"Ophis-chan," Rian spoke softly, his smile unwavering, "for certain reasons, for the next ten days—or maybe longer... I won't be able to hang out and play like this."
Silence.
Time seemed to freeze between them. The only sounds were the distant ticking of a clock and the gentle breeze slipping through the gaps of their jackets.
"…Is it important?"
A short question escaped Ophis's lips, quiet and flat in her usual tone.
Rian didn't answer right away. Instead, his smile softened as he raised his bandaged right hand.
Slowly, he reached out and gently patted Ophis's head, his touch warm and full of care.
"Yes," Rian replied calmly. "But… you're important too, Ophis-chan. That's why I came to tell you in person. So don't feel like I'm abandoning you, okay?"
Ophis turned her gaze away from Rian's face, staring straight ahead with her usual blank expression.
"…No."
The single word left her lips, emotionless and monotone—yet somehow, it carried the faint trace of a quiet refusal.
"Eh?" Rian tilted his head, a slight frown forming. "So you can be selfish too, huh, Ophis-chan…?"
He stopped patting her head and ran his hand through his own bangs in a dramatic motion.
A confident smile spread across his face—the kind of smile that could belong on a skincare commercial.
"Well, I guess it's only natural…" he muttered, patting his chest as if carrying some great burden.
"Girls can never get enough of this handsome face," he said with a grin. "And now, even the Dragon of Infinity… has fallen under my charm."
Rian's expression suddenly turned overly serious and theatrical. "Kuh… this level of handsomeness… it's a curse… too sinful for this world!"
Ophis, still sitting in the same position, simply closed her eyes slowly and murmured flatly, "…Noisy."
"Ahaha… alright, alright, sorry," Rian chuckled softly.
This time, he gently placed his hand back on Ophis's head, stroking her hair with a calm tenderness—trying to soothe the quiet irritation of the ever-stoic Dragon God.
"How about this," Rian said with a gentle smile. "Later, I promise I'll make time for just the two of us. How's that sound?"
Ophis didn't answer. But from her silence, Rian could tell—it meant yes.
A warm smile slowly curved across his face. He stopped patting her head and rose from the swing.
"Ophis-chan, wanna come along?" Rian asked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
"This time, it's not for a walk or snacks like usual… and not a stray devil hunt either. I just need some help getting things ready for tomorrow's big training. What do you say?"
As always, Ophis didn't respond right away. Instead, she quietly slipped off the swing and turned to face him.
On her calm little face, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared—and in her dark eyes, there was a subtle glimmer of life.
Rian smiled back. He understood perfectly.
Their usual routine had probably grown too predictable, too quiet. Maybe, just maybe, Ophis wanted to try something different for once.
And this time, his intuition was right.
***
The clock had already struck 10 p.m.
Rian was now climbing a stone staircase leading to a shrine perched atop a hill, a fair distance away from the school and the city's bustle.
The surroundings were serene and lush—soft grass blanketed the ground, and tall trees lined the path he walked, their leaves whispering quietly in the night breeze.
Earlier, Rian had spent some time with Ophis.
They'd gone around town together, visiting several shops to purchase all the supplies needed for the ten-day training he had planned for Rias's Peerage.
Once everything was safely stored inside his Void Ring, the two decided to part ways—it was already getting late.
That was why, despite all the things he'd bought, not a single bag or box could be seen on him now.
As for why Rian had come here tonight, the reason was simple: to collect on a promise Akeno had made.
A promise he'd earned after helping Koneko make peace with her past.
Although things had gotten a bit chaotic earlier—what with Rian being thrown out the window—at the very least, Koneko could now be considered at peace with her past.
As a reward, Akeno had agreed to share her own story: the truth behind her past and the reason she harbored such deep hatred toward the Fallen Angels.
And how did Rian end up in a place like this?
Simple—Akeno herself had called him. She'd asked Rian to come to this shrine once he was done shopping for the upcoming ten-day training.
As the handsome man who always kept his promises, Rian naturally came. To him, a promise was a matter of honor… and besides, his curiosity had been piqued.
When he was nearly at the top of the stone steps, Rian caught sight of a large torii gate standing proudly under the silver moonlight.
There, beneath it, stood Akeno—dressed in a traditional shrine maiden outfit: a pure white top paired with a flowing crimson hakama.
A soft, gentle smile graced her face as she greeted Rian, who continued his ascent toward her.
As he walked, Rian slipped his right hand into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small mirror.
He gazed at his reflection, a faint smile curling on his lips, then brushed his bangs back with that elegant flair that had long become his trademark.
"Fufufu~" Akeno covered her mouth with her hand, amused by the ever-consistent habit of the man before her.
When Rian finally reached her, he tucked the mirror back into his pocket and spoke with his usual confident smile.
"Did I make you wait too long, beautiful?"
Akeno lowered her hand and tilted her head slightly to the side, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
"If you'd taken any longer," she said softly, "I might've started thinking you ran away because you were scared to hear my story."
Her tone was light, but there was a subtle challenge in her eyes.
Rian replied casually, "That's impossible. A handsome man like me always keeps his promises… especially when it involves a beautiful woman like you."
Hearing that, Akeno smiled, her gaze deepening as she looked at Rian. "What if I wasn't a beautiful woman?" she asked softly.
Rian narrowed his eyes slightly — he knew full well this was a classic trap. A question like that… one wrong answer, and disaster would strike.
Yet, as always, his smile didn't falter. In his mind, he already had the perfect response — one worthy of a confident, handsome man.
He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the cool night breeze from the hilltop brush against his face, drawing out the tension in a calm, deliberate silence.
Then, slowly, Rian opened his eyes and looked toward the softly glowing lights of Kuoh Town below.
The wind blew again, tugging gently at their hair, while the moonlight broke through a thin veil of clouds.
Amid that quiet scene, the bright blue gleam behind Rian's glasses shimmered, slicing through the night like a calm, radiant flame.
That moment… was far too captivating to ignore.
Akeno, watching from the side, brought the back of her hand to her lips. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, spellbound by the calmness and quiet confidence radiating from the man before her.
Finally, Rian spoke without turning to face her, his voice steady yet warm. "Beauty in a woman… isn't just about her looks. It's about how her heart shines."
Then, slowly, Rian turned toward Akeno, a faint smile curling on his lips. "For example, the beautiful woman standing before this handsome man."
He paused briefly, then added in a teasing tone, his smile twisting into something a little more mischievous.
"Her face is undeniably beautiful…" Rian leaned in slightly closer, his voice dropping to a playful murmur. "...but her heart? Hmm… I'm still curious. May I test it?"
Akeno closed her eyes for a moment, her hand still gently covering her mouth.
With a soft smile and a teasing tone, Akeno whispered, "Ara~ should I call you sweet or sharp, Rian Andromeda? Those words of yours… are dangerous."
Rian merely shrugged, a faint grin curving his lips. "I've gotten used to being accused of that."
He glanced at Akeno, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Oh, right… about your past. Don't tell me, Akeno Himejima, that you're trying to change the subject so I'll forget?"
Akeno drew a quiet breath, her gaze falling to the ground as her voice softened. "As always… sharp as ever, Rian."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Rian replied, turning his gaze toward the temple building not far from the gate where they stood.
He lifted his chin toward it. "We should continue inside. Out here, the wind's too cold for a story that's warm… or perhaps painful."
Akeno looked at him for a few seconds before smiling faintly and giving a small nod.
Their footsteps began to move, slowly leaving the temple gate and heading toward the main hall.
As they walked side by side, Rian glanced at her briefly — then, without saying a word, he drew out a long black trench coat from his Void Ring.