When Sai Akuto woke up, it was already a little past noon.
The hotel's dining area still hadn't closed, so Akuto sat down to eat with Erica and Saint Raphael.
The reason it was just the two of them was simple. Arianna was relatively weaker. Last night, she'd been staying inside him the whole time, and on top of that, there was the morning training. She really couldn't muster any energy.
Honestly, it was a good thing Akuto had chosen the "Sage Body" this time. His symbiote carried an extremely dense life aura. Otherwise, without having unlocked the "Bloodline Infusion Method," after how they'd played around last night, forget morning training—Arianna probably wouldn't have had even the slightest desire to get out of bed.
"Is that so? A divine presence showed up at the seaside…" Akuto said, chewing on a sandwich while listening to Erica's report.
In short, while they'd been asleep yesterday, a burst of godly power had appeared along the coast of Sicily. Judging from the nature of that power, it clearly didn't belong to the young war god.
"So another god has finally shown their hand?" Akuto asked, legs crossed, as he looked at Erica.
"Yes, Akuto-sama. Your guess is correct." Erica nodded.
"Then we'll make some preparations… and head out to subjugate that god on Sicily." Akuto's tone stayed light, almost casual.
As he said it, he remembered something else.
After Godou Kusanagi became a Godslayer, the first god he fought wasn't Athena—it was the god-king Melqart.
In that battle, Godou and Melqart ended up taking each other down.
Godou was smashed into unconsciousness by the god-king's club, and Melqart was struck by Godou's "White Horse," his physical body blown away until only a spiritual form remained.
Because Melqart hadn't been completely defeated, when Godou later faced the goddess Athena, he still only had the ten incarnations of "Verethragna," the war god. If he'd obtained Melqart's Authority, then facing Athena… he would've been far stronger than he was back then.
Athena was a goddess-king of the Underworld, and Melqart, while a god-king, also carried the traits of an Underworld deity. If someone could seize Melqart's Authority, their resistance to Underworld-type Authorities would rise significantly.
All things considered, Godou had simply run into monsters right out of the gate—one was a top-tier war god, the other a god-king. Compared to the gods other Godslayers had killed, those two were worth far more.
…
"Huh? Akuto-sama, you're going to subjugate a god already?" Erica blinked, caught off guard.
Just a second ago, she'd been grumbling to herself that Akuto only knew how to be affectionate with Arianna—only for his body to immediately pivot into decisive, take-charge mode.
"What is it, Erica? You look like you have an issue with me choosing to subjugate a god." Akuto smiled as he asked.
"No, Akuto-sama. If you've chosen it, you must have your reasons." Erica lowered her voice, then added carefully, "It's just… I suddenly remembered. Don't you still have that wager with the war god that you haven't completed?"
"Ah, that." Akuto chuckled and shook his head.
"I have no intention of beating him within the confines of a wager. He's petty. Even if he admits I won, he'll still find a reason to demand a rematch and insist on fighting me at full force next time."
"Rather than letting him keep manufacturing excuses and opportunities, I'd rather crush him at his peak—so he never finds a single excuse again."
"Besides, beating him when he isn't at his best is meaningless. I don't have the time or energy for something that boring," Akuto explained.
"I see." Erica went down on one knee, solemn and respectful. "In that case, Erica offers her congratulations in advance, Akuto-sama, on your victory in the coming divine battle."
No matter what, Akuto's relaxed attitude eased the heavy knot in her chest.
From the sheer margin of composure he carried, it was obvious he had confidence in handling two gods. All Erica needed to do was provide whatever support she could.
…
Still, Akuto looked far more satisfied than he had right after eating that "False King."
The only problem was…
She was worried that if she stayed by his side too long, she would end up being eaten.
After all, Arianna had already been eaten. And Erica—who prided herself on being far more charming than Arianna—couldn't help feeling an intense sense of danger.
The very next second, Akuto's words proved her fear wasn't baseless.
"Erica." Akuto gave a soft laugh, eyes narrowing. "In what capacity are you congratulating me in advance?"
Erica placed one hand to her chest, gaze sharp and steady, and answered with absolute seriousness.
"Of course, as your follower. I still haven't received your acknowledgment, so I can't call myself your knight."
It was obvious what she meant. She was asking whether Akuto was willing to let her become his knight.
Akuto liked women like Erica—smart, beautiful, and able to read the room.
The only question was this: her loyalty might be real, but it came from choosing correctly after judging the situation, not from a purely heartfelt devotion.
Of course, that didn't mean Erica was disloyal.
