Chapter 40 Decision ②
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The mystery of Kuroka’s “Master-Slaying” lingered in the back of Aki’s mind, but he realized with a pang of frustration that he simply couldn’t recall the specifics. This world wasn’t a perfect mirror of the original High School DxD stories he knew, anyway.
Blindly following the script is a fool’s errand,
Aki knew better than to bet his life on meta-knowledge that might be outdated or flat-out wrong. It was only after Himejima Akeno finished her thorough explanation that he finally felt a solid sense of ground beneath his feet.
”Akeno-senpai… I’m willing to become the President’s servant,” Aki said, his voice steady.
After weighing every variable, Aki had decided to accept Rias’s invitation. From where he stood, it was clearly the most advantageous path forward. As for the potential risks or the looming shadow of future crises? As long as his strength eclipsed the threats, they were nothing more than minor hurdles.
”However, I have two conditions,” Aki added, raising two fingers.
Akeno’s face lit up with a visible surge of relief and joy. The little lecher might be a scumbag, she thought, but at least he isn’t a total monster. Sincerity really can be exchanged for sincerity.
”What conditions?” Akeno asked, her violet eyes narrowing into playful crescent moons. “Could it be that you want to do some ‘grown-up things’ with your big sister?”
Aki’s eyes brightened instantly. “Is it too late to say I have three conditions now?” he asked.
Akeno rolled her eyes and gave a playful huff. “Too late,” she replied.
”Well, that’s a real shame,” Aki muttered, though the disappointment on his face vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He straightened his posture, his expression turning business-like. “My requirements are simple. First: I want a guarantee that you won’t interfere in my private life.”
The smile faded from Akeno’s lips, replaced by a look of genuine confusion. “Are the President and I not enough to satisfy you?” she asked.
Aki shook his head firmly. “It’s not a question of quality,” he countered.
While he certainly craved the Talents and the bodies of Rias and the others, Aki knew that total transparency was his best move. If he didn’t draw this line now, his future “hunting” trips outside the peerage would only lead to messy, unpleasant confrontations.
Akeno felt a sharp sting of annoyance in her chest, but she was far more curious about why Aki was so fixated on the number of women in his life. She decided not to pry; everyone had their skeletons in the closet.
”And the second condition?” Akeno asked.
”It’s more of a request than a condition, really,” Aki explained. “I don’t want to use the ‘Pawn’ pieces.”
Since Aki lacked a Longinus, he knew he likely wouldn’t be able to utilize the power of all eight Pawn pieces anyway. Furthermore, the thought of being a Pawn alongside another male servant made his skin crawl.
Deep down, Aki harbored a more ambitious goal—he wanted Rias’s entire peerage to be female. However, he knew he hadn’t earned the right to make such a demand yet. Pushing for it now would only alienate the girls.
”Mmh, I can agree to those two on the President’s behalf,” Akeno said with a nod.
Rias wasn’t the type to micromanage her servants’ bedroom activities anyway. However, Akeno found herself mentally placing a question mark over her future with Aki. A charming scumbag was fun for a distraction, but a lifetime commitment? That would require a lot more thought.
As for the second request, the peerage had already witnessed Aki’s incredible melee Talent. They had intended to give him the remaining Rook piece from the start.
Akeno clapped her hands together with a cheerful pop. “Then it’s settled. I’ll contact the President right now so we can get started on the ritual,” she called out.
Aki gave a casual shrug of his shoulders. As long as Akeno was happy, he was fine with it. Once he made a choice, he wasn’t the type to get cold feet.
Akeno pulled a flyer engraved with an intricate magic circle from her pocket and began to channel her Mana into it. The paper caught fire, burning away to reveal a crimson-and-black magic circle expanding in the air. She closed her eyes, her brow furrowed in concentration as she established a telepathic link with Rias. Aki watched her in silence; she stood perfectly still, her face fixed in a mask of solemn focus.
A moment later, the circle vanished into sparks. Akeno let out a long, soft sigh, her shoulders slumping as the tension left her body.
”Alright,” Akeno whispered. “The President and Koneko will be back as soon as they finish their current job.”
