In the aftermath of Haru's fight, there was nothing but confusion.
Many of the relatives and allies of the Phenex and Gremory clans were lost in confusion, some of them shock due to how Riser, a High-Class Devil, had been defeated by a Low-Class Devil, a Pawn at that.
I stood, smiling at how they reacted so ridiculously.
So this was it… it was over… My friends would be allowed to go home.
I couldn't help but feel that I would be punished when I returned to the Phenex household later. Maou knows Riser, if he isn't scarred for life, will need to blow off some steam. I'm the easiest and most logical target. Nothing like beating the shit out of some poor bastard you know can't fight back against you…
I sighed. A small part of me expected to be heading home with my friends… but there's no such thing as the perfect happy ending. Just as Akeno-san had said.
"Ruto…" I looked behind me to see Ravel, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "Come with me!" Then, before I could react, Ravel grabbed my arm and started pulling me along. I let out a sharp squeak of surprise as she began navigating us through all of the crowd of High-Class Devils who got in our way. I was horribly confused. At first, I thought Ravel was taking me somewhere private to punish me… Then I considered how she felt about me.
It was more likely she was going to hide me from Riser in case he was still enraged. To be honest, I don't know what happened to Riser. Someone may have come to collect him at the end of the match, but I had no idea.
I shuffled to the left to avoid bumping into a passing-by Devil.
"Where are we going, Ravel?" I asked, somewhat annoyed by how it was taking me so much effort to avoid people that Ravel seemed to be ignoring entirely.
I didn't even realize that we had arrived at the room until we finally popped out of the large crowd of people.
"Hm? Ravel Phenex, right?" T-That voice! I looked up and felt my insides freeze upon seeing the curious expression of a youthful man with crimson-red hair. L-Lucifer-sama!
I shot Ravel an incredulous expression. Ravel?! What are you doing?! This is a Maou-sama!
Then I noticed Serafall standing next to him, eying Ravel with equal confusion.
"Leviathan-sama, I believe we have a certain matter to discuss." Serafall frowned, as confused as I was about Ravel's words. "The matter concerning our wager."
I felt my heart sink again.
… What was Ravel doing? She won. I don't see why she was bringing it up…
"But why…?" Serafall asked with almost a lifeless tone.
"We must discuss your winnings, Leviathan-sama."
""WHAAAAAAAT?!""
Neither Serafall nor I could possibly even attempt to keep our surprise hidden. Lucifer-sama looked at us with an amused smile on his face.
I blinked, placing a hand on my master's forehead, checking to see if the Phenex girl had gotten a fever or something. "A-Are you okay, Ravel?"
Ravel nodded, undeterred by my actions. "No. If anything, I'm thinking more clearly. More than ever." Ravel crossed her arms under her bust, shaking her head. "Do you not recall the wager, Ruto? Leviathan-sama?"
I rubbed the back of my neck, wondering what Ravel was getting at. "Er… of course. If Rias won the Rating Game, then I got half of Riser's Peerage. If Rias lost, then I became your servant. That was the deal, wasn't it?" Did I miss something somewhere?
"True… but try to remember the specifics of the deal." Eh? Just what are you talking about? You're really confusing me, Ravel. "The wager was that if the one known as Namikaze Haru defeated Onii-sama, then you would win the wager."
"But Haru didn't defeat Riser, he…" That was when realization struck me with the force of a hurricane. "... He defeated Riser…" My mouth was hanging open, my mind slowly processing what this meant.
"That's right. A time limit was never discussed for our wager. It was simply regarding whether or not Namikaze Haru would defeat Onii-sama, which he did." Ravel explained. "So… in accordance with our wager, I release you from our pact, Uzumaki Ruto, and return you to your rightful master… Serafall Leviathan-sama." Ravel took my hand with an odd warmth and gentleness. She grabbed Serafall's with her other hand. "You two… you truly belong with one another… it was wrong of me to separate you." As a symbolic gesture, Ravel took my hand and placed it in Serafall's.
For a brief moment, I looked at Ravel… Then I looked at Serafall who returned my shocked gaze.
