A Tasteless Encounter (1/3)

[Few Minutes Prior — Occult Research Club, Kuoh]

{Rias Gremory}

"Thank you, Asia." 

The girl smiled gleefully. "I'm glad that I could help."

It was fortunate that we had a healing-type Sacred Gear user around. These types of gears were quite rare, and finding a user of it was a challenging task.

Thankfully, one thing led to another, and now we have Asia with us.

"Thank you, Asia." Akeno also expressed her appreciation. "I feel much better now."

She had injured her ribs, and Asia fixed them with ease.

Twilight Healing might just be the strongest healing-type gear one can find.

"Koneko and Kiba wanted to go out for some fresh air," Akeno sighed. "But you know they really went out to scout the place."

"Yeah…" I knew how they were. They didn't want to make me worry, so they used the excuse of wanting to go out for fresh air. But what they actually went out for was to ensure that no more annoying people were lurking around.

"Tea?"

"I just had coffee, Akeno." I declined the offer, despite her tea being better than any drug for relaxation.

"I also had coffee." Asia was the same as me. "But I would love to try your tea another time!"

I loved how she was always so energetic. She had gone through a lot but remained so lively.

"I know Reo won't be staying for the night. He needs to go back. Would you like to stay here, or should I arrange a hotel or apartment for you?"

"I-It's alright." She was shy. "I can sleep on the couch."

"You don't have to." That was unacceptable—her sleeping on a couch. "Don't worry, we have enough beds."

She nodded meekly, too embarrassed to say anything else.

She is cute.

"Thank you."

We sat around talking and gossiping about many things, from her childhood to how she was excommunicated.

"You were rejected for… healing a devil?"

That sounded unfair.

Why was kindness met with her being kicked out?

"It was just a rule I broke, and I deserved punishment for it." She didn't even sound sad about it.

"Would you have helped the devil if you knew his real identity?"

I expected her to say no.

But to my surprise...

"I would have." She said with a bright smile, confusing me greatly.

"But then wouldn't you have knowingly broken the rule?" Akeno asked, just as amused as I was.

However, the girl wasn't flustered by the question.

"Sometimes, our Father in Heaven wants to test us, which is why we face these dilemmas." She maintained her happy smile. "When faced with such situations, we should always help the unfortunate, no matter who they are or what the reward or punishment might be. That's what a good Christian should always do."

She… She is too good for this world. 

I'm happy that Reo found her before anyone else and I am so glad that she is safe.

I cannot imagine what this cruel world would have done to her.

"And… you don't mind us being devils?" Akeno asked, staring at her face to read her emotions.

However, the girl showed no emotions other than her cheerful one.

"I don't." She said, "You are good devils. You helped me, and Reo also believes in you. So, you are all good people."

How… How kind?

She is just too good for this world, isn't she?

"You two talk, I will arrange the bed for Asia." Akeno said as she stood up.

"Alright."

I thought of asking Asia a few more things about her stay with the exorcists, but…

That was cut short.

"Then arrange another bed for Riser too~"

By an unexpected, unwelcome voice.

A voice that sent chills down my spine.

…

…

{Quest: Show the Phenex that immortality is not a boon but a bane!

Defeat Riser Phenex!}

{Reward: Intermediate Elemental Magic}

{Additional Quest: Defeat Riser Phenex without suffering any damage!}

{Additional Reward: Intermediate Healing Magic}

"R-Reo?"

This was nice—no, this was… amazing!

I could now advance my elemental magic and maybe even add a few more elements to it. And even better than that?

I could get healing magic.

That's one of the best types of magic to acquire. Considering how powerful the basic version of Elemental Magic is, I can guess that these two types of magic would be extremely powerful together.

Now, I just need to figure out who this Riser Phenex is.

"Who is this filthy twerp?"

And guess what? I didn't have to look far.

"He stinks… he is a human..."

Phenex. That name rings a bell.

"Riser, he is a friend," Rias scowled at the man sitting on the couch surrounded by multiple women. "Show some respect for him."

