Seeing Ravel lose her fighting spirit, Grayfia loudly announced:
"Battle over! Lord Akuto is the victor!"
What? Ravel hadn't even tapped into the overwhelming regenerative power of the Phoenix clan—if she kept going, wouldn't she still have a chance?
It was one thing for Rias to ask such a question.
But for Grayfia, a peak powerhouse above even Maou-class, her judgment was far sharper than that of Rias and the others.
On one hand, Akuto's bloodline purity far surpassed Ravel's. In battle, his Leviathan's Water completely suppressed her Phoenix's Flames.
On the other hand, Grayfia knew some of the records about the Boosted Gear. Right now, Akuto was still far from the true limit of its amplification.
So, continuing the fight had no meaning.
"Eh?"
Only when Grayfia made her declaration did Ravel finally realize she had lost.
"Hm… Ravel, your hair is really nice. Is it natural, or do you use some special shampoo or conditioner?" Akuto asked casually as he toyed with her silky strands.
"W-Wait… Lord Akuto… wh-what are you doing?"
"Please… don't… anymore…"
Ravel's once-proud, tsundere gaze gradually softened. Her clear blue eyes grew misty.
What was happening? Why did being played with like this… actually feel kind of nice?
No! This was far too unladylike! She couldn't allow it to continue!
"Boom!"
In her embarrassment, Phoenix flames surged to wrap her body once more.
When the flames vanished, Ravel had already retreated a good ten meters away.
"Lord Akuto! How could you treat a lady with such disrespect?!"
"If it weren't for the fact that you said you liked me, if it weren't for you just returning to the Underworld and not yet being familiar with its etiquette, I would never forgive you!"
[Eh? So you've already forgiven him then?]
Rias blinked, utterly surprised. The haughty "turkey girl" in her memory… was actually a tsundere, all bark and soft heart inside.
By Underworld custom, Ravel could even have her older brother stand up for her and challenge Akuto to a duel!
Yes, Akuto could defeat mid-class demon-level Ravel. But against her brother, Riser—an upper-class demon—his chances were slim.
[Wait!]
At that thought, Rias suddenly had a flash of astonishing wisdom.
[If Akuto can already suppress mid-class Ravel now… then when he grows stronger, won't he easily be able to defeat upper-class Riser?]
Riser Phenex—Ravel's older brother, and Rias's fiancé.
Of course, Rias herself never wanted that fiancé. His looks didn't fit her taste, and his personality was arrogant and grating. She had long been seeking to annul their engagement.
"Lady Ravel, it is truly my honor to receive your forgiveness."
With Akuto's wits, he naturally caught on to the meaning in her words.
Still, his hand subconsciously lingered, recalling the bounce of her twin-tails.
Ravel noticed immediately. Seeing him savoring the touch nearly made her erupt like a steaming kettle.
"A-Anyway! Something like that must only be done with a lady's permission first!" she declared, hands on hips, cheeks flushed.
"But didn't you say I could touch if I beat you?" Akuto asked back.
"I… I meant next time!"
The words had barely left her lips before her Phoenix wings flared. With flames propelling her, she shot off at lightning speed.
"Next time, Lord Akuto mustn't touch my hair so casually! You must ask me first and get my approval!"
From far away, her voice rang out, face still crimson.
[Wait… so there will be a next time?]
Rias and Sona both deadpanned in unison.
Not just them—even Akuto himself was struck by Ravel's textbook tsundere performance.
[Ravel really is cute… this ojou-sama tsundere act is too perfect.]
[From her reaction, it's clear her initial favorability toward me isn't low. Could my succubus bloodline be influencing her?]
[Or maybe… she simply likes being treated roughly?]
Akuto recalled—before Ravel liked Issei in the original story, she had been intimidated by him several times.
[So it's true… the desire to be conquered by strong men—it's etched into a woman's genetic code.]
Males seek to spread their seed as widely as possible. Females seek the strongest mates to bear their children. This is… nature's truth, even more in this world where strenght is everything.
...
Half an hour later.
Grayfia had finished handling Akuto's reinstatement in the Underworld.
Before leaving, she handed him a heavy, ancient tome.
"Lord Akuto, this is the Book of Leviathan, seized by Lord Sirzechs from the former Leviathan clan's treasury."
"It records the training methods of pure-blood Leviathans, as well as countless clan arts. Please study it well."
"From now on… you shall be the most rightful heir of Leviathan." Grayfia's tone was firm.
"Yes, I understand. I will study it diligently."
Akuto accepted it solemnly.
He understood well what "most rightful" implied.
For him to be the "most rightful" meant the former holders of that title were now… illegitimate.
If the Old Maou Faction's Leviathan learned that the current Maou acknowledged Akuto as the true Leviathan heir… they would surely act against him.
Undoubtedly, he was now a thorn in the side of the Old Maou Faction, especially Leviathan's line.
And this was all the Reformist Maou's doing.
They must have intended to use him as bait—to draw out the Old Maou loyalists.
[If I don't want to die in the coming assassinations, I must grow stronger quickly.]
Akuto clenched his resolve.
Grayfia gave him a deep look, then excused herself and departed.
As soon as she was gone, Sona turned to Akuto, her tone more serious than ever.
"Akuto-kun, three days from now, could I trouble you to come here again?"
"Three days? What for, Sona?" Akuto raised a brow. What business could she have with him?
"Yes. I have something very important to discuss with you. Please come to the Student Council Room after school three days from now."
Her eyes were filled with apology.
She knew all too well that Akuto would soon be embroiled in danger.
Though she didn't wish to involve him, as a pure-blood devil of the Underworld, she had neither the right nor the position to refuse her role.
"… …"
Meeting her regretful gaze, Akuto suddenly understood.
With his status as pure-blood Leviathan, the only matter Sona could want to discuss was that.
"All right. I understand. I'll be there."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Akuto felt something soft wrap around his arm.
It was Rias, who had taken the initiative to cling to him.
Looking at his arm buried between Rias's overwhelming curves, Akuto froze.
Sure enough, anime and reality were worlds apart. Seeing them was one thing—touching them was another entirely. Damn… even in a world filled with bombshells, this was a masterpiece of its own!
Akuto admitted, he was shaken.
But shock aside, his brain kept working.
He quickly pieced together the reason Rias was acting this way. With a sly flex of his arm, he made her chest sway.
Just as he expected, Rias didn't dare resist. Instead, with a stiff smile, she looked toward Sona.
"Sona, I'm going to borrow Akuto-kun for a while, surely you don't mind?"
"I'm not his guardian. Of course I have no objections. Take him if you want," Sona replied, already walking back to her desk, pretending to work.
"That's good! Then, Akuto-kun, could you come with me to the old school building?"
Rias clasped her hands together, guiding his hand from her chest into her grasp.
Holding a guy's arm between her breasts while making a request like this—this was cheating. Even Ultraman wouldn't be able to withstand it!
(End of Chapter)
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