Key:

Powerful being talking

[Powerful being talking telepathically]

'Thinking'

"Speaking vocally"

Disclaimer:

I do not own any characters or content in the Highschool DxD universe.

Author's Note:

Hi! I'm still looking for a beta reader to proofread my chapters before I post them and to discuss plot ideas with. If you'd like to be involved with the making of the story and you are active, please PM me!

Sorry for the late update, I've had the flu for five days- so that's fun!

Rias' Apartment

11 PM, Wednesday

Using some devil magic, Rias had somehow convinced my host parents that Issei had fainted randomly when he was going to the mall to shop for clothes. She also said that she erased the concept of Yuuma/Raynare from the minds of all of the humans who had heard or seen her, which. Imagining what the top-level beings could do if Rias can do this is both frightening and exciting. The fact that I had the potential to be on the top of the power ranking for the supernatural world kicked my competitiveness into overdrive. I'd have to start training ASAP.

I fidgeted with the empty glass cup I had in my hand as I sat at Rias' black dining room table. Rias was a lot more western than any of the Japanese families I had been visiting, which made sense. It felt like all I drank was tea and water, which isn't necessarily bad, but I was beginning to miss the familiarity of home.

Rias' apartment was quite nice. I think that a penthouse would be the more apt word to describe it, as it was basically the entire top floor of one of the only large apartment buildings in Kuoh. The overall design and decor were sleek, modern, and simple, with the combined living room, kitchen, and dining room that I'd seen in many Japanese houses. To my right was a large flat screen with a large black leather corner couch and a matching loveseat and to my right was a large marble themed kitchen with an island in the middle.

I was interrupted from my musing when Rias entered the room wearing a light blue nightgown, drying her hair with a towel before wrapping it around her head and sitting across from me. I lost again. Rias looked a bit troubled as she began talking.

"You're welcome to stay here if you want, I'm not doing anything else for the rest of the night."

I put down my cup and opened my hands on the table like a book as I responded.

"I don't have anything to do anyway, and I don't really feel comfortable going back to Issei's. I wasn't planning on going to school tomorrow anyway; I want to read up on magic and peerages if you don't mind."

Rias nodded.

"The day after the reincarnation is pretty rough. I don't know how you're not passed out right now, but there's a first time for everything I suppose. So, it's fine. I have to be in the clubroom for some family business so I won't be going either. I have a small library there as well."

I instinctively grabbed my cup again, and Rias' eyes widened as I did.

"Oh I'm so sorry, where are my manners! Do you want anything to drink or eat? I have Coke, tea, and water to drink and some cookies and Pocky to eat."

I handed my cup to her as she stood up and headed towards the kitchen.

"Sure. Can I have a Coke and some Pocky please?"

Rias nodded and opened the fridge. I decided to ask her about the thing that was seemingly still bothering her.

"So, what's up? You've had this weird look on your face today."

She sighed as she turned to the cabinet, pulling out a package of pocky from a box.

"I haven't told Akeno or the rest of my peerage this yet, but you and she will be the most instrumental in helping me out of this situation."

She paused at the counter overlooking the dining and living room and looked at the wall in a distant stare.

"I'm engaged through a marriage contract, and while I've tried to delay it as much as I can, the deadline is approaching. I have to find a way to destroy the contract now, which can only be done by mutual agreement of the two parties, losing my virginity, or a form of combat called a rating game between our two peerages."

"Is devil society so far backwards that they still have marriage contracts? What is this, medieval Europe?"

"Pretty close to it. I'm from one of the 72 Pillars, a group of the highest nobles. Due to the Great War, the number of pure Highclass Devils is extremely low and so everyone is pressured to reproduce and "do their part". Unfortunately, that also means disregarding the wants of the people that are affected."

Even though I completely disagree with it, the logic makes sense. But, the contract needed to be broken. Losing her virginity would be by far the easiest option from what it sounds like, but that's also just as bad as the marriage contract itself. I highly doubt a mutual agreement of the two parties to rip up the contract is likely based on the way that she's been acting, so a rating game it is.

