"Hold up."

Two words.

Two words were all it took to cause her to freeze up, to make her blood run cold.

If she spent the class time averting her eyes and keeping her focus elsewhere, then she could manage it. The feeling of needles entering her flesh would eventually fade.

When he walked past her to enter the class or speak to another student, she could pretend as if she hadn't heard his quiet, anchored steps.

When he spoke, she could play a song in her head and drown out the words in the room.

That was fine. A few hours a week at most. Last period of the day.

Little Koneko liked the food she made in this class.

As a teacher, he worked well with the students and had what was considered to be an easy class. He never came down on students for being late. He occasionally told stories of trips to other countries and other lands.

Every monday, he'd bring a new kind of treat for the students to try. He called it a payment for putting up with him.

Baklava, strudel, borma, cannoli, and cardamom buns so far.

The baklava was delicate and sweet, the borma was rich and nutty, the cannoli was crisp and creamy, and the cardamom buns were spiced and pillowy.

Each time, he'd assure them that it wasn't as good as the genuine article, but only an acceptable copy.

His knowledge of cooking, sewing, cleaning, and finances were all very high spec, like a professional wife even.

Outside of class, there were stories of him being the one to see for any problem. An overwhelmingly reliable person. He'd break up any fight, fix any mess, and listen to any issue. He even helped out sports clubs at the last second.

Despite his young age, he was considered a cool teacher.

Though he always averted questions about his love life.

She couldn't imagine what a twisted priest would get up to.

It was only a gut feeling, but he felt similar to Okita in a way. There was only one calling for them, and they would always follow it, to death and after.

He did his best to respect her boundaries and she did the same in kind. Outside of class for her, it was as if he was a ghost. There were moments when she thought she could see red out the corner of her eye, only to see it was nothing.

Maybe that's just how it was for a person that never shows their thoughts.

For a month, they kept their fair distance, but now…

"If you aren't in a hurry, I'd like to talk for a bit."

There it was again, that voice without emotion.

She heard from the usual gossip of students that he had a very dependable, reassuring voice, but all she could remember was their first meeting on that day.

Cutting through everything…

The class was empty save for the two of them. Most of the students were already leaving school or seeing their clubs.

Rias turned around, the fabric of her skirt drifting through the air, a perfect, fake smile on her pretty face. It was a smile good enough to put on a fashion magazine.

"Oh my, I hope you aren't thinking of asking me out. You aren't bad looking at all, but even if the age on your card is real, a teacher asking out his student is-"

"You look exhausted."

Startled, her smile vanished as she looked at his eyes that looked through her. "Pardon?"

He continued, "You've been showing signs of fatigue the past few days. You massage your head frequently in class, and your responses have slowed along with your alertness."

He was dead serious.

It was uncomfortable to have these things about her pointed out, even more so that he had noticed just from observing her. She didn't even know he had looked at her in class.

She glanced at her reflection in the polished glass of a wood cabinet. There were no bags under her eyes. Her hair was neatly combed as always, and her skin was glossy.

Nobody should ever be able to tell she was tired in the slightest.

Right, he was here to see over things.

Well, even so, there was no need to tell him anything. Her business was her business just as his business was his business. They weren't chatting over tea.

"You must be getting very bored with your placement here if you're seeing things like that, or maybe you're worried I'm getting bored with your class? Either way, I'm perfectly fine if you insist on knowing." She patted her chest with an assured smile, blue eyes twinkling in the light. "You shouldn't worry yourself so much with a potential enemy unless you're planning to make a move soon."

"That so…" He raised his brow in doubt, unconvinced in whole. "In that case, a teacher should certainly worry if their student is struggling, especially if something serious could be happening soon." Shirou held his chin as he said so, making his way to a counter and lifting a steel pitcher. "If it's nothing then it's nothing, but it's better to be careful. Besides…"

Shirou poured a dark stream of bitter coffee into a white mug. "I have no reason to resent you for now, nor to make you an enemy."

He handed the mug to her with his arm outstretched, fingers gripping the top of the hot material so she could grasp it by the handle.

"So, is there anything I should be worried about?"

No reason to resent her?

Rias thought to herself that he wasn't saying anything incorrect, but he also wasn't saying anything particularly right.

Then again, she can't say she really knows anything about Kotomine Shirou, other than his ability and his role in this world of theirs.

So the reason for this discomfort inside her was…

That.

It was that.

She ruffled her hair with a frown on her face and took the offered mug, "You really are cheeky. Taking all the choices out of my hands."

"So you are feeling fatigued."

"I didn't say that," she continued to pointlessly deny.

"But you are."

"Hmph." She turned away and took a sip of the fresh brew.

"If anything, you should be celebrating. Just something I need to handle on my own." She stared at Kotomine Shirou's expressionless face to see if she could find a hint of something, receiving nothing, she shrugged. "Don't worry, it doesn't involve the people here."

She finished the coffee and picked her school bag up to leave. It really was a nice mug. Rias felt her headache clear up just a bit.

