Chapter 22 Peerage
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Aki looked closely, his curiosity piqued.
The girls’ delicate features remained unchanged, with no demonic horns to mar their beauty. Even after revealing their true forms, Rias and Shitori Sona’s charm had only intensified. The lustrous wings and tails added a layer of mystery, and the sheer pressure of their high-class devil auras made their perfect figures seem all the more seductive.
Once the initial surprise passed, however, Aki began to feel the weight of that power. It wasn’t that they were targeting him; it was simply the overwhelming gap in their natural strength.
He forced himself to stay composed. “So, the ‘Pawn’ you mentioned… you use Evil Pieces 1 to turn me into a low-class devil and make me part of your peerage?”
”Correct,” Sona explained. “Rias and I both have pieces left.”
”I’m just an ordinary person who barely knows how to use Mana. Why choose me?”
Aki truly hadn’t expected to be recruited the moment he stepped into the Inner World.
”As we said before, the stronger the person, the more pieces they require,” Sona said. “Having fifteen pieces doesn’t mean you must have fifteen members in your peerage. If a candidate is powerful, they might take up several pieces at once. Besides, a peerage raised by oneself tends to have better chemistry.”
They chose not to mention things like Mutation Pieces, Sacred Gears, or Fallen Angels yet. For one, Aki hadn’t agreed to join. More importantly, he was currently too weak for those details to matter.
Aki didn’t answer immediately. He pondered for a moment before asking, “There must be restrictions if I become a servant, right?”
In his memories, he didn’t recall many downsides—it seemed more like becoming a companion. But he knew things involving devils were rarely that simple. How could they be so sure of a servant’s loyalty after the transformation?
”Well, after being turned, a King and their Peerage naturally feel a sense of closeness,” Rias said, flicking her crimson hair with a smile. “A servant’s devil blood is essentially inherited from their King. Evil Pieces are precious, and the bond between a King and their Peerage can be even deeper than family.”
Blood in the body… Aki caught the nuance. It sounded a bit like a vampire turning a thrall, though perhaps with less direct control. He calmed his restless thoughts. It was better to be cautious than to rely on fuzzy memories; he decided to delay the decision for now.
He certainly desired Rias—and Sona was a catch as well. Joining them would undoubtedly make him stronger. These pure-blood families had immense foundations, and he recalled Rias’s brother was one of the current Devil Kings. With their support, even a mediocre person could soar.
But his survival depended on his Dual Cultivation ability. His supposed “magic talent” was just a side effect of it. If he stayed around people far stronger than himself, the risk of exposure would skyrocket. Plus, once he belonged to a peerage, they likely wouldn’t let him wander off to pursue his “activities,” rendering his primary ability useless.
Most importantly, he didn’t know the true extent of a King’s control. He wanted to eventually reach high-class status and get his own Evil Pieces, but if it meant being shackled now, he’d rather develop in the shadows. If the Devil King Beelzebub could make the pieces, Aki figured he could eventually create something similar once he was strong enough.
A peerage of beautiful girls… The thought was intoxicating. Legal lolis, mature women—I’ll need them all.
After weighing his options, Aki looked up. “Rias-senpai, President… I’d like to think about it. Since you both invited me, I’m not sure who to choose.”
He wasn’t going to refuse outright. This was his best chance to get close to them, and their existing peerages were full of girls who could be “resources” for his growth.
The girls instantly read between the lines: he was waiting to see who would offer the best deal.
”Uesugi-kun, a King and their Peerage are like family,” Rias said, blinking pointedly. “I would take very good care of you.”
Sona wasn’t about to back down. “If you join me, not only will I look after you, but Tsubaki will as well. We have many beautiful girls in the Student Council.”
Since she couldn’t beat Rias on individual charm, she went for quantity. Rias shot her a glare, annoyed by the move, and upped the ante.
”Akeno is your senior, and she would also take care of you. Just like she is now.”
Himejima Akeno’s face flushed. Aki was still leaning against her, and his restless hands had already found their way under her clothes, slipping toward her skirt and shirt. Feeling the warmth and smoothness of her skin, Aki nearly gave in on the spot.
He looked back and forth between the two pairs of girls. “Can I just join both of your peerages?”
