Satania, full of confidence, grew more pleased the more she thought about it, and her spirits climbed even higher.
Classmates glanced at her in puzzlement, but no one went over to talk. After all, if you chatted with the chūnibyō who kept proclaiming she was a demon, you'd get labeled a weirdo too. To prove they were "normal," everyone stuck to a united front.
Cute as she was—a little beauty—ordinary high schoolers didn't have the guts to endure the odd looks they'd get from others.
Every time Nibutani Shinka heard one of Satania's chūnibyō lines, her heart ached—because it reminded her of her own black-history phase.
What she didn't know was that Satania wasn't just any chūnibyō—she was a demon with chūnibyō. It's just that the "great demon" acts she boasted about came off as childish and cringe.
Between classes, Hayashi Maki's phone buzzed.
He picked up and held it to his ear. "What is it, Satania?"
What came through was the ditzy little demon's sobbing.
"Waaah, senpai—help! Someone just performed an S-class great-demon act, and I fell for it!"
"Uh… specifics? Use your words."
Satania sniffled: "There's no toilet paper in stall 203 and no one restocked it—this is totally an S-class great-demon act! Senpai, I—I can't get out of the bathroom. Please save me!"
Hayashi Maki was speechless. Sure, leaving an empty roll was rude, but how was he, a guy, supposed to deliver TP to the girls' room? He might be shameless around his familiars and almost-familiars, but he still cared about his image with everyone else.
"I got it. I'll have someone come help you."
Satania had asked him because he was the only contact she had at school. Couldn't this little dummy be smart for once and befriend Vignette, a fellow demon? Vignette was the genuinely kind, helpful sort.
Thinking this, Hayashi Maki walked over to Vignette. "Vignette, looks like Satania got herself stuck in the restroom without paper. Could you bring her a roll and bail her out?"
"Huh? Satania? Stuck in the restroom? And how do you, a boy, know that?" Vignette's eyes widened.
Hayashi Maki lifted his phone helplessly. "She looked like she needed looking after, so I added her contact. I'm probably the only one she has. As for asking you—it's because you two have things in common and come from the same place. You'll have stuff to talk about."
"Mm… true. I'll go get her. Still—Hayashi Maki, that's really kind of you, helping someone like Satania."
With her opinion of him rising, Vignette grabbed a roll of paper and dashed for the restroom. She was muttering inwardly the whole way: can't people bring their own tissues? Counting on the restroom to have paper is so dumb. No wonder Satania ended up in such an embarrassing situation—and told a boy on top of that. Just thinking about it made Vignette blush.
At that moment, Satania was perched on the toilet with tearful eyes, little underwear with a demon-wing print around her pale, slender legs.
"Who does that—finishes the TP and doesn't replace it? Uuugh, how humiliating for the great demon lord Satania to face something this awkward and shameful!"
"Hayashi Maki-senpai, hurry! This feels so uncomfortable…"
(She hadn't… y'know… wiped yet.)
As she fretted, a voice like an angel's chimed from outside.
"Satania, are you in there? It's Vignette. I heard what happened—I brought you some."
"Waaah, I'm here! Vignette, thank you so much!"
Eyes brimming, Satania was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Vignette crouched and slid the roll under the door. Satania took care of business in a flash, then burst out, grabbed Vignette's hand, and hugged her, face full of relief.
"Vignette, thank you! Otherwise the great demon lord Satania would never have escaped this place of shame!"
Vignette's mouth twitched. "It was nothing. But next time, ask a girl to help. Hayashi Maki's a boy—you really told him about something this embarrassing?"
Satania flushed. "Th-that's because he's my senpai! Hayashi Maki is the powerful being guiding Satania to become an SSS-class great demon—he's trustworthy!"
Vignette didn't buy it. She figured Hayashi Maki was just humoring Satania out of pity, playing along with the chūnibyō and handing her a fancy "SSS great demon" title to be nice. Hayashi Maki really is gentle, she thought.
And thus a lovely misunderstanding was born.
Suddenly, Vignette frowned at Satania's hand. "Satania… you didn't wash your hands, did you?"
Grabbing someone right after using the restroom—rude, no?
Seeing Vignette's dangerous look, Satania almost burst into tears. She froze like a wooden doll and squeaked, "I'll go wash right now!"
As she hurried to the sink, she muttered to herself: Hayashi Maki-senpai is nicer. Vignette's nice too, but she can be so scary sometimes.
Vignette washed her hands as well, then sighed and pulled out her phone. "Let's add each other. Next time you run into something you shouldn't ask a guy about, call me."
Satania went blank for a second, then looked up at Vignette with teary gratitude. As expected of someone Hayashi Maki asked to help—she really thinks of me.
But she still had to play it cool. Chin up, she struck her "cool" pose and declared: "Hmph! I am the great demon lord Satania. If you so dearly wish to form a pact with me… I suppose I could cons—"
"Forget it, then." Vignette turned to leave.
"Wait—waaah, I'll add you! Please add me, Vignette!"
Clinging to her leg and wailing, Satania finally earned a smile. "See? Wasn't that easier?"
Back in the classroom, Satania shot Hayashi Maki a grateful look and returned to her seat, pondering once more how to be a proper demon—and how to rank up to great demon. Vignette gave Hayashi Maki a quick wink—mission accomplished—then he smiled back to show he'd gotten the message.
The last class of the afternoon was Japanese. The teacher was Hiratsuka Shizuka, in a white lab coat and with a great figure. Hayashi Maki appreciated the view and let the period pass in leisurely peace.
~~~
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