"Ah, this is so embarrassing!"
By the time they arrived in Chiba, Fujimiya Konomi had suddenly become shy. Sato pulled her suitcase while she covered her bright red face with both hands, making her look even cuter.
Sato looked at her speechlessly.
"You weren't this embarrassed earlier. Your reaction time is way too slow."
"Hmph! None of your business!"
Konomi let out a cute snort, then turned and took Kanna's hand.
"Kanna-chan, let's go!"
Kanna suddenly looked up at her blankly.
Just as Konomi was wondering what was wrong, Kanna asked,
"What does 'girlfriend' mean?"
"Huh?"
Konomi froze.
Seeing her reaction, Sato burst into laughter.
...
After leaving the airport and returning to Aoyama Apartments, they could already see the towering cherry blossom trees from a distance. Their branches were covered in pink blossoms, making them the most beautiful sight in the entire residential area.
"What huge cherry blossom trees!"
Konomi looked at them in surprise. Back when she had lived here before, she had never noticed them.
"Beautiful, aren't they?"
"What does that have to do with you?"
Konomi curled her lips.
The smile on Sato's face stiffened slightly, and he felt a little depressed.
How does it have nothing to do with me? This entire apartment building belongs to me. If I weren't worried about startling you, I'd...
Well, actually, there wasn't much he could do anyway.
Knowing Konomi, she'd probably just be surprised for a moment that it was his, then immediately go back to acting like nothing had happened.
"Sato-sama! Kanna-chan!"
The moment they stepped into Aoyama Apartments, they saw Tohru standing on the fourth floor, waving enthusiastically with a bright smile. She had probably sensed Kanna's presence.
"Lady Tohru!"
Kanna's eyes lit up as she waved back.
Konomi looked at Tohru strangely before turning to Sato.
"Why does she call you 'Sato-sama'?"
"She's a maid. She calls everyone like that."
"That's so strange."
Konomi muttered to herself.
Sato had mentioned before that the people upstairs were tenants too. Yet one of them had a full-time maid. Were rich people really that strange?
Before they even reached the stairs, heads began popping out from the upper floors to greet Sato. They had probably heard Tohru's voice.
On the third floor, one head peeked out briefly before immediately pulling back inside.
Sato raised an eyebrow.
Without showing any reaction, he greeted everyone as usual before taking Konomi upstairs.
They unlocked the door and put away their luggage.
Hearing busy noises coming from next door, Sato went into his bedroom, retrieved a spare key, and said to Konomi,
"I'm heading next door. I'll leave the cleaning to you for now."
"Okay."
Konomi nodded before asking curiously,
"What are you going over there for?"
"To cause trouble."
"Huh?"
The girl blinked in confusion.
...
Instead of knocking, Sato simply unlocked the neighboring apartment with the spare key.
Good grief.
The moment he opened the door, a wave of sour, stale odor hit him head-on, making his scalp tingle.
Hurried footsteps echoed from inside. Apparently, the occupant hadn't heard him come in.
His eyes flickered.
Suppressing his presence, he quietly walked inside.
Soon, he saw a figure with her back toward him, her little butt sticking out as she frantically bent over, desperately trying to clean up the mountain of garbage piled across the floor.
"Ah! Why did that guy suddenly come back? There were still several days left of spring break!"
"That damned slave driver! Exploiting landlord!"
"I've got to clean all this up before he sees it, or he'll lecture me again..."
Well, well.
Sato raised an eyebrow before silently walking up behind Gabriel and gently tapping her shoulder.
"Eek!"
Gabriel let out a startled scream as though she'd been electrocuted.
She jumped into the air before landing squarely on her backside.
Thump.
Sitting on the floor with both hands supporting herself behind her, the girl swallowed hard.
Her head slowly tilted back, her messy, dull, lifeless blonde hair falling away from her face.
Then she saw the terrifying figure standing behind her, looking down at her with an amused smile.
"H-Haha... long time no see."
Gabriel forced out a trembling laugh.
I'm doomed...
Does this guy seriously make no sound when he walks?!
Sato slowly stepped in front of her.
Looking at the tightly packed garbage bags stacked one after another, the corner of his eye twitched.
How had this girl managed to survive in an environment like this?
Suddenly, his expression shifted slightly.
He turned his head and glanced behind him.
Gabriel, who had been secretly trying to sneak away, froze.
Whoosh!
A stream of azure light surged from Sato's hand.
Looking closely, it was made up of countless tiny runes. They flowed together like a river before transforming into chains that wrapped tightly around Gabriel.
"Wah! What are these things?!"
Gabriel cried out in horror as she stared at the rune chains binding her.
She couldn't move at all!
Sato walked over and sighed.
"Gabriel, you really never learn."
Bonk.
He flicked her forehead.
Pain immediately spread across Gabriel's face.
Bound by the chains, she couldn't even rub the sore spot. All she could do was look at Sato pitifully.
"I was wrong..."
"Oh? Now you know you were wrong? Then let's do things the usual way."
"The usual way?"
Gabriel turned toward him with teary eyes.
Even if I'm an angel, that really hurts!
Sato suddenly smiled before casually saying,
"I've noticed the apartment's cleanliness has been getting worse again lately..."
He looked at Gabriel calmly.
She froze for a moment.
Then, seeing the smile in his eyes, she immediately understood.
Staring blankly at him, she finally gritted her teeth and asked,
"How many weeks?"
"At least a month."
"...Fine!"
Gabriel squeezed the words out through clenched teeth, her eyes filled with resentment.