Honestly, Bokue didn't particularly understand Rias's thinking.
Carefully reconsidering—since taking over Itogami Island, he'd basically never expended any effort on administrative management.
After all, as the Demon District, Itogami Island already possessed a complete administrative system independent of Japan's government. After taking control, Bokue had simply retained this system—letting it continue operating at its original pace.
So Bokue's management philosophy was entirely "leaders manage people, not tasks"—or alternatively, "let professionals do professional work."
Do well? Keep doing it. Do poorly? Replace them. Try any shady schemes? Eliminate them directly.
If he managed Itogami Island this way, then logically demon realm politics should work similarly.
"I'm saying, Rias, don't be so rigid in your thinking..."
At the bedroom bedside, Bokue spoke while directly climbing onto the bed, back against the headboard. He pulled the red-haired girl in his arms upward slightly—allowing her to rest her cheek against his chest.
"Eh? Rigid?"
Rias completely hadn't expected the young man to suddenly say such a thing—freezing momentarily before her gaze dropped involuntarily.
"So... you think the same way, Bokue?"
Hm?
Bokue also froze briefly. Realizing the girl had clearly misunderstood his meaning, he inhaled deeply.
"That's not what I meant. Get the point—I'm saying there's no need for you to overthink this, Rias."
"No need? Uh... why?"
"Because the demon realm's management model isn't like that at all."
Bokue nearly had the urge to press his temples.
Clearly, Lady Venelana had protected Rias so well since childhood that she knew nothing about how the 72 Pillar high-class devil families' operational models functioned. Her administrative management concepts were most likely gradually learned from books only after coming to the human realm for school.
Precisely because of this, Rias's administrative thinking was entirely standard corporate executive approach.
Yet reality differed completely.
According to Rias's own account, her father—the previous Gremory household head—had already passed away when she was very young. Yet during these dozen-plus years, the Gremory household, having lost its family pillar, had never lost a single inch of territory to other high-class devil families.
However, this wasn't because other high-class devil families were particularly kind-hearted, nor because Lady Venelana's management and diplomatic skills were exceptional.
Rather—because she was the strongest female devil in Bael history!
Today you dare encroach on my territory? Don't even need to wait until tomorrow. Immediately kill my way to your doorstep overnight. While you're sleeping, one high-concentration compressed Power of Destruction blast—directly obliterating you along with your castle from top to bottom.
In other words—in the demon realm, only power represented true authority!
Yet Rias still hesitated: "But if it's like you're saying, Bokue, then Onii-sama..."
Recalling various events from the past half-year, the red-haired girl still didn't believe her thinking was wrong.
After all, during that engagement dissolution, Onii-sama had to consider the Elder Council's attitude—only managing to create roundabout opportunities for Bokue to face Riser directly.
Even now, Onii-sama remained busy daily with demon realm administrative affairs—balancing various family interests while considering the Elder Council's stance.
"Oh, that's Sirzechs's own problem."
Bokue spoke mercilessly.
In his view, on this point, Sirzechs as the older brother had completely misled his sister.
Forget everything else—if he'd become this Maou instead, if the Elder Council dared dictate to him today, issuing orders only to receive feedback saying "can't do this, can't do that"—tomorrow there'd be no Elder Council.
Similarly, if those old farts from the Keikain branch families dared force Yurara into arranged marriages with other exorcist families—tomorrow only the main family would remain.
Well... though currently it seemed only the main family remained already anyway.
"But if that's the case, wouldn't my gap with you become even wider, Bokue?"
Rias lowered her head, expression inevitably somewhat dejected.
She'd realized the strength gap between herself and Bokue very early on. Precisely because she'd recognized how vast that gap was, she'd chosen to abandon that route—instead focusing on management to bridge the distance between them.
Yet now being told her chosen direction was fundamentally wrong—didn't that mean she was essentially...
"That's why I said you're overthinking, Rias."
Just as the red-haired girl's thoughts verged on sinking into depression, Bokue's voice descended from overhead once more.
"Why fixate on gaps? Let me ask you—what's our current distance?"
"Very far..."
"Where's the 'far'? You're literally in my arms right now."
Bokue pursed his lips.
"Already zero distance—what could possibly be far? Though there'll be negative distance shortly..."
"You... why are you suddenly bringing that up?"
Rias froze momentarily before realizing the young man wasn't referring to the gap she meant—her cheeks immediately flushing slightly red.
"My point is—given our relationship, there's no need to worry about these things."
Bokue continued explaining.
"From the moment I won your engagement, this stuff stopped mattering. Didn't Serafall tell you something similar today? Between us, many things don't need such clear divisions. There's no question of 'deserving' or 'not deserving.'"
"Besides, I haven't said anything. Why pressure yourself?"
Mm...
Hearing this, Rias reflexively pressed her lips together.
"But I'm the Gremory household's heir apparent. Even for the family's honor, I need to become stronger."
"Getting stronger? Obviously no problem."
Bokue shrugged.
"My point is just that you don't need to pressure yourself so much, Rias. Let things flow naturally. No matter what, I'm still here. No need to force growth... mm, though putting in slightly more effort is fine—especially since you're demanding it yourself."
"Eh?"
Vaguely sensing the young man's final half-sentence carried somewhat subtle undertones, Rias looked up.
The instant she raised her head, Bokue cooperatively lowered his—brushing past her cheek to reach her ear. His exhaled breath while speaking swept across the girl's earlobe.
"Look—today because of your bad mood, Rias, everyone ended bathing early. So tonight, all those people's shares fall to you alone. No problem, right?"
"!"
Being blown on near her ear by the young man wasn't the first time. But taking everyone's shares alone—including Akeno, Kuroka, Mio, and all the others combined?
Then she...!
Just imagining it, Rias felt something deep in her belly trembling, nearly spasming.
"O...okay~♡"
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