Arthur still couldn't understand why the previous owner of this body had never hired servants to maintain the house.
The residence was huge, practically a mansion, yet in all the time he had lived there, the only thing he used it for was sleeping.
He ate outside every day, and despite that, dust had already begun to pile up everywhere.
Cleaning such a large place was a headache. He hated chores, but if he didn't do something soon, it would turn into a haunted house.
For now, sweeping a little should be enough.
---
The next day, after school, everyone gathered in the Occult Research Clubroom for their daily tasks.
Rias sat at her desk reviewing paperwork, her expression focused and regal as ever. Akeno stood nearby preparing tea, but her eyes repeatedly drifted toward Arthur, her lips curling into a seductive smile every time their gazes met. She even blinked at him slowly, intentionally playful.
Rias noticed, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.
Akeno stiffened for a moment, realizing she had been caught staring. Her cheeks flushed scarlet, her eyes turning hazy as memories from the previous evening flashed in her mind. She quickly looked away, biting her lip lightly.
Meanwhile, Koneko sat on the sofa munching snacks as usual, completely unbothered by the atmosphere.
Arthur and Kiba Yuuto were having an intense conversation about martial arts.
"So you use a feint to aim for the back of the head with a kick from the front?" Kiba asked, genuinely curious.
Arthur nodded, positioning his stance calmly.
"Yes, you throw a front kick that intentionally misses, then you bend your leg and strike the base of the skull from the side. The aim is to stun the opponent momentarily."
He demonstrated the motion clearly and precisely.
Kiba's eyes widened slightly in admiration.
"It's an interesting technique. The concept could be useful even in swordsmanship."
As they spoke, a magic circle suddenly shone beneath Kiba's feet — signaling a contract request.
"It seems someone is summoning me." He turned to Rias. "President, I'll be heading out. Arthur-san, you may accompany me if you like."
Rias nodded with her usual composed smile, and Akeno waved gently at the two of them, her expression soft and strangely affectionate.
The magic circle lit up brightly, and in the next instant, Arthur and Kiba appeared in a luxurious modern apartment with large glass windows overlooking the city nightscape.
A beautiful, mature woman sat elegantly on a sofa, holding a glossy pamphlet in one hand.
"Kiba-kun, it's been a long time," she greeted with a charming smile. "And it seems you've brought a handsome friend."
Arthur watched discreetly as she covered her mouth slightly with her fingers, a gesture full of refined elegance though he still scanned her body with curious eyes.
"He's a colleague helping me with work today," Kiba said politely. "Don't worry, the price remains the same. Arthur-san, this is one of my regular clients."
Arthur bowed lightly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, miss. I'm Arthur."
"I see. No problem." She smiled pleasantly. "Kiba-kun, the usual, please."
The woman stood and walked toward the kitchen area.
"Arthur-san," Kiba began once she was out of earshot, "our job is actually…"
---
In the end, the contract involved simply cooking dinner for her and keeping her company for a pleasant conversation while she ate. When finished, she paid them in cash and, before they left, subtly slipped them a small piece of paper with her phone number written on it.
They accepted it politely, explaining Arthur wasn't accepting independent contracts yet.
---
Later, returning to the Club, they summarized their activities to Rias and the others. With that, the work for the day concluded.
"See you tomorrow," Arthur said casually as he headed toward the door.
The moment his hand touched the handle, he felt a sharp, burning gaze on his back. He glanced sideways and met Akeno's eyes.
She didn't say a word.
Her eyes slid slowly toward the hallway, then subtly upward, as if pointing.
Her tongue traced the corner of her lips for only a second, followed by a tiny smirk.
A silent message that needed no explanation.
She walked past him, her shoulder brushing intentionally against his, her perfume lingering like electricity on his skin. As she walked away, she swayed her hips just enough to make sure he noticed, glancing back once with half-lidded eyes.
Whatever she wanted, it wasn't innocent.
---
Arthur waited a few moments before following, heading to the stairwell. He climbed silently, and when he pushed open the rooftop door, the cold breeze hit his face.
Akeno stood near the railing, back turned, the sky's fading light painting her silhouette.
She looked over her shoulder with a slow, enticing motion.
"You came," she whispered, her voice velvet-smooth.
She stepped closer, her heels clicking softly. Before he could say anything, she placed both hands on his chest and pushed him gently but firmly against the wall behind him.
"As expected, my cute boyfriend listens so well."
Her body pressed close, her warm breath brushing his neck.
Her hands slid slowly up his chest, fingers tracing every line, every muscle.
Arthur swallowed hard, trying to stay composed, but Akeno leaned in, her lips brushing his ear.
"Are you going to pretend again that you're unaffected?"
He inhaled sharply.
"I wanted to test something," she whispered.
Then she walked right up to him so close he could feel the heat from her skin and gently guided him backward until his back met the warm concrete floor. She straddled him effortlessly, settling onto his lap as if the position belonged only to her.
Arthur's breath caught.
Her face hovered inches from his, her hands sliding down his chest and resting on his collar.
"Ara ara… you're always so calm, but now I can feel your heartbeat racing," she whispered, her voice breathy with amusement.
Akeno smirked and raised his hand, guiding one of his fingers to her lips.
Without breaking eye contact, she parted her lips and pulled his fingertip in, sucking lightly, slow and deliberate.
A soft sound escaped her throat, a suppressed, breathy hum that sent heat racing through his veins.
