[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host, on completing the hidden achievement — Subdue Europe's Strongest Holy Knight, Saint Raphael.]
[Congratulations, Host. Reward obtained: Holy Son's Words of Power (Gold).]
[Holy Son's Words of Power: An effect similar to the "Eastern War God Veleslana's" Authority [Boy]. It can bestow strength amplification and Authority-type blessings upon members of your own faction.]
[The more devout the recipient, and the more unwavering their conviction, the more blessings they will receive.]
[Note: Aside from the Words of Power provided by the System itself, it can also be compatible with Words of Power from other worlds.]
It had to be said: Saint Raphael's willpower was remarkably steadfast. Even though she had already confirmed Akuto's true identity, and even though Akuto had already confessed to her many times, it was only now—when her body and mind had completely fallen, and her eyes were filled with pink, heart-shaped pupils—that she barely met the "capture" standard on her side.
In other words, the truth was exactly as Saint Raphael had said: she really did not care much about whether she had a partner or not. She was willing to be intimate with Akuto only because he was the only man who had ever made her feel her heart flutter.
To that, Akuto could only say—unlocking the succubus bloodline first had been the correct decision. Otherwise, at minimum, it would have taken several days, or even several months, before Saint Raphael could have "broken through" to the point of true enlightenment.
"Thud~."
With a soft sound, even though Saint Raphael had been tempered by training, she still collapsed weakly. The "full slab" of abdominal definition that had appeared on her lower stomach gradually receded, returning to the faintly visible six-pack she normally had.
Watching Saint Raphael fall, and watching that full slab of definition on her lower abdomen disperse at high speed, Arianna instantly felt a crushing sense of pressure.
And if she had not seen it wrong, there seemed to be three crests tattooed on Saint Raphael's lower abdomen as well.
Judging from their shapes, they appeared to represent three creatures: a "white horse," a "goat," and a "camel."
[Does Akuto-sama… have a habit of engraving crests onto girls? Ah… I've read in books that powerful beings have a habit of marking their territory. Does that mean… Akuto-sama has marked Saint Raphael-sama as his territory?]
[If Saint Raphael-sama is "white horse," "goat," and "camel," then… what crest would Akuto-sama engrave on me?]
[A rabbit, a cow, a kitty, a puppy… or maybe…]
After thinking for quite a while, Arianna finally realized something was off.
[N-No, wait. Why am I suddenly thinking things like that?]
…
"Akuto-sama, is your trip… to subdue the two Heretic Gods that have appeared on Sardinia?" Arianna asked softly, exhaling a long breath and lowering her head, her face red.
The reason she was blushing was that, after Saint Raphael collapsed, Akuto had put his hand back onto her exquisite feet, which were wrapped in purple stockings.
More than that, what made her feel even more embarrassed was that she actually wanted Akuto to keep touching her—she even had the thought of having him expand the contact further.
On Akuto's side, after noticing Arianna's reaction, he silently followed her feelings. From the hand that had been resting on her feet, he separated one and placed it on her calf.
After his succubus bloodline advanced to Gold, Akuto could already read a woman's emotions through physical contact… and could even influence those emotions.
Akuto could not fully understand every single thought in Arianna's heart, but he could clearly grasp one thing: she wanted him to continue.
Of course, if he directly injected his divine power into Arianna's body, or gave her a "piece," he could also hear her inner thoughts whenever he wanted.
In this way, Akuto spoke while admiring Arianna's shy, adorable expression, while savoring the distinctive feel of her purple stockings:
"Arianna, you're calling me that… which means you already know about it?"
"Yes. I already know." Arianna nodded firmly. "Akuto-sama, your current state isn't 'a god possessing you.' From the very beginning… you have always been you."
She did not have as many complicated thoughts as Erica. After hearing Saint Raphael's "rumor," she believed Saint Raphael's explanation quite easily.
"That's right. From start to finish, I've always been myself. I've never been possessed by any god." Akuto admitted directly.
"Fu… so that's how it is…" Arianna nodded, half-understanding.
Even with her level as an apprentice magus, she could sense that there was no Heretic aura on Akuto's body.
"Since that's the case, why did you come to Italy, Akuto-sama?"
"Is it really… to subdue the gods on Sardinia?"
"Erica-sama told me that the Boy War God hasn't returned to his complete state yet. Akuto-sama, do you have a way to subdue a war god who has recovered his complete form?"
Although she now understood that Akuto was not a Heretic God, Arianna still had doubts about whether he could defeat a god at all.
"Mm. I'm confident I can defeat him." Akuto replied. "But before I face a god, I need to accumulate more power. That's why I want Saint Raphael and you to help me."
"Eh?" Arianna froze. "Akuto-sama… you mean… Saint Raphael-sama and I can help you become stronger?"