He had four more words for her when she had a foot out the door. This time, her blood felt fine. Instead, her heart quickened.

"Will you be alright?"

Rias glanced at him with an upturned lip, the shine of her lip gloss a wonderful pink.

"Don't worry so much. It's bad for your health."

The room had a tense atmosphere where no one could muster the desire to speak. None of them talked as they always did.

Akeno smiles as usual, yet cannot keep the coldness off her face.

Kiba mutters something thoughtlessly as Issei enters the room with Asia. They all begin to feel the building pressure. The newest member of her family grabs Issei's sleeve for comfort.

Koneko sits in the corner looking down, not even taking interest in the snacks on the table for once.

Rias spends time trying to find the right words to say.

It felt as if they were getting stuck in her throat.

Looking at their faces, Rias knew that they needed to hear something from her.

She opens her mouth only to close it once more to her embarrassment. It was something she had been preparing to say for weeks. No… she had been looking to say this for much longer than that. Yet it was only now that the deadline had arrived that she was being forced to say something.

"Young Miss, would you like me to explain on your behalf?" offered a beautiful older woman standing behind her. She wore a classy maid attire and had her light silver hair woven into elegant braids.

She was her older brother's queen, that is to say she was Strongest Queen of the Underworld. By herself, she was already stronger than her entire peerage.

Rias turns down her offer nonetheless, waving her hand down.

If she couldn't handle her own responsibilities, then there was no point to her being here as she was. The redheaded's priest's words rang in her head.

Words that felt wrong yet were undoubtedly correct.

"Right now, the truth is-"

Just as she had mustered the will to speak, a glowing magic circle grows on the floor into a familiar pattern, shining its red light through the room.

Fire spewed from the circle, as if trying to turn the room into an oven. It flowed with an uncompassionate heat. Sparks sputtered about as if trying to burn their skin.

Finally, a man steps out from the flames with a self important wave of his hand.

"Huu, it's been a while since I've stepped foot into the human world. Can't say I missed it."

He wore a casual red suit without a tie, as if he was planning to work in a host bar, strutting about as if he owned the land where he walked. His blond hair was combed and styled as it always had been. Loath as she was to admit it, he would certainly be considered handsome by most.

Smirking upon seeing her, he closed the distance in two long strides and took her hand in his own, pulling her in close.

"My lovely Rias. I came to see you."

She bit back a snarl as she pushed him off herself, stepping back with an angry look in her eyes.

"Lo-Lo-Lo-Lovely!?" Issei sputtered out, red faced. "What kinda relationship does this guy have with the boss!?"

Rias averted her eyes, only to see that Grayfia was about to answer herself. "He's my-"

His hands were on her shoulders, his face stuck in an obliviously happy grin. "Now then, Rias, let's go and see the ceremony hall. Since the date is finalized, we need to finalize any changes before then.

She felt anger flare around the room. It became unclear how much was stemming from herself alone.

She let out a deep breath. "...Let go of me Riser." Her voice was as serious and commanding as it could possibly be.

He backed off with little care, treating the matter lightly as if it were merely some sort of roleplay.

Finally, her pawn had enough of that man's attitude.

"Hey, you ass! What's with that playboy attitude towards a girl like that!?"

Riser looked at him as if he was some sort of gross bug that had flown in through the window. It was a complete difference with how he was towards women. "Huh, who the hell are you?"

Issei held his fist over his chest like a pledge, "I'm Rias Gremory's pawn! Hyoudou Issei." He said it proudly and confidently."

"Hmm. Ah. Ok."

Issei nearly slipped over his own feet in response to such a dull reaction. He looked over at her. "Who is this guy?"

Riser actually looked surprised at his question. "...Eh? You mean you still haven't told your servants about me. Wait a moment, are there actually people who don't know about me? Is he a reincarnated commoner? That must be it."

He talked with her carelessly like that.

Rias put her hands on her hips and dismissed his query. "I didn't tell them because there was no need."

"Ouch!" He feigned clutching his heart. "You're still so cold to your lover. Hahaha…"

"What!? Aah!"

Kiba pinched Issei's rib to make him shut up.

Grayfia took pity and finally decided to explain on her behalf. "This person is Raiser Phoenix-sama. He's a pure-blood High-class Devil, and the third son of the House of Phenex."

"Like the fire bird?"

"And he is the husband of the next heiress of the House of Gremory."

"H-H-H-Husband!? And the next heiress is-"

"He is engaged to Lady Rias."

The boy nearly collapsed then and there if Kiba didn't hold him up. His eyes were shaking. Not just him. Koneko was staring at her with wide eyes as well. Asia's face had turned bright pink. Kiba was staring hard at Riser with alarm.

The only one she had told about the engagement here was Akeno, but even she looked as if she was made to swallow something unpleasant.

She didn't think any other reaction was appropriate to her bastard of a fiance.

Unfortunately, she was still a young lady of the House of Gremory, and proper etiquette was demanded as such.

Akeno started preparing tea and Koneko brought out a tin filled with cardamom buns.

