~Hachiman Pov~
(Flashback)
Ding-dong~♪
Whoosh—
"Thank you for your patronage."
Sigh... There is simply no other explanation for this kind of condition. I must definitely be suffering from some kind of illness.
Even though several hours have already passed, my hands still refuse to stop trembling. Furthermore, that strange, piercing coldness still grips me and won't go away.
Ever since I was born into this world, I have never been sick even once. So why did it happen this time?
Is it because of the side effects from a malfunction within the cells of each race inside my body?
But that shouldn't be the case. If something was going to manifest this severely, shouldn't it have happened years ago?
'Sigh… I wonder how much longer this body can maintain its normalcy.'
Looking outside, the sky has already begun to change color, and it is almost completely dark.
Normally, whenever I feel like I'm down on my luck, depressed, or have anxieties weighing on my mind to the point of distraction, I usually choose to wander around aimlessly. It forces my body to move and work more than my brain. This rustic method of problem-solving has almost always worked well for me.
Its mechanism is simply just a form of diverting the brain's attention.
Right at the moment I turned around to walk out of the convenience store, holding a plastic bag in my hand.
"Hachiman...?"
The familiar voice that suddenly called out made me instantly snap my head to look toward the side where the sound originated.
"Yoko-san...?"
The source of the voice was a young adult woman. She was the former owner of the apartment building I used to rent, whose status has currently reversed into becoming a tenant under my care instead.
She walked straight toward me while asking plainly.
"Did you come to buy some things?"
"Yes."
I replied while lifting the plastic bag from the convenience store in my hand to show her as evidence.
Yoko-san right now was dressed in a comfortable tracksuit meant for staying at home, yet her mature aura still shone clearly enough to draw the eyes of the people around her regardless.
After a moment, Yoko-san's gaze shifted down to fixate on my hand, which was still trembling uncontrollably.
"Hachiman, what's wrong with your hand? Why is it shaking like that?"
Yoko-san's questioning remark made me flinch inwardly, and I quickly yanked my trembling hand backward to hide it behind me in an instant.
Truthfully, if one didn't observe closely or focus their gaze directly down on it, it would be almost impossible to know that it was shaking violently. It was truly strange that her eyesight happened to be sharp enough to spot the anomaly after all.
"Oh... No, it's nothing."
I feigned the most seamless facial expression I could muster, letting out a dry laugh to cover up my flustered state.
"I just feel a little cold..."
"Cold?"
Her eyes narrowed as she shifted her target from my trembling hand, moving to fixate on the convenience store bag I was holding instead. Those sharp eyes scanned through the plastic, seeing right through to what lay inside with perfect clarity.
"You bought medicine... Do you have a fever?"
Yoko-san knitted her brows instantly out of concern, in the natural manner of an adult seeing a youth under their care behaving strangely.
"I think that might be the case, so I bought some medicine just in case."
"Let me check."
Yoko-san didn't just speak.
She stepped a bit closer, until the distance between us shrank to less than a step.
A faint, mature fragrance wafting from her made me unsure of how to behave.
But amidst that fragrance, there was a certain scent laced within it. A familiar scent that I had encountered multiple times before. A scent like iron rust...
..No, isn't this the smell of blood?
While I was knitting my brows in suspicion, Yoko-san extended her slender hand to gently touch my forehead. Her palm felt perfectly warm.
But for me, who was currently confused, that touch caused my body to freeze stiff for a moment, as if an electric current had run directly from my forehead into my brain.
"Hmm... Your forehead isn't that hot..."
She murmured while knitting her brows, before sliding her soft palm down to touch the side of my neck to double-check. This only made me secretly swallow a large lump of saliva in a state of ultimate tension.
And finally, she moved her hand down to firmly grasp my trembling hand.
The moment our skin made contact, Yoko-san actually froze. Her eyes widened slightly as she perceived the trembling force and the icy chill radiating from my palm.
"Hachiman... Your body is freezing cold, and your hand is shaking this much. Are you really okay?"
She spoke with a tone and gaze filled with seriousness and deep concern. Her hand still held my trembling hand tightly, enough for me to feel her warmth.
"Yes, I think if I get back and rest for a bit, it will probably get better on its own..."
I answered in a low voice before pausing for a moment.
"..Ahem.. And also, could you please give me a little space? Right now, the people around us are looking at the two of us with strange eyes."
I said while feigning a light cough to mask the awkwardness, my eyes glancing around the area in front of the convenience store where people were standing and watching us.
Of course, the sight of a stunningly beautiful adult woman in a tracksuit standing and holding hands, being physically intimate with a high school boy in a public place like this, made for an excellent target of attention that would easily invite people's imaginations to run wild.
"Mommy... What are that big sister and big brother doing?"
The clear voice of a little girl walking by while holding her mother's hand rang out, as she pointed her finger this way in curiosity.
"Oh! Don't look, sweetie. Hurry up and walk faster."
The mother quickly grabbed her daughter's hand and averted her gaze, as if she were seeing something obscene that was forbidden for children under eighteen to watch.
Not only that, a group of office workers who had just finished work and were walking past also began to turn, whispering and gossiping to their hearts' content.
"Hey, look at that... Teenagers these days are something else. He's got a gorgeous older sister taking care of him and pampering him like that. So damn enviable."
"Where, where?! Oh! That guy is incredibly lucky."
Those whispering voices and piercing stares didn't have much of an impact on me right now because I had been subjected to them so much that I was used to it. The one I was worried about was the woman standing in front of me.
However, strangely enough, Yoko-san didn't show any signs of embarrassment or agitation at all. Aside from refusing to let go of my hand, her expression remained entirely composed. Her eyes were still fixed solely on me, without a single shred of wavering toward those voices.
"Those whispering voices... Let them talk. It's not interesting in the slightest."
Yoko-san shrugged indifferently.
"I don't care about that kind of stuff anyway. Right now, the only thing I care about is your illness, Hachiman."
"Uh.. Thank you for your concern."
I replied with an awkward tone before adding further.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave first."
I attempted to pull my hand back while taking a step away from her, but...
"Wait a moment. I'm about to head back as well. In any case, our path home is the same anyway. Shall we walk together?"
I fell silent while staring into her eyes for a moment.
'Am I just imagining things? I feel like her eyes right now look somewhat gloomier than before.'
"Alright then. No problem."
In the end, I agreed helplessly, before quickly raising another objection.
"But... Could you please let go of my hand?"
"Do you dislike me, Hachiman?"
She shot a question back, her face instantly dropping as she showed a slight look of sorrow.
"No! It's definitely not like that!"
I denied it instantly.
"It's just that doing this is a bit too conspicuous. It makes the two of us targets for the eyes of the people around here. If we leave it like this, maybe tomorrow you'll end up being teased by the neighbors."