Rias placed my cup full of Coke and the package of Pocky in front of me before wrapping around the table and sitting down.

"I'm sorry that I had to lay this on you, especially after what just happened. If it's too much, I understand."

I shook my head, looking at her in the eyes.

"Look, if it wasn't for you, I'd actually be dead right now. Even if I wasn't a part of your peerage, you're too good of a person and friend for me to let that happen to you."

She looked stunned initially, with her face lighting up in a blush. Is she not used to compliments like this?

"Th-thank you, John. Uhh...we should get to work."

I raised an eyebrow at her changing the topic, but I'd let it be. Had I said something wrong?

Rias seemed to return to her normal self, grabbing a hefty old book out of thin air and holding it in her hand.

"This is the official rulebook for rating games. Everyone in the peerage has their own personal copy, so here you go. When you're reincarnated you automatically gain speaking knowledge of all human and devil languages as well as writing knowledge of devil ruins, so don't worry about reading it."

I nodded as she handed me the book. It looked like it was about a thousand pages, which made it an issue for a later version of myself to handle. I set it aside as Rias continued.

"So, rating games are essentially a battle between two kings under the guise of a chess game with the peerage pieces replacing the normal chess pieces. Pawns are able to promote in the enemy base, castling is an option, and when a king retires, the match is over."

"Retires?"

"Oh, sorry. The referees won't let you die and they'll teleport you out once you're unconscious, about to die or give up. You can't return back, obviously."

I nodded.

"That's the basic rundown. There's a lot of history behind it and other rules that I'd like you to know, just in case. Any other questions?"

"Nope."

"Good. How much time do we have, I wonder?"

Rias looked at the clock behind me and smiled.

"Oh, perfect! Just enough time for an episode of anime! Come on, John!"

Fuckin' weebs, man.

1:30 AM, Thursday

Note to self: when Rias says one episode of anime she means enough to get me emotionally invested in the story and addicted to the series. It was a big mistake starting Shokugeki with her, but do I regret it?

Absolutely not. After all, I was still spending time with Rias in her apartment and we were actually enjoying our time together. Just keep this up, I ask her out, we date for a couple of years, then get married, have kids, and live happily in a nuclear family until the ripe old age of...

Hold up.

I turned to my other side in my bed in Rias' guest room, contemplating everything. I might've just royally fucked myself for eternity based on my dick.

This has happened a lot of times before, and I had fallen for the trap. Not the reincarnation part, but the fact that I assumed that Rias is a good person(which she's backed up so far) based on her attractiveness(thanks, hormones!) and that Rias would even consider a relationship with me, a person who she just reincarnated. Maybe she was just being nice to me to get me in her peerage and past this marriage? Nothing I can really do about it now.

And then there's Akeno as well... I'm surprised I haven't seen her since Issei's incident, but she has been acting a bit differently towards me than the usual teasing. It seems more serious and an actual person than whatever that mask is that she puts up all the time, but I'm assuming that's what happens when someone actually becomes her friend. I'll leave it at that for the sake of my own mental state. Thinking too much about these things isn't good for my mental health, but it's only natural.

ORC Clubroom

11:30 AM, Thursday

Today has been quite uneventful so far, besides the introduction of myself to the rest of the peerage before school started, but there were really only two people: Koneko and Kiba. My first impression of them was that Koneko seemed extremely reserved and Kiba gave off the vibe was someone I want to make friends with. Just seemed like a cool guy. I didn't get to see much of either of them before school started, but it was nice to see the rest of the team I'd be working with.

Issei was still out for the count at home. He'd be back in a day or so, but recovering that much energy for a human took a long time. Still weird to talk about humans as if I'm not one.

Anyways, I've been reading the rating games rules and I'm thirty pages in. It's all been a super boring introduction and to add to that, reading these runes is exhausting. Rias said I'd get used to it, but it's a grind until then.

Speaking of Rias, she's been quietly working at her desk as I've been laid out on one of the two ornate couches that are in the main clubroom. She's grown increasingly agitated as time has gone on, but I have no idea why.

