe-inspiring, while one of the shattered ones was glowing a deep red.

A curious thought lingered in my mind as my eyes focused on the glowing rubble. The last time I came into contact with the glowing vestige, something had invaded my mind.

I wasn't too sure at the time what it was, so I never really reflected on it. Now that I stood in this strange dimension once more, I can't help but wonder just what it was.

Was it an illusion?

Some sort of memory?

And if so, to whom did they belong?

I did read about the general functionality of sacred gears and their powers, but there was nothing about it mentioning a place like this.

Just what was this place?

So many questions appeared in my mind as I looked around.

There was however, one thing I was certain of, simply lingering around this place wouldn't give me any answers I seek.

In spite of having a hunch that nothing will happen, I started to examine the broken monuments. No matter what remains I came into contact with, there was no sort of reaction, not even when I tried to structurally grasp them.

Not even the now repaired monument gave me any clue.

My eyes eventually drifted to the glowing debris. Anxiously, my hand reached for the fragmented monument, the broken pieces began shining in glorious light, coming to life and repairing themselves to their original form. The image of a mighty dragon bearing a gauntlet on its arm, images invading my mind as the process was complete.

No more pain was followed by it like the previous time.

The knowledge was bestowed as everything faded to black.

He stood alone, the paradise that he built spread far and wide.

It was… beautiful.

That was the single word all that shall come henceforth shall use upon witnessing it.

So vast, so tranquil.

Yet… so empty.

No matter how many creatures he populated within this paradise, it still felt desolate. A strange emotion he didn't quite understand… much like the many others swirling within him.

What was this emotion he was experiencing? What was the cause? How could he make it fade?

He possessed endless knowledge, yet he couldn't truly understand many of the concepts that he held authority over.

Two birds flew past him, engaging in a wild dance across the sky.

It was a curious sight to behold, alone he stood in silence as their encounter left a trail.

Two feathers slowly descended.

One of brightest gold and the other of purest silver.

He picked the two feathers and gazed at them deeply.

An epiphany of sorts takes place deep within his being.

Perhaps he had been looking at it the wrong way.

This paradise that he created, was not meant for him, no, its gifts are for those who are to come, they are to be blessed with its eternal tranquility.

Divine light shone and it engulfed the sets of feathers.

He let go of them and as they fell down, they began to grow and change shape.

Born from the light of the Divine One, given shape by his will, wishing for inner peace for those who shall emerge.

As the light faded away, two figures stood before their creator.

Confusion, curiosity, and reverence lingered within their eyes as they came into being, as the gift of knowledge allowed them to understand the weight of the circumstance they found themselves in.

The first one, born of the golden feather, bowed and sought guidance from his Divine maker. "What would you ask of us, Almighty One?"

"Nothing for my own ends." He spoke, in a serene tone, yet devoid of true emotion. "Thou shall be the firsts of the guardians of Heavens, my Angels."

An arm was extended to the side, clouds quickly formed, and from them, a downpour began, however, it was not one of rain.

Small flickers of light were what began pouring within the paradise, the whispers of life that were to come.

"Many more shall come into existence, those bearing the wings of providence, the same wings that you bear." The two figures paused for a moment to look at their backs, at the twelve wings that sprout from their backs, the highest of ranks, the proudest of medals. Once their gaze returned to the Almighty One, they witnessed the small flickers of light glow all the more brightly as they passed by him, a light that shines brightly by the love they held for him, for the one they have yet to meet. "They shall be your siblings, and it shall be your task as the Firstborn to protect them, nurture them, and guide them."

The golden angel bowed down. "It shall be done."

"What shall we call ourselves, oh Lord?" The second angel, the one that had been silent up until now had finally spoken.

Though his voice lacked the pure reverence that his golden brother had, one couldn't deny the utter compassion in his tone as he spoke to his creator… to his father.

His arms were extended to the two angels, offering them his hands.

Both of them took a hold of the one offered to them, being pulled up from their knees by the Almighty One.

They shall stand tall and proud.

"Thou shall be known as Michael, the first of the Angels, and arbiter of my will." He first spoke to the golden angel. "My one true Archangel. "

His gaze then drifted to the silver angel.

"Thou shall bear the light of heavens upon thy back and lead those that are to come to paradise." He spoke in serenity. "Thou shall be the Light Bringer, thy name shall be Lucifer."

"Thy bidding, Father."

Fire…

That was the only word that came to my mind.

The only word to describe what I saw… the only thing that surrounded me, a world of flames. No earth, no sky, just a sea of flames that encased all that could be seen.

Strangely, it was not a fire that burned.

I was expecting to wake up back to reality once that… vision… Yes, that was probably the best way to describe what I saw when the monument was restored.

The last time it happened, I awoke back to where I was, this time, however, things were a bit different.

