Rias' Growing Frustration
The days passed in a blur of routine, but for Rias, something felt different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. The more time she spent around Riser, the more unsettlingly familiar yet distant he became. His new demeanor—calm, collected, and strangely confident—had a magnetic pull that she couldn't ignore.
At first, she'd dismissed it, thinking it was just a phase. But each time they crossed paths, whether during meetings, meals, or casual conversations, she found herself more drawn to him. It wasn't the brash flirtation or arrogant boasts of the old Riser that had once irked her—it was something deeper. Riser had become... interesting. And with that interest, came an unfamiliar warmth.
One evening, after dinner, Rias found herself walking through the gardens of the Phenex estate, her footsteps light against the stone paths. The moonlight cast long shadows, but it wasn't the quiet beauty of the night that filled her thoughts. It was Riser.
She didn't understand why she kept thinking about him. What was it about his presence that made her heart flutter unexpectedly? She'd known him for years, yet this new version of him was nothing like the arrogant, boastful man she used to clash with.
It was as if his quiet confidence, his restraint, had unraveled something inside her that she hadn't expected.
The Unspoken Change
Rias sat down on one of the benches, running a hand through her hair. She was frustrated—not just with herself, but with the situation. She was the heir to House Gremory, a powerful and dignified leader. Why did Riser's presence make her feel so... unsure?
She leaned back, gazing up at the stars. She couldn't deny that there was something magnetic about him now. It was almost as if he wasn't the same person, but rather someone who had grown into the man he was always meant to be. Someone who didn't need to flaunt his power to make people notice him.
The way he looked at her. The way he smiled—more genuinely now, though still tinged with that mysterious edge. The way his voice seemed to carry a weight, as though every word had purpose.
"I'm still figuring it out."
Her own words from earlier that day echoed in her mind. Rias had told him she was unsure about the new Riser, but that wasn't entirely true. The more she saw him, the more she realized how drawn to him she was becoming. It was just... different. And that difference unsettled her.
Riser's Quiet Assurance
The soft sound of footsteps interrupted her thoughts. Rias turned, expecting to see one of the other servants or maybe one of her peerage members, but instead, it was Riser.
He stood there in the moonlight, his presence commanding yet subtle. The air around him felt warmer, as if the flames within him were calling to her, urging her to notice him in a way she hadn't before.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked, his voice calm but filled with an almost playful curiosity.
Rias blinked, her mind racing for a response. "Just... thinking," she said, not wanting to reveal too much.
"About me?" he asked with a teasing smile, his eyes gleaming in the dim light.
She couldn't help but smirk, though she felt a slight flush creep to her cheeks. "Maybe," she admitted, though it felt like an understatement.
Riser took a step forward, his gaze softening. "I don't mind if you think about me. I'd be flattered, honestly."
His words weren't brash or teasing in the way they once were. They weren't meant to provoke or challenge her. They were simply... honest.
Rias swallowed, feeling a strange heat in her chest. She wasn't sure why, but there was something about the way he was looking at her now that made her feel almost... seen.
"You've changed, Riser," she said quietly, unsure of why she felt compelled to say it out loud.
He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he leaned against the bench, his gaze fixed on her. "I haven't changed, Rias. I've simply become the person I was always meant to be."
There was no arrogance in his tone, no underlying boastfulness. Just a quiet certainty that sent a shiver down her spine.
"You're different," she murmured again, but this time, it wasn't just an observation. It felt like an acknowledgment. She could no longer deny it.
Riser smiled, that same soft smile that made her heart race in a way she couldn't explain. "And you're starting to like it," he said softly, his voice low but confident.
Her breath caught in her throat. She could feel the heat rise to her cheeks again, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she met his gaze directly, no longer trying to hide the growing pull she felt.
"I—"
Before she could say anything more, Riser stepped closer, his presence enveloping her. He wasn't touching her, but the space between them felt charged, as though something was shifting in the air.
"I can see it in your eyes, Rias," he said, his voice just above a whisper. "You're starting to understand."
Rias felt her heart hammering in her chest. She didn't understand fully—not yet—but she felt something, an undeniable connection between them that had grown over the past days.
"I—" she started again, but this time, the words caught in her throat. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel.
Riser, sensing her inner conflict, took a step back, giving her space. "I won't rush you, Rias. I'm patient. But you'll come around. You'll see me for who I really am."
And there it was again—that calm certainty. It wasn't arrogance. It wasn't ego. It was just... him.
Rias found herself nodding before she could stop herself. There was something in his words, in his presence, that made her feel like maybe, just maybe, she could trust him.
"I... I'll see," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
Riser gave her a final, knowing smile before turning to leave, his figure vanishing into the shadows of the estate. But Rias remained seated on the bench, her thoughts swirling. The frustration she had felt earlier was now tinged with a strange sense of anticipation.
What was happening to her?