A violent surge of electrical energy flowed through the contact point, crackling visibly like blue lightning dancing between them.
Arthur gasped involuntarily, his muscles clenching.
Akeno trembled, a soft sound spilling from her lips - "Mmh~" - half-moan, half-laugh, pure pleasure from absorbing the energy.
"So strong…" she murmured, pulling back for a second as her body shivered.
"That power… I want more."
Before he could respond, she leaned down and pressed her lips onto his, capturing them fiercely.
The moment their mouths met, Arthur felt another bolt of lightning rip through his body, and Akeno inhaled sharply, drawing the power out through the kiss. The energy flowed like heated water, melting strength from him into her.
Her nails gripped his shoulders, and she let out another sound, breathy and desperate — "Ahh~"
Arthur instinctively wrapped his hands around her waist, gripping harder than he meant to, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss.
The dominance shifted and Akeno felt it. Her breath hitched, her hips tensing slightly.
The power exchange intensified, the air vibrating with static.
The kiss grew rougher, hungrier - her moans spilling freely into his mouth, soft but impossible to ignore.
"Mmh—Ahh~"
Finally, when her body trembled uncontrollably, the kiss broke.
Akeno collapsed forward and rested her forehead on his chest, breath shaking, cheeks flushed deep red.
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"That… was incredible… Arthur…"
She was exhausted, her body limp from the sudden surge of energy she had absorbed. She stayed there, breathing unevenly, her fingers curled weakly around the fabric of his shirt.
"I didn't expect it to be that strong…" she laughed softly to herself, still breathless.
"If I took any more… I think my body would have given out."
Arthur placed one hand gently at the back of her head, letting her rest.
Akeno slowly lifted her head from his chest, her breath finally calming. A faint smile formed on her lips, still flushed from the intensity moments earlier.
"I have something I need to discuss with Rias," she whispered softly, brushing loose strands of hair behind her ear. "So I'll be going now."
She gently cupped his cheek with one hand and leaned in, pressing a slow, affectionate kiss to his face. Her thumb caressed his jawline before she pulled back with a teasing smile.
"See you, Arthur."
She turned around and took a few steps toward the door, fully expecting him to vanish with Shunpo like always. She glanced back once, waiting for the sound of disappearing footsteps.
But he didn't move.
Arthur remained standing there by the railing, calmly watching the sky.
Akeno blinked, a little surprised, curiosity flickering in her eyes. A barely noticeable blush touched her cheeks before she turned away and left through the door, her steps light as the wind.
Arthur let out a slow exhale.
He decided not to disappear through the rooftop this time, since he planned to buy something to eat on his way home and wanted to walk around a bit.
He pushed the door open and stepped out of the old building.
The sun was still shining, but it would soon be dark. He didn't feel like wandering around too much, but he still hadn't found a restaurant that looked delicious.
Suddenly, a small scream reached his ears. A shadow passed overhead, indicating that something was falling toward him. Arthur reacted instantly, raising his arms and gently catching the girl before she hit the ground.
A white cloth slipped from her head, revealing long, silky blonde hair. She wore a long dark blue robe trimmed with light blue lace. She was petite, with a modest yet undeniably feminine figure, subtle curves visible beneath the fabric.
Arthur's gaze lingered for a moment. Her face was delicate, framed by soft hair, with fair skin and plump cheeks. When her large, bright light green eyes met his, all he could see was pure innocence.
For some reason, he found himself unable to look away, and the girl didn't move either. After a short silence, a blush bloomed across her cheeks and she spoke softly.
"Um... thank you for catching me..."
Her voice was gentle and clear, almost fragile. In his arms stood Asia Argento, one of the heroines of this world.
'But what's she doing here? This scene shouldn't happen today, nor in this place.'
[The plot has changed slightly due to your intervention, host]
[The change is minimal for now and only accelerates certain plot points]
[This system will notify you in the future if further changes occur]
'So it's finally happening... Will my knowledge of the plot become useless?'
[It is unlikely. In a world born from a predefined story, the world itself will attempt to correct course and follow the plot.]
'That's good to hear.'
"Good sir... could you please put me down?"
Arthur blinked, realizing he had gotten lost in thought and had been staring directly at her face.
"I'm really sorry, I'll put you down right now."
He gently set her back on her feet and noticed a large suitcase on the ground beside them, its contents scattered across the pavement. Without hesitation, he knelt down and began gathering her belongings.
Asia panicked, flustered that the stranger who caught her was now helping pick up her things.
"Thank you so much for helping me, kind sir... This must be God's will, to meet someone so kind."
Ever since she was expelled from the church, her life had been nothing but misfortune. Even so, the sincerity in her voice and eyes showed she still believed deeply in goodness. The warmth in her chest grew stronger as she watched him carefully return her belongings.
"Don't worry about it. But what exactly happened? Where did you fall from?"
Arthur looked up and spotted an overpass directly above them.
"Did you jump over the railing?"
Asia quickly shook her head.
"No, no, not at all. I was checking my wallet and my money flew out... I tried to catch it, but then... I slipped and fell."
Her shoulders drooped, and sorrow darkened her expression. The next moment, her stomach growled loudly, echoing between the buildings. Her face turned scarlet.
Arthur couldn't help a faint smile.
"Actually, I was just about to get something to eat. Would you like me to treat you?"
Asia looked like she wanted to refuse out of politeness, but another painful growl from her stomach betrayed her.
"I'm terribly sorry to trouble you... but I would really appreciate eating with you."