Chapter 383: Campus Nostalgia and the Figure in the Dusk
Courage, clutching her small bag, glanced at Decora and the others. A memory surfaced, and she smiled. "I never would have guessed, Anne, that you're the type who enjoys watching fighting matches!"
Anne, who had been reviewing some documents, felt a faint blush creep up her cheeks. "Is there something wrong with that?!" she retorted, her voice a touch defensive. "And you have to admit, it was incredibly exciting! Weren't all of you on the edge of your seats?"
Courage held up her hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not denying it. I just mean, I never expected this from you. The Anne I remember was always so reserved, and now you have this artistic flair. I had no idea you had such a passionate heart hidden away!"
Anne cleared her throat, composing herself. "I simply appreciate the spirit of those fighters... the way they pour every ounce of their sweat and stake everything on the line when they clash."
Lanterby nodded in agreement. "It was absolutely thrilling! It's a shame we couldn't go in the end. I can only imagine how much more intense it would have been to see it in person! But still, Shopkeeper Ren is just too amazing!"
At the mention of his name, Courage's eyes lit up. "Right, right! Ren is incredible! Especially that fight against that unhinged lunatic! And then when he faced the Fang of Metsudo... he was on a completely different level!"
Decora nodded thoughtfully. "Shopkeeper Ren's physique is flawless, and to pair it with that level of combat ability... it's just as Miss Katahara said. He's a thief of hearts... Lady Mana..."
Nakiri Mana, who had been gazing silently out the window, turned her head at the sound of her name, her expression questioning.
Decora's voice was low and serious. "Lady Mana, I suggested before that we should hire that 'White Butler' at least once. You said you couldn't find him and couldn't be bothered to look. Do you still feel that way now?"
A corner of Nakiri Mana's mouth twitched. "I don't know..." she murmured, her gaze distant. "But Shopkeeper Ren is truly astonishing... For some reason, though, I feel like I've never seen a fighting style like his before..."
Courage smiled knowingly. "Kirari and Shion explained this to me. Ren's style is the ultimate expression of pure combat: strength, speed, balance, all honed to their absolute peak. When he's serious, he pursues the most direct path to victory, using terrifying lethality to instantly neutralize his opponent. It doesn't belong to any school or discipline; it's a set of killing techniques he created purely from his own physical capabilities."
"Killing techniques?"
As Courage described the move known as Judgment, a collective gulp echoed through the car. Good heavens, to be on the receiving end of something like that meant certain death.
Decora let out a long sigh. "Courage, you're so lucky... But you have to help me... You really do~"
Courage waved a dismissive hand. "I know, I know~ You've said it eighteen times since we got in the car. Anyone would think you were a debt collector~ Don't worry, just watch me work my magic!"
Nakiri Mana interrupted them with a wave of her own. "Put your private dealings on hold for now. We've arrived at the resort. Let's conduct our inspection first, then we'll visit Misty House, and after that... there are so many places... We need to hurry."
"Oh!" the four chorused in understanding.
At the resort entrance, Gin Dojima waited in stoic silence. Courage and her team arriving for an inspection was one thing; Nakiri Mana herself arriving was another matter entirely. Courage's visit could be considered a preliminary survey of the grounds and quality.
But an inspection by Nakiri Mana, no matter how familiar she was with the establishment, was never a simple affair. She was, after all, the one and only Special Executive Officer in the culinary world. And now, she was a fully recovered Special Executive Officer who had rediscovered her passionate interest in food.
"Mr. Dojima! Executive Officer Nakiri Mana and her party have arrived!" a subordinate reported breathlessly.
"Understood. You're dismissed. I will personally handle things from here."
A heavy sigh escaped Gin Dojima's lips. The responsibility on his shoulders today was immense. The resort bore the name 'Totsuki'. If anything went wrong... the consequences would be unthinkable.
On the other side of town, the atmosphere was far more relaxed. Cerberus, happily munching on a crepe, looked at Sōryūin Shion with a curious tilt of her head. "So, Shion, you really don't have to go to work today?"
Sōryūin Shion nodded casually. "Nope. They're all minor issues. With Kirukiru there, my workload is much lighter. Besides, Tomoko is there too, and she's incredibly reliable~"
Lucifer scrolled through her phone, an exasperated smile on her face. "You say that, but just look at this message from Kirukiru. She's telling you to 'wash your neck and wait,' because she's going to show you what a real hand chop feels like tonight..."
