章 13: Chapter 13: Rising Above Adversity

"Rias, I won," Sona said with a smile, "But as your best friend who understands the struggles you've faced, I wanted you to have the one with the dragon's scent."

Rias looked up, surprised. "Really?" she asked, her voice filled with happiness as she took Sona's hands.

"Yes," Sona replied, her gaze locking with Rias'. "I know how difficult it has been for you to navigate your family's expectations and your own desires. With this, I hope you can finally cut off your engagement with the Phenex family and choose the path that is right for you."

Rias nodded, her eyes bright with gratitude. "Thank you, Sona," she said softly. "I couldn't have done this without you."

Sona smiled, squeezing Rias' hands gently. "You don't have to thank me," she said. "You deserve to be happy and to live the life you want, free from the constraints of tradition and duty."

Their conversation continued as they discussed the challenges Rias might face and how they could work together to overcome them. They knew that the road ahead would not be easy, but they were both determined to support each other every step of the way.

.....

Akeno Room, Rias Gremory Mansion

"Say 'aah!'" Yuuto scooped up a small portion of rice and tuna with his right index finger, bringing it to Akeno's lips.

Akeno's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she parted her lips, revealing her pearly white teeth.

With a sensual flair, Akeno sucked Yuuto's finger into her mouth, savoring the taste of the food on his skin. She used her tongue to clean his finger, sending a shiver down Yuuto's spine.

Before Akeno could take it any further, Yuuto playfully rapped her on the head with his chopsticks. "I'm trying to feed you, not start a food-themed make-out session," he chided, though he couldn't hide the slight smirk on his lips.

"It's just more delicious when I suck and lick your finger," Akeno purred with a cheeky smile. Yuuto rolled his eyes but couldn't help feeling a sense of pleasure at Akeno's words.

He dipped his finger into the rice and tuna once again, feeding it to Akeno's waiting lips. This time, she took it without the suggestive theatrics, though she still made sure to hold his gaze with a sultry glint in her eyes.

As Akeno savored the food, she placed a hand on Yuuto's thigh, the warmth of her palm seeping through the fabric of his pants. "I'm wondering, do you love me as a sister or as a woman?" she asked, her voice soft and tentative.

Yuuto felt his heart skip a beat at Akeno's words. He knew the answer, but he also knew that words alone couldn't convey the depth of his feelings. Without a word, he leaned in and captured her lips in a gentle kiss, pouring all his love and passion into the moment.

Akeno pulled away, her eyes shining with emotion. "Is that enough for an answer?" Yuuto asked, his eyes locked onto hers.

"Umu," Akeno nodded, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of joy and embarrassment.

"Why are you asking me this?" Yuuto inquired, wanting to understand the reason behind Akeno's question.

"Just for confirmation that you love me as a woman," Akeno said, her eyes downcast as she spoke.

Yuuto felt a surge of tenderness towards Akeno as he realized the depths of her vulnerability. "I love you with all my heart, as a woman, a friend, a companion, and everything in between," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "And I won't leave you, no matter what."

He offered her a soft smile before flicking her forehead playfully. "But first, eat your food," he said, resuming the light-hearted tone of their earlier exchange.

Akeno smiled back at him, feeling her heart swell with happiness. She took another bite of rice and tuna, once again succumbing to the temptation to sensually suck on Yuuto's finger.

Yuuto sighed, feeling his resistance crumbling at Akeno's persistent playfulness. "Fine, go ahead and suck my finger," he said with a hint of defeat in his voice.

"Mou, you're not supposed to encourage me," Akeno pouted cutely, crossing her arms and looking away. But a mischievous glint in her eyes betrayed the fact that she knew exactly how to get the upper hand in their little game.

Yuuto couldn't help but chuckle at Akeno's antics, feeling a sense of contentment wash over him as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. "I am embarrassed," he admitted, resting his chin on top of her head. "But I can't help but love you for who you are."

....

The Next Day,

Akeno opened her eyes and sat up in bed, realizing that Yuuto wasn't there beside her. As she scanned the room, she saw steam rising from the floor, and her curiosity was piqued.

Walking towards the source of the steam, she saw Yuuto sitting on the floor, half-naked, muttering to himself.

"Fuck, my body is still weak"

Hearing his frustrated words, Akeno couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for her beloved.

She walked up to him and hugged him from behind, pressing her body against his back and breathing on his neck. Yuuto noticed her presence but didn't move, allowing her to hold him.

Curious about what he was doing, Akeno asked, "What are you doing down here?" "Training," Yuuto replied with a stoic expression.

Feeling playful, Akeno began rubbing her breasts against Yuuto's back, hoping to distract him. However, much to her surprise, it didn't seem to have any effect on him.

So, she decided to take things further by grabbing his dick, hoping to arouse him. But to her disappointment, it remained limp and unresponsive.

