Under Serafall's handling, the conflicts within the banquet hall ultimately didn't trigger major commotion.
Devils competing for dominance was commonplace. As long as no lives were lost, everything else was trivial—even getting beheaded down to just a head didn't matter.
Nothing a single Phoenix tear couldn't fix.
Of course, like a certain suicidal idiot who'd tried using Asia as a wager before getting sliced into pieces—soul completely shattered—by Bokue? Beyond saving.
Thanks to this, afterward throughout the entire banquet, no one else was foolish enough to come looking for trouble.
Time flew—soon reaching the gathering's end.
Exiting the banquet venue into the familiar outer castle hall, nearly four hours had passed since their evening arrival. Deep night gradually intensified.
Looking outside the main entrance, as the demon realm's entire capital, "Lilith" currently had every roadside illuminated by bright streetlights—visibility even at night remaining identical to daytime.
Young noble devils finishing the banquet boarded their respective family carriages outside the castle, disappearing into the night.
Departing at this hour, those with more distant territories would probably reach home well past midnight.
However, Bokue's group didn't face such issues.
"Alright then, we'll head back for tonight."
Teleportation magic circle radiance illuminated the hall's dome. Serafall, holding Sona's hand while standing at the circle's center, smiled while waving toward Bokue, Rias, and the assembled girls.
"Though it's somewhat regrettable I can't stay with Bokue-kun these next two days, Sona-chan hasn't returned home in quite a while either. During summer vacation, we had to leave early because of the campus relocation. Since we're already on leave this time, we should properly visit Mom and everyone."
"Mm, see you later then, Lady Serafall. And you too, Sona."
Rias offered a polite curtsy.
"Also, regarding House Astaroth..."
"I know, I know. Onee-sama will handle it. Like I said, Rias-chan, no need to worry so much."
Seeing the red-haired girl starting to fret over Diodora's death again, Serafall sighed with slight exasperation.
"We're off then. Ciao~"
Words concluded, the teleportation array flashed. Serafall, along with Sona and the others, vanished on the spot—departing first.
At this point, Rias also turned to face those behind her.
"Alright, we should also... head home."
Her gaze sweeping past the young man beside her, the red-haired girl seemed to want saying something before hesitating—reflexively averting her eyes. Then she raised her hand, summoning magical power to activate the teleportation circle, bringing everyone away from the capital castle together.
❁❁❁❁
An hour later—inside Gremory Castle.
Having just finished bathing in the second-floor bathhouse, Bokue changed into fresh robes before arriving at Rias's third-floor bedroom door. Extending his hand, he pressed the door handle.
Unlocked. With a gentle push, the door swung open. Instantly, cool demon realm evening breeze blew from within the room, passing through the corridor.
The room's lights remained off—only the south-facing window stood open.
Night wind lifted sheer curtains. Hazy moonlight streamed into the interior. The red-haired girl—also freshly bathed—sat sideways on the windowsill, back against the side frame while gazing at the demon realm's nightscape outside. Only hearing sounds from the doorway did she redirect her gaze.
"...Bokue? Why are you here?"
"That's a strange question. Why wouldn't I be here?"
Bokue shrugged while entering from the doorway, closing the door behind him.
"Mm... that's not what I meant."
Realizing her earlier words carried ambiguity, Rias smiled somewhat awkwardly.
"I meant—isn't it a bit early for you to come up? Normally at this time, shouldn't you be..."
She didn't finish, but the meaning was crystal clear.
After all, according to past convention, their bathing sessions took three to four hours minimum. Especially after everyone moved to Keystone Gate—practically every night, the old schoolhouse bathhouse would develop a thick "cream layer."
Yet currently, barely an hour had passed since they'd returned from the evening banquet. How could things possibly finish so quickly?
"Considering your state, Rias, how could things proceed as usual?"
Bokue crossed the room to reach the bedside, scooping up the red-haired girl seated on the windowsill.
"Normally, you compete most fiercely with Kuroka and Akeno. Yet today, after simply getting wet and scrubbing yourself down briefly, you left on your own. Your mood was already obviously terrible—still trying to act like nothing's wrong?"
"Th-that was just..."
Mentioning today's abnormal behavior, Rias's cheeks flushed slightly red—stammering and hesitating.
Bokue had absolutely no intention of letting this slide easily, carrying the girl in his arms straight to the bedside before sitting down.
"Spill. What's wrong?"
"It's... nothing really..."
Sensing the young man's increasingly aggressive aura, Rias's cheeks heated, her voice mosquito-faint.
"It's about what Lady Serafall said at the banquet—made me feel like... mm, how should I put this? Feel like I've probably... been hated by you already, Bokue... maybe?"
"Huh?"
Completely not expecting to wait so long for such a conclusion, Bokue's tone rose, expressing incomprehension.
"Hate you? Where did that come from?"
"It's... like Lady Serafall said—that doing things this way would make you feel pressured, constantly restricted..."
Rias explained softly.
"But that wasn't my intention. I just wanted to be able to stand properly beside you as your girlfriend... your wife."
"What? Are you currently cowering beside me somehow, Rias?"
Bokue slowly produced a supersized question mark.
What is this—puberty kicking in with teenage angst? How did 'standing properly' suddenly become impossible?
Completely unreasonable.
"N-not like that..."
Rias reflexively denied.
"It's just that you're different from when we first met, Bokue. Back then, I thought you were only slightly stronger than us. Later, I discovered your strength far exceeded Riser's. Now even the Grigori Governor and Lord Michael—who stand as equals with Onii-sama and Lady Serafall—must show you deference. Feels like somehow our gap keeps widening. So I thought—if I can't catch up strength-wise, at least as the Gremory household's heir apparent, I should quickly mature..."
"For instance, taking the burden from Mom's shoulders, handling internal family affairs flawlessly, appearing composed in external dealings..."
The red-haired girl enumerated point by point what she considered "mature" behaviors.
Yet the more Bokue listened, the more familiar it sounded.
Isn't this exactly like Yukino from Oregairu—trying to prove herself to her mother and sister Haruno, only to get trapped in a mental corner?
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