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Silence.
Complete silence.
After Issei's remark about Rizer Phenex's breast fondling technique, the room went into complete silence. Ever Yubelluna, that was until now moaning like a cheap hentai heroine, went silent after hearing Issei's comment. Ten seconds. Twenty seconds. Thirty seconds. And then, it happened.
"Pfft."
A person inside the room didn't manage to hold himself and let noise escape that signaled that he was holding some laughter in. Nobody knew who had done it, but it was all that it took for hell to break loose.
"Hahahaha."
Valerie Tepes started to laugh aloud at the comment. Gasper Vlad was madly blushing while hiding his face on Valerie's arm. Yuuto Kiba was managing to hold back his laughter, but those who knew him could see it in his eyes. Akeno had put a hand over her mouth and was giggling softly like a proper lady. Rias Gremory was having some trouble holding her laughter down. Grayfia Lucifuge kept her frosty facade up, but, those that knew her the longest would know with a look that something had made her laugh, or at least she had found it funny. Issei Hyoudou, the perpetrator himself, was continuing to seriously look at Rizer Phenex.
The blond guy's peerage was not amused with the comment, In truth, they were mortified with it. They knew very well how their master's mood worked and one of his famous tempers was coming. And they were right in that. Rizer Phenex's initial reaction to Issei's comment was confusion. He didn't understand exactly what the brow-haired boy was saying. It had taken a while for him to comprehend that his actions of molesting Yubelluna had not had the desired effect. It was just when the 'holding laugh back noise' was heard that he comprehended what had just happened. Rizer Phenex had been made fun of. His breast fondling technique, developed over the years with the 'help' of various maids from his family's house, brothel workers, random women, and his Queen, Yubelluna, had been made fun of. And by a low-class Devil at that!
For those watching Rizer Phenex's face, they could clearly see it going through a plethora of emotions until it stopped in a very recognizable one: rage.
"You! I will kill you! I will make you pay! I will burn you slowly! I will-"
Rizer Phenex started to yell his tirade while releasing his demonic energy. The room temperature quickly started to climb as he continued to say the 'terrible' thing that he would do to Issei. But then, he was interrupted in the middle of his tirade by the sound of the double doors of the room being opened strongly and hitting the wall.
*BAM*
The doors opened and everyone turned to look at them. Through it entered a tall and buff man that was wearing a dark blue suit while holding a stack of papers. It was Erik Ravenclaw. The man looked around and his eyes locked on Rias Gremory.
"Ah, there you are, Miss Gremory."
Erik said in a jovial tone that completely dissolved the rage-infused mood that was building up inside the room. He walked to where the girl was standing and offered her the stack of papers.
"Here. These are the forms that the school needs for you to fill out about the budget that will be used by your club next semester. Please fill them correctly and deliver them to the Student's Council office as soon as you can."
Erik said to the redhead girl while pointing to some of the papers.
"By the way, you may want to project into that budget the installation of some doors' catchers. That way no more grand entrances could be made with the use of your club room's doors."
Erik said and winked at the girl, who was still looking at Erik with a somewhat shocked expression. The big man ignored it completely and looked around the room for the second time since he entered it. After he had looked over everyone present, he sighed and gave a look of disappointment to Rias.
"Miss Gremory. I don't think that the school will see it with good eyes to you bringing a pimp inside its grounds, even more inside your club room."
Erik said to the redhead girl, whose eyes bulged after hearing the comment. Grayfia was going to comment and officially introduce Rizer Phenex to Erik but found herself unable to utter a word or even move. Erik just looked at the woman and winked at her. Internally, Grayfia let out a sigh of desperation. Erik was, again, playing with others. Not that he did it with those that didn't deserve some punishment in one way or another, but his plays usually ended with the other person hating him, even more so, when the target was Devils. Not that it mattered too since there was nothing that they could do against him or his. The silence that filled the room again after Erik's comment didn't stay for long as Valerie Tepes, again, let out a pearl of girly laughs, which incited a lot of reactions again
"Teacher!"
Rias Gremory exclaimed to Erik while managing to hold with a lot of difficulties her laugh.
"What? I am telling you the truth. It doesn't matter that you have connections in the board of governors of the school, if you bring a pimp and his girls inside school grounds, you will have problems."
Erik said again, not caring at all for the laugh coming from some students of his.
"No, teacher. You are understanding this wrong. Rizer here-"
Rias said again and was starting to explain things to Erik when she was cut mid-sentence by Rizer Phenex's affronted voice.
"You! You dare to call me, Rizer Phenex, a pimp?"
Rizer Phenex asked while pointing his finger to Erik. His face was the embodiment of rage. Erik calmly looked again at the man, from head to toe.
"You dress just like a pimp, is accompanied by a bunch of girls wearing different styles of clothing that could attend a wide variety of people. If you are not a pimp, then what are you?"
Erik spoke calmly to Rizer Phenex, getting more laughs coming from Valerie Tepes' side. With that comment, Rizer Phenex could not hold it in him anymore and let his demonic aura explode outwards, making the temperature in the room start to rise slowly.
