Chapter 229 Pre-Game Preparations
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Ravel offered the group a stiff, expressionless nod, signaling that it was time to proceed with the contract validation. At first glance, she came across as cold and unapproachable, but Aki knew better. Unlike Mittelt, Ravel wore that chill like armor. With her petite frame and blonde twin tails, she looked less like an untouchable ice queen and more like a sheltered young noble forced to carry responsibilities far heavier than she should have.
The girls did not seem bothered by her attitude. Ravel was a Phoenix and, more importantly, their opponent in the upcoming Rating Game.
With Maria and Aki working together, Grayfia swiftly finalized the contract and formally registered Aki as a participant. Throughout the process, Ravel remained quietly at the side, observing everything without offering a single comment.
”One detail,” Grayfia said as she guided them through the final procedures, her voice crisp as winter air. “Non-standard combat assets are strictly prohibited in Rating Games. This includes illicit stimulants, suicide techniques, and similar methods.”
Aki’s brow furrowed.
Sona had called it.
Grayfia had not mentioned him by name, but the warning was clearly aimed at abilities like his Balance Breaker. For a moment, he considered objecting. Then he noticed Rias’s complete lack of concern and decided against it.
”Understood,” Aki replied.
The restriction worked both ways. As long as the match remained a contest of conventional strength, he did not believe Riser stood much chance.
”Normally, a Contract Peerage would be subject to a reduced participant limit,” Grayfia continued. “However, your forces remain well below the maximum of fifteen. After discussion, the Demon Kings have agreed to waive that reduction for this match. We shall take our leave now. We look forward to your performance.”
With that, Grayfia vanished in a flash of demonic power. Ravel followed moments later.
The blonde Bishop had remained almost invisible throughout the entire visit, acting even more reserved than Grayfia herself. Aki, who had spent half the meeting preparing for an invasive inspection of the contract and mentally rehearsing how to behave if someone suspected charm manipulation, finally released a quiet breath.
She had not even mentioned it.
”Buchou, what’s the deal with Ravel?” he asked.
At this point, the timeline was so thoroughly tangled that he could no longer judge where anyone stood compared to the original story.
”Ravel is Riser’s younger sister,” Rias explained with a faint smile. “The youngest child of the Phoenix family. She’s been doted on her entire life.”
If the engagement issue was removed from the equation, the Four Great Devil families actually maintained fairly good relations. They had survived the Great War together, and while the Rating Game system had greatly increased the Phoenix clan’s influence thanks to their regenerative abilities, the Gremory family had struggled through a generation with fewer outstanding heirs. In the end, preserving pure-blood lines had led their parents to arrange the engagement.
”Ravel didn’t want to come. She and Riser were close when they were younger, but after he turned into such a womanizer…” Rias shook her head with visible amusement. “Let’s just say she’s lost most of her respect for him.”
The lighter mood made her surprisingly willing to share gossip normally reserved for peerage members.
”I heard he practically begged her for months before she agreed to become his Bishop. She only gave in because he used to spend so much time playing with her when they were children.”
Understanding dawned on Aki.
Ravel was the perfect witness.
As both a blood relative and a member of Riser’s peerage, her presence guaranteed transparency. The Phoenix clan could not easily dispute the outcome of the validation process later, nor were they likely to sacrifice one of their own just to save face.
”Wait, Buchou. Does that mean Sacred Gears are banned too?”
Rias shook her head.
”No. Just the Balance Breaker. If you learn to control that state properly, it’s allowed.”
”Huh?”
Aki blinked.
After Rias elaborated, everything fell into place.
Grayfia had not been targeting him specifically. She had simply been explaining standard policy. Rating Games had originally been created to reduce casualties among devils, which meant dangerous, unstable power-ups were prohibited. Once a participant was judged incapable of fighting, attacks had to stop. If that participant recovered later, they could rejoin the match. Likewise, anyone who surrendered or suffered serious injuries would be teleported out and treated immediately.
That realization only reinforced how troublesome the Phoenix clan truly was.
Their so-called immortality was exaggerated—their genuine resurrection ability required an enormous recovery period—but their natural regeneration was another matter entirely. Unless they suffered a fatal blow, their wounds closed at an absurd rate.
