Chapter 46 Following in Her Footsteps
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Shinra Tsubaki finished dressing, which left Aki feeling a bit awkward as the only one still exposed. He reached for his uniform-a garment that had been ravaged so many times it looked like its days were numbered-and threw it on haphazardly.
(I definitely need to stock up on more clothes,) he thought. (It’s not just Rias and the others; it looks like I’m prone to wardrobe malfunctions too. The only difference is they lose theirs in the heat of battle, while mine disappear before the fight even starts…)
Everything was in place; all that remained was Shitori Sona. Aki leaned back lazily in his chair, staring out at the vibrant orange haze of the sunset. (Is it already that late…?) He glanced at the wall clock. He had been so focused on his “manual labor” that the end of club hours had come and gone without him noticing.
”Aki, the President should be here any second. Just hang on a little longer.”
”Ah… yeah, no worries. I’m in no rush to get home,” Aki said, waving a dismissive hand to reassure Shinra Tsubaki. He’d already had his release; “Little Aki” was settled down and playing nice for the time being.
About five minutes later, just as Aki was getting bored enough to suggest another study of human anatomy with Shinra Tsubaki, a flash of blue light signaled the collapse of the Magic Barrier¹. Shitori Sona’s slender silhouette flickered into the center of the room.
”There’s a perfectly good door, yet you all insist on the flashy entrance. Magic teleportation is so impressive, we get it…” Aki deadpanned under his breath. As Shitori Sona’s feet touched the floor, her dainty nose twitched. She frowned. “What is that smell? Have you two been eating dried squid in here?”
Shinra Tsubaki’s face went crimson. She scrambled to open the windows for ventilation. Having spent the last hour immersed in the scent, she had almost grown nose-blind to it. But with the Magic Barrier having kept the room airtight, the air was thick with the evidence of their activities. As the evening breeze drifted in, the heavy, fishy-sweet scent finally began to lift.
”Afternoon, President~”
Aki was in high spirits. He had just triggered a new Talent², marking another major milestone on his journey to becoming a magic prodigy.
[Replication Failed]
[Acquired Talent: Lightning Flash (Fragmented)]
[Description: Drastically increases Lightning Element affinity and boosts the destructive power of Lightning-type magic.]
This was the Talent he’d sensed on Himejima Akeno earlier. Because Rias had “interrupted” them so perfectly, the copy hadn’t completed. But after an hour of not exchanging fluids with Himejima Akeno, the fragmented version had finally settled into Aki’s grasp on its own.
”Uesugi… Aki-kun, good afternoon.”
Anticipating the Reincarnation ritual, Shitori Sona dropped the formal surname, addressing him directly. Aki gave a cheeky grin. “Aki” definitely had a better ring to it than “Uesugi.” Even the “Little Aki” nicknames were starting to grow on him. Aki stood up, composed himself, and looked her in the eye. “President, are we doing this now?”
”Yes.” Shitori Sona reached into her bodice and produced a set of Evil Pieces³. “Choose whichever class you prefer.”
Shitori Sona might not have shared Rias’s outward intensity, but she clearly valued Aki just as much. Aki scratched his head. He was 99% sure this would fail, but… what if? After a moment’s thought, he pointed to the Rook. Shitori Sona only had one Rook piece left. The other slot was currently occupied by Yura Tsubasa.
”Aki-kun, are you sure about the Rook?” Shitori Sona pushed up her glasses. “Given your magical aptitude, the Bishop would actually be more optimal for you.”
”President, didn’t Rias mention it?” Aki asked. “My talent for getting up close and personal is actually way higher than my magic.”
Shitori Sona hesitated. “Rias did mention something like that… but I assumed she was just humble-bragging…”
As Aki stepped closer, the potent mix of male hormones and Shinra Tsubaki’s essence hit her like a physical wave. Shitori Sona suppressed a shiver, forcing herself to ignore the mental image of what had just happened. She took two subtle steps back. “In that case, let’s begin.”
Aki nodded. “Ready when you are.”
”Aki-kun, do not resist.”
Shitori Sona manifested her Devil wings, and the familiar Magic Circle ignited beneath Aki’s feet. Whir…
A moment later, Aki stood there looking entirely innocent as the black chess piece clattered onto the table. Shitori Sona and Shinra Tsubaki stood frozen, staring at the rejected Evil Piece in utter confusion. Shitori Sona grabbed the piece to inspect it, then actively stepped in close, her hands wandering over his torso to feel for any interference. Aki wasn’t about to let a free massage go to waste; he reached out and returned the favor.
Seeing that the President was too preoccupied to care, Aki got bolder. Right in front of Shinra Tsubaki, he slipped his hand beneath the uniform. Just as Aki was about to test the depth of the situation with his fingers, Shitori Sona pulled away. (Damn. For someone so slender, she’s surprisingly soft in all the right places.)