Riser sat himself on the couch right next to her and made himself as comfortable as can be. He crossed his legs and accepted a cup of tea from her queen.

"As expected, the tea of Gremory's queen is excellent."

"Thank you very much."

It was shocking how such a pretty smiling young lady could come off as cold. Though it was likely in response to how her king's fiance continued to touch her king's shoulders.

The old school building would be destroyed once more if he started feeling up her legs.

"This is a pleasant room you have here, Rias. Though I can assure you that any room in our new home together will be a hundred times grander." After having his hand slapped a dozen times, he put his arm over the back of the couch.

"I already told you before, Riser! I. Will. Not. Marry you!"

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard that before." The high class devil rolled his eyes. "But you know that won't do, Rias. The situation of our households is a lot more serious than that."

Rias huffed angrily. "That's none of my concern, nor yours. I'll marry who I want to marry. If it is my duty as heiress to get married, then that is also my right." She pointed accusingly at his nose. "You, your parents, my father, my brother, and everyone in our clans are rushing it and you know it! It was promised that I'll be free to live as I want until I graduate from a university in the human world!"

"That's right. You will basically be free. You can go to college and you can do whatever you like with your servants. But your father and Lord Sirzechs are worried. You know how they are afraid that your household will become extinct. Our families lost a great number of pure-blood Devils in the last war. Even if the war has ended, our rivalries remain. It wouldn't be surprising for more deaths to happen. Therefore, we should continue our bloodline together and bolster the next generation."

He reached for the buns that Koneko was holding only for her to pull away and shove one into her mouth.

"I don't know why you're so against it. The new devils, the ones like your reincarnated servants are well and fine, but we can't let our own houses and traditions lose their place. It's even more important for you than it is for me. You are the only heir your family has left. This isn't only a marriage for the sake of future devils, it is for the sake of your entire family. Not even half of the seventy-two pillars remain. Do you really wish for your family to join them?"

The more Riser speaks of marriage and houses, the more pissed off Rias feels herself become.

Households and bloodlines? Was that reward for a loveless marriage?

He isn't wrong about the future of devils, but it's not as if he cares so much either. It's just a convenient reason to make the process smoother.

She closed her eyes and composed herself. "I won't let my family fade away, and I will take a husband to continue their lineage."

Riser made a big smile as he felt he had won. "As expected from a daughter of Gremory! Then-"

"But I won't marry you. I'll marry someone I love. I refuse to bend on that." She talked over him without hesitation and said her part clearly.

Her peerage was looking back and forth at their exchange as if they were settling their cases at a legal court.

Riser finally made an unpleasant face, his face twisting into a sneer. A number of shadows appeared from the magic circle as his peerage arrived to stand behind him, a collection of beautiful and cute girls, fifteen in total.

"...You know, Rias. More than your husband, I'm a devil who carries the name of House of Phenex behind me. I can't let that name get tarnished. I didn't even want to come to a small old building like this in the human world. Rather, I don't like the human world that much. The flames and wind of this world are pathetic. For a Devil like me who rules fire and wind, I can't stand it!"

Fire erupted from his back like blistering wings.

The fire licked the walls and ceiling of the room, threatening to set the building ablaze.

"As a son of Phenex, I'll take you to that altar even if I have to burn all your servants to do so!"

His hostility and killing intent immediately filled the room, his pressure coming for all of them, every member of her peerage.

She could feel their panic.

So she responded in kind, a red aura arising from her body.

Members of Riser's own peerage began to feel some fear.

It was obvious that any of the young devils in the room would be reduced to ashes if they were struck by such powers.

"So you accept my challenge?"

They are both high class devils, and thus, devils of the same strength. There is a upheld method for settling disputes between such powerful devils.

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Is something wrong?..." After a pause, "Do I need to come in?"

Right then, the mahogany door seemed to become very dark and menacing, like a gateway to Hades. If it were to open on its own, then absolutely nothing good would follow, absolutely nothing good at all.

Rias reached the door before anyone else could say a word and peeked it open, sticking her head and chest out, leaving the rest of her body in the room with her rear covering what little visibility was there.

Kotomine Shirou stood off to the side like a curious little hawk, all innocent and unthreatening.

The bastard.

"I know this seems alarming, but I have this handled, and you need to leave!" She hissed at him.

He held his hands up, seeming confused by her alarm. "I'm not looking for a fight, but I couldn't help but notice the hostile-"

"Sorry! I know! I'm taking care of it!" Rias was doing her best to get him to leave as soon as possible.

Shirou made use of his height advantage to look over her head through the opening in the door. "That's a lot of devils back there," he observed. "I could remain outside."

"Please do not," Rias insisted.

Right when the man tilted his head and seemed as if he was about to make things easy for her for once, Grayfia opened the door in full swing, "Is this a friend of yours, Rias? Rather than maintaining that unbecoming pose, you should introduce us."

Rias could only stare back at the beautiful, dignified maid with wide, terrified eyes.

Damn it to hell.