The gardens of the Phenex estate stretched across miles, blooming with ethereal flora nourished by ancient, ever burning embers that floated like golden motes in the air. Marble statues stood watch over gilded rose bushes, and fountains shaped like phoenixes spat liquid flame into crystalline basins. Near the largest of these, Riser Phenex waited.
Riser carried himself like a sovereign. Clad in a regal crimson tunic threaded with gold, he stood tall and composed, the glint of firelight dancing in his sharp golden eyes. His blond hair fluttered in the warm breeze, and his posture radiated calm strength.
He looked to the floor as a familiar teleportation circle formed. With a swirl of red light, Rias Gremory arrived.
"You didn't get held up did you," Riser said playfully, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Rias gave an exaggerated huff. "You were supposed to meet me at the gate. Gremory girls don't wait, you know."
"My apologies," he said, bowing with mock formality. "I was too mesmerized by the roses."
Rias raised an eyebrow. "Are you calling me a rose?"
"I'm saying even the roses looked dull compared to your entrance."
She blinked, clearly unprepared for the compliment. "Hmph. You've been spending too much time around nobles. You're turning into a flatterer."
"Or maybe I just say what I mean."
Rias looked away, her cheeks faintly pink. "You're annoying."
"I Frequently hear that from you."
They began walking through the garden path, lined with glowing vines and soft glass lanterns that floated midair. Their respective attendants followed at a discreet distance.
"So," Rias said after a minute, brushing a hand through her long crimson hair, "what's this I hear about you making you're moves already to head to the human world?"
"It's true," Riser replied. "My father and Sirzechs recently concluded a negotiation with Amaterasu. The Shinto have agreed to allow the Phenex family governance over a place called Kuoh Town."
Rias wrinkled her nose. "That name sounds so ordinary."
"It's anything but. Kuoh sits at the intersection of spiritual ley lines. Magic flows freely there. And it's relatively unclaimed perfect for building something new."
"Building what, exactly?" she asked skeptically.
"A legacy," Riser said. "I don't want to just rule. I want to build. A Night Club. A community. A School. Something that lasts. I want Kuoh to be more than just territory I want it to be a symbol of unity."
Rias frowned thoughtfully. "Unity between devils and humans?"
"And other factions. Supervised, of course. We're still devils."
"That's ambitious."
He gave her a sidelong glance. "Coming from a Gremory, I'll take that as praise."
Rias grinned despite herself. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Firebird."
They paused at the centerpiece of the gardens a towering phoenix sculpture surrounded by enchanted lotus blossoms that glowed with soft golden light.
Riser turned to her. "Rias."
Her gaze lifted to his, guarded. "What?"
"When you're of age I'd like you to come live in Kuoh. Not because of the contract. Not because of our families. But because you choose to."
Rias stared at him. The wind caught her hair, cascading around her in a curtain of red silk.
"You mean as your wife?" she asked softly.
"If that's what you want," Riser said. "But more than that as my equal. My partner."
She turned away quickly, arms folded, cheeks blazing. "I'm only seven. You can't just say stuff like that!"
"I can," Riser said simply. "Because I mean it."
"You're so full of yourself sometimes."
"And yet you're still here."
Rias tried to hide her smile. "That's because my brother made me come."
"He didn't make you wear that dress."
Her face turned crimson. "I didn't wear this for you!"
"I know. You wore it to impress my mother."
"Oh shut up!"
Riser chuckled, and after a moment, Rias laughed too light and bright, her guard cracking ever so slightly.
"So" she said, nudging a pebble with her flats, "if you build a school in Kuoh will I have a place there?"
"You'll have a seat at the highest table," he replied. "If you want it."
Rias looked at him, eyes filled with something unsure and tender. "You really believe all this, don't you? You really think you can change the world."
"I know I can," he said. "The question is will you be at my side when the time comes?"
She didn't answer right away.
Finally, she said, "I'm going to make my own peerage. The strongest peerage in the Underworld. If I'm coming to Kuoh, I'm not coming as your princess I'm coming as a queen."
"Then I'll build you a throne."
They continued walking as the sun dipped lower, the air glowing with warm light. The conversation shifted back to lighter topics noble lessons, training drills, even gossip about their older siblings.
But beneath it all, something unspoken had passed between them.
A promise.
Later That Night Gremory Territory
Rias sat in her room, legs dangling from the edge of her window, looking out at the moonlit sky. Her hand rested on the windowsill, fingers lightly brushing over a sealed envelope an invitation from Riser's family to visit Kuoh when the town was formally handed over.
She sighed, kicking her feet gently.
"He really thinks I'll come running to him in the human world," she muttered.
But her voice lacked venom.
"'I'm hoping,' he said." She repeated the words under her breath.
Then, in a much quieter voice, "Stupid noble firebird."
After a moment, a small, defiant smile touched her lips.
"I'll go," she whispered. "But only to see how boring it really is. Not because he's there"
She tightened her fists.