Chapter 120: Satania's Grand Operation
Kouya turned his head toward the voice and saw the shrine maiden glide gracefully into the room like a spirit of calm and light. Steam still clung faintly to her skin, her movements elegant and fluid, and every step of her wooden sandals echoed softly against the floor.
Fresh from the hot spring, her usual red-and-white miko outfit had been replaced by a pure white bathrobe. A crimson ribbon tied loosely around her waist accentuated her slender figure, while her long dark hair was twisted into a neat bun, exposing the curve of her delicate neck—smooth, fair, and graceful as a swan's. A faint blush lingered on her cheeks from the warmth of the bath, giving her an almost ethereal glow.
The robe barely covered her knees, revealing her beautifully shaped legs beneath—pale and smooth like polished ivory, their lines elegant and refined. Her feet, encased in simple wooden sandals, were dainty and perfect, like a sculptor's careful masterpiece. It wasn't difficult to see why even the air around her seemed to pause for a moment.
"So, Kou-kun, you play this game too? Let's team up for the next round," she said in her soft, clear voice, each word accompanied by the faint aroma of soap and fresh water that lingered around her.
Kouya nodded slightly. "Sure."
He remembered from their last meeting at the shrine that she had surprising skill when it came to games—calm, calculating, precise.
Gabriel, meanwhile, didn't seem to care in the slightest. As long as she could sit back, and let someone else carry her, she was satisfied. To her, an extra teammate meant nothing but another warm body in the party.
It wasn't long before the rest of the group returned. After all, soaking too long in a hot spring made one dizzy. Ten, maybe twenty minutes, was more than enough.
Raphiel was the first to spot them. She covered her lips with a hand and giggled mischievously. "Oh my, so this is where you were hiding. Were you two doing something indecent by any chance?"
Shut up!
Who in their right mind does something indecent fully clothed?!
What, does keeping the clothes on make it more artistic or something?!
Rikka peeked curiously from behind Kouya's chair, her eyepatch glinting under the light. "Hey, hey, Hero, what game is that?"
"You've never played it before?"
Rikka shook her head quickly, twintails bouncing. "Nope! I get dizzy if I stare at the screen too long."
That's because you insist on wearing that stupid eyepatch, you chuuni disaster!
Soon after, Vigne and Kanna came in, both looking exasperated. "Gab! You just left halfway through the bath! What gives?"
Gabriel raised a finger dramatically, golden hair gleaming. "Because today, my dear companions, is a day of destiny—a day of great luck and triumph!"
Vigne groaned. "It's literally just a normal weekday! What's lucky about it?"
"A lucky day… for ranking up," Gabriel said with a grin, her eyes sparkling with gamer's resolve.
Moments later, little Hinata ran through the door like a beam of light. "Kou-nii! Onee-sama! Hinata's here too!" she sang cheerfully.
The small girl skipped to Kouya's side and plopped down beside him, her big dark eyes darting curiously around the glowing screens. "Onee-sama, I wanna play too!"
Ruri's calm, measured tone returned instantly. "No, Hinata. You're still a minor. Games like this aren't appropriate for you."
If only she knew, Kouya thought. That same little sister had secretly read ecchi manga before—probably more educated on forbidden topics than her saintly sister could imagine.
Hinata puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms in defeat. She huffed quietly, then wandered to the bookshelf, grabbing a random manga to distract herself.
"Alright, you all play. I'm getting something to drink," Kouya said after a couple of wins, taking off his headset.
"Go ahead, go ahead," Gabriel said, waving dismissively, too focused on the screen. She had discovered that the shrine maiden's gaming ability rivaled Kouya's—and immediately switched teams, abandoning her old carry for a new one.
Kouya walked over to the mini fridge, grabbed a cold drink, and sat on the sofa. He cracked open the bottle, took a slow sip, and let out a relaxed sigh.
That's when Hinata toddled over again, hugging her manga with one hand and holding… a banana in the other.
"Kou-nii! Let's make a contract! Become a magical girl with me!"
"..."
What kind of chuuni nonsense is she on about this time?!
Hinata sat down beside him, waving her manga around excitedly. "The magical girl in this story uses a leek as her weapon! But there aren't any leeks here, so I'm using this banana instead. It's basically the same thing!"
No, it's not the same thing! A banana can at least be eaten—or used in other ways—but a leek is just a leek!
"Kou-nii, this manga's hilarious! Look!" she said, handing it to him.