"Hmm, well this is certainly new." A voice echoed within the world of flames, a shadow engulfing me and all that surrounded me. I turned around and the very air in my lungs felt like it completely froze, for in front of me stood something that I had seen before.

Just like the one time I was inside Saji's Sacred Gear and witnessed the Dragon King Vritra, what I was witnessing was a fellow dragon, one whose presence made the Indian Dragon pale in comparison.

Red scales covered the entirety of its massive body with red and golden spikes protruding from it, its long neck was slightly tilted as it stared at me with those glowing green eyes.

As the realization dawned upon me, the knowledge of this sacred gear finally unraveled within my mind, and my blood ran cold.

This wasn't just some random sacred gear, and the dragon before me was far beyond normal dragons.

What Hyoudou Issei possessed was the red gauntlet of the Red Dragon Emperor, one of the thirteen Longinus, the Boosted Gear.

And now the spirit of the Red Dragon Emperor was gazing down upon me with its colossal form.

Y Ddraig Goch.

Emerald-like eyes narrowed as he drew its massive head close. "Never had I seen one trespass within this prison outside of my wielders. For one to willingly come here… I cannot decide whether or not you have a brave heart or the mind of a fool."

A part of me was wondering if this was like how mice felt when they encountered humans. The sheer feeling of 'insignificance' in front of such an overbearing presence… it was no wonder they ran away with their tails between their legs at first sight.

An answer was hard to bring out, I really had to swallow my spit, grit my teeth, and force one out.

"… Maybe it's a little bit of both?" I chuckled nervously, unsure myself what to say in this situation. "Uh, nice to meet you, mister Red Dragon Emperor, hope I'm not intruding."

"Hmph." A grunt-like growl escaped its snout as he drew his head closer to me, scales now mere inches away. "It's been a while since I was greeted properly."

Well, it seemed like me dropping by unannounced didn't bother him as much as I suspected. Maybe I should thank God for small mercies? Still, I had to be careful, as I didn't want to test out the whole saying about entering a dragon's cave. I need to be calm and smooth in my interactions now.

"Ah, has it now?" Unfortunately, my mind was rather preoccupied with the fact a giant dragon was towering over me and might possibly eat me.

"You will find that most of my previous users were upstarts that hardly knew how to hold a decent conversation." He inhaled and made a snarl-like sound, the breath that washed over me felt like a sauna on max setting. "Most of them would only bother me when they needed my power."

… Maybe it was just my imagination, but was this dragon venting about his problems to me?

Not really what you expect when encountering a dragon of legend.

It was… unexpected to say the least.

I could feel a bead of sweat flow down my brow. "Just so we're clear, you're not angry that I dropped by unannounced like this?"

"Hardly, it's quite boring here." He huffed and let out a loud yawn. "Any visit is a welcomed change of pace in this dreary place."

"I see…" I muttered a tad unsure, somehow I would have found him trying to tear me to pieces less odd than this. But admittedly it was a big relief that my imminent demise seemed to not be on the table here.

"Now then, to what end have you decided to invade this accursed prison?"

I blinked a couple of times, given my surprise, for a while I actually had forgotten why I was even here. "That wasn't my real intention, I wanted to see if I could learn anything about this sacred gear and help my schoolmate Issei Hyoudou."

The dragon paused and seemed to ponder over something.

"Issei Hyoudou… ah, yes, my current host, that's his name, isn't it?" He muttered, clearly unsure about it. "Then, has this experience offered you any insight that you were seeking?"

I nodded and reflected on it for a moment, in spite of the rough start, I did get a good picture of how this sacred gear works and its abilities. "It did… though I'm not sure if it will be enough."

There was a lot of the Boosted Gear that I wasn't aware of, it was like a layered tower and I barely managed to explore the first couple of floors, but there were still many of them left uncharted.

It was different from how I comprehended other weapons that I used structural grasping on. Perhaps there was something that was inherently different when it came to sacred gears that my mind couldn't decipher properly.

Or maybe it was due to my lack of skill that I couldn't do so yet.

There was still so much I didn't understand about sacred gears.

"A shame." The dragon remarked and just stared at me, I stared back, noting something which I can compare to a frown forming on his scaled face. "You are staring quite intensely, is there something on my face?"

A surge of panic hit me as I realized I might have been rude right now. "Ah! No! I was just wondering if perhaps you could help Hyoudou out a bit?"

The dragon narrowed his large eyes, some of the scales above them lifting up, probably the equivalent of raising an eyebrow. "You know, he has this really important fight right around the corner and he could use any help he can get. "

There was a long pause.

The dragon had closed his eyes and inhaled, his scaled chest swelling from a large amount of air taken in.

"Don't patronize me, child!"

He roared.

A mighty booming rush of sound, like the force of an explosion, sent me flying backward in the burning void.