"Didn't I already tell you that I don't care about those things...?"
Yoko-san paused for a moment, before uttering the next sentence in a voice so faint it seemed like a murmur to herself.
"...In fact, it would actually be better for me."
"Hmm? What did you say just now?"
I knitted my brows and asked because I didn't hear it clearly.
"No, it's nothing. Well then, let's go."
Yoko-san cut the conversation short while using her slender fingers to tighten her grip on my hand, refusing to grant an opportunity to easily break free, before she began to step forward to lead the way.
After a moment, she shifted her fingers gently before changing to interlock our fingers tightly together.
"I think holding hands tightly like this should help relieve your trembling... Look."
She spoke while lifting our interlocked hands up in front of us for me to see.
Huh...?
Incredible. The trembling from a moment ago had completely vanished into thin air.
Perhaps my body at this moment was indeed craving warmth from someone to anchor onto.
And at this time... it was Yoko-san's hand that was slowly radiating warmth into my freezing cold hand.
The two of us walked side by side along the quiet street. On this night path, there was only the sound of our footsteps treading rhythmically on the concrete ground.
With every step we took, each streetlight along the road gradually flickered awake, taking turns to cast light and guide our way. The atmosphere around us fell into dead silence, leaving the warmth gripping between our hands to silently perform its duty.
After walking for a while, Yoko-san, who had been walking in silence the whole time, was the one to break the silence.
"Hey, Hachiman.."
"Hmm?"
I glanced at her slightly.
"When are you going to accept me as your girlfriend?"
"Cough! Cough!... Eh!?"
The question that slipped from her mouth caused me to choke on my own saliva instantly.
Hey, hey... Piercing me with a sudden question like this out of nowhere!? It practically caused my brain switch to short-circuit, rendering it unable to process in time.
Hold on a minute, is she actually serious about this?
Is she not going to consider giving herself a chance to meet other, better men out there at all?
I could somewhat understand her reasoning—that she was still constantly worried about how others viewed her. Because of that, she chose me as an excellent insurance policy for her own peace of mind, after having heard my opinion of her last time, which leaned heavily in a positive direction.
Even so...
"Like... Isn't it a bit too fast? Try going back and thinking it over better than this. You might miss out on a chance to meet good men in the future."
I tried to offer an alternative to give her room to reconsider her own thoughts more thoroughly.
...But unfortunately, it didn't work in the slightest.
Yoko-san shook her head gently back and forth before countering.
"Didn't Hachiman say so yourself that a beautiful gem is hard to find... But if that beautiful gem happens to be right within arm's reach now, then why wouldn't I grasp it?"
Huh...? Within arm's reach? That definition of a beautiful gem... She means me!?
"I don't think that's quite right..."
I quickly objected while letting out a soft sigh.
"Besides, I'm still just a student right now. I don't even have any substantial employment yet, aside from collecting room rent from the tenants. That amount of income isn't sufficient at all."
Yes... It really wasn't enough. The rental money received each month had to be deducted and balanced against the electricity bill, water bill, and numerous other living necessities, especially that parasite who does nothing but consume my resources day in and day out.
The main advantage of the apartment building under my care was its extremely cheap rent compared to other places.
And because of that reason, the majority of the tenants who chose to reside here were usually the same old faces who had stayed for a very long time, without any bustling or dramatic rotation of income at all.
Of course, all of that was merely an excuse I dug up to use in order to find a way to reject her without hurting her feelings.
"If it's about money, Hachiman doesn't need to worry."
Suddenly, Yoko-san stopped her footsteps, before spinning her body around to face me directly.
She stared deep into my eyes with a gaze so serious it was alarming, then lifted her free hand to gently touch my cheek.
The warm contact from her fingertips made me almost forget to breathe.
"I may not look it, but I have a lot of money. I can even take care of Hachiman for the rest of your life..."
She paused slightly, while using her fingertips to softly stroke my cheek.
"As long as Hachiman is willing to become mine, that's enough."
Eh? Become mine?
those words caused me to freeze for a moment.
Is this truly the conversation of a love confession?
At least from my meager experience, a proposal to date someone shouldn't have the phrase 'become mine' showing up in it.
Yoko-san's tone and manner didn't look embarrassed or nervous in the slightest.
If I had to compare it, it resembled someone who was already confident that this object belonged to them, rather than someone waiting for an answer from the other party.
Wait a minute... For the rest of my life?
Isn't this exactly my dream?
Being able to leech off a wealthy woman to live day by day like a gigolo, just staying at home without having to work.
I almost cheered inside my heart, but that thought was quickly extinguished.
Because once I recalled it, at this point, I probably could no longer call myself a human being with a straight face.
Furthermore... do I truly have the right to live by the side of a normal person?
When what I am right now is so completely aberrant from ordinary people.
No matter how one looked at it, getting involved with me would only bring trouble and disaster to those around me.
And there was one thing I was curious about.
"By the way, Yoko-san, what kind of work do you do?"
Ever since we came to know each other, I had never known what her occupation was. From what I saw, she would usually go out somewhere alone, particularly during the evening.
If it were in the past, I would have thought her main income came from the apartment rent, but now that wasn't the case anymore.
Upon hearing my question, her hand that was holding mine twitched slightly.
"Well, about that—"
Pi-po~! Pi-po~!
Suddenly, a siren blared, accompanied by a police car speeding past us in a rush.
Not long after that, two or three locals ran past while conversing in a state of panic, loud enough for me to hear.
"Do you know what happened!?"
"I heard someone was murdered in a room!"
"I heard they were decapitated too! It gives me goosebumps!"
Hmm? Again?
Lately, murder cases have been occurring noticeably more frequently than usual.
But I didn't pay much attention to those things.
If one followed the news, they would find that the people who were killed were all criminals or wicked individuals.
In a sense, those pieces of trash vanishing from society could even be considered a good thing.
While I was thinking about those matters quietly, I didn't notice that Yoko-san was watching the police car that drove past.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, bearing a gaze that looked inexplicably cold and dangerous.
"Let's leave it at this for now, Hachiman. Let's hurry back. Being outside at night like this is dangerous."
"Ah... Yes."
.
.
Apartment
Click... Clack
"I'm home."
After returning to the apartment, I split up with Yoko-san before walking into my own room.
Tok... Tok... Tok...
"Welcome back, Hikage-sama."
Kalawarner walked out to greet me immediately.
She did this every day to the point that, sometimes, I couldn't help but think that this felt more like the atmosphere of a married couple than a master and subordinate.
"Would you like to take a bath first? Or have a meal first…"
She paused for a moment.
"Or would you like to eat me—"
"Bath."
I cut her off immediately.
"At least let me finish speaking first."
"Since I already know the outcome, there's no need to listen until the end."
"Mou~ Hikage-sama is not romantic at all."
