In the Underworld, at the grand estate of Duke Phoenix.
Amidst the cry of a phoenix, a brilliant teleportation circle flared, and two figures emerged from the light.
"Lady Ravel, Lord Ethan."
The demonic butler in charge of reception bowed deeply. "The Head of the House has been expecting you for some time."
"Only my eldest brother? Where is Mother?" Ravel asked.
"The Madam is in her private quarters. After the formal greetings are concluded, My Lady, you may visit her at your leisure."
Ravel waved a hand dismissively. "Understood. You may go. I'll take Ethan to see Leval myself."
"As you wish, My Lady."
Ethan looked around with genuine curiosity as they walked. It was easy to see why the House of Phoenix was currently one of the most prosperous Pure-blooded families. On the surface, it shared the same gothic grandeur as the Gremory estate, but a closer look revealed a far more ostentatious display of wealth. From the sheer number of servants to the weave of the carpets and the meticulously manicured gardens, everything was of the absolute highest caliber.
Ravel thoughtfully slowed her pace, allowing Ethan more time to take it all in. Every time she caught a glimpse of wonder or curiosity on his face, the blonde heiress instinctively puffed out her chest with pride.
Ten minutes later, Ethan and Ravel met the current head of the Phoenix family, the eldest of the four siblings: Leval Phoenix.
The meeting was far more pleasant than Ethan had anticipated. Leval was clearly a brilliant young leader. He didn't mention the Raiser incident once; instead, he spoke of future cooperation and prospects with such warmth that even Ravel grew bashful. If it weren't for the difference in hairstyle and dress, Leval looked almost exactly like Raiser, making Ethan wonder if Raiser was the "black sheep" of the family despite their identical faces.
With the formal meeting over, Ravel was officially recognized as Ethan's Queen—and for all intents and purposes, his fiancée—with the family's full blessing.
As they left Leval's office, Ethan asked, "Ravel, why does your brother look so much like Raiser?"
"Didn't you know, Ethan? My three older brothers are triplets."
Ravel still had a lingering blush on her cheeks. Leval's suggestive comments about her future marriage were still ringing in her ears.
"Triplets? That explains a lot." Ethan nodded. The Phoenix family really was blessed. Not only were they profiting immensely from the Rating Games, but they had also produced three pure-blooded heirs in one go. "What about the second brother?"
"He's a journalist in the Human World. He hasn't been back in ages. I'll introduce you next time he's home."
Talking as they went, the two arrived at a set of redwood doors. Ravel stopped, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves. "This is my mother's room."
Ethan nodded. Even though this was essentially "meeting the parents," he wasn't nervous at all. In fact, he felt more relaxed than he had with Leval. Perhaps it was because he had already shared a bed with quite a few "mothers-in-law" in his time, often alongside their daughters...
Ravel, unaware of the lewd thoughts swirling in Ethan's head, was deathly nervous.
Knock, knock.
"Mother, it's me. We're coming in..."
...
Half an hour later, Ethan and a much-relieved Ravel returned to her bedroom.
"Phew! It's over!" The blonde girl closed the door and dove face-first into her pink princess bed, letting out a long sigh of relief. "Ethan, when Mother asked about my third brother, you didn't seem nervous at all."
Ravel rolled over, lying on her back, looking at Ethan as he inspected her room.
Ethan opened her wardrobe, glancing at the rows of frilly dresses. "Why should I be nervous? You don't hold a grudge against me, so why would your mother? It was a fair duel. He lost."
Besides, Raiser's behavior before the duel had already alienated everyone. Yubelluna and the others were now officially under Ravel's name but still lived at the Phoenix estate. The truth about the secret ritual Raiser used had long since become an open secret. Furthermore, Raiser wasn't dead or crippled; he had simply chosen to give up, contenting himself with being the family's "stud" rather than striving for greatness. To be honest, his lifestyle was still something ninety percent of Devils would kill for.
"I guess..." Ravel murmured, choosing to drop the subject. Ever since she saw what happened to Yubelluna and the others, she had lost all respect for her third brother. "By the way, Yubelluna and the rest are staying in the villa on the west wing. Do you want to go see them?"
Ethan put down a pair of white stockings he had been looking at. "Sure. I should check on how their 'treatment' is progressing."
"Actually, several of them haven't received their full treatment yet. Maybe I should take care of that while we're here for the next two days."
At the mention of "treatment," Ravel's face flushed a delicate pink. "Xuelan and the others are quite strong; they aren't in any life-threatening danger." The cute blonde huffed, "You promised to spend these two days with me! You can't back out!"
"Of course. I wouldn't dream of abandoning my Queen." Ethan chuckled. "But, my Lady Queen, I'm with you during the day. What about at night? Do you want me to 'stay' with you then, too?"
Ravel's body stiffened. She immediately sat up straight. It wasn't that she didn't want to be intimate with Ethan, but having just become his Queen, it felt a bit too fast. "At night... at night we sleep, obviously!"
Ethan looked at her teasingly. "So, are we sleeping together?"
Ravel: "..."
"In that case, I'll head over to the west villa tonight," Ethan said, ruffling her silky blonde hair. "Don't worry, I'll be here first thing in the morning to keep you company."
Though she felt a little dejected, Ravel agreed. After all, the "treatment" was technically official business. Since she wasn't ready to go all the way yet, the night would be wasted anyway. As for the other women... she had made her peace with that the moment she chose Ethan. If Rias could accept sharing him, so could she.
...
That night, after a lavish dinner prepared by the family chefs, Ethan made his way to the western villa. He had already scouted the location during the day with Ravel and had even decided on the "patients" for the night. Since he was going out with Ravel in the morning, he decided to "treat" two women tonight.
The first was the Japanese-style beauty and Bishop-class, Minami. The second was the only mature woman of the group, the "Bomb Queen," Yubelluna.
Yubelluna had technically been Raiser's "wife" in all but name, but now she was essentially a "divorced" woman. When it came to healing his patients, Ethan didn't mind that Yubelluna wasn't a virgin. In fact, there was a certain thrill in taking a woman who once belonged to another man—a classic "Lord Cao" preference.
Looking at the two sexy bodies lying on the bed, he understood why that particular taste had endured for centuries.
Was this cuckoldry? No, Yubelluna had "divorced" first. This was just medical assistance.
Ethan untied the towel around his waist and walked toward the two beauties. Minami was a classic Yamato Nadeshiko. Once she shed her loose kimono, her figure was surprisingly lush. However, compared to the long-legged, busty, and sultry Yubelluna, she was still the "little beauty" of the pair.
As Ethan approached, Yubelluna—her wavy purple hair partially covering her right eye—began to flush. She licked her red lips, her legs spread wide, breathing heavily. Her soft hands reached out to grasp his "dragon," stroking the pulsing shaft to stimulate his nerves.
Yubelluna wasn't completely naked; she wore black lace lingerie that barely contained her curves, paired with thigh-high fishnet stockings. Ethan glanced at Minami, who had changed into casual indoor clothes. It seemed the two had agreed to let the more "experienced" Yubelluna go first.
Enjoying Yubelluna's expert stroking, Ethan took a closer look at the gentle Japanese girl. Her cream-colored knit top accentuated her curves, while her white skirt was both demure and playful. Her pale, slender legs were draped casually, her feet resting in house slippers.
Looking up, her black hair was loose, but two small buns had been tied on either side, giving her a pure and innocent look as she smiled shyly.