Against a Phoenix, victory usually came down to exhausting their stamina and demonic power or defeating them so decisively that the high-ranking observers ruled the match unwinnable.
That was the foundation of Riser’s impressive record.
Aki pushed the issue from his mind. He had never planned to rely on Balance Breaker in the first place. Azazel was a Demon King-class monster, and back then Aki had only been S-Rank. Based on his brief clash with Rias, Riser was probably around that same level.
Now?
Now Aki had already stepped into SS-Rank.
Even without the rules restricting him, he could think of countless ways to toy with Riser.
Meanwhile, after returning to the Phoenix estate, Ravel was immediately greeted by her brother.
”Ravel, did the Red Dragon Emperor’s successor really sign the master-servant contract?”
”Stay away from me. You’re disgusting.”
Her response came instantly.
Ravel recoiled the moment she saw him. His clothes were disheveled, and a smear of purple lipstick marked his cheek. Disgust flashed openly across her face.
Only Yubelluna had actually slept with him, but Ravel knew her brother well enough to understand his intentions toward the rest of his peerage. If not for the limits she enforced, he would have pursued them already.
The day that changed, she fully intended to resign as his Bishop.
Riser stopped mid-step and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
Somewhere along the way, his little sister had stopped looking at him with admiration.
Still, his concerns ran deeper than her insults. Aki’s participation genuinely troubled him. He hated the idea of Rias choosing another man over him, but he was not foolish enough to underestimate the Red Dragon Emperor’s successor. Aki had defeated Azazel himself.
Riser might have been arrogant.
He was not delusional.
”What?” Ravel sneered. “Are you scared? If you are, then withdraw. You were never worthy of Rias-sama to begin with.”
”Ravel…” Riser sighed. “This isn’t just about my pride. The engagement involves the entire Phoenix family.”
”Tch.”
Ravel clicked her tongue but held back whatever harsher response had been ready to leave her mouth.
”The Red Dragon Emperor’s successor will participate. By now, you should also realize that Rias-sama has reached Ultimate-Class.”
”So it was true…”
Riser recalled the day Rias had casually seized his wrist and left him completely unable to resist. His expression darkened.
”Still, the Balance Breaker is banned. With our regeneration, we still have a chance.”
Ravel offered no immediate response.
Turning toward the hallway leading to her room, she paused only long enough to leave one final warning.
”Beyond the Phoenix Tears, you’d better prepare something else.”
Despite everything, he was still her brother.
That was as much help as she was willing to give.
Riser fell silent, considering her advice. Eventually, his thoughts turned toward the family treasury. The Phoenix clan possessed a respectable collection of Sacred Gears and magical tools. Nothing overwhelmingly powerful, but enough useful equipment to make a difference.
If he was going to prepare, he might as well prepare thoroughly.
Combat-enhancing potions.
Magic scrolls.
Anything that skirted the edge of the rules without crossing it.
Everyone carried hidden cards into a Rating Game. There was no reason he should be any different.
To guarantee victory, Riser decided he would bring every advantage available.
Losing was simply not an option.
—
Summary:
Grayfia formalizes the terms of the upcoming Rating Game, prohibiting the use of high-risk power-ups like the Balance Breaker. Aki learns of the Phoenix clan’s regenerative advantages and the tactical role Ravel plays as both a witness and Riser’s Bishop. Tensions rise within the Phoenix household as Ravel warns Riser of Rias’s growing strength, prompting Riser to illicitly bolster his assets with combat gear.
—
Trivia:
Ravel’s role as Bishop was only accepted because Riser played with her during her childhood.
The Phoenix clan’s resurrection ability has a long cooldown, whereas their hyper-regeneration does not.
Grayfia is enforcing rules that technically favor the Phoenix clan’s natural regenerative abilities.
Riser’s concern stems not just from personal pride, but from the political and familial stakes of the engagement.
