Chapter 83: Pekola's Words Came Back to Bite Her So Fast!
The familiar street was already bustling with people, all of them looking in the same direction, craning their necks in anticipation.
"It's almost four, why isn't he here yet?"
"He's been opening around three these past few days. I wonder if something held him up."
"I never thought I'd see the day where the one I'm waiting for with bated breath is a man," a bearded man sighed.
Someone in the crowd noticed Irimi and couldn't resist going up to her. "Excuse me, do you happen to know when Chef Ryohei will be opening today?"
Irimi looked at the man and replied apologetically, "I'm sorry, I don't know. My friends and I are just here to voluntarily help keep order. We don't have a private line to the Chef."
"Oh, okay," the customer said, disappointed, and went back to stretching his neck toward the street corner.
Meanwhile, on another street.
"You're pretty strong, Pekola," Ryohei said, a little surprised.
In the anime, Pekola had always given off a weak and unlucky impression, and she was constantly being bullied by Jashin-chan. When he had first met her, she looked like a strong gust of wind could knock her over. But now, she was pulling the heavy food cart with what seemed to be relative ease, even if she wasn't as effortlessly swift as Minos.
"Ehehe~, it's nothing special~," Pekola said, happy for the praise. She felt a new surge of strength. "Even though I've lost my powers, my physical body is still superior to that of an ordinary human."
"Ordinary humans feel a little offended by that," Ryohei commented.
"Huh?" Pekola looked at him, completely baffled.
A smile touched Yurine's lips. She took Ryohei's hand. "Heian-kun isn't exactly an ordinary human either, is he? Ordinary humans can't make glowing food."
"Hmm… that's true," Ryohei admitted, giving their joined hands a little swing. He then looked at the little angel curiously. "By the way, Pekola, what's Heaven like?"
"Heaven?" Pekola's expression immediately became bright and proud, and she launched into a passionate description. "It's a peaceful and holy place! The sky is always a brilliant blue, with soft white clouds drifting by, and everything is surrounded by a golden light! It's inhabited by many gods, angels, and other transcendent beings. All the angels are compassionate and kind! We have no evil or impure thoughts; we are completely pure! We are the messengers of God and we faithfully carry out His will! And we are brave and resolute, especially when fighting against the forces of evil…"
She really sells it, Ryohei thought, giving her a sidelong glance ( ﹁ ﹁ ). He was thinking of Poporon and Pino. No evil or impure thoughts? Pure and compassionate? LMAO. He suddenly had the mischievous urge to see her proven wrong. Speaking of which, shouldn't Poporon be showing up soon?
Just as he thought this, Pekola's expression drooped. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to return to Heaven…"
"Ah… I've found you, Pekola-sama!" a sweet, feminine voice suddenly called out from above.
Pekola looked up, confused. Ryohei and Yurine, however, immediately tilted their heads toward the sky.
Pristine white feathers began to drift down, spiraling gently as if carried by an invisible wind. Floating above them, bathed in the afternoon sun, was a beautiful female figure with pure white wings.
"It's you… the trainee angel…" Pekola began.
"It's Poporon. And I'm not a trainee anymore; I'm a full-fledged angel," the girl said, her voice cheerful as she descended. She wore a blue and white dress, a golden halo floating above her long, curly blonde hair. She looked like a pop idol. She glanced down at her phone. "My Angel Radar couldn't get a lock on you, Pekola-sama. Finding you was so tiring!"
"..." Ryohei was stunned. He had just been thinking about her, and she had appeared in the very next second.
"Yurine, I just saw an angel!" he whispered, still in awe. Then he glanced around at the other pedestrians, who seemed completely oblivious. Can they not see her?
"Mhm, I saw her too. It's my first time," Yurine replied, her eyes full of curiosity as she looked at Poporon.
Hearing their conversation, Pekola, who had been about to pour her heart out to Poporon, gave them an annoyed look. What do you mean? Am I not an angel? And what do you mean, 'first time'?! But she didn't have time for them. She ran to Poporon, her heart filled with excitement, relief, and a little bit of anxiety.
"As you can see, Poporon, my halo is gone! That's why I can't go back or contact you!" Thank goodness the witch's familiar isn't here, or this would be a huge misunderstanding, she thought, hoping Poporon wouldn't notice Yurine's true nature.
"Ah, so that's why the radar couldn't find you," Poporon said, her hand flying to her mouth in a perfect, idol-like expression of shock.
"Yes, that's right! In any case, please, take me back to Heaven!" Pekola then turned to Ryohei and Yurine and bowed deeply. "I am so sorry! Pekola must break her promise! The salary you advanced me, and your kindness these past few days—I will surely repay you once I return to Heaven and regain my powers!"
"It's alright… If you can return to Heaven safely, that's a good thing," Yurine said with a gentle smile.
"Pekola-sama, you can't go back," Poporon said, her own smile just as sweet.
"Hm?" Pekola's eyes widened. She turned back to Poporon, who had just pulled a rocket launcher from under her dress.
"Wait a minute! Pekola can explain!" she stammered, thinking her association with demons and a "witch" had been discovered.
"With Pekola-sama missing," Poporon said, ignoring her, "I have been appointed as your acting replacement. If you were to return, I would be demoted back to my original status." She looked at Pekola, her expression turning tragic, her eyes welling up with crystalline tears. "In that case…" She wiped a tear from her eye, her face instantly transforming back into a perfect, angelic idol smile. "…my happy days of ordering other angels around will be over. So, for the sake of my happiness, please die, Pekola-sama!"
Pekola: "..."
In the next second, Pekola let out a high-pitched, incredulous groundhog scream.
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