'They are pulling strings, huh?'
'Isn't human society supposed to be very reserved? Truly shameless!'
Of course, Kaede also knew that this was Yukino's home, and she was just a guest, so she didn't have much qualification to criticize.
So she just looked at Hikari with displeasure.
"Hikari-kun."
Hikari, who was drinking tea, heard the voice from beside.
He picked up the teacup and took a light sip, then slightly turned his head to look at the delicately-featured demon lady, "Miss Kiriryuin, good afternoon."
Hikari greeted politely.
But Kaede was too lazy to beat around the bush, directly reached out her hand and said, "Hikari-kun, didn't you say you'd lend me the research item? Where's the hypnotic ring?"
"I'll look for it, seems I forgot it at home again," Hikari fumbled in his pocket.
"You!", Kaede's beautiful crimson eyes widened instantly upon hearing this, somewhat anxious and angry.
But Hikari suddenly pulled out that strange ring with a red eyeball and smiled, "Ah, found it. Didn't forget after all."
"You bastard!"
Looking at Hikari's smiling face staring at her, as if observing her flustered expression slowly change, Kaede clenched her fists in anger.
Because Hikari's expression was very obvious. He probably remembered from the start that he brought it today, just deliberately teasing her.
If it were any other time, Kaede would probably have made a fuss with Hikari again.
But upon seeing the eerie hypnotic ring lying in Hikari's palm, staring at the red eyeball embedded like a gem at the top, Kaede's attention was immediately drawn and she couldn't be bothered to settle scores with him anymore.
"Lend me the ring to study for a day," Kaede reached out her hand and said.
"Sure, but what about the information on the demi-human academy?", Hikari didn't hand the ring over right away but closed his palm and said slowly.
"Didn't we agree yesterday, I'm only borrowing it for one day to study, then I'll tell you some information about the youkai, isn't that enough?", Kaede stared at Hikari angrily, as if accusing him of going back on his word.
"True, we did agree yesterday. So, the info about those youkai?", Hikari nodded and said.
Indeed, yesterday Kaede had said that the info about the youkai demi-human academy was rather rare, and just lending the ring wasn't enough.
As for this physically powerful and well-endowed yet not-so-bright demon lady, Hikari didn't think she would lie. Plus, after last night, he confirmed with Yukino that the information was indeed confidential.
"The info about those youkai species and such, I've already sent it to Yukino-chan, had her forward it to you. You can check it yourself later," Kaede said.
"Stop dawdling, you humans are so troublesome. Hurry up and give me the ring," Kaede impatiently extended her hand.
"Okay."
Hikari placed the ring into Kaede's open palm.
Zzzap!
Just as their hands touched, a streak of faint blue electricity suddenly burst forth.
Kaede's body trembled violently.
"What are you doing?"
Feeling the sudden tingling sensation in her palm, Kaede was stunned at first, then glared angrily at Hikari.
"Sorry," Hikari helplessly spread his hands.
"You rude guy!", Kaede quickly retracted her hand, goosebumps covering her fair arms, her crimson eyes glaring fiercely at Hikari.
At this moment, Yukino had just come out from the room and, seeing this strange situation between the two, hurriedly asked, "What happened?"
Seeing Yukino, Kaede immediately pointed at Hikari angrily and said, "Yukino-chan, just now your human boyfriend secretly scratched my palm when handing me the ring! He molested me!"
When she received the ring just now, Kaede and Hikari's palms inevitably touched slightly. At that time, Kaede felt a strong itchy sensation in her palm and instantly associated it with some sleazy guy's flirting technique, glaring at Hikari.
Seeing Kaede's reaction, Hikari also guessed her misunderstanding and shook his head lightly, "I didn't."
Hearing Hikari's words, Yukino believed him.
After all, she knew Hikari very well, and he wasn't the kind of person who would harass women, in fact, he deeply hated it.
But at the same time, the goosebumps on Kaede's white arm did seem genuine, not like she was making things up.
One was her close girlfriend, the other was her boyfriend, this scene was truly a headache.
Seeing Yukino's troubled expression, Hikari gave up on the idea of hiding this ability to surprise her at night.
He helplessly opened his palm and explained to Kaede, "The weather's dry lately, my body's been producing a lot of static electricity. It must've been static that shocked your palm. It's not my fault."
Both Kaede and Yukino looked toward Hikari's palm and saw a flicker of faint blue electric arc dancing on it.
Although the spark vanished quickly, neither of the two girls were ordinary humans, their eyes had already caught that fleeting moment.
Both showed looks of surprise, staring intently at Hikari's palm.
Kaede furrowed her brows slightly, her astonished expression replacing her earlier embarrassment and anger. She looked at Hikari's young and handsome, slightly youthful face in disbelief, "How can you generate electricity? You're definitely not human, right? What kind of monster are you disguised as? A jellyfish spirit? An electric eel beast?"
The spark on Hikari's palm had already disappeared. He now calmly closed his hand and said to her, "As you saw, I'm just an ordinary human."
It was indeed his fault that he shocked her just now, but since he had explained, he had no reason to respond further to Kaede.
Hearing Hikari's perfunctory excuse, Kaede scrutinized him suspiciously for several moments but didn't pursue the matter.
Ordinary human?
Ordinary humans generate electricity?
Ordinary human strength could match hers, a demon?
Ordinary humans could make a snow woman cry out loud?
'Heh, this guy thinks I am a fool!'
Though she still didn't have much goodwill toward Hikari, his mystery and strangeness had piqued her curiosity, she even wanted to dig a bit deeper.
