Through Rating Games, any Devil can grow in life. This is how a Low-Class Devil can become a Top-Class Devil. However, I was born into the Top-Class Devil category because I am the son of Sirzechs Lucifer and the grandson of Duke Zeoticus Gremory.
Therefore, by beating Diadora Astaroth, I didn't need to prove or fight anyone else to prove that I was strong. Everyone saw the battle.
So I was placed at Rank 207 in the World Ranking, and Diadora Astaroth was demoted to Rank 208.
My inclusion in the Ranking pushed everyone ranked below me down by one place, but it didn't change anyone ranked above me. To do that, I would need to beat someone who was ahead of me and try to keep moving up.
However, that wasn't something I wanted to do right now. Fighting in the Rating Game was both mentally and physically draining, and, frankly, I had a bit more trouble beating Diadora than I initially thought I would.
Either way, a win was a win. And my grandparents held a party to celebrate this victory with everyone.
I wasn't against it, but I also didn't imagine that the place would be so full. There were devils from every corner of the underworld, from nobles to merchants and famous Rating Game players. But, for the moment, they weren't coming to me, so I was in a conversation circle with Akeno, Koneko, Asia, and Issei.
"So, Milicas did it here... BAM!" Issei threw a punch in the air and turned his body as if he were staging a fight. "And then he dodged the spear like that, POW! And he came up with that absurd attack of destruction! How did he do that, huh?!"
Koneko, with her arms crossed, looked at him with her typical neutral gaze. "He just trained."
"But that was incredible! Like, I already knew he was strong because he beat me that time, but now I'm sure he's on another level..." Issei scratched the back of his head in frustration.
Asia, who was holding a glass of juice, smiled gently.
"I bet Milicas-san has trained hard to get this far. I'm sure it's thanks to that."
Akeno, on her part, leaned towards me with an amused smile and whispered:
"You've impressed Issei."
"That wasn't the point, but I'm pleased to see that he doesn't hate me anymore."
"I was thinking... Your Power of Destruction is remarkable, but you used a lot of techniques I didn't know about before. That alchemy... it's beyond anything we've seen in battle."
I looked at Akeno for a moment, then raised my hand, causing a circle of transmutation to glow faintly in my palm. No, I wasn't like Edward Elric, who could transmute without a circle. What I was doing was creating a magic circle that looked like a transmutation circle. It's an advantage of having extensive knowledge of magic and alchemy.
"Alchemy is a science. But when combined with magic, it becomes something even more versatile. Normal alchemists need to draw transmutation circles to carry out their transmutations. With my magical power, I can create them directly."
"If it's so useful, why haven't I ever seen anyone else use it?" Koneko asked.
"It's an unknown area. I had to do a lot of research to understand and learn how to use it in practice. You also need in-depth knowledge of the composition of each material and the transmutation formulas. It's not something you can just pick up and learn." I explained.
"In other words, you've spent a long time studying it..." Akeno murmured thoughtfully.
Issei, who was still repeating the movements in the air, paused and looked at me with a twinkle in his eye.
"Hey, Milicas, you could teach me, right?"
I laughed.
"If you want to spend years learning chemistry, science, and transmutation equations, then we can start now."
Issei immediately grimaced. "Forget it..."
Asia laughed softly.
Then, suddenly, I felt a heavy gaze coming from one corner of the room.
I looked over and saw Riser Phenex. He was dressed formally, surrounded by a few minor nobles who fawned over him and even some of his servants. Unlike the last time we met, the look on his face wasn't just arrogant—it was furious.
It wasn't long before he started walking toward me. The group around me noticed, and Koneko immediately went on guard.
"Milicas..." Akeno called out, whispering.
"I know."
Riser stopped a few meters away from me, crossing his arms and tilting his head.
"So that's what happened? You defeated Diadora Astaroth and entered the ranks?"
I kept my expression neutral.
"Yes. I guess so."
He clenched his fists, and flames emanated from his hands. "Do you have any idea what that means?!"
"It means I won."
"It means your victory has messed everything up!" He stepped closer, his flaming aura beginning to increase. "The marriage between me and Rias was finally going to be formalized, and now that you've entered the ranks and demoted Diadora, everything has changed! She has an alternative now!"
I already knew that. And, as I said before, it was one of the reasons I agreed to fight Diadora.
"The marriage should never have been forced to begin with," I retorted.
"HAHAHAHA! Do you think you can just change everything because you want to?"
By now, many people around us were watching the conversation, muttering among themselves.
"If Rias doesn't want to marry you, she shouldn't have to. It's that simple."
Riser clenched his teeth. "Do you think this is over? Do you think that just because you've won a Rating Game, you're powerful?"
"I don't think anything. I do."
My aura glowed slightly, and Riser clicked his tongue. "It certainly won't stay that way."
Then, without saying another word, he turned abruptly and left the hall.
Issei let out a whistle. "Fiu~! Man... Who was that guy?"
"Riser Phenex, Lord Phenex's third son," Akeno introduced. "A long time ago, Lord Gremory and Lord Phenex agreed to marry off their children, and the opportunity to fulfill that verbal agreement arose with Riser Phenex and Rias Gremory, as they were both fully independent."
"As the Phenex Clan has been rising in prominence and the Gremory Clan had lost popularity in recent years, a marriage between the two seemed inevitable. But Milicas' actions have disrupted those plans."
"Wait a minute... so this was all an arranged marriage?! How come I never knew that?" Issei exclaimed.
I looked at him, a little surprised by his reaction.
"You never asked," Koneko said.
"But... But...!" He started gesturing exaggeratedly. "You mean Rias almost had to marry this guy?! That's so unfair! I thought devils were more modern than that!"
Akeno let out a low laugh and covered her mouth with her hand.
"Devils are modern in some respects, Issei-san. But when it comes to alliances and marriages between noble families, traditions remain very important."
Asia, always kind, looked at me with some concern.
"So, Milicas-san... Did you really do this to help Rias-san?"
I nodded. "I did it because it was right. Marriage should never have been an obligation."
Issei's face was still full of indignation when a powerful presence approached.
Rias Gremory was walking toward us, accompanied by my grandparents, Zeoticus and Venelana Gremory.
"I was going to look for you after the party, but it seems fate brought us together sooner," Rias Gremory said. "Milicas, can we talk?"
I followed Rias and her parents to a more secluded area of the mansion, where the sounds of the party had faded. We stopped in front of a grand wooden door.
Venelana made an elegant gesture, and the door opened by itself, revealing a smaller hall. In the center of the room, on a black stone table, rested an object draped in velvet cloth.
I frowned. "What's that?"
Zeoticus smiled. "A present for you."
"It's our clan's tradition to give a gift to each clan member after their first Rating Game victory," Venelana explained. She walked over to the table and pulled back the cloth, revealing the object underneath.
It was a black metal box, sealed with an extremely complex magical seal.
Rias stepped forward and looked at me as she touched the box. "This belonged to a great alchemist who served our family in the past. But no one has ever opened it."
My attention was immediately drawn. Not only was it sealed with magical seals we couldn't understand, but it was also resistant to any magical attack, regardless of its force.
I approached slowly, studying the details of the box. The black metal was clearly resistant and, indeed, I could feel the magical power emanating from it, showing that the seal was still active.
"I've tried everything," Rias continued. "Even our brother, Sirzechs, couldn't break the seal. But maybe you..."
I touched the cold surface of the box.
'Interesting.'
I closed my eyes and drew a transmutation circle in the air. It glowed softly, its lines intertwining with the runes on the box. A warmth ran through my hand. The box reacted. The runes flashed rapidly before fading completely. Then, with a dry snap, the metal latch came undone, and the lid opened on its own.
Rias' eyes widened.
Venelana smiled, looking pleased.
Inside the box was a silver ring with a shiny blue crystal embedded in the center. I picked it up carefully and immediately felt the magical energy circulating through it.
"This ring..."
Zeoticus crossed his arms, looking pleased.
"This is the Ring of Hygron. They say its wearer gains absolute mastery over one of the four natural elements, though the chosen element varies by wearer."
"Wait, you said no one ever..." I began, but then I finally understood what was going on here.
Zeoticus tapped the top of his head and stuck out his tongue. "YES! It was just a story to motivate you! KHAHAHA!"
Suddenly, I felt soft arms wrap around me. My grandmother pulled me into a tight hug, enveloping me in the familiar warmth of someone who had always looked after me.
"I'm proud of you, Milicas," she whispered.
I returned the hug. Zeoticus approached and joined in the hug, and Rias did too. Then, as they released me, I looked at them with a question in mind.
"By the way, have you seen my mom? She came to the party, but I haven't seen her yet. I haven't even heard from her all night."
Zeoticus gave a low laugh. "Oh, that... Looks like she's up to something with that Queen of yours."
I frowned. "Makima?"
Venelana nodded. "They've been in the kitchen for quite a while. I do not know what they're up to, but considering it's Grayfia, it might be something dangerous for her reputation. Do you remember what she made Asia wear that day?"
"Ahhh! Asia-chan looked so cute in a maid outfit!" Zeoticus exclaimed, and Rias tugged on his ear. "Aitatata...! All right, Rias-chan, I get it! I won't talk about maids anymore!"
That made me uneasy.
"Maybe I'd better see what they're up to."
Venelana and Rias smiled and said at the same time, "Good luck."
*
*
*
Support me to write more and read chapters ahead of all regular readers!
P-atreon.com/palmer1998
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
In chapters R-18, there are original and exclusive images for the patreons!
Discord: https://discord.gg/2pn9Twxrng