This was the first time she had ever heard such a statement.
"That's right. It may be hard to believe, but you can indeed help me become stronger."
"As for the reason behind it… if you want to know the whole truth, Arianna…"
As he spoke, Akuto took advantage of the moment Arianna was distracted and suddenly pulled her into his arms—then once again claimed the soft lips he had kissed for half an hour.
"Mm…?"
Arianna did not even have time to react before her first kiss was taken.
Yes—her "first kiss," in the subjective sense.
Although Arianna did not feel there was anything to complain about, if her first kiss was with Akuto… wasn't this a little too fast, and too sudden?
Instinctively, Arianna wanted to say something, but that reflexive act of parting her lips allowed Akuto to slip in.
And in that instant, as her contact with him grew more intimate, Arianna forgot what she had meant to say. She threw herself wholeheartedly into the deep kiss.
Several minutes later, it was Akuto who pulled away first.
There was no helping it—Arianna's willpower was far weaker than Saint Raphael's. If this continued, things would immediately cross the line.
To make sure Arianna's affection met the standard, Akuto decided to proceed with "healing" first.
A purely physical approach could also work, but only if Akuto had time.
If he had several days, or even ten days, of free time right now, he would not have minded using time the way he had with Asia before—slowly grinding affection up to the qualified threshold.
"Ha… haa… ha…"
After exhaling several sweet, scented breaths, Arianna finally realized what had just happened… and realized how proactive she herself had been.
At first, it had indeed been Akuto who initiated it, but in less than ten seconds, the situation completely reversed—becoming a state where her "seizing" of Akuto was far greater than Akuto's "seizing" of her.
After steadying herself for quite a while, Arianna finally looked at Akuto with a complicated gaze.
"I see… You only 'awakened your destined mission' recently… becoming a Holy Son who walks the world…"
She said this because through that deep kiss just now, Arianna had already learned what she needed to know.
Fate…
At the thought that what Akuto intended to oppose was something like that, Arianna felt her "chuunibyou soul" ignite.
Come to think of it, her age really was the age when people would normally be in their second year of university. If it were not for becoming a maid of the Copper Black Cross and an apprentice magus, she would have been studying at a university campus right now.
…
Through Akuto's memory transmission, Arianna learned about his experiences.
From childhood, he trained hard and refined himself relentlessly.
And yet, even so, when faced with certain situations, he still could not help but feel powerless.
It was only after awakening his true memories that he understood: back then, whether he intervened or not, those shrine maidens would still be guided by fate toward death.
Only the him who had awakened his memories—only the him who now possessed the ability to break fate—could truly oppose destiny.
And so, now, only one question remained in Arianna's heart.
"Then… why did you choose me, Akuto-sama?" Arianna asked, her voice trembling slightly. "Why not choose Erica-sama?"
Arianna knew what Akuto intended to do with her, but she did not understand his reason.
In her view, whether in strength or charm, she should not compare to Saint Raphael and Erica. Why had Akuto not brought Erica over from the next room when Erica was right there, instead of bringing her?
"Why…"
"On one hand, it's because Erica's personality is rather proud." Akuto said. "Even if she agreed to it reluctantly, she would inevitably hold some resentment."
"And if there is even a trace of resentment in her heart, she cannot become the strongest support."
"That's why I approached Saint Raphael and you." Akuto told her honestly.
Through that deep kiss just now, he had also told Arianna the truth: he could become stronger through intimacy with girls.
Hearing Akuto's explanation, Arianna gave a slightly helpless smile.
"Akuto-sama, do you know? If you put it that way, it's the same as saying I'm much easier to handle than Erica-sama."
"Yes." Akuto nodded. "You can understand it that way."
"But you can also understand it from another angle." Akuto continued. "That is, Arianna, your personality is much gentler than Erica's. Much more emotionally driven."
Hearing that, the helplessness in Arianna's eyes deepened—yet a faint trace of comfort rose within her.
No matter what, at least Akuto was not lying to her.
"Akuto-sama, you really are an honest person…"
"Alright." Arianna took a breath, then nodded. "I'm willing to become Akuto-sama's support… and I'm also willing to believe that Akuto-sama truly likes me."
Arianna felt that being liked by Akuto was not a bad thing.
After all, having grown up at Erica's side since childhood, she had never really dared to hope that anyone would place her above Erica.
To receive an answer like this, she was already satisfied.
Sitting astride Akuto's waist, Arianna lifted her maid skirt with slow, deliberate motion.
"Akuto-sama, Arianna Hiyama Ariaruru hereby swears: I am willing to become your maid, and to provide every help within my power for your journey walking the world."
As she said this, Arianna leaned close—close enough that both of them clearly understood what that oath implied.
From there, the rest was no longer something that needed to be spoken aloud.
(End of Chapter)
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