Riser Phenex isn't a villain

Chapter 252: Callous

While Riser was busy training Sona and Sona's peerage members, as well as Koneko, who was entrusted to him, Azazel also trained Rias and her peerage members.

However, Azazel was helpless against Rias. To be honest, he was furious and wished to leave right away. After all, the hospitality of the Gremory House was so bad, and there was no trace of respect in everyone's eyes. Whenever he walked, even if there were no individuals who dared to touch him, they still talked, mocked, and glared at him from time to time, giving a silent treatment.

The moment Azazel entered the Gremory domain, he became the most hated individual in this place.

Yet, Azazel also understood that he was the one who caused the ruin of many things. Many wouldn't believe that Sirzech's death didn't have anything to do with him, especially when he was the one who took the initiative to bring Vali with him. It was also due to this that many devils from the Gremory domain went bankrupt and lost their jobs, as the loss of Sirzech brought them much trouble.

With Sirzech as their leader, everything was smooth, and no one dared to fight them, but the moment Sirzech passed away, there was no mercy, especially when many of their products were losing in quality and price. Moreover, under the lead of Riser, the Phenex House and the Sitri House were aggressive, and they started to monopolize several industries within the Underworld.

Naturally, all of those people who were affected by this change were furious, but the Gremory House was also helpless, so they pointed out that anger toward Azazel. While due to the peace of the three factions, they were unable to do anything to Azazel, it didn't mean that they couldn't humiliate him. Moreover, Azazel was no longer the governor of Grigori, so there was no need to worry about the consequences of their actions.

Facing all of this, Azazel wished to leave and even threw several gigantic lances of light at the Gremory house. He might not be the governor of the Grigori, but he was still one of the strongest fallen angels. They shouldn't treat him like this. Still, he also knew why he was being treated like this, yet even so, this was too much!

Yet, he didn't dare to voice out his complaint.

Azazel reaped what he sowed.

Still, while everything moved in a good direction and the peace started to spread to the three factions, he didn't feel happy as he wasn't involved. Whatever happened to the three factions, it had nothing to do with him anymore. Moreover, all of his subordinates also started to sway away from him as they were extremely busy implementing what Riser had asked of them. Even worse, many also betrayed him, and all of them followed Riser wholeheartedly.

While this might be something that he had expected and also wished for previously, when he was completely isolated from everyone, and no one even paid attention to him, Azazel had reached his limit!

Moreover, none of his friends even contacted him, and whenever they talked, they would tell him to give Vali to the devil, and those words were enough to make him feel completely helpless toward his comrades as he knew they had fallen. Their spirit was destroyed, and they had become nothing but a loyal dog of Riser!

Yet, at the same time, Azazel was helpless, but he didn't give up. It was also due to this that he tried to gain his presence by hooking up with the Norse Myth. As long as he could make the Norse Myth become an ally of the three factions, then he would gain achievement, and that way, his weight on this alliance couldn't be completely ignored.

Sitting on the grassy land, Azazel let out a long sigh, wondering how long it had been that he had such a rough life.

"No, it should be my first time?"

Even when he became the fallen angel for the first time, his life had always been in comfort, so it was his first time to have such a miserable life.

Yet, he wouldn't give up.

Someone was waiting for him, and he definitely couldn't give up no matter what!

"Still, it's so scary..."

Azazel sighed and wondered why his son-to-be was so stupid and tried to provoke him.

However, instead of that person, he knew they might as well focus on the figure "X," the cause of Vali's misery.

Still, as he stared at the purple sky, he wondered what he could do at this moment as he needed to focus on training Rias and her peerage members. However, his help was meaningless to Rias as he knew nothing about how to train a devil. So, at that moment, he knew that he needed to focus on those Sacred Gear users from Gasper, Kiba, Asia, and Issei.

Under his training, the four of them also worked hard, and when he thought about Issei, somehow, that perverted boy caused him to smile, but that smile quickly vanished when he thought about his friend's daughter.

Azazel let out a long sigh. "...I hope that she can forgive him."

Accepting the power within her body was the first stage, and when she could accept that power, the relationship between a daughter and a father would soon be amended.

This was something that Azazel wished to be, but it was also due to this that his gazes became complex as he saw the Gremory castle in the distance.

Yet, how could Akeno accept that power so easily? Even if the man that she loved the most didn't mind this part of her, she hated it much since, without this part of her heritage, she wouldn't be in this much pain.

Riser, who had just finished taking care of Koneko, was a little helpless as he wasn't sure why Ravel started to have an argument with Koneko, but then again, there was also Akeno.

The two talked to each other about what Azazel had asked Akeno for.

"Is Rias telling you to learn that power?"

"No."

While Rias probably wished for Akeno to learn the light manipulation power, which she inherited from her father, she wouldn't force Akeno as Akeno was Riser's woman.

To be honest, if Azazel had known this fact, he wouldn't have dared to say such a thing.

No, that guy probably dared to do it, as Azazel never cared about what had happened to the individuals around him. What Azazel cared about the most was his goal and purpose. As long as Azazel could achieve it, he would do anything.

Yet, even without that reason, Riser would erase Azazel.

"So, what do you think?"

Still, the problem now was Akeno's wish, whether she wished to learn that power or not.

However, in his case, Riser felt that Akeno might be better off learning that power as it would make her stronger. After all, power was power. It didn't matter where that source of power came from. Even Vali, who hated his father and grandfather, used the power of Lucifer without worry. It would be such a shame if she didn't learn the power of Baraqiel that resided within her body.

"...what do you think? Do you think I should learn it, Darling?"

Akeno also hesitated, and it was also because of this she wished for Riser to make a decision for her.

Riser fell in silence for a moment, then looked at Ravel and Koneko, who played around together with Iryuka. While he had become Lucifer, he felt that he wasn't one somehow, still, as for the answer to Akeno's doubt.

"How about you learn your heritage? I don't see why you shouldn't learn it."

"...is-is that so?" Akeno knew that this was the best, but she didn't expect that Riser would be so callous about her problem. However, this was his decision, and she would do it even if her feelings were complex.

"Yes, but what I mean isn't your father's power."

"Eh?" Akeno suddenly felt confused. "What do you mean, Darling?"

"I mean, why don't you learn the power you inherited from your mother?"

"...."