He took it, eyeing the cover.
The Magical Girl Who Opened the Wrong Way.
The first few pages seemed normal enough—a desperate wizard seeking a hero arrives on Earth and chooses a cute, bright girl to become a magical girl.
Flawless looks, perfect body—yeah, that wizard was definitely picking based on appearance. Typical.
But the tone shifted fast.
The girl meets her first monster, and instead of transforming dramatically like every magical girl ever, she just knee-strikes it straight in the jewels. One blow. Fatal.
Wait, what?! Where's the transformation sequence?! And why does she look like she's done this before?!
The next battle? Same story. Lazy face, no transformation, total domination.
The poor wizard was losing his mind.
A magical girl who doesn't transform?! What kind of cursed series is this?!
After much pleading, the wizard finally convinced her to do it—on one condition: he had to transform into her weapon.
Into a leek.
By the next fight, the transformation was… explosive. Literally. Her clothes disintegrated mid-scene, and the girl, enraged at her wardrobe malfunction, snapped. She picked up her leek like a club and beat the monster into paste while shouting obscenities.
Kouya stared blankly at the page, thinking the same thing the wizard probably was.
This isn't a magical girl manga—it's false advertising! A magical girl shouldn't win through raw violence!
And yet… he couldn't stop reading. The art was clean, the humor absurdly on-point, and the fight scenes surprisingly satisfying. Before he realized it, he'd finished the entire volume.
That's when he felt a soft touch on his arm.
He looked down to find Hinata curled up against him, her little head resting on his shoulder as she rubbed her cheek against his sleeve like a sleepy kitten. "Mmm… Kou-nii smells so nice… I wanna sleep right here~."
Kouya's face went blank as he prepared to gently push her off.
"Kouya," a voice purred behind him.
He froze.
Raphiel stood there, her eyes half-lidded and smile sweet enough to chill the room.
"I don't mean to say this, but…"
"But what?" he asked warily.
Raphiel raised a finger to her lips. "Minimum sentence—three years. Maximum—death penalty~."
Kouya's mouth twitched.
Don't say something that terrifying with such a cheerful tone!
You can never trust girls with smiling eyes!
"You're overthinking it," Kouya replied flatly. "In Japan, just for 'beep—' stuff like that isn't even capital punishment."
"My, my," Raphiel giggled softly. "So Kouya has studied the legal aspects of that sort of thing? How impressive~."
Shut up! Who studies that?! I just read too much online, okay?!
The door suddenly burst open.
"Gabriel! You coward!" Satania shouted dramatically. "You fled the bath to escape our duel, didn't you?! Face me, fiend!"
"Tch." Gabriel didn't even look away from her monitor. "Can't you see I'm busy? Go bother someone else."
"Gabriel! Duel me now!"
Shing!
Gabriel turned her head slowly, eyes dark and dangerous, a gleaming craft knife appearing in her hand as if from nowhere.
"I'll kill you."
Satania froze. "S-so scary!"
"Anyone who interrupts my rank climb," Gabriel said coldly, "ceases to exist."
Trembling, Satania scurried behind Kouya. "Servant! Servant! I need your help!"
Kouya sighed. "What now?"
"Help me!" she whispered urgently, glancing around like a spy. "This is my destined showdown with Gabriel! I swear, this time I'll win!"
Kouya's eyes narrowed. "Wasn't that what you said last time—right before she threw you through the café door?"
"That was different!" Satania barked, her cheeks flushing. Her fang glinted as she clenched her fists. "This time I've got a plan! A perfect strategy—and a secret weapon!"
Yeah, sure. That mysterious suitcase you wouldn't let anyone touch on the way here. You were grinning to yourself every ten minutes like a maniac, thinking no one noticed. Everyone noticed.
Every look, every fake whistle—it was obvious. Your face literally screams, I'm planning something dumb! It's cute. In a tragic kind of way.
"You see, Gabriel thinks I'm relaxing right now," Satania declared confidently, hands on her hips. "She's underestimating me!"
"Uh-huh."
"But soon, she'll regret it! I'll strike like lightning and finally prove I'm the true demon lord!" She started laughing maniacally to herself, completely lost in delusion.
Kouya stared at her blankly. "Right. I'm leaving."
"Wait! Don't go!" she cried, grabbing his sleeve. "There are too many people here! I can't act while everyone's watching. I need you to lure her out—then I'll attack!"
"Not interested. Goodbye."