Notes:
• Mittelt – A petite, twin-tailed blonde Fallen Angel turned Devil in Rias’s peerage. Sporting jet-black wings, light-based powers, and a jade-white-red aura, this sharp-tongued, impulsive S-Rank fighter wears a black-and-white maid uniform. Transferred to Aki’s training group after serving Raynare and Kalawarner, she craves Aki’s affection, teases others, and has a playful bond with the younger household members.
• Ravel – The youngest child of the Phoenix clan and Riser’s S-rank Bishop, this petite blonde Devil girl sports flame-themed wings, twin drill ponytails, and a frilly pink lolita outfit. Intensely loyal to her brother Riser yet highly critical of him, she hides a spoiled, arrogant streak and a sharp tongue behind a solemn, composed demeanor, making her a tactically valuable member of his peerage.
• Aki – A tall, handsome Kuoh Academy student and strategist, this mixed Devil/Fallen Angel/Nekoshou is the Student Council’s sole male member and Rias’s peerage key pillar. A pragmatic, dominant SS-Rank powerhouse with a strong soul, he uses lightning magic, dual cultivation, and Soul Network contracts to boost his household. Concerned with their public image, he aims to copy the Phenex bloodline talent.
• Phoenix – The Phenex noble clan, from which Riser and Ravel originate, is known for their unique bloodline abilities and the healing properties of their tears.
• Grayfia – The strongest Queen and a high-ranking Underworld Devil, this silver-haired maid serves the Gremory house as a medical examiner and Rias’s sister-in-law. Conveying the Demon King’s wishes as his secretary, she acts as a mature, calm, and seductive voice of authority. She balances administrative duties as a detached, neutral arbiter, announcer, and referee overseeing Rating Games.
• Maria – Shela’s daughter and a rare Demon King/Succubus Queen descendant, this transfer student is a Kuoh Academy member of Rias Gremory’s peerage. Usually appearing as a petite, white-haired girl to seal her mature form, she assists Aki with family-secret contract registrations. She is a playful cheerleader for the Gremorys, a tactical aide to Aki, and a protective sister to her half-sister Mio.
• Sona – Sona Sitri is the stern, beautiful heir to the noble Sitri family, Kuoh Academy’s Student Council President, and a peerage head with short black hair and glasses. Professional and bureaucratic, she acts as Akira’s master and works with Rias Gremory. She also oversees the supernatural Rating Games, managing the broadcast and combat feeds to capture key moments like Riser’s loss of composure.
• Rias – An elegant, voluptuous SS+ rank Gremory devil heiress with long crimson hair and green eyes. As President of the Occult Research Club and a powerful strategist utilizing destruction-based mana, she confidently leads her peerage through family duties and Rating Games. She bears the weight of a soul-bound contract with Aki, acting as his primary love interest while fighting a forced marriage to Riser Phoenix.
• Riser – A tall, arrogant High-Class Devil of S+ rank, this blonde, crimson-suited third son of the Phoenix clan wields infinite wealth and regenerative immortality. Rias Gremory’s playboy fiancé, he leads a schoolgirl peerage in a high-stakes Rating Game. Currently gloomy and frustrated in the Principal’s office, his false sense of security crumbles into near-death terror due to an intense hatred for Aki.
• Gremory – Rias Gremory, a pure-blood devil of the prestigious Gremory house, has striking crimson hair, blue eyes, a curvy figure, and a prominent bust. Wielding top-level demonic power, she governs Kuoh Academy’s hidden hierarchy and leads her household in a high-stakes competition against the rival Phoenix clan.
• Azazel – A decadent, arrogant fallen angel and former Governor General, this middle-aged man in a neon hot-spring yukata pairs a rogue personality with immense power. Pushing for involvement in the Occult Research Club, this formidable antagonist pursues a relaxed lifestyle, researches Sacred Gears, and provides the group with data and training, while being tied to an event influencing their view of Aki.
• Y – The first initial/part of the name Y Ddraig Goch.
• Yubelluna – An A+ rank magic user known as the Bomb Queen, she is a loyal, highly skilled Queen for Riser’s peerage who maintains a romantic relationship with him. Characterized by her sultry, curvaceous build and long purplish-red hair, she possesses high-ranking combat prowess with bomb and barrier magic, though she was ultimately defeated in combat.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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