Chapter 547: A Twin-Tailed Girl in a Gothic Dress
Hancock finally departed, carrying a few lingering regrets but buoyed by the hope of securing a long-term stay in the future. Her steps were noticeably lighter and faster than usual. The primary reason for her elevated spirits was the distinct absence of Pandora, meaning she had avoided getting unceremoniously kicked out this time, leaving her in a rather excellent mood.
Ren surveyed the quieted dining room and let out a soft breath of relief. "I have this lingering feeling that some extraordinary guest is going to drop by tonight."
"Your intuition rarely misses," Lucifer replied smoothly from her seat. "Hmm? Speak of the devil, a regular is here."
The door chimed and swung open. Ren offered a warm smile at the somewhat unexpected arrival. "Dropping by this late? Aren't you worried about running into trouble out there?"
Lucifer blinked in mild surprise. "Karura! What brings you here at this hour? And Ren... do you honestly think anyone could give Karura trouble?"
Ren chuckled, wiping down the counter. "Of course not. Karura's temper is a force of nature. Besides, there is no way Old Man Erioh would let her wander the streets alone this late. What I meant was, I was worried she might accidentally kill someone and ruin her mood for school tomorrow."
"You are the real demon here," Lucifer and Karura said in perfect unison.
Karura giggled, leaning against the wooden counter. "Sister Fusui is actually with me, but she is waiting out by the alley. She had to attend some boring banquet earlier!"
Lucifer nodded, her brow furrowing in slight confusion. "So why the late visit? Haven't you two already eaten?"
"Midterms are right around the corner!" Karura announced cheerfully. "And the weekend is coming up, so we are planning a study get-together. We decided to host it right here at the shop! Oh, and we are bringing Kotori along too!"
Lucifer paused. "Kotori? A little bird? Who is keeping a pet bird?"
Karura burst into laughter. "Not a literal bird! It is a person. She is the girl from the family Elena is staying with!"
"Oh, I see," Lucifer nodded in realization. "That junior of yours."
"Exactly! Her name is Minami Kotori. She is the daughter of the Otonokizaka Academy chairwoman. She is incredibly sweet, top of her class, and comes from a great family. I know Kotori will take perfect care of Elena!"
Ren nodded approvingly. "That sounds like a solid plan, and it is certainly convenient. Are you going to grab a seat and stay for a bit?"
"I have classes tomorrow morning, so I cannot linger. We will finalize the details later! Bye, Ren! I am heading out!"
"Alright, be careful on your way back."
"I am not that dangerous!" Karura called out, waving as she slipped out the door.
Lucifer watched the door close and sighed softly. "Karura is the kind of girl who could slaughter a room full of armed men in a heartbeat. I can only pray no foolish thug tries to provoke her tonight."
"True," Ren mused. "Speaking of which... Elena and Kotori seem to spend a lot of time home alone. Having company will definitely make things less lonely for them."
Lucifer shot him a sidelong, scrutinizing glance. "You do not have any ulterior motives there, do you?"
Ren gave her a flat look that clearly communicated she was being ridiculous.
Lucifer lowered her voice, a teasing lilt entering her tone. "Who told you to be such a shameless playboy? Modeus cannot even get out of bed right now. It is a genuine mystery if she will manage to get any sleep tonight."
"I take the fifth on that," Ren replied dryly. "But Modeus was completely out of control, like she had lost her mind. For a moment, I actually wondered if she harbored some hidden, feral second personality."
Lucifer sighed, shaking her head. "So... what happened to her bedsheets?"
"I swapped them for fresh ones."
"Based on her vivid descriptions, it was indeed a wild affair," Lucifer murmured. "But I suppose she has finally embraced the true nature of her demonic lineage."
Before the conversation could go any further, the door chimed again. "Ah, Pepper is here," Ren noted.
Pepper Potts walked in with the casual ease of someone entering her own home. After exchanging warm greetings, she handed over Tony's usual order list and settled in at the counter to chat with Lucifer.
Meanwhile, blocks away from the warm glow of the restaurant, a lone figure strolled unhurriedly down a deserted, dimly lit street. The young woman wore a striking black and red Gothic dress that swayed with every deliberate step. Her long, dark hair was tied into elegant twin tails. A thick fringe of bangs completely obscured her left eye, yet the exposed half of her face revealed delicate, porcelain features.
