Chapter 113: The Cat-Eared Dragon of the Kobayashi Household
Truly worthy of the title of 'national best cousin'—if the government hasn't given you a medal yet, that's a failure of national justice itself! Kouya could almost imagine Kobayashi standing in front of a crowd, accepting an award for 'Outstanding Cousin of the Year.'
"Then it's settled, Kouya. Come over tomorrow morning," Kobayashi said with a suspicious little chuckle, her tone hiding something ominous, before hanging up.
The rest of the night passed uneventfully—or at least as uneventfully as it could for someone surrounded by angels, demons, and dragons.
At eight sharp the next morning, Kouya arrived at the foot of Kobayashi's apartment building, clutching a light bag and wondering how he'd gotten roped into this.
As for inviting Vigne and the others along... obviously, that wasn't happening. This was supposed to be peaceful. Just him, Kanna, and the maid dragon. How bad could that be?
It was only a trip to buy school supplies, after all. And after spending every day surrounded by those girls at school, he desperately wanted a quiet morning for once.
"Good morning, Kouya-sama!" The cheerful voice of the maid dragon Tohru greeted him the moment the door opened. She looked bright and energetic, her tail hidden but her enthusiasm impossible to suppress.
"Morning," Kouya replied, stepping inside.
Kanna was perched on the sofa like a tiny statue, her sky-blue eyes round and glimmering with innocent excitement. When she saw Kouya, she blinked once, her expression softening into a quiet smile.
Tohru explained from the side, "Kobayashi-sama had to work overtime again, so she asked me to leave everything in your care today."
"Got it." Kouya nodded, glancing at the clock. "So, shall we head out now?"
"Sure, sure!" Tohru hummed happily, spinning the keys in her hand before locking the door. The three of them set off down the street, the morning air crisp and cool.
When they reached the train station, Kouya suddenly froze.
"Yo, Kouya-kun, good morning~" came a silky voice that sent a chill down his spine.
Standing there, smiling sweetly in the morning breeze, was none other than Raphiel—the walking embodiment of chaos wrapped in angel wings.
And next to her was Vigne, crouched down with a gentle smile as she offered a chocolate biscuit. "Kanna-chan, you're going to school? That's so wonderful! Here, say 'ah—'"
"Ah—"
Kouya's face darkened instantly. "Why the hell are you two here!?"
He turned to glare at Tohru.
"It wasn't me!" Tohru blurted, sticking her tongue out playfully. "Last time at the amusement park, Kobayashi-sama got their numbers, right? Last night she called them just for fun, and, well... ta-da! Here they are!"
Kouya groaned. "Of course she did..."
"Kouya-kun, did you forget?" Raphiel teased, her tone dripping with amusement. "We said we'd go to the hot springs together today."
"It's not even time for that yet!"
"Exactly." Raphiel tilted her head, smiling. "Gabi-chan and the others didn't come because it's still early. I just woke up and thought, maybe I'll find something interesting if I come out. Looks like I was right."
Tohru, unfazed, reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded note. "Kouya-sama, this is from Kobayashi-sama."
Kouya unfolded the paper. The handwriting was neat, every word filled with smug satisfaction.
"Hey, I thought you'd be like your cousin—quiet, responsible, and boring—but I was wrong. You're surprisingly doing well for yourself."
Doing well, my ass! That's not the compliment I wanted!
The next line read: "Anyway, take care of yourself. If anything happens to any of you, not only will you all be in trouble, but I'll get dragged into the mess too."
What kind of ominous warning is that!?
The final note said: "So, good luck, Kouya. Your cousin can only help you this much."
I don't want your help! (╯‵□′）╯︵┻━┻!
"Kouya-sama, please don't go anywhere dangerous," Tohru whispered seriously.
Kouya raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"
"Because I read online that people keep wishing for 'normies to explode.' You're a normie, right? If you go somewhere dangerous, you might just go boom!"
Kouya sighed. "...I'll explode your face."
