"Hey, you dead?" Arthur said as he casually poked Issei's limp body with his finger, as though the boy was merely sleeping.
Blood was pouring out of Issei, soaking the ground beneath him, but Arthur seemed utterly unbothered by the dire situation.
"He...lp...me," Issei weakly murmured, his voice barely audible before he lost consciousness.
Arthur sighed, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah, I was just about to do that. Seriously, kids these days don't care about anything but tits," he muttered under his breath, standing up slowly. He then turned his gaze toward the figure responsible for the attack—a tall man in a dark trench coat with black wings extending from his back. "Isn't that right, Dohnaseek?"
"Who the hell are you?" Dohnaseek asked.
Just then, Rias arrived, her voice was urgent. "Arthur, where did you suddenly run off to? I sensed that Issei was attacked, and I—" Her words froze in her throat as her eyes landed on the scene before her.
Rias's expression shifted from calm to shock to anger in moments as she took in the scene—Issei, her newest servant, lying unconscious in a pool of his own blood and a Fallen Angel, standing smugly on the other side.
"That hair... You must be Rias Gremory of the Gremory family. And that devil bleeding out—he's your servant now, isn't he?"
Arthur, as casual as ever, dusted his hands off and glanced at Dohnaseek with a smirk. "Yeah—though it looks like your little assassination attempt didn't quite take."
After Arthur, Rias continue, "If you bring any harm to him then you will get no mercy from me."
Hearing that, Arthur looked at Rias, That wound on issei tells me that he is already harmed. But hey Rias didn't want to fight, who am I to. Arthur thought to himself.
In Arthur opinions, Rias avoiding fight is a good move since Rias doesn't know the full dynamics of Devil, Fallen Angels and Angels.
If some low level fallen angel such as Dohnaseek get their would be no problem. And any sane leader wouldn't go to war because of some bottom feeders.
But just like he said, Rias don't know that.
"I apologize for the misunderstanding, " Dohnaseek said, it's seems he also know that nobody will miss him if he disappeared.
Then he continue, "Though it's unwise to let your servant run loose like that. Next time he is out for the stroll, he might run into someone less cordial than myself."
Arthur smirked, his gaze still fixed on Dohnaseek. "Less cordial, huh?" His voice was light, but there was an underlying edge that made the air feel thicker. "I think you've overstayed your welcome, Dohnaseek. I'd hate for Rias here to lose her temper."
Dohnaseek tensed, clearly sensing the danger despite Arthur's casual demeanour. His eyes flickered between Arthur and Rias, calculating his next move. Though he tried to mask it with a sneer, the realization had already set in—he was outmatched.
Rias's eyes never left him, her anger barely restrained. "You won't get another chance. Next time you cross my path, Fallen Angel, I won't hold back."
Dohnaseek's wings flared slightly, but the fight was already out of him. "Tch... You may have won this round, Gremory, but remember—this world is crawling with beings stronger than your little devils." He took one last glance at Issei, then gave a mocking half-bow. "Try to keep your servants on a shorter leash."
With that, Dohnaseek shot into the sky, his dark wings disappearing into the night.
Arthur chuckled softly, watching the Fallen Angel vanish. "For someone who talks so big, he sure knows when to back off."
Rias let out a breath, her tense posture finally relaxing. She knelt beside Issei, "He lost too much blood, there is only one way to save him....."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, already knowing what she was about to suggest. "You're not talking about healing him through the Power of Destruction via... bare skin, are you?"
Rias's eyes flicked up to him, momentarily surprised. "Yes," she replied, though curiosity laced her voice. "But how do you know about that technique?"
Arthur chuckled inwardly. Your mother taught me that.
But obviously, he couldn't tell her that—at least not without raising more questions. He wasn't about to dive into that complex web of truths just yet.
Instead, he offered his usual enigmatic smile. "I told you, I'm a seer. I know things."
Rias blinked, accepting the explanation with a slight nod. She didn't have the time or energy to question him further. "It's the only way," she murmured, her eyes drifting back to Issei's pale face.
Arthur's internal monologue was already in full gear. Yeah, that's not going to happen. Bare skin treatment is a no-go for me.
While the Power of Destruction was a potent force, the technique she was thinking of—transferring the power via direct skin contact—was far too intimate and he wouldn't let that happen.
He placed a hand on Rias's shoulder, gently stopping her before she could continue with her plan. "There's another way," he said softly.
Rias looked up at him, confused. "Another way?"
Without further explanation, Arthur reached into his coat and pulled out a small, bright red vial that glowed with an ethereal light. It was a health potion, brimming with magic so potent it seemed to hum with energy. He handed it to Rias. "Here. Take this."
Rias's eyes widened in recognition as she took the vial from him, her fingers brushing over the intricate design etched into the glass. "This... this is from Nazarick."
Arthur gave a brief nod, watching as Rias's surprise deepened. "A potion from Nazarick, yes. It should be more than enough to heal Issei."
Rias hesitated for a moment, staring down at the glowing potion in her hands. Potions from Nazarick were rare and coveted even among devils, fallen angels, and angels alike for their unparalleled restorative properties.
They were beyond anything available in the DxD world—a cure for wounds that even magic might struggle to heal. To have one on hand, and to use it so casually, left Rias momentarily speechless.
Arthur could see the thoughts swirling in her mind. "Why are you surprised? I've got a few of these lying around," he said with a small smirk.
Rias looked back at him, her brows furrowed. "I wasn't expecting you to just hand over something so valuable."
Arthur shrugged. "What's the point of holding onto it if it can help in a situation like this? Besides," he added, flashing a mischievous grin, "I'd rather avoid any unnecessary... skin-on-skin methods."
Rias blushed slightly, but she didn't argue. She uncorked the vial and carefully poured the glowing liquid into Issei's mouth.
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