Chapter 43: The Silver Prince and the Red Princess
The Gremory Main Estate boasted over a dozen training facilities, but the one located beneath the Silver Annex was built differently. It wasn't designed to withstand the explosive, volatile output of the Power of Destruction. It was designed for absolute zero.
Act 1: The Domination of the Training Grounds
The private, hyper-reinforced arena was currently a frozen hellscape. The floor was a solid sheet of "Black Ice"—a high-density, unbreakable permafrost conjured entirely by Grayfia Lucifuge. The air was so cold it burned the lungs, and every breath materialized into thick white clouds.
At the center of the rink, Lucian Gremory was fighting for his life—or rather, fighting to keep up.
Grayfia was teaching him the "Silver Eye Style." She wasn't using her overwhelming demonic power to crush him; she was moving with a terrifying, fluid grace, striking with the precision of a surgeon. She moved at blinding speeds, her maid uniform blurring into a streak of black and white.
Lucian's eyes glowed a vibrant, piercing crimson. He was pushing his Copy Ability to the absolute limit, not to overpower her—which was literally impossible—but to steal her efficiency. He watched the micro-movements of her shoulders, the shift of her hips, the exact angle of her wrists.
Clang!
Lucian brought his arm up, parrying a blunt ice-blade with a hastily conjured frost-buckler of his own. The impact rattled his bones, but he had successfully copied her wrist-flick technique to deflect the kinetic energy rather than absorb it.
Snap.
The sound of Grayfia snapping her fingers echoed through the cavern. Instantly, the brutal, high-speed spar halted. The oppressive, freezing aura vanished, replaced by an intoxicating, warm maternal energy.
"Perfect," Grayfia hummed, walking over to him. She didn't look like a drill sergeant; she looked like a proud mother at a graduation ceremony. She stepped directly into his personal space, pressing her hands against his hips to slightly correct his posture. "Your precision is improving so quickly, Lucy. You are tracking my movements flawlessly."
She leaned up and pressed a soft, affectionate kiss to his sweaty forehead. "My style looks so much better on you than it ever did on the Gremory men. You have a natural elegance they lack."
"Thanks, Auntie," Lucian panted, his breath pluming in the cold air. "But my legs are starting to go numb."
"That is just the mana settling," she cooed, wiping his cheek with her thumb.
In the background, the "Splash Zone" was a scene of absolute, comedic misery. Issei Hyoudou and Yuuto Kiba were currently strapped to heavy stone pillars at the edge of the arena, forced to endure the ambient mana displacement. Every time Grayfia moved, razor-sharp shards of frost and waves of sub-zero wind blasted them.
"I can't feel my toes!" Issei wailed, his nose running and frozen solid to his upper lip. "Kiba! Look at my hands! They're turning blue! Is this what death feels like?!"
"Conserve your energy, Issei," Kiba chattered, his teeth clicking together like a metronome. Even the usually composed Knight looked like a miserable popsicle. "If Grayfia-sama hears you complaining, she'll lower the temperature again."
"Why does he get kisses and posture corrections while we get hypothermia?!" Issei cried out, tears freezing to his cheeks.
They were entirely ignored. The only other occupants of the room were lounging in absolute luxury. At the far edge of the Black Ice, sitting on a conjured, heated velvet sofa, were Tamamo and Yubelluna.
Tamamo, in her fully matured, breathtakingly voluptuous kimono form, was lounging sideways, popping a peeled, glowing underworld grape into her mouth. She watched Lucian with predatory, loving eyes.
"Master, your footwork is getting so graceful!" Tamamo called out, deliberately raising her voice so it would echo up to the observation balcony. "Would you like a full-body oil massage after this? My tails are very good at working out the lactic acid!"
Yubelluna adjusted her glasses, looking at a silver clipboard. "His mana cost for that last ice-pillar was twelve percent lower than his baseline. Grayfia-sama's influence is far superior to standard 'Destruction' training. The Master is becoming incredibly efficient."
She, too, glanced upward.
High above, standing on the observation balcony, Rias Gremory was gripping the steel railing so hard it was beginning to bend. Her crimson aura was flaring, melting the frost on the glass. She was the King. He was her Bishop. But looking down at the arena, she felt like a complete outsider watching a private family function.
Act 2: The "Destruction" Containment
"Let us move to the containment phase," Grayfia instructed, her voice dropping to a serious, yet intimately quiet tone.
She had Lucian raise his right hand. "Summon your birthright. Just a fraction."
Lucian concentrated. A tiny, violently vibrating sphere of crimson and black energy materialized in his palm. The Power of Destruction. It hissed and spit, a chaotic element that naturally wanted to consume everything around it. It was hot, unstable, and incredibly taxing on his mana reserves.
Grayfia stepped behind him. She reached around his torso, enveloping his hand with both of hers. Her touch was freezing, but as her silver-blue mana flowed into his skin, it acted as a perfect, cooling "glove."