Sōryūin Shion's mouth twitched.
Lucifer looked up, a new question dawning on her. "If I'm not mistaken... Kirukiru moved in with you? Doesn't she have her own mansion?"
"Don't you have a mansion and still live with Ren?" Shion countered smoothly. "She just wants to make her commute easier. I don't even pay her a salary, you know. It's a pretty sweet deal..."
"You old capitalist..." Lucifer muttered under her breath.
"Isn't it just common sense~ Kirukiru didn't even ask for anything. She just said... something like... oh, right. She said, 'Shion, you can manage the Student Council for me, but you have to help me beat Ren'..."
At this declaration, both Lucifer and Cerberus stared at her, stunned.
Ren chuckled, a note of exasperation in his voice. "Kirukiru is as stubborn as ever. But... Shion~ Are you actually going to help her?"
For once, Sōryūin Shion's expression was firm. "Of course! We already have a detailed plan. You just wait to be defeated! It's not like Ren will punish us if we lose, right? So, no worries~"
Lucifer raised a skeptical eyebrow. "And you think the two of you can beat Ren?"
A playful glint entered Shion's eyes. "Naturally, we'll only strike when the timing, location, and all human factors are in our favor. It'll be impossible to lose. And even if we do, it doesn't matter. Will Ren punish us? So, no worries~"
"That's our Shion, alright..." Lucifer sighed, shaking her head.
The group continued their leisurely shopping trip until late in the afternoon. As the school dismissal bell was about to ring, they made their way to Koyo Girl's Academy. They spotted Kasugano Sora, school bag in hand, surrounded by a cheerful group of girls. Not far behind, Sakura Hibiki and her friends emerged, yawning widely. Ren and the others couldn't help but smile at the familiar scene.
A thought suddenly occurred to Ren, and he turned to Shion with a teasing grin. "Shion, does this bring back memories of your school days?"
"It does, but it's annoying that you bring it up. You barely picked me up a handful of times back then!" she pouted.
"Wasn't it you who said you were afraid your roommates would keep pestering you for my contact information, so you told me not to come?"
"Don't you know anything about a girl's vanity~ Still, it was probably for the best that you didn't come..."
"Sister?! Brother Ren?!"
"President?!" a chorus of surprised voices called out.
"Brother Ren?! Sister Lucifer?! What are you all doing here?!" Akemi exclaimed, her eyes wide.
Seeing the surprised faces of the young girls, Ren smiled warmly. "We were out shopping this afternoon and decided to pick you up on our way back. Shion, this is your first time picking Akemi up from school, isn't it..."
"You say that as if you've ever picked me up from work..." Shion muttered under her breath.
Whispers immediately broke out among the other students.
"Hey, hey... look at those older brothers and sisters... they're so elegant... What's their relationship with Sōryūin-senpai and the others...?"
"It looked like Kasugano-san called them her older brother and sister... Wow! They really are family!"
"Eh, eh~ The President is holding that older brother's arm... No way! The President has the same boyfriend as another woman! But... he's so handsome and refined..."
Sōryūin Shion sighed. "I wasn't thinking about my school life a moment ago, but I certainly am now. Akemi, let's go! It looks like you girls might have some excitement to deal with soon..."
"Eh?!" the students gasped.
In the end, Sōryūin Shion didn't return to the shop, choosing instead to head straight home, since Amou Kirukiru was now living there. Cerberus expressed some disappointment at this, as she was always fond of a lively atmosphere.
"Brother Ren, was it fun at the boxing gym today?" Sora asked from the back seat.
"It was alright," Ren replied. "Kaolan was just a little too fired up~"
"Oh... Eh? Brother Ren, isn't there someone at the shop entrance...?"
Ren was startled. Dusk had begun to settle, casting long shadows that made it difficult to see clearly. He could just make out the silhouette of a woman sitting on the steps in front of the shop. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, and she seemed to be holding something.
Lucifer leaned forward, squinting. Her heart gave a sudden, sharp jolt. Though she couldn't make out the details any better than Ren, a strange sense of unease washed over her, as if she were looking at a half-forgotten, yet deeply familiar, figure.
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