Chapter 6 - Master, Is this is really yours?
Shiho took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She watched the men in black scramble toward the emergency exit.
A brief flicker of hesitation passed through her eyes.
Cain's voice came from behind her, low and steady. "Never show mercy to enemies who wouldn't show it to you. The Black Organization isn't destroyed yet. If even one of them escapes and reports this, your close ones could be in danger."
That hit like cold water.
Shiho's gaze hardened. Her sister...
She couldn't risk Akemi.
No more hesitation.
She flicked her wrist and hurled the handful of bullets she was still clutching.
They weren't fired from a gun this time, but they moved faster than any bullet had a right to.
Blood sprayed. Bodies dropped without a sound.
Silence fell over the corridor.
Cain glanced at her. "How do you feel? First kills."
Shiho stared at the corpses for a long moment, then shook her head slowly. "Not great."
"You were human a few minutes ago. That reaction's normal." Cain patted her shoulder lightly. "Don't worry. Do it a few more times and the feeling goes away."
He nodded toward the deeper part of the facility. "The rest of the lab staff is all yours."
Shiho turned slowly. "…"
Cain laughed. "Relax, I'm just kidding."
Shiho's voice was faint. "Please stop making jokes like that."
Cain blinked innocently. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you update how you address me now?"
Shiho froze. Her cheeks heated. She looked away and muttered under her breath, "…Master."
The word felt ridiculously embarrassing, but it also sent an odd little thrill through her. Cain's lips curved. He had to admit, he liked the sound of it.
Then he turned toward the laboratory proper and raised one hand. A massive crimson magic circle bloomed beneath the entire facility.
WHOOM!
A pillar of demonic flame roared into the sky, swallowing concrete, steel, and every trace of the Black Organization's research in seconds. When the fire died down, nothing remained but scorched earth.
Cain dusted off his hands. "Done. Let's go home."
Shiho stared at the crater. "???"
"Don't get the wrong idea," Cain added quickly. "It's just my responsibility to look after my servant. You're a devil now; angels, gods, all of them are real. And you can't even control your power yet. I'd be a terrible Master if I let you wander around alone."
Shiho hesitated, then nodded. "…Okay."
She paused. "But no weird stuff, got it?"
Cain spread his hands helplessly. "I can only promise to try."
Shiho's mouth twitched.
Ten minutes later, Kuoh Town residential district
Cain stopped in front of a luxurious villa and checked the address again. Shiho eyed the building, then him, suspicion clear on her face. "Master… this is really yours?"
She was half-certain that the moment the door opened, he'd casually murder the owners and declare squatter's rights.
"What kind of criminal do you take me for?" Cain pulled out a key and unlocked the door. "It's mine. Technically I just got to the human world today, so this is my first time stepping inside."
Shiho let out a quiet breath of relief.
The interior was fully furnished, spotless, and the fridge was stocked with fresh ingredients. Cain opened it and felt warmth spread in his chest.
No need to guess, Grayfia had arranged everything.
He pulled out vegetables and meat. "Not bad."
Shiho watched him carry everything to the kitchen, eyes wide. "You… cook?"
"Self-sufficiency is a basic life skill." He started washing rice without looking back. "I learned properly."
Shiho sat on the living room sofa, pulled out her phone, and dialed. The call connected almost instantly.
"Shiho? Calling this late? you okay, sweetie?"
Akemi's warm voice made Shiho's throat tighten.
"Sis… I…"
On the other end, Akemi immediately caught the tremor. "Shiho, talk to me. What happened?"
"I can't explain over the phone. Can you come to Kuoh Town? Please?"
"Of course. I'll leave right now."
"Okay. Be careful, sis."
Call ended.
Shiho stared at the screen and sighed.
How was she supposed to explain "I'm a devil now and I burned down the lab with my new Master" without sounding insane?
A mouth-watering aroma drifted in from the kitchen.
"Dinner's ready. Come eat."
Shiho walked to the dining room and stopped dead. The table was covered: mapo tofu, braised pork ribs, sweet-and-sour spinach, steamed fish, soup still bubbling.
She looked at Cain in genuine shock. "You actually cooked an entire feast?"
"I haven't cooked in a while. Try it."
He handed her chopsticks.
Shiho picked up a rib and took a cautious bite.
Her eyes lit up like fireworks. "This is amazing!"
Cain smiled, satisfied. "Good. Now pay for the ingredients."
Shiho froze mid chew. "Huh?"
She pointed at herself. "You're charging me for groceries?"
Cain looked perfectly reasonable. "Isn't it only natural for a servant to support her Master financially?"
Shiho stared at him. Then she let her chopsticks clatter to the table.
"Hehe." She laughed. It wasn't a happy sound.