”Good,” Aki said. He stepped closer, his gaze locking onto her small, pink lips. “Akeno-senpai… since I’ve officially agreed to join the peerage, don’t you think it’s time you made good on your promise?”
Akeno blinked, momentarily stunned. Following his gaze, the memories came rushing back.
Back when she and Shinra Tsubaki had first tried to recruit him, the chemistry had been explosive. They had held hands, and she’d even let him touch her breasts, but she had shot down every attempt at a kiss. She had used his desire as a leash, a ultimate reward to ensure he would join the Occult Research Club.
”Ara ara…” Akeno’s lip twitched as she tried to play it off with a nervous giggle. “Aki-kun, whatever do you mean? I don’t remember promising anything like that.”
Aki wasn’t about to let her slide. Actual s*x might be a distant goal, but he wasn’t leaving without at least a partial Talent to show for his efforts.
”Akeno, you aren’t still holding onto your first kiss, are you?” Aki asked, his voice dripping with mock provocation. “Are you just scared? If you are, just say so. I’ll be gentle with you.”
Akeno’s expression wavered. It was her first kiss, but there was no way she could admit that now. If she backed down, her persona as the “mature, teasing big sister” would be shattered forever. Plus, Aki would tease her about it until the end of time.
”Akeno? Akeno?” Aki prodded with a grin. “Cat got your tongue? Or did I just hit the nail on the head?”
Akeno gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with irritation. This little brat, she thought. He just got done telling me he wants a harem, and now he’s trying to corner me…
Seeing her hesitate, Aki turned up the sarcasm. “Hah, I guess the famous Akeno is actually just—”
”Fine! I agree!” Akeno interrupted, cutting him off with a sharp glare. “If you’re going to do it, just get it over with. You wouldn’t want the President or Koneko to see us like this, would you?”
Is it me you’re worried about? Aki thought. No, you’re the one who’s terrified of getting caught.
Having won the exchange, Aki stopped the teasing. He stepped into her personal space and wrapped a firm arm around her slender waist. Before she could react, his hands slipped beneath the hem of her skirt—one anchoring her hip, the other sliding upward.
As his hot palms met her cool, silky skin, Akeno’s legs instinctively pressed together. She shot him a final, huffy glare. She had agreed to a kiss, not a full-body grope.
Aki just smirked, ignoring her look entirely. Akeno gave his arm a sharp pinch in retaliation, but she didn’t push him away. They had played this game before; one more time wouldn’t kill her.
But as one hand ventured deep into her “Jade Valley”¹ and the other firmly cupped her breast, Akeno’s resolve wavered. Her lips parted to tell him to stop, but before she could make a sound, Aki’s warm lips pressed hard against hers.
”Mmph… nnh…” Akeno whimpered.
Aki didn’t hesitate, his tongue forcing its way past her teeth to claim hers. Her soft, slick tongue tried to retreat, but there was nowhere to go. Their breaths mingled in a wet, rhythmic tangle. Her intended protest died in her throat, replaced by a series of desperate, muffled moans.
Sensing her surrender, Aki pulled her down onto the sofa. He began to undo the buttons of her uniform with practiced ease. Her shirt fell open, sliding off her pale shoulders to reveal a purple lace bra that could barely contain her snow-white breasts.
His hands moved lower, and her red pleated skirt slid down her black silk stockings, falling discarded onto the rug.
The center of her matching purple lace panties was already stained with a dark, telling mark.
[Ding! Talent Detected: Lightning]
[Beginning Replication…]
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Summary:
Aki officially decides to join Rias Gremory’s peerage as a Rook rather than a Pawn. He negotiates two conditions: complete freedom in his private (harem) life and a specific chess piece. After the deal is struck, Aki forces Akeno to fulfill a previous promise of a kiss, leading to an intense intimate encounter where his system successfully begins copying her ‘Lightning’ talent.
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Trivia:
- Aki’s unease with the Pawn piece suggests he is wary of being ‘one of many’ and wants to maintain individuality and power.
- The mention of Kuroka’s master-slaying having ‘hidden truths’ hints at future plot deviations from the original DxD canon.
