The weather in Sainan Town was as unpredictable as the alien population. What had started as a sunny afternoon had dissolved into a torrential downpour, turning the streets into rivers and sending pedestrians scrambling for cover.
Rito walked calmly through the rain. He was sharing a large umbrella with Lala, his arm wrapped around her waist to keep her close and dry. Run and Haruna had already gone home, but Rito had insisted on walking the long way back from the grocery store.
"Rito! It's so wet!" Lala laughed, sticking her hand out from under the umbrella to catch the drops. "On Deviluke, rain is acidic which melts clothes! This is nice!"
"I prefer water that doesn't melt my clothes." Rito chuckled.
Suddenly, he stopped. His intuition pricked at the back of his neck.
He looked toward a small shrine at the edge of the park. Huddled under the narrow eaves of the wooden roof, trying to stay dry, was a small, black-clad figure.
Golden Darkness.
She was crouching down, her long blonde hair pooling around her on the dry stone. In front of her, shivering in a cardboard box, was a tiny, wet kitten.
Yami was breaking off a piece of taiyaki and offering it to the cat. Her expression, usually so cold and impassive, was soft, yet focused.
"Eat," she whispered to the cat. "You require calories to generate heat."
Rito smiled. 'There she is. The girl behind the weapon.'
He nudged Lala. "Go on ahead, Lala. I'll catch up."
Lala blinked, then saw Yami. She beamed, understanding instantly. "Okay! I'll tell Mikan-chan to set an extra plate!"
Lala dashed off using her wings to hover over the puddles, leaving the umbrella with Rito.
Rito walked over to the shrine. The sound of his footsteps was masked by the rain, but Yami sensed him. Her hair flared, turning into sharp blades instantly.
"Do not approach." she warned without turning around. "I am armed."
"I know." Rito said softly.
He stepped under the eaves, closing his umbrella. He crouched down beside her, looking at the kitten.
"It's a stray?" Rito asked.
Yami hesitated, then retracted her blades. "It has no designation. It is alone."
"It looks hungry." Rito observed. He reached into his grocery bag and pulled out a small carton of milk. He popped the seal and poured a little into the box's lid.
The kitten mewled and began to lap it up greedily.
Yami stared at Rito. "Why are you here? You know I am hunting you."
"Are you?" Rito asked, meeting her red eyes. "Because someone told me you were a ruthless killer. But right now, you look like a girl feeding a cat."
Yami looked away. "You are... inconsistent with the data provided. Lacospo said you were a beast. A villain who enslaves women."
Rito laughed. It was a genuine, warm sound. "Enslaves? Is that what he said?"
He stood up, offering her a hand.
"Come home with me, Yami-chan."
She froze. "What?"
"Come to my house." Rito said. "Have dinner with us. Meet my sister Mikan. Meet the others. See for yourself if I'm a beast or not."
"I cannot." Yami said, standing up but ignoring his hand. "Fraternizing with the target is against the code."
"Then call it reconnaissance." Rito countered. "You need to verify your intel, right? If Lacospo lied to you... don't you want to know?"
Yami looked at the kitten, then at the rain, then at Rito's open, honest face. Her stomach grumbled quietly.
"Reconnaissance…" she repeated, testing the word. "Very well. I will go to observe your lair."
Rito opened the umbrella again, holding it high enough to cover them both.
"Let's go." he said. "My sister, Mikan is making stew. It's perfect for a rainy day."
…
The front door of the Yuuki household slid open, revealing the warm, inviting glow of the interior.
Rito stepped inside, shaking the umbrella. Yami hesitated on the porch, water dripping from her black dress. She looked like a shadow afraid of the light.
"Come in." Rito said, smiling. "It's warm in here."
Yami stepped over the threshold. She tensed, her senses on high alert. Based on Lacospo's dossier, she expected this house to be a fortress of depravity, a place where the "Harem King" kept his conquered women in chains.
"I'm home!" Rito called out.
"Welcome back!"
A chorus of voices answered.
Lala appeared first, wearing a cute apron over her uniform. "Rito! Yami-chan! You're soaking wet!"
She didn't attack. She didn't cower. She ran up to Yami and hugged her.
"Waah!" Yami stiffened, her hair twitching instinctively to form a blade, but she stopped herself. Lala was warm. She smelled like sugar and ozone.