My consciousness felt like it faded for a moment, everything spinning as I tried to pick myself up. The fact that I was unharmed was what truly confused me.

Perhaps it was because I wasn't physically within the sacred gear that I wasn't injured in any way. The sheer force of him roaring, just roaring, felt like I was hit head-on with a lethal force, it would have definitely shattered my eardrums if the impact behind it didn't break my bones.

If he did this in the middle of a city, I have no doubt that one shout alone would have shattered all glass within the vicinity.

Just the force of his roar could do something of that scale.

The fact that it was something so mundane for him, terrified me.

I lifted my head and saw green.

The green eye of the dragon was right in front of me, the slit that was within his pupil looking like it was sharp enough to slice me in half. "He is not ready to wield the full extent of my power, he can hardly use what he has now, he is barely beginning to understand how they manifest. The fact that he has yet to hear my voice is proof enough of how much of a helpless whelp outside of his egg he is."

I was scared.

No point in lying, the creature before me was utterly terrifying.

I knew at the very least it didn't want to kill me, it would've done so by now if it wanted to or if it was possible to kill me inside this place.

In spite of realizing that, I was still very shaken by him. Yet at this point, there was no going back so I might as well get it over with. "So you're just going to let him be?"

"That is not by my choice child, it is the way these accursed prisons have been crafted by that fool Yahweh." Dozens, if not hundreds of fangs ground against each other when mentioning that particular name. "Though our wielders do not know it, from the moment they are born we, the souls within them are able to witness their lives. Far too many of them had lived their lives without hearing our voice, far too many of them died without hearing our warnings. Until he truly awakens my spirit, he will be deaf to my words."

It was hard to tell all the emotions mixed in the Red Dragon Emperor's voice.

Was it rage, loathing, bitterness?

There was clear animosity towards the one that had imprisoned his soul within this Sacred Gear, but it also felt like there was more to it than I was catching on to.

"... I don't get it," I muttered slowly, quite unsure of what to say. "When I made contact with Saji's sacred gear, the soul of Vritra inside it awakened."

The large dragon snorted, releasing a tuft of flame from his nostrils as he heard my words.

"That only means that Vritra's host was closer to awakening than my present partner currently is. You merely gave him a final jolt."

My hands balled into fists, but it was for a brief moment, that a tired breath escaped my lips. "Is there really nothing you can do?"

"It is all up to him, a sacred gear no matter how mighty it may be cannot reach its true potential if the user themselves doesn't have the proper conviction." He finally pulled back his head, features relaxing into something less terrifying and more neutral. "I have my own pride child, those who inherit me shall bear my title of Red Dragon Emperor, a title I shall offer my partners together with as much power as they are able to bear."

… So it was all up to Hyoudou. There was a will to help, but not a proper stage set yet.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I can't really do anything about it, only hope things will change when the time is right.

I did what I could, there wasn't much left for me to do.

"I believe it's time to leave," I said, blinking a few times as I realized one small detail. "Though I'm not sure how to do that?"

The dragon huffed once again, hot air erupting from its snout. "You are within my territory, I can expel your consciousness back to reality if need be."

"That would be appreciated." I cracked a smile, a forced one, but a smile nonetheless.

I paused and froze, quickly waving my arms to stop the dragon before it kicked me out of this place.

"One last thing, before I go," I said in a rush. "Before I encountered you, I was in some other dimension, a weird place full of monuments, one of which I'm sure depicted you. This isn't the first time, it also happened a while back when I came into contact with the Regulus Nemea. Have you ever heard of any place like that?"

"No…" Green eyes narrowed, as he pondered on my words. "I have never heard of a place like you described. If this dimension you talk about is connected in any way with the Sacred Gears, I can think of only one man that might have answers for you."

"That being?"

"The First of the Watchers, the Scapegoat who broke free of the chains of Dudael."

Red light engulfed the dragon, its brilliance growing until all of this dimension was covered in it, and all faded within it.

My consciousness felt like it was dragged away.

"Azazel."

The name echoed within the empty void as my presence was expelled.

Walking back home was about as exciting as the walk we took yesterday to the villa.

When we reached the halfway point we took a break in the shade of a nearby forest. Taking a small snack provided by the Gremory team for our trip.

The whole ordeal with Hyoudou's sacred gear left me with a lot of questions. When I was finally back to reality both of us were quite baffled by the experience, while Hyoudou didn't go through what I did, he said the whole thing felt like a bunch of hands feeling him up all over his body.

All of the information I managed to decipher from his gauntlet did seem useful, most of what I told him was stuff he wasn't aware of so he now at least had some ideas on how to use it.

Not sure how much that will help in the long run, but like he said, any edge he could get was greatly welcomed.

At least it was better than sitting and doing nothing.

After all of that was said and done, we all said our goodbyes and hit the road.