I shook my head.
"That's because it's a joke that has been reused countless times already. Hearing it often, it naturally gets boring... So, have you prepared the hot water yet?"
If I could soak in hot water for a while, this shivering condition should improve a bit.
"Of course."
Kalawarner nodded in response, before giving a slight smile.
"But you came back too late. Raynare and I already took a soak beforehand."
"Oh."
"It would be a waste to throw the water away, and it would also waste time filling it up again."
She spoke in a casual tone, as if it were a minor matter.
"Therefore, I must apologize that you might have to use the water after us."
"..."
I went silent for a moment.
"Why did you suddenly go quiet?"
"Nothing."
I quickly turned my face away.
"I just felt that the joke from earlier might not be as cliché as I thought, that's all."
…20 minutes passed
"Huu... I feel a bit better."
After finishing bathing and getting dressed, I walked out of the bathroom and headed straight to the living room.
The view in front of me was still the same... I saw Raynare lying on her side on the sofa, her gaze fixed on the TV while putting snacks into her mouth and chewing contentedly.
She was wearing a camisole and shorts.
Yes, they were very short... with her lying posture of raising her legs and crossing them over her knees like lazy men, it made the gap between her legs clearly visible, to the point that her black lace panties could be seen peeking out, flashing before my eyes and causing a strange flutter in my heart.
Even though I had seen images like this quite often, in principle, I should have been used to it a long time ago.
...But why did I feel like my emotions were surging right now?
I averted my eyes from that dangerous spot before calling out to her.
"Hey, Raynare."
"What is it?"
She replied shortly while her gaze remained fixed intently on the TV screen.
"Even if you're inside the house, could you please dress a bit more properly than this?"
"Huh?"
This time, she took her eyes off the TV screen and immediately frowned, turning to look at me.
Raynare showed a clearly surprised expression at my words. In the past, she had always dressed casually like this, and I had never complained or been nitpicky about her clothing even once. Where did this suddenly come from today for me to start acting like a strict, disciplined father?
Then, Raynare took her eyes off me, glanced down at her lower body for a moment, before snapping her gaze back up to look at me again. And when her brain processed the result until she understood the situation, she sneered contemptuously and said:
"Hmph... Have you finally developed feelings of arousal towards me then?"
"Ha?"
"Let me tell you this beforehand... that I will absolutely never lower myself to become a scabbard, accommodating your genitals to relieve your lust."
My eyelids twitched rapidly immediately upon hearing such blunt vocabulary, without any censorship, slip directly out of her mouth.
"Hey, don't overrate yourself too much, you pest."
I countered with a completely flat voice while giving her a dead-fish stare.
"If I had to choose to do that kind of thing between you and Kalawarner... I would much rather choose Kalawarner."
"Are you implying that I am inferior to Kalawarner!?"
On her forehead, popping veins appeared, resembling an anger tick mark.
I closed my eyes while shrugging indifferently, and continued to sarcastically mock her with a provoking tone.
"Or is it not true? In terms of both appearance and personality... you can't even compare to half of Kalawarner—Ugh!"
My voice was cut off instantly when a certain soft object flew and struck my face squarely. Its impact caused my face to snap backward. When looking closely, I found that it was the cushion she had been using to rest her head on just moments ago. It still emitted a strange fragrance, wafting out until it made my brain hazy for a split second before that pillow slid down to the floor.
"Don't think I will always tolerate you, you low-class human!"
Now she had sat up properly on the sofa. One of her hands was still frozen in a pillow-throwing stance, while her pair of violet eyes glared intently at me as if she wanted to tear me to pieces.
I met her eyes back, narrowing mine slightly, before walking straight toward her quietly without uttering a single word.
Seeing my still demeanor as I gradually walked closer, Raynare's face, which had been filled with rage, instantly turned into panic.
She quickly crawled backward to escape until her back was pressed tight against the backrest of the sofa, with no way left to retreat.
"W...What do you think you're doing!? D...Don't come near me!"
I didn't care about her clamoring voice in the slightest.
When I stopped right in front of her, I leaned down, before placing both of my hands on the backrest of the sofa, flanking her body without leaving any opening to escape.
Now the distance between us was so small that the other party could only look up at me.
When Raynare met my cold, golden left eye, which had a strange symbol glowing within it, she shrank her neck back to escape while instinctively raising both hands to block my chest, even though a faint blush had crept up on both of her cheeks.
"D...Don't...—Mmph!"
I reached out and grabbed her chin firmly, forcing her to look up and meet my eyes directly, before speaking in a deep tone.
"Raynare... If you are trembling with fear of me this much, then why do you still like to look for trouble, biting and arguing with me loudly every single time without stopping?"
I slowly dragged my finger, caressing her neck from top to bottom at a leisurely pace. And with this unexpected action, it caused Raynare's body to flinch with a ticklish sensation mixed with a shiver, to the point that she accidentally let out a soft groan from her throat.
"...Ngh..."
"You should know... that I am not a kind person who will let anyone cross the line with me all the time. Especially a caged bird who likes to act tough, but in the end can't escape anywhere like you."
"Or could it be..."
I leaned down until I was right next to her ear, before deliberately whispering in a husky voice.
"Are you actually trying to seek attention from me... Raynare?"
"N...No..."
Raynare flinched, her body trembling instantly as she felt the hot current of air from my mouth blowing past into her ear canal. Her breathing began to falter and became increasingly rapid.
I backed away to face her directly once more, and noticed that those eyes were shaking with chaotic confusion.
Then, I moved my hand up to touch her soft cheek, slowly caressing it with my finger gently, before revealing a sly smile characteristic of a playboy.
"Go ahead... If you are willing to open your mouth and beg me, I might be willing to dote on you just like I do with Kalawarner... Or perhaps, maybe even 'more' than that~"
"....."
That unexpectedly soft and gentle touch caused Raynare's mind to begin to drift. She unconsciously tilted her face toward my palm, her sharp eyes beginning to grow hazier by the moment due to the induced emotional force.
"I..."
Seeing that she was still hesitating and refusing to express her feelings, I moved my thumb down to gently play with her lower lip, before deliberately applying pressure to pry it slightly inside her oral cavity to draw out moisture. After that, I used my finger to coat and caress all over her thin lips until they shone with a glossy gleam.
I slowly leaned my face closer to her plump lips little by little, while whispering in a teasing voice.
"If you don't use all the strength you have to push me away right now... I will consider that you have accepted it, Raynare~"
"No…"
My shadow gradually crept over to cover her body more and more. Although Raynare still pushed both of her hands against my chest, the strength sent through them was incredibly weak, as if she were doing it merely to use as an excuse for her own stubbornness. Because in reality, she began to close her eyes while slowly extending her lips toward me unknowingly.
Closer...
Closer by just a little bit more...
..
.
