Walking out of the room that houses Rias, I make eye contact with Sirzechs as he rushes to his sister's side, a dull smile crosses my face as I force my way past him, towards the one member of Rias' peerage that still holds my interest.
I hold just outside the room as I hear her talking to Ddraig "What is going to happen to me now Ddraig? I had a good thing going, true friends for the first time in my life I felt like I belonged. I gave my all to protect that and it still wasn't enough, he was meant to be weak, an easy win, we were assured of such."
I slowly open the door, making sure I made little to no sound as I stood in the room with her, "Issane don't beat yourself up about it, you still landed the hardest hitting punch in the match although your antics while being burned didn't help our image."
I chuckle as the memory of her rolling around on the floor with flames consuming her arm dominates my mind, the chuckle explodes into full-blown laughter when the image of Koneko smacking her in the face, retiring her.
Issane turns to me with a scowl plastered across her face, she goes to speak but I simply raise my arm and she stops. "Issane right? Well, you and I are going to have a chat, Ddraig you can speak too if you wish but do not interrupt me, I have an offer for you."
I drag a chair next to her bed, "I know more about you than you do, you like both men and women right? Got a thing for my wife right? Although you are not on her radar, the only woman who is even remotely would be Akeno. I can change that but it will come with a cost."
"What is the cost?" Issane squeaks out.
"I want you to swear your loyalty to me on your soul, if-"
A deep frown covers my face as Ddraig interrupts me.
"Partner don't this a tra-"
My magic pressure erupts into the room, weighing both Ddraig and Issane down, "I'm trying to have a civil discussion here, we speak in intervals not interrupting one another, did Rias teach you nothing about speaking with Nobles? Not all of us are as laid back as she is with the rules, something else I will have to teach you."
Retracting the magical pressure, I calm myself before continuing "I will personally begin training you, Albion's wielder is many times your superior, his empress is the bastard child of Lucifer himself, inheriting a lot of the Madman's power. She is also an obstacle for me like Rias once was, one I intend to overcome."
"What would this 'Training' consist of?"
"You are worried that I would take advantage of you? Worry not, despite what everyone seems to believe, I don't force sexual acts on others, the main training method will not be revealed until you swear on your soul, it is ancient family magic that can't be shown unless extreme loyalty is guaranteed. I would train you under Evior in the arts of a Viking berserker, a way to increase your power without leaning too hard on the Boosted gear. Vali has you beat because she has power outside of her gear, this is especially important for you as yours boosts your non-gear power, which frankly you have way too little of."
"You would convince Rias?"
I shake my head, "You will be added to my Harem as she will, anything that happens, happens but like I said, these things can't be forced."
Issane pauses" Can I have time to think about this?"
I shake my head "No can do I'm afraid, I will be using the spell again tonight, you will either be there or not, now will you swear on your soul? Gain the strength needed to protect your Queen and your friends? Protect them from the big, scary fried chicken?"
She softly chuckles at the end of my little speech, "I have to agree don't I? You phrased this as an option but it isn't one not really, if I say no you will find a way to cut me off, make sure Vali wins right?"
This time I chuckle, "Smart Girl, I can choose which empress I want to win, do you know why? I can legitimately improve either of you and that gives me something you both need, I came to you first as I already own you. Everything Rias owns is mine and everything I own is mine as the contract dictates."
A look of resolution covers her face, "I will do it, how do I go about it?"
"I Riser Pheonix, Hier to the Pheinix Family and Gremory Family offer you Issane Hyoudou a chance to serve as my eternal servant, the consequence for faltering loyalty is your soul, do you agree?"
"I do," she says with slightly flushed cheeks.
As I'm about to tease her about it an abrupt scream leaves Issane's mouth as my heart begins to seize up, 'Display health' I scream in my mind.
<Done>
<500/13,000>
'What the fuck is that?'
<Souls are dangerous things to play with, you are not strong enough to wield them like you just did, you took a risk and now you are paying for it. You have been given free control here, I will not hand hold you, Samuel may help you but I remain impartial remember that>
Feeding Issane a phoenix tear, I smile as she recovers quickly, my phoenix regeneration rapidly heals my soul, note to self don't get overconfident...
This chapter was originally going to be a small time skip and a meeting with Sona/Serafall however I will push that back to the next chapter, this one instead is Riser gaining control of a powerful piece on the chessboard.