Chapter 16: Devilish Waltz

I froze. Shiro looked up at me, confused. Shaking myself out of it, I quickly called the first move as white.

"E4."

The reply was quick, "C5."

"Nf3." Damn, this was bad. What should I do?

"Knight to c6."

Should I throw the game? It would be hard to make it convincing. Especially after the dominant preformance I put up previously, "Bb5."

"Ho. Aggressive. D6."

Beating the Great King would bring an unreasonable amount of attention on to me. I had no doubt Shiro could do it, of course, but did I want that? "Castles."

"Bishop to d7"

It would make Sona taking the bait incredibly unlikely, unless she actually wanted to marry me. That would be a drastic impact to my plans. "Rook to e1."

"Knight to f6."

Shiro was looking worried at me, obviously not quite understanding the issue, but still dutifully supplying me with moves, "C3."

"Hmph. A6."

Losing would also bring about accusations of me cheating if I did it in a dumb way. I could make an argument of being intimidated, but that would be showing a lot of weakness. "Ba4"

"C4."

More than that, I looked down to Shiro. She looked up at me, trying to reassure me with her eyes. "D4."

"Oho, interesting. En Passant."

I didn't want to lose. I chose Shiro for this reason, her immense intellect. I would not besmirch that by intentionally losing. Feeling my resolve, Shiro smiled widely at me as I called the next move. "Bishop to g5."

Beating Zekram would bring it's own accusations of cheating, but regardless of the truth of those claims, the only important part was actually being caught. Without hard evidence, it would just sound like what it was.

Losers consoling themselves.

"Rook to a2, check."

"King to e1."

"Haha, perfect. Well done. I concede."

The hall burst out into excited, hushed whispers. I patted Shiro's legs, and like a trained reflex she hopped up off of my lap. I got up and turned around, coming face to face with the defeated Great King, who was looking at me with an amused smirk on his face.

"Interesting decision, young Sagan." His voice was tinged with amusement, "Expect an invitation from me soon."

With that, he turned around and walked into the crowd, many excited nobles immediately starting to shadow him, eager to talk to the Great King. I knew that no one sane would challenge me after I defeated Zekram, so instead I spread my arms out and made an impromptu speech to bring the playing to a close.

"Thank you all for indulging me, I hope it was entertaining. Now, it is time to get to know many of you more personally. Please, enjoy the hospitality of the Sagan, eat, drink and make merry!"

Polite applause followed, and the crowd dispersed, the band striking up a tune more suited to dancing as I moved to meet my peers. More 'adult' conversations would be held in meetings requested by me to the other main houses, for now the Reveal would move into me interacting with my own age group.

So, as CC moved into the crowd to ensure that no one felt neglected, taking Naomi with her, I moved to speak to my 'peer' myself, shadowed by Kasane and Shiro.

"Very interesting way of showing off." The Blond Devil in front of me sipped his wine, arm around a curvaceous woman, "Riser would not have chosen such an inactive show of prowess, but it was effective all the same, I suppose. Your perspective on the Evil Pieces was... Interesting. I am most curious what else you think about our society."

"Thank you, Riser. I'm glad you enjoyed the show." The Phenex waved off my words, before leering at Kasane who looked resplendent in a deep red cocktail dress besides me.

"At least there was a feast for the eyes present. I must commend you, Damocles, on the beauty you have amassed in to your peerage. Are they...?"

I moved in between him and Kasane, my voice turning cold, "Not available, I'm afraid."

"Hmmph. A shame." He drained his glass before dragging the girl at his side even tighter into his embrace, "Don't worry, I'm not so boorish as to reach for what isn't mine. We should meet up soon, in a place less... monitored. I know some good clubs that would fit the bill."

"I'll keep that in mind, Riser. I'll let you know when I'm available."

The other devil merely nodded to me, eyes moving to a point behind me before grimacing, sighing and moving to the dance floor with a muttered, "If you'll excuse me."

I nodded my assent to him, not that it mattered, and turned to greet the one who had driven Riser off. I was greeted by the sight of Rias with a wide grin and a black haired girl in tow.

