Marvelous Shop, Chapter 28 (Patreon)

Grayfia swiftly brought me through the massive Phenex mansion/castle towards the Matriarch of the house in Lalatina Phenex... Though swiftly was a lie as she had to teleport me because this castle was the size of a small town in and of itself.

"Do not worry to much about being overly respectful or pedantic. Lady Phenex is not a woman who is interested in high society manners." Grayfia warned me with a helpless expression.

Then the silver-haired, beautiful maid turned around and faced the large door and with a loud rap of her knuckles on the Phoenix-embossed marble door. It then swung open with a blond maid pushing it open from the other side.

"Come in Grayfia." A lazy female voice spoke out and Grayfia strode in ahead of me with her stepping to the side and pulling the door closed as I took in the sitting room that had some nice decorations on the darkly stained wooden walls and two large couches facing one another in the center of the room.

And sitting on one couch was two beautiful women. One was obviously Ravel Phenex who flushed at seeing me taking her in. And secondly was Lalatina Phenex; she had the appearance obviously of that 'Lady Phenex' that showed up in the anime even if I coudn't remember her in the manga or light novel.

"Jake Bariss... The Red Dragon Emperor, and the man who stole my adorable son's fiancée away. Tsk tsk, it is rather bold of you to come into my own home." Lalatina spoke before she took a drink from a massive wine glass that was filled with like literally a full liter of wine at least.

Grayfia actually sighed and said with annoyance. "Lalatina. Why, why are you yourself. Are you going to be drinking from that gaudy glass during the Rating Game?" 

Lalatina giggled and waved Grayfia off as she drew a finger up her exposed stomach, as she was wearing a 'dress' that was more of a bikini that connected the top half and bottoms with straps that went down her sides.

"I am a hedonist, little Fia. You know that all to well. Seeing my youngest son having his fiancée stolen is something I have to savor with the right mindset, ufufu." 

I couldn't help it. "You want to be blackout drunk when seeing Riser lose his Rating Game?"

Then Ravel finally spoke out as she shouted hotly. "Riser won't lose for sure Jake Bariss! Just because you are the Red Dragon Emperor, that doesn't mean you are going to win for sure!"

I gave Ravel a searching look before I asked curiously. "Why are you so sure actually? Riser himself is only fighting to pimp me out to you, and is otherwise just going through the motions. I also can use holy power to an extent after training with the Grigori for the last couple of months."

In other words... Riser didn't have any 'real' motivation to fight this fight to the death as it were. And with myself being able to call upon some holy light, his Phenex regeneration would be heavily restricted.

And while this Lalatina may be a masochist, supposedly. I rather doubted Riser wanted to be stabbed by sword I got from Kiba that had holy energy running through it.

Ravel paused at my words and she flushed ever deeper at not having an instant retort. Then I refocused on Lalatina as I demanded more respectfully but still a bit bluntly. "Why are you trying to push Ravel and I together? We haven't even met before, and this, plus our next interaction won't be that great either?"

Lalatina made a humming noise as she looked between me and her daughter before she said with a bright smile. "Because, I am currently pregnant with another daughter. And seeing as Ravel is already well and truly an adult at this point. She needs to find a good man, a good man who can teach her the pleasures of the flesh, and the rapacious desires of the inheritor of the Dragon of Domination will do quite well." 

A tsking noise left her before she continued to speak wistfully. "Oh D'draig aren't you going to come out to say hello? We had such great times together when you were still stuck inside of Androxus. My first born son I still can't tell if his crimson hair was inherited from Androxus or your own scales when you would take over his body."

I could literally feel D'draig curling up as though dying of cringe as he said 'quietly' to me. [Tell them I am in a deep sleep, partner... This woman was an even worse mistake than Tiamat.]

"D'draig is... Asleep." I said dryly as my hand flashed with a bit of emerald light before my Sacred Gear deactivated to show I was totally not at all lying.

Both Grayfia and Lalatina both sent my hand a look of 'disdain' before Ravel cleared her throat and said proudly. "However! I am neither my brother nor Rias Gremory. I understand that the race of Pureblood Devils has been losing its potency and needs to be enhanced with the strongest of newbloods or keeping Pureblooded devil clans together!"

"If my Mother believes that I am best suited to bearing your children, Jake Bariss. Then unlike Rias Gremory or my brother, I will not be foolish and will do the duty expected of a noble heiress to serve and strengthen the devil race!"

The room went quiet as Grayfia broke her elegant poise to sigh and mutter something under her breath.

And as for me... I was honestly just thinking that Ravel just had a massive impregnation fetish or something.

But then a funny thought crossed my mind and I just said 'helplessly' "Well, anyway, all of this depends on whether Riser even wins. And I have no intention of throwing the match."

"Good, I and many others would be most disappointed if you did decide to throw the match Jake," Grayfia spoke with a soft nod before she spoke more firmly.

And with that, Lalatina put down her wine glass and laid her jaw on her hand before she said lazily. "No matter what happens at this point... The Phenex family will walk away with a win as the Gremory's gave quite a number of concessions for this Rating Game and to keep their honor. So go on Jake Bariss, show the world the strength of the new Red Dragon Emperor."

'Yeah, and the moment I win. I will be able to leave back to the Marvel Universe... The moment I DO decide to come back, these guy's are going to be in for a hell of a suprise as I will be much stronger.' I thought.