The ruffling of grass got my attention, Sona walked up to me and offered me a bottle of water, I silently took it and she sat next to me. "Did you find anything interesting, Shirou?"

I could only stare in the distance and sigh. "For one thing, apparently Hyoudou has one of the most ridiculous weapons I've ever heard of. "

That gauntlet in its basic form is able to double a user's overall abilities, whether they are physical or supernatural, every ten seconds.

The sheer level of absurdity behind that power is something I have a hard time coming to terms with. To put it in perspective, if given enough time, if a mere ant were to use its abilities, its sheer power could easily curb stomp an elephant.

That thought alone was both amazing and terrifying.

There were several limits and drawbacks to it, but overall, if one were to make the right preparations, they would be nearly unstoppable.

"You don't say." Sona hummed.

"Thanks for not telling me by the way. "

"I did tell everyone."

"Huh?"

"You heard me. I gave everyone a notice about it the moment Rias found out what his sacred gear was." She explained casually, wiping away the sweat from her brow. "Someone however was so immersed in his own problems that he wasn't paying attention. I'm honestly more shocked that you didn't notice it until now. "

Now I felt like an idiot.

"How was I supposed to know, I never saw him use that thing. "

"He did try to use it against Riser the first time they met. "

Now that she mentioned it, he did do that, but I never bothered trying to structurally grasp it. "That was…"

"Right… you were distracted by how Riser was fawning over your mother." Sona smiled, a twisted amusement present in her tone as she spoke.

My face twitched, the memory alone making me want to gag. "Please… just… don't remind me."

This trip was with its ups and downs, but even if I helped just a little in any way, that alone put some ease in my mind.

He wasn't too sure how exactly it happened.

No matter how much he reflected on it, it simply felt random and unusual, to this day it baffles him whenever he looks back on it.

What he did know was that this encounter was one that marked him for the rest of his life.

It was a day like any other.

He was strolling around the estate after his morning tutoring session was done. Nothing new, classes were difficult and his teacher kept nagging that he wasn't paying enough attention to the lessons.

Maybe if he didn't talk so mechanically and detached, perhaps he would be more interested in the content instead of fighting off the urge to take a nap.

When he went to the west wing of the estate, what he did not expect was to bump into someone when turning the corner.

Before he realized it, he landed on his butt, a woman he had never seen before looking at him curiously. "Hello there!"

Strangely this woman didn't even apologize for bumping into him, instead, she smiled. It honestly annoyed him, didn't this woman have any manners?

"Who are you?!" The boy demanded, the irritation clearly present in his voice.

Sadly, it was hardly noticed by the stranger, she instead blinked and pointed at herself. "Me, I'm Irisviel, but my friends call me Iri. What about You?"

"You do not know who I am?"

How could this woman not know who he was, whose house did she think this was. Everyone who visited the estate knew who he was.

This woman on the other hand tilted her head confused. "Well, no, I wouldn't be asking you if I knew now would I?"

The boy wasn't sure if this woman was making fun of him or was an airhead.

He got up from the floor and dusted his clothes, assuming a proper pose. If this woman didn't know who he was, then he would have to tell her personally.

"I am Riser Phenex, third son of the noble house of Phenex, future head of the house, and I demand the respect that I properly deserve." Riser declared proudly as he was taught.

Now all that was left was for this white-haired woman to realize the error of her ways and apologize for her mistake.

… He was waiting and she did nothing of such.

A smile instead formed on her lips, her hands latching onto him without a chance to react.

"Oh, you're just adorable!"

Before Riser knew it, this woman pulled him into a vice-like embrace, ruffling his hair as if he was some dumb pet. It was very embarrassing. "Let go of me, you ingrate!"

That did not work, heck, it only made it worse. "Someone is a big grumpy bird!"

"I'm not a bird!" Riser snapped as he tried to ply himself free, but something happened that made his mind go blank.

This woman had buried his face against her chest.

… It was wrong of him to say this, especially when you considered that he was a devil, but was this bliss he was feeling Heaven?

Such a pleasant warmth, her sweet scent rushing to his head.

What was he doing again?

"There you are Iri, I finished the details on the job and-" Emiya Kiritsugu paused as he caught his wife during one of her usual antics. "Iri, please stop smothering the son of our contractor."

"But he's just so precious!" Irisviel outright denied the request.

It was moments like this that Kiritsugu wished he had some cigarettes on hand. His wife was a particular type of eccentricity that he found himself often unable to properly formulate a plan of counterattack too.

Not one that he was comfortable with implementing at least.

Then again, Kiritsugu also didn't want to explain to the boy's parents that his wife suffocated him to death via her bosom.

That being said, more unique strategies had to be utilized in order to deal with his wife.

With the dead serious face that put crippling fear into his targets, Kiritsugu spoke. "I'll tell Shirou you're cheating on him with other kids."