Phenex… Phenex…

Oh.

Rias' engagement?

The Fiancé?

"Riser? Respecting a filthy human?" He cackled, "Not in this lifetime, darling."

This creep is her fiancé?

"Wrong timing?" I asked, trying to sound cheerfully fake.

But nope, that weird and creepy man didn't seem to care.

"And why is a man at your place at such a late hour?"

It makes sense that a man wouldn't like seeing his fiancée with another man in the middle of the night. But it wasn't just her and me—she had her peerage with her.

And for some reason, I genuinely felt annoyed just by being near him.

"Riser doesn't mind you having a female human around you, but a male human…" He scoffed, "Even as toys, they are too filthy to play with. And do not forget that you are to remain a virgin until your marriage."

What the hell?

What is this guy?

{Name: Riser Phenex}

{Class: High-Class Devil}

{Threat Level: High-High}

{Type: Pure Blood Devil}

A high-class devil, huh?

Is the High-High threat level due to his supposed immortality?

But even with that, he is not undefeatable, huh?

"I told you… my personal life is my matter, Riser." Rias seemed annoyed but kept a respectful tone. "Please do not insult my friends and leave."

"Friends?" He scoffed, "With a human? Riser did not expect you to fall so low, Rias."

At this point, I was barely holding back my anger.

There were far too many people, and he had a lot around him too.

All women. Not a single man in what I guessed to be his peerage.

Totally a creep.

Thankfully, none of them were of a higher threat level than him.

Most were Low-Low to Mid-Low threat level.

Winnable.

"Riser is saying this for your own good, Rias." He smiled at Rias and then stared back at me with a scowl. "It's disgusting to even breathe the same air as him."

Alright, I've had enough.

"Quite fascinating coming from someone who seems to have walked out of a dumpster." His fashion sense was trash. "Based on your appearance, it seems like it's been a while since you had a shower."

His hairstyle sucked, his fashion was awful, and if anything could top that combination, it was his nasty personality.

A total package of smelly shit.

"W-What did you say, cunt?"

Yeah, and vulgar too.

The perfect combination.

"Riser!" Rias yelled, "Please don't cause trouble for me."

"Riser is not causing trouble for you, Rias." He gritted his teeth as he stared at me, "But this filthy monkey has insulted Riser, and Riser cannot forgive him unless he falls to Riser's feet and begs for forgiveness."

Is he retarded? 

Why is he referring to himself in the third person?

"Riser!" Rias shouted again, "That's too much!"

But the chicken-haired man didn't listen.

"It is only right that he does so."

The more he talked, the more I felt like insulting him.

"I seem to have misjudged."

"You did," he smirked. "Now lower your head and beg."

"I greatly misjudged your intellect. What's dull is not just your sense of fashion, but your brain too."

"You son of a bitch!" He yelled, instantly getting on his feet instead of lounging on the couch. "You have crossed the line."

Oh.

He extended his hand and growled, "And you will pay for it!"

Not only did he insult me, but he also attacked me.

"No, Riser!"

Fire as yellow as it could be—golden even—shot towards me, ready to burn me alive.

"Reo, dodge!"

Rias and Akeno yelled simultaneously, and even Asia gasped in horror.

But I was confident.

Maybe I would be able to complete the quest right here.

<<Barrier Magic: Shield>>

A translucent purple barrier formed in front of me, spherical and shield-shaped.

"What?"

The baffled Phenex's reaction was understandable as the moment the fire hit the barrier, it vanished instantly.

Leaving me without a single burn, not even feeling the discomfort from the heat.

"Fuck you, cunt!" He yelled, and this time, he tried forming another fire attack—this one much bigger.

And it got me weirdly excited.

I wanted to try out the barrier more; I wanted to complete the quest.

And he was making it all possible in the moment we locked eyes.

This quest… was too easy!

"Looks like I came just in time."

Or so I thought.

{Warning! Supernatural with a very high threat level has appeared!}

But I had totally forgotten about my shitty luck.

{Reo is advised to… RUN!}

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