Devils Don't Fall in Love, Ch 141-143

Chapter 141: The Final Choice

As he kept flipping through the pages, Leo couldn’t help clicking his tongue.

While Yukinoshita Yukino and the others were soaking in the hot springs after a full day of grueling special training, Leo stayed behind in his tent. Sitting on the bed, he carefully reviewed the list of servant candidates in his hands.

“They really are generous, aren’t they… those big families.”

Just counting candidates from the major devil bloodlines alone—excluding disciples, students, and other outsiders—there were already more than twenty names.

Vassago, Gamigin, Beleth, Sallos, Purson, Bifrons, Furcas, Balam, Andrealphus… one after another, families ranked among the Seventy-Two Pillars all had descendants on the list. There were even people from the Extra Demon Families.

Even Astaroth and Glasya-Labolas—two families directly related to the current Maou—had representatives listed. Though none were from the main line, even branch members appearing here was enough to show how much importance they placed on Leo.

“It’s a shame there’s no one from the Sitri House or the Gremory House.”

Leo felt a trace of regret.

Compared to the other families, he naturally trusted the Sitri House and the Gremory House more. If someone from either family had appeared, he would have leaned toward choosing them without much hesitation.

Unfortunately, neither house was particularly populous. Although both were riding high thanks to producing a Maou, they were clearly facing a shortage of successors. Sending someone out to become another person’s servant simply wasn’t realistic.

“Still, they’re honest about it,” Leo thought. “No one to spare, so they didn’t force it. Not like some families trying to send disciples or students instead.”

That, at least, earned some respect.

He glanced over the profiles of those disciples and students. They weren’t completely worthless. Anyone sent out by a pureblood devil family was never going to be mediocre, and Sirzechs would never allow filler candidates to take up Leo’s servant slots. That would only hinder his growth, not help it.

Their backgrounds varied. Some were geniuses chosen from among common devils, others were descendants of purebloods whose bloodlines had thinned and who’d suffered unfair treatment. But without exception, they all had decent potential.

None of them had the kind of top-tier potential that could rival a Longinus wielder—no family would ever give up someone like that as a servant—but they weren’t low-potential dead weight either. Every single one sat at medium potential. Some leaned lower, some higher.

Even so, Leo wasn’t impressed by those at the upper end of medium potential.

“They’re still not on the same level as Asuna or Utaha.”

Yuuki Asuna and Kasumigaoka Utaha were also medium potential, but they were clearly in the very best tier of it—close enough to high potential that the difference was negligible.

Compared to them, even the standouts here fell short. The gap between medium and high potential was still very real, and none of these candidates could compare to Asuna or Utaha.

That went for the pureblood devils as well.

And this was only comparing potential. Once other factors were taken into account, there was no contest at all.

After all, Yukinoshita Yukino and the others were protagonists in their own stories. That status alone made them special in a way that raw potential couldn’t explain.

Even if their potential were lower, Leo believed that given the right opportunity, they would soar, transform completely, surpass countless more “talented” geniuses, and reach heights others could never touch.

That kind of special quality mattered more to him than simple numbers.

Because of that, even if someone with equal potential to Yukinoshita Yukino showed up, Leo would still have to think carefully about whether taking them in was worth it.

If he had to choose between someone with lower potential but protagonist-like qualities, and someone with higher potential who was completely forgettable in the original story, he would lean toward the former—as long as they didn’t clash too badly with his preferences.

Unfortunately, most of the names on Sirzechs’ list were people Leo had never even heard of. They had no presence in the original story at all. How were they supposed to move him?

If their potential were truly exceptional, that would be one thing. He didn’t expect them to match Yukinoshita Yukino or Shiina Mahiru’s high potential, but as long as they weren’t too far below Asuna and Utaha, he would seriously consider them.

But with a gap this wide, he just couldn’t muster any interest.

“Huh?”

Leo froze mid-page, his casual flipping coming to a halt.

His expression turned strange as his gaze locked onto a single entry.

At the top right corner of the page was a photo—a beautiful young girl.

She wore an aristocratic outfit reminiscent of a Western princess’s dress. Her looks were doll-like, delicate and cute. Golden curls were tied into twin drill-like ponytails, and between her brows was a hint of confidence—and arrogance.