At that critical moment, suddenly my golden left eye, which had been glowing, went dark out of nowhere.
".....?"
I froze at the situation in front of me, feeling the faint hot air currents hitting my face, which came from Raynare's breath just an arm's reach away.
I blinked rapidly in confusion and dazement at my own audacious behavior just moments ago, to the point of not knowing what to do. And when my consciousness returned fully, I quickly released my hand from Raynare's chin and immediately backed away from her body rapidly.
"....?"
Raynare opened her eyes when she felt that the distance between us had suddenly vanished.
She blinked two or three times as if she hadn't gathered herself yet, before her beautiful eyes widened with shock and confusion when she saw that I had already backed away to stand far from the sofa.
Her face was flushed all the way to her ears, her body still trembling slightly from the lingering emotion. As her awareness began to return, and she realized that she had accidentally shown an entranced behavior, accepting a touch from a human like me.
"Y...You! You crazy human!"
She screamed in a cracked voice, her flushed face mixed with humiliation and intense anger to the point that it looked almost as if she were about to cry out of resentment.
"Suddenly stopping—I mean! Suddenly backing away like that, are you trying to play mind games with me, huh!?"
"Uh.. No."
I answered evasively while raising a hand to scratch the back of my neck. My gaze averted elsewhere, avoiding direct eye contact with her as she exploded her emotions at me.
'Again...! It's like this again...!'
Inside my head right now, I was screaming to myself in confusion. I didn't understand myself in the slightest... Even though I knew full well what I was doing just now, my body didn't reject or resist it at all. It was as if me leaning in and almost kissing her... was a completely natural and normal thing for me to do anyway.
Why? What is the condition that switches me into that playboy mode?
I don't understand at all... Because of what...
...Or could it be because of a woman's scent?!
No no no! No way! How could it be that twisted?
This self of mine... the longer it goes, the deeper I sink until almost no trace of my original self is left.
If it keeps going like this, one day I might lose my mind even more than the protagonist of this world.
"Anyway, just forget about what happened earlier. Got it?"
"Hmph!"
Raynare snapped her face away to the other side immediately.
I didn't notice at all that she was biting her own lower lip tightly to suppress the conflicting feelings inside her heart.
"...."
"...."
The atmosphere in the living room returned to silence once again.
There was only the sound from the television that still kept playing continuously, but neither I nor Raynare paid any attention to it at all.
'...This is awkwardly suffocating.'
Who would have thought that one day I would end up in such an awkward atmosphere with this woman, to the point where I barely knew how to carry myself.
...Right.
Now that I remembered, tomorrow morning is the last day I have to go pay the water and electricity bills.
"Hey, Raynare... The rent money that I told you to go collect from rooms 4, 6, and 7, you collected it all already, right?"
She flinched slightly before replying in a voice softer than usual.
"...Yes."
"Then give it to me. Tomorrow morning I'll take it to pay the water and electricity bills."
"..."
Raynare went silent.
Huh?
Why isn't she answering? That's unusual.
Hold on..
Thinking about this girl's personality... don't tell me...
I narrowed my eyes immediately.
"Hey, Raynare... Where is the money?"
"..."
She still pursed her lips in silence, refusing to answer even a single word.
Seeing that, I walked over to her before using a single hand to squeeze both of her cheeks, forcing her to turn and meet my eyes.
"Mmph..."
"Don't act silent. Answer me, where is the money?"
"....I spent it all.."
She replied while avoiding eye contact, refusing to look at my face directly.
My eyelids twitched instantly. The veins at my temple almost popped. I switched from holding her cheeks to pinching both of her cheeks with both hands, before pulling them apart in opposite directions.
"Don't play jokes with me, Raynare! What do you think I told you to go collect that lump sum for!? I never said a single word that you could take that money and spend it as you please. This thieving habit of yours just can't be cured, can it, huh!"
"Nghhh! It hurts!!"
"It hurts!? I hurt more than you! I went through the trouble of providing for you so well, why are you so stubborn and refusing to be tamed like this, huh!"
"I am not your pet!"
"Oh, yes! You're not an animal... but your actions are worse than an animal's! What kind of noble Fallen Angel does such a brazenly dishonest thing—no, you should be called a washed-up angel instead, I guess!"
"What did you say! It couldn't be helped, people need to use money!"
"Oh, really? If you want money that badly, then go use your charms to trick some foolish man into willing to pay money for you! That should be the job you're best at, shouldn't it!"
"I will never lower myself to care about money from those pathetic, low-class humans!"
"Then why do you care when it comes to me? Even though your mouth keeps calling me a low-class human, you still cling tight like a leech, constantly acting like a pimp draining money from me repeatedly…"
I sighed wearily.
"Fine… since you dare to do it, you must dare to accept the consequences. Your share of the money for next month, I will give it all to Kalawarner."
"What did you say!? This isn't fair at all!"
I let out a dry laugh.
"Hilarious! The word fairness isn't meant for cheaters, keep that in your head!"
"Ngh!! You crazy human! It hurts, let go of your hands already!!"
Seeing her eyes starting to well up with tears, I released her cheeks immediately.
'...Good grief, dammit.'
I shouldn't have let her be the one to go collect the money, even though I myself knew her deep down personality full well.
'Sigh... what am I expecting from this woman?'
It can't be helped... it looks like there really is only one way left.
..
.
(Ending of flashback)
"Haah!... (gasp)... Haah!..."
'What do you mean "the only way"?! It's the way to absolute disaster!'
How did it even turn out like this!?
Oh god... do you even realize what I have to face in my daily life? If you're going to be cruel to me, at least have some boundaries.
I just wanted to go grab my wallet, but I ended up running into the person I least wanted to see right now.
Could this be... a punishment from above because I carelessly flirted with Raynare earlier?
Damn it! Forget about that, I need to focus on the stressful situation right in front of me first.
Why on earth is "Grayfia" showing up in Issei's room!?
In case anyone doesn't know, she's my nee-san. She is both my adoptive older sister and my shishou at the same time. She's the woman who earned the titles "The Strongest Queen" and the "Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation" from the Underworld.
Could it be... she knew in advance that I would come here, so she came to ambush me!?
No way! Are you insane? Why would someone of her level invest her time just to wait for someone like me in a place like that? It doesn't make any sense at all.
Something must have happened to Rias. Nee-san wouldn't have burdened herself to come all this way herself otherwise. And when I piece this together with the reason behind Rias's foul, sour mood earlier... it's highly likely that my hunch is correct.
"Haah!... Haah!..."
Right now, I am sprinting at the absolute maximum speed my body can manage. If anyone happened to pass by and see me, their eyes would only register a dark shadow moving past at breakneck speed.
I ran aimlessly for a while before stopping at a certain park. It wasn't anywhere far; it was the very location where that fallen angel chick committed her murder.
