Thanks again for the dump. The volume with Akira-sama on the cover kicking off with a great Aika/Akira-sama focussed chapter. And the debut of an even cuter Aika, if that's possible.
In many ways this chapter further encapsulates the things I like so much about Akira-sama. Underneath the crabbiness, underneath the suwas, underneath the grumpy stares is someone who unmistakably cares so damn much for Aika. The important lessons she gives Aika are exactly what she needs to hear. While sometimes I wonder if Akira-sama could maybe approach these sorts of situations in a different way, my overall feeling is that she has to be tough in order to genuinely get through to Aika. And it's clear that Aika listens and cherishes the advice, even if she has to go through a bit of a talking down in order to get there.
And perhaps I'm probably reading too much into this, but I have to give props to Akira-sama. It mustn't be easy having a protégé so 'infatuated' with someone like Alicia. We've seen Akira-sama admitting some of her insecurities in previous chapters, but despite all this she doesn't let it get to her - or at least, she doesn't let it bug her enough to prevent her from trying her hardest to teach Aika the important lesson of being your own person. Even if she has to play the part of the 'bad guy' for a bit. But no-one who loves meat THAT much could truly ever be 'bad', right?
The only bit of Venice trivia I can give for this chapter is that the clock tower you see in & is that of Santa Maria Formosa. I don't think there's a spot nearby similar to that in the manga, but it's a lovely bit of architecture to please the eyes. Check it out if you're heading between San Marco and Zanipolo/Fondamenta Nuove!
However, this was very much an important Aika/Akira-sama chapter, and I felt like talking about them more than I did Venice.