77 The Pests

"Is that so?~ you praise me with your choice, Richter-sama!" Albedo giggled and swung happily around the courtyard while Rias looked at me with a slight gasp.

Both Sona and Seekvaira regarded me with gazes filled with either confusion or reproach as if wondering why they were not included.

I can't say that they're not special, but Albedo's physical strength and aura attract me, while Rias' destructive auras arouse my interest.

"It is a pleasure that Richter-sama has show interest in my future wife, that means that I, Raiser, have a good eye~"

The blondie from before approached together with the green-haired fellow that was together with the baldie satan. I didn't pay much attention to them at first; the boy's peculiarities are indeed worth commenting on, however, the same could be said about his father and brother, they have the name 'Phoenix' engraved in them, but they're far from being able to compare with the bird.

They arrived and the girls immediately became uncomfortable, especially with Raiser, Rias seemed to be looking at him with rebellion and refusal.

"I have not yet accepted to be married to you, Raiser!"

"It is just a matter of time, Rias... why can't you understand that this is for sake of both our families?~" the boy chuckled, looking at her up and down.

"Are you still a virgin, Seekvaira?~"

I frowned at the green-haired boy's comment, his comment was rather... sudden.

The aforementioned beauty looked at him in disgust.

"Bastard, as brash as always, clear out, you're making Richter-sama uncomfortable!"

"Hmph! we merely came to greet the Dragon God, surely Richter-sama wouldn't"

"You two are in fact making me uncomfortable... so how about leaving before I get angry?~"

!!!

"Y-YES!"

I don't have time to talk with those fellows, just like the girls they're obviously considering their ground and trying to pull out a 'relationship' something obviously impossible.

It was even impossible for the gorgeous beauties beside, much more so for them... the only clan I had a relationship with was the Lucifuge, through Grayfia.

"Thank you, he gets on my nerves all the time" Rias sighed and thanked me, it is not like I did it for her. Phoenixes are such rancorous beings, The Primordial of Life, an Ancient Phoenix; still harbours resentment towards me for rejecting her back then... alas, Monique seemed to have some feud with her, so it was impossible.

"No need, I don't like phoenixes, moreover... the green-haired runt is rude. To think he'd ask you something like that, Seekvaira. You're obviously a virgin".

"Hmph! He and his family of pagans don't-! w-wait! how do you know!? wait! I-I'm not a virgin or anything!" The heiress of the Agares Family became a mess.

"It is normal for all of us to be virgins, we are all expected to marry another family to increase our family's status in the underworld. For that purpose, this status is needed, why, does our lack of experience make us undesirable in your eyes, Richter-sama?" Albedo smirked wickedly, instead of diverting the topic, she exhausted it.

Her enquiry drew the gazes of all the girls towards me, how preposterous... they felt disgusted for the green-haired boy just now and yet here they are, curious about my opinion in the matter.

Destiny once told me, treasures will make you resemble a singularity in a white universe; attracting everything and everyone.

"My tastes in women isn't something you should be concerned about, Albedo," I said that and disposed myself to return to the main hall, leaving the girls behind.

**

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[Rias's POV]

As I watched his back I bit my lips. Richter Golden-Haze.

I don't know what to think about him, being the heiress of the Gremory I never lacked suitors; Raiser was just the 'best' one out there.

Even then, I never felt so absolutely hopeless against someone... he's so unreachable that... I don't know why I even bother trying. Let alone how attractive he is, the fact that Raiser gets scared like the chicken he is whenever this man is around, fills me with an unprecedented sense of retribution.

He could end all of my troubles with a word... but my problems are not his concern.

I looked to the side and found the rest of the girls looking at him the same way. We all have ambitions and dreams... Sona wants to create a school for all species to become stronger in the underworld and be able to participate in rating games.

I know Seek-chan wants her territory's capital to surpass even the human world in infrastructure and organisation.

As for Albedo, she's my rival... she and I don't go along but I can imagine... what she wants is to create a better place for Nephilims.

All of us... just by getting him, could make our dreams and ambitions a reality.

Then I thought about myself... what is my dream? my ambition... my life right now is so chaotic; all I ever desire is freedom, to not have to marry someone I don't love.

If I marry Raiser, I know exactly what fate has in store for me... years and years of being used as his plaything while my peerage suffers, I can't allow it... but what can I do? Raiser is stronger than me, his peerage is stronger than mine. My parents and even my elder brother support him.

There is nothing I can do.

"Richter-sama is indeed a character~ I wonder if I could manage to get a piece of that"

"You're dreaming, Nephilim"

"Do you think you have a better chance? rejected-san~"

"You-"

"Stand back like the sheltered princesses you are will invade his eyes. Especially you, Rias~ it would be a problem if the fiance of the Phenex is seen around acting coquettishly with other men" She giggled and cast her hair aside, leaving Seekvaira and Sona and me furrowing our brows at her comment.

I hate this woman so much. Her beauty is equivalent to mine, and although she is not 'strong' her intelligence is not any less than her father, Ajuka-sama's.

She is not going to be the heiress of the Astaroth Clan, the first in line is Diodora, and the second is Latia-chan.

That said, her potential is not any lower when it comes to runes and magic arrays, something that she learned from her father. As a Nephilim, she has it difficult, but Albedo has managed to come far despite her circumstances.

The others might think I just hate her but in truth, I envy her... she's so free; it is one of her advantages as a Nephilim if it could be called that. She won't be asked to marry anyone because no Noble Family in the underworld would ever want a Nephilim.

I saw her walking towards Richter-sama, catching up to him to start her banter as the three of us stayed behind; I know Sona is not interested, but Seek-chan was.

She has had her eyes glued on him the whole time.

'Should I try?' that's what I thought, what I hoped... but compared to them I was already at a disadvantage. Richter-sama and onii-sama don't see each other in the eye.

"What are you going to do, Rias?"

"What is there to do, Sona...? he is going to leave eventually, and Lady Grayfia has a very close relationship with him too".

"I see, so will you give up?" Seekvaira asked me.

"Give up? I haven't even started, don't tell me you-"

"I want to... chase... after him..."

"Are you insane?! half of your city..."

"That's one of the reasons... I want him in my Agares Clan!" The beauty crossed her arms as if she took the most determined decision in her life. I can't believe her, where is she taking that confidence from?

Would Akeno have this sort of confidence as well? while I sulk...

"You know, when she gets something in her head she won't stop until she achieves it or fails miserably" Sona rubbed her temples in exasperation as Seekvaira ran to chase after Richter-sama and Albedo.

"What about you, Sona?"

"I know when to admit defeat... he is well beyond my reach... moreover, n-nee-sama seems to be... interested..."

"Serafall-sama?!" I couldn't believe it, that sis-con, otaku?!

"Well, I don't know if she's 'interested' in that sort of way but she hasn't stopped speaking of him ever since he called her 'sera-tan', we're starting to believe that he is going to become something 'special' for her" She sighed; we began walking as I thought about my possibilities.

I have never chased after a boy in my life.

'M-Maybe I should try... he did say that I and Albedo caught his interest, do I have a chance?'