"Ah~ Yu-chan, open your mouth."
"I said, Marika, do you really have to make me eat this?"
Looking at the chocolate cookie Tachibana Marika was bringing to his mouth, Nakano Yu slightly twitched his lips.
During this lunch, he hadn't touched his bento at all. Instead, he ate most of Tachibana Marika's luxurious three-layered bento.
It wasn't that Nakano Yu wanted to eat it, but the key was that Marika kept feeding him. If Nakano Yu didn't eat, Marika would either act sad or say she didn't feel well and couldn't eat.
There was no other way. It was just eating bento, nothing special. However, if Marika didn't eat, Nakano Yu would be a little worried about her health.
"Well, then I'll eat Yu-chan's bento later."
Marika smiled, pulling the untouched bento in front of Nakano Yu towards herself. She only knew that Nakano Yu was worried about her health, but the bento had originally been prepared for Nakano Yu. After all, how could a girl like her eat a luxurious three-layered bento?
"I can do it myself."
Seeing that, Nakano Yu sighed. He reached out, intending to take the cookie Marika held with the chopsticks, but as soon as he extended his hand, Marika hit it.
"You have to eat with chopsticks. It's not clean or hygienic to use your hands. Come on, Yu-chan, aa~"
Marika said confidently. Seeing Nakano Yu open his mouth, she smiled and placed the cookie in his mouth.
"That's right, Yu-chan, eat quickly!"
Nodding contentedly, Marika pulled her bento in front of her. After saying that, she used the chopsticks to take a piece of green vegetable and put it in her mouth, nibbling on it with satisfaction.
Watching Marika, Nakano Yu always felt that this girl definitely had a hidden intention while feeding him, but he couldn't say anything. After all, they were fiancés, and this kind of thing was perfectly normal.
"You two are really close."
Katsura Kotonoha, quietly eating beside them, watched the interaction between Nakano Yu and Tachibana Marika and said with a smile.
"Oh, Kotonoha, you eat too."
Hearing that, Marika's body stiffened. She immediately took a small sausage from Nakano Yu's bento and offered it to Katsura Kotonoha.
"Thank you, Marika."
Looking at the small sausage in the bento, Katsura Kotonoha quietly thanked her.
And Nakano Yu, watching the two of them, his eyes flickered, not even knowing what he was thinking.
"Nakano-kun, someone's looking for you again!"
At that moment, a student's shout was heard from outside the classroom.
Hearing this, Nakano Yu slightly frowned, wondering who was looking for him again, when Tachibana Marika, contrary to her usual behavior, hurried:
"Yu, hurry, don't make them wait."
"All right, I'll be right back."
Nodding, Nakano Yu left the classroom.
After seeing off the young man with a smile, Tachibana Marika then looked at Katsura Kotonoha and said:
"Kotonoha, you got engaged to Yu a few days ago, right?"
"Yes, Marika, why do you suddenly ask that?"
Katsura Kotonoha, eating her bento in small bites, looked puzzled when Marika suddenly asked. She remembered that Marika already knew about it, as they had talked about it yesterday.
"It's really nice, Kotonoha can be with Yu for a very, very long time."
Hearing that, Marika smiled, folding her hands, looking a little envious.
However, seeing Marika like that, Katsura Kotonoha's heart became sensitive. She had a feeling that something was wrong with Marika. She was clearly smiling, but why… why did she feel that Marika was very sad?
"Marika, you…"
After a brief shock, Katsura Kotonoha wanted to say more, but before she could finish, Tachibana Marika interrupted:
"Hey, Kotonoha-chan, I… I'm going to die~"
"Eh?"
Looking at Tachibana Marika, who was smiling and openly revealing her future death, Katsura Kotonoha was completely stunned.
She watched the girl, unable to recover for a long time.
"Yukinoshita-san, do we have anything else to discuss?"
Looking at Yukinoshita Yukino, Nakano Yu seemed as if he had expected this. From the moment he met Yukinoshita Yukino at Yuiigahama Yui's house yesterday, Nakano Yu had a premonition that Yukinoshita Yukino would definitely look for him later.
"I came to thank Nakano-kun."
Looking at Nakano Yu, Yukinoshita Yukino's expression was serious. She knew that if Nakano Yu hadn't reacted in time yesterday, she and Yui would probably have been in great danger. Even with the young onmyouji her sister had hired, although their lives wouldn't have been at risk, they would certainly have been injured.
"There's no need to thank me. I was just in charge of dealing with those two monsters."
Nakano Yu shrugged. He had gone to the Yuigahama family because Tachibana Gen asked him and due to a system task.
"Regardless, I must thank Nakano-kun and apologize."
However, Yukinoshita Yukino didn't listen to the young man's explanation. She bowed deeply, expressing her gratitude.
Her gratitude was because Nakano Yu saved her and Yuiigahama Yui's lives. Her apology was for her arrogance yesterday.
Only yesterday had she learned more about Nakano Yu from Yono and realized how high his status was in that world. Nakano Yu was correct; even her mother, and even previous heads of the Yukinoshita family, would have to use polite speech toward him.
"If there's nothing else, return. Class will start soon."
Nakano Yu waved his hand, finished speaking, and turned to return to the classroom.
Honestly, he was quite surprised by Yukinoshita Yukino's attitude today, but thinking it over, Yukinoshita Yukino really wasn't a bad person. She could be sharp with words toward some, but that didn't mean she was rude. At least today, Yukinoshita Yukino left Nakano Yu fairly satisfied.
