DxD: The Sorcery System Chapter 40

Chapter 40: A Question Not Asked

Should I ask her?

No, right? That would be foolish.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, amused by how long I had been staring at her.

“Uh… no.” It wasn’t wise to bring it up. “Just thinking about something.”

None of them ever mentioned anything about Akeno being connected to the Fallens, so there must be a reason for that, right?

Rias must know, and they’re likely hiding it for a purpose.

There’s a slight chance that even Akeno isn’t aware of her half-Fallen heritage, but that seems highly unlikely.

“Here you go,” she said, handing me a cup. “I tried making the tea differently this time.”

I shouldn’t dwell on this unnecessarily.

“Thank you.”

Now that I think about it, I don’t know how Rias found her peerage members. It’s not like everyone would join just for money or fame, right?

And looking at Akeno, Kiba, or Koneko, I can’t imagine them joining for those reasons.

It’s funny how I’m willing to fight for a girl I haven’t known for long.

Whether it’s for a quest or something else, many would call it foolish. But it doesn’t feel right to turn away from someone in need, especially when it just requires a bit of magic.

“Akeno?”

“Yeah?” She looked at me.

“I won’t die in a Rating Game, will I?”

The question made her stare at me for a moment before she smiled in amusement.

“Of course not,” she assured me. “Rating Games have rules, and no life-threatening injuries are allowed. And even if you do get hurt, you’ll be healed instantly with Phoenix Tears and other magical means.”

See, it’s safe.

All I’m doing is helping a friend.

Friend.

“Akeno,” I looked at her, knowing it was a somewhat silly question, “we are friends, aren’t we?”

I expected her to be amused by the question, maybe even laugh.

But she didn’t.

Instead, she answered right away.

“I don’t see anyone going to the lengths you have to help a stranger or just an acquaintance.” Her smile turned comforting. “I would say we’re friends, or do you not want to be friends with us?”

Heh.

It’s okay to be selfish sometimes, but helping others when you can doesn’t hurt either.

In a way, it builds relationships. And no matter how you look at it, that’s not a bad thing.

Maybe the Phenex family will hate me—they’re certainly a powerful devil family—but on the other hand, by helping Rias, I’m building a good relationship with her brother, who happens to be Satan Lucifer himself.

Even if I’m being self-centered, fighting for Rias has more benefits than downsides.

And just to be sure, I decided to ask.

“I know I shouldn’t be asking this, but considering I’m part of this Rating Game now, I think I should know a little about the Gremory and Phenex relationship.” I was curious. “Would Rias winning have a negative impact on the relationship between the two families, and would it affect Satan Lucifer?”

I already knew the answer; my conversations with Rias had given me enough clues.

And it wasn’t surprising when the one to answer this question was Rias herself.

“My brother is doing his best; he wants me to be free too.” She walked in, thankfully fully dressed this time. “But it’s not possible for him to meddle in this issue directly. He holds a very powerful position, and because of that, he can’t make decisions on a whim.”

“Are you okay?” Akeno whispered as she walked toward her friend.

“Tired,” the princess smiled back, “but it’s a small price to pay for freedom.”

In the past few days, I’ve seen her mature. She’s been training, coordinating with her peerage, and even studying strategies.

Kiba mentioned that this was new for them—which makes me wonder what they were doing before—but better late than never.

“The whole relationship is based on politics,” she sighed. “Trades, lands, and rights over certain products.”

“And will this Rating Game spoil that relationship?”

Surprisingly, she shook her head.

“It’s more of an effort to legally bind the two families together,” she explained. “Think of it this way: if Gremory wants to give something valuable to someone, other devil families supporting us would want to be the ones to receive it. But if Phenex and Gremory are tied together by marriage, even if my father gives something to Lord Phenex, the others can’t complain too much.”

That ‘too much’ was the key point.

Of course, many would protest, but deep down, everyone would agree that family comes first for most people.

“So, it wouldn’t sour the relationship, but it would make a few things difficult for both sides.” She sat close to me. “And I’m willing to make things a little difficult for myself if it means I can be free.”

When I first met Rias, I could tell she was eager to have me join the peerage by any means necessary.

But after a while, it all made sense.

She’s been desperate—almost anyone would be in her shoes. And as a wealthy girl from a powerful family, she hasn’t seen what most people have to go through.

So she was confused, desperate, and a little naïve.

But now, she’s maturing, and I’m happy to see that.

I wonder if these experiences have made me a little more mature too.

At least, I hope I’ve grown a bit.

Grown enough to help her out.

Advanced Sixth Sense.

Magical Physique.

Basic Elemental Magic.

Advanced Barrier Magic.

These are strong enough. All I need now is to become capable enough.

…

…

[Gremory Estate, Gremory Territory]

Walking through the vineyard of their vast estate were two men—two handsome men whose power and status surpassed all others.

They shared blood, once shared a family name, and still shared an unbreakable bond.

Yet they stood with differing views in the present moment.

“You’re taking a huge risk by involving yourself in this matter,” the older man sighed, his concern evident.

“She’s my sister,” the younger man replied. “Don’t worry. I won’t leave any loose ends.”

“There’s nothing more I can do,” the older man said. “I worry about Rias, but in this situation, I must stand not as her father but as the Lord of Gremory.”

It pained him, but while family was his priority, keeping the Gremory name alive, strong, and respected was his duty.

“I understand,” the younger man said, without blame. “Rias doesn’t understand now; she’s still young. But in time, she’ll come to see your position as well.”

The older man sighed, gazing at the grapes, a sad smile tugging at his lips.

“I can’t intervene directly, but I’ll ensure that her wish is fulfilled by the end of the Rating Game, no matter its outcome.”

The younger man’s words made the older one look at him with sorrow.

“I’ve failed as a father, haven’t I… Sirzechs?” he asked, looking at his son.

But Sirzechs shook his head. “Let me bear this responsibility, Father,” he said. “You’ve done enough.”

They stood by the grapes, staring at the flawless fruits that had been carefully cultivated in the land.

“Do you think I was wrong?” the father asked. “Was I wrong for doing what I did for the family?”

“In my eyes,” Sirzechs smiled, “I don’t think so. Both you and I have been through war, seen revolutions, and witnessed change. We fought for change and created a new world for ourselves, adopting new practices along the way.”

His father, Zeoticus Gremory, Lord of Gremory, nodded.

“Practices that now seem outdated to the younger generation,” the older man sighed. “Maybe these conservative beliefs are indeed old.”

“I once heard someone say,” Sirzechs said, “Revolutionaries remain revolutionaries only until the war is won. Once they emerge as victors, they become conservatives—protecting the beliefs and things they fought for.”

Zeoticus pondered this, and as he reflected on the views of his father and those before—the original Satans—he found himself agreeing with his son.

“I believe you’re right,” he said, chuckling. “And perhaps I’m glad—happy, even—to see these new changes and revolutions happening without war. It’s a nicer change.”

“It would be nice to see Rias win without resorting to any underhanded methods,” Sirzechs hoped, though it was only that.

A hope.

“We can only hope,” Zeoticus said. “But in the end, we both know how the match will end.”

“Yes.”

They tacitly agreed not to dwell on or discuss the upcoming Rating Game.

They already knew the outcome.

They knew who would win and who would lose.

And so, they resolved to do what they could for Rias.

But what they didn’t account for was the possibility of the unexpected.

Because in life, nothing is certain.

Not even a Rating Game whose results seem almost predetermined.