The atmosphere in the room was heavy as Rias negotiated with Grayfia. The marriage to Riser Phenex, a high-class Devil of the House of Phenex was getting ever closer, and instead of complying Rias had other plans.
"I've told you over and over again, I want the marriage called off and forgotten about. I never once agreed to it and I never will, so give up." Rias ordered. Grayfia remained composed, but was growing weary of her sister-in-law's stubbornness. She could sympathise with her, but the marriage was arranged for the good of all Devils, so personal feelings played no part.
"And what do you suggest we do? Both House heads have agreed to it. There's no way anyone from the Underworld can do anything, unless you plan on getting… outside help." Grayfia said succinctly. If she was right, she knew exactly who she'd turn to.
I don't know if you'll go to him for help or not, but if anyone can and will help you, it's him. Grayfia thought.
"The White Dragon Emperor. Sirzechs thinks highly of him, right? He's not associated with the Underworld in any way besides the Gremory House. He's reliable enough but..." Rias trailed off, troubling thoughts bubbling in her mind.
"But you don't trust him. I will tell you now, Ruto can be trusted. He's probably given the impression that he doesn't respect you, no?" Rias nodded. "That's because he doesn't care about your title or your name. He wants to see what you can do. Believe me, he took Sirzechs and I by surprise when he introduced Ruto to me." Grayfia said as she recounted their first meeting fondly.
Wibbly wobbly woo, flashback.
Sirzechs strode towards the doors of the Gremory estate with a young Uzumaki Ruto in tow. The white haired child walked with his hands in his pockets, eyeing everything around him with his calculating gaze.The doors to the main building opened up revealing what Ruto thought was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever laid eyes on. There stood Grayfia, ready to greet her husband and King, as well as the one he'd found on his travels.
"Welcome back Sirzechs. Your trip went well." Grayfia said with a bow. "And who's the young one behind you?"
Sirzechs stepped aside so Ruto was in full view. "This here is one Uzumaki Ruto. He's a human I found in Tiamat's lair." he said, a hint of pity in his voice.
Grayfia bent down to Ruto's height. He was tall for someone his age, he was 11 and already 5'5.
"Greetings. I'm Grayfia, a maid in service to the House of Gremory. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Ruto raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah. I'm Uzumaki Ruto. Is Gremory supposed to be a powerful clan or something?" he asked.
"Yes, the House of Gremory is among the strongest remaining clans of the 72 Pillars." Grayfia informed.
Ruto made a nonchalant grunt. "What's in a name though?" he asked cynically. Grayfia tilted her head to the side curiously.
"What do you mean?" she inquired.
"A name has no meaning. Think about it. It's just a sound given meaning by the things we associate it with. But a name without something behind it is meaningless to me. You can be a Gremory or whatever, but your name doesn't mean anything unless you yourself make it mean something. People have meaning, names don't." Ruto said sagely, shocking both Sirzechs and Grayfia with his deep perspective.
Wibbly wobbly woo, back to the present.
"What do you mean, 'What I can do'?" Rias asked.
"When I first spoke with him, he told me he saw no meaning in names. He wanted to know what we as people could do, the meaning we gave the Gremory name. He wants the same for you, so he can respect you for it." Grayfia explained.
"So you're saying for him to help me, I need to earn his respect?" she asked, beginning to sound desperate.
"He'll expect something from you afterwards. I don't know what, but I don't think he'd be too harsh or demanding." she said somewhat jokingly.
Ruto sat on his bed unable to sleep. He didn't know why, but he felt like someone he knew was about to try something stupid. It was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind.
I can't help but think that Haru's involved in this. Ruto thought.
It was about 20 minutes after that was when a silver magic circle appeared on the floor by his bed. From it emerged Grayfia, a strange look on her face.
"Ruto, come with me, quickly." she said hastily. Ruto stood up, but swayed on his feet light headedly from standing up too quickly.
"What's this about?" Ruto asked in confusion. Grayfia didn't answer and just grabbed his wrist, pulling him into the magic circle with her. With a brief flash, which still dazes Ruto from time to time, they appeared in the ORC clubroom. Rias and Akeno sat on the sofa at one side of the table in the centre of the room, while Ruto followed Grayfia and sat on the sofa opposing them.
Rias looked immensely distracted and troubled, almost burning a hole in the table with her laser-focused gaze. Akeno flashed Ruto a smile to which he gave one back.
"Riser has announced his arrival for tomorrow. He's intent on visiting Rias before the wedding." Grayfia informed. Her voice broke Rias from her absent staring.
"Alright, I get that ass-hat is on his way here, but that doesn't explain why I'm here." Ruto said with a frown.
"I believe Lady Rias has a favour she'd like to ask of you." Grayfia said. Ruto shifted in his seat to get comfortable as Akeno set about preparing tea.
"Oh really? Well then I'm all ears." Ruto said with a smirk. Rias locked her gaze onto him.
"I need your help. As I'm sure you know, Riser wants me to marry him while I have no intention of doing that. I want you to help me get out of it." Rias said, not letting her desperation get to her.
Ruto nodded silently in thought. "Alright. I could probably do that. But um, I have some terms." he said seriously.
Rias expected him to say that after Grayfia warned her. She was prepared for any terms he might throw at her. Or so she thought.
"Here are my terms. Number one, you will admit to being an otaku. Number two, you stop getting in my way when I'm dealing with the factions. And number three, you make me respect you." Ruto list sternly.
It was a whole day later when shit got real. Ruto, Grayfia, Rias, Akeno and Koneko were present as Haru, Asia and Kiba entered the room. The moment they walked in they felt the heavy atmosphere in the clubroom. Rias sat staring at her desk, a thing she was doing a lot lately to be honest. Akeno stood off to her left while Grayfia and Ruto stood in front of her. Koneko sat on the sofa, minding her own business as usual.
"Sup." Haru greeted everyone. Grayfia and Ruto turned to him. "Oh, Ms. Grayfia, Ruto." he said in mild surprise. Rias stood from her chair with a stony expression.
"Good, everyone's here." Rias said, finally ready to start whatever she'd been planning to do. Grayfia glanced at her.
"If I may speak freely." she said, waiting for Rias to allow her. The Gremory heiress nodded.
"Let's hear her out..." she trailed off quickly as the room was bathed in a bright orange, yellow light. A very large magic circle had appeared on the floor, the caw of a phoenix came as flames burst forth from the circle. As the flames died down, a single figure could be seen facing away from them.
The figure was a tall blonde man in a dark maroon suit. "Ah, Riser has arrived in the human realm." he turned to them, his dark blue eyes showing pride and powerful arrogance. "I've come all this way to see you, my beloved Rias." His voice was smooth and laced with the arrogance only one with immense power could muster.
Ruto cringed at him in disgust. "Dude. The fuck is wrong with you?" Riser snapped his attention to him.
"Riser sees one who shows disrespect. Do you need Riser to teach you how to talk to your better, boy?" he sneered.
"No, no, no. Shut the fuck up. How dare you switch between first and third person speech like it's cool. Seriously, you come in here acting like your shit doesn't stink and that's fine. But you go and refer to yourself in third person, then switch to first person? Seriously, make up your fucking mind you cognitively diminutive mother fucker!" Ruto ranted.
Grayfia had to resist the urge to start giggling as she knew Ruto would start something like this.
And he's at it again. Rias thought, feeling relieved that someone would talk shit to Riser.
"You dare!? Riser refers to himself he Riser sees fit. You have no right to question me!" Riser said, getting angry.
"And there! You just did it again! Fuck me sideways that's irritating! I'd ought to smack you with a newspaper and rinse your mouth out with soap for speaking like that." Ruto growled. The two were practically pushing their foreheads together growling furiously at each other.
"Anyways, who is this douche?" Haru asked. Ruto and Riser kept on at each other, despite the conversation going on.
"This is Lord Riser Phenex, a pure-blood Devil of noble birth and third in line to the House of Phenex." Grayfia explained, still trying not to laugh at the display. Ruto had always been like that, causing a scene with other noble Devils, as well as getting past her bulwark professionalism and making her laugh at the best and worst of times.
"Yeah, this insult to the English language is also the fiancée to Rias. Soon enough she'll be affected by cognitive dissonance on whether she refers to herself in third or first person." Ruto said bitingly.
"I'll set you ablaze, wretch!" Riser snarled.
"I mean come on, not only do you drop the ball when it comes to first and third person, your House's name is even wrong! If you say it like it's spelt, it sounds more like a heartburn medication than the name of a mythical fire bird, which I might add, is spelt PHOENIX, not like your name's lazy spelling which misrepresents the very thing your clan is associated with. English mother fucker do you speak it!?" Ruto said, thoroughly confusing Riser for a few moments.
Grayfia decided now was a good time to stop things from getting violent. "Ruto, I'm sure you can debate his method of speech and his name's spelling another time, for now calm down." she said with subtle steel in her voice.
Ruto backed off and leaned on Rias' desk next to her. "Fine, but I will not forgo ridiculing him for it. You've been warned." he said with a huff.
Riser raised a curious eyebrow. "So you're the Ruto Rias' family talks about so much. I was told I should be wary of you. However Riser does not see why he should be concerned." he said condescendingly.
"Oh now you're just doing that on purpose!" Ruto yelled accusingly. "Grayfia, how can you expect me to ignore such an insult to the face of basic speech?"
She was reaching a point where the laughter was getting very hard to fight off. While she did not laugh this time, she did crack a small amused smile. "Be a good boy and behave. You can have your fun another time." She turned to Riser, who'd sat down next to Rias and accepted a cup of Akeno's tea.
That son of a bitch! Ruto thought as he seethed jealously. He gets the first cup of tea!? I call bullshit!
Ruto, chill. She'll get around to you. Albion chimed in.
"Lovely. The tea made by my Rias' Queen is quite delicious." he said, taking another sip as he had his arm possessively over a scowling Rias' shoulder, playing with her crimson hair.
"Thank you for the compliment." Akeno said blandly. As she turned to stand behind the sofa with the rest of the peerage, she glared dangerously at him, that sadistic gleam of hers dancing in her magenta eyes.
"As for why you should be weary of him, Riser." Grayfia spoke, catching his attention. "He is quite formidable, and as I'm sure you've heard, is the White Dragon Emperor. You might be surprised at how strong he actually is." Grayfia warned, though not at all caring whether Riser heeded her words.
"Is that so? Then perhaps he'd like to duel me, that is if he isn't so cowardly as to turn Riser down." the arrogant Devil goaded.
Ruto glared at him. "Do I need to smack a bitch? Cos I will, I'll come and smack a bitch."
Riser smirked. "If you think you can." Ruto stood from leaning on the desk to approach, but a stern look from Grayfia shut down any chance of a fight.
I'd be able to take down that ass wipe any day of the week. But with the way my power is now, I wouldn't stand a chance in hell against Grayfia. Good thing we're friends. Ruto thought in frustration.
"That's enough Riser." Rias snapped and stood abruptly as Riser was getting a bit too touchy feely. "I don't care what you think, I'm never marrying you."
Riser didn't get aggressive or loud, he merely shrugged. "But my darling, Riser stands to believe that your family's circumstances are as such that you cannot afford to be so selfish." he said slyly.
"Ooh my name's Riser and I have a stick up my ass. I can't even speak proper English. Oh look at Riser, Riser's so cool, Riser has a last name that sounds like something I'd get from a chemist." Ruto muttered in a childishly exaggerated voice.
"Ruto, stop it." Grayfia said, desperately trying to control her facial expression and the shaking of her shoulders.
"Oh, I just had a great idea." Ruto announced. Everyone turned their gaze to him. "Rias, you want the freedom to choose your husband, right?" he asked, getting a nod from her. "And you're an ass hole whose opinion never crossed my mind anyway, so fuck you." he said pointedly at a sneering Riser. "How about a rating game?" Ruto finished with pure evil dancing in his eyes as he bore a snake-like grin.
"An excellent suggestion." Grayfia complimented. Ruto held up his hand towards Grayfia.
"Come on, gimme some." he said. Grayfia smiled again in amusement and high-fived him.
Riser grinned widely at the prospect of a rating game. He'd won all of his matches, except two which he forfeited to keep a good relationship with his opponents. "Well then. Tell me Rias, is this adorable little group the total sum of your servants?"
"So what if it is?" Rias asked. Riser let out a hearty and obnoxious laugh. He then clicked his fingers, making another orange magic circle appear on the floor. More fire erupted from it, revealing fifteen figures, all of them female.
"Riser has fifteen pieces. So in other words, I have a complete set." he stated cockily. Haru looked on at the other peerage.
"Damn, fifteen. And they're all hot as hell! Haru hates him so much." he said jealously.
"Oh fuck, it's spreading already!" Ruto yelled. Haru began to weep uncontrollably. "Get yourself together dude, you're embarrassing yourself." he turned his attention to the fifteen pieces on the other side of the room.
"So. Nice to meet you all." Ruto said. They all just looked at him strangely. One of them with long black hair in multiple ponytails, a Zweihander wielding Knight nodded in approval.
"He's pretty cute." was all she said. The others turned to her in shock.
"Seriously Siris?" another girl asked.
"What, just throwing out my opinion." she replied. Ruto's eyes gleamed in amusement.
"Oh you, you're just saying that." he said playfully. "But I must say, you're not so bad yourself. Got a name?"
Siris blushed, not actually expecting a response from him. "Uh, I'm Siris. What's yours?"
"Uzumaki Ruto, my lovely. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." he replied, in a burst of speed he was across the room. He took her hand, bowed and kissed the back of it. It wasn't long until they'd exchanged phone numbers and things got back to the matter at hand.
"Are you quite finished flirting with my Knight?" Riser asked heatedly.
"Oh I'm sorry, does that make Riser mad?" Ruto replied with an impish grin. "But in all seriousness, you're not just dealing with any normal peerage."
In a burst of pure white light, the White Dragon Scale Mail formed around Ruto's body, amazing and intimidating most in the room. He glanced at Haru and cocked his head. Haru got the message and put on his own little display of power. He deployed his Red Dragon Scale Mail.
"This peerage has both the White and Red Dragon Emperors backing it. If you think you can take us, then feel free to try." Ruto said challengingly.
"Oh yes, the human and the low class Devil. How amusing. Despite having the Dragon spirits in you, neither of you will ever come close to having what I have. You will amount to nothing." Riser said scornfully.
"Shut up! When I stop sucking at all of this Devil shit, I'll get a harem and I'll have power you stupid Phenex breath, or should I say Penix breath." Haru said, albeit kinda lamely. Ruto helpfully supplied a "Ba-dum-tss".
"How dare you. You should be mindful of your place when speaking to me." Riser said angrily.
"Fuck you! I don't give a shit what you think. Rias is the only one I want to impress!" Haru said, passion fuelling him. "We don't need a rating game, I'll kick your ass right here." Haru charged forth, ready to kick some ass but he was stopped when Ruto grabbed the back of his armoured neck.
"Slow down. As much as I'd love to see him have his ass handed to him on a golden, diamond encrusted platter, that's not what we're here for." Ruto said, quite eager to take on Riser himself.
"Hmph, well imagine that. The bearers of the brutal Boosted Gear and deadly Divine Dividing so easily dissuaded from fighting. That kind of mentality will get you killed. Worthless, both of you." Riser scoffed.
Rias felt a surge of determination. "Grayfia, tell my brother that we accept the rating game." The rest of Rias' peerage were taken by surprise. Grayfia walked over to Rias.
"I'll inform Sirzechs immediately." she said.
"Oh, Grayfia. I have a message for him." Ruto said.
"What is it?" Grayfia replied. A deathly aura permeated every nook and cranny of the room as it emanated from Ruto.
"Tell him 'I know'." he said in a calm, eerily low voice.
One by one, both groups departed back to their respective homes. Ruto had departed with Grayfia and parted with her to return to his house. He opened the door to his house, no longer donning his armour. He closed it behind him with a tired sigh and went into the living room to collapse in his chair.
He took his phone from his pocket and flipped it open to check the time. It read 00:17.
I'm sure Rossweisse will wanna know where I've been. There's no way she wouldn't have noticed Grayfia's presence here and my own disappear with her. Ruto thought to himself. As if on queue he heard soft footsteps coming down the stairs. As he predicted, Rossweisse was there, looking like she'd not long just changed to go to bed.
"Where have you been?" she asked immediately. Ruto rolled his eyes but smiled slightly.
"I think the more important question is who I was with. I've just returned from a rather interesting meeting with Riser Phenex. I'd be right in assuming you've heard of him?" Ruto said, garnering a nod from the Valkyrie.
"Yeah I have. While I haven't met him in person, I've heard he's… quite the character." Rossweisse replied.
"Quite the character indeed. Did you know he dared to spit in the face of basic speech in my presence. He kept referring to himself in both third and first person. Who the fuck does that?" Ruto said, fire was starting to burn in his eyes once again. "That and that he was just walking around like his shit doesn't stink. Man, I'm gonna enjoy wrecking his reputation."
"Wait, wreck his reputation? What do you mean Ruto?" Rossweisse said, slightly raising her voice.
"Relax, I was gonna tell you anyway. Rias and Riser are going to have a rating game to decide whether or not she gets married to Riser. And you, my lovely, are participating. You are Rias' Rook after all." Ruto said, puffing out his chest.
"Well then what are you gonna do? You're not part of the peerage." she asked. Ruto laughed and stood up. He took a very grandiose pose as he gestured to himself, as if he were under a spotlight.
"I, my dear, will be training the Gremory peerage and running tactical support during the game. With my strategies, there's no chance in hell you're losing." Ruto declared proudly with a maniacal sparkle in his eyes.
That and the image of a sweaty, battle-worn Rossweisse ever so slightly turns me on. Ruto thought with a perverse mental chuckle.
Why don't you just tell her already Ruto? Albion droned with boredom.
Not now, there are more pressing matters at hand. he replied, not wanting to stop the roll he was currently on.
"Ugh, training? I've done enough of that already though." Rossweisse whined.
"You can never train enough. By doing this, I'm neglecting my own training so try to at least feign gratitude." Ruto responded dully.
"Alright fine but I need to be in a position where I can interact with you all on a daily basis without drawing them here. I know what you're like, so easy access to the ORC would be best." the Valkyrie said with her hand resting thoughtfully on her chin.
"Why don't you enroll as a teacher? You've always wanted to do something like that right?" Ruto suggested, completely catching Rossweisse off guard. He'd not only remembered one of her oldest dreams she'd made him privy to, but that he'd suggested that at all.
"Um, well I guess I could do that. I mean, it'd be a convincing way of integrating me with the school." She suddenly had a thought, one that doubted the sincerity of his suggestion. "Are you sure you're not just trying to get me to look like one of those teachers from one of your animes?" she asked deadly serious.
Ruto just shrugged non-committally. "What if I told you it was a bit of both?" he retorted, a smirk growing on his face.