Life in the Gremory estate had changed. What once could've been a childhood of luxury, light sparring, and lazy afternoons was now dominated by discipline, sweat, and pain. And it was all thanks to one woman.
Grayfia.
Under her relentless guidance, Rias and her peerage had been transformed from pampered prodigies into warriors-in-training. Every morning began with strength drills and ended with magical exercises, followed by individual combat and tactic simulations. There was no softness, no excuses, and no room for slacking.
And now, even Gasper was included in the physical training.
"Your mana won't save you in close combat," Grayfia had said sharply when he protested. "If your barrier fails, and teleportation is disabled, what will you do then? Cry?"
He hadn't argued after that.
And so, he joined the others in the courtyard every day, pushing his limits beside them. Though still weaker physically, he gave it everything he had.
Sweat trickled down his temple as he ran drills with Rias and Kiba. His arms ached, and his breathing was ragged, but he didn't stop. Rias, noticing his effort, gave him a rare nod of acknowledgment.
"You're getting better, Gasper," she said between breaths. "Still a bit shaky, but you're not collapsing anymore. That's progress."
He smiled weakly. "Thanks… I think."
She smirked. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you collapse again during sparring."
Before he could respond, she winked and turned away. It wasn't the first time she'd teased him lately. Rias had gradually joined the teasing dynamic Akeno had long since mastered, though her version came with an added edge of playfulness and dominance.
Akeno, on the other hand, was relentless.
"You should see the way you move now, Gasper," she whispered during cooldown stretches later that afternoon. "You're like a little kitten who thinks he's a tiger. It's so precious."
"I'm just doing my best…"
"Oh, I know," she cooed. "And you're very good at being obedient, aren't you?"
He flushed instantly.
Akeno leaned over during their sit-ups, her face inches from his. "Maybe one day, when you're strong enough, you'll pin me down instead."
His breath hitched.
Rias, walking by with a towel, caught the moment and laughed. "Akeno, let him breathe. He's still alive… for now."
Gasper felt like the ground couldn't swallow him fast enough.
Magic Training – Private Sessions
Evening magic sessions were quieter, but not easier. Gasper's affinity with magic was growing, and Grayfia had noticed.
She stood across from him in their private training hall, watching as he formed four elemental circles around himself.
"Fire, ice, wind, and darkness," she said. "Hold them all at once. Rotate between AOE and pinpoint spells."
Sweat dripped from his brow as he focused. The air shimmered with power.
"Good. Now compress the dark magic into a dart. Low range, high density. Go."
He followed instructions to the letter, unleashing the spell at the target dummy. It hit dead center, exploding into shadow tendrils that wrapped around it tightly.
Grayfia's eyes narrowed slightly in satisfaction.
"You're improving. Faster than expected."
She walked up behind him, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. He didn't dare turn, but he could feel her presence looming.
Then, her gloved hands slid gently over his shoulders from behind.
"But you still tremble… especially when I'm this close."
"I-I don't—"
"You do," she whispered, brushing her fingers up his neck. "It's endearing."
Her other hand rested over his chest. "Your heart is racing again. Are you that sensitive… or just that easy?"
Gasper nearly stumbled out of the circle. "Grayfia-sama, please…"
She chuckled, stepping away slowly. "You'll get used to my methods. Or you'll break. Either way… you'll learn."
As she turned to leave, she gave him a final glance. Something flickered in her crimson eyes—possessiveness, intrigue… hunger.
Gasper exhaled shakily.
She was dangerous. He knew it. But a part of him didn't want her to stop.
Sparring: Gasper vs Rias
Their match began with slow exchanges—fire spells and barriers, probing one another's speed and endurance. Rias's power was explosive, raw, and difficult to contain. Gasper countered with precision and teleportation, blinking behind her and unleashing timed strikes.
She laughed mid-combat. "You've gotten cheeky."
He teleported again, hitting her with a burst of compressed wind.
She caught herself with a graceful roll and retaliated with a crimson blast that forced him into defense.
Soon, he was down, pinned to the ground with Rias straddling his waist.
She leaned in, hands on either side of his shoulders.
"You last longer now. That's good."
"I—I try…" he said, heart pounding.
Rias tilted her head. "Akeno's right. You are fun to tease. I wonder if you'll still blush like this when you're older… or if you'll make us blush instead."
He blinked in disbelief. "W-What?"
"Nothing," she said playfully, brushing her fingers across his chest before standing up. "You fought well."
Sparring: Gasper vs Akeno
Sparring with Akeno was different. Her movements were like water—flowing, sensual, unpredictable. She danced around his spells, luring him into traps, always one step ahead.
When she finally disarmed him with a bolt of electricity and tackled him to the ground, she didn't move right away.
"You're pinned again," she whispered, hair falling across his face.
He tried to squirm, but her body was warm, and her weight deliberate.
She smiled. "Do you like this? Being under me?"
"N-No!"
She leaned in closer, their noses nearly touching. "You're so red. If I didn't know better, I'd think you wanted me to stay here a while…"
Her lips brushed his cheek lightly before she stood, giggling as he lay stunned.
That Evening – By the Fire
Later that night, after training, Akeno found him again.
They sat beside a low bonfire in the estate gardens, sipping warm drinks. For a while, neither spoke.
The teasing was gone for now. The mood had shifted.
"You surprised me today," Akeno said eventually, voice softer than usual. "You didn't break, even when Rias got serious."
"I didn't want to," he replied, watching the fire. "I want to get stronger."
She looked at him quietly. "Why?"
He hesitated. "Because… I'm tired of being protected. Of being small. Weak."
Her expression turned wistful. "I get that."
He glanced at her.
"My mom died when I was still young," she said. "I lived in the shrine after that. Alone. People stared at me like I was cursed. Like I was broken."
Gasper didn't interrupt. He just listened.
"I hated them," she continued. "I hated being weak. So I learned to smile… while enjoying their pain."
"You smile to hide it?"
"I smile to control it," she said, turning to face him. "But sometimes, it's nice not to hide."
He didn't say anything, but he gently reached out and took her hand.
She looked down in surprise.
"You're not alone," he said.
The wind shifted. The fire crackled.
Her fingers slowly closed around his.
"…Thank you."
For a while, they sat like that—quiet, close, and real.
Then, after a few minutes, she broke the silence with a wicked grin.
"But don't think this means I'll go easy on you tomorrow."
He laughed softly. "I'd be worried if you did."
End of Chapter 4