"Tomorrow? Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am. Cael, are you unwilling?"
"Of course not. You can decide the time and place."
Cael agreed without hesitation.
It was only a date, nothing more. There was no reason for him to refuse.
Makima had helped a lot in getting Asa out of danger. As for Fami, that woman clearly had something wrong with her mind. She spoke politely, claiming she only wanted to starve Asa in order to take her power. She even said she was trying to save the world.
But what would actually happen to Asa after becoming one of her pawns?
Would she lose her consciousness and become a puppet?
Would she simply die?
Fami never explained any of those crucial details.
Just like Makima had said, trusting Fami's words too easily would be foolish.
Back to the point.
A date with Makima should be a new experience.
Asa had already said she would go to school tomorrow, so Cael could easily take a day or two off.
No problem there.
Work was not something he absolutely had to do. People worked to live better lives, not to become slaves to endless labor. If life became nothing but work, then living would lose its meaning.
Besides, the funeral home already had its signboard up and running. Its reputation was solid.
To exaggerate slightly, even if the shop stayed closed for a month, future business would not suffer.
Recently, Cael and Reze had been working overtime, not because of dedication to the job, but simply because they had nothing better to do and might as well earn extra money.
After all, where else could someone make a lot of money while doing something that also felt morally decent?
On the other side of the call, Makima rested her chin on her clenched fist and thought for a moment.
"Then tomorrow morning at eight, let's meet at Ueno Park. We can talk about the details when we see each other."
She paused and sighed softly.
"Unfortunately, after the appearance of the Falling Devil, many interesting places were destroyed."
Cael hesitated for a second.
"Uh, can we make it half an hour later? I need to drop Asa off at school first."
Hearing that, a faint trace of disappointment appeared on Makima's face.
Naturally, she hoped Cael would focus only on her instead of worrying about Asa Mitaka.
But that was unrealistic.
Things had already reached this point.
Makima understood that the current Cael would never abandon the War Devil's host for her. She had simply moved too late.
Still, the later one arrives, the harder one must work.
Makima believed that as long as she gave Cael a richer and more unforgettable experience than Asa Mitaka ever could, his feelings would gradually change.
Asa Mitaka?
A mere student.
How could she possibly compete with someone who once held the entire Japanese political system by the throat?
Even so, patience was necessary.
Step by step.
For now, her most important task was to pull Cael closer to her.
If she succeeded, his feelings would only deepen.
"Alright then, Cael. Make sure you arrive on time," Makima said gently.
"I will."
The moment Cael hung up the phone, a purple haired girl with blue eyes suddenly appeared beside him like a ghost.
"Boss, you were talking to that witch Makima on the phone, right?"
Although she phrased it as a question, Reze's tone made it clear she already knew the answer.
Cael frowned, spreading his hands helplessly.
"Reze, your filter against Makima is way too strong. She's actually pretty decent. If she hadn't warned me, Asa might have ended up in a really bad situation."
The moment he said that, Cael realized he had spoken poorly.
Reze's suspicion of Makima was completely understandable. After all, they had once been enemies.
To Cael, however, Makima had always treated him well.
She had never betrayed him.
When Reze tried to assassinate him back then, Makima had mobilized a lot of people to help protect him. She helped both him and Asa.
And besides, Makima was ridiculously beautiful.
Anyone who felt nothing when looking at her probably needed medical attention.
Even so, Reze remained wary.
"I heard you mention a park. Are you going on a date with that witch, Cael?"
"Yes," Cael replied calmly. "It's a reward for helping Asa."
"Reward?"
Reze's hair practically bristled.
Her expression flushed red with anger.
"There are plenty of ways to repay someone. Why does Cael have to repay her with his own body?"
She stepped closer, her voice rising.
"Or are you just lusting after that witch's body too, Cael?"
"Am I ugly or something?"
"If Asa Mitaka can't fill that emotional gap of yours, why not look at me properly for once?"
"I'm standing right here!"
Reze's anxiety had reached its peak.
Cael and Asa's relationship was obvious to anyone.
And Cael himself had admitted that he liked Makima.
Their relationship was clearly developing.
Which meant she was the one falling behind.
That was unacceptable.
Reze had not stayed here just to work as an undertaker.
She had abandoned her mission and betrayed the KGB for one reason only.
For the cat eating mouse who had given her a new sense of hope.
She had even tried helping Asa improve her relationship with Cael, all so that she could eventually claim him openly and honestly.
But Makima had suddenly appeared and tried to monopolize everything in one move.
Reze refused to accept that.
Her sudden outburst left Cael completely stunned.
"No, no," Cael said, wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead. "I'm just going on a date with Makima. The way you're saying it makes it sound like I'm heading out for a one night stand."
Reze bit her lower lip.
Her voice softened, though reluctance remained.
"But you said you like her too, not just Asa."
"Well..."
Cael smiled and gently ruffled her hair.
"I do like Makima, but things don't move that fast. Feelings take time to grow."
He shrugged.
"It's not like Asa and I slept together the first day we met. We went through misunderstandings and a lot of trouble before getting where we are now."
"So it's not what you're imagining."
A cold breeze drifted through the street.
Reze's chaotic thoughts slowly began to settle.
Cael had been talking about his relationship with Asa.
But suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.
Hadn't she also gone through countless things with Cael?
They had faced life and death situations together.
That counted for something.
In that moment, realization struck her.
Even Makima had something worth learning from.
Why had she been lowering herself all this time?
Makima was busy with countless responsibilities, and Asa was tied down by school.
Only she had the freedom to stay by Cael's side all day.
Did love really have ranks?
Why should she willingly place herself beneath Asa Mitaka and Makima?
Suka blyat.
No way.
Reze's thoughts sharpened.
Her strategy had been completely wrong.
Instead of defending her position, she needed to launch an attack.
A sudden one.
Like an explosion.
Under the moonlight, Reze grabbed Cael's hand, the one that had been ruffling her hair, and gently guided it to her cheek.
Her emerald eyes shimmered with affection as she lightly licked her lips.
"Cat eating mouse," she murmured softly.
"I like you."
"And you like that country mouse, right?"
---