Her name read:

“Ravel Phenex.”

Right.

A member of the Phenex family—the sacred beast lineage responsible for producing Phoenix Tears.

Ravel Phenex, the eldest daughter of the Phenex family. She was the fourth child of the current head, with three older brothers above her. A true descendant of the phoenix, her bloodline was exceptionally pure. A genuine noble young lady.

While her status didn’t quite match that of Rias or Sona Sitri, she wasn’t from a branch family either. In terms of standing, she wasn’t far behind them at all. Among the entire list of servant candidates, only a handful could compare to her.

Her background was exceptional—and her strength and potential were no worse.

Just being a direct Phenex heir with pure phoenix blood already put her above nearly everyone else on the list.

An Immortal Body. The ability to produce Phoenix Tears.

Those two traits alone were enough to make her stand out far above most candidates. Even if someone surpassed her in raw potential, taking these abilities into account, almost anyone would be tempted.

Leo’s strange expression wasn’t due to temptation, though.

“Wasn’t I just thinking that everyone on this list was a nobody from the original story? And now this… this is a big one.”

Ravel Phenex was anything but insignificant. She had plenty of screen time in the original story. Before the protagonist even became a High-Class Devil, she had already been his manager, handling his affairs. After his promotion, she became his servant, serving as his core strategist and military adviser, helping him command his entire servant team with remarkable tactical and strategic ability.

She was exceptional—both intellectually and practically.

Leo never expected her name to appear on this list.

“Looks like the Phenex family really wants to invest in me.”

He clicked his tongue in amazement.

In the original story, the Phenex family had been drawn in by the Red Dragon Emperor’s potential and optimistic about his future, which was why they allowed their eldest daughter to become his servant.

Now Leo had appeared out of nowhere—with a special mutated trait, the world's second-strongest Longinus, Zenith Tempest, and a lineup that already included two Longinus and two Sacred Gears just a step below that level.

It wasn’t surprising that the Phenex family felt tempted to make the same kind of move.

“A phoenix, huh…”

This time, Leo truly was tempted.

In terms of ability and potential, she might not surpass Yuuki Asuna or Kasumigaoka Utaha, but she was as pure a pureblood devil as they came. Combined with the Phenex family’s unique traits and her rare strategic mind, she was more than qualified to catch his interest.

In terms of original-story importance, she could even be considered one of the heroines—certainly more significant than characters who barely counted as side roles.

And since Leo knew the Phenex family well from the original story, he felt reasonably at ease with them. While they didn’t earn the unconditional trust he had for the Sitri House or Gremory House, foreknowledge went a long way.

All of it together was more than enough to make him consider taking her as a servant.

Still…

“Does this count as stealing someone else’s future?”

Leo scratched his head.

If he took her in, the original protagonist would probably lose a crucial strategist and core servant.

But then again—

“She’s being offered to me on a silver platter. If I’m already tempted, backing out would just be stupid.”

Leaving aside Ravel Phenex’s personal value, befriending the Phenex family itself—as Sirzechs had suggested—was clearly more beneficial than harmful.

With that in mind, Leo studied her profile even more closely.

That was when he noticed something unexpected.

Ravel Phenex was still free. She wasn’t anyone’s servant yet.

In the original story, before her formal appearance, she had joined her older brother’s servant team at his request, becoming his Bishop. She was allowed to accompany the team, protected from combat, observing battles and participating in strategy planning.

By this point in the timeline, she should already have become her useless brother’s servant.

Yet according to the file, she hadn’t joined his team at all.

“That’s perfect. That clears my last concern.”

If she had already accepted a Bishop piece, Leo wouldn’t have been able to take her.

Under the Rating Game rules, Kings could exchange pieces—and servants—with one another, but only using the same type of piece.

Leo’s two Bishop pieces were already used.

Yukinoshita Yukino and Shiina Mahiru—both Longinus hosts—were his Bishops. There was no way he would ever trade them away.

But since Ravel Phenex hadn’t yet accepted a Bishop piece, there was still room.

“A Rook piece would probably suit you better.”

Leo murmured to himself.

For a pureblood devil, the Bishop piece—focused on magic—would normally be ideal. But the Rook piece fit a phoenix just as well.

Phoenixes governed fire, wind, and life. Their flames could scorch dragon scales, and even if reduced to ashes, they could revive instantly. Their offense and defense were already terrifying.

With the Rook’s reinforcement, her flames and Immortal Body would become even more troublesome to deal with.

“And if she can make Phoenix Tears too… that would solve a huge problem.”

Leo had already been thinking about finding a way to get Phoenix Tears. Recruiting Ravel directly would be like bringing the manufacturer under his own banner.

Why worry about supply after that?

One thought after another flashed through his mind, until Leo finally made his decision.

“It’s her.”

He spread a magic circle across his palm and sent a call request to Sirzechs.

—

Devil Capital, Lilith.

Inside a modest room, Sirzechs put away the magic circle in his hand and smiled.

“As expected… he chose the Phenex family.”

The result didn’t surprise him at all.

In his eyes, the most likely candidate on that entire list was the Phenex family’s young lady.

Anyone with eyes would be drawn to that surname. The Phenex family was simply too gifted by nature.

But that wasn’t the most important part.

Now that the Phenex family’s daughter had been chosen, negotiations between him and the current head of the Phenex family could finally be brought to the table.

“I’ve fulfilled my promise—helping the Phenex family get selected. Now it’s their turn to listen to my request.”

Sirzechs gazed out into the night sky and spoke softly to himself.

“I can only help you this much. The rest is up to you, Rias.”

The next morning arrived.

Chapter 142: “Phenex”

Today, the members of Leo’s servant team didn’t go out for special training. Instead, he called all of them into his tent, where they sat together in front of him.

“No training today?”

Yukinoshita Yukino asked, arms crossed, looking at Leo as he yawned in front of them.

The others also looked at him. There was curiosity in their expressions, but no real confusion.

After half a month of intense training, the four servant girls had changed noticeably. Not only had their strength increased significantly, their presence and demeanor were completely different from before. They sat there quietly, waiting for Leo’s instructions, calm and composed—as if no matter what happened, they could accept it without panic.

Seeing Yukinoshita Yukino and the others like this, Leo didn’t say anything, but inwardly he was very satisfied.

He knew that before this, even though they had gained supernatural power by becoming his servants and were no longer ordinary girls, their mindset hadn’t fully changed.

The Old Maou Faction’s attack had forced the first shift in their mentality, but it was only a step away from being ordinary people.

This half month of special training was different. They’d endured levels of intense training and high-pressure combat they’d never experienced before—things that would have been unimaginable for their past selves.

Just the morning sessions alone were brutal enough to be considered lethal. Even strong-willed men might not have lasted. Yet they not only endured it, they did so while being relentlessly bombarded and interfered with by Leo himself. If that treatment were applied to some fragile, pampered girls, they would have exploded long ago.

Yukinoshita Yukino and the others had persevered all the way through, and the results were obvious. They had finally developed the awareness and confidence that they were no longer ordinary girls. Their words and actions had become calmer and more grounded.

Now, they were truly qualified servants—qualified supernatural fighters.

If they were sent back to the time of the Old Maou Faction’s attack, Leo was confident they could clear the first five rooms together and reach the throne room where he had been waiting.

“Today, we’re going to the Gremory territory.”

Facing their gazes, Leo spoke casually, one hand on his waist, the other hanging loosely.

The Gremory territory?

Wasn’t that Rias-senpai’s family land?

Yukinoshita Yukino and the others exchanged glances, then looked back at Leo in silent question.

“Well…”

Leo explained everything about his conversation with Sirzechs the previous day.

“After I contacted Sirzechs-sama, he told me to head straight to his place today and wait for him there. The Phenex family will also be there. We’ll meet them in person—and meet the Phenex family’s young lady who’s about to become my servant. Your new teammate.”

The girls looked enlightened at first, then puzzled again.

“So devils can become servants too?”

Kasumigaoka Utaha muttered. “I thought only non-devil races could accept Evil Pieces and reincarnate into devils to become servants.”

“Why would a devil need Evil Pieces to become someone else’s servant?” she added. “They’re already devils.”

“That’s where you’re making assumptions,” Leo said, shaking his head. “It’s true that most servants are reincarnated from other races, but devils becoming servants isn’t rare.”

“Some devils are born commoners. By becoming a High-Class Devil’s servant, they gain access to efficient training methods and powerful backing. Others use it as a way to connect with noble pureblood devils and climb the ranks.”

“Some are recruited because of their exceptional talent or strength, caught the eye of a noble High-Class Devil, and are invited to join their servant team.”

“Don’t think devils wouldn’t want to be servants. Because of the Rating Game, many devils want a stage to prove their worth and rise within devil society. They look for Kings with potential and strength—just like medieval knights choosing a lord worthy of their loyalty.”

“That’s why plenty of devils willingly become servants, especially under powerful Kings with strong teams. Once a team makes a name for itself in the Rating Game, there’s no shortage of devils wanting to join.”

Ravel Phenex was in a similar position.

The House Phenex believed in Leo’s future—and in the future of the Eligos' servants. They believed he would rise to prominence in the Underworld, so they were willing to let their precious daughter follow him and stake her future on his success.

If Leo eventually became a pillar of the devil world, holding a status not inferior to a Maou, then even the position of servant would far surpass that of an ordinary noble lady.

That was why so many devil families were willing to send their own people and let Leo choose.

As long as there was profit to be gained, what did it matter if they became servants?

That was the devil way of thinking.

“Of course…” Leo continued, “all of that depends on whether we’re worth it.”

“In the past, we were nobodies—or rather, I didn’t have enough recognition in the devil world yet. That’s why none of this happened.”

“But now, we’ve proven our value. Plenty of people are interested.”

“The Phenex family’s young lady is the one I chose. She’s the only one I was interested in.”

“Today, we’ll meet her and see what she’s really like.”

In truth, it was a two-way choice.

Leo wanted to meet her, and she wanted to meet him—to decide whether he was truly worth serving.

“The Phenex family, huh?”

Yuuki Asuna sounded intrigued. “Is she really able to make Phoenix Tears?”

“And she has an Immortal Body, right?”

Shiina Mahiru asked, clearly remembering that family. “Is there really a devil you can’t kill?”

The girls began asking questions one after another.

“How should I put it…”

Leo scratched his head.

“Phoenix Tears—she can definitely make them. Anyone from the House Phenex can. But producing them casually is impossible. It requires special rituals, so even if they exist, there won’t be many.”

“As for Immortal Body, it’s true that Phenex devils can revive even after being reduced to ashes. But the body can regenerate—the mind might not. The most direct way to defeat a Phenex is to destroy their spirit, or exhaust their demonic power until they can’t regenerate anymore.”

“If the power gap is large enough, it’s even possible to crush both mind and body at once. So Immortal Body is strong, but it’s not invincible.”

Otherwise, the House Phenex would have ruled the Underworld long ago.

Because their weakness is so obvious, their position in the devil world is solid—but not overwhelming. They can’t compare to the great noble houses or families tied directly to Maou.

“You don’t need to see her as something untouchable,” Leo said. “Even if she’s a phoenix, she’s not above you. Honestly, she’s probably below you.”

That wasn’t arrogance—it was the truth.

At the very least, compared to Yukinoshita Yukino and Shiina Mahiru, who were Longinus hosts, the so-called phoenix girl fell short.

What truly made the Phenex family special was their ability to produce Phoenix Tears and their Immortal Body. One was for healing, the other merely made them hard to kill. Neither meant they were overwhelmingly strong.

The strongest Phenex in the present era was only an Ultimate-Class Devil. Whether any of them had ever reached Maou-Class was unknown. Perhaps the founding ancestor did—but among later generations, such strength was extremely rare, if it existed at all.

Even in the original story, no member of the Phenex family ever displayed Maou-Class strength.

That was why they invested in the Red Dragon Emperor back then—and why they were now interested in Leo.

“Get ready. We’ll leave soon,” Leo said once their questions died down. “We’ll teleport directly using a magic circle. It won’t take long.”

The girls nodded in unison and left the tent to change.

—

Underworld, Gremory territory.

Like the Eligos Territory, the Gremory territory was vast—comparable in size to Honshu—but much of it was undeveloped. Mountains, forests, and enormous lakes stretched as far as the eye could see.

The difference was that the Gremory House, now at the height of its power in the devil world, had many populated areas. Towns, cities, and castles dotted the land.

Since ancient times, members of the Gremory House appeared at important events riding Gomorin camels, making Gomorin the family’s mascot. The Gremory House was also famously wealthy. Their trait allowed them to discover treasures, and its members were known for their deep emotions.

That was why Sirzechs and Rias were both known for doting on their servants.

To them, servants were treasures they had personally unearthed.

Thanks to this, every generation of the Gremory House produced outstanding figures, each commanding capable servant teams that managed their territory with remarkable efficiency.

That day, in front of the Gremory main residence, a magic circle suddenly appeared. Leo and his group emerged from the red light.

“We’re here.”

Leo stepped out first and spoke to his servants—but received no response.

They were all frozen, stunned by the sight before them.

“Th-this is the Gremory House?”

Kasumigaoka Utaha pointed at the scene, her voice trembling.

The others didn’t speak, but their reactions were much the same.

Before them stood an enormous castle, surrounded by a garden so vast it was hard to take in all at once.

Flower beds bloomed with brilliant colors, wide roads gleamed, neatly arranged greenery lined the paths, and elegant fountains sprayed water into the air. Birds flew across the sky like something out of a fairy tale.

The girls were speechless. They couldn’t believe this was a family’s private residence.

Calling it a king’s palace wouldn’t have been an exaggeration.

They had already thought Leo’s estate was incredibly luxurious. The Yukinoshita, Shiina, and Yuuki families certainly didn’t live anywhere like that. But compared to this castle and its grounds, Leo’s place felt small—like it would barely take up a corner here.

“Already shocked?”

Leo understood their reaction. “The real show hasn’t even started.”

As they arrived, the castle gates slowly opened. A red carpet rolled out from within, stretching across the ground.

Groups of maids and butlers poured out, forming lines on either side of the carpet. Music played as they bowed in unison.

“Welcome to the Gremory residence.”

The one at the front was Sirzechs’ Queen—Grayfia Lucifuge.

She bowed politely, her expression perfectly calm, ignoring the girls’ stunned faces.

“Sirzechs-sama and the members of the House Phenex are already waiting. Please proceed inside.”

With that, Grayfia stepped aside and gestured invitingly.

“Thank you.”

Leo nodded to her. Seeing the girls still frozen, he reached out and took Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuuki Asuna by the hand, leading them forward along the carpet.

Kasumigaoka Utaha and Shiina Mahiru snapped out of it and hurried to follow.

The five of them passed through the massive gates and entered the castle, walking through one door after another along a long, luxurious corridor until they reached what looked like a grand hall.

A staircase led to the second floor. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling. Nearby, a door stood open, revealing what appeared to be a reception room.

Under Grayfia’s guidance, they entered the room and saw the people chatting inside.

“You’ve arrived?”

One man turned around with a smile.

It was Sirzechs.

As for the others present—they immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Chapter 143: Not Living Up to the Reputation

There were three people in the reception room.

In front of Sirzechs, dressed in his luxurious formal wear, two of them stood up as Leo and his group entered. The third remained seated, showing no reaction at all.

The first to draw everyone’s attention were the two who had stood up.

One was older, one younger. Their features were strikingly similar at a glance, making their blood relation obvious—and both were undeniably beautiful.

The younger one looked more youthful, not very tall, but with a well-proportioned figure. She was exactly the same as the Ravel Phenex Leo had seen in the servant candidate files.

The older one was also a young woman. Her bearing and expression carried a natural nobility. Her hair was elegantly pinned up and adorned with jewelry that was clearly expensive. Her looks and stature were fuller and more mature than the younger girl’s.

“Sirzechs-sama.”

Leo briefly glanced at the two of them, then nodded to Sirzechs as the host in greeting.

Yukinoshita Yukino and the others bowed respectfully as well, then quietly followed behind Leo without saying a word.

“Let me introduce them,”

Sirzechs said with a smile, gesturing toward the mature woman.

“This is the wife of the current head of the House Phenex. She’s Ravel’s mother.”

The moment those words landed, Leo aside, Yukinoshita Yukino and the others were all startled.

Her mother?

Ravel Phenex’s mother looked this young?

Wasn’t she supposed to have three sons and a daughter already?

She didn’t look the part at all.

Then it clicked—she was a devil.

Devils were a long-lived race, and once they reached a certain age, they could freely alter their appearance with demonic power. Looking young didn’t mean she actually was. For all they knew, she might even be older than a centuries-old figure like Miyamoto Musashi.

“Greetings, Lady Phenex.”

Leo already knew her identity and politely bowed.

“Good day, Mr. Eligos.”

Lady Phenex smiled back just as gracefully. Her eyes, however, had been observing Leo from the moment he walked in—and the more she looked, the more satisfied she became.

She had seen his photos before and knew what he looked like, but meeting him in person felt different.

Bright.

At first, she had thought Leo would be exactly as he appeared—a sunny, cheerful young man. Seeing him up close, she realized that while his personality might indeed be open and warm, he was far from simple.

The sharp edge hidden beneath his smile, along with the subtle demonic power that gave her a faint sense of pressure, told her she hadn’t misjudged him. This was a truly remarkable young man.

Then she glanced at the beautiful servants standing behind him, and her smile deepened.

Such promising talents—each of them stunning, no less impressive than her own daughter. Their presence was exceptional, their potential limitless. Given time to grow, they could easily become powerful assets.

She really hadn’t chosen wrong.

Yes—Ravel Phenex becoming Leo’s servant as a way to draw closer to him had been Lady Phenex’s decision from the very beginning.

The current head of the House Phenex—Ravel’s father—had fiercely opposed the idea. He couldn’t accept that his precious daughter would become someone else’s servant. But Lady Phenex had suppressed him single-handedly and pushed the decision through. That was how Ravel’s name ended up on Leo’s candidate list.

Which was why she, not the head of the family, was present today.

Now that she saw Leo’s appearance, strength, potential, and the quality of his servants—all exceeding her expectations—Lady Phenex was naturally delighted.

“Originally, I should have invited you to visit our home,”

she said warmly. “But Sirzechs-sama wished to host this meeting, so I brought my daughter here instead. I hope you’ll forgive any discourtesy.”

Her tone was friendly, almost enthusiastic—like a mother-in-law meeting her future son-in-law.

“No, if anyone’s being discourteous, it’s me,”

Leo replied with an easy smile, not one to turn away goodwill. “If anything, I should be the one inviting you. Unfortunately, the Eligos Territory hasn’t fully recovered yet. I’ll have to wait for another opportunity.”

“That day won’t be too far off, will it?”

Lady Phenex laughed.

“Yes,”

Leo nodded frankly. “At least, that’s my plan.”

“If you need anything, feel free to contact me,”

Lady Phenex said, openly extending goodwill. “The House Phenex has plenty of wealth. If you need materials or resources in the future, let me know. I’ll do my best to arrange it.”

This wasn’t just polite talk—if anything, it was understated.

As the only family in the Underworld capable of producing Phoenix Tears, the House Phenex was obscenely wealthy. Even compared to the treasure-hunting Gremory House, they lost nothing in that regard.

Rebuilding a territory required massive resources and astronomical funding. If the Phenex family was willing to help, they absolutely could.

“Then I won’t refuse, Lady Phenex.”

Leo understood this was also part of her effort to draw closer to him. He accepted it calmly and nodded.

If he took Ravel Phenex as his servant, it would effectively bind him to the House Phenex. In that case, there was no reason to reject such goodwill.

He could also understand her mindset. She likely wanted to give as many benefits as possible to strengthen their relationship. If the Sitri House hadn’t already been his earliest supporter and financier, Leo suspected the Phenex family would have tried to take that role as well.

For him, this was all upside.

“Ravel.”

Lady Phenex called softly and gently pushed the girl beside her forward.

Ravel had been observing Leo ever since he entered—her gaze even more direct than her mother’s, as if she were assessing whether the man in front of her was truly worthy.

“I am Ravel Phenex, eldest daughter of the House Phenex, and the one who will soon become your servant. Please take care of me, Leo-sama.”

She lifted the edges of her dress and performed a proper curtsy. Her expression didn’t show resistance to becoming Leo’s servant, but the scrutinizing look in her eyes was so obvious that it gave the impression she wasn’t entirely willing.

Leo met her gaze, a faint glint flashing through his eyes.

