Two Years Later
At sixteen, Riser Phenex was no longer just the prince of a great house he was the ruler of Kuoh, the sovereign of a thriving world, and a rising legend across all dimensions.
Standing tall at six foot five, broad shouldered and regal, his once boyish charm had matured into commanding elegance. His golden hair shimmered with divine light, and his golden eyes once playful now held the weight of experience, ambition, and power. When he spoke, cities listened. When he walked, the ground itself whispered in reverence.
Kuoh had become a living testament to his rule. What was once a sleepy town was now a Solar Sanctum an ever expanding haven of supernatural neutrality and prosperity. Interconnected towers of arcane glass and golden flame stretched into the sky, wrapped in divine sigils. Streets bustled with merchants, mystics, and warriors of every race devils, fallen, yokai, dragons, even gods. It was a miracle city, a beacon of fire and peace born from ambition and will.
And on this day, the gates opened for his special person.
The grand carriage, adorned with deep red roses and magic crystal wheels, rolled to a halt before Riser's estate.
Rias Gremory stepped down, her movement graceful, practiced, yet laced with the excitement of seeing the man of her dreams. At thirteen, she had grown beautifully into her noble birthright her long scarlet hair flowing like a regal banner. Her navy blue gown shimmered with silver thread, embroidered with the Gremory crest. Her eyes, once defiant and mischievous, now held purpose.
Behind her, her peerage followed.
Akeno, taller than before, her posture elegant, offered a polite nod to the guards. Her dark hair, tied neatly, trailed behind her like a silken ribbon of shadow.
Kiba walked beside Rias, his demeanor calm and composed, always vigilant.
Koneko trailed at the rear, her expression unreadable but eyes scanning everything with alertness. Her white hair fluttered in the wind like falling snow, her aura calm but charged.
At the top of the white marble stairs, Riser stood, dressed in a crimson coat lined with gold and black. The sight of Rias made him pause, just for a moment.
Their eyes locked.
"You've changed again," Rias said, her voice steady but quiet.
Riser offered a warm, confident smile. "So have you, Rias. You've become breathtaking."
That made her blush faintly but she stepped forward and embraced him anyway. It was a sincere hug, heavy with shared memories and emotions unspoken.
she lingered a heartbeat longer than needed.
The halls of the Phoenix Estate buzzed with life. Magical instruments played soft melodies, while servers glided with golden trays of rare wine and spirit drenched delicacies. Peerages mingled in grand salons filled with light and enchanted flame.
Riser led Rias through a wide glass corridor overlooking the city below.
"It's changed so much," she murmured. "The towers, the markets even the air feels alive."
"It's because it is," Riser said. "Every piece of this city was built by fire, by hand, by magic. It reflects its people and its dream."
Rias gave him a side glance. "And you, I suppose."
He chuckled. "I prefer to think of myself as the spark."
"And the wind, and the flame, and the forge," Rias said, laughing softly.
They stopped before a balcony. Below, the Sanctum sparkled in twilight, a crown of fire beneath the stars.
"People whisper about you, you know," she said. "Even the gods."
"I'm aware."
"Some say you've done too much. That you're too young to hold this kind of power."
"Maybe," Riser admitted, leaning on the rail. "But history doesn't remember those who waited for permission."
She turned fully toward him. "I don't say this lightly, Riser. But I admire you."
He blinked. "You what?"
"I admire you," she repeated. "Not just your strength. Your vision. Your defiance. When everyone expected you to play the dutiful son, you built your own kingdom."
He was silent, struck by the weight of her gaze.
"I used to think I'd marry someone because of politics, duty." she said. "Someone chosen for me. But I've made a choice."
"What kind of choice?"
"I choose you."
Riser stared at her.
She held her chin high. "I want to be your wife. Not because of an arrangement. Not because of our clans. But because I believe in you. In us."
He opened his mouth, stunned, but she raised a hand.
"I know you'll have others. I'm not blind. Thalia watches you like a lioness. Artoria speaks of you like a knight to her king. Merlin flirts like it's her last breath, and Tiamat well, she obeys you, which for a dragon of her age and pride, means something."
"Rias"
"I accept them," she said firmly. "But I will be your wife. First. In name. In heart. In legacy. Let them be companions, lovers, even queens of their own courts, But I will be the one history remembers beside you."
There was no anger or desperation only strength.
Riser looked down at her, moved in ways he couldn't yet name. He stepped forward, took her hand, and kissed it.
"You'll always be my wife, Rias."
She smiled and for the first time in a long while, blushed like the girl she used to be.
While things for Riser continue to rise, Winds of Envy begin to flow
Far from Kuoh, behind divine walls and celestial veils, other powers stirred.
In Heaven, a meeting of Seraphs turned tense.
"A devil controls a city where beings walk freely?" one muttered.
"Michael tolerates this," another answered. "But should we?"
In the Grigori, Azazel watched reports with narrowed eyes.
"Riser Phenex the boy now man moves like a king and thinks like a god," he said, lounging in his chair. "Curious. Dangerous. Fun."
Among the Dragon Clans, fury simmered.
"To think Tiamat a dragon of her stature bows to a devil," an elder growled. "This cannot stand."
In the Devil Nobility, old lords grumbled.
"He acts like Lucifer reborn," one whispered.
"Too much flame, not enough chain," said another.
But none moved.
Because to challenge Riser Phenex meant challenging everything he had built a city protected by dragons, defended by legends, and watched over by gods.
A Toast to the Future
The music swelled within the Phenex flame grand ballroom.
Riser danced with Rias beneath a dome of enchanted crystal that glowed like a starlit sky. Gold and crimson sparks swirled in the air, guided by subtle magic.
Their peerages mingled nearby.
Kiba and Artoria exchanged techniques, blades flickering in a friendly duel.
Koneko sat across from Thalia, slowly eating cake while glaring at her. Thalia, unbothered, smirked and offered a second slice.
Akeno watched from afar, sipping wine, as Merlin and Kaijin argued heatedly over runes versus raw spellmetal in weapon forging.
Rias rested her head on Riser's chest as they swayed.
"Let them whisper," she said softly.
He smirked. "Let them. Soon, they'll have something worth shouting about."
She looked up. "Are you planning something?"
"Always."
Their eyes met and in that instant, there was no need for words. The fire between them burned steady.
Above, the moon cast its glow silver and watchful.
The Sun King had risen.
And his wife had arrived.