Makima's head buzzed with a persistent, low hum. She rubbed her temples, her gaze distant and melancholy. "Is it just noise? What kind of secrets are whispered behind my back…"
Across the street, Cael squatted beside Pochita, brows furrowed.
"No, Pochita, the wind was strong. I didn't hear clearly," he said, uncertain.
Pochita let the chainsaw on its head roar again, eyes sharp as it spoke deliberately, word by word.
"I said, should Cael take in Makima and establish a romantic relationship with her?"
Cael froze. His brain felt as if it had been turned to mush by the chainsaw's roar. "Huh? Why the hell…?"
Pochita wagged its tail, calm as ever.
"Cael, I'm a devil. I'm more sensitive to emotions. When you first met Makima, you really did feel a spark, didn't you?"
"No," Cael said sharply, taking a breath. He needed to set boundaries. "That spark was just respect for her as a Devil Hunter, nothing romantic. And Pochita, you know Asa is my girlfriend, right?"
"Right," Pochita nodded, following his words.
"It's precisely because you're dating War that I'm making this suggestion. Since you have time for War, it should be fine to spare some for the Control Devil too, right?"
Cael's pupils shrank. That was… terrifying information.
"Wait, Pochita, slow down… War… Control…?" He quickly pieced the puzzle together.
"Asa confessed to me, so I know Yoru is the War Devil," Cael said slowly. "And the Control Devil… that's Makima?"
"Yes," Pochita said, eyes narrowing playfully. "A terrifying devil whose power treats everyone like dogs."
"A Devil Hunter directly under the Cabinet… is a devil?" Cael's surprise deepened. Even more shocking was that the pinnacle of Japan's power allowed this.
Pochita continued. "Makima signed a contract with the Cabinet, binding her life to all Japanese citizens, as long as she serves them. The Cabinet's goal is to use Makima's power to control the world. This isn't idle speculation. In today's society, fear and control are everywhere. That makes her power unmatched. If the Cabinet succeeds, the world is finished. The Cabinet is evil."
Cael's brows knitted. "Damn War criminals… they're too much." A surge of frustration rose in him.
"Pochita, maybe I should just kill everyone in the Cabinet," he muttered. With his current abilities, a prepared strike could take out several ministers easily.
Pochita's eyes widened. "That only solves the short-term problem. New officials might be just as bad."
Cael rubbed his chin. "Then I'll keep killing until the new Cabinet Ministers behave. Problem solved."
Sweat dotted Pochita's forehead. "Is your bloodlust heavier than mine? This only treats symptoms, not the cause. You know what's critical if the Cabinet wants their goal?"
"Makima, of course," Cael replied immediately.
"She has always wanted a loving, family-like relationship," Pochita continued. "But she doesn't know how to connect with others. The Cabinet disciplined her with fear tactics for too long. She only knows how to rule with terror. So, Cael, you just need to make her a bit… normal. Like a human. A romantic relationship, a taste of warmth… just like you did for War."
Cael's lip twitched. His own dog at home wanted him to be… a scumbag?
"Cough. Pochita, let's clarify. My girlfriend is Asa, not the War Devil inside her. So I haven't actually dated a devil," he said, trying to straighten things out.
Pochita blinked, confused. "But your scent… clearly the same person."
Cael shrugged. "Sharing a body, yes. I can guide Makima toward normal thinking, but a romance? That's a stretch."
Pochita tilted its head. "Love is great, though. Having two would double happiness. I can help Cael and Makima get closer."
Cael smiled faintly, stroking its fur. "I get it, Pochita. I'll try to correct Makima's twisted mindset. Let's go. After we send her home, we'll head back. Denji misses you."
Pochita hesitated, shaking its head. "I can't go back yet."
"Why?"
Sigh. Cael realized he underestimated Makima's psychological complexity. She had never seen light; darkness was all she knew. If Pochita left now, who knew what chaos she might unleash?
"Makima needs me more than you do," Pochita said bluntly. "And since you're dating War, I risk being discovered. Better to wait."
The conversation turned back to the War Devil.
"War…" Cael remembered his last chat with Asa. "You said Pochita ate her children. True?"
Pochita's eyes widened, innocent and cute. "It's true."
Cael hissed, baffled. Terrifying actions paired with that adorable face… "Why would you do that?"
Pochita lifted a short leg, scratching its neck. "It's complicated. I'll return them in time, but not yet."
Back in the izakaya, a young girl appeared silently across from Makima. She wore a black baseball cap, purple shoulder-length hair, and dangling balance-scale earrings. Her head tilted slightly as she studied the menu intently.
Makima folded her hands, smile cold. "You actually dare to sh
ow up, hunger."
"Little sister, can you buy me dinner?" Fami looked up slightly.
___
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