Riser Phenex isn't a villain

"Father. Mother. Let's forget it since everything has happened."

"Sirzech..." 2x

Zeoticus and Venelana sighed, but they knew that Sirzech was correct. Even if they wanted to blame Rias, they knew that they were also at fault.

Sirzech also couldn't escape the blame since he was the one who set up everything and also became Rias's backer.

More importantly, their greatest mistake was underestimating Riser Phenex and overestimating Hyoudo Issei.

Riser wasn't just an ordinary genius. He was a monster; among his age, he was the best of his generation.

Whether Zeoticus, Venelana, or Sirzech knew this, and they knew that the last battle probably wasn't Riser's limit.

Riser was also young, so he could be even more powerful.

His limit was probably even further.

The worst Riser's limit would be at Serafall Leviathan's level, who was the strongest female devil.

However, if they had to be optimistic, he might be the third irrationality that happened among the devil.

He might become the third existence at the same level as Ajuka Beelzebub and Sirzech Gremory.

Nevertheless, such an existence was already out of their reach already.

This regretted them the most.

Whether Zeoticus, Venelana, or Sirzech thought similarly. They might love Rias, but there was something that was more important: the future of the devil and the interest held by Sirzech and all the people that entered his boat.

The four Maou might be powerful, but were they the rulers of the underworld? No.

Other houses aside, since they didn't have the power to compete with the four Maou, the Bael house was different since it was the Great King of the Devils. In their minds, they were the real leader of the underworld.

While the devils might be peaceful now, the fight for authority between the two groups never stopped.

The reason why Rias's name was being blatantly smeared among the high-class devils was, without a doubt, the Bael family.

By doing this, a great rift would be created between the Gremory house and the Phenex house.

Even worse, the Phenex house would move away from the four Maou and go to follow the Bael's clique.

The importance of the Phenex house was clear to all since they could produce Phoenix Tears, a special type of healing potion that could treat most injuries.

Naturally, it would be horrible if everything went according to the house of Bael.

Because of this, whether it was the Gremory house or Sirzech, neither could blame Riser, and they couldn't make the Phenex house their enemies.

Fortunately, no one tore each other's faces, and they appeared amiable in front.

Though, inside?

No one could tell, which was why Riser needed to become stronger.

Once again, they might love Rias, but her happiness was nothing in front of the peace of all the devils.

Devils had faced many wars, and because of this, many of them had gone extinct, and because of that, no war should happen.

So because of this, what they could do toward Rias was only one thing.

"Rias, go back to Japan. Instead of staying here, it is better for you to live there."

"..."

Rias looked at her brother in disbelief.

The meaning of Sirzech's words was simple.

Instead of staying in the underworld and living uncomfortably in the underworld, she might as well have lived on Earth with all humans.

Yet, this also meant that he told her to leave the underworld since her existence caused them trouble.

Sirzech might be a loving big brother, but in the end, he was still Maou Lucifer.

The interest of the devil needed to be handled first.

Though his expression was uncomfortable and probably like what Riser thought if a chance appeared, Riser might be sent on a dangerous mission, so he would die.

By now, Riser's existence would be like Diarmuid, who was left wounded and died by his king, or Hatake Sakumo, who was being slandered as the source of failed mission and war.

The two of them were just mere subordinates, and they didn't have the strength to fight the high above.

Yet, the reality was like that.

The weak had no rights; only the strong could live with dignity.

Nevertheless, their biggest mistake was to overestimate Sekiryuutei.

Yet, they had to sigh since they were blamed, thinking that Issei Hyoudou could create a miracle.

However, when they thought with logic, wasn't it normal for Issei to lose to Riser?

Issei might be the holder of "Boosted Gear," but he was just a normal human without any redemption or talents.

Meanwhile, Riser was a pure-blooded devil with the power of the Phenex house.

As for who was stronger? It was easy to tell, right?

By now, Zeoticus, Venelana, and Sirzech have discussed the aftermath of this problem.

As for Rias, she just stayed there without saying anything. She might be able to gain her freedom, and she didn't need to worry about her marriage or anything, but she lost many things, and by now, her willfulness probably wouldn't be heard by her family again.

She was sad, yet there was nothing she could do.

"Buchou..."

Issei clenched his fist, thinking that if he wasn't so weak, then something like this wouldn't happen.

The rest was the same since during the previous "Rating Game" with Riser, they could hardly do anything.

They were all weak.

So, the only thing that they could do was just go back to Japan, leaving the underworld, so they wouldn't cause trouble again.

Still, while the Gremory house was busy, Sona Sitri was relatively calm since, unlike Rias, she didn't have an engagement with anyone. No, she had, but all of them had been rejected by her since all of those engagement candidates were unable to complete her request.

Be smarter than her.

This was her only requirement for her fiance.

Unfortunately, no one was able to do this.

So, even if her father and mother wished her to have an engagement and search for a husband early, they could do nothing.

Yet, Sona knew that as the next heir of the Sitri house, similar to Rias, she was also unable to escape her fate to find a marriage partner.

Still, she and her family were also unable to hide the surprise of what had happened during Rias's engagement with Riser.

As Rias's friend, she was also invited, and she also saw what was happening.

"But I didn't expect that he would divorce Gremory-san."

"Yes, yes, but don't you think that he is quite cool?"

"Well, if you say that..."

Sona looked at her peerage members, feeling speechless, but she understood their reaction. Moreover, it was normal for them to talk about what had happened during the engagement since it was the nature of a social animal to talk about others.

"You guys, be careful when talking about this. Don't let Rias or others hear it."

She didn't stop them but told them to be careful since the devil took utmost importance on social standings. Even if they become her servants and devils, they are just low-class devils.

Meanwhile, Rias was a high-class devil.

Even if Rias's status had become shameful because of the previous matter, a face that fitted with her status as a high-class devil and an heir of the Gremory house still needed to be given.

"Yes, Kaichou!"

"But Kaichou, what do you think of the young master of Phenex?" Shinra Tsubaki, Sona's Queen, couldn't help but ask.

"What do I think?"

Sona thought about the man. They happened to look at each other for a moment at the end.

"Frankly, my impression of him when I met him for the first time and at the end of the engagement was different."

When she met him for the first time, she thought of him as a frivolous and bad boy. As an intelligent person, she hated this type of someone the most, yet strangely enough, she felt this man was suitable for Rias, who was thoughtless and moved based on her emotions.

However, in the end, her impression of him changed.

At least she didn't think that he was a bad person.

Still, she shook her head. "But I can hardly say anything about him since I don't know much about him except that he is a playboy."

The fact that Riser was a playboy was something natural, especially when he always boasted about his harem previously.

Yet, even so, he had become more mature somehow.

This is how she felt.

"Well, how about we go back?"

After that engagement, they didn't immediately return to Japan since the accident during the engagement still shocked them.

If possible, Sona wanted to return with Rias first since, like her peerage members, she was also curious about Riser and worried about Rias.

Yet, suddenly, she received a call from her father.

"...."

Her expression became dark before she let out a long sigh.

"Otou-sama, is there something?"

"Oh, Sona, are you still in the underworld?"

"I am about to go back to Japan."

"Then, go home first."

"What's wrong? Is there another engagement? I won't marry someone who can't beat me in a game of chess."

The only reason why her father called her was only one, and that reason was to search for a marriage partner for her.

"Don't make such a judgment so easily. This one is different. I am sure that you will love him."

"I am the one who will decide that."

Sona let out a helpless sigh as she rubbed her temple.

Like Rias, Sona knew that she was unable to escape the fate of being engaged to another pure-blood devil.

"Kaichou, what's wrong?"

All the members of Sona's peerage looked at her worriedly.

"Nothing." Sona shook her head. "Tsubaki, follow me back to my house, and you guys, return to Japan. Take care of school, okay?"

"Yes, Kaichou!"

Leaving several reminders to all of them, Sona went home with her "Queen" and was ready to face her new fiance candidate.

---

By the way, thanks for all the comments about his rewards in the future.

All of them are good.