On the terrace, the music from the ballroom drifted through the air, sweet and inviting. Reinhardt chuckled at the sight of the literal steam rising from Grayfia's head after he called her "Fia."
"Beautiful lady," he said, extending his hand with a graceful bow, "may I have this dance?"
Grayfia, still flustered but unable to resist the pull of his eyes, nodded shyly. Under the silver moonlight, they danced—not with the stiff formality of nobles, but with a fluid, intimate rhythm that made the rest of the world vanish. When the music slowed, Reinhardt didn't let her go. Instead, he sat in a nearby terrace chair and pulled her onto his lap.
Grayfia let out a small squeak, her face turning crimson, but she didn't get up. She leaned against him, her heart full, as they shared a moment of soft laughter and whispered secrets. Eventually, she reluctantly stood up, knowing the night had to end. Reinhardt stood as well, pulling her close one last time to press a tender kiss to her forehead.
"Take care, Fia," he murmured.
"T-take care, Rein," she stuttered, her voice soft and airy. She watched him walk away with a smile that could melt glaciers before she turned to head back to her own home.
The Lucifuge Truth
When Grayfia arrived at the Lucifuge mansion, she found her father, Valerius, waiting for her. He patted her head affectionately. "How was the ball, my daughter?"
"It was great," she replied, but then her expression turned somber. "Father... are you planning to die during the Civil War?"
Valerius froze, his eyes widening in shock. He sighed heavily. "Yes, Fia. I am."
"But why?!" she cried, her voice breaking. "You could support other factions! You could save yourself!"
"I don't want that, Grayfia," Valerius said sadly. "I must honor our house. Even if I joined a winning side, the backstabbing and political greed would follow. They would use me to get to you, or turn our family into slaves once my usefulness ended. I would rather die with my honor intact than see you suffer that fate."
Grayfia began to cry. "But if you die, what am I supposed to do?"
"Is that not why I told you to find someone to protect you?" Valerius asked gently. "But tell me... how do you know of my decision?"
Grayfia wiped her eyes and recounted everything. She told him about the Asmodeus descendant's insult, Reinhardt's terrifying power, and how he had seen through her "Cold Queen" mask on the terrace.
Valerius listened in stunned silence. A slow, proud smile spread across his face. "He saw your true self in only two meetings? When even those who have known you for years see only ice?" He let out a deep breath. "Zeckram and Astarion have produced a truly remarkable descendant. It seems my Fia has found a very good husband."
Grayfia's face erupted in red. "Father! He's not—we're not—"
"Not yet," Valerius teased, his heart lighter knowing his daughter had found a man who truly saw her.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[Quest Complete: The Star of the Gala]
[Rewards: 30,000,000 Devil Coins, 'Legendary Suit' set, and Valerius Lucifuge's Approval.]
In the quiet halls of the Lucifuge mansion, Grayfia looked at her father with concern. "Father, will the Asmodeus family or their supporters wage war against Reinhardt for what he did at the ball?"
Valerius shook his head, a small smile appearing on his face. "No, Fia. They can't. They aren't that foolish. Reinhardt isn't just an orphan; he has the full backing of the Great King Faction. His uncle, Darius Bael, is one of the most powerful Devils currently active. His aunt is married into the Agares House; she is his godmother and she adores him."
He leaned back, counting the alliances on his fingers. "Astarion Bael was best friends and comrades-in-arms with the current Head of the Sitri Clan. On the Phenex side, his mother, Seraphina, was closer than a sister to the Sitri Matriarch. If Asmodeus tries anything, the Phenex Clan could simply put a bounty on their heads using Phenex Tears as payment. Half the Underworld would turn on them for a single drop of that medicine. Those people only follow the Asmodeus heir for profit—they won't die for him."
Grayfia nodded, absorbing the political weight her "Rein" carried.
"But you missed the most important point, Fia," Valerius continued. "You asked him about the fire surge in the Bael outskirts, and he called it a secret, right?"
"Yes," Grayfia pouted. "That idiot refused to tell me."
"And if he had told you, what would you have done?" Valerius asked pointedly.
"I would have told you, Father," she replied instantly.
"And if the Old Satan Faction forced you? Or used their authority to demand information from you?" Valerius looked her in the eyes. "Reinhardt didn't keep it a secret to be mean. He kept it a secret to protect you. If you don't know the truth, they can't torture it out of you. He is carrying that burden alone so you don't have to."
Grayfia stood stunned, her heart aching as she realized the depth of Reinhardt's care.
"It was definitely him," Valerius added certainly. "I can guess it easily. Those three spies must have insulted Astarion. No man wants to tell the woman he likes that people were dragging his father's name through the dirt, Fia. He handled the trash and kept the stench away from you."
Back at the Bael Mansion
Reinhardt stood on his balcony, unaware of Valerius's high praise. He looked at his current status. He had the money, he had the backing of his grandfathers, and he had the heart of the Lucifuge's strongest daughter.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[Political Standing: SS-Tier]
[You have successfully woven a web of protection through the Bael, Phenex, Sitri, and Agares houses.]
[Current Balance: 480,000,000 Devil Coins]
"Lana, Misla," Reinhardt called out, turning back into his room where the two women were waiting. "The Civil War is going to be messier than my grandfather thinks. I'm not just going to wait for it. I'm going to start 'recruiting' the pieces I need."