'I've run this far... she probably can't detect my mana anymore. Besides, I'm wearing a sealing bracelet...'
I walked straight toward the fountain in the center of the park before scanning the surroundings.
Aside from the faint sound of the fountain drifting in the wind and the dim moonlight, there wasn't a single living creature here.
Beneath a large tree stood a bench, so I walked over and collapsed onto it, completely drained of energy.
"...Hic... Haah... Haah..."
I leaned back against the backrest, taking slow breaths in and out to regulate my breathing back to normal.
But... it wasn't just my body that was exhausted.
My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of my chest. Both fear and guilt welled up, choking me in the throat.
The expressionless yet resolute face of Grayfia-nee-san...
The image I had just seen in Issei's room moments ago felt like a massive hammer smashing into the wall of memories that I had managed to seal away and run from for a whole year, shattering it into pieces.
'Why... why does it have to be now... I'm not ready to face her yet...'
I stared at both of my hands, which were shaking violently, before raising them to cover my face. My body began to tremble uncontrollably.
The events of that night in the Underworld gradually flashed back scene by scene, like a nightmare that refused to let me go.
The night when the primal instincts of the devil cells in my body awakened frantically...
The night when I committed a vile act, violating the woman who was both my adoptive older sister and my benevolent shishou, without any excuse.
Even though she trusted me...
Even though she had always taught and protected a worthless person like me...
Yet, I used this filthy body to strip everything away from her.
'Damn it! This is way too pathetic, the current me... it's so miserable I don't even know what to do... you've gone mad, Hikigaya Hachiman!'
The voice in my head kept pounding away at my own wretchedness over and over again.
After doing such a messed-up thing, instead of standing tall, taking responsibility, and accepting her punishment, I chose the most cowardly and despicable path...
Packing my bags and fleeing to the human world.
Fleeing to live a fake, peaceful life here, leaving her to bear all the wounds entirely alone for a whole year.
In the end...
I'm nothing more than a cowardly piece of trash who is all talk, good only for causing trouble to those around me, and when a crisis hits, I just turn my back and run away from the problem.
"Hic... Ugh..."
The silence of the park at night was the sole witness to my weakness.
Warm tears welled up from my eyes, flowing through the gaps of my fingers before dropping onto the grass, completely unstoppable.
The sound of sobbing that I tried my best to suppress gradually leaked from my throat in a pathetic manner.
I was crying...
Crying over my own low-life actions.
And crying out of fear...
Fear that the way Grayfia-nee-san looks at me from now on will be filled with hatred and disgust, to the point where she won't even want to acknowledge me as family anymore.
She saw me just now. If she catches up to me...
How am I supposed to face her with a filthy face like this...
While I still had both hands covering my face, tears still smudging my cheeks, the sound of sobbing and self-deprecation kept looping in my head without stopping. My mind was in such a mess that everything around me seemed to go numb.
And then, without me realizing it...
Amidst the silence of the night park, the faint sound of someone's footsteps gradually approached. Because I was too immersed in guilt to pay attention to anything, I didn't even notice someone coming.
Flump...
The bench vibrated slightly under the weight of the person who had just sat down next to me.
Before a second could pass, a pair of slender arms gently wrapped around my body, pulling my trembling frame into a soft embrace.
The sudden action, combined with the familiar clean scent drifting into my nose and the warmth of that hug, caused my brain to short-circuit for a moment.
I slowly lowered my hands from my face before looking up in shock.
But once I saw the other party's face clearly...
My eyes widened, and my body went stiff as if I had been cursed.
"N... Nee-san...?"
The voice that slipped out was shaking and raspy.
Grayfia sat beside me, her silver eyes staring at me quietly.
Just by making eye contact, the fear and guilt accumulated over the past year surged up simultaneously, instantly triggering my survival instincts.
I strained my body, trying to struggle out of her embrace.
But...
In your dreams if you think you can do that.
Grab!
A slender palm moved up to press against the back of my head, applying force to bury my face into her soft chest.
Along with her uniquely cool yet firm voice, she spoke softly.
"Don't struggle, Hachi."
Just a single, short sentence.
But because it was an order from my shishou, and her tone was that resolute, my body went still on its own, completely unable to resist.
In the end, I could only yield inside her embrace, like a child who caused trouble, ran away from home, and was finally caught by their guardian.
The touch that was firm at first gradually softened, turning into a warm, soft palm gently stroking the hair at the back of my head.
Grayfia used her slender fingers to gently comb through my messy hair with care, as if soothing a frightened child.
The tender touch that I hadn't received for a year made the rims of my eyes burn once again.
"Why are you crying, Hachi?"
Her tone wasn't cold or harsh like it usually was.
On the contrary, it was gentle and filled with concern, causing my heart to tighten.
"...I'm not crying. It's just that some sand blew into my eyes."
I forced out a muffled response against her chest, trying to act unaffected even though the tear stains were still soaking into her clothes.
It was an excuse that was both idiotic... and utterly patching.
"Is that so..."
Grayfia let out a faint sigh, her warm breath brushing against my hair.
Those hands continued to stroke my head gently, showing not the slightest hint of disgust or rejection.
Before long, she asked in a soft voice.
"...Do you have anything to say to Onee?"
"...I... I'm sorry!"
I squeezed those words out of my raspy throat, my body trembling within her embrace.
The suppression that had weighed heavily on my heart for a whole year collapsed along with the tears that began to overflow once more.
"Hmm?... Sorry for what?"
"Don't pretend you don't know, Nee-san! You know exactly what I mean!"
I argued back in a muffled tone while trying to look up and meet her eyes, but Grayfia's hand kept holding my head against her chest, refusing to let go.
"Hachi... do you feel guilty about what happened that night?"
Grayfia asked back with a tone that carried a hint of surprise, as if she didn't think this cowardly boy would keep that matter in his heart for this long.
"Of course I do! I'm still human!"
I shouted out with a trembling voice, releasing all the pent-up frustration that had been weighing down my chest without holding back anymore.
"I don't know the common sense of devils, how they view what happened back then! But for me... even though half of my body isn't human anymore."
I gritted my teeth tightly.
"But my thoughts... my conscience... and my perspective, they are still human just the same!"
"Therefore... what I did to you that night... what I violated you..."
My voice trembled to the point of breaking apart.
"It's the worst thing in my life!... And it's something I can never forgive myself for!... Never ever!..."
After releasing everything that had been bottled up for so long, silence enveloped the park once more.
Only the sound of my heart remained, pounding wildly with fear.
Before long, Grayfia's soft yet flat voice sounded, breaking the surrounding silence.
"Hachi, do you think I was angry about that night?"
"O-Of course you'd be angry, wouldn't you!?"
I blurted out almost instantly, my entire body turning cold with dread.
