Genichi lay on the tatami, his limbs weak, as if every bone had been pulled out of his body.
His body had gone soft and useless. Even lifting a finger felt difficult.
But strangely enough, his mind was perfectly clear. Clear enough to see every flicker of moonlight across Akeno's hair. Clear enough to smell the faint fragrance on her body.
Even stranger, his body still reacted in ways he could not control.
His heart raced. His temperature rose. Blood rushed through his veins.
Genichi closed his eyes, then opened them again.
He could not understand it.
Whatever Akeno Himejima had given him had taken away his strength, yet somehow preserved all his senses and bodily reactions.
It made no sense.
By normal logic, a drug that robbed someone of mobility should leave them limp, drowsy, and unresponsive.
So why did it feel as if all the strength that should have been in his limbs had been forced somewhere else?
He lowered his gaze.
His clothes had been loosened. Several buttons lay scattered nearby.
Warm traces still lingered on his chest from where Akeno had touched him. Lower down, his belt had been undone, and there were signs that things had already gone far beyond a harmless prank.
Genichi drew in a deep breath, then slowly let it out.
He still could not understand.
"Are you insane?"
He lifted his head and looked at Akeno Himejima, who was still above him.
His voice was hoarse, carrying a trace of helplessness and a confusion he himself had not noticed.
Akeno lowered her gaze to him. The expression on her face was one he had never seen before.
It was not her usual gentle smile, nor the dangerous look she wore in battle. It was satisfaction, deep and languid, like a cat after a full meal.
A faint blush colored her cheeks. Her lips looked fuller than usual, her eyes half-lidded, her lashes casting shallow shadows beneath the moonlight.
Her hair was somewhat disheveled, several strands sticking to her cheeks, damp with sweat. Her shrine maiden robe had slipped down to her waist, revealing pale shoulders and collarbones marked with faint red traces.
The two pairs of wings behind her were fully spread, their black feathers trembling softly in the moonlight, as if savoring the aftertaste of something.
"Insane?"
She tilted her head, the movement carrying a girlish charm.
"Maybe."
Genichi looked at her and understood even less.
What exactly was this upperclassman after?
How long had they even known each other?
From the moment he had reincarnated as one of Rias's peerage members until now, only a few days had passed at most.
He did not think he had much of a relationship with Akeno. Aside from the occasional club activity, that sparring match, and the way she had recently begun appearing around him from time to time, there was nothing special between them.
She had no reason to do this.
He did not remember reincarnating as an incubus.
"Akeno."
He was about to say something when a burst of red light suddenly exploded through the room.
The light was so blinding that Genichi had to shut his eyes.
A thick wave of demonic power filled the air, carrying an aura he knew very well.
Rias's power.
Strong and blazing, yet at this moment, filled with barely suppressed anger.
Genichi opened his eyes.
Rias stood in the center of the room, her red hair floating in the surge of demonic power. Flames of fury burned in her emerald eyes.
She wore a nightgown. Her hair was still a little messy, and she had not even put on shoes. Clearly, the moment she sensed something, she had teleported over directly.
Her chest rose and fell sharply, her breathing quick.
Her eyes first landed on Genichi.
He was lying on the tatami, his clothes open, his belt loose, his limbs weak and useless.
Then her gaze moved to Akeno.
Akeno was above him, her shrine maiden robe slipping loose, exposing too much skin. A lingering flush still remained on her face.
Rias's expression went dark.
"Akeno."
Her voice was low and dangerous, as if she were desperately suppressing something.
It was the first time Genichi had ever heard her speak in that tone.
It was not merely anger.
It was rage.
The kind of rage that came after being betrayed by someone she trusted most, while still trying to preserve the barest thread of dignity.
"Do you not intend to give me an explanation for this?"
Akeno looked at Rias without panic or guilt.
She simply moved away from Genichi at a measured pace, fixed her disheveled hair, and pulled her slipped shrine maiden robe back over her shoulders.
Her movements were so composed that it seemed as if she had only done the most ordinary thing in the world.
"Rias."
Her voice was calm.
"You're angry."
Rias clenched her fists.
Genichi could see her nails digging into her palms. He could see her lips whitening from how tightly she pressed them together.
"Do you think I shouldn't be?"
Akeno did not answer.
She rose and walked up to Rias, lifting her head to look at her.
The two women stared at each other like that—one furious, one calm.
Moonlight spilled in through the window, stretching both of their shadows long across the floor.
"Akeno."
Rias forced the name out through clenched teeth.
"You know what Genichi means to me. You know how much I value him. How could you—"
"I know."
Akeno cut her off.
"That's exactly why I did it."
Rias froze.
Akeno looked at her, a light in her eyes that Genichi could not understand.
"Rias, what do you think I did this for? For myself?"
Rias said nothing.
Akeno sighed. That sigh carried helplessness, fondness, and a trace of grievance Genichi could not quite decipher.
"I did it to help you keep Genichi."
Rias's expression stiffened.
Akeno looked at her, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. Her smile carried pride, slyness, and an almost natural confidence that said Rias ought to be thanking her.
"Otherwise, Sona might have stolen Genichi away from you."
The atmosphere in the room changed at once.
Rias was still angry, but now that anger carried a trace of confusion.
She looked at Akeno and frowned.
"Sona?"
"Yes."
Akeno nodded.
"President Sona has taken an interest in Genichi and wants to lure him away from you. Before this, she had Tsubaki Shinra speak with him because she wanted to win him over. Although Genichi refused, do you really think Sona is the kind of person who gives up easily?"
Rias's expression grew even worse.
She turned to Genichi.
Genichi lay on the tatami and blinked weakly.
"Is that true?"
Rias's voice was a little dry.
Genichi fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
"President Sona did ask if I wanted to change masters. I refused. Tsubaki Shinra came to me about sparring, not recruitment."
Rias's expression eased slightly, but it was still grim.
She turned back to Akeno.
"So you…"
"Yes."
Akeno admitted it openly.
"So I moved first. That way, no matter how much Sona tries to poach him, she won't be able to. Genichi is mine now. Of course, he's still your peerage member, but Sona can forget about getting her hands on him."
"You still have that engagement tying you down, so there are things you can't do. But I'm different. So, Rias, everything I did was for your sake."
She said it with complete confidence, as if she had accomplished something worthy of praise.
Genichi lay on the tatami, looking at Akeno's expression as she seemed to wait for credit.
Only helplessness remained in his heart.
Rias looked at Akeno and remained silent for a long time.
The atmosphere in the room grew so heavy it felt as if it might drip from the air.
(End of Chapter)
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