LUSTFUL PARADISE: Shinmai cross DxD

[Student council room]

 

“Argh! I feel like I messed up.”

 

Moaning distraughtly, at her earlier behavior, Rias couldn’t help but groan out a complaint. Taking a deep breath, controlling her emotions and erratic state of mind in the process, she looked apologetically towards Sona.

 

“I am sorry. It wasn’t my intention to disrupt your discussion with him.”

 

Sona, hearing Rias' sincere apologetic tone, could only give a bitter smile as a response. She, however, didn't take Rias as responsible nor did she blame her for anything. She knew very well that Rias wasn’t such an insidious person. She just was… desperate at the moment.

 

“Well, this gave me the time necessary to straighten out my strategy, so no worries.”

 

Either way, she had already formed a seed of friendship with him and had dispelled any bad misunderstandings that could've sprouted between them before their discussion took place. So, it was a win in her books as far as she was concerned.

 

“Anyway, don’t worry much about it. Akeno is pretty skilled when it comes to negotiations.”

 

“I know. I fully believe in her.”

 

Rias gave a soft smile hearing the charming bespectacled devil praise her queen. Akeno was her first non-devil friend. Saving her seven years ago was undoubtedly one of the best decisions she had ever made in her life.

 

“Now that I think about it, why is Mio still not coming to school?”

 

Rias grimaced hearing that particular name, “You know she isn’t really comfortable with me. This whole dispute with the heiress… thing is also causing problems for her.”

 

Rias sighed tiredly, currently, the Gremory house was divided between who should become the heiress of the clan.

 

Rias was the eldest daughter of the Gremory house, but she did not inherit the hereditary power of the clan— Gravity magic. Rather, she had inherited the power of destruction from her mother’s side, like her elder brother Sirzechs.

 

Meanwhile, even though Mio was the younger sibling between them, she had fully inherited the Gravity magic of their house making her the perfect candidate for the heiress position. 

 

This succession trouble caused many small and moderate levels of headaches for everyone involved. If she had to be honest, though, Rias didn’t care much about the title of the heiress. However, she couldn’t relinquish it right now.

 

The Phenex house wanted to marry the heiress of the Gremories. If Rias lost her title, the one that would have to marry Riser would be Mio instead.

 

If Rias had some hope, no matter how small, of breaking off her engagement through a rating game, for Mio who only had Maria as a rook in her peerage it was completely impossible to do so. 

 

How could she sacrifice the happiness of her little sister for her own? Just thinking of Mio being wrapped around the clutches of that vile, lecherous Riser made her skin crawl with disgust and anxiety.

 

Hence, Rias was determined to break off the engagement using the rating games and once she did, she could pass on the title of the heiress to Mio without any problems, which would hopefully solve all the troubles and bitterness between them.

 

On the other hand, should she fail, then she would be the one sacrificed and Mio would still be safe. It would be extremely bad for her, she knew that clearly, but, if it meant a happy life for her little sister then she was willing to make that necessary sacrifice. But, she was not going to back down without a proper fight.

 

“She is being stubborn, but she should come soon.”

 

Rias smiled a bright smile, showing none of the pressure that was weighing down on her shoulder, masking everything behind her bright exterior.

 

The pressure and anxiety were so intense that her gut was wrenching, every breath feeling heavy and painful. However, it was her burden to carry and she was intent on not letting others worry for her.

 

This was her duty after all. Her duty as an elder sister to her cute and loveable little sister. And she could go to any lengths to fulfill it.

 

----

 

Somewhere in the school,

 

"Mio-sama! When are you coming back!?"

 

Holding her phone, Maria couldn't help but whine and complain.

 

It had already been a few days since Mio should have come to school, but even to this day, she was still absent.

 

[I am sorry Maria. You know well that I don't really feel comfortable there. Currently, I am living with the Naruse couple in the town, so no worries.]

 

Maria could only groan. The humans she was living with were people who were contracted with Mio.

 

A contract was an act that bound a human to a particular devil or a group of devils.

 

In exchange for a price, the human would have their wish realized. The price could be anything, from money to an object or even their lives.

 

Though nowadays few humans were dumb enough to sell their souls or their lives without thinking. Furthermore, the price paid and the wish realized had to have some semblance of equality.

 

The couple Mio was living with were poor people who could never have children and made a contract with the wishes to at least know how it feels for a short while.

 

Maria knew that they were indeed good people and were taking very good care of Mio. But, this wasn't the problem.

 

"Mio-sama. Didn't you say that you wanted to become stronger? To share the pressure of Rias-sama and Sirzech-sama?"

 

[...]

 

"Now we have a possibility to become stronger. Even though Basara-san might refuse us, we don't know what could happen. Are you not even willing to try?"

 

[...]

 

Mio could feel the deep disappointment in Maria's voice and sighed ruefully.

 

"Very well, I understand. Please arrange a meeting with him this weekend. I really want the meet him and see what he looks like after you keep praising him so much."

 

"Okay! Mio-sama! It will be done!"

 

Maria's voice grew notably happier as she acquiesced.

 

After hanging up, she clenched her teeth and thought about how important it was to secure Basara.

 

'The full moon is coming soon, right?'

 

If it was necessary, she was even willing to use a special ritual to seal the contract.