As she walked, the heavy silence of the night was broken by the faint scuff of boots. Two men slipped out from the shadows of an alley, silently trailing behind her.
The girl did not break her stride. She merely cast a slight, sidelong glance over her shoulder. A faint, chilling smile curled the corners of her lips.
She continued forward, her pace steady and unbothered. Behind her, the two men exchanged a knowing look, predatory grins spreading across their faces. Neither of them realized that the smile worn by the girl walking ahead of them was infinitely more wicked.
Eventually, the girl paused in front of a glowing vending machine. Just as she leaned in to inspect the row of colorful drinks, the two men closed the distance, boxing her in from both sides.
The girl jumped, her shoulders tensing as she looked left and right in apparent alarm. "Oh... you two can buy first," she said, her voice soft and timid.
Getting a clear look at her face under the fluorescent light, the two men felt their pulses hammer. They had never laid eyes on a woman this stunning, and the elegant cut of her dress did nothing to hide her captivating figure.
The man wearing a knitted beanie nodded smoothly, dropping a few coins to buy a can of cola. "Yo, little sister. What is a pretty thing like you doing out this late instead of heading home?"
A fleeting glint of dark amusement flashed in the girl's visible eye, instantly replaced by a look of helpless distress. She let out a heavy sigh. "I cannot find my house key anywhere, so I had to come all the way back out to trace my steps. I am just so unlucky."
The second man puffed out his chest, adopting a look of righteous concern. "That is terrible. We can help you look. Hey, wait a second... I think I actually saw a key lying on the sidewalk a few streets back, didn't I?"
The girl's eye widened in innocent hope. "Really?! What did it look like?"
"I didn't get a close look," the beanie-wearing man lied smoothly. "But we can take you to check. I remember the general area."
"That is wonderful! Thank you both so much!"
The man in the beanie smiled, showing stained teeth. "No problem at all. But a cute girl like you must have a boyfriend, right? Why isn't he out here helping you?"
At the mention of a boyfriend, the girl's expression crumbled into deep sadness. "Because... because he always wanted to possess me completely. I am not against intimacy, but I firmly believe those things should only happen after marriage. Tonight, he couldn't control his urges, and I had to slap him. I ran away in a panic, and that must be when I dropped my key..."
"Eh? So, miss, he was your first love?"
"Yes!" she cried softly, clutching her hands to her chest. "I originally planned to marry him. I wanted to save my first kiss and everything else for our wedding night, but... I just trusted him too much. Thankfully, I broke it off tonight."
Hearing this, the two men exchanged a thrilled, disbelieving glance. This was an absolute jackpot. An untouched beauty, completely alone and vulnerable.
They guided the girl away from the streetlights, leading her deep into a secluded, overgrown grove. The girl slowed her steps, looking around with manufactured doubt. "Hmm? I do not remember walking through here earlier... It doesn't look like my key is anywhere around here. But thank you for trying! I will be going now."
Just as she turned to leave, the man in the beanie stepped directly into her path, blocking her exit. He offered a sleazy, mocking smile. "In such a hurry to leave? Aren't you going to look around a little more?"
"But I have never been to this park before."
"Is that so? Well, you are here now, aren't you? By the way, since you are newly single, are you interested in..."
The girl immediately stumbled two steps backward, her body trembling in a perfect display of terror. This only fueled the men's dark excitement. "I get it!" she gasped, her voice pitching high with fright. "You two are bad guys!"
"Hahaha!" The beanie-wearing man threw his head back and laughed. "I never expected to run into a woman this pure! And completely untouched! This is just too perfect!"
"You really are bad guys!" she cried out again.
The man who had played the righteous helper joined in the cruel laughter. "That is exactly right, little sister! Hahahaha!"
The girl stopped trembling. She lowered her hands, the terrified facade melting away in an instant. A dark, sadistic smile stretched across her delicate face, her voice dropping into a chilling, honeyed purr.
"What a coincidence... I am too."
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me!
Want to read ahead on our official home, or unlock 50 advanced chapters to feed your addiction? Help keep this shameless translator alive here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
🌐 Read on our site: Elysianreads[.]com or Check the link in my Webnovel Profile bio!
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters & Ad-Free): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL or Search AkarinTL on Patreon
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]