'Quite big' Akeno thought to herself.

As she looked up at Yuuto's expressionless face, Akeno finally realized what was going on. Yuuto had put an [Emotion Blocker] spell on himself, so he wouldn't be tempted to devour her.

Akeno couldn't help but feel both amused and impressed by his sneaky move. "Sneaky, but I like it," Akeno said with a grin as she licked her lips, knowing that she wouldn't be able to seduce him anytime soon.

With a chuckle, Yuuto watched as Akeno walked away seductively toward the bathroom.

He knew that he had to be careful around her, especially since her father, Baraqiel, would kill him if he found out about their relationship. Yuuto didn't have any power or title to protect him, so he had to be cautious.

[AN: In Canon story, Baraqiel takes a joke too seriously, so Yuuto worried that Baraqiel may kill him just for some simple rumor]

Feeling relieved that Akeno hadn't dispelled his spell, Yuuto knew that he had made the right choice by putting it in a magic circle.

However, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret that he had missed out on the opportunity to be with Akeno intimately. But he can do her anytime so nothing bad would happen if he be patient.

As Akeno stepped into the bathroom, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that her attempt to seduce Yuuto had failed. But at the same time, she knew that his cautiousness was one of the things she loved about him. She smiled as she stripped down and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water wash over her.

As she lathered up, her mind wandered back to Yuuto. She couldn't help but feel a little worried about him, especially since he had mentioned that his body was still weak. Akeno knew that he was pushing himself hard, training tirelessly to become stronger, and it was one of the things she admired about him. But at the same time, she didn't want him to overdo it and hurt himself.

As she rinsed off, Akeno made a mental note to check on Yuuto later and see how he was doing. She finished up her shower and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her body.

As she walked back to their room, Akeno noticed that the steam had dissipated, and Yuuto was no longer there. She assumed that he had gone off to continue his training somewhere else.

Akeno made a mental note to be careful and discreet, not wanting to put Yuuto in any danger. As she finished getting dressed, she headed out to find Yuuto and see how he was doing. She knew that he was determined to become stronger, but she also knew that he couldn't do it alone.

Together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead, and Akeno was determined to stand by Yuuto's side, no matter what. She smiled to herself as she headed out, excited to see what the future held for the two of them.

...

Meeting Room, Occult Research Clubroom,

Yuuto and Akeno arrived at the building with their arms linked, and she rested her head on his shoulder. They walked in and were greeted by a sight that caused Yuuto's stoic expression to falter slightly. A blonde-haired man with his hand on a busty purple-haired woman was sitting on the couch. Those two people were Riser Phoenix and Yubelluna, with Riser being the fiancé of Rias Gremory and Yubelluna being his Queen.

Rias' expression was tense and she was clearly trying to hold back her anger. However, upon seeing Yuuto and Akeno, she visibly calmed down and greeted Yuuto with a simple "Good morning."

Yuuto looked at Riser and Yubelluna, but decided to ignore them and sit on the couch opposite them with Akeno. Riser casually crossed his legs and looked at Akeno with a demanding expression. "Make me tea like usual," he said, almost as if he expected her to obey without question.

Akeno's annoyance was palpable, and Yuuto could sense her discomfort. Without saying a word, he put his right palm on her thigh, reassuring her that she didn't need to make the tea.

Riser's smile widened as he observed the exchange. "Interesting, Rias' dogs have become quite brave," he said, looking at Yuuto with a taunting expression.

Yuuto remained stoic, and Rias and Akeno managed to keep their anger in check. However, Yuuto decided to put Riser in his place. He clasped his fingers together and locked eyes with Riser, using his unique spell that was based on Conqueror Haki.

[ Conqueror ]

[AN: Spell based on Conqueror Haki but it still doesn't have the same ability as it. This spell only can intimidate enemies and temporarily dominate the will of others]

A feeling of fear suddenly hit Riser, but he quickly overpowered it with his Demonic Energy, exerting a fiery aura from his body.

"Hoah, amazing. Do you think a weak spell can work against me?" Riser said with a mocking smile.

"It worked, didn't it? You felt fear for a second until you dispelled it, of course," Yuuto retorted with a smirk.

Riser stood up and taunted Yuuto to accept his challenge. "Let's go for a few rounds. I've never felt insulted by a lowly servant this much," he said, looking down at Yuuto with a smirk.

Rias' patience had run thin, and she slammed her hand on the table. "Riser, stop this action right now!" she shouted.

Yuuto, however, was not fazed. He stood up and stared at Riser dead in the eyes. "Sure, let's go for a few rounds," he said calmly.

Rias pleaded with Yuuto to stop, knowing that Riser was far more powerful than he was. "Yuuto, stop this madness. You cannot beat him," she said desperately.

"I'm hurt that you didn't believe in me," Yuuto said with mock sadness, placing his palm over his chest.