Chapter 79: Gabriel in Search of Food

“Who’s there?” The woman’s eyes narrowed sharply as her voice cut through the night rain like a blade, cold and commanding.

Swish!

A streak of light ripped through the heavy rain, glinting under the dim streetlight before shooting straight toward them.

Kouya reacted instantly, his reflexes sharp. He raised his hand and caught the object midair. A stainless steel spoon. Still vibrating from the impact.

He frowned deeply and pulled out his phone. The caller ID flashed on the screen—and his face darkened. It was none other than the lazy angel next door…

You damn hardworking cultivator Gabriel!

Instead of focusing on cultivation, what the hell are you calling me for in the middle of the night!

“Hero, it’s the hero!” Takanashi Rikka’s voice rang out in delight, her eye patch gleaming as she pointed. “I’m over here!”

Kouya sighed helplessly, realizing there was no avoiding this. He stepped out from the shadows.

The woman standing before him turned her gaze toward him. She studied him for a long moment, her eyes calm and sharp. Finally, she gave a slight nod. “I’m Rikka’s older sister, Takanashi Touka. Nice to meet you.”

“Kouya,” he replied simply.

After exchanging names, Touka asked, “Kouya-san, you live nearby, right?”

“Yeah. The apartment just behind here,” Kouya said.

“So you’re a neighbor,” Touka murmured, nodding faintly. Her expression didn’t soften. Instead, her gaze sharpened a little more. “You seem to care quite a bit about my sister.”

Sorry.

I don’t. Not even a little.

If she hadn’t screamed over the phone like she was being attacked by a pervert, I wouldn’t be standing here in the rain right now!

“Boy, your clothes are soaked through…” Touka’s tone was oddly pointed.

“Wet clothes?” Kouya blinked, caught off guard.

Don’t tell me you think I came running out here because I was worried about your sister?

Please. Give me a break.

I just don’t get sick from rain, that’s all. Couldn’t be bothered to fetch an umbrella.

“Sis, the hero’s here!” Rikka ran to his side, bouncing with excitement. “Can I go with him now to find the Invisible Boundary Line?”

“Absolutely not!” Touka’s rejection was instant and fierce. Her queenly aura flared, filling the street. “It’s already dark. It’s raining. What on earth are you thinking? You’re coming home with me!”

“Uu~ Sis, you’re so mean!” Rikka whined pitifully like a scolded puppy, tears threatening to fall.

Touka didn’t even glance at her. She turned her icy gaze to Kouya. “Boy, would you like to come over for a cup of tea?”

“No thanks.” Kouya’s answer was immediate and flat.

Touka nodded with the same calmness. “Fair enough. Go home and change out of those wet clothes. I’ll invite you for dinner another time.”

She said it coolly, grabbed Rikka by the arm, and turned to leave.

Rikka struggled helplessly, her small hands flailing. She turned back toward Kouya as her sister dragged her off. “Hero! Don’t worry about me! Even if I’m captured by the Holy Regulator, our contract bond cannot be severed! One day, we’ll meet again—”

Meet your damn self!

What’s with this overly dramatic scene like something straight out of a cheesy Korean drama!

Are all those shows just a bunch of chuunibyou leads hamming it up for attention?

…

Kouya returned to his room, dripping water everywhere, and headed straight for the shower. His clothes clung to him, heavy and cold. The hot water washed away the chill and the annoyance from earlier, steam curling around him as his muscles relaxed.

He had just finished drying his hair when the sharp ring of the doorbell echoed through the apartment.

“Who’s visiting this late?” he muttered, rubbing the towel through his hair. Wrapping another towel around his waist, he walked to the door.

When he opened it, his expression immediately darkened.

Standing there, smiling awkwardly, was that lazy, annoying angel Gabriel from next door.

“Wh-why aren’t you wearing clothes!” Gabriel squeaked, her face flushing bright pink as she turned away quickly in embarrassment.

Who said I’m not wearing clothes!

There’s a towel right here, idiot!

Do you finish showering and step out fully dressed or something?

And it’s already nine p.m.—you’re the suspicious one for showing up now!

Gabriel’s blush deepened as she stammered, “Um… I need a small favor.”

“Then don’t say it,” Kouya said flatly, reaching to close the door.

“Wait, wait! It’s not that bad!” Gabriel quickly pressed her fingers together, stepping inside a bit. Her voice turned small and pleading. “You know how playing games takes a lot of energy, right? I’ve been grinding for equipment the last couple of days—it’s really exhausting!”

Game: I’m so sorry for being your victim. Being played by you while also paying for your stamina must be my eternal punishment.

“What’s your point?” Kouya asked impatiently.

Gabriel pouted. “I didn’t eat dinner… and now I’m starving.”

Figures. You got too addicted to gaming and forgot to eat, didn’t you?

“If you’re that hungry, just go out and buy food. The shops are right outside the complex.”

“But it’s late! There’s no one outside! What if a bad guy kidnaps me? The news says girls go missing at night runs all the time—it’s definitely perverts!”

What suicidal pervert would even try to kidnap you! He’d probably explode from frustration!

You’re not describing perverts—you’re describing Godzilla!

“And it’s raining! My shoes just got cleaned, I don’t want to get them dirty again…”

Oh, please. By that logic, no one should ever go out when it rains.

Just admit it—you’re lazy!

“Don’t you have snacks at home?” Kouya asked flatly.

Gabriel poked her fingers together, her voice dropping to a whisper. “That’s… the thing. I already finished them all. That’s why I came here! I called earlier, but you didn’t pick up…”

Hold on.

Those snacks—we bought them together on Saturday after coming back from the amusement park! You had your arms full of bags. You mean to tell me you’ve eaten all of that already?

“You ate all the snacks you bought?” Kouya said, dumbfounded.

Gabriel nodded sheepishly. “When I play games, if I don’t eat something, I start wanting to yell at people. So… I just kind of kept eating.”

“Unbelievable. What kind of bottomless pit are you?”

“At this rate, you’ll roll instead of walk!”

“That’s so mean, Kouya!” Gabriel puffed her cheeks again. “Girls loving snacks is natural, okay?”

Your shamelessness truly knows no bounds.

Girls really are a mystery. They’ll collapse after running a thousand meters but can walk all day shopping. They’ll cry if you ask them to use cold water for laundry in winter but will go out in a skirt during a snowstorm. They’ll say they can only eat one bowl of rice at dinner—but can snack from sunrise to midnight without pause.

Gabriel strolled inside like she owned the place, glancing around the room. “Just lend me some snacks, okay? I’ll pay you back tomorrow.”

Kouya didn’t care much for snacks. He had plenty stocked up for emergencies, so giving her a few wasn’t an issue. But the way she said it—borrow snacks?—that grated on him.

And the memory of that earlier phone call that gave away his location still made his blood boil.

“You want snacks, fine,” Kouya said after clearing his throat. “But what about interest?”

“Interest?” Gabriel tilted her head, blinking.

“You tell me,” Kouya replied, stepping closer. He loomed over her, his freshly showered scent—soap and warmth—filling the air.

Gabriel’s face went crimson. “Y-you… what are you planning to do?”

Oh no!

I just came to borrow snacks! Don’t tell me this guy wants me to… to do that! His eyes—so intense—it’s terrifying!

“You pervert!” Gabriel yelped, taking a defensive step back and throwing a punch toward him.

The punch lacked strength, halfway between a push and a slap.

“What are you doing?” Kouya frowned and caught her wrist easily. Such an attack was harmless but intolerable.

He didn’t realize, however, that his other hand was still holding the towel around his neck.

And with nothing left to hold it in place, the towel around his waist slipped loose—

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