He could sense the blazing demonic power hidden within her. In sheer quantity, it rivaled that of a High-Class Devil—greater than all of his servants, even surpassing Yukinoshita Yukino, who already possessed High-Class Devil-level demonic power. In quality, it was second only to Rias’ Power of Destruction.

Anyone could tell this was an extremely orthodox pureblood devil.

If she chose to debut as a King herself, she already met the qualifications to receive Evil Pieces. She would become one of the youngest rising devils of her generation. But the House Phenex already had three sons who had debuted. One more—or one less—didn’t matter.

And so she had ended up standing before him instead, about to serve under him.

All things considered, gaining a servant like this was an absolute windfall.

A pureblood devil capable of becoming a King on her own would, at minimum, be a top-tier medium-potential talent. Taking her in was unquestionably worth it.

“May I call you Ravel?”

Leo asked, his thoughts settling in an instant.

“Of course. You are my master. You may address me by name.”

She said that, yet stood tall and proud—looking far less like someone preparing to serve, and more like someone expecting to be served.

Leo didn’t particularly mind her arrogance. Yukinoshita Yukino and the others, however, subtly frowned.

“Then, Ravel, let me confirm one last time,”

Leo said, businesslike. “Are you certain you wish to become my servant and acknowledge me as your master?”

Ravel glanced at Lady Phenex. Only after her mother nodded did she sigh softly and look back at Leo.

“I am certain. Please do not reject me, Leo-sama.”

She adopted a formal tone, no longer scrutinizing him.

Leo sensed there was more beneath the surface, but didn’t press the matter.

“Then…”

Just as he was about to finalize it—

“Wait.”

A single word cut in.

Everyone’s gaze immediately turned toward the speaker.

Leo had noticed him long ago, his expression subtly shifting. Yukinoshita Yukino and the others felt the same—and openly disliked the man’s presence.

He was lounging lazily on the sofa.

A man in a red suit, his features decent but completely lacking dignity. He leaned back with legs crossed, arms spread across the backrest like a delinquent heir.

He looked around twenty-something, two or three years older than Leo. He hadn’t even bothered to stand when Leo entered.

Though wearing a suit, he had no tie, his shirt open at the chest. His disreputable aura was in full display, leaving a terrible first impression.

The way he looked at Leo was even worse—contemptuous, dismissive, and condescending. It was enough to make Yukinoshita Yukino and the others visibly irritated.

“Riser.”

Lady Phenex called sharply, her tone filled with warning.

“Brother.”

Ravel addressed him as well, making his identity clear.

Riser Phenex.

The third son of the House Phenex. Ravel’s third older brother. The man who, in the original story, would later take Ravel as his Bishop piece—and the fiancé who would eventually marry Rias after she came of age.

In other words, the future son-in-law of the Gremory House, and Sirzechs’ prospective brother-in-law.

That status was the only reason he dared to sit so disrespectfully in a room where a Maou was present. Otherwise, Grayfia would have thrown him out long ago.

Riser slowly stood and walked up to Leo, leaning in like an arrogant rich kid.

“I haven’t agreed to this yet.”

He sneered.

“So this is Leo Eligos? The guy everyone’s been hyping up in the devil world. You don’t look like much.”

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Yukinoshita Yukino and the others felt their tempers flare.

Leo simply narrowed his eyes, watching Riser without speaking.

Sirzechs and Grayfia stood quietly to the side, clearly choosing not to interfere.

“Riser!”

Lady Phenex’s face darkened as she snapped, “If you want to embarrass yourself, go home!”

“Brother,”

Ravel added with a frown. “That’s enough.”

Riser ignored them both.

“I’m just telling the truth,”

he scoffed. “The Eligos family? A dead, poor house. Now some half-human mutt crawls out with a Longinus, and suddenly everyone’s rushing to fawn over him. It’s pathetic.”

“A Sacred Gear that can supposedly kill gods and Maou? Power like that depends on the user. Give it to a nobody, and it’s just a gem covered in dust.”

“You want my sister to serve some poor, impure-blooded trash like this? I don’t agree.”

The blunt disdain in his words dragged everyone’s expression down.

Leo, on the other hand, smiled.

A smile that was oddly intriguing.

“So you’re Riser Phenex?”

He spoke calmly.

“Looks like meeting you really doesn’t live up to your reputation.”

====