I found out the reason soon enough when she suddenly spoke.

"John, I have a meeting regarding the engagement in a bit, and since Akeno is at school, I'm able to take you in her place. Do you want to come?"

I marked my place

"Yeah, I'll go. Do I need to dress formally or anything?"

She looked relieved as I answered.

"No, we always attend everything in our school uniforms anyways. A couple of things: don't speak unless you're spoken to, don't punch anything, and try to keep your demeanor as neutral as possible. You don't have to look joyful by any means, but don't kill anyone with your facial expression."

I nodded as she stood up, heading over to a large space in the corner.

"Stand next to me and we'll get going shortly."

After putting on my shoes, I stood next to her as she moved some magic circles around. Once she was done, she looked nervously at me. I smiled at her.

"It'll be ok Rias. We'll talk about it after, it'll be fine."

"I sure hope so."

The next thing I knew, I was being enveloped in a crimson light.

Author's Note:

Please follow, favorite, or leave a review!

I'd just like to take the time to respond publicly to this guest review(long review and rant ahead):

I seriously did NOT want the protagonist to be, under rias.

Firstly,

Will he get the issei harem quartet of, Rias, Akeno, Xenovia & Koneko

as his harem girl's, like 96% of highschool DxD stories already go through with or,

Will he get a different set?

Secondly.

I was kind of hoping you WOULDN'T go with the safe-zone("saved" by rias)

I suppose its too late now.

Thirdly,

The safe-zone's, in Highschool DxD, are as follows,

1. Being "saved" by rias.

2. Willingly being reincarnated by rias, or sona.

3. Getting either peerage's, or both, for all the girl's, as a harem for the original character.

Side note,

Asia Argento, Ravel PHENEX(yes that IS the english translation) and Rossweisse,

are NOT infact counted as harem material, by practically everyone, Asia & Rossweisse,

are mitigated to being side character's, in almost ALL, Original character or self-insert, based stories.

Ravel included, mainly in her case, that she is the,

Red Dragon Emperor, merchandise, general manager.

I would've liked that one, or all, of them, would be chosen instead of the other four,

for the original character.

Those three just do not, get enough "love" either from issei the character,

an original character, or even a self-insert.

All of your points are correct, and I agree with you with everything. Honestly, this has been the best guest review I've seen on this site and actually makes me think about what I'm writing. I'm planning on John having 2-3 girls max, and only two of those are on that list(should be pretty obvious which ones). I don't like this harem BS where Issei or the OC or whoever has 10+ girls that are just on his dick and promptly ignored, so I want to have different pairings than the usual "oh there's a girl available? Put her in a harem." because that really isn't how people work. Even if harems are viewed as normal within devil society, those coming from outside of it should have a bit of a problem with it, shouldn't they?

As for your safe-zones, I agree as well. I could've taken this story a different direction that would've been more original and maybe better, but there's advantages and disadvantages for each approach. For this story, I wanted to go with the familiarity of making characters that I know and work with putting an OC in already existing characters as opposed to making something around the OC. This is probably due to me getting comfortable as an author again from the beginning and I wanted to execute a set vision I had for a story. If I was to write this story again now, I'd most likely go with a different direction. My story called Catastrophe Dragon is basically all original which I may revive later when I have more time(next Spring most likely).

Back to my first point. I will do my best to make sure that if there's a relationship, it'll be one where the girl gets the proper attention or it's implied that she is. Like in my eyes, Issei doesn't deserve Koneko for example. I'm most likely not going to have a chapter highlighting a relationship of two side characters because at the end of the day, the main character is John.

I've also noticed that you basically review the same thing on any other fic with an OC with some personalization to the individual story, but the majority of OC fics are going to appeal to some fucked up version of reality where the want the protagonist to just bulldoze everything and have a massive harem in the process. And to add onto that, having literally the same gamer SG copy pasted from a trend that was started close to two years ago. "ThE mC iS dIfFeReNt" but I digress.

Sorry for the rant. Next chapter will most likely come out sometime later this week or on the weekend and we'll get into Riser!