Riser Phenex, The Supreme Overlord

Watching everything fade before his eyes had certainly never been a great experience for Riser Phenex.

He drowned himself in the sorrow of his wine, the bitter liquid burning his throat as he watched the world turn its back on him.

Whether they failed to notice or simply pretended not to care, he knew better—his life would never be what it once was.

Before that fateful incident, before the Red Dragon Emperor dared to throw holy water at him during his wedding to Rias, everything had been perfect.

It was supposed to be his crowning moment, the day he cemented his place in the Underworld's elite.

Then, in a single, humiliating moment, it all fell apart.

He had lost the respect he once had in the Underworld.

He bore the shameful reputation of a noble whose fiancée had been snatched away by someone who, by all standards, was a glorified servant in the hierarchy of nobility.

The scandal made him a laughingstock, his name mocked at noble dining tables.

His hard-won reputation—built on countless victories in the Rating Games—disintegrated in a single night.

He could only watch helplessly as everything he had worked for was reduced to ashes.

But the humiliation didn't stop there.

His own family grew distant. His once-adoring younger sister, Ravel, no longer looked up to him.

She had shifted her admiration—and her affections—toward Hyoudou Issei, the very man who had ruined his wedding with Rias.

Somehow, that wretched upstart had walked away unscathed, gaining Ravel's admiration and love in the process.

Still, don't misunderstand. Riser and Ravel remained close, at least on the surface. But there was now a wall between their hearts, one they hadn't even realized was there.

Ravel's world no longer revolved around him. It revolved around Issei—the very man who had humiliated him in front of everyone.

Did this feeling hurt?

Riser wasn't sure. Or perhaps he refused to acknowledge it. He never voiced his pain, not to others, and certainly not to himself.

He had always been outspoken when it came to flaunting his arrogance, shamelessly reveling in his image as a jerk.

But his weakness? That was something he would never allow anyone to see—not even his own reflection.

As he drank himself further into damnation, Yubelluna, his Queen, stepped forward, her expression laced with concern.

"Lord Riser, are you all right? If you don't mind, I can help ease your pain," she murmured softly.

She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close in a gesture meant to comfort, though the embrace was far from innocent.

Her choice of dress left little to the imagination, and her scent carried a seductive promise that was impossible to miss.

She was his peerage member, his Queen—a dutiful servant bound to him by loyalty and chess piece.

And yet, the irony was bitter: the one offering him solace was not his family, not his beloved sister, but a member of his peerage.

In the past, the Riser Phenex of old would have eagerly taken her up on her suggestion.

He would have fucked her senseless, leaving her trembling and unable to walk.

But now?

Now he felt nothing.

Nothing but the hollow numbness of a man who had lost everything.

He replied with a tired tone, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Not now, Yubelluna. I'm afraid you're misunderstanding something. I just want to have a drink. Do you really think that being beaten by a puny human, one who relied on dirty tricks and underhanded methods to defeat me, would make me lose my composure? Did you mistake me being drunk for being sad?"

Yubelluna smirked knowingly, as if she had finally unraveled the mystery in her mind.

"Yes, how could Lord Riser be defeated by a mere human? We are all looking forward to your triumphant comeback, Lord Riser." She fanned him gently, a gesture that, in the past, might have inflated his ego and restored his usual self-assured demeanor.

But now?

He cared far less for such hollow gestures.

Ignoring her attempt to boost his spirits, he continued gulping down his wine, his sorrow becoming more evident with every sip.

Even his own queen didn't truly understand him.

Perhaps this was karma...

Yes, he had always treated every member of his peerage as his precious possessions, valuing them far more than most nobles in the underworld ever would.

But was his mindset ever correct to begin with?

No.

The truth was as ugly as the pit in his stomach. His actions were driven by perversion and conquest.

He had included them in his harem not out of genuine affection but because they were useful, powerful, and above all, beautiful.

When the very foundation of his intentions was impure, how could he ever expect any of them to harbor pure feelings for him in return?

They might worship him, see him as their god and savior, a figure to admire and serve, but they would never truly understand his heart.

They would never truly love him.

What they saw was the surface—his wealth, his power, his status—not the man behind it all, not who he was as a person or an individual.

The irony of contemplating such profound philosophical questions about love and life was not lost on him.

After all, he was the same man who had treated everyone like tools, a jerk to almost everyone he encountered.

Once again, he gulped down his wine, feeling the haze of drunkenness overtaking him.

As he spoke in a low voice, just loud enough for her to hear, he said, "Leave me here, Yubelluna. Go back and tell them I'm fine. Tell them I wanted to have fun with someone outside. You know I don't like anyone ruining my fun."

Yubelluna nodded, but not before leaning in to kiss him.

Her lips lingered on his far longer than necessary, the kiss heavy with a mix of unspoken desire and farewell.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and eased herself onto his lap, grinding her rear against him in a slow, deliberate motion.

Yet, her efforts were met with a cold, displeased expression.

Reluctantly, she pulled back, her lips parting from his, her hands slipping away as she stood.

She gazed at him one last time with a hint of disappointment before speaking. "Take care, Lord Riser. And have fun."

With that, she left him alone, her heels clicking faintly against the floor as she disappeared into the distance.

Riser remained where he was, drowning himself in drink, his vision blurring as he swayed unsteadily.

Finally, he stood, his legs shaky, his balance precarious.

"Yeah… let's go to the human world," he slurred to himself. "Maybe I'll find some fun there."

However, before he could take another step, his head spun violently.

His vision blurred into a chaotic haze as the room tilted and swirled around him. His legs faltered, and his steps became unsteady, his hands fumbling to grab onto tables, walls, or anything that might help him stay upright.

But nothing worked.

Instead, the spinning sensation intensified, pulling him deeper into a drunken stupor.

Moments later, he heard a voice—ancient and resonant—echoing within his mind.

[Do you wish to start the simulation life, Riser Phenex?]

He gave no answer, his consciousness slipping away as his body crumpled to the floor.

Riser Phenex lay there, unconscious, drunk, and defeated, his world fading into black.