"Pig." I heard the muttered exclamation of Kasane, her level voice making the word more biting than it's terseness would imply.

"I told you when I recruited you Kasane, many Devils treat their Peerage like the pieces they represent. That includes lending them out for certain favours." I reached out and took her hand in mine, gently squeezing it in reassurance.

"I swear to you, that will never happen with anyone in my Peerage. I'm much too greedy to share."

The joke got a small smile and a squeeze back, along with a slight dusting of red on her cheeks. Before she could respond, Rias had already arrived, with who I presumed to be Akeno in tow. The red head was in a tasteful, open backed dress with a flared skirt, whereas her black haired Queen was dressed in a rather mature short dress with a slit up her thigh, contrasting jarringly with her age. Which was likely the intention.

"Damocles! It's so good to see you again!" Surprising me, she hugged me, pulling herself into my chest, "You've grown so much taller!"

I smiled down at her, "I'm still growing, after all." I would have hugged her back, but both of my hands were suddenly seized in crushing grips.

I expected something like this from Shiro, but Kasane surprised me. As I shot her a questioning look, she looked away innocently.

"Ah, so this is the Damocles I've heard about! Rias has told me a lot about you." My attention was drawn to the black haired girl, who was directing a teasing smile towards me.

"All lies to ruin my reputation, I assure you." I joked back, making Rias squawk and pull back, an affronted look on her face.

Akeno's smile grew wider, "Oh? It was all good things though?"

I laughed and patted Rias' head, who pouted as she realised I was just joking, "Then they are definitely not true. Akeno, I presume? Rias mentioned you when I met her."

She curtsied, "At your service."

I directed Shiro to come stand at my side, along with Kasane, "Allow me to introduce Shiro Sagan, my Bishop and sister, with this beauty being Kasane Randall, my knight."

Shiro curtsied back, with Kasane opting for a more knightly bow. Shiro was instantly pulled into a hug by Rias, who exclaimed, "It's so good to see you again, Shiro-chan!"

Shiro stiffened up and looked to me for help, but I just smiled back at her. Akeno rolled her eyes, "Sorry about this, she's always like that. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kasane."

Kasane nodded, her face an unreadable mask, "Likewise."

Akeno considered the older girl for a moment, before a concerning light entered her eyes, "Oh, so that's what you're into Damocles?"

I opted for ignorance, "I have no idea what you mean."

"Are you sure? Should I pretend to be the aloof cold beauty that you slowly chip away at until I melt just for you?" She drew closer, the teasing grin back in full force.

If she were older, knowing what a bombshell she would be, this would probably be a devastating move, but for now I knew exactly how to deal with someone like her. She liked making people uncomfortable, her teasing personality eventually graduating to sadism, if it hasn't already. However, being so young, she was likely a glass cannon.

"Oh?" My voice copied her teasing lilt, "Looking to seduce me, are you? I'm flattered that I had such an effect so quickly on one so... Attractive."

My sudden switch to offence seemed to take her off guard, making her blush and pull back slightly. She rallied remarkably quickly however, "Oh, I'm not the one that wants to seduce..."

A red haired whirlwind suddenly grabbed my arm and started to drag me away from Akeno, "Come on Damocles!" Rias said, her voice quick and hurried, "I want to dance!"

Smiling in amusement, I turned my head to look at the very surly looking Shiro, "Be good while I'm gone, Shiro. Keep her safe, Kasane."

Both of them nodded at me, eyes pinned on Rias until Akeno dragged their gaze away by bringing their attention back on her with conversation.

As Rias led me to the dance floor, I considered raising the fact that she had a fiancee who was, in fact, present, but decided better of it. It was clear to all watching that she was the one initiating and it played into my overall plans regardless.

As we stepped onto the floor, her confidence seemed to ebb. She let go of my arm and nervously looked up at me, seeming to be unsure of how to proceed. I smiled, already picturing the headlines that will be written about this and offered her my hand.

She was not sulking.

She didn't quite know what she was feeling at the moment, but whatever it was she was not sulking.