"I violated Nee-san... and you even..."
"Not at all..."
Grayfia replied with a calm voice.
"I was never angry about that night... not even a little bit."
"Huh...?"
The unexpected answer caused my brain to stop working entirely.
I tried to look up at her in confusion, but before I could ask anything further, a certain oppressive feeling radiated from her, making it difficult for me to swallow the saliva in my throat.
"What I am angry about,"
She paused for a moment.
"Is the fact that you fled to the human world... without telling me."
Tighten!
Grayfia's hand tightened its grip, holding my head closer.
The unique pressure belonging to 'The Strongest Queen' gradually radiated bit by bit, causing the surrounding atmosphere to chill down chillingly.
Then she leaned her face down until her lips were just a fraction away from my ear, whispering in a cold voice laced with a pressure that sent shivers down my spine.
"...Do you know that for the past year, I've been in a very foul mood... Hachi?"
'Ugh...'
Freaking terrifying...
My survival instincts were screaming at the top of their lungs, causing my body to shake all over. The murderous aura radiating from this older sister kept pressuring everything around, making the atmosphere freezing cold as if it were about to turn into ice.
I forced myself to swallow before squeezing out a reply, trying hard not to let it shake any more than it already was.
"...B-But I left a letter behind for you."
"Does that count as 'telling'?"
Grayfia asked in a flat voice.
"I never taught you to do things so sloppily... Hachi."
Her voice hadn't gotten any louder.
Yet, the quieter she spoke, the more pressured I felt.
Her hand kept holding my head buried against her chest like that, as if giving me no loophole to avoid her gaze or run away anywhere.
"...I'm sorry."
In the end, the only thing a piece of cowardly trash like me could do was repeat this word over and over, not knowing what else to do.
"Do you think saying sorry will make everything end?"
She asked back immediately in a cold tone, yet laced with pressure that constricted my heart.
"Then what should I do?"
I asked back, completely at a loss.
Guilt, fear, and confusion twisted together so much that I didn't know what I was supposed to do next.
Even if she planned to kill me or punish me to settle the score for what happened...
I was ready to accept it all.
Grayfia fell silent for a moment.
After that, the hand that had been holding my head slowly moved down to stroke my cheek gently.
The touch was tender...
But the whisper that sounded next to my ear remained just as firm and sharp.
"Of course, you must be punished."
She paused slightly.
"But not right now..."
"Fufufu~ At a time like this... shouldn't we be happy about the reunion between onee and her beloved otouto?"
Her tone returned to being gentle once again.
Grayfia slowly leaned her face down to rest against my hair, taking a deep breath as if savoring a familiar scent.
"Haaah~... the scent of my otouto that I've missed all this time..."
'She isn't drunk, is she? Why does Nee-san feel stranger than usual right now?'
But just as she was immersing herself in that moment for a bit...
The atmosphere around turned freezing cold again. The pressure from her mana radiated until the hairs all over my body stood on end. When I heard the sentence whispered into my ear next, it was as cold as ice.
"...Even though there is a disagreeable scent of two unknown women clinging to you. It seems that your flight to the human world... was an utterly mistaken decision."
The tip of her finger gently stroked the nape of my neck.
"You understand what I am implying... right, Hachi?"
"Mmh..."
I groaned in my throat in defeat.
The two women she mentioned probably couldn't be anyone else but Raynare and Kalawarner.
Damn it... nee-san's sense of smell is way too good!
Before I could even think of a way to survive, Grayfia's slender hand moved to grab my chin, slowly lifting my face up to make me lock eyes with her beautiful silver eyes without any way to avoid it.
Those eyes scanned my face slowly, as if checking every single detail thoroughly, until I felt like she was looking right through into my heart.
"Your face has become much more handsome than before..."
She murmured softly.
"...During the past year, you must have been turning the heads of foolish women left and right without realizing it."
'Hey.. why did your way of speaking suddenly get so crude out of nowhere?'
Her thumb gently stroked across my lips.
"Tell me, Hachi."
She stared deep into my eyes.
"Other than me, did you go and do that kind of thing with anyone else?"
"No! I've never done that kind of thing with anyone else!"
I denied it instantly without needing to think.
Though I tried to keep my composure, my flustered gaze probably couldn't hide it, even if there was a moment where I almost lost control of myself but managed to hold it back.
Regarding that kind of relationship, I could swear that after that night, I never violated anyone else ever again, not even a single person.
Seeing my panicked yet serious expression, the corners of Grayfia's mouth curved up into a satisfied, faint smile.
The authoritative gaze of the 'Queen' shone clearly amidst the darkness of the night.
"Very good..."
She uttered softly.
"Keep it firmly in your head, Hachi."
Grayfia leaned her face a bit closer until her warm breath brushed against my lips.
Before she spoke in a firm tone, like a declaration that no one had the right to argue against.
"For you.. I must always be number 'one'."
"Yes!"
In order to prevent Nee-san from getting into a bad mood again, I quickly responded almost instantly, with my survival instincts working faster than my brain.
"Come to think of it... right now, your body already has the aura of my demonic power mixed inside as well..."
Grayfia murmured softly, those silver eyes flickering with a certain emotion that I couldn't read.
After that, she slowly leaned her face closer until our foreheads pressed directly against each other.
The distance left was so virtually non-existent that I didn't even dare to breathe heavily.
"It won't be long before you become like him..."
She stopped for a brief moment before shaking her head slightly.
"...No, rather, it won't be long before you become him."
Huh...?
What on earth is Nee-san talking about?
And 'him' whom she spoke of... who is that?
My brain tried hard to think, but the information was too scarce to connect anything at all.
"Now I remember."
Grayfia murmured as if talking to herself.
"I understand now why 'he' left those strange hints back then... and asked me to help you."
Out of nowhere, her firm voice began to tremble for the first time.
Clear tears gradually welled up in her silver eyes before flowing down her cheeks, silently dropping onto my face.
"Even though it's an unbelievable matter... and something that shouldn't even be possible..."
She bit her lip gently.
She closed her eyes slowly before speaking the final sentence with a voice that was both trembling and firm at the same time.
"...But right now, there truly is no other explanation to explain all of this anymore."
"Uh... Nee-san, what are you talking about?"
Honestly, I intended to just ignore the previous two sentences.
Because I didn't want to interrupt the flow or mess with the strange mood that suddenly overcame her.
But after hearing everything she said, I just couldn't leave it lingering without asking.
Grayfia slowly pulled her forehead away from mine before narrowing her sharp silver eyes to look straight into my sluggish eyes.
Then, her smooth, soft palm reached out to stroke my cheek gently once again, as if embedding a certain meaning into that touch.
"That matter, I cannot tell you just yet. But when the proper time comes, you will know the answer yourself... Hachi."
