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The remainder of the meal was filled with an odd quiet. Silverware clinking against fine bone china, accompanied by the distant buzzing of the chandeliers above, were the only noises that punctuated the quiet. Occasionally, Zeoticus would look at Kaelthar, as if attempting to read the meaning behind his tranquil expression. But in return, he received nothing but the look of serenity, and this serenity looked menacing.
Rias laughed and chattered on, oblivious to or perhaps intentionally disregarding the tension, speaking only of minute details—classes, her nobility, and some harmless tales from the human side. But every time Rias laughed, Zeoticus noticed the slight change in Kaelthar's gaze—possessive, protective, and downright absolute.
Venelana was aware of it too. She rested her chin upon her hand, and the gleam in her eyes was that of a predator sighting its prey. "Rias, dear," she said with sweetness. "Tell us, how was it that you and Kaelthar met? Was it love at first sight, or did he just conquer your heart along the way?"
Rias blinks, turning pink in the cheeks. "Mother!" Rias protests, flustered but clearly not minding. "You're not saying that in
Kaelthar chuckled quietly, his eyes drifting toward Venelana. "Conquer? No. I do not conquer hearts… they simply come to me."
These were careless yet burdened words, and they shocked the table into silence. Grayfia's serene face even faltered, ever so slightly.
The smirk grew on Venelana's face. "Oh? What a risky answer. You talk as though hearts had no power in your presence."
Kaelthar's eyes shone ever so slightly, a glint of gold in them. "Perhaps they don't."
For an instant, they all felt—it—the invisible pulse in the room. His presence swelled inwardly—not as an aggressive move, but as an inevitability, like the force of gravity warping space to fit him. It wasn't pure power. It was authority.
Rias gazed up at him, her smile gentle. She didn't flinch. She didn't even breathe harder. This, after all, was something she was used to, something she's come to grow to need.
Zeoticus's fork trembled momentarily in his grip, the clinking material calling all their attention back to him. He suppressed his awkwardness with a cough. "Fine-sounding words, but with power comes danger. You must understand, Kaelthar, that Rias is precious to us. Those of us who associate with her assume not only a role of responsibility, but also a place in the spotlight."
Kaelthar's expression did not change. "I wouldn't have it any other way. But rest assured, Lord Gremory." A faint glow appeared in his eyes as his voice deepened. ".no one will ever harm your daughter—not Heaven, not Hell, or the force of fate itself."
This promise was full of the divine and frightening, as if he was proclaiming the law of the universe.
Even Grayfia felt a subtle straightening of her posture. Zeoticus was taken aback for the first time in his life. In his gut, he knew he was dealing with no ordinary mortal. The power of everything the Devil King line had to offer paled in comparison to the Devil King's words.
Rias reached under the table for his hand, fingers entwining with his. The heat of his touch calmed her racing heart.
Akeno, seeing the two of them, emitted a low hum. "Ara, ara… Rias is being spoiled already. What a life." She said it with a playful smile, but her eyes drifted momentarily towards Kaelthar with a spark of interest and a hint of respect.
Koneko only whispered to herself, "Scary. but warm."
Venelana laughed softly, relieving the tension once again. "Well, at least he knows how to make an entrance. Zeoticus, darling, you look a little pale. Tell me you're not intimidated?"
Zeoticus gave her a glare. "I'm being cautious, not intimidated."
Kaelthar smiled slightly.
"That's good. Caution is what keeps families
The subject turned to lighter themes, though the shadow of tension still lingered. Venelana led this conversation as expertly as everything else in her life, glancing sidelong at Kaelthar with interest rather than overt flirtation.
Grayfia said nothing, though her gaze devoured every detail of their conversation. Even she didn't fully understand what he was.
When the plates were removed, the servants left, Venelana stood up, smiling politely, a touch of interest in her face. "Rias, won't you take Kaelthar out into the gardens? I'm sure he would enjoy the night air."
Rias smiled suddenly. "That's a great idea, Mother."
Zeoticus opened his mouth as if about to protest, before taking a deep breath and waving them away. "Fine. But don't stay too long."
As they left, the tension in the dining hall lessened slightly. Venelana poured herself another glass of wine and watched as the door closed on their departure.
"What do you think, Lady Venelana?" asked the soft voice from the wall.
"A ritual sacrifice, you see," said
Venelana's eyes lingered on the empty chair where Kaelthar had sat. "I think," she said slowly,
"that Rias has found something the rest of us have forgotten exists."
Zeoticus frowned.
"What is that?"
Venelana's smile was faint, his eyes drifting away. "A being that doesn't bow to the world – one whom the world bows to."
Meanwhile, outside in the moonlight garden, Rias was walking hand in hand with Kaelthar on a path of crimson roses. The night was at peace, but her mind was not. She suddenly stopped and turned to face him.
"You managed my parents… better than I expected," she said with a small laugh. "Father looked as though he was about to lose his composure."
Kaelthar smirked. "He's protective. That's not a bad thing
Rias's eyes softened. "You're not afraid of him."
"I've been disapproved of worse than this," he said. "And I'm not here to please anyone—only to stand beside you." He pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Her breath hitched in her throat. The sincerity in his voice seemed to cast a spell around her. "Kaelthar. you mean that, don't you?"
He nodded, leaning in until his forehead rested against hers. "Always."
The roses that surrounded them rustled as if energized by an unseen force, their petals glistening in the moonlight.
Rias smiled, whispering, "Then no matter what happens… we face it together."
Kaelthar's gold eyes shone with
And for the first time in this long night, the estate breathed as if it were alive—in staggered calmness now as it drew sustenance from the knowledge of a momentously extraordinary pact having been sealed in an accompanying stillness beneath the moonlit sky.
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