- Akeno’s hesitation regarding her first kiss humanizes her, contrasting with her ‘sadistic’ persona
—
Character Insight:
The dynamic shifts from Akeno having the upper hand (using the kiss as bait) to Aki taking control of the situation. Their relationship is established as one of mutual interest mixed with Aki’s manipulative ‘scumbag’ tactics, which Akeno finds herself unable to fully resist.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The concept of ‘Talents’ is introduced as something that can be replicated or stolen via the protagonist’s system through physical contact/intimacy.
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TL Notes:
The choice to use ‘Jade Valley’ reflects the source’s Chinese/Webnovel influence on Japanese tropes, often used to maintain a certain ‘aesthetic’ in adult descriptions.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• Aki – Reincarnated with a System interface and evolving Devil bloodline, he calls himself a ‘considerate scumbag’ and copies talents. Known as Uesugi, he bears the enchanting ‘Little Aki’ trait, wields Dual Cultivation and Mana‑Lightning Flash, leads the Occult Research Club, and once slept with Rias and the Takamine sisters, now dating both while resisting full Devil rebirth.
• Himejima Akeno – Akeno Himejima is a senior member of the Occult Research Club in High School DxD. She has long black hair, a graceful aura, and often wears school attire. Known for her elegant, mature beauty, she can generate golden lightning from her palms, possesses an icy temperament when provoked, and hides a sadistic streak behind a kind smile. She is Rias Gremory’s trusted retainer and confidante.
• Akeno – Himejima Akeno, Rias Gremory’s Queen and vice-president of the Occult Research Club, is a stunning A-rank devil with long silky raven hair tied in a hip-length ponytail, purple eyes, and a voluptuous figure often clad in her school uniform—red pleated skirt, sheer black stockings, and elegant “purple armor” attire. Though dominant and teasingly maternal toward Aki, she hides a bashful, maidenly side, still possessing her first kiss and easily overwhelmed by lust or embarrassment. A member of the prestigious Himejima clan, she wields lightning magic, mentors Aki with a kind smile concealing a sadistic streak, and balances regal poise with vulnerable, endearing moments of innocence.
• Rias – Rias Gremory, the 17-year-old pure-blood High-Class Devil and President of Kuoh Academy’s Occult Research Club, is the authoritative Crimson Ruin Princess of Kuoh Town—long crimson hair, crystal-like crimson eyes, and an explosive, elegant figure always clad in her school uniform. Determined and observant, she fiercely protects her peerage, mentors Aki as a big-sister figure, oversees his training, and is currently frustrated by her inability to reincarnate him, driving her to meticulously facilitate the ritual as both leader and guardian.
• Koneko – White‑haired, cat‑eared loli with a petite, flat‑chested frame, stoic and vigilant. A Nekomata devil and Rook of Rias’s peerage, first‑year in the Occult Research Club. Kuudere‑like, she trains Aki in brutal combat, serving as his instructor and bodyguard, wielding immense strength. Often seen eating a pink popsicle, she’s quiet, observant, secretly curious, and blushes when noticed.
• Shinra Tsubaki – Dark‑blue hair, refined and calm, she wears the student‑council uniform as vice‑president, childhood friend of President Shitori Sona. A middle‑class reincarnated devil and Sona’s “Queen”‑type retainer, she possesses the Mirror Reflection talent and later the Demon Bloodline.
• Tsubaki – Shinra Tsubaki, Vice President of the Student Council and Sona’s Queen. A stoic Devil with black wings who wears a standard school uniform paired with a black lace bra and silk stockings, her glasses framing a serious, intellectual gaze. A master of privacy-bound magic, she aids investigations with razor-sharp analysis, masking deep jealousy of Aki’s time with the Occult Research Club—her hidden affection culminating in their first kiss. Though a distant senpai to others, she shares an intimate, unspoken bond with Aki, her composed authority concealing vulnerable, devoted emotion.
• Rias Gremory – Rias Gremory (also known as Gremory Rias) is a pure‑blood high‑class devil with striking crimson hair, large bust, blue eyes, and a curvy, elegant appearance in the Kuoh Academy uniform. She serves as the underground ruler and head of the school’s hidden ruling class, wielding top‑level demonic power.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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