Atsuko DxD Adventures 21

Full Title: Why the Heck was I Reincarnated in DxD without a Cheat Power!?

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"Ise, I'm telling you, it's fine that you were crying--unlike some heartless people who are dead inside--" Atsuko continued as they were in the club room.

"Bite me." Koneko said back, stoic expression as usual, hiding her merit.

"--But did you have to blow your snot and hide it. I had to put all my clothes in the wash twist, and I'm afraid to go into your room lest I step in it."

"Look, yes I did cry throughout the marathon and at the end, but I did not blow my nose. There was no snot!" Issei protested.

"The sound came from Ise's side though." Rias interjected, looking amused as well, looking much more relaxed than yesterday.

"It, um, it probably came from Ddraig or something!" Issei thought up in an 'a-ha!' moment.

[What's that, kid? You're certainly brave, to throw around some idiotic accusations like that.] Issei's left hand shined where the Boosted Gear's emerald was located, as Ddraig spoke up. [Maybe we should, what was it the little spitfire suggested? Ah yes, 'have a battle at the center of the mind, for some good ol' shonen training'. Your dreams are not gonna be peaceful from now on.]

It was in fact, Ddraig who balled his eyes out, and blew his nose so loudly.

"Errr, wait, sorry! Red Dragon Emperor! Great Almighty Ddraig, please leave my peaceful dreams of Oppai alone!" Issei quickly cried out and got on his knees.

The Gremory Peerage laughed at Issei's comedic antics in good nature. There was a nice mood in the room, as Rias didn't have that melancholic mood that's been around her for a while anymore.

Sadly as they expected and anticipated, the good moon had to end. A silver magic circle lit up in the middle of the ORC, and from it the Strongest Queen with her maid outfit appeared.

"Good morning, Lady Rias, everyone." Grayfia greeted everyone with a pleasant tone, giving a small bow to Rias. "It seems everyone is already here. I hope your night had been pleasant?"

"Yes, It had been... comforting." Rias said after smiling at her present Peerage. They smiled back in understanding, glad their presence held ease Rias' worries. Issei had a wide cheerful smile as well, while Atsuko had the same smile as her brother, while holding a thumbs up.

"I'm glad." Grayfia said sincerely, before schooling her face to a more business-like expression. "Then without further ado."

As if on cue another magic circle appeared in the center of the room. One that was orange and gave an unnatural heat. Then a giant flame burst out from the magic circle, as if to engulf anything within it.

And from the center of the blaze a man appeared, as the flame dispersed back into nothing. The fire had simply been announcing his arrival.

He looked like a man in his twenties, blond and giving off the aura of some pampered rich boy, yet with a dreadful subtle regal bearing. The demonic aura was unmistakably that of a Devil. And from his demeanor, he was one of nobility.

"Aaah, it's been a while since I've been to the human's world." Said Riser Phenex, third son of the Phenex Pillar Family. "I've come to see you, my lovely Rias."

"Riser." Rias said simply as a greeting.

Issei quietly clicked his tongue. "I mean, I prepared myself for it, and I'm still pissed off looking at him." He said under his breath.

"Play the role of a background character, Ise." Atsuko said under her breath, only her brother next to her could hear her. "Smile and shut up, or look neutral and shut up. It's game face time."

"Got it!" Issei whispered back, and tried to calm and stoic.

His brows were tightened. His 'stoic' look had his lips pursed. His cheeks were slightly puffed.

Issei looked constipated. Atsuko had to resist the urge to facepalm.

"How have you been, Rias?" Riser smiled with that self-confident look, as he walked around the room like he owned it. He took a seat on one of the couches without waiting for permission, or for Rias to offer him a seat, as he inspected everyone in the room. "Grayfia, as the Strongest Queen, you looked regal and lovely as always."

"Thank you for the kind words, Lord Riser." Grayfia said with a small nod of her head, acting on her role as a maid, even if she was much higher in rank and power than the young Phenex. Her words and manners were nothing but a well practiced response, to other Devil nobles, nothing more. And Riser understood that.

"Rias, please, won't you sit with me?" Riser smirked in an easy going manner.

Rias stood up from her chair, she walked around her desk...

And sat opposite to her fiancé.

Riser raised an eyebrow. Rias' act wasn't simply one of defiance. Or rather it wasn't just petty defiance, or throwing a tantrum to annoy him. She was too calm and deliberate in her action.

Akeno came around with tea for Riser, making him smile and thank her. He took his time drinking his tea and enjoying it, thanking Akeno. The Queen accepted his praise and thanks, with a polite tone and all, but her welcoming words, didn't have their usual warmth, only simple politeness.

"Why did you come here, Riser?" Rias asked pointedly.

"What? Can I not come to visit my fiancé?" Riser said back.

"Not when you do so unannounced, or without sending a message beforehand." She threw back a reply. Rias had been anticipating this visit, even if Riser showed up 'out of the blue'.

This morning, Rias was woken up earlier than everyone else by Atsuko, and the two talked over a cup of honeyed milk--Atsuko's idea. Her Bishop had proved to be quick-witted and surprisingly wise when she was calm, telling Rias of Riser's likely visit, and what will likely finally end her engagement.

