Chapter 424: Stocking Milk Tea, Shiina Mashiro's Awakening
Ren knew nothing about the politics of the Sunflower Field, nor did he particularly care. In his eyes, Yuuka Kazami was no match for him—not in a contest of strength, and certainly not in a battle of wits. One of his favorite daily pastimes had become teasing the powerful youkai.
There was a unique satisfaction in seeing that flicker of irritation in her eyes, an anger she refused to voice, a frustration that made her glare but never leave. For some inexplicable reason, despite her evident annoyance each time she visited, Yuuka Kazami returned every single night. Lucifer had privately commented that she might harbor some… special inclinations.
Ren watched her now, sipping her milk tea with a stony expression while he idly scrolled through the group chat on his phone, observing Lucifer and the others' banter. A sense of deep contentment washed over him. He could do this forever—just drink, relax, and watch the world go by.
His gaze shifted to Pandemonica, who had been steadily consuming milk tea without pause since she sat down. A smile touched his lips. "Pandemonica, would you like another?"
"I would… Hmm? What is this one… Ren…" she murmured, pointing at an item on the digital menu. "What is 'Stocking Milk Tea'?"
"Ah, that's a good one. It's a very authentic, classic style of milk tea. Incredibly smooth. Would you like to try it?"
Ren was about to push his chair back and head to the kitchen when he saw Pandemonica bend down and begin to slip off one of her shoes. He froze, completely baffled. "Pandemonica? Does your foot hurt?"
"No," she replied, looking up with her usual deadpan expression. "Don't I need to provide the stockings?"
A beat of stunned silence hung in the air. Then, a sound rarely heard in the cafe escaped Ren's lips—a genuine, unrestrained laugh.
Pandemonica blinked, a flicker of confusion crossing her features. She quickly picked up her phone, typed something into the search bar, and stared at the results. Without a word, she silently put her shoe back on, picked up her half-finished cup, and resumed drinking with her head bowed low. A closer look, however, would reveal that the tips of her ears had turned a vibrant shade of crimson.
Lucifer, having witnessed the entire exchange, also discreetly checked her phone. A slow, deeply amused smirk spread across her face as she looked at the mortified demon.
Ren, still chuckling, didn't say another word and simply disappeared back into the kitchen. Pandemonica remained perfectly still, her gaze fixed on the table. Lucifer held her own laughter in for a moment before finally letting a chuckle escape. "Pandemonica, you…"
"Boss," Pandemonica cut in, her voice as flat as ever, though her head remained lowered. "I am merely exercising my sense of humor. I hope to one day achieve a perfect score."
Lucifer paused, taken aback. She considered it. Pandemonica was a connoisseur who knew the subtle differences between dozens of coffee bean varieties; it was almost impossible she wouldn't know about such a famous type of milk tea. Was she really just… practicing a joke? Still, something about the explanation felt slightly off.
As Lucifer mulled it over, Pandemonica spoke again, her tone laced with genuine curiosity. "Boss, there is a question I have wanted to ask for a long time."
"And what is that?"
"Why do you exclusively wear trousers and never a skirt?"
"Because I want to," Lucifer replied without a moment's hesitation.
Pandemonica's mouth twitched. Good heavens, such a simple excuse is all it takes. She couldn't help but picture it, though—Lucifer, the CEO of Hell, in a skirt. The image was certainly… interesting.
Just as Lucifer was about to add something, Ren returned, a steaming cup of fragrant, amber-colored liquid in his hand. He placed it gently in front of the demon. "Here's your milk tea," he said, his smile warm and kind. "That was a good joke, Pandemonica. I didn't realize you had such a surprising sense of humor. But next time, it would be even better if you could crack a little smile."
Pandemonica looked up, her red-rimmed eyes meeting his for a second. She gave a stiff nod. "Thank you for the correction. I will take it to heart."
With that, she said no more, simply taking the new cup and continuing to sip. If she weren't a demon from the abyss, Ren would have seriously wondered where all the coffee and milk tea she consumed actually went.
After Ren sat back down, he heard Lucifer remark with a light laugh, "It seems Cerberus has run upstairs to play with Lanterby and Sora. She's certainly full of energy."
"It's probably because there are more people around," Ren mused. "I wonder what they're up to."
Pandemonica glanced at the group chat, where Momobami Kirari was in the middle of her routine teasing of Sonoko Suzuki. A faint, unreadable smile touched her lips.
Meanwhile, in a room upstairs, Kasugano Sora lifted her headphones from her ears. She stood up from the hanging basket chair that served as her personal sanctuary, her expression puzzled. "So, Sister Lanterby, why did you two come looking for me?"
Cerberus, sitting on the floor, grinned and adjusted the angle of the smartphone propped against her stomach. A face appeared on the screen.
Sora tilted her head, her silver hair shifting. "Mm? Akemi, you were looking for me? Is something wrong?"
On the screen, Soryuin Akemi smiled brightly. "It's because of Mashiro!"
"Mashiro? Who's that?"
Soryuin Akemi shifted the camera to the side, revealing a delicate, doll-like girl with pale hair, who was quietly hugging a stuffed animal. Perhaps it was because their fragile, ethereal appearances were so similar, but Kasugano Sora's eyes immediately lit up with interest.
At the same time, Shiina Mashiro's eyes widened when she saw the equally doll-like girl on the other end of the call. She nodded slightly and spoke in a soft, airy voice. "Sora… very cute…"
Sora blinked, a little flustered by the direct compliment.
Cerberus lowered her head to speak into the phone's microphone. "Mashiro, this is Sora! She's super cute, right?"
Sora tilted her head again. "So…"
"Mashiro… Shiina Mashiro…" Akemi supplied, reintroducing her.
After a brief explanation from Akemi, Sora nodded in understanding. "Oh, I see. So Mashiro is a second-year student. She's an upperclassman!"
The moment the word "upperclassman" was spoken, Shiina Mashiro's heart seemed to skip a beat. She went utterly still, her gaze fixed on the screen. Everyone fell silent, looking at her sudden change in demeanor. Akemi was about to ask what was wrong when Mashiro spoke, her voice still soft, but now carrying a strange, new intensity.
"Sora, call me Sister Mashiro."
Kasugano Sora was stunned. She hesitated for a moment before tentatively trying it out. "Sister… Mashiro…?"
A visible shiver ran through Shiina Mashiro's entire body. It was as if some extraordinary, long-dormant switch had just been flipped deep within her soul. Her eyes seemed to gain a new focus as she replied, her voice a breathy whisper, "Mm. Sora, very cute."
Soryuin Akemi stared, completely baffled. "Why would you ask her to do that all of a sudden?"
"Because I want to hear Sora call me 'sister'," Mashiro stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
A faint blush crept onto Kasugano Sora's cheeks. Good heavens, if you just changed a few words, that would sound exactly like a confession! She gave a light cough. "Well, it's not wrong to call you that anyway… Sister Mashiro!"
Shiina Mashiro shivered again, a look of pure bliss on her face. She nodded slowly. "Mm… It feels so good to be an older sister…"
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