Issei stood there dumbly, unable to understand his meaning.
"What was it like to face death? What was it like to surpass it?"
Issei breathed heavily, looking at Sebas like his soul had been stolen away. There was no hostility around Sebas, as though it had been nothing more than a lie. He relaxed as he began to realize Sebas' intent.
Issei collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut, as though he had been supported by the murderous intent from just now.
He fell on all fours in the alley, hungrily gasping fresh air into his lungs.
"...Fortunately you did not die from shock. These things happen when one is so certain of one's death that one gives up the will to live."
There was a bitter taste in the depths of Issei's throat. He was certain that it was the taste of death.
"If you repeat this a few more times, I am sure you will be able to overcome ordinary fear. However, one thing you must know is that fear triggers the survival instinct. If you are numbed to that sense, then you will be unable to feel even clear and present danger. You must be able to clearly tell when a true threat approaches."
"...For—forgive me for prying, but what kind of man are you?" Issei groaned from his place on the ground.
"What do you mean?"
"That, that killing intent was not normal. I have felt the killing intent of Raynare and Freed, the fallen angel and priest I encountered, but even they didn't release what I just felt."
"I am simply an old butler who is following his job."
Issei could not tear his eyes away from Sebas' face. What seemed to be a congenial smile also looked like a savage grin from one of absolute power, one who far surpassed anyone he had met till now.
"Are the rest of the maids here also as strong as you?" Issei asked while he swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
"I am a tiny bit stronger than them." Sebes said as he pinched his fingers together.
Issei, for some reason, felt that there was a galaxy between his fingers. Tiny? Issei didn't think so.
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Rias stood alone in the wide chamber the maids had prepared for her. The air was cool, faintly perfumed with something sweet, almost floral. At first, she thought it pleasant—until the cloying edge settled at the back of her throat, making it harder to breathe.
Her gaze shifted toward the tall, golden-haired maid standing before her. Solution Epsilon was beautiful in a way that felt almost inhuman: flawless skin, perfect proportions, and a figure designed to entice. Yet her eyes were flat, unblinking, like glass that absorbed but never reflected.
"This room," Solution said softly, her tone was gentle yet avoiding any warmth, "is saturated with my secretions. They are not lethal to you… but their weight will press upon your lungs. Every breath you take will feel more costly than the last."
Rias clenched her fists at her sides, refusing to show discomfort on her face. "And the point of this exercise is…?"
"To remind you that your body is fragile," Solution answered, taking a step closer, the sound of her heels clicking sharp in the silence of the room. "Devils are prideful creatures. You believe your bloodline, your magic, and your name protect you. But against poison, against suffocation, against methods you cannot see or counter—what does your pride mean? Nothing."
Rias's lips pressed into a thin line. Pride—She doesn't think she is prideful. She does show her power as one of the main houses of the Underworld. If she didn't do it, then their house will be made fun of.
And yet standing here, facing this maid's cold, unyielding presence, she felt stripped bare.
Solution's hand lifted, delicate fingers hovering inches from Rias's cheek. "Your flame is powerful. Your family's destruction magic is feared. But your reliance on it makes you predictable. Tell me, Lady Gremory… what will you do if you cannot breathe enough to summon that power?"
Rias's breath hitched, not from the question but from the air itself. The sweetness of the room had thickened, turning viscous in her lungs. Her heartbeat drummed harder as she fought to keep her composure.
"You're trying to scare me."
"I do not try," Solution replied smoothly. "Fear is the most efficient teacher. You are not my master. I have no reason to coddle you. If you collapse here, then you were not worth training to begin with."
Rias's nails dug into her palms. She hated how calm Solution remained, how unshaken her voice was. It felt like the maid didn't even care if she lived or died.
"Then I'll… just have to prove myself," Rias said, forcing each word past her tightening throat.
Solution tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into the faintest mockery of a smile. "Good. Then endure. Draw upon your magic not as a weapon but as your lifeline. Use your power to destroy what is suffocating you."
Rias gritted her teeth, spreading her hands as crimson energy flickered at her fingertips. The room seemed to close in around her, the air syrupy and poisonous. Every second stretched painfully long. Yet in that suffering, in the burn of her lungs and the pounding in her chest, she found a razor focus she had never felt in a duel or ritual.
Solution's voice slid into her ears like silk hiding steel. "My training is different from others. It is survival. It is being able to act even when your body screams to stop, and your eyes are clouded with blood. Learn this, and you may live long enough to wield your pride as more than an ornament."
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