Iri froze.

Her head slowly turned around to stare at her husband, a look that was half a pout and half glare directed at her hubby. "You wouldn't dare!"

This most likely meant he was sleeping on the couch tonight, but he isn't backing down. "Care to take that risk?"

It was a good minute before the woman finally conceded.

"Fine." She pouted in sheer disappointment. As she backed away and joined her husband, she gave the boy a smile. "It was nice meeting you Riser-kun, I'll see you around."

Riser Phenex had continued to sit in place as if he were a piece of furniture for over an hour, the encounter with the white-haired woman had left him in utter bafflement.

That was the first time he experienced the touch of a woman.

… One that wasn't his mother, at least.

Such would be the future meetings with the woman known as Irisviel Von Einzbern for years to come.

Like a sudden downpour in the middle of a hot summer, this woman would drop by occasionally at his house, always visiting and pestering him with her questionable behavior.

His parents never told him the details about the reason behind these visits, only that her husband was doing some 'contract work' for them and his wife tagged along whenever he came to talk over business.

Each time such a visit took place, Riser would continue to grow frustrated by her.

"Riser-kun, I'm here to play!"

"Riser-kun, can you show me how the flame garden works?"

"Riser-kun, Ravel-chan keeps running away from me!"

Still, not all of their encounters were that bad.

A blonde brow rose as the Phenex heir found his strange acquaintance within the main hall. "You're visiting again, Lady Irisviel?"

Irisviel on her end was smiling radiantly, quite enjoying the way the boy was calling her. "Oh, while it's so nice to be called a Lady, you don't have to force yourself Riser-kun."

"It's proper etiquette to address a woman with the appropriate title."

"Is that so?" Irisviel was aware of such social norms from her old family, but she liked to forget most of the things involving them, so she often acted surprised by the things she was already aware of. Her ruby-colored eyes drifted around the room, admiring the many pieces of art that decorated it, particularly the sculptures. "Say Riser-kun, why are there so many works of art around the estate?"

"They are part of my grandfather's collection. He fancied the works of art and such."

"Wow, this one is really pretty." Irisviel took a moment and took in the details of a certain statue, the sheer amount of detail that was put into it was simply breathtaking.

Riser paused and looked at the one statue the white-haired woman pointed at, not really impressed by it, as he saw it far too many times to count, and that particular one had many similar copies placed throughout the estate. "That's one that my grandfather commissioned. It's modeled after his wife."

"So your grandma." Irisviel nodded and smiled eagerly. "How nice of your grandpa to get this for the woman he loves. I wish someone would make one for me."

Riser wasn't sure what to make of this remark. "Really, of all this, you'd want a statue of yourself?"

"Why not, they're simply marvelous."

"... I see." Riser muttered, he honestly didn't see her point, it was just rock chipped to look like someone.

How hard could it be to sculpt?

That lone question refused to leave the boy's mind.

It denied him peace until he finally got his hands on the right tools and materials.

Obtaining them was easier than he believed, the servants working for the family could obtain most things that he asked for without raising any questions.

The first time he attempted to sculpt, it didn't go as it said in the guidebook. He put far too much force into the hammer, a piece of rock broke and ricocheted into his eye.

If it weren't for his body's regeneration, he would have only one good eye now.

He didn't dare to touch the tools for a month after that.

When he finally got the drive to try sculpting another shot, he made sure he wore proper protection this time. That being said, his second attempt did not end with any stray pieces of rock in his eyes, no, it instead had started very nicely with him missing the chisel when he tried to hit it and instead of hitting his hand.

He couldn't practice for a few days after that due to the mental trauma of his experiences.

Such was the start of his journey in the art of sculpting.

A very long and painful one.

Still, little by little, Riser would eventually learn the basics of the craft and slowly make snail-like progress.

Though the progress he made was never satisfactory enough.

Maybe he was impatient by nature, maybe it was due to being raised in an environment where he always got what he wanted and never had to work for anything, but no matter what amount of advancement he made with his skills, it was never good enough for him.

"No, no, no!" The Phenex boy would fume in frustration, smashing the failed attempt once more. "The jaw is just wrong! Also, her nose wasn't crooked like this!"

The workshop he had made for himself often looked closer to a room from a dilapidated building, with all the pieces of stone and debris scattered across it. "Another failure. I have to start over again."

More than often, the boy wondered why he was even bothering with such a plebian activity. Why was he doing such a time-consuming activity that had no benefit?

Other devils of his status partook in much more refined forms of art, like dance, music, or perhaps literature, not something as demanding and messy as this.

In fact, he was sure that if other devils outside of his family found out about his hobby, he had no doubt they would look down on him.

Yet, he kept on pounding at the satchel, studying books of the domain, polishing on the surfaces.

So much effort, so much time.