Aki wiped the lingering moisture from his hand onto his pants. “President, want to try the other pieces? Just to be sure?”
Sona agreed. And so, Shitori Sona followed exactly in Rias’s footsteps. By the end of it, every single one of her pieces was coated in Aki’s scent.
”I’ll have to check the family archives in the Underworld during the next break,” she said, looking at Aki’s now deathly pale face. “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way.”
Aki nodded weakly. “Sure, President… I think I’ll head out now…”
He stumbled toward the door, his legs shaking. Every time a piece was rejected, it felt like a wisp of his spirit was being snapped. Between Rias and Shitori Sona, he’d been through the ringer nearly thirty times today.
”Tsubaki, walk Aki home.”
The walk home was uneventful, though Shinra Tsubaki was visibly mortified by the looks they were getting. The hickeys peppering her neck were one thing, but the white stains on her thighs had dried, turning her black stockings stiff.
Takamine Sayuri took Aki from Shinra Tsubaki’s arms at the entrance. “Thank you so much, Miss…?”
”Shinra Tsubaki. I’m Aki’s senior.”
Shinra Tsubaki maintained a frosty demeanor. Looking at her, Takamine Sayuri saw a reflection of her own recent past: someone who loved Aki’s private lessons dearly, yet still spent every day with a stiff face, lecturing the mischievous Takamine Ayame.
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Summary:
Aki prepares for a reincarnation ritual with Shitori Sona after a tryst with Shinra Tsubaki. The ritual fails repeatedly, just as it did with Rias, leaving Sona perplexed and Aki physically drained. The chapter ends with Tsubaki escorting a weakened Aki home, where his secret exploits are silently recognized by Sayuri.
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Trivia:
- Aki’s talent copying requires bodily fluid exchange but can also occur over time if the connection was strong enough.
- Aki’s physical exhaustion is a direct byproduct of the soul-tethering attempt by the Evil Pieces.
- Sona’s reaction to the ‘scent’ in the room highlights her keen senses as a high-level Devil.
- The ‘Magic Barrier’ is a standard utility in this world used to conceal supernatural activities from humans
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Character Insight:
Sona shows a more clinical, analytical side compared to Rias, but her physical reaction to Aki suggests she isn’t as immune to him as she pretends. Aki’s ‘Dual Cultivation’ is becoming a double-edged sword, providing power but making his soul ‘un-reincarnatable’.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The author uses the ‘dried squid’ euphemism to keep the dialogue grounded in common Japanese slang while maintaining the series’ ecchi-comedy roots.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Shitori Sona – Shitori Sona, Student Council President of Kuoh Academy, has short black hair, glasses, a stern look, and always dresses formally. She speaks with a flat, professional tone, is highly competent, and comes from a pure‑blood demon family. She handles local supernatural matters by deferring to Rias Gremory.
• Sona – Shitori Sona, Kuoh Academy’s Student Council President, sports short black hair, glasses, a stern expression, and formal attire. A serious, analytical pure‑blood devil, she seeks a cure for Aki’s unique constitution and handles local supernatural issues by deferring to Rias Gremory.
• 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.
• Takamine Sayuri – The younger sister in the Takamine family, with short brown hair, a gentle expression, and always tidy in her school uniform. She appears in ‘Garden: Takamine‑ke no Nirinka – The Animation’ and is known for her excellent household chores and ‘Flexibility’ talent. As a maternal figure, she cares for Aki, showing a submissive, masochistic tendency toward him.
• Sayuri – The younger sister in the Takamine family, with short brown hair, a gentle expression, and always tidy in her school uniform. She appears in ‘Garden: Takamine‑ke no Nirinka – The Animation’ and is known for her excellent household chores and ‘Flexibility’ talent. As a maternal figure, she cares for Aki, showing a submissive, masochistic tendency toward him.
• Takamine Ayame – The eldest Takamine sister. She is tall and confident with long pink hair, a slender waist, large breasts, and an athletic build. She is bold, open‑minded, a swimming‑club member known for flexibility, and appears as Aki’s host family’s older sister in Garden: Takamine‑ke no Nirinka – The Animation. Playful and resistant compared to her sister Sayuri, she is ultimately submissive.
• Ayame – The eldest Takamine sister. She is tall and confident with long pink hair, a slender waist, large breasts, and an athletic build. She is bold, open‑minded, a swimming‑club member known for flexibility, and appears as Aki’s host family’s older sister in Garden: Takamine‑ke no Nirinka – The Animation. Playful and resistant compared to her sister Sayuri, she is ultimately submissive.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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