[ Maruki warned him how this would go, and it's good to have that insight here and now, as Akechi outright refuses his apology, turns it around by saying that he further provoked.

It's not a lie, but the fact remains: Kazuya struck first.

Still, he didn't think the dismissal of his apology would be that he doesn't want to be coddled... ]

Truthfully, I'm apologizing for two reasons, one is that I am genuinely sorry it got so out of hand, and two, because it pisses off the other Bel demons to admit it. For exactly the reason you stated.

[ Oh, how it makes them particularly cantankerous.

Kazuya leans back in his chair a little, relaxing despite the admission. ]

So if you can't accept a genuine apology, at least accept my desire to be petty towards something else.