Chapter 155: Hey! I Heard That!
"Aargh—! My finger! My finger..."
With a sharp "crack," Jashin-chan clutched her hand and shrieked, scrambling away from the dangerous Yurine. She gritted her teeth, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.
Witnessing this, Persephone II felt a sense of satisfaction, but she also instinctively sat up straight. She had initially thought Yurine was a gentle and kind person, but now she wasn't so sure. After all, Jashin-chan had only pointed at her, and Yurine had broken her finger...
"Look how you've scared the child." Ryohei Tanaka walked over with a plate of freshly made fried noodles, a smile playing on his lips. He teased Yurine, then placed the plate in front of the Second. "Yurine is actually very gentle," he said in a mild tone. "She just doesn't like being pointed at, especially by Jashin-chan."
"...Such blatant favoritism is so unfair!" Jashin-chan muttered under her breath, cradling her injured hand.
"Well, who's to blame for you being so troublesome and always trying to kill her?" Ryohei shot Jashin-chan a look that clearly said, "You deserved it."
Persephone II gave Ryohei a soft "Mm," feeling a little more at ease as she listened to their conversation. Her gaze fell upon the steaming, glowing, and incredibly fragrant fried noodles on the coffee table. Her stomach let out an impatient "grumble, grumble."
"Minos," Yurine suddenly said, turning to her. "Take her to rinse her mouth and wash her face. There are new towels in the cabinet." When Jashin-chan had pushed her, some of the blood the Second had coughed up had gotten on her face and in her hair. The hair would have to wait, but Yurine thought she should at least clean her face and mouth before eating.
"Okay, sure." Minos had been thinking the same thing. She tossed the watermelon rind she had just finished, grabbed another slice, and beckoned to the Second. "Second, come with me. I'll take you to get cleaned up."
"Okay." Persephone II replied, reluctantly tearing her eyes away from the untouched noodles, and followed Minos out of the living room.
After they left, a wicked grin spread across Jashin-chan's face. "What do you think her reaction would be if I ate all her noodles while she's gone?" she schemed, already reaching for the plate. It was a rare opportunity to bully a demon weaker than herself, even if she was the teacher's daughter... 'Hmm... I'll leave her a few bites.' It was the last shred of conscience Jashin-chan possessed.
"Could you please try to be a decent person for once?" Ryohei asked, taking a bite of watermelon and looking at Jashin-chan with exasperation.
Yurine grabbed a paper fan and smacked her with it without hesitation. "Don't do something so tasteless!" she scolded. Even though the Second was here to help Jashin-chan with her dropkick, Yurine didn't really care about that. The girl looked like a child, was so frail she coughed up blood at the slightest provocation, and was clearly starving. Seeing Jashin-chan act like this was just too much.
"Fine, I won't!" Jashin-chan rubbed the spot on her head where she'd been hit, grumbled, and scurried to the other side of the coffee table to munch on a slice of watermelon. Since Yurine had forbidden it, she had to abandon her plan and settle for a slice of watermelon to cool off.
...
Before long, Minos returned with a cleaned-up Second. Ryohei looked the white-haired loli over with curiosity. She was even smaller than Pekola, with the same beautiful red eyes as Minos and long eyelashes. Her skin was a cool, pale white, and her white hair covered half of her delicate face. She looked soft and fragile, like a sickly loli who could be blown over by a gust of wind.
...
Noticing Ryohei's gaze, Persephone II gave him a sweet smile. She already had a good impression of the person who had cooked for her. She sat down on the sofa, clasped her hands in anticipation, and said, "Itadakimasu!" With that, she picked up the plate of fried noodles and eagerly shoveled a mouthful into her mouth.
As her pearly white teeth closed around the noodles, her ruby-red eyes widened in disbelief. 'These noodles are so springy!' It was a miracle of texture. The moment she bit down, she could almost hear the "snap, snap, snap" of the noodles breaking, a testament to their incredible resilience and elasticity.
Then, the rich aroma of wheat and the savory fragrance of egg spread through her mouth, a tidal wave of flavor washing over her taste buds, all gently enveloped by the mellow richness of lard, which made the texture even fuller. The sweet and spicy notes of green onion, the subtle heat of ginger, the robust aroma of garlic, and the fiery kick of chili unfolded in layers, creating a magnificent storm of flavor on her tongue. It was unbelievably delicious.
Persephone II tilted back her chin, chewing with her eyes closed in blissful enjoyment. "This is so good!" she murmured. It was even better than she had imagined.
...
Twine!
Tighten!
Golden noodles, like fine ropes, wrapped around Persephone II's small body, binding her from her gently rising chest down to the soft curves of her thighs. Every inch was held fast. Fragrant oil trickled down her legs. She struggled, but she couldn't break free from the soft yet unyielding bonds.
...
"Slow down, no one's going to steal it from you." Back in the living room, Ryohei watched Persephone II wolfing down her food, worried she might eat too fast, choke, and cough up blood.
"Mmm..." Hearing his words, Persephone II slowed down, a little embarrassed. "It's just so delicious, I couldn't help myself..."
"I see." Ryohei chuckled, indicating that she should just be mindful from now on.
Jashin-chan clicked her tongue. "What a gluttonous little brat."
"You're one to talk," Yurine retorted, giving her a sidelong glance. ( ﹁ ﹁ )
"By the way, Second, what are your plans for tonight?" Minos changed the subject, asking with concern. "Where will you stay?" It was getting late, almost ten o'clock.
Persephone II paused her eating. She looked up and said hesitantly, "Could I... possibly stay here for the night? I can sleep in the living room!" She looked at them expectantly.
Minos glanced at Ryohei and Yurine, as it was their house.
"...I have no objection," Yurine said first, looking at the frail, white-haired loli.
"Me neither," Ryohei added.
"If she begs me," Jashin-chan chimed in tactlessly.
"Your opinion doesn't matter," Minos said, narrowing her eyes at her.
"What—!? What do you mean by that!? Why not!?" Jashin-chan's fur stood on end. Did she have no rights?
"After all, the Second came here to help you..." Minos said, looking at Jashin-chan with disdain. Then, as if realizing something, she looked at Yurine and turned back to the Second. "Second, maybe you shouldn't help Jashin-chan with her dropkick. Yurine-san is a very nice person."
"No..." Persephone II shook her head gently. "I must complete the mission my mother gave me... but I'll drag it out for a century or two," she added with a radiant smile.
"Hey—! I heard that!" Jashin-chan's face darkened, and she clenched her fists. Was it really appropriate to say such things right in front of her? She gritted her teeth, wanting to jump up and give the Second a dropkick to show her what's what.
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