My new Patreon link is patreon.com/forbiddenlust69 and guys please do give me your power stone so i can know you are still reading this story
Chapter 28: Neighbors and Hidden Agendas
A female suspected of wielding ice-cold power—a monster. Ryusei Kiryu's first thought was of a Yuki-onna, a Snow Woman. Of course, there was another possibility: Yukino Mifuyu wasn't a monster but an Onmyoji, and Hachishaku was her newly acquired Shikigami.
But regardless of the truth, for Ryusei, who was currently just an ordinary high school student, Yukino Mifuyu was a dangerous person. Even if she showed no current malice toward humans, he couldn't expect to "check in" and collect fees from her as easily as he did with Sayuri. He needed to build rapport first.
Still, having two powerful supernatural entities in the apartment significantly raised the "safety index" of the building. He remembered Sayuri telling him that this area was remarkably safe with no recent cases. Could it be that Beika Town's reputation for danger was mitigated here specifically because of Yukino Mifuyu's presence?
He also considered Sayuri. She chose this dilapidated apartment over her luxury villa. He didn't buy her excuse about being lonely. Perhaps she stayed here because she knew Mifuyu's true identity and wanted to remain within a safe zone. Things were starting to click. Sayuri was far more complex than she appeared; he would have to be careful dealing with her.
Ryusei turned his gaze toward the refrigerator. Inside was the half-watermelon Sayuri had given him. Earlier, he thought she was just rich and willful, but now he couldn't help but wonder if she had added something... strange to the fruit. Rich people often had eccentric tastes, after all.
Should I eat it?
In his previous life, he had eaten plenty of watermelons. It wasn't worth the risk if there was a "hidden cost." However, throwing it away would be rude if she found out. Putting it in his inventory was the safest bet, but creating the illusion that he'd eaten it was even better.
Ryusei marinated his small squid, washed his hands, and pulled out the watermelon. He sliced it in half again. Then, he took one of those quarters and walked next door. He knocked.
After a moment, Hachishaku opened the door.
"Ryusei-kun, what is this?"
"Sayuri-san gave me a large watermelon, and I can't finish it all. I thought I'd share some with my neighbors."
"How can we accept this?"
"It's fine. We're neighbors; we should look out for each other."
"Then, thank you, Ryusei-kun."
She spoke softly, her voice incredibly pleasant. As she bent down to take the plate from his hand, her fingers brushed his.
[Ding—] Copper coin +10.
Indeed, Hachishaku was recognized by the system as a "Heroine." Ryusei smiled. "Sister Hachishaku, I have to get back to my cooking. I'll take my leave."
"Alright. Goodbye, Ryusei-kun."
Once the door closed, a woman's voice drifted from the television screen in the living room. "The boy next door sent over watermelon? He never did that for Mifuyu. It seems young boys simply can't resist your charm, Hachishaku."
Hachishaku shook her head gently. "I can tell, Sadako. He wasn't attracted to me; he was just being genuinely kind."
The woman on the screen, Sadako, remained noncommittal. "Is that so? But for your kind, high schoolers are usually considered... prime targets, aren't they?"
Hachishaku frowned slightly. "Sadako, you know I'm not that kind of monster."
She ignored Sadako's further teasing and took the fruit to the kitchen. Sadako muttered to herself, "Resisting your nature... how long can you last? Just like Sayuri... suppressing it only leads to a more severe eruption in the end."
Yukino Mifuyu returned later with a heavy bag of groceries. Hachishaku greeted her and took the bags. "You worked hard, Mifuyu. Rest; I'll handle dinner."
Mifuyu hummed a response and sank into the sofa. She drank a glass of water in one go, sighing in relief. As a member of the Special Case Department, she had worked overtime all day dealing with the aftermath of the Spatial Quake and the demons that had slipped through from the Inner World. She was exhausted.
"Mifuyu, Sadako, come eat watermelon!" Hachishaku called.
Mifuyu opened her eyes, surprised. "Where did that come from?"
"The young man next door brought it over. He said the landlady gave him too much."
"The neighbor?" Mifuyu glanced at the wall, thinking of the high school student.
"Mifuyu, chill it again!" Sadako urged from the screen.
Mifuyu reached out, and her Snow Woman ability activated. A layer of white frost instantly coated the red fruit. From the screen, strands of black hair extended, intertwining to form a hand that pulled a slice of melon into the digital void.
"Sweet and delicious," Sadako remarked.
Mifuyu tasted a piece as well. "Not bad."
As Hachishaku prepared dinner, Sadako complained about the small size of her screen. "Every time I squeeze through to eat, my chest hurts!"
"Then buy a bigger one," Hachishaku suggested.
"It's too expensive! I'm saving for a high-definition screen that covers an entire wall," Sadako argued. "I'll have enough in two months."
Later, as they ate a proper home-cooked meal, Sadako asked for fried fish the following day.
"I can make it," Hachishaku said, "but we need fresh fish, and I... don't like going out." Her height made her a magnet for unwanted attention.
Mifuyu frowned. "I work night shifts; it's hard for me to get to the market for fresh ingredients."
"I have an idea," Sadako chirped, pointing toward the wall. "Ask the boy next door. He's working part-time at the fish market. He can just buy some on his way back."
Hachishaku hesitated. "Won't that be a bother?"
"Don't let him do it for free," Sadako smiled. "Make extra food and share it with him. He shared with Sayuri, and the landlady returned the favor with watermelon. It's how neighbors work."
Hachishaku thought it over. "I'll visit him after dinner, then."
She didn't want to go empty-handed, so she began preparing some small pastries using eggs and flour. The strange, popping sound of her voice echoed softly in the kitchen as she worked.