After dropping a massive bombshell to leave me completely baffled, Grayfia let go of my cheek before slowly standing up.
Her gentle demeanor from a moment ago vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving only her usual calm, cool, and elegant bearing as the 'Queen'.
"I have decided..."
She declared in a firm voice.
"From now on, I will officially reveal your identity as a Half-Devil."
She paused for a moment before delivering the next sentence.
"And I will proceed with having you join the ranks of High Devils, as well as becoming the successor to the long-lost Beleth clan."
'Wait!? What!?'
But before I could even open my mouth to protest, Grayfia's index finger extended to press against my lips, cutting me off dictatorially in her typical style.
"I have waited long enough for you to come to terms with the devil blood inside your body."
She looked straight into my eyes before continuing in a heavy tone.
"It is time you accept it, Hachi."
"But Nee-san—"
"No buts."
She shot back almost instantly, those silver eyes flashing with a bit of sharpness.
"As your onee and master, I will never let you become someone who just sits around overthinking or worrying about pointless things indefinitely."
"E-Even so, isn't it a bit too fast!? To reveal my identity right now seems..."
I tried to squeeze out a protest with great difficulty...
No way!
I don't like the troublesome affairs of the Devil world at all.
Just thinking about having to stand before those old-fashioned Devil nobles makes my peace-loving brain start to throb.
"Don't worry, I am not in such a hurry that I will drag you there right this second... preparations must be made first to ensure you will be accepted by the majority of the High Devils."
Grayfia removed her finger from my mouth before crossing her arms, explaining in a flat, business-like tone.
"And as for the current Devil world... even though you possess the status of a Half-Devil with pure blood flowing inside, which undoubtedly places your standing higher than low or middle-class devils in general."
"But even so, it is still not at the level where you would be treated on par with a High Devil fully... because of the devaluation that comes from the human blood in you."
She narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone laced with a cold yet utmost seriousness.
"...However, Hachi, in this world, the strongest is the one who dictates everything. You just need to prove your superiority to them."
"And furthermore... with your status of having the pure blood of a clan that has already vanished flowing inside you, just that point alone... is enough to make them accept you more easily."
'Ahhhhh....'
Just as I thought...
The matter hasn't even begun yet, but just listening to her lecture on and on by herself, my brain is already protesting, throbbing right at my temples.
"...And the reason? Why do you suddenly want me to become a High Devil?"
I tried to test the waters, hoping to get an answer that might clear my head a bit.
"That matter itself is also a secret... it is not yet time to tell you, Hachi."
Grayfia replied with a flat expression before continuing as if it were ordinary.
"In fact... I want you to go even further beyond that level, but for now, this much is enough."
Hey, hey, hey!
You want me to go even higher than that!?
Are you planning to work me to the bone!?
And wait a minute... so you intend to not tell me anything at all?
Is there some crazy plan hidden behind this? Why do you have to be so mysterious?
"But if I don't even know the reason for the goal... where am I supposed to get the motivation to do something so troublesome?"
I protested while sending a tired look, silently begging for sympathy.
At least give me a small hint, Nee-san...
"Just consider it as doing it for your 'Onee-san' then."
Grayfia smiled faintly.
"Besides... I haven't forgotten you for 'running away' yet. And if you truly feel guilty about what you did to me... then use this matter to make it up to me."
That response completely dead-ended my escape route.
"...Then what about my punishment?"
"Punishment and forgiveness are two separate matters, Hachi."
Damn it all!
In the end, I didn't get a single piece of additional information! Totally forcing my hand... you dictatorial older sister.
"Hmmph... fine."
I let out a long, exhausted sigh before replying with a sarcastic tone.
"I will do my absolute best for my 'most beloved' Nee-san then."
I intentionally tried to annoy her back a bit, charging her for always being so secretive.
"Fufufu~"
Grayfia laughed softly in a good mood.
"How strange... it's rare for you to willingly say the word 'love to me'."
She paused for a moment before giving a playful smile.
"...Except for 'that night', of course."
Flush...
Just hearing that phrase, my face instantly flushed red hot. I felt like all the blood rushed straight to my face in a split second.
The images of that messed-up night that I had been trying to bury and forget flashed right back into my head, leaving me completely flustered.
"Stop it, Nee-san!"
I quickly yelled to cover up my embarrassment, raising my hands to cover my face.
"Don't talk about that crazy night ever again!"
"Because you were the one who started playing smooth tongues with me first... Hachi."
"...Ugh..."
There's truly no winning.
When standing before this woman, no matter what trick I pull or how much I try to annoy her, in the end, I'm the one who gets cornered and ends up blushing every single time.
After letting a good chunk of time pass until the heat on my face gradually faded, I lowered my hands from my face before looking up to lock eyes with her once more.
Looking at her face up close like this...
I caught sight of something I had been noticing since moments ago.
Grayfia, being quick-witted, caught onto the fact that I was staring at her face longer than usual. Those silver eyes narrowed slightly before she asked with a faint smile at the corners of her mouth.
"Is something the matter, Hachi? Why do you keep staring at my face like that..."
She tilted her head slightly before broadening her smile.
"Or did you miss me so much that you can't take your eyes off me?"
"Uh... no."
I quickly averted my gaze, unable to help it.
"I've just never seen Nee-san wear blue lipstick before, so I was a bit surprised."
"Heh... so you noticed."
Grayfia arched an eyebrow slightly before raising a slender fingertip to tap her own lips gently.
Then she flashed a faint smile—a smile that was both warm and carried a certain hidden meaning.
"But you know, the reason I chose to wear this color..."
She traced her lips slowly while looking directly into my eyes, her smile growing even gentler than before.
"It comes from you... Hachi."
"Eh? Because of me? Why?"
"...."
She didn't answer anything, only narrowing those silver eyes and staring at me quietly.
Seeing that all-too-familiar attitude, I guessed instantly that she would never reveal the answer easily. Her silence was probably a hint telling me to go back and use my tiny brain to figure out the answer myself.
"Okay... I get it."
My nee-san isn't the type to repeat herself anyway. If I kept stubbornly asking, I'd probably get lectured until my ears went numb.
"And do you think this color suits me, Hachi?"
"Of course. You are the Strongest Queen, and your beauty is undeniable. Therefore, no matter what color the lipstick is, once it's on your lips, it becomes the most beautiful color out there."
"...."
The surrounding atmosphere fell completely silent instantly.
And once my brain processed that I had just blurted out something incredibly cheesy, I quickly clapped my hand over my mouth, barely in time.
Holy crap... what the hell did I just say!?
"Uh... I mean, it's not like—"
"I suppose it won't be strange if women crowd around you in the future."
Grayfia interrupted, looking at me with a gentle gaze.
"It seems your silver tongue has improved quite a bit."