So much pain… bruises, scabs, broken nails… those were just a few of the things he had to endure. The healing properties of his bloodline may have made them heal almost instantaneously, but he still felt all of the pain that came with them.

Did he really want to impress that woman so much that he hardly cared about any of that?

Riser couldn't answer this question, not even to himself.

Still, if what was first just a curiosity, one filled with pain and frustration, now was something more than he could have described.

Before he knew it became a unique means of relaxation for him. Quite strange indeed, while sculpting his mind just focused on the task at hand, he was able to forget about the problems that usually plagued him and simply immersed himself in the act.

In spite of the effort and hard work, he would put in each time, at the end of it all he would always come out relaxed.

Time would go by fast, three years had passed since Irisviel's visits began. Yet, he could never bring himself to show any of his works to her, they just weren't on par yet.

And sadly, he may not get the chance to show her the fruits of his labor anymore.

"You won't be visiting anymore?" Riser muttered, though he did not show it, that piece of news shook him deeply.

"Yes, I know I have been visiting quite frequently the past years, but the collaborations my husband has been doing with your parents are at an end, so I doubt I'll be visiting as I did up until now."

"... I don't get it." He muttered slowly, head down and unable to look at her. "You always tagged along, so what changed?"

The air of sadness was something Irisviel could almost see around the child she had been close to these past years.

A forlorn smile formed the woman's lips as she tenderly patted Riser's head.

"You know Riser-kun, there was more to my visits than simply wanting to come over and play," Irisviel admitted, feeling a bit guilty for not telling him earlier. "When I first met you, I was very sick and required extensive treatment in order to recover. "

That little piece of information made Riser flinch, sick… she was sick?

How?

She was always so cheerful and full of life, how could she have been sick all this time?

"I had to take some powerful medication for that, and the person who was providing me with the treatment required some expensive ingredients for it, one of them being Phoenix tears."

Dots began to connect in the boy's head. "So all the jobs your husband took for my family were done in exchange for Phoenix tears."

"That's right." She smiled gently at him. "It took a while, but my health finally stabilized so I don't need to bother you anymore."

That wasn't true…

There might have been times when she could be quite the obnoxious person, but all the times she spent with him were some of the best moments in his life.

"... You were not bothering me that much."

"That might be so, but I do feel that I have been interfering far too much in your life." Irisviel kept patting his head, hoping this will make the goodbye less difficult.

It did not.

Their farewell was a difficult one.

When that difficult day was finally over, Riser didn't know why he felt so odd, he just wandered around the estate.

He couldn't understand why he felt so bothered by all of this, it wasn't like he will never see her again… just that she won't come to visit like she used to.

It was strange.

The next time he went to his workshop, staring at his materials was all he could do for a while.

Though it felt bitter, he took up his tools and went on. That image that he always pictured in his mind still lingered, demanding to be made into reality.

Eyes cracked open and blue orbs stared at the ceiling. Sheets ruffled as he pulled himself up from the bed, staring at the palm of his hands.

Quite a peculiar dream.

In spite of his skin being without any signs of scabs or scars, he could still feel them in spite of not being there, like they were beneath the skin itself.

This sensation always vexed him to no end.

It also made him remember those old days.

Soft fingers caressed his shoulder, strands of purple hair brushing against his face."Is something troubling you, my King?"

"Yubelluna." Riser muttered slowly, mentally kicking himself for waking her so late in the night. "No, just reminiscing about some things."

Vividly dreaming was more accurate, but he didn't mention it.

His Queen's lips curled up ever so slightly. "You were thinking about that woman, weren't you?"

That remark made the young Phenex show an awkward face that was rarely shown. "Am I that transparent?"

"Well, you haven't really been yourself since your little visit to her house." The woman elaborated, recalling how detached her King was when he returned. "Even tonight you were hardly into it."

Now that was just embarrassing for him, both as her King and as a man. "I just… Do you think she is right about my situation with Rias, have I really been trying far too little to make things work between us?"

What he discussed at the Emiya household had been like a concussion to the head, his mind just hadn't been working properly, constantly pondering about what Lady Irisviel had told him.

Something that had been noticed by his peerage, but hardly any of them knew how to help.

Yubelluna herself wasn't very certain how she was supposed to answer her King's dilemma. "Do you want me to answer as your Queen or as a woman?"

Riser wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush.

"As a woman."

"If I would've been in her shoes I would probably have reacted the same way. You are a man that doesn't tend to show your good side to most people. We, your peerage, have seen that beneath that rough exterior you are a man we all love." A sigh escaped her full lips. "Sadly, you didn't get to show your fiance that side when it mattered most, and I fear it may be too late."

Honestly is what he wanted, in spite of how difficult it was to swallow.

"So I screwed up, huh?" He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Very much so."

"… Any chance I can fix things?"