"Destruction is fire, Lucian," Grayfia whispered directly into his ear, her cold breath sending a shiver down his spine that contrasted sharply with the heat in his palm. "It burns the enemy, but it also burns the vessel. I am teaching you to build a reactor."
Under her guidance, Lucian watched as his ice magic—which had taken on a distinct, beautiful Silver Hue thanks to Grayfia's tutelage—began to wrap around the crimson sphere.
"This is Thermal Dampening," Grayfia murmured, her body pressed flush against his back. "By encasing your core in a layer of absolute zero, you prevent your own magic from leaking. And this..." She shifted his footing slightly. "Is the Frost-Step. An evolution of your agility. Ice-phasing."
Lucian felt the shift. The chaotic energy stabilized. The sphere of destruction was now perfectly contained within a shell of silver ice.
"Rely on your Red Eyes and your Copy Ability for seventy percent of the fight," Grayfia instructed, her tone maternal but dripping with the authority of the Underworld's strongest Queen. "Use the ice to defend and evade. Save the Destruction for the final one percent. A Queen doesn't scream, Lucian. She whispers a command. Let the others be the fireworks; you be the cold dark that follows."
Lucian absorbed the philosophy. It perfectly matched his "Wildcard" mentality. Let Issei shout and punch. Lucian would be the scalpel.
Up on the balcony, Rias felt a pang of profound alienation. The Power of Destruction was the hallmark of the Gremory bloodline. It was their power. Yet, here was Grayfia, a Lucifuge, teaching Lucian how to master it in a way Rias never could. She felt a deep, twisting knot of jealousy—not just romantically, but magically.
Act 3: The Queenly Gatekeeping
"That is enough for today," Grayfia announced, the Black Ice instantly melting away into a polished marble floor.
Issei and Kiba collapsed from the pillars, hitting the ground like sacks of frozen potatoes, groaning in sheer agony.
Up on the balcony, Rias saw her chance. She grabbed a fluffy, heated towel and practically teleported down the stairs, determined to perform her duties as his girlfriend and King. "Lucian! You did wonderfully!" she called out, rushing toward him.
She didn't make it within ten feet.
Yubelluna "accidentally" stepped directly into Rias's path, holding up a massive, unfoldable tactical map. "Ah, Lady Rias! Perfect timing. I was just reviewing the Summit's defensive breakdown. Do you think the Fallen Angels will approach from the eastern quadrant, or should we route them through the—"
"Move, Yubelluna," Rias growled, trying to step around her.
But Tamamo was faster. In a blur of golden light, the Kitsune pounced on Lucian. She shifted fully into her adult form, her massive breasts pressing against his chest as her nine enormous, fluffy tails wrapped completely around him. It wasn't just a hug; it was a literal, physical shield. The tails crackled with a faint, defensive Fox-Fire static that made Rias's hair stand on end.
"My poor Master is so cold!" Tamamo pouted, nuzzling her face into his neck. "He needs his loyal fox to warm his core temperature immediately! I simply cannot allow him to catch a draft!"
"He has a towel! Give him to me!" Rias demanded, her eyes flashing red.
Grayfia turned around, her silver eyes locking onto Rias with a triumphant, unyielding calm.
"He does not need a towel, Lady Rias. He needs a high-nutrient alchemical bath and three hours of silent meditation to let the Silver Eye Style settle into his muscle memory," Grayfia stated, her tone leaving zero room for argument. "You may see him at dinner. Assuming he is not too fatigued."
Rias gritted her teeth, holding the towel uselessly in her hands as Tamamo and Yubelluna escorted a very amused, completely pampered Lucian out of the arena. He shot Rias an apologetic, playful smirk over Tamamo's tails, but the message was clear: The Auntie reigns supreme.
Act 4: The Red Princess's Solitude
Nighttime fell over the Underworld, casting the Gremory Manor in a gorgeous, ethereal purple light.
Rias stood alone on the grand balcony of her private bedroom. The wind rustled her crimson hair. She looked out over the sprawling forests of her territory, but she didn't feel like the Heiress. Today, she felt sidelined. She felt like a spectator in the life of the boy she loved.
A sudden drop in temperature made her shiver.
From the shadow of her heavy velvet curtains, the darkness seemed to crystallize. A faint, silver mist rolled across the floorboards. Frost-Step. Lucian phased out of the icy shadow, stepping into the moonlight.
Before Rias could even turn around, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her back against a warm, solid chest.
"You're late," Rias pouted, though she immediately leaned her weight back into him, her hands coming up to rest over his. "And you smell like Grayfia's peppermint tea and Tamamo's incense."
Lucian chuckled, the sound vibrating against her back. He turned her around, cupping her cheek, and leaned down to give her a long, incredibly soft kiss on the sensitive skin of her neck. Rias let out a tiny, involuntary gasp, her knees going slightly weak as he pulled her into a tight cuddle.
"I'm here now, aren't I?" Lucian whispered, resting his chin on her head. "I missed my favorite Princess."
Rias turned fully in his arms, burying her face into his chest and clutching the fabric of his shirt. "You are mine to protect, Lucian," she mumbled, her eyes watering slightly with genuine frustration. "Mine to cherish. Why is my sister-in-law acting like she's your mother? And why are those two 'freelancers' treating you like their personal toy?"