Watching Nakano Yu leave, Yukinoshita Yukino said nothing. After the young man left, she decided to return to the Service Club.
"Yukino-chan! Teach me how to make mochi!"
As soon as she opened the door and entered, a figure suddenly jumped in front of Yukinoshita Yukino, accompanied by the girl's voice full of hope and nervousness.
"Hm? Why do you suddenly want to make mochi?"
Looking at Yuiigahama Yui in front of her, Yukino bypassed her and sat in her usual reading spot.
"Well, something big happened yesterday, and Nakano-kun saved us. I want to make mochi to thank him."
Yui approached with a slightly silly smile, turned her chair, and sat in front of Yukino.
"Even if you want to thank him, shouldn't you make small sweets like cookies? Making mochi is really hard."
Looking at the girl in front of her, Yukino asked, a little puzzled.
If you want to make sweets as a thank-you gift, then cookies are much easier to make than rice cakes. After all, once cookies are shaped, you just bake them in the oven, and there aren't many strenuous steps. But rice cakes are different.
To make rice cakes, you first have to pound sticky rice, and that step alone stops many girls.
"I just want to make rice cakes, you know."
Scratching her head, Yui said, her gaze unconsciously drifting to the window.
Seeing that, Yukino knew Yui was lying. She casually picked up a book from the windowsill, lightly tapped her on the head with it, and said in a slightly irritated tone:
"Tell the truth."
"Ugh~ Yukino is so violent! Can't I just tell you?"
Holding her head, Yui said pitifully.
Watching Yui, Yukino quietly waited. She had a feeling that behind Yui's desire to make rice cakes, there was something else.
"Actually, it's Nakano-kun. Yumiko said that Nakano-kun likes to eat rice cakes, so I thought I'd make rice cakes as thanks."
Seeing Yukino's gaze, Yui had no choice but to honestly explain what she had heard from Miura Yumiko.
"Rice cakes, hm… That's actually feasible."
Hearing that, Yukino nodded thoughtfully.
"So, can Yukino teach me how to make rice cakes now?"
Looking at Yukino expectantly, Yui was already ready to put in the effort.
"I don't know how to make rice cakes."
Unexpectedly, Yukino just glanced at Yui and said that.
"Eh?!"
Hearing that Yukino didn't know, Yui's smiling expression immediately disappeared. She had thought that all-around Yukino knew everything.
"But I can teach you. We'll try after school."
Seeing Yui's reaction, Yukino smiled slightly and said.
"Yay! Yukino is the best!"
Hearing that, Yui immediately jumped and hugged Yukino, her face shining with a smile.
Yukino, on the other hand, hurried Yui to let go, though a barely noticeable smile appeared on her face.
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the first week at Sobu High School was over. During that time, Nakano Yu slept every day, had lunch, and then decided where to spend the night.
Hm, that's not entirely accurate. He just liked to evenly distribute his affection.
Moreover, this week, the Moon God Envoy he had sent to search for Asclepius's staff returned, and even brought back Asclepius's staff.
However, Asclepius's staff had no particularly powerful abilities. This divine artifact could grant its owner longevity, but longevity doesn't mean eternal youth. In other words, Asclepius's staff could keep you alive indefinitely, but your body would still decay.
In the end, you would just become a skeletal monster holding a staff with snakes. For him, this ability was somewhat useless.
However, several Moon God Envoys that Nakano Yu sent to look for the lucky snake emblem didn't send any news, but Nakano Yu could sense that they had not suffered any harm or attacks.
It probably wasn't that simple to find the lucky snake emblem, but currently he couldn't spare the time to go personally.
Last night, Nakano Yu received a message from Yotsuya Miko, arranging to go to Three Fox Valley Shrine today. Of course, Nakano Yu wouldn't break his promise, so the question of the lucky snake emblem would have to wait until after visiting Three Fox Valley Shrine. He would go personally tonight.
Thinking that, Nakano Yu left his home. During the day, the Moon Authority couldn't be used, so he simply flew to find Yotsuya Miko and the others.
"Little Miss Yotsuya, good morning."
At that moment, in front of Takeda-bāba's shop, Yotsuya Miko, dressed in shorts and a short shirt for sun protection, looked at Rom, who wore a leather coat and tall hat in midsummer, and her lips trembled:
"Mr. Rom, today's temperature will reach 36 degrees. Are you really okay in such thick clothing?"
"Of course, up on that mountain it's very cold."
Rom lightly touched the brim of his hat, a smile appearing on his lips, and said.
He had deep memories of that mountain. An enormous number of spirits, like a nest of spirits, even if unseen, would make the temperature in the mountain forest extremely low due to their mere presence.
It was a lesson learned from experience.
"Hmph, don't pay attention to him."
At that moment, Takeda Mitsue snorted coldly and came out of the shop. Takeda Mitsue was wearing an unusual but at first glance very cool exorcist uniform, her expression serious.
"You shouldn't speak like that. Didn't you say there would be another helper?"
Hearing that, Rom relaxed and smiled, looking around, and asked.
"I'm here. I hope I'm not late."
Rom had just finished when Nakano Yu's voice was heard behind him.
"Of course you're not late. Then let's go. It's time to put an end to this."
Seeing the newcomer, a young man about Miko's age, Rom was slightly surprised but said nothing. He smiled, pointed toward the distant mountain, and said.
Takeda Mitsue, on the other hand, looked at Nakano Yu's sudden appearance, and her dentures nearly fell out from shock.
Originally, she had planned to fight to the death, using her life as an old woman to save Yotsuya Miko.
But now… there was no need!
This… completely changed the situation!