"You insignificant human, see how I slowly burn you to ashes."
Rizer Phenex said and raised a hand in front of him. Over it, a small ball of fire started to form while he looked with rage in his eyes at Erik. The man, in compensation, had a bored look on his face. Erik looked at Rizer Phenex crazed rage-filled eyes and then at the ball of fire in his hand. Then, to the shock of everyone in the room, Erik moved to inhale air and then blew in the direction of the fireball just like one would do when blowing a candle in a birthday cake.
*ahhh-fuu*
And, just like that, the fireball was snuffed out to its holder's horror.
"Please refrain from lighting any fire indoors. I know that your parents have taught you this since both your elder brothers don't do this kind of thing."
Erik said plainly, shocking even more Rizer Phenex by mentioning his parents and his two elder brothers. Behind the blonde guy, Erik notice the brief shock that appeared on the face of a blonde girl that had her hair styled as two giant drills.
"That's enough, Lord Ravenclaw. You had your fun, now it is time to stop."
Grayfia said to Erik. He had given back her movement and voice as soon as he had snuffed out the fireball. Erik looked at the frosty maid and smiled while the target of Erik's bullying had his complexion turning ashen white in the realization of who he had just almost attacked.
"Hello Grayfia, how are you?"
Erik asked Grayfia, who gave him a small bow.
"I'm well, Lord Ravenclaw, thank you."
Grayfia replied in perfect manners, making Erik let out a sigh.
*sigh*
"You are always too serious when working, Grayfia."
Erik said and walked to an empty spot of the room that was still in evidence due to the position of the sofas. He then waved his hand and conjured a comfortable-looking armchair. Content with his piece of magic, Erik smiled and took his seat on it.
"Well, go ahead and continued your talk, I will just wait here since I have some things to talk about with Miss Gremory later."
Erik said to them all while showing a jovial smile on his face. The room was silent with everyone looking at him while trying to understand what had just exactly happened. Ten seconds later, Akeno arrived by Erik's side and offered him a cup of tea.
"Thank you, Akeno. You are a savior."
Erik said while accepting the teacup. The 'Nadeshiko' smiled at the thanks and returned to her place just as Erik sipped his tea. This action seemed to make everyone wake up from their state. It was Grayfia who was the first to talk.
"Since everyone has calmed down, let's go back to our initial discussion: the Rating Game between Rias Gremory and Rizer Phenex."
Grayfia announced, calling for the attention of everyone in the room.
"I accept the game. How about you, Rizer?"
Rias Gremory said quickly after Grayfia's announcement and asked Rizer Phenex. The blonde man, in a good show of the education that he had received while being the son of a noble family, managed to recompose himself very quickly before answering.
"Of course I accept it. Why would I not accept it when my victory is guaranteed?"
Rizer Phenex replied haughtily. Behind him, those who were paying attention could see the blonde girl with drills-shaped hair frowning at the word used by her King.
"Good! Since both parts are in accord with the realization of the Rating Game, the only thing missing now is to arrange a date."
Grayfia said in her frosty tone. At that Rizer Phenex's haughty tone came back with great strength.
"Ten days, Rias. I will give you ten days to prepare."
Rizer Phenex said like he was being magnanimous about it. Erik chuckled loudly at that, making the man frown, and some of the others turn to him.
"Something the matter, teacher Ravenclaw?"
Rias Gremory asked while knowing very well that Erik would not meddle without reason.
Not all, Miss Gremory. Is just that Mr. Phenex there is giving you, the King of a five-person peerage, just ten days to prepare for a Rating Game against his complete and experienced peerage. I just found it funny that he is so afraid of losing to your peerage and trying to be magnanimous about it. That's all."
Erik said and sipped from his teacup. After he finished talking, everyone looked at Rizer Phenex with questioning looks. The man took offense to that.
"Me? Afraid of losing? Hmph."
Rizer Phenex said and crossed his arms.
"I'm not afraid of losing. The ten days are just to give Rias enough time to put her things up to date here in the Human World since after my win in the Rating Game she would be immediately coming with me to the Underworld for our marriage."
Rizer Phenex said, explaining his reasons behind the ten days period for the fight. But when he looked around, he saw everyone still looking at him with faces that were saying that they didn't believe his words.
"To show that I'm not afraid at all, I am proposing a new date for the Rating Game. Thirty days from now."
Rizer Phenex said in his haughty tone.
"I agree. Thirty days from now."
Rias Gremory said after pretending to think a little about the time. Internally she was very thankful to Erik for tripling the time that they would have available for last-minute training. With thirty days to train, she had a little more hope about getting rid of this arranged marriage once and for all.
"The time has been agreed then. In thirty days, Rias Gremory and Rizer Phenex will face each other in a Rating Game to decide the future of this arranged marriage."
Grayfia Lucifuge spoke, closing the deal between the Kings.
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a/n: I would like to say thanks to my newest suporter: David Ramirez. Thanks a lot for your help!
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Chapter #167 is done!
This chapter has 2081 words.
Chapter #168 is incoming in one, max two days.
Stay 'tuned'!