"Because you spoil me, and they want a turn," Lucian teased gently.
He guided her back inside, sitting down on the edge of her massive canopy bed. He pulled her down so she was sitting beside him, and he comfortably laid his head down in her lap.
Rias blinked, looking down at him. Lucian reached into his jacket and pulled out a thick, leather-bound tome titled Advanced Cryo-Kinetics and Demonic Applications. He cracked it open, settling in.
Rias couldn't help the fond smile that broke through her pout. She began running her fingers through his crimson hair, gently massaging his scalp. She leaned down, pecking his cheeks affectionately.
"You know," Rias hummed, nuzzling her nose against his, "I will forgive you for that ridiculous peeping incident at the overpass..."
"Oh? How merciful of my King," Lucian smiled, turning a page.
"...If," Rias continued, her eyes narrowing playfully, "you sell out Issei. Tell me it was entirely his idea, sign a written confession, and I will let you off the hook."
Lucian laughed, reaching up to tap her nose. "No deal, President. In brotherhood, we suffer together. Besides, if I sell Issei out, Ddraig might actually cry."
"Fine," Rias sighed, though she didn't look upset as she continued stroking his hair. "Asia is going to crucify him by the end of the week anyway. The poor boy has been doing push-ups in the snow all day. But you... you still require a punishment for running away from me."
"And what is my terrible punishment?" Lucian asked, looking up at her from the book.
"This," Rias said, her voice dropping to a bossy, possessive whisper. "Cuddling me. Letting me take care of you. And... absolutely not going to Akeno." She glared down at him. "I know you owe her three dates from that bet last month. Those are officially frozen until further notice."
"A harsh and cruel mistress," Lucian chuckled, closing the book and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her down for a proper, deep kiss.
Act 5: The "Auntie's Boy" Parting Shot
They stayed like that for an hour, exchanging lingering kisses and enjoying the quiet intimacy that had been sorely missing over the chaotic week. Rias felt her anxieties melt away under his touch. He was still hers.
Finally, Lucian sat up, stretching his arms. "I should get back before Grayfia realizes I breached the Annex wards. If she catches me, she'll probably freeze my door shut."
As he stood up to leave, Rias grabbed the hem of his shirt. She looked up at him, her face flushed, her eyes burning with that competitive Gremory pride. "I'm still the strongest, Lucian. I can protect you better than she can. I can teach you things, too."
Lucian stopped at the balcony doorway. He looked back at Rias, his eyes tracing the flush on her cheeks, the messy state of her hair from his hands, and the slightly swollen, thoroughly kissed look of her lips.
He flashed her a devastatingly cheeky smirk.
"No bad-talking my Auntie, Rias," Lucian teased, his voice dripping with playful arrogance. "After all... she's the one who taught me exactly how to touch you to make you blush like that."
Rias's eyes went wide. Her entire face exploded in a shade of red that rivaled her own hair. "W-W-What?! She... you... GRAYFIA TOLD YOU—?!"
Lucian blew her a kiss. "Goodnight, Princess."
With a snap of his fingers, he invoked the Frost-Step. A flurry of silver frost swirled around him, and he vanished into the shadows, leaving Rias stuttering in the center of her room.
Rias grabbed a pillow and screamed into it, utterly flustered but hopelessly, desperately in love. "That idiot... I'm going to double his training tomorrow!"
Back in the Silver Annex, Lucian materialized perfectly in his bed, the silver frost dissipating into the air. He let out a long breath, staring up at the enchanted canopy ceiling.
He folded his arms behind his head, his thoughts drifting. It was surreal. He was a modern otaku, a guy who used to read about the High School DxD universe on forums and wikis. Now, he was living it. He was Lucian Gremory. He had the Power of Destruction, he was dating the main heroine, and he was being ruthlessly pampered by the most dangerous women in the Underworld.
He thought about the upcoming Summit. He thought about Vali. The plot was barreling toward them, but for the first time, Lucian didn't feel anxious. He felt ready. He closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion of the Silver Eye training pull him into a deep sleep.
Outside his heavy oak door, Grayfia Lucifuge stood in the silent hallway.
She had sensed his Frost-Step the moment he returned. She didn't reprimand him. Instead, she leaned her head back against the wall, a melancholic, incredibly tender smile gracing her lips.
She remembered the day she found him in the ruins of the collateral branch estate. He had been so small, so terrified, his eyes glowing with an unstable power that threatened to tear his little body apart. She had raised him, wiped his tears, and watched him grow into a young man capable of wrapping the Heiress around his finger.
I should have taught him the ice magic when he was a child, Grayfia thought, clutching the fabric of her apron. I could have spared him so much pain from his Destruction core.
She reached out, resting her hand flat against the heavy wood of his door, sending a pulse of warming, protective silver magic into the room.
Sleep well, my little Wildcard, she thought. When the Summit begins... let the world see the Prince I raised.