Life. ∞ vs Power ∞ I Came to Keep My Promise! & Part 1

When I wake up, there is a familiar ceiling above me.

——It's my room.

...Why am I here?

I try to remember desperately of what happened.

...I was supposed to be having a match. The [Rating Game] between Buchou and Raiser. The stage was the replica of the school I go to.

Our base was the old school building, and I was running through the battlefield along with Kiba and Koneko-chan, aiming towards the enemy's base which was the new school building.

Koneko-chan fell, Kiba fell, Akeno-san fell, and then——.

Then I got my mind straight.

What happened to Buchou!? The match!? The outcome!? Did we defeat Raiser!? Why—am I here?

When I got my upper body up.

"It looks like you are awake."

The woman next to me speaks to me. The silver haired maid, Grayfia-san.

"Grayfia-san! The match? What happened to Buchou!?"

"Raiser-sama won the match. Rias-ojousama resigned."

——! I-It can't be... I got speechless. I don't know what to say.

Did I lose? Was I beaten by Raiser?

——Shameful.

I'm such a shameful and useless guy...

I acted so big and I couldn't do anything and went down right in front of Buchou...

I'm weak... Why am I so weak...? Even Asia could have continued to live as a human if I was a bit stronger back then.

Even for Buchou, if I could have used my Sacred Gear even more effectively, it wouldn't have ended like this...

I can't stop myself from crying. Even if Grayfia-san is next to me, I didn't stop myself from crying. I'm so frustrated. I feel so shameful at myself. I'm so weak. And I'm so pathetic...

"Currently, the engagement party for Ojou-sama and Raiser-sama is taking place. It's at the assembly hall in the Underworld that was prepared by the House of Gremory."

"...Where are Kiba and the others?"

"They went to escort Ojou-sama. The only ones who aren't at the hall who are related to them are Issei-sama and Asia-sama."

Asia? So Asia didn't go.

"Due to Rias-sama's wish, Asia-sama stayed here with me taking care of you, Issei-sama. She went downstairs to get a new towel for you."

I see. So Buchou left Asia by my side for me...

Looks like I made her worry about me.

Buchou... Engagement... It's probably the middle of the party right now...

"...Can't you come to agree with this?"

That's how Grayfia-san asked me.

"Yes. Even if the battle is over, I can't come to accept it."

"You do know that Rias-ojousama obeyed the family's decision?"

"I understand that! I know that! Even so I—"

I can't agree with something Buchou is against! I don't want to see Buchou who has to obey her parents against her will! That bastard! I don't want to hand Buchou to a bastard like that!

I understand it. This is jealousy. I'm feeling really jealous towards that bastard as a same guy! I don't want to hand over Buchou to someone like him!

"Fufufu."

Suddenly, Grayfia-san laughs quietly. It's my first time seeing her smile. She always seems cold and calm...

"You are a very interesting person. For a long time I have seen many Devils, however it is my first time seeing someone like you who shows what you are thinking with your face, and acts accordingly to what you believes in. My master, Sirzechs-sama, was watching your effort in the battle from another place and said that you were "interesting" you know?"