Talking with Sakurajima Mai always left Ryuichi feeling sweetly content.
Even with his usually composed nature, he would end up chatting with her for ages without noticing the time.
No matter how long they talked, it never felt like enough—there was always more he wanted to tell her.
By the time the water in the bathtub had turned lukewarm, Ryuichi finally said goodbye and hung up.
He leaned back again, a faint smile curling at the corners of his mouth as he thought about his exchange with Mai.
Being in love really does feel wonderful…
He rose, dried himself off lazily, and didn't even bother putting on clothes before collapsing onto the bed.
Tomorrow's journey into the Familiar Forest filled his mind with quiet anticipation.
Closing his eyes, he soon drifted into sleep.
Then—suddenly—magic pulsed through the room.
The wave of power jolted him awake in an instant.
Ryuichi opened his eyes, staring toward the foot of his bed.
It was deep into the night, but a devil's body granted him perfect night vision; he could see everything as clearly as daylight—perhaps even clearer.
Before his eyes, a glowing magic circle bloomed to life on the floor.
And from within it stepped Rias Gremory.
Ryuichi blinked at the red-haired girl who had just teleported into his bedroom unannounced.
He sighed inwardly. Figures. For devils who can teleport, my home might as well have no doors.
"Did I wake you, Ryuichi?" Rias asked softly, noticing his open eyes.
"Already awake," he murmured, half-lidded with lazy calm.
Of course he wasn't angry; it was impossible for him to stay mad at Rias, no matter when she appeared.
"Sorry," she said with a sheepish smile. "I couldn't sleep. So… I came to sleep with you."
Ryuichi smirked. "Sleep together, huh? That's quite a charming phrase."
He spoke teasingly, though there was a trace of genuine fondness beneath the humor.
Seeing him unfazed, Rias began removing her clothes.
Her graceful motions caught his eye; soon her snow-white skin glimmered under the dim light.
Ryuichi simply shifted over a little to make space on the bed, maintaining an air of calm detachment.
Rias slid under the covers, settling herself right against him in the spot still warm from his body heat.
Naturally, Ryuichi's arm slipped around her slender form, and his hand began to wander slightly of its own accord, feeling the impossible softness of her skin.
She didn't seem to mind at all. Instead, she relaxed with a quiet sigh, enjoying the steady rhythm of his breathing.
"I don't know why," she whispered, "but when I sleep beside you, I feel so calm… so at peace."
"Guess that means I make a pretty good pillow," he quipped.
"At least you're self-aware," she teased, tracing a finger across his chest.
Ryuichi chuckled and closed his eyes again.
There were no titles or promises between them—no official relationship—but the closeness they shared was undeniable.
"Rias," he said suddenly, his tone calm, "can I marry you?"
Her body stiffened; she stared at him, wide-eyed.
"You…"
"I mean it. I know I like you. But I don't really understand you. If this isn't love, then what exactly are we doing—being this close, night after night?"
His words were gentle but firm.
He'd never been able to read Rias completely, never quite sure what her feelings for him truly were.
After all, she was his master, and devils didn't cling to human ideas of propriety.
Her affection for him might just be a master's fondness for her servant—a kind of ownership or indulgence.
If that was all it was, Ryuichi thought, then it wasn't really love.
So even though Rias had shared his bed countless times, even gone bare-skinned in his arms, he had always restrained himself from going too far.
But after their intimacy that morning—when things had nearly crossed that line—he realized it was time to address it openly.
Perhaps it was just his human sense of romance refusing to stay quiet any longer.
Rias looked stunned for a moment, then exhaled slowly as understanding dawned.
So that's how he'd been seeing it…
"I… of course I like you," she confessed. "I didn't realize how much before, but lately I can't stop thinking about you. Even when I try to sleep, your face comes to mind—and before I know it, I'm here beside you."
Her voice trembled slightly. But her expression soon dimmed with sorrow.
"If I could, I'd want to be your wife. But… I can't."
Her eyes dropped, full of conflict and sadness.
Ryuichi frowned. "Why not?"
Rias opened her mouth, then hesitated under his steady gaze. Finally, she whispered:
"Because… I'm already someone else's fiancée."
Ryuichi froze.
"…You're what?"
He hadn't seen that coming.
Rias Gremory—engaged?
And yet she'd nearly ended up in bed with him that morning…
He wasn't stupid. The pieces clicked together quickly.
"You don't love him, do you?"
"…No."
Her voice was quiet but sure. At last she'd said it—the truth she'd been carrying alone all this time.
Emotion flickered in her crimson eyes.
In that instant, Ryuichi understood everything.
Rias was the heiress of the Gremory Clan; her fiancé must be someone of equally high standing.
The engagement clearly wasn't of her choosing. It had to be political—a decision forced by her family.
That was why she wanted Ryuichi to grow stronger: not just for herself, but because she needed his help to break free of that fate.
He smiled faintly. "I see."
Rias blinked. "What?"
"I'll help you, Rias." His tone was confident, steady. "You should've told me sooner."
"But you're not strong enough to oppose him," she murmured, lowering her eyes. "Even I'm not sure I can win."
Ryuichi only shook his head, his smile gentle.
"Doesn't matter. As long as it's possible, I'll find a way.
At least you finally said it out loud. Keeping that kind of weight inside isn't good for you."
He wrapped his arms around her again, savoring the warmth and smoothness of her skin. His voice softened.
"It's not the situation that breaks people—it's the emotions they hold in."
Rias stared at him, moved beyond words.
He's always like this… so kind, so calm…
Unable to hold back any longer, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his.
Even in their earlier, heat-of-the-moment closeness, they'd never kissed like this—with true feeling.
But now, she gave herself completely to the moment, heart and all.
When they finally parted, she whispered against his lips:
"That was my first kiss."