The two spent the next few minutes—which quickly turned into nearly an hour—talking calmly in the pavilion illuminated by luminescent flowers. The night breeze was cool and pleasant, and the distant sound of fountains created a calm and intimate atmosphere.
Ravel, initially shy, gradually grew more confident. She took the opportunity to ask several questions, her blue eyes shining with genuine curiosity. Alear answered all of them patiently and calmly. At one point, she began telling a cute story from her own childhood. It was about a time when she, still very young, had tried to imitate her older brother during a phoenix fire training session and accidentally set one of her mother's favorite vases on fire. She told it with a slight pout, clearly embarrassed by the memory.
Alear chuckled softly upon hearing the story, the low and sincere sound echoing through the pavilion.
Ravel immediately crossed her arms and turned her face to the side, her cheeks flushed.
"H-Hmph! It's not funny at all! I was just a child… you don't have to laugh!"
Alear looked at her with an amused smile and spoke in a warm tone:
"You look quite cute when you make that tsundere face."
"W-Who are you calling a tsundere!?" she shot back quickly, her voice rising in pitch, though the blush on her face only deepened.
Alear found her reaction even more amusing, but soon shifted the conversation in a calmer tone:
"Since you were telling me about your childhood and your older brother, what is your relationship with your family like?"
Ravel hesitated briefly, her smile fading slightly. She lowered her gaze to the empty cup before answering:
"It's… good. My father and mother have always treated me very well. They're affectionate with me. My father just… has a strong preference for my brother Riser."
Alear raised an eyebrow, curious.
"Riser, huh? I heard he's engaged to Rias Gremory, and that the marriage isn't going very well since she doesn't agree with it…"
As soon as she heard the name "Rias Gremory," Ravel's expression changed completely. A clear displeasure took over her face. She had already heard the rumors that Venelana was now working as Alear's secretary. Most nobles found it amusing, commenting that the powerful House of Gremory had fallen into his hands. But that was not what caused her unpleasant expression.
"That spoiled princess…" Ravel muttered, her voice filled with irritation. "She enjoys all the benefits of being the heir to the House of Gremory but fulfills none of the responsibilities. She doesn't want to marry my brother just because he's an open hedonist, but that doesn't give her the right to ignore the duties of high society! If she didn't want to marry, she could have simply renounced her title as heir, but she still wants to keep it and doesn't care about the responsibilities that come with it! Ugh, she's irritating!"
Alear tilted his head slightly, interested.
"What exactly did you mean by 'hedonist'?"
Ravel sighed, showing some discomfort with the direction of the conversation, but still answered:
"He's the type of person who puts his own pleasure above everything else. I believe that's why my father has a certain preference for him, since in many ways, he resembles him quite a bit. For example, he has built a large harem of servants and… often offers some of them to other nobles in exchange for favors. That has become a well-known reputation among devils."
She finished with a slight tone of embarrassment, averting her gaze for a moment, as if uncomfortable exposing that so directly.
Alear raised an eyebrow, visibly surprised by the description.
"Although I've spent little time in high society, from what I know, that's common among nobles, isn't it?"
Ravel sighed again, looking somewhat tired just from touching on the subject.
"Yes… it's more common than you might think. Many women from noble families don't mind having a husband like that, as long as he maintains the house's status and wealth. Some even consider it normal."
She paused briefly, looking away for a moment before continuing:
"My brother would also like to have a wife who supports that lifestyle. But since he cannot choose… he ended up accepting the marriage with Rias Gremory. Even though he is not the official heir of the Phenex family—that role belongs to my eldest brother—he still fulfills his responsibilities to the house. Very different from her, who runs away from that and ends up dragging the family's name through the mud out of pure childishness…"
Ravel shrugged lightly, her voice lowering slightly.
"Besides that… Rias Gremory is a great beauty. My brother has always had a certain fondness for her because of that. I think that, deep down, he actually likes her… in his own way. So, from his perspective, it's not that bad…"
Alear listened attentively, nodding slowly as he absorbed the information.
"I see…" he said with a faint smile. "From what you've told me, your brother Riser and I are practically opposites, then…"
He paused briefly, leaning slightly forward and looking directly into Ravel's blue eyes. His voice came out low, clear, and filled with conviction:
"I would never accept sharing my woman with another man. I'm quite possessive about that."
His gaze was intense, direct, and without hesitation.
Ravel felt her heart leap violently in her chest. Her cheeks instantly burned, turning red up to her ears. A warm wave of happiness and shyness overwhelmed her completely, making her hands tremble slightly on the table. Inside, she was almost melting.
She lowered her gaze for a second, biting her lower lip, but could not hide the foolish, enchanted smile that appeared on her face.
"I… I would never dream of being with another man…" she murmured, her voice almost a shy whisper, yet sincere. "Alear-sama is the best… so there's no way anyone better than you could exist."
Alear smiled faintly, satisfied with her response.
He decided to shift the topic slightly to make her more comfortable:
"And your other siblings? You mentioned that Riser is not the heir."
Ravel seemed relieved by the change of subject. She straightened her posture a bit, regaining some composure, though her cheeks were still rosy.
"The official heir is my brother Ruval. He is practically the opposite of Riser. He is very responsible, talented, and dedicated. He is currently among the top 10 ranked in the Rating Games. He will soon be promoted to Ultimate-Class Devil. My father has high expectations for him."
Alear raised his eyebrows, genuinely impressed.
"Top 10? That's quite impressive."
Ravel smiled proudly, her chest puffing slightly at his reaction.
"Yes! Ruval is amazing. He trains a lot and never lets himself be distracted."
She paused briefly before continuing:
"After him, I have another older brother who works directly for one of the Four Great Satans, Lord Asmodeus. He is one of his personal assistants. It's a very important and trusted position."
Alear nodded slowly, absorbing every detail about the internal dynamics of the Phenex Family.
"I see… your brothers seem to be following their own paths. And you?"
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze attentive and genuinely curious as it fixed on her.
"Do you have any desires? Any ambitions you would like to achieve?"
Ravel hesitated for a moment. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the empty cup as she lowered her gaze, clearly thinking about her answer. After a few seconds, she spoke in a softer voice:
"I… until recently, I was part of my brother Riser's peerage. It was to gain practical experience, learn how to deal with servants, internal politics, and that sort of thing. But… I ended up leaving."
She lifted her gaze shyly toward Alear.
"Now that I'm going to become your wife, it no longer makes sense to stay there. I don't have great ambitions like my brothers… I just want to support you in the best way possible, Alear-sama. In whatever it may be—at home, in political matters, or anything you need. I want to be useful to you…"
Her cheeks turned slightly pink as she said that, but she maintained her gaze, showing sincerity.
Then, gathering a bit of courage, she returned the question:
"And you, Alear-sama? Do you have any great ambition?"
Alear smiled lightly, his expression calm as he replied:
"For now… I just want to become stronger. Strong enough that no one can threaten me or what is mine."
Ravel stared at him in silence for a few seconds. Her blue eyes shone with even deeper admiration. Gradually, she realized how different he was from other devils—many sought power and status out of pure vanity or arrogance, but Alear conveyed none of that.
She had always believed her brother could compete with anyone of the new generation, but that conviction began to crumble when she saw the records and reports about Alear. Compared to him, the gap was so absurd that it made her realize how limited that previous view had been, like a frog at the bottom of a well finally seeing the sky… Her husband was strong… but not just that. There was something more. Part of her wanted to understand how someone could reach that level in such a short time and still maintain such a simple and determined demeanor. It touched her in an unexpectedly deep way.
Her heart began to race again. She clasped her hands in her lap, feeling a warm wave of respect spread within her.
"You really are incredible…" she murmured, almost to herself, with a small, enchanted smile on her lips.
Alear watched the shine in her eyes for a few seconds and couldn't hold back an amused smile. He tilted his head slightly and commented in a light, teasing tone:
"You've been calling me 'incredible' quite often tonight. If you keep that up, I might become conceited and actually start believing I'm incredible."
Ravel blinked, processing his words, and immediately turned even redder. She crossed her arms and turned her face to the side with a pout, a typical tsundere reaction.
"I-It's not like that! I just… said what I think! You don't need to twist my words!"
Alear chuckled softly, clearly enjoying her reaction. After a moment, his tone became more serious and gentle:
"Jokes aside… I would like to know the real reason. Not the version young devils talk about on Devilnet—I want to know what truly made you feel this way about me. Be honest…"
Ravel remained silent for a few seconds. Her fingers nervously played with the edge of her lilac skirt as she gathered her courage. Her cheeks were lightly flushed, but she took a deep breath before finally speaking sincerely.
"…At first, it really was admiration for what you achieved…" she admitted, her voice low and slightly trembling. "Someone our age accomplishing so many impressive things… it was impossible not to pay attention. But… that wasn't the only thing that made me like you…"
She lifted her gaze shyly, meeting his eyes.
"While browsing the internet, I ended up seeing some recordings of your fight against the assassins who tried to kill you in Agreas… a-and I thought it was incredible! I thought you were r-really… impressive at that moment! Not even my older brother could defeat those devils who attacked you, and I always considered him invincible… you literally opened my eyes in that instant…"
She hesitated briefly, lightly gripping her skirt.
"I don't know how to explain it in a completely logical way… because at that moment, it wasn't rational, Alear-sama… it was simply what I felt."
Her gaze softened, filled with sincere admiration.
"That was when I truly began to admire you… and since then, I've followed more and more news about you…"
She hesitated for a moment, but continued:
"So, the reason I have these feelings for you… is partly the same as any other young devil's… but also different. You ended up opening my eyes to something I had always ignored… or perhaps chosen to ignore. I grew up surrounded by the idea of [Immortality] of my family, by the certainty that certain names… certain people… simply could not be defeated. I saw Riser as absolute in that sense."
She lowered her gaze slightly, her voice becoming softer.
"But… that's not true. And realizing that… changed the way I see many things."
Ravel took a deep breath before concluding, in a sincere tone:
"That's why… I'm grateful."
She hesitated again, clearly more embarrassed now, but still chose to continue.
"And… now that I've met you in person… I also like the way you are direct. And… a little possessive."
Her face turned even redder, but she did not completely back down.
"Most nobles act as if having multiple women is something casual, almost without value. But you said you wouldn't share your woman with anyone…" Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. "That made me feel… valued. As if, when you choose someone… it's real."
She finished while looking to the side, unable to maintain eye contact for long, her face completely flushed.
Alear continued to watch her silently for a few seconds, processing everything Ravel had said. Internally, the situation felt almost ironic, bordering on amusing. From the way she described her feelings, it was clear that there was a strong idealization involved—something common when someone follows another person from a distance, building an image based on achievements and reputation. In her case, that admiration had naturally evolved into something more personal… and, by fortunate circumstances, she ended up becoming the wife of her idol…
A faint smile appeared on his lips as he realized this.
He subtly tilted his head, observing her completely flushed face with a softer and more attentive gaze.
"I'm glad to know that I'm seen with such affection and care by someone. Honestly, that pleases me more than you might imagine."
Ravel quickly raised her gaze, her blue eyes full of expectation. Alear continued, as honest as ever:
"Although we've only known each other for a short time, I've also begun to feel a certain affection for you. You are more sincere, cute, and determined than I expected. I like that."
His words hit Ravel like a direct blow to the heart.
Her eyes widened, her entire face turned scarlet, and she had to grip her skirt tightly to keep from showing just how shaken she was. Inside, she was almost bursting with happiness. Even so, she tried to maintain a bit of tsundere composure:
"I-I… I don't…! Don't say things like that all of a sudden! That… that's… hmph!"
She turned her face to the side, but the foolish, radiant smile escaping her lips completely betrayed her feelings. Her heart was beating so loudly she was sure he could hear it…
Fortunately, she managed to recover enough to continue a proper conversation with her future husband.
The two continued talking for some time, about light topics, preferences, and curiosities about each other. The conversation flowed naturally and comfortably, with Ravel gradually opening up more.
When the wind grew colder, Alear decided to end it:
"It's getting late. Let's head back inside."
Ravel nodded, but as they walked back toward the mansion, she became visibly nervous. After a few silent steps, she gathered her courage and spoke in a low, embarrassed voice:
"Alear-sama… I'm ready, you know? To fulfill my duties as a wife… in bed… if you want today…"
She barely managed to finish the sentence, her face burning with embarrassment.
Alear stopped for a moment and looked at her. With a gentle smile, he shook his head:
"For now, it's better that we get to know each other more. There's no rush."
Ravel stopped as well, an expression of insecurity appearing on her face. She lowered her gaze, biting her lower lip.
"…You… don't desire me?"
Alear let out a soft, affectionate chuckle. He stepped closer and gently lifted her chin with his fingers, making her look at him.
"I do desire you. But we have time. I don't want it to be out of obligation or nervousness. I want it to be when you are truly ready and comfortable."
Ravel looked at him with shining eyes, a mix of relief, shyness, and deep happiness in her gaze. She nodded timidly, almost like a little girl.
"I-understand… Thank you, Alear-sama."
When they reached the mansion's entrance, a maid was already waiting to escort her to the room prepared for her.
Ravel gave a light bow, her cheeks still rosy.
"Good night, Alear-sama. Thank you for today… I… I had a lot of fun."
"Good night, Ravel. Rest well."
She followed the maid down the corridor, but turned her head one last time before disappearing, with a shy and enchanted smile.
Alear watched until she was out of sight, a faint smile on his lips, then returned to his own room...
__________________
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