Yubelluna pondered on this for a few moments. "That's…. Hard to tell. It would probably require a lot of time and effort to get your fiance to change her opinion of you."

"Man, this is so complicated. I thought girls were all into bad boys."

Riser would be lying if he said that he didn't put any effort into the way he presented himself to the public. Getting the right type of suit, making sure to keep the right amount of buttons from his shirt open, practicing his confident smile in the mirror.

He may or may not have also asked one of his Bishops to cast a small glam spell on his face to make his eyes look more sharp and intimidating.

Yubeluna was aware of all of this and did not judge Riser for it, everyone had a little something they were a bit insecure about. "Not all women may have the same taste. Some may find your confidence and how you assert dominance attractive, but others not so much, especially people who consider their household as family the way the Gremory house does."

Of course, he knew all of that, similar tastes weren't shared by everyone, but he always thought that Rias would fancy a man like that. "… You girls like it right?"

A mischievous smile graced the Phenex Queen's lips. "As long as you don't take it too far."

"When did I ever take it too far?" Riser asked.

"Remember a while back you decided to give talking in the third person a try?"

"Yes?" He recalled that phase he went through, it got boring real fast so he dropped it, but he never quite consulted his peerage about their input on it.

"That was a major turn-off. " The purple-haired beauty firmly stated.

"... Was it?"

"Most of us were cringing when you talked like that and weren't looking."

Now he felt like a fool. "You could've just told me you know."

"We tried to decide who will be the one to break the news to you, but by the time we decided, you got bored of it." She laughed lightly, recalling how they kept bickering back and forth with each other over this matter.

In hindsight that was a funny thing to talk about on a later date, right now, he still had business to get over. "Be honest with me Luna, how should I deal with the situation at hand?"

"I can't think of a solution sadly, I do not know Rias Gremory that well." She did ponder about it, but whatever ideas that came forth hardly mattered so late in the game. "I do suppose that woman's advice has some merit, the part about you thinking through what you truly want was good."

That was easier said than done. For so long his most important concern had been his engagement, he never really thought about where he was heading with his life in the long term.

As much as he liked to gloss over the whole situation, being engaged with Rias did have its downsides that have been like an invisible weight on his shoulders. From the moment his engagement to her was made public knowledge it felt like there was a spotlight placed over him, and not a pleasant one at that.

After all, this was the little sister of Sirzechs Lucifer, it would have been impossible not to happen. Often the subject of their relationship was brought up at gatherings and such, at first it was bearable, but in time it grew more and more obnoxious.

People prying into his private life, trying to get information as to why they aren't ever together at various events, or if there were any problems with their relationship.

Baseless rumors would appear in time, the kind of rumors that painted both him and his family in a bad light. If Rias believed that she was the only one entitled to be frustrated by their situation, she was sorely mistaken.

"Luna, she has made her choice. As much as she may accuse our families of forcing her into this if she truly despised the idea to the very core she had the option to renounce her heritage and be free to do whatever she wanted."

A somber look formed on the Queen's face. "We both know such a choice is not so simple to make, for various reasons."

That was never a choice to be made.

Those born within the upper echelons of the devil hierarchy were more than just nobility, they were symbols to the lower masses. Those who bore the blood, history, and tradition of the Seventy-Two Pillars, their very existence was to be admired and craved for.

If those bearing such prestige were to denounce their heritage, it would denigrate the very idea of what they are supposed to be seen as.

To renounce one's heritage is the greatest insult one could do for their family, the equivalent of spitting in their face. For a girl like Rias Gremory, one who held such love and respect for her family, she couldn't bring herself to humiliate them in such a way.

A certain devil had done so in the past, her love for the man that would one day take the Throne of Lucifer being strong enough to bear that scorn.

It did not spare her of the sheer disdain her fellow devils would harbor for her for centuries to come and only a combination of hard work, power, and sheer grit managed to overturn them eventually.

Rias Gremory was intimately aware of this story, and she knew that giving up was never an option, to begin with.

I didn't know what to expect as the remaining days went by, all of us had gathered and watched the Rating Game between the Gremory and Phenex teams as it happened live.

As the game went on, things looked like they were going the ORC's way, however during the latter half of the match however took a turn for the worse.

I got up from my seat and left the room in a rush, punching the nearby wall the moment I was outside.

My eyes drifted as I heard footsteps behind me, Tsubaki-senpai was staring at me in concern. "Shirou… "

I avoided looking at her, choosing to stare at the wall instead, not wanting her to see whatever expression I may have on my face. "... I'm fine."

My answer caused a reaction from the long-haired girl. Soft arms wrapped around my midsection, her face resting against my back. "No, you're not."

Teeth gritted against each other, trying to hold back this bubbling frustration within me, I slowly reached for her hand, grasping it, the warmth holding me in place. "Just… just give me some time to ."