"If it were a compliment from someone else, I would probably remain indifferent and feel nothing... but since it's my beloved otouto saying it himself..."
She raised her palm to touch her own cheek gently. Right now, her cheeks were flushed with a faint crimson hue—a rare sight indeed from the woman known to be the coldest.
"...I feel even more 'captivated' by you than before."
She offered a faint smile.
"If after this you think about courting me... to make me fall for you even harder, I wouldn't mind it at all."
Hey, hey, hey! Slow down, Nee-san! The more you speak, the wilder this gets!
My subconscious screamed in sheer panic.
"N-No thank you, I wouldn't dare trouble you."
I shook my hands frantically in refusal, instantly sending a dry smile back.
"Fufufu~ Being with you truly makes me happy. If possible, I'd love to stay longer, but I still have other business to attend to."
Grayfia let out a visibly reluctant expression.
"Is it specifically about Rias?"
"Sharp as always, aren't you? That's correct. It is regarding her family engagement, which has been scheduled for a wedding very soon..."
Grayfia then arched her eyebrows slightly, her silver eyes flashing with a probing gaze.
"Come to think of it, Hachi, you seem to have already become quite familiar with Rias. How did you two get to know each other?"
I made a complicated expression while letting out a long sigh.
"The situation is rather complex... and for now, I'm temporarily a member of her club as well."
"Is that so... I will listen to your story later then."
Grayfia cut the matter short with an understanding nod.
Before she could move on, I blurted out the question that had been lingering in my mind.
"But Nee-san, if I remember correctly, wasn't it agreed upon that the wedding would take place after graduation?"
Nee-san used to tell me many stories back when I was still in the Underworld, and this political marriage was one of them.
"You understand correctly, Hachi. Originally, it should have been that way."
Grayfia let out a long sigh, venting her heavy heart.
"For some reason, the heads of both clans suddenly agreed to expedite this matter, and I don't even know why."
I placed a hand on my chin, pondering for a moment. My analytical habit automatically kicked into gear.
"...Hmm... The culprit might be the groom's side, who is Rias's fiancé... Riser Phenex, right?"
I spoke his name for the first time, starting to analyze the possibilities based on his personality that I had glimpsed from the Rating Games he had competed in previously.
"If he's someone deeply infatuated with power and prestige, he wouldn't want to wait long. Or perhaps he already knows that letting Rias grow any further won't be beneficial to him. Since Rias herself is absolutely against this matter, he probably understands that given enough time, she would try every possible way to grow stronger and find a loophole to escape this—"
Smush!
Suddenly, my face collided with something that was both incredibly soft and firm, while her uniquely clean scent drifted straight into my nose with full force.
"My, my~ Hachi, when you focus on something and make such a serious face, it truly makes me want to do something to you... But anyway, just as you said, the Phenex clan is pressing hard on this matter, and the root cause stems from Rias's fiancé himself."
"...Mmph!... Omaah!..."
Grayfia pulled my head into an embrace, burying me completely against her midriff! I tried to struggle and tilt my face up to catch some air, even though my vision collided with a pair of massive, bun-like mounds at zero centimeters distance.
"Phew!... Haah!... And Sirzechs-san isn't doing anything about it at all?"
Once I managed to break free, I quickly sucked air into my lungs.
An older brother who is that insanely overprotective of his sister wouldn't just let this happen... But since he holds the position of a maou, perhaps he can't just move according to his personal whims.
"That itself is also the reason why I have to be here... It seems it is time for me to leave. Is there anything else you want to ask?"
"Why did you think I would ask?"
"How many years do you think I have known you? I know everything about you, except for the things you haven't revealed yet... There is no one on this earth who knows you better than I do."
That was probably true... She was the closest person to me, and the one I trusted most in this life.
"Uh, well... Nee-san, how did you know I was here?"
I finally asked. She shouldn't have been able to catch my mana aura at all since I was wearing this sealing bracelet.
"Do you really want to know, Hachi?"
Grayfia stepped back slightly, just enough to look at my face.
"I would be very grateful if Nee-san would kindly share that information."
"Before that, can you tell me, why can't I sense your mana at all?"
"This is why."
I lifted my wrist with the black bracelet for her to inspect.
"Oh? A magical item? Where did you get that from, I wonder?"
"I will tell you about that later."
"Sigh... Fine. Then give me your hand."
I followed her order, extending my hand toward her. However, Grayfia grabbed my wrist and guided it to touch her stomach—no, wait! It was actually a position slightly below her navel!
"—!?"
"Can you feel it, Hachi? Your demonic power…"
Oh, holy crap! This position...! That twisted mark (the seal).
"It gradually grows stronger when it's near its owner. I use it like a radar to keep track of your location, but it seems to have a specific condition to activate..."
She paused for a moment.
"From what I've observed... it only responds when 'the two of us are thinking of each other'."
Grayfia narrowed her eyes while sending a sweet, charming smile my way, noticing that my face was turning paler by the second out of sheer shock.
"..I... I... mean..."
I stammered, trying to get an apology out of my mouth.
"I already told you that I wasn't angry..."
Then she leaned down right next to my ear, whispering back in a seductive voice that sent shivers down my spine.
"To be honest, I feel quite good about it. It feels as if you are claiming ownership over me, Hachi~... Pffft~"
At the end of the sentence, she playfully blew a soft breath against my ear, sending a wave of tingling sensitivity that made my hair stand on end all over my body. My heart suddenly began to throb frantically.
I immediately leaned backward to pull away from her, raising my hands to cover my ear while my face flushed red all the way down to my neck.
"Nee-san! Don't play around with my ear! You know that this area of mine is extremely sensitive...! And don't tease me either!"
"Hahaha~, I wasn't teasing at all. It really does feel good, you know~"
Grayfia laughed happily upon seeing my innocent reaction. Her smiling face, with her eyes curved into beautiful crescent moons, conveyed pure happiness... which was a rare, miraculous sight to behold from her.
Seeing the image of that smile right in front of me... For some reason, my usually cowardly heart grew strangely firm, sparking a resolution within myself: 'In the future, I will absolutely never let this woman be disappointed in me.'
"Well, now I truly must go."
Grayfia stepped closer to me once again before leaning down to gently press a soft kiss against my forehead. She then looked at my face, using her palm to caress my cheek back and forth as if reluctant to let go.
"I have missed you so much over this past year, Hachi."
"Ah... yes... me too."
I responded to her automatically, while my body remained completely stiff and shocked from her daring, heart-fluttering action.
With that, Grayfia took two steps back before an elegant, white magic circle gradually unfolded and glowed brightly beneath her feet.
—Woommmm....
"In that case, I will see you again tomorrow, Hachi."
Fwump!
As her whisper faded, her body dissolved into the magic circle, leaving behind only silence and a faint, lingering fragrance in the scenery before my eyes.
"...Yes."