Akuto wasn't so self-absorbed that he expected someone to swear their entire existence to him after meeting for a few seconds, throwing themselves at his feet in blind adoration.
Under normal circumstances, loyalty at Erica's level was already more than enough to earn his approval.
But because Erica was effectively a heroine—and the proud, high-spirited type—Akuto decided it was worth going a little deeper.
Because if it stayed as nothing more than a surface-level relationship of "one who pledges" and "one who is pledged to," it still fell far short of the state Akuto actually wanted.
…
He set down his coffee and dabbed at the corner of his mouth, then looked back at Erica. His gaze carried a frankly predatory appreciation.
No matter how you cut it, Erica was beautiful. In terms of sheer feminine allure, she was easily the most striking of them all.
Akuto liked Saint Raphael for the contrast—the satisfaction of taming a dashing, valiant holy knight and turning that sharp edge into something that belonged to him.
Akuto liked Arianna for simpler reasons. He liked absentminded girls, and maids. He also liked Arianna's distinctive look: that deep navy hair and the purple stockings—something people often mistook at first glance for black hair and black tights, until they looked closer and realized the design had its own deliberate charm.
As for Erica… even setting aside her aura, her temperament, everything she was—judging purely by appearance, Akuto considered her to have a goddess-class face.
Her waist-length golden hair flowed like a "golden waterfall," soft and glossy, shining with the brilliance of molten gold. A few loose strands clung casually to her smooth forehead and the delicate curve of her neck, lending her a lazy, almost dangerous kind of allure.
A red dress paired with a blonde girl had always been an artistic pairing, in any era.
Erica's gown was crafted from a top-grade deep crimson fabric. The strapless cut supported her chest with precise structure, tracing a full, elegant curve. The skirt fell in a refined A-line, and the high slit revealed flashes of long, graceful legs as she moved—while a thin veil-like layer gave the whole silhouette a lightness in motion, sweetly seductive without losing its poise.
The dramatic contrast of gold hair and deep red dress made her pale skin look even more flawless, almost luminous. And when she turned her head slightly, her hair rippled like waves, drawing a beautiful arc through the air, scattering a faint, clear gleam.
Below the hem, her slender legs—wrapped in white, lace-trimmed thigh-highs—were impossible to ignore.
The fabric hugged her like a second skin from thigh to toe, pure snow-white, creating a subtle but deliberate contrast against the overall palette of her outfit.
…
The white thigh-highs perfectly outlined the long, even lines of her legs—from the soft fullness of her thighs, to the narrowing at the knees, and down into sleek, straight calves—each curve displayed to its fullest advantage.
At the top, between the dress hem and the stocking band, a small strip of pale skin showed—an unmistakable "absolute territory" that created a quiet, striking visual tension against the lace trim.
And below that, vivid red high heels: sharp-toed stilettos in glossy patent leather, clean and bright. A thin strap looped around her ankle, holding the shoe firmly in place, keeping her steps steady and silent, never compromising her elegant bearing.
Those exquisitely luxurious red heels completed the look, making the feet framed by white stockings seem delicate—almost fragile—while the bold red hinted at the passion and confidence in her personality.
Naturally, even the most beautiful outfit could look thin and hollow without the right person to carry it.
Against the wine-red dress, Erica's porcelain skin gleamed with a pearly sheen. Her deep blue eyes looked like the darkest waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the naturally upturned corners of her eyes gave her a regal, commanding air.
Paired with the dress's sculpted curves and those long legs wrapped in white stockings and red heels, she radiated an innate, identity-transcending sensual charm at every moment.
Akuto had seen plenty of women. He understood exactly where a girl like this derived her allure.
In his eyes, Erica possessed the kind of beauty that fused three distinct archetypes into one: a "blonde goddess," a "blonde noble girl," and a "blonde female knight."
When she wore a dress, she was a flawless aristocratic lady—trained, poised, and proudly untouchable.
When she wore the bronze-black cross knight's uniform, she was a knight willing to raise her blade against the gods.
And in a school uniform, she could just as easily become a youthful JK girl, full of bright, living spring.
No matter the setting, her presence and appeal were enough to rival Saint Raphael's.
…
All in all, Akuto genuinely liked Erica.
And the reason he'd gone after Arianna first instead of Erica was simple.
On one hand, just as Akuto had told Arianna back then, Erica was far harder to "capture" than Arianna. If he only took Erica's body without truly completing the capture, he wouldn't be able to unlock the initial ability slot.
On the other hand, just as Akuto had said during his time with Saint Raphael—
(End of Chapter)
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