The next day, at the gates of the Phenex estate.
"Welcome, Takeyo-sama!"
Ravel suppressed her nervous excitement, displaying perfect etiquette before Takeyo. Her movements were practiced, refined, the result of countless hours rehearsing in front of a mirror for this very moment.
I can't be rude in front of Takeyo-sama. The thought echoed through her mind.
Of course, she'd already been rude more times than she could count. Fainting on him at their first meeting. Nearly passing out again when he cornered her against the stairwell wall. Each memory made her face burn.
"I brought someone along today, your brother's new training partner," Takeyo said, patting Sairaorg on the shoulder.
Yes, this powerful man would definitely transform Riser into a devil with blond hair and bulging muscles. The image brought a slight smile to Takeyo's face.
"Greetings, Miss Phenex. I'm Sairaorg Bael. My apologies for not informing you of my visit in advance." Sairaorg executed a textbook bow, his etiquette impeccable despite his imposing physique.
Though he preferred a more straightforward approach in most situations, as the heir to the Great King Bael family, he understood proper noble protocol when dealing with High-Class Devil families.
As for Takeyo? His boss was human, or at least claimed to be, so normal social rankings didn't apply.
"Not at all, Sairaorg-sama! The fact that you'd take time to help my brother is... it's an honor." Ravel's voice wavered slightly with emotion. "Please, let me show you to Riser's room."
As they walked through the manor, Takeyo noticed several members of Riser's peerage. The moment they spotted him, they scattered like startled birds, though not before offering hasty, stumbling bows.
It seemed Takeyo had left quite the impression on Riser's household. Not just on Riser himself, but on his entire retinue. Fear and respect, an effective combination.
"This is my brother's room." Ravel stopped before an ornate door, exhaustion creeping into her tone. "Whether he was recovering from his injuries or after he healed, he's refused to leave. He just... stays inside."
Though Riser was undeniably a womanizing scoundrel with terrible judgment, he was still her brother. That bond hadn't disappeared despite everything.
"Don't worry. We'll have him out and active in no time." Takeyo smiled, then turned to Sairaorg.
"I'll leave this to you."
"Understood."
Without hesitation, Sairaorg approached Riser's door and kicked it open.
CRASH!
The supposedly expensive door exploded into splinters, dust billowing into the hallway.
Through the settling cloud, Takeyo could see Riser frozen mid-bite, food tumbling from his mouth as he stared at them with wide, horrified eyes.
"What's going on?! Has the Phenex estate been invaded by heroes?!" Riser's gaze swept the room, then locked onto Takeyo.
His expression transformed from confusion to panic in an instant. He scrambled from his bed, stumbling toward the window.
"You're not going anywhere," Takeyo said pleasantly.
Shing!
A golden sword flew through the window from outside, embedding itself in Riser's chest before he could escape.
"What, ?!"
The paralysis was immediate. Riser's demonic power sealed, his regeneration stopped, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the floor like a puppet with cut strings.
Takeyo had positioned his Treasury weapons at every potential exit. He'd predicted Riser's flight response with perfect accuracy.
"Riser, you really don't look like a High-Class Devil anymore."
Takeyo studied the fallen Phoenix heir. Once arrogant and wild, now reduced to this disheveled, unkempt state. The transformation was almost pitiable.
"What... what do you want from me?" Riser's voice came out weak, defeated. "I'm staying in my own house, minding my own business. Why do you have to come here and humiliate me?"
I'm trying to be a damn hermit! When did being a shut-in become a crime that gets you hunted down?!
"I'm here because your sister asked me to help revive your spirit." Takeyo's smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Ravel?"
Riser finally noticed his younger sister standing behind Takeyo, her expression conflicted.
"Ravel! Come save your brother! Your brother definitely doesn't want to deal with this man!" He tried reaching toward her, but the golden blade pinning him prevented any real movement.
"Brother, you need to regain your ambition," Ravel said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "It's rare that Takeyo-sama took time from his schedule to help you. Please... try."
Riser's face went ashen.
It's over. My own sister's been converted into his follower.
You bastard! Taking Rias from me wasn't enough, now you want to take Ravel too?! My sister isn't some prize for a human to collect!
"Sairaorg, take him to the training grounds. The instructor should be arriving soon."
"Right."
In Riser's increasingly desperate eyes, Sairaorg walked over and hefted him onto his shoulder like a sack of grain.
"As the second son of the Phenex family, this appearance won't do." Sairaorg's voice rumbled with determination. "Don't worry, you'll undergo a complete transformation this time."
Sairaorg's muscular frame and martial artist's aura pressed down on Riser's consciousness.
Riser felt the overwhelming presence of pure masculine energy surrounding him and thought he might actually vomit.
Stepping outside the Phenex mansion, a majestic dragon's roar echoed from the sky.
"ROOOAAAAR!"
"Oh! So this is the former Dragon King? Impressive!" Sairaorg's eyes lit up with excitement.
Training alongside one of the legendary Dragon Kings? His blood sang with anticipation!
"Young Takeyo, at your invitation, I have arrived!" Tannin's massive form descended, his purple scales gleaming in the sunlight, his presence radiating the authority of a being who'd challenged Great Red himself.
He'd heard about yesterday's events, how Takeyo had systematically dismantled over half the corrupt families in the Underworld's upper echelons in a single afternoon. Ruthless, efficient, devastating.
As expected from someone who once threatened my life. When he moves, he really moves.
The remaining criminal elements were small-time operators now. Without backing from major families, large-scale betrayals and organized crime simply couldn't function.
"Uncle Tannin, how's Issei doing with you?"
"That Sekiryuutei from this generation? Not bad at all," Tannin rumbled approvingly. "As befitting someone who awakened dragon blood, compared to this Phoenix brat, Issei's got real backbone."
