Akeno slowly turned her gaze back, her eyes locking with Rian's bright blue ones, reflecting a serene sky.
"I've told you before, haven't I?" Rian continued, a faint smile on his lips, "besides being fascinated by Nekomata Koneko-chan's form, I'm also intrigued… by your Fallen Angel wings."
Akeno, still slightly flushed, tried to steady her breathing. Suddenly, an idea flickered in her mind.
With a soft, teasing smile, she leaned in slightly and whispered, "If you want to see my wings… how about you come in here first?" she said, gently tapping her chest as if inviting him.
But before Akeno could do anything else, Rian moved first.
Casually, he drew Akeno into his embrace—not pressed to his chest, but holding her so she was now cradled comfortably against him.
One of Rian's hands gently patted Akeno's back, his body swaying slightly, as if soothing a small child.
"Is this what you meant? Wow, it's actually soft…" Rian said in a relaxed tone, teasing her just a little. "And a nice bonus… it even smells good…"
Akeno froze. Her face flushed completely—not because she had successfully teased, but because… she was now the one being teased back, in a way that was both intense and warm.
"…This…" Akeno murmured, her voice barely audible. "…is not what I expected."
Hearing her whisper, Rian continued to hold her without saying a word.
After a few moments, he gently released Akeno, letting her take a breath and compose herself.
Though he returned to a calm demeanor, the blush on Akeno's face hadn't faded.
Rian offered a warm smile, but in his mind, he was clearly pleased—he had perfectly teased Akeno back.
A few minutes later, they shifted positions, now sitting across from each other and slightly away from the low table in the center of the room.
Without a word, Akeno relaxed the back of her miko outfit just enough to reveal her back.
Slowly, two black wings unfurled and spread wide behind her.
One of them was a demon wing, resembling a bat's wing. The other was a jet-black feathered wing—the hallmark of a Fallen Angel.
Rian studied Akeno's wings intently. His right hand rested on his chin, and the bright blue of his Six Eyes scanned the shape and texture of each wing in turn, as if evaluating a rare work of art.
Rian's focused expression was so serious that Akeno couldn't help but let out a small giggle, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Ara~ is something wrong, Rian?" Akeno asked with a smile. "You know? It's the first time I've shown these wings to anyone… yet strangely, I don't feel embarrassed or disgusted at all."
As if snapping out of his reverie, Rian smiled warmly and looked at Akeno.
"There's nothing strange," he said gently. "And of course you wouldn't feel disgusted, Akeno-chan. Because the one admiring your beautiful wings… is this handsome man."
Akeno chuckled again, her face turning even redder. "Your words are so sweet, Rian… now I'm curious… are they really as sweet as you say?"
Rian chuckled lightly, casually shrugging his shoulders.
"Many say that," he replied. "And you don't need to taste it, Akeno-chan. It's always sweet… even though I rarely eat sweets."
Akeno giggled softly again. "Fufu~ You know? That's not the answer I was looking for, Rian."
Slowly, Akeno crawled closer. When the space between them was only an inch, she placed both hands on Rian's shoulders, looking directly into his eyes.
Her gaze was gentle, yet full of meaning, and the blush on her cheeks had yet to fade.
"You know, Rian?" Akeno finally said, her voice low and warm. "I… don't mind being second. You know what I mean, right?"
Rian smiled softly at her words. He shook his head slightly—not as a refusal, but as a gesture of understanding toward the girl before him.
"Yes, yes," he said warmly. "But… let's put aside the order for now, okay?"
He looked at Akeno more seriously, without losing his smile.
"Because tonight isn't about love or who comes first… it's about how Akeno-chan can start making peace with her own power."
Rian continued, "You know, right? Tomorrow we all start training to face that Riser. I'll be pretty busy: training Gesper-kun, Asia-chan, Koneko-chan, even Hyoudou-kun…"
He raised his right hand and lightly patted Akeno's shoulder. "So tonight… how about I help you learn to control your angelic power?"
Akeno tilted her head, slightly puzzled by Rian's words. And it was for good reason.
She knew full well that Fallen Angel powers were derived from Holy Energy, something that could only be controlled by those with bloodline affinity, spiritual experience, or certain sacred tools.
And Rian? Though he was merely a human with unusual abilities like high-level spatial manipulation, he was not a Sacred Gear user, an Exorcist, or a mage.
'How could he possibly teach me about this power?' Akeno thought silently, doubt clearly reflected in her gaze.
Seeing her expression, Rian chuckled softly, calm and reassuring.
"I know you're confused, Akeno-chan," Rian said with a smile. "Let me help. Through practice, not theory. Trust me."
Gently, Rian moved Akeno's hands off his shoulders and stood up. He removed his glasses and stored them in the Void Ring.
Immediately, the bright blue of his Six Eyes became clearly visible, glowing softly in the dim lantern-lit room.
Without another word, Rian turned and sat behind Akeno. With calm movements, he embraced her from behind. His body radiated warmth, yet his aura carried a mysterious presence.
Akeno was startled, a blush returning to her cheeks. She turned slightly, her expression a mix of confusion, embarrassment, and delight.
"Ara~ What is this, Rian?" she whispered softly, as if trying to steady herself. "Why are you hugging me from behind? We could do that later."
Rian leaned closer, his warm voice brushing against her ear. "Don't rush that. What's more important now is for you to prepare, Akeno… because I'm about to begin."
He closed his eyes.
At that moment, a gentle blue energy began to flow—calm, soft, and precisely directed—from Rian's body into Akeno's.
It wasn't holy power, nor was it a curse. This energy felt… pure. Neutral, yet profound. As if it carried no intent other than understanding.
Akeno flinched slightly as she felt the current merge with her, yet unlike the Fallen Angel power she had long rejected—tainted by her bitter, traumatic past—this energy brought warmth. Calmness.
It was as if the energy didn't just touch her body, but reached deep into her being, seeking out the part of her Fallen Angel self she had long denied.
This kind of energy from Rian was possible thanks to his Six Eyes, which contain Heavenly Restriction, freeing him from the laws that govern cursed energy.
Thus, even though the Fake Earring can adjust to specific types of energy as fuel for Limitless Techniques, this energy remained neutral.
For that reason, it could not be classified as Cursed Energy.
Had the Six Eyes lacked Heavenly Restriction, the fuel for Limitless Techniques would be Cursed Energy—a force clearly far too dangerous to channel into a living being.
However, even though Rian's special energy was neutral, there remained a potential danger—especially if he deliberately infused it with negative emotions.
In such a case, its composition could resemble Cursed Energy: equally destructive.
Yet, fundamentally, it was not Cursed Energy. It was something beyond standard categories, something Rian himself had yet to fully understand.
Because it felt like warm water gently enveloping her body and easing tension from within, Akeno couldn't help but close her eyes.
Her breathing slowed, her body relaxed. In that position, she almost drifted off—not from fatigue, but from a deep sense of peace.
Time seemed to stretch until a soft, warm voice whispered near her ear.
"Finally… here it is… your Fallen Angel power, Akeno," Rian murmured gently, almost like a hum. "Feel it slowly… don't rush."
Half-conscious, Akeno let his voice anchor her awareness, nodding lightly before beginning to focus—touching the power that lay within her.