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14 - My Step Towards Love
🕑 Added 2025-08-24 15:50:28 +0000 UTCWhen Akeno and I returned to the temple, I stepped forward and knocked twice on the door. The monk's voice echoed from behind the door a second later.
"Did you manage to talk to the children?" the monk asked.
"Yes, we spoke with them and explained the importance of maintaining peace in this temple. We believe they will not bother you again," I replied.
I could hear the monk's sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me."
"All you have to do now is sign the contract..." I said, and Akeno handed me the contract.
The contract paper was yellowed and stiff, like a piece of ancient parchment. Furthermore, every line of the contract, whether large or small, was composed of symbols I couldn't read. It wasn't Japanese, English, Latin, or Aramaic, but something much older.
I passed the contract under the door to the man, since he wasn't opening it to talk to us.
An awkward silence lasted for a few seconds, and soon the monk returned to our side of the door.
"I'm sorry, but... I can't do that," replied the monk.
"What?" A vein popped out on my forehead. "But we did what you wanted! We fulfilled our part of the contract!"
"I know, and I will be forever grateful for that, but I really can't."
"Arghh! You—."
"It's all right, sir," Akeno said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "If you have any more trouble with the children, please don't hesitate to call us. Have a good evening."
I looked at Akeno in confusion, and she smiled gently with her eyes and mouth.
"Let's go, the work is done."
At that moment, I understood that I had been wrong from the start. The mana of humans wasn't always the only reason devils accepted contracts with them.
I was speechless and simply followed Akeno away from the shrine. As we passed through the torii gate halfway down the stairs to the shrine, a system notification suddenly appeared.
[You have completed a mission with Akeno.]
[You have gained +1 Heart with Akeno Himejima.]
[You have gained +25 EXP.]
[Akeno liked the way you dealt with the children who were disturbing the temple.]
[You have gained +1 Heart with Akeno Himejima.]
[The character Akeno Himejima now has a great impression of you.]
[Your relationship level with Akeno has changed from NEUTRAL to GOOD.]
[Quests, combat, and training can increase your EXP. Doing these things together with other people may increase your relationship level with them.]
The staircase was long, so I had time to think as we descended in silence.
It was obvious that this system was much more useful in helping me understand my interpersonal relationships than my explorer system. I also gained experience from simple interactions, not just from killing monsters like most systems in my world. These particular conditions of my new system were easily explained because most of the skills in this new system depended on me having good relationships.
In the end, if I didn't have all these differences from other systems, my skills would be useless, so it made sense.
However, I had a feeling that in order to feel that this new system was truly mine, I needed to test a skill. Unfortunately, my basic skills weren't enough to easily test a spell from the palm of my hand. I would need to create a suitable situation to test it.
When Akeno and I returned to where I had locked Kiba's bike, Akeno said,
"You did a good job today, Leonard-kun."
"Thanks, Akeno. Too bad I won't have a signed contract to give to Rias-san," I replied as I unlocked the bike.
"Indeed, you won't, and that's why she won't reward you with anything. However, I saw what you did, I saw how well you handled the children and also the customer. So, how about instead of Buchou, I reward you?"
That's how, suddenly, an opportunity to use one of my skills appeared!
As I listened to Akeno, I turned to her and saw her slowly approaching me with her hands behind her back. Her long ponytail swayed with each step, and the expression on her face was both indecipherable and obvious, as if I could read her mind.
I never imagined things would take such a turn so quickly. Was this an effect of the hearts I received from her? Or was it finally the passion I had read about tirelessly during my teenage years?
Words seemed to escape me, my heart was pounding, and my mind went blank when she stopped close enough for me to smell the lavender scent of her shampoo.
She tilted her head slightly toward me, and just when I thought she was going to kiss me, she placed a soft kiss on my cheek.
I froze as I watched her slowly back away.
"Wait... That's it? I panicked for a second because I thought I was finally going to get my first kiss, but it was just a damn kiss on the cheek?!"
"Don't be discouraged, Leonard-kun," said Akeno, turning her back to me. "It's normal for some people not to want to sign the contract on the first try. Usually, those people get back in touch and sooner or later they give in and sign—." She stopped talking when she felt my right hand grab her wrist.
Akeno looked back over her shoulder, and the moment our eyes met, her eyelids lowered and a closed smile appeared on her mouth.
In an impulse I couldn't contain, I took a step forward and pulled her toward me. I stopped her with one hand on her waist and the other gently holding her chin.
Time stood still as I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers.
The surprise of the kiss was evident as her eyes widened, but she didn't pull away.
During the kiss, as our unfamiliar lips explored each other, I literally felt an electric current run through my body.
When I finally pulled away, Akeno's expression was completely different from before. Akeno always seemed so confident and provocative, but for the first time I saw her more timid expression. Her cheeks were slightly reddened, and her eyes wouldn't stay still.
My face was also slightly flushed, and I felt like I should apologize, but I didn't. It wasn't fair to apologize for something I didn't regret.
"A simple kiss on the cheek wouldn't be enough of a reward. So I decided to take something extra." I said, turning back to my bike.
As I got on my bike, I turned to look at her one last time before leaving.
Akeno was still standing there with her index finger lightly touching her lips. Apparently, she was still processing what had just happened.
"I have some things I need to take care of. Will I see you later?" I asked.
"Uh-huh," she agreed, without looking directly at me.
"Okay, see you tomorrow, and thanks for the reward." I teased her before starting to pedal. "Tell Kiba-san I'll return his bike tomorrow!"
I rode home quickly, feeling the cold night wind hit my face. At a time like this, I wondered how convenient it would be if I already knew how to use my wings. Thinking about it calmed my mind, but if I had known at the time that it had also been Akeno Himejima's first kiss, I would have made it last longer.
[You kissed Akeno Himejima. She is confused about what this means for the two of you, but she does not disapprove of your action.]
[You did not gain any hearts.]
[Ability <Predator's Touch> successfully copied <Electricity Manipulation>. Duration of copied ability: 1 day.]