The room went silent.
”No, you have to pick one!” Rias snapped. “Don’t worry, no one will give you trouble regardless of your choice.”
Aki pouted, muttering under his breath, “Why not? There’s no rule saying two people can’t share a servant.”
His “whisper” was perfectly audible to the four devils, leaving them momentarily stunned.
”Actually…” Sona adjusted her glasses, considering it seriously. “While no one has done it, there really isn’t a specific regulation against it. If he belonged to both, it wouldn’t be an issue as long as we didn’t enter the same Rating Game 2.”
”I can’t accept that,” Rias countered. “Does that mean I’d have to check with you every time I wanted to enter a match?”
”True. It’s fine while we’re at the academy, but it would be a headache later.” Sona looked at Aki. “A peerage bond is for life. There’s no switching or leaving, and if a servant dies, the piece is lost forever. Rias is right; we should drop that idea.”
Rias nodded. She liked Aki, but she wasn’t desperate. The princess of the Gremory family wasn’t about to share a servant with someone else.
”Uesugi, think it over. Whoever you choose, we’ll treat you with total sincerity.”
Aki fell silent. It felt like they were proposing to him, which made him feel like a bit of a scoundrel.
Then again, he was a scoundrel.
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Summary:
Aki encounters Rias and Sona in their true devil forms, experiencing the overwhelming pressure of high-class devil auras. Both ‘Kings’ extend an invitation for him to join their respective peerages using the Evil Pieces system. Aki cautiously questions the nature of the bond, realizing it involves a semi-permanent blood connection that ensures loyalty. Ultimately, he stalls for time, recognizing that joining either faction might restrict his secret ‘Dual Cultivation’ growth. The chapter highlights his opportunistic nature as he attempts to negotiate a shared position between both girls to maximize his benefits.
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Trivia:
- The mention of ‘Dual Cultivation’ being Aki’s foundation suggests he will likely pursue a path outside the standard devil power system to maintain his edge.
- Aki’s internal monologue about ‘Devil King Beelzebub’ creating the Evil Pieces hints at Aki’s eventual ambition to reach a level where he can craft his own artifacts.
- The omitment of information about ‘Mutation Pieces’ and ‘Sacred Gears’ suggests Aki is currently viewed as a low-priority asset with hidden potential they haven’t yet recognized
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Character Insight:
Rias and Sona transition from mentors/peers to competitors for Aki’s loyalty. Their rivalry is palpable as they move from offering power to offering ‘personal care’ and access to other girls. Aki shifts from a submissive newcomer to a calculating negotiator, using his perceived value to play both sides. His physical intimacy with Akeno while negotiating with Sona demonstrates his ‘scoundrel’ nature and lack of ideological loyalty.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
This chapter introduces the ‘Evil Pieces’ system based on chess, explaining that high-class devils (Kings) can transform humans into devils (Peerage). The transformation creates a blood-based bond that influences feelings of closeness and loyalty. It also touches upon ‘Rating Games’ as a structured competition between peerages and the existence of ‘Pure-blood Demon’ families as the ruling elite.
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TL Notes:
The term ‘Peerage’ is a localized term common in English translations of the source material (High School DxD crossover context) to represent the 眷属 (Kenzoku/servants/household). ‘Dual Cultivation’ is a classic Xianxia/Wuxia term adapted into this setting to explain Aki’s specific growth mechanic.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• Aki – 16-year-old Kuoh Private Academy student with messy black hair, slender build, delicate features, and black-rimmed glasses. Reincarnated into a crossover doujin world with a ‘Loser’s Script’ (NTR/Victim template) that draws misfortune. Adopted by the Takamine family, he has Succubus/Incubus blood, replicates talents via dual cultivation and bodily fluids, boosts partners’ magic, and recently gained muscle/strength. Trained by a trio of girls at the Hidden Academy.
• Shitori Sona – Short black hair, often seen with glasses and a stern look, always well-dressed; from ‘High School DxD’. Student council president, highly competent and comes from a pure-blood demon family.
• Himejima Akeno – Mature beauty with long black hair and graceful aura, common in school attire; from ‘High School DxD’. Rias’s first retainer and confidante, known for her elegant demeanor.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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