From the room I left, the conclusion of the game had been announced loud and clear.

"[Rias Gremory has forfeited the game. Riser Phenex is the winner.]"

Omake: The paw-man 2

Fou was having such mixed feelings.

Contrary to what all the people around him believed, he was far smarter than he led on. That being said, he was aware of the things he did and their consequences.

It was because of that reason that he did indeed feel bad for what he did with his new owner's little sister. Iyllasviel was a good and cute kid. Sure she can be a bit too overbearing at times, like petting him excessively, dressing him up for tea parties with that sweet Miyu girl who skillfully stroked his ears, or calling him 'Lord Fluffykins', that last one admittedly made him want to rip his own tail off.

All of that aside, Illya was a nice girl, so he felt bad about making her worry the way he did.

He'd make it up for her later somehow.

For now, he was wondering how he could make it up to his new owner. He was feeling a bit bad for fighting with him and throwing him under the bus like that to Illya. But he had to escape, he drew the line at wearing a bonnet, adorable he may be but he was still a male! He had his dignity damn it!

Hm?

Oh look, his owner is back. Sadly he sure looked stressed, very much so.

Wait, if he was heading towards the bath area. Was he going in for a late-night dip in the hot spring?

That's a good idea, he could use some relaxation. Like the girl with the really long hair wearing glasses on the woman's side that went in earlier.

… The girl with really long hair wearing glasses.

An ominous glint flickered in Fou's eyes as an idea struck him.

The furry white critter rushed onward and took a detour, after exploring the villa the past few hours he pretty much knew his way around the place, such as a shortcut to the hot spring.

He arrived at the two doors that separated the male and female areas, using some of his innate magical abilities it was a breeze to swap the signs with each other. Then jumping in a nearby towel basket to camouflage himself, right on time as his owner stepped in.

When Shirou was gone, he popped his head out of the basket with a smug grin on his face.

Mission successful.

He did his part, it was all now up to Shirou to seal the deal.

For now, he will enjoy the fluffy towels before leaving.

However, the sudden noise from the outside made Fou hide back in the basket once more, just as Akeno Himejima stepped inside and started to unrobe.

When she went inside, Fou left his hiding place and let out a short bark of disappointment as he clicked his teeth.

So close… so close.

Just great, his owner got cockblocked again, this time by the closet dominatrix.

Either he was losing his touch or Shirou just had really bad luck with women.

Author Note:

Welp, this took far too long to update than it should have. Initially things were supposed to go a bit different this chapter but I ended up scrapping a lot of stuff.

Riser Phenex, the so-called first villain of the DxD series… yeah, i'm just gonna stop right there and say pause, the guy was never a villain. Guy was just a dick in my opinion, but nothing more. He honestly doesn't deserve the hate he often gets because it's misplaced. Because a lot of people see him as one of the villains of the series so they go in with the expectations for one and are left kinda disappointed by the end of his arc. Which is a mistake since he isn't really a villain in the regula sense, its not like he actually had some evil plan or activly wants to murder the good guys.

So I am apparently doing something that I rarely have seen (scrap that, i don't think that i saw this done in a dxd fic), that being trying to make Riser a sympathetic character. I mean, more than often, authors seem to go above and beyond to make him a bigger piece of shit that he was in canon, make the hate for him stronger so when he gets his ass handed it feels that sweet.

That's kinda easy if you ask me, say stuff like he brainwashed his harem, or that he is an abuser or whatever.

What I don't think that i've ever seen is someone trying to peel away the douchebag layer and show what's beneath it as well as his side of the story. It's easy to blame all of the shit going on with this whole engagement on him, but relationships are a two way deal, so logically, Rias has her own fault into this.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to shift the blame on Rias, but you can't say that she doesn't have her share of mistakes here.

To put it simply, Riser is still a dick overall, but he is still a person with his own problems and issues.

Anything else…?

Ah, yes, Shirou is also apparently getting rather close to Tsubaki, but I doubt that's your main concern.

Anyhow, the next chapter is the engagement party, and let's just say I'm planning to spice things up compared to what happens in canon.

In FGO news, my chaldea has new members: Calamity Jane, Space Ishtar, Super Orion, Chevalier, Ganesha, Saber Astolfo, Arjuna alter (GSSR nice!), Yang guifei, Saber Diarmund, Nezha, Circe, Cu Alter, Grand ROMA, Berserker Raiko, and finally OG Seiba Artoria (SSR ticket, the Fuyuki gang is finally back together)

P.S. Apparently in my infinite wisdom I published a new fate x rwby fic called 'Fate: Tainted Sword', yeah, that's a thing… Well, i'm going dark route with that story focusing on Shirou and Salem, so if you want something that explores trauma, depression and other of that fun stuff, maybe give it a read.

Don't forget to review... no seriously review; I could use some constructive criticism.