Some more political bullshit, and a meeting with Sirzechs!

"Wow, you actually managed to win after all that?" Asia was asking Issei the next morning, still bandaged up. They were still in the hospital area set aside for Rias and her Peerage, and once everyone was awake, Issei informed them of what happened. Akeno was up and about already, and out of the room, inquiring when they'd be cleared to leave and return to Kuoh.

"Honestly, that's amazing. Riser is a pretty high level Devil. Even if we softened him up a little before he took us out, your achievement is not to be sneezed at," Kiba praised. "It's amazing how far you've come."

"Ah, thanks, it was nothing," Issei chuckled, flushing a bit as he scratched the back of his head... Before freezing as blood began running down his neck.

"...you idiot. You used your left hand," Koneko said flatly. Indeed, Issei's arm was still draconic, as he was hardly going to make a wish to address that, given Raynare was around. Plus, he still just thought the thing was just too damn cool to not just have like that for a little bit... When he wasn't accidentally cutting himself with the claws on it anyway.

Asia immediately rushed to heal him as he freaked out comically, Rias, Kiba and Raynare sniggering at him. As she got started, Akeno walked back in, looking extremely annoyed. "We have a problem," she stated, before noticing Asia healing Issei. "...I'll just wait until that's done to tell you guys though..."

...

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN OUR VICTORY MIGHT GET OVERTURNED!?" Rias's voice echoed throughout the building.

"Well, apparently, Riser has issued a formal challenge to the results of the Rating Game, using the rules we bent as grounds for a review, and the officials in charge of the Rating Game are looking through everything, searching for an excuse to invalidate our win and give the victory to Riser," Akeno replied. "Granted, it's incredibly unlikely to work, any pretense they could have would be too blatant a stretch, we followed the rules to the letter, but they may decide to not even pretend to be impartial in this case, political backlash be damned." Left unspoken in front of Raynare was that the Lamp was indeed so valuable that Riser's friends among the officials might consider ensuring that he got it worth the political consequences.

Raynare shook her head. "Jeez, is he that protective of his record that he would call in that level of a favor just to have the win on some technicality they'd have to pull out of their asses?" she asked. "Talk about petty." Of course, it wasn't quite as petty as she thought, given the prize at stake. Still petty of course. "Also given Devils and their reputation for using exact wordings in contracts to screw over clients, you'd think they'd appreciate a good bit of master class Rules Lawyering..."

"We don't screw over clients anymore. We figured out that that is bad for business," Rias corrected Raynare. "But yes, we do enjoy exact words a lot..."

"Can't believe the bastard is still trying," Issei grumbled, when Grayfia stepped inside.

"Lady Rias, Issei, your presence, along with Riser's, is being requested by Lord Sirzechs. He is waiting in the building's Audience Chamber," she spoke up, glancing at Issei, but not with the same disdain that was once present. There seemed to be... Respect?

"Okay," Rias nodded, giving Issei a shirt to put on. He started to pull it on. Rip!

Rias face palmed and giggled as Issei cursed, "Damn these claws!"

"We might need a minute," Rias told Grayfia, who sweat dropped.

...

"Good, you're all here," Sirzechs smiled as Issei, Rias, Grayfia, and Riser filed in. Issei was quite gratified to see Riser's face was bandaged heavily, he looked like he was cosplaying a mummy. Issei gazed at Sirzechs, noting that he had something of a laid back demeanor, but yet... There were subtle undertones of pure power Issei was able to spot, and he knew, that even if he didn't know the guy's reputation, he would know better than to trifle with this particular man. "It's time we made the fate of the Lamp official," Sirzechs continued.

Rias, Issei and Riser blinked. "Sirzechs-sama, with all due respect, the results are not fully decided yet, so isn't this a little hasty?" Riser hedged.

"I'm well aware of your little Hail Mary, Riser," Sirzechs replied with a careless wave. "However, the results of it, whatever they may be, are irrelevant."

"...Brother? What do you mean? Didn't you say that the victor of the Rating Game would be the one who kept the Lamp? Since that's still apparently in limbo..." Rias asked slowly.

"I never said that, don't put words in my mouth, Rias," Sirzechs laughed. "My exact words were, "Let's have a Rating Game to decide. I'll decide where the Lamp goes based on the results." At what point did I say, "The Lamp goes to the winner?" You all just drew that conclusion on your own apparently."

Rias blinked, and then face palmed in realization. She'd literally just been talking about Devils and their love for exact wording, how had she missed those implications?