But she didn't dwell on it, since her relationship with Hikari wasn't that good, she had no way to interrogate him, let alone ask for a dissection.
Her main goal right now remained the same: to carefully study that hypnotic ring just borrowed from Hikari.
That ring might be connected to a certain mysterious existence.
Possibly related to that legendary "her".
"Hikari-kun, I made some dessert for you. Can you still eat?", Yukino remembered Hikari had said not to prepare dinner for him, but she had made a post-meal dessert for him.
"Of course," Looking at the sweet, lovely snow woman holding his arm, Hikari patted her head.
"Kaede-chan, I made water raindrop cake. Do you want to eat together?", Yukino gave Hikari a kiss, then turned to Kaede and asked.
Suddenly being force-fed dog food, Kaede had no mood to eat dessert. She shook her head, "I'm full, I won't eat. You guys go ahead, I'll go rest first."
Saying that, Kaede took the hypnotic ring and returned to her room, likely in a hurry to study it.
Hikari followed Yukino to the dining table.
Several egg-sized, crystal-clear water raindrop cakes lay quietly on the table plate, looking very appealing.
Raindrop cake is a traditional Japanese dessert, usually made from glutinous rice flour into a soft mochi form and eaten with soybean flour.
But Yukino had likely used agar instead of rice flour with care, so these "raindrop cakes" looked like transparent crystal balls, with pink cherry blossom petals wrapped inside, visually exquisite.
Hikari gently picked up a piece and put it into his mouth, it melted instantly.
"Hikari-kun, I've only recently learned to make this dessert. How is it, tasty?", Yukino asked nervously.
"Tasty. Round and soft, melts in the mouth, just like Yukino-chan," Hikari smiled and rubbed Yukino.
"You meanie!", Yukino blushed, slapped Hikari's arm with her jade-like hand, but her expression showed no anger, only sweet shyness, clearly enjoying it.
After the cheerful moment, Yukino looked toward Kaede's room, a bit worried.
"Kaede-chan hasn't eaten much today, she's been obsessed with that ring and even refused dessert. That hypnotic ring from Takahashi feels pretty eerie. Will Kaede-chan be okay, being so obsessed with studying it?", Yukino said.
"She's a demon, stronger than you, little snow girl, no need to worry. Let her be, let's enjoy ourselves," Hikari comforted Yukino with a smile.
"Hmph, I'm not a little snow girl. Hikari-kun, do you think I'm smaller than Kaede-chan?", Yukino grabbed Hikari's hand and pressed it against herself, holding her head high.
"Of course not."
Hikari shamelessly squeezed, and after hearing Yukino's squeal, pinched her soft white cheek again.
"Yukino-chan, since your bestie arrived, you seem more proactive and forward?", Hikari asked with a smile.
"Heehee, I'm just happy! By the way, Hikari-kun, about that electric current in your palm earlier, what was it?", Yukino remembered the earlier scene and asked curiously.
She wasn't like Kaede, Yukino and Hikari had shared deep and shallow exchanges, had close, reciprocal intimacy.
Her understanding of Hikari was quite profound.
So she clearly remembered that Hikari previously couldn't generate electricity. This sudden change piqued her curiosity.
Hearing her ask, Hikari chuckled and replied, "That? Secret for now. But when we sleep later, I'll show you carefully."
"Okay," Yukino nodded with a smile, still unaware of the hidden implication in Hikari's words.
"I'll feed you. Hurry and finish dessert, then let's go back to the room. Come, open your mouth, ah~", Yukino picked up a piece and fed it toward Hikari's mouth.
"What? You want me to eat it from your mouth? Dear, th-this isn't proper…"
"Mm… I did used to enjoy mouth-to-mouth feeding, but what if Kaede-chan sees?"
"Mmmph… I was supposed to feed you, how come it's the other way… mm… my mouth, it's full, Hikari-kun…"
———
Listening to the faint, indulgent sounds from outside, Kaede inside her room blushed and cursed under her breath, "Damn lovebirds."
Then she refocused her attention and stared at the ring before her.
"So this is the hypnotic ring? It's really mysterious… this red eyeball looks so creepy…"
Kaede held the ring's band and carefully examined the eyeball gem embedded at the top with her crimson eyes.
"It's not just the appearance. That ring seems to emit intense emotions, almost like it's alive…"
"This intense hatred, anger, and jealousy… it vaguely resonates with my demon power. Feels a bit like a tsukumogami's energy, yet also different…"
"Is this really a cursed object?"
"Really feels like it's alive…"
Kaede frowned, staring tightly at the eyeball ring.
It was clearly just a ring, no matter how eerie, just an object.
But this tiny item made her, a powerful oni of the Kiriryuin clan, feel a subtle sense of dread.
"This hypnotic ring seems to contain strong charm power…"
"Was it under the influence of this power that Takahashi tried to hypnotize Yukino-chan? Or did Takahashi's lust activate the ring's energy?"
"But regardless, that guy definitely deserved to die. To try and use such an evil artifact to hypnotize and violate Yukino-chan, too despicable."
"But I still need to figure out, whether this ring triggers others' desires, or is it a catalyst that amplifies evil human thoughts…"
Kaede observed the hypnotic ring from various angles and with different methods for a long time, faintly sensing something.
But she couldn't describe it, like looking at a flower through a veil.
It felt very strange.
After researching for a long while, she still hadn't figured anything out.
"I can only try this…"
Kaede lightly bit her silver teeth and took out a small silver hammer from her pocket, just slightly larger than a palm.
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