Chapter 212 Duel and Contract
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Riser stepped forward, reaching out with the intent to pinch Rias’s smooth, delicate chin.
Slap!
Rias caught his wrist, her voice like ice. “Riser, don’t you push your luck now, ya hear?”
Aki pulled back his step. He’d been ready to move the moment Riser twitched, but it was clear that after her Breaching, Rias’s power utterly eclipsed Riser’s.
Riser struggled to pull his hand away, his strength mounting until the veins in his forehead stood out, but Rias only released him when she chose to. Without her grip to steady him, Riser lost his center of gravity, stumbling back a few paces before barely regaining his balance. He glared at Rias and Aki, his expression shifting with uncertainty.
He had initially scoffed at his subordinates’ intelligence reports, but feeling Rias’s true power firsthand, he could no longer deny the reality. He had originally planned to use brute force—to burn down every member of Rias’s Peerage just to drag her back to the Underworld—but now, he was forced to shift to his backup plan.
”Rias, I bear the honor of the Phoenix family,” he said, straightening his posture, his voice low and formal. “I cannot allow my house to lose face. Since you are so insistent, let us hold a Rating Game. The loser must unconditionally submit to the winner.”
Though Rias’s power had achieved a Breaching state, a Rating Game was not decided by the strength of the King alone. Riser was confident his Peerage outclassed hers, and with the bloodline abilities of the Phoenix family, he could not possibly lose. Rias, naturally, had no reason to refuse, especially after their intensive training had vastly increased the power of her team. Even with their smaller numbers, having an almost entirely S-Rank lineup made them a formidable force by any standard in the Underworld.
Aki’s eyes narrowed slightly. The development was entirely different from his memories, yet the outcome—a Rating Game—was the same. The roles, however, were completely reversed; Rias was now the one fighting to win, and the power dynamic had shifted…
Seeing Rias agree, a smile touched the corner of Riser’s mouth. “Oh, and one more thing: the heir to the Red Dragon Emperor is forbidden from participating in the Rating Game.”
He wasn’t an idiot. If Aki participated and utilized Balance Breaker again, he would have zero chance of winning. He had planned for this contingency long before initiating his current strategy.
Rias’s expression froze, but she did not refute it.
”It seems you know why,” Riser said with a triumphant grin. “The match will be held in—”
”No.”
Rias’s tone was absolute. “The Rating Game will take place in half a month.”
”Impossible. A week at the latest.”
Riser stepped back. While he wanted to resolve this quickly to avoid further complications, a Rating Game could not simply be initiated on a whim. He had intended to use the full weight of his family’s resources to prepare, but if Rias wanted to stall, he would have to follow the standard procedure. Rias understood the logic as well; a week was the maximum extension she could possibly fight for.
She folded her arms across her chest. “Fine.”
A magic circle of flames flickered to life beneath Riser’s feet. He looked at Aki with a smug expression. “I’ll resolve the reporting and preparations upon my return to the Underworld. One week… and Rias will be mine.”
After Riser departed, Aki frowned. “Buchou, why can’t I participate in the Rating Game?”
Though Rias and her team had achieved a new level of power, Riser and his Peerage were not to be underestimated. They possessed deep experience and the “bug-like” nature of their bloodline abilities. Not being able to stand on the front lines made Aki genuinely uneasy.
”Aki-chan, you possess the Devils Lineage, but you weren’t reincarnated through a Piece. In truth, you have no formal Contract with me.”
Rias sighed. “The written Contract we used previously was enough to fool the officials in the Human World, but it wouldn’t stand up for a Rating Game.”
The defining characteristic of a Rating Game was that every Peerage member possessed a unique trait, and when the King designated a formation, those abilities were enhanced significantly. Aki did not meet this criteria; he had no standing to participate.
”Is there no way to resolve it?” Aki asked, puzzled.
He remembered that after the failed reincarnation and the moment the pieces were stained with his aura, Rias and Sona Shitori had disappeared for a significant period. He had assumed they traveled to the Underworld to find a solution. When they returned, they never spoke of it, but it seemed they had found a path forward.
”A method exists…” Rias nodded, hesitating. “But I didn’t know if you could accept it, which is why I never brought it up.”
”If you don’t say it, how will you know if I can accept it or not?”
”…”
After a moment of silence, Rias spoke. “Reincarnation via Evil Pieces is, at its base, a Contract1. If you are willing to sign a similar Contract with me, you will be recognized as my Peerage, and thus, you can participate in the Rating Game.”
”However, the Evil Pieces Contract is the weakest form. It has almost no binding force, which is likely why you were completely unaffected by it.”
Aki nodded. That was true; it had no binding power. Leaving aside the fact that a Peerage member could turn against their master, they could also resign, be transferred, or even be rented out…
The temporary loaning of powerful Peerage members for a Rating Game was permitted. These were things Aki had learned as he grew stronger and gained a deeper understanding of the world. The failure of the Evil Pieces to reincarnate him was likely due to his soul and consciousness being too powerful for such a minor Contract to leave a mark; it had simply entered his body, gone through the motions, and exited, carrying his aura with it.