Rias wanted to dismiss the idea, of going for a Rating Game of all things but, it would be the one sure option to give her, her freedom.

Rias entered this meeting with a firm plan in mind, either somehow get Riser to back off, and for the marriage schedule to return to it's previous date. Or to have a Rating Game. She had talked with her Queen and Akeno seemed thankfully on board, maybe even enthusiastic about the idea.

"My, so much hostility." Riser chuckled. "Yet you should have known by now, our marriage was moved up and is going to be very soon. I figured... Rias, is your Pawn alright?" Riser couldn't help but comment as he noticed Issei's face.

Issei in an effort to appear 'stoic' had ultimately ended up just glaring at Riser, while holding his breath, so he doesn't embarrass Rias in front of their enemy, by shouting out loud. Instead he just looked constipated and like he was trying to burn Riser with his mind. Thankfully he wasn't channeling Demonic Power at the moment, otherwise that could have caused problem, or would have been embarrassing.

"Issei?" Rias looked behind her to see her Pawn's expression, and quickly tried not to laugh. She partially succeeded and only snorted. "A-Atsuko, please."

"Yes, my King." Atsuko smiled, and elbowed Issei's side, causing him to let go and start breathing again.

"D-Damn it, Atsuko." Issei coughed a few times, before regaining his breath. "Did you have to hit so hard?" He hissed.

"When you're looking like Rosy the Clown, yes." Atsuko smiled back.

Riser laughed out loud at the interaction, making Rias scowled and lose her good mood, as she faced him again.

"Riser," Rias spoke, getting his attention again. "Forgive my servant, he's protective of me." She smiled making Issei blush, before she looked serious again. "As for what you said earlier, our marriage was supposed to be postponed till I graduate from university. I don't understand nor agree to it suddenly being now." She then shook her head. "No, regardless, I never agreed nor want to marry you in the first place."

"Hmph," Riser gave Issei and Atsuko a look, while keeping his normal smirk, before focusing on Rias again. "Ah, yes, you've said that before." He didn't roll his eyes, but it was visible in his tone.

Atsuko blinked at that look Riser gave her and Issei. She had this feeling, like something itching at the back of her mind. Like something was off with this whole situation.

When did Rias introduce Issei or say what Piece he was?

"However, the situation of your household are quite serious. Mine thankfully not so much, so the Phenex are generously offering to help the Gremory out, because our parents are close." Riser said. "You're the only heir currently to your family, do you intend for the Gremory line to end with you? Will you abandon your duty, to your house and Devilkind?" His tone was now serious.

"Eh? Duty to Devilkind?" Issei asked out loud.

Akeno began to explain what Riser meant by that, such as how Pureblood Devils see their bloodlines and want to not contaminated them with Reincarnated Devil, even if they did need them to solve their population numbers.

"I'm not. I will deal with the issue of my house on my own. I don't have a problem with getting a husband someday, but it will be by my own choice, not something Father or Brother push on me." Rias said firmly. "If you don't like it, we could always settle this matter with a Rating Game." Rias was confident, she threw the gauntlet and waited for Riser's reaction.

Riser grew quiet. Rather than explode in rage as she expected, he looked resigned, almost like he expected this.

"My, my, did you really grow so confident because of your two new Pieces?" Riser asked.

"Eh?" Rias blinked at that.

The other Peerage members were also surprised by the reaction, as it was not like the arrogant noble scion, that have interacted with, or just get introduced to as in the case of Issei and Atsuko.

"I suppose I can see why. Even if you were thrown off by the wedding date suddenly moving up out of nowhere, your go-getter Bishop, and the Red Dragon Emperor Pawn are strong enough for you to consider such a risky move." Riser smirked at everyone's surprised looks.

"How do you know about us?" Atsuko was about to reprimand her brother for blabber like that, as some anime character stating the obvious. Except it was her who said that.

Riser look at Atsuko with his usual haughty smirk. "I tend to check on my fiancé from time to time, at my parents insistence." He raise his arm to the side, and a small flame erupted on it and disappeared to leave a large parrot resting on it. It was his familiar. "Issei Hyoudou and Atsuko Hyoudou, I suppose you two were worthy enough for me to remember you."

"You spied on me!" Rias stood up shouting at Riser.

"You constantly ignore any message I sent, not even bother to reply with a refusal for any dates. This way, I can at least assure my parents that you're doing well, and that I've put in the effort of trying to court you. They leave me alone, and you are forced to meet me." Riser smirked. "A win for everyone, right?" He was enjoying this.

"Like hell that makes it okay!" Rias and Riser argued back and forth. Rias angry, while Riser only amused.

Issei however didn't blow off the handle, shouting at Riser being a hypocrite or anything like that, as would have been typical of him right now.

No, his whole attention was on his sister.

Atsuko's whole body stilled, before she forcibly relaxed, and adopted a stoic smile on her face. Her expression looking normal, but her eyes seemed to look at nothing, as her mind was going miles a minute.

But Issei could tell what she was feeling. Atsuko looked fine. She was smiling. She looked calm, and not thrown off by the reveal that Riser knew about her and Issei. That Riser might be taking them seriously due to knowing about them.

Atsuko might have looked like her normal, subtly mischievous self, but Issei knew the truth.

His sister was enraged.