A few seconds later, Erica left the dining room looking slightly disheveled. Only Sai Akuto and Saint Raphael remained.
Saint Raphael glanced at Erica's retreating back, then shot Akuto an exasperated look.
Only after Erica was completely gone did Saint Raphael speak again, a faint edge of jealousy in her voice.
"Akuto-kun, I was debating whether I should try to persuade Erica, just to make your god-slaying plan a little more certain."
"Now it looks like I was overthinking it. Even without me saying anything, you can still make Erica willingly become yours."
In Saint Raphael's eyes, Erica hadn't completely fallen yet, but it was only a matter of time.
As long as Akuto proved what he'd said, as long as he went through a few more important events with her, Erica would probably climb into his bed on her own.
…My case is very different from Erica's.
Saint Raphael found herself replaying how Akuto had "won" her over, checking whether he'd used the same kind of tactics on her that he was using on Erica now.
And then she realized something.
Because she'd never really clung to any particular obsession, Akuto's approach to her had been half coercion from the start. Whether it was forcing her to drink the Blessing, or directly ordering her to come to him at night, he'd ignored her will entirely.
Only after everything was already done—after there was no going back—did he finally tell her the full truth.
So that means Akuto-kun is skilled enough to switch strategies depending on what kind of girl he's dealing with.
The moment she understood that, Saint Raphael felt a flicker of dissatisfaction.
But it vanished almost instantly.
Akuto had already laid everything out for her last night, and she'd given him her full loyalty. This jealousy was just an instinctive reaction to watching him "work" on other beautiful girls in front of her—nothing more.
If she felt nothing at all, that would only mean she didn't care about him.
Honestly, most of the girls who'd only just accepted Akuto showed the same kind of reaction Saint Raphael did—Illya and Jessyvia, for example.
But as time passed, most of them chose to rely on the strength of companions they were close to, the better to secure Akuto's attention.
Asia's little circle was the clearest example—what used to be the "Church Trio" had already evolved into the "Church Five," built by Asia herself out of a growing sense of crisis.
Right now, Saint Raphael couldn't possibly imagine that this small, prickly jealousy toward Erica would one day lead her to invite Erica and Liliana to form an official "female knights" unit together.
…
Akuto noticed Saint Raphael's jealousy, and he understood it.
Still, given that "courting" Erica right in front of Saint Raphael really wasn't considerate, he was willing to do something to make it up to her.
The next moment, Akuto lifted the breakfast in front of him.
"Saint Raphael, I've realized I'm still not full. Tell me—are you interested in personally serving me a bit more breakfast?"
"Akuto-kun, you really do love ordering people around."
Saint Raphael gave him another look, but his words also cut through the mess of emotions in her chest, letting her throw herself into him without reservation.
"Oh, and I mean coffee," Akuto added with a mild smile. "Breakfast coffee."
"…"
"Akuto-kun… you really are a pervert."
Even so, the corner of Saint Raphael's mouth curved with unmistakable delight. In the next second, Europe's strongest holy knight took a sip of coffee and climbed onto Akuto's lap.
With practiced ease, she leaned in and kissed him, passing the coffee to him mouth-to-mouth.
And because Akuto occasionally returned the coffee the same way, the "feeding" went on for a long time.
…
While Akuto and Saint Raphael were sharing that intimate meal, Erica arrived at the door to her maid's room.
She was already regretting using "bringing Arianna breakfast" as an excuse to escape.
If she was bringing breakfast, she had to wake Arianna up first.
And if she had to wake Arianna up, she had to enter the room.
The moment Erica pictured what she might see inside, a flush rose across her pale, exquisite face.
At least Akuto wasn't in there right now.
If he were, Erica wouldn't have opened the door no matter what. She absolutely did not want to see Arianna on top of him again while calmly talking to her like it was nothing.
But Erica's state of mind had shifted drastically compared to before.
Before, she hadn't wanted to see that out of sheer jealousy.
Now, she didn't want to see it because of something sharper—something sourer.
After all, the man who'd just said words that made her heart race… had spent last night kissing her maid on the other side of her wall, and then sleeping with her maid in his arms, far too close for comfort.
Erica had the sudden urge to grind her teeth.
You gain some, you lose some, I suppose. If Akuto-kun were too perfect, it would be unsettling—almost creepy.