"You're freezing!" Lala exclaimed, pulling back. "Mikan-chan! Yami-chan needs a towel!"
Mikan walked out of the kitchen. She was wiping her hands on a cloth, her expression calm and welcoming.
"I have one right here." Mikan said. She walked up to the assassin, the most dangerous weapon in the galaxy, and gently draped a fluffy, warm towel over Yami's head.
"Welcome," Mikan said softly. "I'm Yuuki Mikan. Rito's little sister."
Yami blinked, holding the towel. This girl... she felt familiar. She had the same quiet, steady aura as Tearju Lunatique.
"I... I am Golden Darkness (Konjiki no Yami)." Yami muttered, pulling the towel tighter.
"Nice to meet you, Yami-chan." Mikan smiled. "Dinner is almost ready. Why don't you get changed? You can borrow some of my clothes. We're about the same size."
Yami was ushered into the living room. It wasn't a dungeon. It was a cozy, cluttered, happy space.
Run was sitting on the sofa, painting her nails. Haruna was setting the table. Sachie and Mami were playing a video game on the floor.
When they saw Yami, they didn't scream like Yami was sued to people reacting to her.
"Oh! The new girl!" Run waved, blowing on her nails. "Hi! Want an autograph?"
"Hello," Haruna bowed politely. "Please, take a seat."
Yami sat on the edge of the sofa, looking around with wide eyes. Everyone was smiling. Everyone was free.
She watched Rito. He wasn't barking orders. He was in the kitchen, helping Mikan carry the heavy pot of stew to the table. He was laughing as Lala tried to sneak a taste. He leaned down and kissed Mikan on the forehead, a gentle, affectionate gesture that made Mikan blush and smile.
He squeezed Haruna's hand as he passed her. He ruffled Sachie's hair.
There was no fear here. Only love.
Yami touched her chest. A strange ache was spreading there, not pain, but a hollow feeling of longing.
'This is... a family.' she realized. 'This is what I never had.'
Mikan placed a bowl of steaming stew in front of her. It smelled rich and savory, with a hint of something sweet.
"I heard you like taiyaki." Mikan whispered. "So, I made the dessert special."
Yami looked at the stew, then at Mikan's kind eyes. The "Darkness" inside her wavered.
"Thank you." Yami whispered.
…
Dinner was chaotic, loud, and warm.
Yami ate quietly, observing. She watched how Rito listened to everyone. She watched how the girls teased him, loved him, and supported each other.
"Here, Yami-chan." Lala said, putting a piece of meat in Yami's bowl. "Eat up! You need energy to be an assassin!"
"Lala," Rito chided gently. "Maybe don't talk about assassination at the dinner table."
"But it's her job!" Lala argued. "Like Run-chan is an idol!"
Yami paused, her spoon hovering near her mouth. "You... accept my profession?"
"We accept you," Rito said. He looked at her across the table. His eyes were amber, honest, and completely devoid of judgment. "Whatever you are. Whatever you do. You're welcome here."
Yami lowered her spoon. The food tasted like ash compared to the sweetness of his words.
'Lacospo lied.' she thought, the realization settling in her gut like a stone. 'He said Yuuki Rito was a monster. But he is... the kindest person I have ever met.'
After dinner, as the rain stopped, Yami stood up.
"I must go." she announced abruptly.
"Already?" Mikan asked, looking disappointed. "We have dessert."
"I... I have some data to process." Yami lied. "Thank you for the sustenance."
She walked to the door. Rito followed her.
"Yami-chan." he called out as she stepped onto the porch.
She turned. Her hair floated around her, calm and untransformed.
"Be careful going home." Rito said.
He just told her to be safe.
Yami stared at him. Then, she gave a tiny, almost imperceptible nod.
"Goodnight... Yuuki Rito."
She jumped, vanishing into the night sky, leaving the warmth of the Lion's Den behind.
*****
A little support goes a long way! If you'd like to help me keep creating, you can do so at
https://ko fi.com/rroy28 (put a "-" between "ko" and "fi")
Support me on my patr eon and gain early access to my creations.
https://www.pat reon.com/RroY_r18 (remove the space)
You can access all the advanced chapters of this book and even make request for addition of some specific scenes.
Also, I have added Chapter-wise Uncensored NSFW Illustrations, available only in Patr eon.