— — — — — —
On a bench in the middle of the snack street.
Ryo sat there, casually eating as he asked, "Azazel tipped you off about me?"
He suspected Michael had tracked him down thanks to a leak.
Michael shook his head. "Not at all. Gabriel and I were just out strolling through the city. We happened to run into you."
"Pretty convenient."
Ryo spoke around a mouthful of food.
"Recognizing me at a glance like that? I'm not buying it."
Gabriel quietly added, "Actually… Azazel gave me a photo of you."
Her voice was soft and gentle, paired with a delicate face and an almost timid expression that made her seem… very easy to bully.
The only person who gave him that impression had been Kurousagi.
And just like that, Ryo's old habit resurfaced.
"What a coincidence. I've got a photo too."
He flicked a picture between his fingers.
It showed Gabriel in casual clothes, clearly a candid shot—something Azazel had sent him that very morning.
"Eh?" Gabriel covered her mouth in surprise. "Why do you have a picture of me?"
She took it from him, studied it for a moment, then recognized the location.
"…That angle… wasn't Azazel standing in front of me at the time?"
"Azazel told me the girl in that photo would be coming to meet me for a blind date in a few days."
Ryo said it with a straight face.
"A blind date?!"
Gabriel froze, completely thrown.
"That guy…" Michael's expression darkened, his tone turning cold. "I shouldn't have let him leave Heaven in one piece."
Sneaking photos of Gabriel, then spreading nonsense like that… If Azazel were here, Michael might've already drawn his sword.
That shameless bastard. Falling himself wasn't enough, he had to drag Gabriel into it too.
"I was kind of hoping you'd beat him up for it. Guess that didn't happen." Ryo sighed in mock disappointment, sounding like he was on Michael's side.
Where he actually stood, though… who knew.
"Come to think of it, I've had quite a few 'blind date' candidates lately."
He stroked his chin, glancing meaningfully at Rias.
She and Akeno stood nearby, doing their best to blend into the background.
Between Heaven's second-in-command and the fallen angels' new governor, the level of this meeting was far beyond them. Even as the sister of a Satan, Rias knew better than to interrupt.
And with two Angels standing there, their mere presence radiating overwhelming holy power, every instinct in her body screamed at her to get away.
"Who is she…?"
Michael noticed Rias. Red hair, a devil's aura, and that faint trace of destructive power…
"I've heard Sirzechs has a younger sister. That would be you, I presume?"
"Rias Gremory greets Lord Michael."
She forced herself to remain composed and respectful. No matter the hostility between angels and devils, basic etiquette still mattered.
"How lively," Gabriel commented, sounding oddly like an elder despite her youthful appearance.
"She's got quite the imagination too," Ryo added casually.
He still couldn't figure out how a routine work trip had turned into "a blind date" in Rias's mind.
It's not like she's desperate to get married or anything… right?
Rias's lips twitched, but she didn't rise to the bait this time. Instead, she gathered her courage and looked at Michael.
"Forgive me, but… why has Lord Michael come to this small city in Japan?"
A meeting between the leader of Heaven and the governor of the fallen angels… to a devil, that was an ominous signal.
Too ominous to ignore.
Yet Michael simply glanced at her, then turned to Ryo.
"She doesn't know?"
"Sirzechs didn't tell her."
Ryo shook his head, then thought for a moment. "But it doesn't matter if she finds out now. If you're here, Sirzechs won't be far behind. This will all be public soon anyway."
"I see."
Michael nodded in understanding.
The devils hadn't even informed the Satan's own sister. That alone spoke volumes about their intent to keep things controlled… and, in a way, showed sincerity.
See? Even the devil princess wasn't told. That's how serious we are.
Michael looked back at Ryo, "Shall I explain?"
"Go ahead."
Ryo shrugged, completely unconcerned, and instead offered the grilled oysters to Gabriel.
"Want some?"
"Thank you."
She accepted politely, blowing on the steaming shellfish before taking a bite as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Once she finished, Ryo said calmly, "I poisoned it."
"Eh?!"
Gabriel startled, clutching her throat, about to force herself to throw up—
"Just kidding."
She froze… then puffed up in silent indignation, cheeks round with annoyance.
Michael, half-exasperated, finally explained to Rias. "In truth, I came here at the invitation of Governor Ryo Yagami and Satan Sirzechs Lucifer, to take part in a three-way peace conference."
"A ceasefire?" Rias's eyes widened.
"A three-party meeting?" Akeno covered her mouth in surprise. "Why so sudden?"
Michael gave a wry smile and glanced at Ryo.
"You might get a better answer from him."
Still amused by Gabriel's sulky expression, Ryo spoke casually, "If this drags on, the fallen angels won't be able to hold out much longer. And honestly, a full-scale three-way war doesn't benefit me."
"The fallen angels can't hold out?" Michael smiled faintly. "That's hard to believe."
"Azazel has already mass-produced artificial Sacred Gears. And the fallen angels' academy is full of Longinus users who've reached Balance Breaker."
Names like Vali Lucifer, Lavinia Reni, Tobio Ikuse… not to mention the wielders of the Four Fiends.
By any measure, the fallen angels weren't weak. In fact, they were quite strong. Their only real weakness had been a lack of top-tier power.
And now that Ryo had taken over, even that gap seemed filled.
Meanwhile, the devils had monsters like Sirzechs and Ajuka.
Compared to that, Heaven was actually the weakest side at the moment.
Of course, if God returned, that would change instantly. But for now, that wasn't the case.
So when both devils and fallen angels extended an invitation, Michael didn't really have the luxury of refusing. They had no choice.
"Believe it or not," Ryo said with a shrug, "but from where I'm standing, the fallen angels are still lacking."
He had no intention of explaining further.
This world ran deeper than it looked.
There were quite a few beings on the level of Dragon Gods… what he'd call "four-digit" existences.
The water might look shallow, but it was full of hidden monsters.
By comparison, the fallen angels were only second-tier here.
But for Ryo, that kind of flawed strength was exactly what made them easy to absorb.
Pros and cons.
At that moment, Rias stared at him blankly, her voice trembling slightly.
"The 'hard-to-explain matter' my brother mentioned… was actually this three-way conference between angels, devils, and fallen angels?"
"That's right."
Ryo nodded without hesitation.
"…Not an arranged marriage between you and me?" she pressed.
"What are you even thinking? Do I look like someone who needs an arranged marriage? I'm the type who takes the initiative."
Rias still held onto a tiny shred of hope as she looked at him. "Are… Are you sure?"
Ryo smirked, "If you really want it to be, I can make it happen."
Rias's smile cracked.
The moment she remembered how she'd convinced herself her family was arranging a marriage between her and Ryo…
She sincerely felt like disappearing on the spot.
.
.
.