When the person whose reveal this was challenged all those present to a chess game, she was intrigued. She was one of the first to go up to accept his challenge, only to be blocked and pulled aside by her panicking sister. It seemed that her sister had got it into her head that she would lose to the older boy.

Seeing as he successfully defeated the Zekram Bael, her sister seemed to be correct, vexing as it was. Still, she wished that she got the opportunity to play against the Sagan. Even if she lost, it didn't mean they were automatically engaged after all, and with him being just a Baron she doubted that he could pressure her parents enough that the chess game would be the deciding factor.

Her sister was also acting very erratically, even more than usual. Even when the young Scion started mingling with the gathered guests, Serafall went out of her way to avoid the other Devil. It would not be obvious to anyone else, but Sona knew her sister.

Sona sipped her drink and stared at her best friend preforming a dance with the boy she had been thinking about, thinking that her feelings about the whole situation would be a lot easier to sort through if Rias did not insist of preforming such foolish actions.

She was presented with a mystery in the form of Damocles Sagan, one that intrigued her, but the way Serafall acted around him made her weary and intrigued. She wanted to get to the bottom of it. If she had known Rias and he were acquainted, she would have asked her friend to introduce them, but now that the other heiress had brought him out to flaunt on the dance floor...

Perhaps a less direct approach was called for. Looking around the room, she spotted Akeno talking to some members of Damocles' Peerage. Resolving herself to her chosen course of action, she made her way over toe group.

"Akeno, it's good to see you again." She called out once she was within hearing range, before turning to the two white haired girls, "You are members of our Host's Peerage, correct? Can you introduce us, Akeno?"

"Sona! How have you been!" The Queen pulled her into a hug, making her feel uncomfortable with the sudden affection, which was likely the point. The other girl released her and turned to the watching duo, "Sona, allow me to introduce Kasane Randall, the Knight of Sagan and Shiro Sagan, Bishop of Sagan and Damocles' sister. Kasane, Shiro, this is Rias' friend, Sona Sitri of House Sitri."

"House Sitri?" The young girl girl who was introduces as Shiro asked, her voice soft, "Like the Satan?"

Sona sighed, "That's right, but my older sister is not part of the House anymore. She's taken the name Leviathan now."

The two members of Damocles' Peerage did not change expression, both kept calm and collected, but for some reason Sona felt as if Shiro was suddenly a lot more cold towards her. Something in the younger girls eyes seemed hostile, like she was suddenly disgusted with her.

She might have imagined it, but Sona had learnt to trust her instincts, "I apologise on behalf of my sister, she tends to get carried away."

Kasane stopped herself halfway through a scoff, whereas Shiro's reply was devoid of all traces of warmth, "That's one was of putting it..."

Sona was about to ask just what in the Hells Serafall had done to get such a reaction, but her attention was stolen away by a sudden change in the music. Whereas before the band had been playing a lively waltz, they now moved in to a slower, more intimate song. Her eyes found her best friend, now having stopped dancing with her partner, blushing and fidgeting on the spot.

The young Devil she was accompanying said something, his lips moving, before extending his hand in invitation. The smile that greeted him was radiant as she took his hand, but that did not change Sona's feelings on the matter.

"That stupid idiot..." She muttered, being overheard by the little Sagan next to her.

"Did you just insult my brother?" The question was still quiet and soft, but somehow even more threatening for it.

"No!" Sona quickly denied, "I was talking about Rias. She has a fiancee you see, dancing with another single boy could send..."

Before she could explain the optics that her best friend was presenting, she was interrupted. A loud slap and a shout rang over the hall, a youthful male voice exclaiming, "How dare you!"

Sona looked over to the source of the disturbance, and her heart sank. This was going to get messy. Standing at one end of the hall, were two green haired Devils. Both of whom where familiar to her. One of them was a young boy, older than Sona, with an enraged look on his face and holding a reddened cheek. Sona knew who he was due to several meetings that she attended with her sister, the Astaroth Heir.

The perpetrator of said boy's reddened cheek was looking as unflappable and unbothered as she had every time she appeared in public. The identity of the tall green haired Devil, who was eerily calm over having struck the Nephew of a Satan, was Damocles Sagan's Queen.