Moments later, the train arrived with a soft chime, and the group boarded, beginning their supposedly peaceful errand.
After disembarking at a nearby shopping district, they wandered through narrow streets until they found a small stationery store tucked in a shaded corner.
The place was like stepping back in time—an old wooden sign creaked above the entrance, and faint moss spread across the bricks. Behind the counter sat an elderly woman whose snowy hair glowed under the dim light.
Vigne got to work immediately, picking out pencils, rulers, and erasers with practiced efficiency. When she turned, she nearly dropped everything.
Kanna stood there, puffing her cheeks in visible distress.
"Eh? What's wrong, Kanna?"
"Not cute."
"N-not cute?"
Tohru's eyes lit up. "I've got it! There was a bird shop on the way here! Let's go there instead!"
"We're buying school supplies, not birds!" Vigne protested in disbelief.
"Of course not the birds—just their feathers!" Tohru said proudly. "It's the perfect season! Fresh feathers make the best quills!"
Apologize to those birds right now, you lunatic!
They're already trapped in cages, and you want to pluck them bald!?
And who even uses quills in this century!?
"Kids like cute stuff, right?" Raphiel interjected with a finger to her chin, as if she'd been pondering the universe's mysteries.
Kanna nodded obediently.
"Then we'll go to that new stationery store near the arcade," Vigne suggested, half exasperated, half amused.
The new store was bright, packed, and overflowing with color. Rows of glitter pens, pastel notebooks, and mascot-themed erasers filled the shelves. The air smelled faintly of new paper and sweets.
"Ah!" Kanna gasped, her eyes turning to stars. She pressed her hands to her cheeks, bouncing slightly on her toes.
"This one! This one!" She pointed at a shiny pink stapler shaped like a dragon's mouth. "What's this?"
Tohru's hand shot up instantly. "I know! It's a torture device! You put a naughty kid's finger here and—'crunch!'—"
SHUT UP!
That's a stapler, not a torture tool!
Vigne nearly facepalmed but quickly demonstrated how to use it before Tohru could traumatize Kanna further.
After half an hour of exploring every shelf, they finally emerged with their spoils: a unicorn-patterned pencil case, chocolate-shaped erasers, a custard-tart sharpener, and a set of sparkly pens that glittered under the light.
Total: 9,500 yen (61$).
Of course, Kouya didn't pay. Kobayashi had wisely handed Tohru the budget in advance.
"Alright, that's almost everything!" Vigne said brightly. "Just a few more things left—let's check the shopping mall ahead."
"Okay!" Kanna's voice was filled with excitement as she pumped her tiny fists.
The mall was lively and full of chatter. Families strolled past, children tugging on their parents' sleeves, while upbeat music echoed through the halls.
They walked through a few stores before finding a school bag Kanna adored—a soft pink one with wing-shaped buckles. As they approached the register, something caught Tohru's eye.
A nearby shelf shimmered with colorful, fluffy accessories.
"Oh, look! Cat ears!" Tohru gasped, her eyes sparkling with dangerous curiosity. She picked up a white pair and placed them on her head, striking a cute pose. "Nyaa~ Kouya-sama, what do you think? Won't Kobayashi praise me for this?"
No, she won't!
What kind of maid wears cat ears!? You're supposed to be a proper maid dragon, not some anime mascot!
Tohru, still dressed in her maid uniform, looked both absurdly adorable and overwhelmingly sexy. Her horns and tail were hidden, but nothing could hide the natural allure that clung to her every movement.
As she leaned forward playfully, her chest pressed against the fabric, the soft curves straining beneath the uniform as if rebelling against the buttons holding them back. Even the glimpse of pale skin at her neckline made it hard to look away.
Her golden eyes sparkled as she tilted her head, letting out another soft, teasing "nyan~." The light caught the faint pink tint in her cheeks, and Kouya swore he could feel heat creeping up his neck.
If it weren't for the concealment magic dampening their presence, she would've stolen the attention of everyone within fifty meters.