Chapter 257: Secret Observation...
"By the way… don't you feel like someone's watching us?" Vigne said hesitantly.
Ever since they'd left school, she couldn't shake off a faint unease, as though invisible eyes were tracking her every move. Her steps slowed unconsciously. She turned her head and glanced around, scanning the street and the corners of nearby buildings, but saw nothing out of place.
"Maybe I'm just imagining things…" Vigne murmured, shaking her head.
Kouya sighed silently. 'You're not imagining it at all. There really are people watching you. Actually… quite a few.'
Not just Takanashi Rikka and Satania, but Raphiel and Alice too—and even that lazy angel Gabriel. The only reason Vigne hadn't noticed was her complete lack of experience in this kind of situation.
—
Not far behind them, two small heads peeked out from behind a row of trash bins.
"What are they saying?" Rikka whispered, her little ahoge bouncing with every word. "Why does Vigne-chan look all flustered all of a sudden?"
Satania, self-declared leader of the operation, refused to admit ignorance. Her crimson eyes gleamed as she dramatically raised a finger. "...I know why! Look above their heads—see that sign?"
"Eh? 'Love Hotel'?" Rikka blinked, eyes widening. "Could it be that the Hero is going there with Vigne to… save the world?"
"Exactly! That must be it!" Satania nodded confidently, looking absurdly proud of her deduction.
—
"Tch. And they still haven't noticed me."
Gabriel stood lazily beneath the shade of a tree, her hands in her pockets. Though she made no effort to hide herself, the two ahead remained completely oblivious. Her small frame was completely shrouded in the shadows, as if nature itself was helping her remain unseen.
"Lady Shiraha, they haven't found us yet, right?" Alice whispered, her hands pressed over her mouth. Her face was flushed pink with excitement; the thrill of sneaking around for the first time made her heart race.
"No," Raphiel replied softly, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "But if everyone's gathering here like this… it'll probably get even more interesting."
She smiled, that angelic yet devilish curve of her lips glowing faintly under the streetlight.
—
Kouya and Vigne soon reached a small park nearby. It was an old park, its playground equipment worn and faded. Because of the summer heat, almost no one was there.
At the small plaza in the center, a group of oddly familiar people were playing dodgeball.
Among them—Kanna, the blue-eyed dragon girl in her little yellow hat; Tohru, the ever-cheerful maid dragon; the massive-busted Lucoa; and the stern butler-like man in glasses—Fafnir.
Yes, it was the same group of dragons Kouya and Vigne had once met at Kobayashi's house.
"Eh?!"
Vigne froze, stunned. She had only intended to visit Kanna and maybe feed her a snack, but the sight of several dragons together made her heart jump. The air itself felt heavier.
The dragons turned their heads toward her, their gazes sharp and intimidating.
Vigne paled instantly, her wings almost trembling from sheer pressure.
Kouya stepped forward and gently took her hand. The warmth of his grip spread through her fingers, steadying her trembling heart. She squeezed back without realizing it.
She recognized Tohru and Kanna, of course—but the others, especially the cold-eyed man in a butler suit, were complete strangers. The sheer pressure emanating from him made her feel faint.
Even in a world where humans coexisted with onmyoji and youkai, angels and demons, dragons belonged to a completely different realm. According to the records she'd studied, dragons were creatures of immense strength and ferocity. Even a full-fledged demon wouldn't dare provoke one lightly.
When they'd once reported the existence of dragons to higher authorities, the response had been a mere, "Ignore them."
It was terrifying.
"Good afternoon, Kouya-sama!" Tohru called cheerfully, waving with a bright smile.
"Mm," Kouya nodded in greeting.
Compared to their first meeting at Kobayashi's, these dragons seemed far more at ease in human society.
Kanna had fully adapted to elementary school life, her natural cuteness turning her into the reigning 'Queen of the Playground.' With her soft cheeks and sleepy eyes, she had countless fans.
Tohru's days were simple—housework, shopping, watching TV, cooking, and waiting for Kobayashi to come home—along with her endless attempts to get physically closer to her beloved human.
As for Fafnir, the cursed dragon, he'd apparently become a hardcore gaming shut-in after moving in with Kobayashi's coworker, much like Gabriel. And Lucoa? Well, Kouya wasn't sure what she did, but with a figure like that, she'd never go hungry.
Kanna approached them, tilting her head up with her usual soft expression. "Good afternoon."
Her voice was as sweet as jelly candy.
Vigne smiled back, finally relaxing a little. "Good afternoon, Kanna-chan~"
Tohru giggled. "Are you two here to play with Kanna? Go ahead!"
She then gave Kouya a thumbs-up, flashing a grin that revealed a sharp fang gleaming in the sunlight. "Not bad, Kouya! I'll tell Kobayashi about this later—she'll be thrilled."
What's with that smug face?! Why does she look like a dog trying to impress its owner?
"Why would she be thrilled?" Kouya asked blankly.
"Because you've got yourself a girlfriend, of course!" Tohru declared.
"N-no, it's not like that…" Vigne stammered, her face burning.
"Hmph!" Tohru planted her hands on her hips and pointed dramatically. "Don't lie! Kobayashi said normal friends don't hold hands like that!"
Vigne blinked, startled. Only then did she realize she was still holding Kouya's hand. Her cheeks flared red, and she quickly pulled away.
—
At that same moment—
Smack!
Gabriel flinched as someone patted her back. She turned around sharply to see Raphiel and Alice smiling sweetly at her.
"What are you two doing here?" she asked, flustered. Even for her, being caught tailing someone was a little embarrassing.
"Oh, Alice and I were just shopping nearby~" Raphiel said with a sugary smile. "But what about you, Gabi-chan? Why aren't you home playing games?"
"I was shopping too," Gabriel muttered, looking away.
"How funny! Satania and Rikka must be shopping too, since they're right ahead of us. Why don't we all go together?" Raphiel suggested, her grin widening.
"Forget it. I'm going home," Gabriel grumbled, trying to turn away—only for Raphiel to grab her arm.
"Come on~ The more, the merrier!"
—
"Eh?! You guys are behind us?!" Satania yelped when she turned around.
"Well, you know," Raphiel said with a shrug, her face pure innocence. "Wherever Satania is, I appear too~ Are you tailing Kouya?"
"I—I'm not!" Satania stammered.
Rikka nodded seriously. "We're just practicing stealth."
Gabriel sighed, hands stuffed in her pockets. "You all have fun. I'm leaving."
Raphiel raised a finger to her lips. "Aww, Gabi-chan, aren't you curious? Maybe Vigne and Kouya are in trouble and didn't want to drag us into it. So really, this is a justified tail mission, right?"
Everyone: "…"
It meant the same thing—but somehow 'tail mission' sounded way better than 'stalking.'
—
Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, a gothic girl in an ornate black dress strolled along with a parasol in one hand and a lollipop in her mouth.
"Ugh, honestly… why does someone of my status have to do these lowly tasks?" she muttered. "Information gathering shouldn't even require my involvement. The Truth Society is doomed if they rely on me for this."
She twirled her parasol lazily, sighing. "Still… even my abilities aren't infallible. Better to double-check, just in case. You never know what kind of anomalies can occur…"
Her crimson eyes flicked toward the park ahead. "Hmm, so you're here, huh… This time, you won't catch me off guard!"
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