Then the dam finally broke loose.
"RUUU-TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" The Maou Leviathan tackled me in a large hug, knocking me to the ground. "Ru-tan! Ru-tan! Ru-tan Ru-tan Ruuuu-taaaaan!" She nuzzled her face against my chest, hugging me again and again as tears of joy filled her eyes. "I love you! I love love love loooove you! Levia-tan loves you!"
I smiled, unable to hide my own tears of joy. "I love you too, Serafall." I raised Serafall's face to be on level with mine.
And we kissed.
We made sure to keep it relatively PG. We didn't want to get it hot and steamy in front of our observers.
I stood up, lifting Serafall with me and spinning us around, hugging my adorable master so closely.
"I've missed you! I've missed you so much, Serafall!" It felt so good to be able to talk to her like this after so long! Auuuuuu! I'm crying! I just love Serafall so much!
"I'm happy…" While I was hugging and kissing Serafall, I noticed Ravel off to the side, looking to slip away with such a sad expression on her face. She looked satisfied, but sad at the same time… I knew what I would do before I did it.
"Excuse me for a sec." I slipped out of Serafall's arms and made my way back to Ravel.
She turned to face me with a confused expression. "Ru—MMPH!" I pressed my lips against hers, silencing whatever Ravel was going to say. For a moment, I thought she would slap me out of surprise, but then her resistance gradually fell to the passion, falling into my arms as we embraced. Yep. It was official. I got the spark of romance for Ravel… with only one act, this girl clawed her way into my heart. It was not her affection for me or her wealth that made me like her this way. It was the kind act she performed. Even though her feelings were genuine, she was willing to let me go even at the cost of her own happiness. That was why I held this much newfound affection for her.
After a few minutes, I pulled away so we could both breathe. Ravel's face was flushed… only this time it was in the most sexy way. She looked ready to lean in and kiss me again if I so much as hinted to asking for it.
"R… R… Ruto-sama…"
"Ravel… thank you… Thank you so much…" Dammit, me! Stop crying! There's been enough tears for today!
Ravel looked away. "... Someone close to me taught me recently that… Even if you want something very badly… it might not be the thing you're meant to have."
"You gave up that something… you gave it up for me, Ravel…" I uttered in the slightest whisper. Then I smiled. "And that's why you've become a person important to my heart now!"
"E-Eh?! B-But I…" Ravel looked so conflicted yet so happy.
"So…if for no other reason than that I can now no longer bear to be apart from you, I ask this of you. Since I'm allowed to take eight of your Onii-sama's servants, eight because he counts as a piece, being the King…" I knelt down on the ground before her, grasping her hand gently. "...Ravel Phenex… in accordance with the wager between my beloved master, Serafall Leviathan, and your master, Riser Phenex, I ask of you: Will you become my new Bishop?"
"Ruu-taaaaan!" Serafall complained, swinging her arms about in a fit. "No fair! You're acting all smooth and charming with Ravel-chan even though you're supposed to be having a teary reunion with meeee!" I smiled, feeling so happy at my master's immature actions.
"Don't worry. I'll be sure to give my adorable master lots and lots of affection later, mmkay?" That seemed to placate Serafall's annoyance, but she still puffed up her cheeks cutely. Then I turned back to Ravel. "... So what do you say, Ravel? Will you become my most adorable Bishop?"
"R-Ruto-s-sama, I-I d-dunno what to s-s-say!" Ravel's face was red again. She shook her head rapidly, as if trying to shake the excess blood out of her face. "I-I-I—"
"I'll kiss you again." I said in a playful way as if it were a threat.
I understood what I was asking of Ravel…I was asking her to leave the brother she had been with her whole life. That could not be an easy decis—
"OK!" Ravel threw herself at me, smiling happily as she threw her arms around me, hugging me again.
OK, never mind.
I hugged her back. This moment… This feeling of joy… I would be heading home soon.
I… I would be heading home!
I'm going home! I'm going to see all of my friends! My girlfriend! My harem girls! My family!
EVERYONE, I'M COMING HOME!