Tannin landed with ground-shaking force, creating a small crater in the Phenex family's courtyard and sending dust clouds billowing outward.
"As promised before, these two are yours to train." Takeyo gestured to Sairaorg and the still-paralyzed Riser.
With Sairaorg's current strength, even using his full Regulus form without the subspecies Balance Breaker, he probably couldn't defeat Tannin. The gap between High-Class Devil and someone at the peak of Demon King-class was simply too vast.
After all, to claim the title of Dragon King required power rivaling the Four Great Satans themselves.
"Go on then, Phoenix boy. Don't worry, when you come back, you'll definitely be a man of steel!" Tannin snatched Riser directly from Sairaorg's back, his massive claws surprisingly gentle despite their size.
"Well then, let's depart."
Takeyo smiled and opened a dimensional portal, its edges crackling with spatial energy.
The next day, in the snow-covered ridges of Tannin's territory.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Riser's screams echoed across the frozen landscape as he ran "freely" through the deep snow. Behind him, a top-tier ice-attribute dragon released measured bursts of frost breath, not enough to kill, but more than enough to motivate.
Though it was merely playing with him, for Riser it meant absolute terror.
"Riser-san! Believe in yourself! You can definitely do this!" Above him, Issei was engaged in aerial combat with two Demon-class dragons, dodging and weaving between their attacks.
"Why the hell am I here?!" Riser wailed.
Issei, you pervert, stay away from me! I'm a High-Class Devil! The second son of the Phenex family!
And you're a reincarnated devil, how dare you try to encourage me?!
Yes, he'd figured out Issei's preferences yesterday. The Sekiryuutei wasn't just a pervert, he was the kind of pervert who set his sights impossibly high.
After all, what kind of person develops feelings for the heir of the Great King Bael family, the sister of the true Demon King Lucifer, and the White Dragon Emperor?
Riser had thought himself ambitious with his harem of beautiful women. Issei's aspirations made him look modest by comparison.
"Come on, brother! You can do it!" Ravel's voice carried encouragement across the training field.
Her shout gave Riser just enough motivation to dodge the frost dragon's next breath attack, escaping by mere inches.
"The effect isn't bad. What do you think, is he much more energetic now?" Takeyo sat comfortably opposite Ravel at a table set in the middle of the snowy wasteland, protected by warming and wind-blocking enchantments. Afternoon tea steamed between them, a surreal image of civilization in the harsh training environment.
Perhaps there was something aristocratic about enjoying afternoon tea in a frozen mountain range while watching others suffer.
"Yes! Thank you for your help, Takeyo-sama." Ravel bowed her head gracefully, genuine gratitude coloring her voice.
Just like always, Takeyo could sense her sincerity. It radiated from her naturally, without artifice.
"But is it alright for Takeyo-sama to be away from official duties right now? I heard from my parents that you've been very busy lately?"
Ravel's father, as patriarch of a pureblooded Devil family, had attended yesterday's summit. His memories of Takeyo's display remained vivid and more than a little terrifying.
He'd felt the weight of those golden swords pointed at every Devil in that room, the absolute certainty that Phoenix regeneration would mean nothing if Takeyo decided to execute him. The family's healing abilities, their pride, would be sealed away like it had never existed.
Fortunately, the Phenex family's business model, selling Phoenix Tears for enormous profits while currying favor with powerful Devils, meant they had no need for criminal enterprises. Father had survived yesterday's purge with relief rather than fear.
He'd concluded that Takeyo's usual lazy demeanor was merely camouflage, that behind the scenes, the human was constantly gathering intelligence, waiting for the perfect moment to strike decisively.
In reality, he'd completely misunderstood. Takeyo had simply glanced at the information once and acted.
Either way, Father had warned Ravel that Takeyo was extremely busy and that she should work on building rapport with him.
"Busy? Not really. Most matters are handled by Tobio and Dulio." Takeyo conveniently omitted that except for yesterday, those two managed virtually everything.
"I see... So Takeyo-sama only needs to take action when truly necessary?" Ravel's eyes shone with admiration.
As expected of Takeyo-sama! He operates at such a high level!
"By the way, Ravel, you're still registered as your brother's peerage member, correct?"
Takeyo's sudden question caught her off-guard.
Why is Takeyo-sama asking whose peerage I belong to? What does he mean?
"Yes, I traded myself to Mother's peerage after my reincarnation." Ravel's face flushed slightly as she responded.
"I see." Takeyo nodded, exactly as he'd expected.
It didn't particularly matter that Ravel remained part of Riser's peerage. He could simply use his divine Evil Pieces to overlay and convert the original demonic chess piece.
"Ravel, I have something to ask you."
Takeyo's expression became serious, his tone shifting.
"What... what is it?" Ravel's heartbeat accelerated dramatically.
What does Takeyo-sama want to ask? It can't be,
He couldn't possibly want to make me his peerage member, right? Takeyo-sama isn't even a High-Class Devil, is he?
Or maybe... is this about establishing a peerage contract through... other means?
"Ravel, would you like to become my peerage member?"
Takeyo met her eyes directly as he spoke.
He'd asked with over ninety percent certainty of her answer. He'd observed how the Phenex family had deliberately positioned Ravel near him. Though she was supposedly their investment in Ajuka's disciple, they clearly believed that as Ajuka's student, he would eventually acquire demonic Evil Pieces.
While he wasn't actually a devil, the Phenex family's calculations weren't entirely wrong.
Ravel hesitated for a long moment, her eyes flickering with complex emotions, before finally responding.
"Since... since it's Takeyo-sama's request, then... there's no helping it." Her voice came out barely above a whisper, tinged with nervousness and something that might have been hope.
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