Chapter 436: The Exploration Team and Yakumo Yukari's Interest
Ten minutes earlier, in Nakiri Mana's room.
Four figures were huddled together on the edge of the large, elegant bed. Courage, the de facto ringleader, leaned forward, her expression deadly serious. "This operation must be swift," she declared, her voice a low, urgent whisper. "Speed is of the essence!"
Looking at Courage's intense demeanor, Decora shifted uncomfortably. "Courage," she began, her own voice barely audible, "why do I have a feeling we're going to get caught doing this…?"
A fire ignited in Courage's eyes, a fervor reminiscent of Soryuin Akemi in the middle of a grueling workout. She slammed her palm flat on the mattress, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "Decora! Don't tell me you're not interested! Do you have any idea how valuable this information could be?!"
Decora swallowed hard. "I don't know about that… All I know is that you're a little scary right now, Courage… Why are you so worked up?!"
Nakiri Mana, holding a silk fan she had produced from seemingly nowhere, nodded in elegant agreement. "Courage, if you applied this much enthusiasm to your work, I would be most pleased."
"Uh… Lady Mana! I am the WGO's Employee of the Year!" Courage puffed out her chest.
From the side, Anne whispered timidly, "But… wasn't that me last year…?"
"You cheeky girl… Fine, whatever! I don't care anymore. It's a small detail, a minor problem, it's not like it comes with a raise. We're talking about the mission now, so I need everyone to get serious!"
Nakiri Mana and the other two straightened up, nodding. Courage cleared her throat, resuming her role as commander. "You all heard it while we were shopping today, didn't you? Ren has a secret. A secret that even Lucifer doesn't know about. Do you understand what that means?"
Decora mulled it over. "It means very few people know about it."
"Mm! Exactly!" Courage nodded, pointing at her. "Decora, you're on the right track! What we can confirm right now is that Yumiko Fuji knows, and has even seen it. Kirari knows what it is but hasn't seen it. And Ren admitted it himself. That means it's a physical item! And it's not something so sensitive that it can't be shared with anyone."
Nakiri Mana fanned herself gently. "Mm, well-reasoned and logical. You live up to your reputation. So, tell me, why did you insist on dragging me into this?"
Decora grumbled under her breath, "Lady Mana, you were the one who suggested we plan this in your room…"
A muscle in Nakiri Mana's cheek twitched. She cleared her throat, regaining her composure. "I simply wish to understand Ren better. He is, after all, a truly outstanding man. His secrets must be just as wonderful!"
Anne timidly raised her hand. "Um… why did you bring me along…?"
The other three said nothing. They simply turned to look at Anne, their collective gaze screaming, You little rascal, just try leaving this room today and see what happens.
Anne slowly lowered her hand. "I understand…" she whispered.
"Excellent!" Courage clapped her hands together. "Since that's settled, let's move out!"
Nakiri Mana raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "But… isn't it improper to just barge into Ren's room like this?"
Courage shook her head dismissively. "It's perfectly normal. Cerberus and I go in and out all the time. I'm usually watering the plants or looking for books, though."
Decora clenched her fist, a flicker of old resentment in her eyes. "Damn it, to think I got so worked up over a single piece of cloth back then!"
"Scissors are an eternal faith," Courage said cryptically. "Let's go, let's go…"
"Mm!" the other three chorused.
The four women stood before Ren's tightly closed door, each swallowing nervously. The thrill of exploring a forbidden secret sent a current of excitement through them.
Peeking into the dark room, Courage skillfully located the light switch by memory. The moment the overhead light flickered on, bathing the space in a soft glow, they knew their operation had truly begun. There was no turning back now.
But for a team on a clandestine mission, they behaved more like wide-eyed tourists. They drifted through the room, pointing at this and that, completely oblivious to the five pairs of mischievous eyes watching their every move from the shadows of the hallway.
"See," Kasugano Sora whispered, a hint of smugness in her tone. "I told you they'd do it."
Lanterby, leaning against the doorframe, nodded. "As expected. To think Lady Mana and the others didn't even invite me… How hateful…"
"Courage, you… um… isn't that position tiring?"
The four amateur spies froze, spinning around to face the doorway. There stood Kasugano Sora, Lanterby, and Soryuin Akemi, all leaning casually against the frame. The intruders looked utterly helpless, caught red-handed.
Sora stepped into the room, clearing her throat. "So, what exactly are you looking for in Ren-nii's room?"
After Courage gave a hurried explanation, Kasugano Sora's eyes lit up with the same curious fire. Without another word, she immediately joined the search. Seeing this, the others exchanged a look and dove in as well, fanning out across the room. The only one who remained stationary was Cerberus, who stood off to the side, calmly recording the entire escapade on her phone.
Half an hour later, the search had yielded nothing. Kasugano Sora flopped onto the bed with an exasperated sigh. "Where on earth did Ren-nii hide it? And I can't even ask him about it, this is so frustrating. What do you all think it could be? It must be something incredibly special."
Everyone nodded, falling into deep contemplation. It was Shiina Mashiro who broke the silence, her head tilted in confusion. "Why does it have to be something special?"
The question hung in the air, making everyone pause. A light of realization dawned on Sora's face. She nodded slowly. "Sister Mashiro is right. It might not be something special on its own… or rather, it's hidden inside something that isn't special. For example…"
Every head in the room swiveled in unison, their gazes landing on the large, floor-to-ceiling bookshelf.
After a moment of shared understanding, they all nodded. Courage grinned. "Since that's the case, we're not going to find it in one day. Looks like we'll have to use the excuse of 'looking for books' to continue our search from now on."
Sora and the others readily agreed. Soryuin Akemi sighed, "Something hidden in a book is probably just a letter, or a few photos, or something like that…"
"I don't know, I'm not sure," Sora mused, then her expression brightened as she turned to Courage. "But Sister Courage, this is your first time meeting Sister Mashiro, right?"
"Ah, so this is little Mashiro. You're so cute!"
Shiina Mashiro froze. She was still processing being called "Sister Mashiro," and now the conversation had suddenly pivoted directly to her. The abrupt shift left her blinking, her mind struggling to catch up.
Meanwhile, downstairs in the quiet shop, Aoandon was still watching a horror movie on the large screen. Perhaps it was a matter of professional ethics, but she had actually started to adapt. She still jumped at the scary parts, but the terror no longer overwhelmed her.
Aoandon let out a long sigh of relief as the credits rolled. "Shopkeeper Ren, your shop is truly a magical place…"
Ren, who was polishing a glass behind the counter, offered a small smile. "It's precisely because interesting customers like you arrive that the shop becomes interesting. That's what gives this place meaning. So, in a sense, every customer is a magical existence."
From a nearby table, Yakumo Yukari's eyes narrowed into amused crescents. "Oh my. As expected of the man who can run a place like this. I must say, Shopkeeper, I'm becoming truly interested in you."
Ren paused his polishing, considering her words for a moment. "I can't help but feel that catching your interest, Miss Yakumo, might not be a fortunate turn of events."
"Oh? Shopkeeper!" she purred, a dangerous playfulness in her voice. "Isn't it a good thing to be found interesting by a beautiful girl like me?"
Hiss… Hiss… Hiss…
A sharp intake of breath hissed through the room from three different directions. Only Aoandon remained frozen, too terrified to even breathe.
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