Hearing this, Aki finally understood what Rias meant. If the weak Contract was ineffective, they simply needed a stronger one. But the stronger the Contract, the greater the restriction on the servant. The most powerful Contracts could grant the master authority over the servant’s very life. Even if the subject was Rias, Aki could not accept a Contract of that nature.
”I found three methods for master-servant Contracts in the Underworld…”
”Buchou, I am willing to enter a Contract with you,” Aki interrupted. “But there is only one condition: the Contract cannot restrict my actions or control my life.”
Master-servant Contracts were diverse, and their restrictions varied. Some forbade harming the master; others dictated that if the master died, the servant died; some stipulated that the servant’s strength could not exceed the master’s; others forbade betrayal…
Aki was unwilling to hand over his life to anyone, but where Rias was concerned, the other aspects were secondary. Even without a Contract, he would protect her with his life, he would never betray her, and he would certainly never harm her.
”Honestly…” Rias pouted. “Doesn’t that make me look small-minded?”
When she finished, they met each other’s eyes and both burst into laughter.
”There’s no time to waste. Let’s sign the Contract now.” With the Rating Game against Riser only a week away, Aki didn’t want to delay. Once the Contract was signed, he would be ready to give the enemy a surprise.
”Mhm. Let’s try this one first…”
The first Contract Rias brought forward was called an “Equality Contract.” Its binding power was slightly stronger than the Evil Pieces, but not by much. Once signed, the servant could share in the master’s mana. A normal Contract was inherently a trade—a give and take; that was only natural. A Contract that only imposed limits without offering benefits was simply a predatory, black-hearted scam. Unless under coercion or deception, no one would sign such a thing.
Aki cooperated willingly, and the engraving of the Contract went smoothly. However, when Rias channeled her mana to activate it, the Contract shattered instantly.
”It seems that one won’t work either.”
Half an hour later, the second formation carved onto Aki’s chest crumbled just the same.
This time, Rias didn’t produce a third Contract. “Maybe we should just give up. I believe we can defeat Riser on our own…”
”Buchou, does the third Contract have severe restrictions?”
Aki believed the terms he offered were generous enough, and Rias’s sudden hesitation puzzled him.
”There aren’t many restrictions. It’s just that if I die, your soul will be severely damaged. In extreme cases, you could die as well.” Rias shook her head. “And this Contract cannot be dissolved once signed.”
The previous two Contracts could be terminated, much like the rental of Peerage members, once the Rating Game concluded. But this one could not.
”Rias, continue,” Aki said, no longer using ‘Buchou’. “I never had any intention of dissolving the Contract after the fact.”
Looking at the profound sincerity in Aki’s expression, Rias stepped forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
”Then, I will begin.”
”Mhm.”
—
Summary:
After Riser fails to intimidate Rias, the two agree to a high-stakes Rating Game. Because Aki cannot participate without a formal contract, he and Rias attempt to form a binding master-servant agreement. After two failed attempts, Rias proposes a final, irrevocable contract that would link their lives.
—
Trivia:
Rating Games allow for the temporary borrowing or renting of Peerage members.
Riser’s secondary plan is to use the bureaucracy of the Rating Game to force Rias into submission.
Aki’s failed reincarnation resulted from his own soul being too powerful to be bound by weak contracts.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Riser – A tall, golden-haired High-Class Devil from the Phoenix family and Rias’s nominal fiancé. This arrogant, entitled noble wears a crimson suit and relies on flame-based regenerative abilities. Under pressure to marry, he leads an experienced, well-trained Peerage. As a prideful rival devil with an undefeated record, he serves as the primary opponent in the upcoming Rating Game.
• Rias – As the red-haired S-Rank heiress of the Gremory family and sister to a high-ranking official, she is a powerful, intelligent, and well-endowed leader. Serving as King of the Occult Research Club, she is a decisive figure who balances her family responsibilities with a fierce drive for independence. She focuses on mastering the Rating Game while navigating her bond with partner Aki.
• Aki – A tall, handsome youth with a commanding presence, this Kuoh Academy student possesses a complex heritage—part Devil, Fallen Angel, and Nekoshou. A middle SS-Class powerhouse, he wields lightning magic, healing abilities, and talent-copying skills. As a pragmatic, detached tactician in Rias’s peerage, he acts as a protector to the ORC and a dominant partner to Akeno while navigating Underworld politics.
• Shitori – Shitori Sona, a pure‑blood devil and Kuoh Academy student council president, sports short black hair, glasses and a stern expression in formal attire. She speaks flatly, leads the Sitri lineage tactically, handles local supernatural issues, and defers to Rias Gremory. The Shitori name denotes a high‑ranking devil lineage.
• Sona – Sona Sitri is a stern, beautiful S-rank Devil, Sitri family heir, and Kuoh Academy’s Student Council President, recognizable by her short black hair and glasses. Connected to a noble household with a high-ranking sister in the Underworld, she manages supernatural issues alongside Rias Gremory. As Akira’s master, she inscribed a family crest on his palm, oversees his training, and seeks his cure.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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