Rias's expression darkened further upon seeing Riser, her displeasure palpable to everyone in the room.
His grating, overly familiar tone only deepened her scowl.
"Riser, we're not close enough for you to ask me like that," Rias said, her voice dripping with unconcealed disgust.
Her gaze was icy, oblivious to the fact that Riser's eyes weren't on her but fixed on Roy beside her—a natural oversight, given how closely she and Roy stood, their intimacy clear.
"This is my territory," Rias continued sharply.
"Where else would I be? Don't barge in spouting nonsense."
Riser ignored her, his stare locked on Roy, shock and fury warring in his expression.
"That's what I'd like to ask," Roy said, a playful smile curling his lips.
Feigning confusion, he added, "Buddy, what are you doing here?"
"Buddy?" The word stunned Akeno, Koneko, Yuuto, and Rias.
Even Grayfia glanced at Roy, her curiosity piqued.
"Why I'm here is none of your concern!" Riser snapped, his temper flaring.
Roy had left a sour impression from their first encounter, and meeting him again in Kuoh Town felt like a cruel twist.
Twice in the human world, twice crossing paths with this infuriating human.
"Answer me! Why are you here?" Riser demanded, his voice thick with irritation.
"Your head's always been a bit slow, but now your eyes are failing too?" Roy replied, his tone mockingly exasperated.
"Can't you see I'm in Kuoh Academy's uniform?"
Riser's gaze flicked to Roy's attire, and the sight nearly sent him into a rage.
Roy's arm was wrapped around Rias's waist, their closeness screaming affection.
"You—!" Riser's forehead veins pulsed, a fiery aura flaring as if his head might combust.
"Get your filthy hands off Rias, you brat!" he roared.
"Buddy, you're overstepping," Roy said, rolling his eyes.
"What's it to you if I hold my girlfriend?"
"Human, are you begging to die?" Riser's aristocratic facade shattered, his voice raw with fury.
Flames erupted around him.
"Riser, what do you think you're doing?" Rias stepped in front of Roy, her eyes blazing.
A surge of crimson demonic power radiated from her, matching Riser's intensity.
"Try touching Roy, and I'll make you regret it," she said, her voice cold as steel.
"Lord Riser, restrain yourself," Grayfia's gaze pinning Riser.
"An incident here would complicate matters for us."
"Rias, you too," she added, glancing at her.
"Fine, for the Underworld's strongest Queen, I'll hold back," Riser said, dousing his flames with visible effort.
"But I demand an explanation!"
His suppressed rage was palpable, the grievance cutting deep.
This wasn't the first time Roy had humiliated him.
During his last attempt to dissolve an engagement, Roy had infuriated him, defended by his sister.
Now, his fiancée, Rias, shielded Roy too. The parallels were galling.
Rias nodded, her demonic power receding as the tension eased.
"Lord Riser, Rias, Lord Roy," Grayfia said, addressing them calmly. "Let's sit and discuss this. I believe we're all curious about the connection between Lord Riser and Lord Roy."
"Only by clarifying this can we address the Gremory-Phenex matter."
"Lord Roy?" Riser blinked, thrown by Grayfia's honorific but dismissing it as deference to Rias.
"I'll make tea," Akeno giggled with intrigue.
She slipped into the compartment, swiftly brewing a pot of black tea.
Riser sat on the sofa opposite Rias, his face a mask of resentment.
Rias and Roy sat together, their closeness radiating the easy intimacy of lovers, further stoking Riser's frustration.
"This is Riser Phenex, a pure-blood high-class devil and third son of the esteemed Phenex clan," Grayfia said, glancing at Roy.
"He is also Rias's fiancé."
"That name sounded familiar," Roy said, feigning sudden realization. "So you're the one engaged to Rias… Buddy!"
"Shut up, human! I'm not your buddy!" Riser barked, bristling. "Stop acting like we're kin!"
He was certain Roy had nearly slipped up, intending a different jab.
"Buddy, don't be so cold!" Roy said, grinning as if they were old friends. "We almost became family. Remember how well we got along?"
"Almost family?" Rias asked, her curiosity piqued.
Akeno returned with the tea tray, pouring cups for everyone. "Tea, please," she said, smiling, then stood by the sofa, clearly eager for the gossip.
Koneko, Yuuto, and Asia leaned in, waiting for Roy's explanation.
"It's no big deal," Roy said, his hand subtly brushing Rias's waist as he spoke, eliciting a faint blush from her. "My family had a marriage contract with the Phenex clan's forebears."
"It was dormant until my generation, when I was set to fulfill it with Ravel. But we dissolved it last summer."
Riser's jaw clenched, Roy's casual touch on Rias pushing him to the edge.
Only Grayfia's presence kept him in check.
"I've never heard of the Phenex clan engaging with humans," Grayfia said, nodding thoughtfully. "This connection is unexpected."
Devil clans, with their pride, often scorned humans. The Phenex clan, while less overt in their disdain, valued pure bloodlines.
A human marriage contract was surprising, especially without foreknowledge of Roy's Sekiryuutei status, which no one could've predicted generations ago.
"Just an old promise," Riser muttered dismissively.
Rias shot him a mocking glance. "So the Phenex clan breaks engagements too," she said, her voice laced with scorn.
The news wasn't enough to end her engagement, but it gave her leverage to challenge it.
"Got a problem with that?" Riser snapped. "It wasn't suitable, so it ended. Simple."
"No problem at all," Rias said, her mood visibly lifting.
"Now that my history with this human is clear, explain your situation," Riser glared at Roy and Rias.
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200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter