Just as the initial shock of the situation began to settle, Raphiel's eyes danced with a sudden, brilliant spark of mischief.
A sweet, innocent smile spread across her face as she pitched a genuinely chaotic idea.
"Say, since all of us are tasked with observing Haruto-kun anyway... why don't we all just move into this building together?"
"What?!"
The collective gasp echoed off the walls. Vignette, Gabriel, and Satanichia all stared at her as if she had lost her mind.
Raphiel calmly pressed on, her tone entirely reasonable as she began laying out the logistics.
"Think about it. It would make keeping an eye on him so much more efficient if we lived right next door. I happened to check the leasing office board downstairs—there's a spacious two-bedroom unit currently available right on this floor. If we split the lease, two to a room, it will drastically cut down on rent and living expenses for everyone."
Living expenses.
That single phrase hit Vignette right where it hurt.
As a demon trying to survive on a tight budget, money was always a constant source of stress.
Even though performing minor, trivial acts of "badness" could technically boost her demonic rank and earnings.
Vignette was far too naturally kind-hearted to pull off anything truly wicked.
A chance to slash her monthly rent in half sounded like a divine blessing—or a demonic miracle.
"Wait... if we split the cost evenly, rent really would be remarkably cheap,"
Vignette murmured, her eyes instantly sparkling with practical interest.
"I'm in!"
"Me too! Count me in!" Satanichia eagerly thrust both hands up into the air, her crimson eyes flashing with intense ambition.
Her master plan had two clear phases: first, thoroughly defeat the angels sharing her roof; and second, finally force Haruto to become her loyal, obedient human servant.
If she managed to pull off both feats while living right next door, she'd skyrocket straight to an S-class demon in no time!
Heh, heh, heh!
Imagining her future reign of supreme glory, Satanichia threw her head back and burst into a loud, overconfident villainous laugh.
"....hou."
Haruto let out a heavy, amused sigh, mentally shaking his head.
With a brain like that, Satanichia is bound to trip over her own shoelaces before the week is even over.
"I, um... wait, hold on—"
Gabriel frantically stammered, her face turning pale.
If all of them moved into the same apartment, her glorious, uninterrupted gaming lifestyle would be completely exposed to round-the-clock surveillance!
Before she could object or come up with a desperate excuse, Raphiel smoothly cut her off, weaponizing her sweet smile to shut down any debate.
"Decided, then! It's settled. I'll share a room with Gabriel, and Vignette can room with Satanichia. Since it's the weekend, we can easily sign the paperwork and move our things in right away this afternoon."
Faced with Raphiel's terrifyingly cheerful and absolute efficiency, Gabriel opened her mouth, closed it, and stood completely speechless, defeated by the sheer momentum of the plot.
Vignette turned her attention toward Haruto, offering a polite, hopeful smile.
"Haruto-kun, since you're already familiar with the building manager, could you help us go down and check out the open room?"
Haruto offered an easy, welcoming shrug.
"Sure. I only moved in recently myself, but I can definitely help you guys look over the place and talk to the landlord."
"That would be wonderful! Thank you so much!"
Vignette beamed, genuinely grateful for the help.
As Haruto turned to lead the excited group down the hallway to inspect the vacant unit, Gabriel lagged several paces behind the rest of the pack.
Her shoulders slumped in defeat, her brain entirely consumed by a singular, burning question.
When on earth am I going to find time to log back into the game and test my new divine staff?!
The crisp afternoon breeze rustled through the pristine courtyard of the Sakurajima family estate.
Standing outside the heavy front gate, Mai Sakurajima stared at the familiar architecture, yet it felt entirely foreign, resembling a cage rather than a home.
Her hand hovered in the air, trembling slightly as she hesitated to push open the barrier.
She did not want to face her mother.
Beneath the anxiety lay a deep, cold well of resentment—an active loathing rooted in a betrayal that had occurred when she was just thirteen years old.
Back then, Mai's career as a child star had skyrocketed, bringing her into the public eye with immense fame.
Capitalizing on her rising star, her mother had taken over as her manager, aggressively signing endorsement deals and raking in a substantial fortune.
But greed knows no bounds.
When Mai turned thirteen, her mother arranged a high-profile commercial shoot for an explicit swimsuit photobook, pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable for a child.
Appalled and humiliated, Mai had firmly refused.
When her mother dismissed her protests, Mai had gone to extreme lengths, making it clear she would resort to self-harm before ever stepping foot in front of that camera.
Cornered by her daughter's absolute resolve, her mother finally relented, canceling the job and paying a steep penalty fee for the breach of contract.
Yet, the damage was irreversible.
From that defining moment, Mai realized her mother had completely lost her way, consumed entirely by a relentless pursuit of wealth, status, and the commodification of her own flesh and blood.
That was the exact day Mai first felt the suffocating urge to disappear entirely.
Perhaps it was that very psychological trauma that triggered the Adolescent Syndrome years later—the subconscious desire to stop being seen, to fade into absolute obscurity so no one could use her anymore.
Without Haruto finding her wandering through the library dressed in a bunny suit, the girl known as Mai Sakurajima might have quietly vanished from the world forever.
The sudden memory of Haruto's steady voice, his gentle presence, and the warmth of his affection brought a soft, genuinely relieved smile to her face.
The thought of him anchored her, clearing away the fog of dread and filling her chest with a newfound, resilient courage.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Mai stepped forward. She reached out and firmly pressed the doorbell, ready to face her past on her own terms.
•
[Mai]
•
*****
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