The next day, Kuoh Academy.
Roy, Rias, and others walked into the academy under the eyes of everyone, then separated as usual to go to their respective classes.
"Good morning, Rias."
On the way to the third-year school building, Rias met a group of student council members, led by Sona.
Sona approached with a smile and greeted her.
"Good morning, Sona."
Buoyed by yesterday's events, Rias maintained an elegant smile, glancing at the council members behind Sona.
"Out from the student council so early? You must be busy."
"School activities have piled up, so we're handling some tasks early," Sona explained, then smiled.
"Congratulations on escaping your engagement to Riser Phenex."
"I haven't told you yet. How did you know?" Rias asked, surprised, then chuckled.
"You're always so well-informed."
"Not quite," Sona replied, shaking her head.
"It's news nearly every devil in the Underworld knows."
"What's going on?" Rias asked, confused.
"You haven't heard?" Sona said, finding Rias's ignorance odd.
"Last night, the Gremory clan announced the dissolution of your engagement to Riser Phenex, along with your new fiancé—the current red dragon emperor."
"The Underworld's buzzing."
Sona eyed Rias curiously, amused that she seemed unaware of her own life's major news.
"What were you doing last night to miss something this big?" Sona asked.
"We celebrated breaking the engagement and slept until dawn," Rias said, her tone slightly awkward.
The celebration hadn't lasted late, but her love making with Roy had led to a tired night, keeping them up until exhaustion.
"When did you get so carefree?" Sona said, smiling wryly.
Such a pivotal moment, and Rias had slept through the fallout.
"I may have indulged a bit," Rias admitted, embarrassed.
"What's the deal with you and Roy? Fiancé already?" Sona asked, intrigued.
"That's a fast leap."
"We're officially dating," Rias said, smiling openly.
"Dating?" Sona paused, then nodded.
"Makes sense. You wouldn't accept another arranged match unless you truly cared."
Rias agreed silently.
Her engagement to Riser had been a clan decision, but her bond with Roy was her choice.
"Thanks to Roy, the engagement ended," Rias said.
"No one expected his connection to the Phenex clan."
"Indeed," Sona said, nodding.
"But your engagement to Roy has stirred some resentment."
"Many young devils want to challenge him."
Rias, as the Gremory heiress and Satan Lucifer's sister, was a coveted prize.
Even Roy's status didn't deter some devils, who felt a human unworthy of a pure-blood like Rias.
Roy had become a target of envy and spite.
They wouldn't dare confront him in Kuoh Town, Gremory territory.
Challenging Roy there would insult the clan, regardless of his strength.
"My father and brother are too eager, spreading this news," Rias said, shaking her head.
"They're causing trouble for me."
Despite her words, her smile betrayed her amusement.
"Talking to you always leaves me a bit envious," Sona sighed.
"Congrats, Rias. You found someone you love."
"My problem's solved, but what about you?" Rias asked, glancing at Sona.
As besties, Rias and Sona shared much—noble devil lineage, powerful siblings, and unwanted engagements.
Sona, too, sought to escape her clan's arranged marriage.
"I don't have a boyfriend with cosmic luck to help me," Sona said, mixing blessing with envy.
"But I'll gather my peerage and end my engagement before graduation."
"Rating Game?" Rias asked, surprised.
A Rating Game victory, with the engagement as the stake, was the most direct and authoritative way to dissolve it.
"You've found another piece," Rias said, noting a nervous boy in the student council smiling at her.
"This is Saji Genshirou, a second-year, my new pawn. He's a Sacred Gear user."
"Hi, Rias-senpai! I'm Saji Genshirou," Saji said, bowing respectfully.
"Congrats, Sona. Another step toward your peerage," Rias said, nodding to Saji.
"That's your second male servant."
Sona's prior peerage was mostly female.
Taking a male servant signaled both Saji's potential and her urgency to complete her roster.
"Second?" Sona said, puzzled.
"There's a reincarnated devil in Roy's class, one of your servants, right?" Rias asked.
To recruit Roy, Rias had visited his class and noticed a reincarnated devil among his peers.
"I've only taken Saji as a second-year servant," Sona looked confused.
"Not yours?" Rias's expression turned grave.
If neither Sona nor Rias had reincarnated that boy, another high-class devil had entered Kuoh Town, turning a student into a reincarnated devil.
It echoed the Phenex clan's recent meddling.
"We need to investigate," Rias said, thoughtful.
"Sona, after school, I'll summon that boy to the Occult Research Club. Come by to check it out."
"Alright," Sona agreed, then departed with her council.
Rias, her mind heavy with suspicion, returned to her class.
After school in the afternoon.
Roy received a text from Rias, asking him to bring Issei to the Occult Research Club.
He could guess why—Issei's status as a reincarnated devil had piqued Rias's interest.
"Roy, why does Rias-senpai want me? To join the club?" Issei asked, buzzing with excitement as he followed Roy and Yuuto to the Occult Research Club.
"Maybe not as you're hoping," Roy replied casually as he pushed open the clubroom door.
Inside, Rias, Sona, and Akeno awaited—the school's top three beauty.
Issei's eyes sparkled with awe, usually only seeing them from afar.
"Greetings, Hyoudou Issei."
"I'll be direct. Who is your master?"
Read advance chapters at:
200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter