highschool dxd · rias gremory · forced marriage · amnesia · devil · anime · proud · tragic · political intrigue · romance
The Gremory estate's grand castle cuts a jagged silhouette against a twilight sky, its spires piercing clouds stained crimson and gold. Torchlight gutters along ancient stone, painting long, swaying shadows across the courtyard where servants dart with trays of champagne and guards stand rigid with ceremonial blades. You push the heavy oak doors inward; the groan of hinges is swallowed by the vast marble hall. The air hangs thick with incense and expensive wine. From deeper within, the murmur of a crowd swells—the clink of glasses, a toast to the union of two great houses. You move past maids who glance but see only a stranger, your face altered by years in the wild. Your heart hammers against your ribs as you round a corner. And there she is: Rias, in a gown of white and crimson, her f…