And honestly… if someone as outstanding as Akuto-kun only liked me, I'd be uneasy for a different reason.
Even if she didn't like admitting it, Erica had to acknowledge the truth: if Akuto only chose one person, then with her looks and her strength, she still wasn't qualified to be his partner. Even if Akuto accepted it, she'd feel undeserving.
In Erica's eyes, in a one-on-one pairing, it wasn't just her—no goddess from myth would be worthy of standing beside him.
The only one who might truly qualify would be something like a "Queen of the Goddesses."
…Hm?
That thought made Erica recall yesterday's scene—Akuto kissing a goddess.
Athena… if Erica remembered correctly, she'd once been the Queen of the Greek pantheon, hadn't she?
From the fact that Akuto could use Athena's divine power—and that he'd demanded the "Gorgon Stone" from Italy's magic associations—it was clear he'd taken Athena's power through some special method.
And that method was most likely…
A kiss.
Akuto-kun… don't tell me you're planning to "win over" Athena too?
Erica couldn't help thinking it.
No matter what Athena herself wanted, Erica was certain Akuto had that intention. After all, Akuto had said it outright: he only liked beautiful girls.
And "goddesses," of course, fit neatly under the category of "beautiful girls."
From the memories Akuto had shared with her, Athena was defeated by Godou—and afterward, she seemed to remain strangely preoccupied with him.
Akuto had only given Erica part of the original story, so she didn't know what Athena would become later. She only knew Athena appeared to harbor complicated feelings toward Godou.
…Yes. If he could take Athena for himself, that would be changing the world's predetermined fate.
What can I do to help Akuto-kun take Athena more smoothly?
…Hm?
Erica froze.
She hadn't expected herself to even think—instinctively—about helping Akuto "take" a goddess.
She wasn't even his yet. Why was she thinking like that?
Tch… it's his fault. He's the one messing with my head.
After venting in her mind, Erica decided to stop thinking about anything that would only make her angry at herself.
…
"Haa…"
After several deep breaths, Erica finally worked up the courage and opened Arianna's door again.
Click.
Moving quietly, Erica slipped inside.
When she looked toward the bed, she saw Arianna asleep on the white sheets.
Arianna's crimson hair—usually smooth as silk—had come loose, spilling across the pillow and the soft line of her neck and shoulders. A few strands clung to her clean forehead and the side of her face.
Erica knew that wasn't because Arianna slept messily.
It was because her cheeks had been damp with sweat even before she fell asleep.
Erica's gaze drifted lower.
Even that classic maid uniform couldn't fully conceal Arianna's proud curves. Maybe it was her imagination, but Erica couldn't help thinking Arianna looked… fuller than usual.
Lower still, Arianna's long, shapely legs were slightly overlapped, drawn in with the loose, unguarded comfort of someone who'd fallen asleep exhausted.
Most eye-catching of all were the elegant thighs and feet wrapped in dark stockings.
The fabric carried a faint, matte sheen, hugging the gentle softness of her thighs and the lean lines of her calves.
And at the very bottom, the stocking material at her soles was wrinkled and distorted, as if it had been tugged and twisted until it no longer returned to shape. Just looking at it, Erica could imagine how hard Arianna must have curled and stretched her toes last night.
"Mm…?"
Perhaps Erica's gaze was too direct. Arianna slowly woke up.
"Huh…? Erica-sama, is that… breakfast? Why would you go to the trouble of bringing me food?"
Even half-asleep, Arianna quickly grasped the situation.
Clearly, even after crossing that line with Akuto, Arianna still saw herself as Erica's maid. And if she saw herself as Erica's maid, she couldn't just accept Erica serving her as if it were natural.
But as Arianna sat up, the way she'd been lying shifted—and more of her became visible.
Erica's mouth went dry.
She forced a cough, trying to sound composed.
"Arianna, you worked hard last night. If you're not in a condition to move properly, it's not a big deal for me to handle this once in a while."
Considering last night had been Arianna's first time, Erica really was willing to do something for her.
But the scene was overstimulating, and Erica was reaching her limit.
So, in that dry-throated panic, Erica snatched up the milk beside the bed.
"W-Wait…! Erica-sama!"
Arianna's eyes widened as she hurriedly tried to stop her.
But she was too late.
Erica hadn't been thinking—she was only trying to cut through the awkwardness. Without checking anything, she took a gulp.
(End of Chapter)
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