"Rias, calm down, breathe evenly," I said, watching her heavy breathing. "The power of destruction does not tolerate haste and emotion."
Rias, wiping away her sweat, nodded, her chest rising and falling, hinting at dirty thoughts, but I quickly pushed them away. It was not the time. Her eyes were burning with determination, fighting Riser was a matter of honor for her. I continued:
"Don't release too much energy. It's a huge expenditure with minimal results. You'll quickly deplete your reserves and end up in a vulnerable position."
She listened attentively, her mesmerizing blue eyes and fluttering eyelashes involuntarily drawing my gaze. I swallowed, but concentrated. Rias began to reduce her energy expenditure, aiming at targets at different distances. The last one - a tiny stone a couple of centimeters - caused her to protest:
"That's impossible!" I chuckled as I created a ball of destruction of the same size on my fingertip. I hit the target with precision, causing a small explosion that stunned Rias and the onlookers.
"You can do it too," I said, motivating her.
She bit her lip, looked at me skeptically, but sighed and continued following my instructions. At the same time, I poured stamina-boosting potions into her and performed physical exercises. In a separate barrier, I meditated, creating a dark aura of devilish energy that acted as a temporary buff, strengthening us and calming Rias's restless thoughts. I tried to instill in her a detachment from emotions so that she could focus on the power of destruction and use it in battle.
At the same time, I watched over Rias' peerage. Kiba practiced his strikes, adding creativity to his swords: a sword of reflection, a redirection, elemental swords, and even a gravity sword that put a strain on his body. Through the pain, he continued with determination. Koneko worked on her flexibility and fluidity, learning to channel her energy into her strikes. One finger could now split a boulder, and with a pinpoint infusion of energy, she could turn rocks into dust. Her trainer threw strikes, forcing Koneko to learn to withstand them. Akeno, breathing heavily, released golden lightning, but her mentor reflected everything with a multi-layered magic circle, demanding the same precision and speed from Akeno. Everyone went through physical training and meditation, and I couldn't help but smile as I saw their progress.
But I wasn't sure if a month would be enough to defeat Raiser. Their pace was good, but it would take years to reach that level. Only the fire of determination and motivation drove them forward. I was about to continue my thoughts, when I suddenly felt a magical fluctuation. The blue circle with the Sitri crest flashed, and a figure jumped out from it.
"Saaa-zeeex-kuuun!☆" Serafall Leviathan's clear voice broke the silence.
A girl in a bright pink magical girl costume, with two bouncing pigtails, burst in, filling the space with energy. Her playful eyes and absurd poses attracted attention. She theatrically waved her magic wand:
"Sirzechs-chan! Your star guest has arrived!☆
Rias and her peerage turned around, but my narrowed gaze made them gulp and return to their training. I smiled and moved towards Serafall. Her quickened breathing and shining smile did not go unnoticed. She happily hugged me, pressing herself so tightly that I could feel the softness of her chest. "Not Grayfia, but impressive," I noted to myself, hugging her back. It was a privilege of old friends. Her hands slid down my back, lingering at my lower back, and I chuckled to myself. This was a game that could be played by two.
My hand slowly moved down her back, lowering, squeezing her buttocks lightly. Serafall shuddered, her breathing quickening, her heart beating faster. She clearly hadn't expected such a bold response. I smiled wider, looking into her surprised, yet playful eyes. Serafall, you asked for it.
"Well, celebrity guest," I said, my voice low, with a hint of mockery. "Why have you come?"
She giggled, trying to regain control, but her flushed cheeks betrayed her embarrassment.
I looked at Serafall, her embarrassed face, her flushed cheeks, and her rapid breathing. The scent of her perfume, fresh and minty, made my head spin. Her eyes, full of hope and trepidation, looked at me, and I couldn't help but think.
Sirzechs, you screwed up.
He saw her feelings, but he chose to ignore them, hoping that her attraction would fade and they would remain just friends. But who would have thought that centuries later, Serafall would still have warm, non-friendly feelings for him? Her loyalty and steadfastness left a pang in my chest. I envied Sirzechs - he was surrounded by incredible individuals who were true to their beliefs, and Serafall was special. I wanted to make her happy, to give her what she had been waiting for for years.
I sighed and smiled, and Serafall, slightly narrowing her eyes, noticed:
"You're acting strange today, Sirzech-chan. Out of character," she playfully raised her eyebrows, hinting at my recent actions.
I stepped closer, her breathing quickened. I touched her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin. Her gaze, confused and full of anticipation, met mine.
"I had to rethink a lot," I said quietly.
"Really?" She replied skeptically, but she didn't pull away, letting my hand remain on her face.
I removed my hand and sighed heavily.
"I've always seen you, Serafall."
She flinched, her body trembling slightly. I continued.
"There was no time back then. The civil war, Grayfia being assigned to watch me, then politics... Everything started spinning, and I pushed it into the background.
Her eyes darkened, and she bit her lip, lost in thought. I remembered Sirzechs, a naive, kind guy, the cheerful college years when Serafall would circle around him, teasing him, filling their days with laughter and warmth. Her innocent look from her youth, which can no longer be seen, even though she tried to bring back that atmosphere with her bright image. I looked into her eyes.
"The past cannot be returned.
