The banquet continued as usual.
Young noble devils had formed small social circles, which to some extent reflected the complex web of relationships between their respective families.
Vitan's entrance certainly stirred the crowd, but not to the point of complete silence.
After exchanging initial greetings with the heirs of many pure-blood devil families, the rest of the devils returned to their own spots.
Everyone knew very well — today's star wasn't Vitan, but the young lady of the Gremory family, Rias Gremory!
Even if some devils wanted to build ties with Vitan, now wasn't exactly the right time. Just a quick introduction was already more than enough for the moment.
"We'll talk next time, if there's a chance."
After politely declining several passionate 'invitations' from noble devil girls, Vitan let out a helpless sigh.
The male devils were indeed more reserved, but the female devils were far more enthusiastic.
Once the introductions were done, these noble devil ladies surrounded him, casting flirtatious glances and affectionate smiles.
If he didn't refuse, honestly — it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say...
By the end of tonight's banquet, he could've achieved the feat of being a different girl's groom each night.
But unfortunately—
He had zero interest in "used goods" and playing cuckold. Just sensing the multiple male scents lingering on those women made him feel nauseous.
(T/N: My degga!)
Indeed, devils are beings that follow their desires and indulge in them freely.
And while he had lived nearly thirty years as a devil, that didn't mean he resonated with the depravity of this bunch.
If it had been that girl from the Phenex family who greeted him earlier — one of the original protagonist's future harem members…
If she had approached him voluntarily, he wouldn't have minded adding her to his household.
After all, that distinct, fresh virgin fragrance — it stood out uniquely among this entire banquet crowd.
But sadly, that girl, Ravel, only shyly greeted him with a blushing face and then retreated, flushed red with embarrassment.
"Maybe I should find a chance to approach her later…"
Sipping red wine, Vitan's mind wandered.
Currently, Vitan stood at the peak of High-Class, just one step away from reaching the Ultimate-Class.
Though Grayfia always sounded strict toward him, in truth, she was very pleased with his progress.
As for that final step, Grayfia knew it wasn't something that could be rushed.
Many pure-blood devil family heads were forever stuck at the High-Class stage, never breaking through.
To take that step forward required not just talent, but insight.
That was also why Grayfia had slightly relaxed her control over Vitan.
Before embarking on a journey across other worlds, Vitan was genuinely interested in indulging with a devil lady.
Though he seemed disgusted by those licentious noble ladies earlier, as a thirty-year-old devil, he certainly wasn't still a virgin.
After all, the combat maids in his household weren't just there to clean the mansion or guard the castle — "serving" their master was one of their required duties.
Just as Vitan was sipping wine and letting his thoughts drift—
The once-noisy banquet suddenly fell into silence.
Because the true star of tonight's banquet had finally arrived.
A man with long, flowing crimson hair, exuding an unfathomable aura, walked slowly onto the stage.
Following behind him was Rias, who had been fixing her hair in the room earlier.
Rias was the younger sister of Devil King Lucifer.
And the man also possessed the distinctive red hair of the Gremory family.
So, the answer was already obvious.
The man who stood on the stage was none other than the current Devil King — Sirzechs Lucifer.
Clang—!
At that moment, a dazzling light erupted from beside Vitan and began to spiral outward.
The devils surrounding Vitan instinctively stepped back.
Another figure appeared, radiating a deep, overwhelming aura — her silvery hair braided into a rope-like style, her presence cold and efficient.
The strongest female devil in the entire Underworld — Grayfia Asmodeus — had arrived!
The silver-haired Devil King swept her icy gaze over the surrounding devils.
Those who met her gaze either lowered their heads in fear or looked at her with admiration and yearning.
"Sis, what brings you here today?"
As if performing a magic trick, Vitan had already pulled out another glass of red wine and handed it to Grayfia with a slightly curious tone.
As mentioned before, Grayfia was in charge of military affairs across the entire Underworld — her work was often piled as high as mountains.
Attending a junior's banquet wasn't something that normally fit in her schedule.
"Just a bit of leisure time… and giving Sirzechs some respect."
While whispering to Vitan, she also nodded slightly toward Sirzechs, who was standing on the stage.
Sirzechs smiled down with the warmth of spring.
Standing quietly beside Sirzechs, Rias couldn't hide the excitement on her face.
For her, nothing was more surprising or delightful than the fact that Grayfia had come to attend her debut ceremony.
After all, Grayfia was practically the idol of nearly every female devil in the entire Underworld.
A cool and elegant female Maou—even Rias wasn't immune to her charm.
"Thank you all for attending my little sister's Rating Game debut ceremony..."
After a brief greeting, Sirzechs began his speech for today's banquet.
The Rating Game!
The so-called Rating Game was based on the system of devil pieces used to reincarnate devils as one's servants.
The organizing association set up various rules and restrictions, allowing young devils to compete on relatively safe terms.
Based on their performance in the match, if they earned high praise, their status as devils could be elevated.
Reincarnated devils could, through excellent performance in Rating Games, earn titles, be promoted to nobility, and even rise to the ranks of High-class or Ultimate-class devils.
Even the descendants of pure-blooded devil nobles—if they performed well and earned recognition in the Rating Games—could elevate their standing within the noble hierarchy.
Thus, for today's devils, the Rating Game was akin to the college entrance exam in the human world—an event powerful enough to change one's fate.
It had developed to the point where every pure-blooded devil would begin their Rating Game journey upon reaching adulthood.