Chapter 6

|3rd POV|

Giovanni Phenex looks at his youngest son with pride in his eyes. What is in front of him is Riser fighting against his rook, Angelo, alone. His rook might not be the strongest person in his entire peerage, but he is still a peak High-Class devil.

*BOOM*

He can see Riser release twenty blue butterflies toward Angelo, creating a chain explosion. Riser has been working hard for the past two years, and the result already shows itself.

"Go, Riser!"

Standing next to him is Rias Gremory, who has come to his home to play with Riser. In the past month, she became a close friend to Riser and even fell in love with him. She might not be affected by the full power of the lure from the catalog, but Riser still gets the knowledge from [Sticky Finger] that lets him know how she likes to be touched. She will not get addicted to his touch, but Rias still likes his touch.

Combining this with Riser's new behavior, Rias slowly but surely falls for him. It is to the point that she did not make a fuss about being engaged to Riser.

"Shout your attack, Riser! It gives you power!"

Rias shouts with a grin on her face. She knows Riser hates it when he shouts his attack, but she likes it when he does. It is like watching a real-life anime fight.

Riser sighs a little but decides to humor her.

"Winter Serpent!"

After he shouts that, a massive serpent made of ice appears above him and attacks Angelo, who raises his shield to block the incoming beast. However, once the ice serpent hits the shield, Angelo's body slowly gets frozen.

Angelo pushes his shield and jumps to the side before his body gets frozen solid. However, before he can get far, Riser appears in front of him and thrusts his fist forward.

"Steam Rush!"

Riser combines both fire and water to create a very hot steam. Angelo might be able to block Riser's attack, but the steam released from Riser's hand burns his hand from the heat it generates.

Angelo grits his teeth and pushes Riser away before jumping away from him. However, before he can get far, three tentacles made of lava appear from the ground and surround Angelo.

Angelo smiles and raises his hand.

"You win, young master."

Riser smiles and cancels his spell. He walks toward Angelo and gives him a small vial.

"Thank you for the spar, Angelo. Here, use this."

Angelo nods his head and drinks the vial. A second later, his entire body starts to heal up, and he is back to one hundred percent.

"Thank you, young master."

"Don't mention it."

Riser looks to the side and sees his father walk toward him alongside his mother and Rias. I smile a little when Rias runs toward him and jumps toward him. He laughs and spins Rias around.

"How is my fight, Rias?"

"It was great! You are like POW! Then BAM!"

"Then I'm glad."

Release her and look at my father.

"Father. How is it?"

"You have been growing into a powerful young man. With this, I will not worry about you joining the Rating Games."

"I will not disappoint you, father."

"You would never disappoint me, Riser. Anyway, you should be cleaning your body. The servant has already prepared a large feast for your Age of Maturity ceremony."

"Of course, father."

After saying that, Rias and Riser walk through the corridor of the mansion. While walking, Rias looks at Riser and says,

"Riser, you are finally going to start your career as a Rating Games, huh?"

"Yeah. What is it? Are you jealous?"

Riser chuckles and messes with her head. Rias pouts and throws his hand away from her head.

"Yeah. I want to join you in the Rating Games! I already have a candidate for my peerage!"

Rias' future members already gather around her. The first one is Akeno, who she got when she and Souji Okita visited Japan. The second she recruits is Yuuto Kiba when she visits Italy alongside her brother. The third one she recruits is Koneko Toujo after that incident.

Riser already knows when she will recruit Gasper Vladi as he already heard about Rias visiting Romania in two months.

Even though he is already closer to Rias, he is still jealous of how easy she is getting her peerage member.

'Well, I cannot complain about it because I am also the same.'

Riser thought while he remembered his father giving him a twin Nekomata and a Miko.

=/ Flashback /=

"Riser, these people are from the family who want to do business with our family. Their family offers them to be your peerage member."

Riser looks at a twin Nekomata and beautiful Miko kneeling in front of him.

""We will be in your care, nyaa~""

"I will be in your care from now on, young lord."

Riser can only sigh before saying.

"Get up."

The three of them get up and look at anything but at his eyes. Riser sighs once again and says.

"Look at me right in the eyes and tell me your goal. Don't tell me what the others want for you! I want you to tell me your real goal! Tell me what your heart desires! I don't want someone who does not have any goal in life."

The first one to say something is blue-haired Nekomata, who looks him right in the eyes and says.

"I want to be the best martial artist in the world! I want to prove to the people in Japan that I can be something more than just a dumb cat!"

As if the floodgate had been opened up, her sister, the red-haired Nekomata, also started to talk.

"I want to be other than Li! I want to be something more! Something that can make my grandparents proud of me!"

Riser then looks at the last person, who takes a deep breath and finally looks him right in the eyes.

"I want to be the best healer and doctor in the world! I want to help as many people as possible!"

Riser gets up from his seat and says.

"Then I, Riser Phenex, shall take you under my wings! As long as you want to work hard, I will make sure to fulfill your dream!"

=/ End of Flashback /=

Riser shakes his head and says.

"You didn't need to worry about it, Rias. One more year and you will be able to recruit more peerage members, no?"

"But one year is long!"

Riser pats her head and says.

"Don't worry. One year is not long. You will not notice it. How about this? How about I train you and your future peerage member?"

"Eh? Are you sure, Riser? You will be busy from now on, right?"

Riser stops and turns her head so she can look him right in the eyes.

"I always have time for you, Rias. We are soon-to-be husband and wife, right?"

Rias' face gets redder and redder in the seconds before she finally looks away.

"Hmph! I-It still a long time before we are married!"

"Hahahaha! You are right. We will be married when you reach your Age of Maturity in three more years, right?"

"T-That is a long time! Get your mind off the gutter!"

"Hahahaha! Sure. Sure."