She shuddered, looking at me strangely. I continued:
"And this is for the best. We must move towards a bright future."
I took a step towards her, and she instinctively retreated, but I towered over her, my height giving me an advantage. Our gazes touched, hope flashed in her eyes. Touching her chin, I felt her breathing quicken. I leaned down sharply and kissed her. Our tongues intertwined in a passionate dance, her frosty freshness filling my mouth with coolness. She froze for a second, but immediately responded with the same passion. The barrier I had erected in advance hid us from prying eyes.
We kissed for a long time until we stepped back, catching our breath. My cheeks were slightly burning, and her face was ablaze.
Too cute.
Serafall firmly touched my chest, getting so close that I could feel her breath.
"Are we together now?" she asked, her voice trembling with hope.
My thoughts were racing. I didn't want to leave her hanging. I nodded and said,
"Yes, that's right."
Her face lit up with joy, the sparkle in her eyes flared up, and she became even more beautiful. I sighed, thinking about Grayfia. She once said that she was okay with a harem, but I could see the pain and protest in her eyes. She wanted me to belong to her alone. Sirzechs was okay with that, but I wasn't him. I wanted to be myself, true to my desires, even under his name. The presence of Serafall and the others warmed my soul, and I decided that I would not repeat Sirzechs' mistakes. I wanted to develop this relationship, to make Serafall happy - that was my choice.
I walked up to her and we hugged, enjoying the warmth of the moment. She quietly asked,
"What's next?"
I laughed, pushing her back with my arms outstretched, touching her shoulders,
"What do you want to do?"
She turned away in embarrassment, her ears turning red. She mumbled something and began,
"What will others think? How will Grayfia react? The Underworld..."
Her worries were understandable. I smiled, gently squeezing her shoulders,
"Calm down, Serafall," I said, looking into her shining eyes. "I'll talk to Grayfia, we'll sort this out. And the Underworld? Are we afraid of gossip and sidelong glances, Maou?"
I winked, and she giggled, her ringing laughter warming my soul. With a mischievous smile, she added,
"So I'm your lover now, huh?" How forbidden, yet so exciting, fufufu!
We laughed, hugged each other, and sat down on the grass, hugging each other. Serafall touched my face, her fingers trembling, as if she was afraid that I would disappear. She pressed herself closer, and her warmth filled me. Our hearts beat in unison, our breaths mingled, we kissed each other softly, touching the backs of our heads. I felt that if this continued, we would cross the line, but I was not ready for that here and now. Reluctantly, I pulled away, seeing the slight disappointment in her eyes.
"It's not time yet," I said, gently touching her hair. "I want to do this right, as you deserve for your wait and feelings."
My words surprised her, she thought for a moment, and then nodded with her usual mischief:
"Okay, Sirzech-chan! I've waited for years, I'll wait a little longer!"☆ - she waved her magic wand, jumping up. "Magical girl Serafall is always ready for adventure, ee-ee!☆
I sighed in relief, although a slight aftertaste remained. I could continue, but I felt that it would be wrong. I wanted to know what it was like to really date, to build a relationship. In my past life, I only had fleeting connections, without feelings and intimacy. And now, looking at Serafall's face shining like the sun, I saw her happiness and the reborn fire in her eyes.
Where will this lead us?
I didn't know, but I was willing to try for the sake of our new relationship.
We fixed our clothes, tidied ourselves up, and I removed the barrier. The training was coming to an end, Rias and her peerage were giving it their last. I turned to Serafall:
"By the way, I still haven't asked why you came?"
She widened her eyes, stuck out her tongue, and lightly hit herself on the head with her fist:
"Oh, how forgetful I am! It was you, Sirzech-chan, who confused me!" She pointed her wand at me in an exaggerated manner, narrowing her eyes. "Magical girl Serafall is outraged!☆
I laughed:
"It's my fault, I admit it. But still, what's the matter?"
She snorted, puffing out her cheeks:
"I came to check why you went on vacation, leaving me to work!" I came to the office, and there was Grayfia with her prim face and glasses, sorting through documents, and so a-a ...
She puffed out her cheeks like a hamster, and I poked her cheek with my finger, laughing. She clicked her teeth, almost biting off my finger, and I pulled my hand away, sweating slightly. Serafall stuck out her tongue:
"Oui! There's still time, so let's share the treasures!"
I immediately understood what she meant, and grinned as I pulled out my photos. They were of Rias's awkward moments during training, from cuteness to embarrassment and anger. Serafall giggled and showed me her photos of Sona, serious, confused, embarrassed. We exchanged impressions, chuckling, and the atmosphere became light and joyful.
But then I noticed that Rias narrowed her eyes after looking at my photos. She put two and two together, her face turned red, and she began to mutter something indignantly. Akeno teased her, clearly enjoying herself. After the exchange, Serafall hugged me, but this time gently, with care. I responded in kind, and she playfully pinched my buttocks as a farewell, quickly jumping away and disappearing into her magic circle with a mischievous "Wee!☆".
I was left alone, looking into the distance, my lip twitching slightly.
Serafall, you are incorrigible.
Sighing, I turned around and walked on, thinking. Rias and her peerage returned to training, and I thought about Serafall, Grayfia, and the future.