By the time the barbecue party in the VIP room was only halfway through, the Rating Game had already ended.
The result was naturally Rias's team's victory.
The damage inflicted by light against devils was simply too great.
And there was no justifiable reason to ban it through the rules.
Thus, Riser's match ended in a crushing defeat.
"The match is over, so I should head back and rest. These old bones of mine really can't compare to you kids anymore."
Odin yawned and turned to leave.
But after stepping out of the room, the still-drunken Rossweisse suddenly doubled back.
She then handed a piece of obsidian to Rod.
"This is a communication stone from the Norse faction. If something happens, I'll use it to contact you immediately."
...
Once the Rating Game ended, Rias and the others quickly arrived at the VIP room to see Rod and his group.
"Mr. Rod, we won!"
The moment Rias saw Rod, a smile immediately spread across her face.
"Just like you predicted, Riser's tactical layout was almost exactly the same as before, and the strategy you gave us worked really well. We completely caught them off guard and seized control of the battlefield from start to finish!"
Even the red-haired girl's cheeks were flushed.
It was obvious that her first real victory in a match had left her extremely excited.
"At least you didn't disappoint my expectations."
Rod nodded with a smile, putting on the air of a great mentor.
"If the rules hadn't been changed at the last minute, you would've won even more smoothly."
At those words, Rias gave a bitter smile.
It was indeed fortunate that the organizers had changed the rules, because the **** plan had been far too outrageous.
Besides, with Rias's personality, she was not the sort who would willingly sacrifice her own servants just to secure victory.
Thankfully, the end result had not changed.
"Well done, Shirone, nya! But you're still lacking offensive techniques. From now on, your big sister is going to make a special training plan just for you, nya!"
Kuroka hugged Koneko tightly.
Under normal circumstances, Koneko would definitely have started struggling right away.
Yet this time, she stayed in Kuroka's arms without moving at all.
"Okay, Sister."
"Uwaah! Shirone is so cute, nya! Tonight you absolutely have to sleep with your big sister, nya!"
Kuroka spun around in circles with Shirone in her arms, overjoyed.
Yuuto and Gasper both wore smiles as well. Although their role in this Rating Game had not been especially significant, for them, simply being able to help their teammates and Lady Rias was already enough.
Only Akeno, however, had gone wide-eyed, her gaze filled with fierce hostility and hatred.
And the one reflected in her eyes was naturally Baraqiel, standing beside Azazel.
"Akeno, it's been a long time."
Baraqiel spoke in a low voice, narrowing his eyes as he looked at his daughter, his heart full of emotion.
But the moment she heard him, Akeno's gaze turned sharp and icy, and her expression became vicious.
"Don't call my name so familiarly! And why are you even here?!"
"That's not the important part. The important thing is..."
Seeing his daughter like this, Baraqiel sighed.
"I watched the entire match from beginning to end. Akeno, since you were willing to use the power of light, does that mean you've already let go of what happened in the past?"
The moment he said that, Akeno's voice turned cold and cutting.
"What does that have to do with you? Maybe you can let it go, but I absolutely never will!"
"Why didn't you come back then?! Why did you stand by and let Mother die?!"
"And now, after all this time, you still dare to put on this act like you're my father? I will never forgive you!"
"..."
That struck Baraqiel directly in the heart.
Even though he had prepared a thousand things to say, none of them could make it past his throat.
After all, he really did bear full responsibility for what happened back then.
But he had his reasons too.
It was just that Akeno, as she was now, could not hear any of them.
"Don't talk to me ever again. You are not my father!"
Akeno shouted emotionally.
Hearing that, Baraqiel's whole body stiffened. Then he lowered his head, his figure looking deeply desolate.
After watching the whole exchange, Rod could only say that this father and daughter's relationship was far too twisted.
Baraqiel was twisted by nature, and Akeno was twisted by nature too.
But this was ultimately someone else's family matter, and Rod had no real place interfering.
The reason Akeno had agreed to use the power of light was for Rias's sake, not because she had come to terms with the past.
With the cold war between father and daughter unfolding before them, there was little anyone else could do. Azazel, Odin, and Gabriel all had no intention of stepping in.
Looking over at the other side, where Kuroka was still hugging Shirone, Rod could only think that human joys and sorrows truly were not shared.
After that, Rod parted ways with Gabriel and the others.
Rias had originally wanted to invite Rod to a victory celebration, but her brother Sirzechs had already prepared everything ahead of time. He had reserved the grand hall of the largest hotel in Lucifaad and invited guests from all over.
The extravagantly wealthy Gremory family simply did not care how much money was spent, perfectly embodying a lifestyle in which wealth was treated like dirt.
Everywhere one looked, everything glittered gold. Even the wine cups were made of pure gold.
Gold might have been a precious metal in the human world, but for devils who could use magic, alchemy was nothing extraordinary.
What surprised quite a few people, however, was that even the current head of the Phenex Family attended the celebration banquet, seated at the same table as Sirzechs and Rias's parents, drinking and laughing with them.
It could only be said that there was a reason the Phenex Family had become the richest family in the Underworld.
Their sense of perspective was simply on another level.
While Rod was chatting with Rias and the others, a gorgeously dressed young girl approached him.
She had brilliant golden hair like sunlight itself, styled into her signature twin drill curls that swayed gently with every step, as if they had a life of their own.
Her sapphire-blue eyes were as clear as lake water, holding both tsundere pride and lively charm.
Like a spirit born from flame, though her frame was petite, she still exuded an irresistible allure.
If she had one flaw, it was that she had not developed particularly well. In Rod's eyes, which had already been baptized by all manner of massive assets, her figure simply did not measure up. She would have to sit at Koneko and Asia's table.
The system panel displayed her name as Ravel Phenex.
No wonder she had looked a little familiar to Rod.
"Rias Gremory, congratulations on winning this Rating Game."
Though she had walked up to Rod, she first gave Rias a polite greeting.
"Thank you."
Rias was a little puzzled. Ravel Phenex was Riser's younger sister, so had she come over now to pick a fight?
But Rias's perspective was clearly too limited. She was only on the first layer, while Ravel had already reached the second.
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