Chapter 589: The Shop That Grants Wishes
Ren, Yuko, and Kirari finally stepped into the Student Council President's office—a sprawling, opulent sanctuary that doubled as Kirari's personal resting quarters. Yuko paused just past the threshold, her crimson eyes sweeping over the towering floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and the carefully stocked mahogany wine cabinet gleaming under the chandelier's light.
Kirari offered a faint, elegant smile. "Yuko, would you care for a drink?"
"Of course! What are you pouring?"
Kirari tapped a manicured finger against her chin in mock thought. "Lafite, Romanée-Conti, Merlot, Château Latour... they are all available. I have practically everything. Oh, and a case of premium Vodka I won in a bet."
"Ugh... pass on the Vodka. Open a bottle of the Lafite!"
Yuko was wearing towering high heels, and the sprawling campus of Hyakkaou Private Academy was excessively large. Her feet were already aching, so she didn't stand on ceremony, unceremoniously sinking into Kirari's plush leather executive chair.
Kirari chuckled softly, the sound airy and amused. "To walk in those heels for so long... it seems your stamina hasn't diminished in the slightest since you returned home. As expected of you. If I wore those all day, my feet would be completely ruined."
Yuko crossed her legs, leaning back with a haughty smirk. "That is the fundamental difference between a true goddess and a madwoman. In this regard, I yield to no one. Kirari, you still have a long, long way to go."
Kirari tilted her head, her icy blue eyes flashing with playful malice. She sighed softly. "How fascinating. I've never seen a 'true goddess' running around the house in a messy dress, leggings, and slippers... oh, what was it? Blue slippers with little cartoon butterflies on them?"
Yuko's mouth twitched. She had just been running downstairs to grab some snacks that day, and Lucifer had recorded the entire embarrassing spectacle. Now, every single person in their chat group had seen it.
She opened her mouth to fire back a sharp retort, but her gaze suddenly caught on something resting on the mahogany desk. Right next to an expensive fountain pen lay a small, slender white plastic strip. Blinking in confusion, Yuko reached out and picked it up.
Kirari's usual icy composure shattered in an instant. She knew exactly what that little stick was—she had been burning through a box of them every single morning!
Yuko stared at the single red line displayed in the tiny window. A slow, incredibly teasing smile spread across her lips.
Kirari lunged forward, snatching the pregnancy test from Yuko's fingers and shoving it into her pocket with a frantic flush.
Yuko simply raised an elegant eyebrow. "Oh my... Kirari. As expected of you..."
"Shut up!"
Kirari was completely flustered, the tips of her ears burning red.
Yuko let out a melodic laugh. "Oh, what's the big deal? It's perfectly normal, isn't it? By the way, Kirari, when exactly did you take this test?"
Kirari let out a defeated sigh, her shoulders slumping a fraction. "This morning..."
"You really are impatient... but it's no big deal. Keep working hard at it, and eventually, you'll get two lines."
"I said shut up!"
Seeing the usually untouchable Student Council President blushing so furiously brought a triumphant smirk to Yuko's face.
After taking a moment to breathe, Kirari smoothed out her uniform. She realized there was truly nothing to be embarrassed about and slowly forced her racing heart to calm down. Her icy facade slid back into place.
She looked down at Yuko, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "I am quite curious about something, actually. Can all women fulfill the role of a mother?"
Yuko stiffened, her triumphant smirk vanishing. "What are you trying to say... who exactly are you talking about?"
"Oh, no one in particular," Kirari said with an airy laugh. "Just a casual, passing thought."
Yuko's eye twitched.
It was still the exact same Kirari. She really needed to sharpen her claws if she wanted to properly spar with this great demon king.
Seeking a distraction, Yuko took the crystal glass of red wine that Sayaka had just offered her and downed the expensive vintage in a single, thoroughly unladylike gulp. Sayaka silently stepped forward and poured her another glass, her expression carefully neutral.
Kirari swirled the ruby liquid in her own glass, watching the light catch the crystal. "So, Yuko, was your trip back to your hometown fun?"
"Hmm? No. Not fun at all. Absolutely dreadful, actually."
"Oh? How so?"
Yuko sighed, tracing the rim of her glass. "It's just... after finishing my main business, there was nothing left to do. I just sat around every single day waiting for someone to finally take over my shop. I stayed cooped up in there the entire time, drinking wine and watching mindless television."
Kirari hummed thoughtfully. "That sounds truly suffocating. Only a lazy homebody like you could possibly stand it."
"Who are you calling a homebody?!"
"That's entirely beside the point," Kirari smoothly redirected. "The real point is... your shop? I never actually knew you owned a business. What kind of establishment do you run? A clothing boutique?"
Yuko blinked, genuinely puzzled. "Hmm? Why would you assume that? Do I look like a retail manager to you?"
"Because," Kirari said with absolute seriousness, "from the very first day I met you until this exact moment, I have never seen you wear the same outfit twice. Aside from your pajamas, you never repeat a single piece of clothing."
Yuko looked at Kirari, a proud glint returning to her eyes. "Actually, a good portion of my wardrobe is entirely self-made. Aren't they gorgeous?"
Kirari's eyes widened a fraction in genuine surprise. "Hoh, now that is impressive! Evening gowns, cheongsams, elaborate kimonos... your fashion design portfolio is incredibly broad."
Yuko scoffed, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder. "I am a goddess, after all. How could a goddess ever allow her wardrobe to clash with the mundane masses? Even some of my hair accessories are handcrafted. Impressive, right?"
"That is quite a feat. It seems you aren't just good at eating, Yuko."
"I... you've made your point! But no, I don't run a clothing store."
"Hmm? Then what kind of shop is it? With your ravenous appetite, running a supermarket wouldn't even be enough to keep you fed. If you ran a restaurant, given your utter lack of domestic skills, managing to fry a single egg without burning the building down would be a miracle. And if it's the service industry... you? Can you even count change properly?"
Yuko's face turned an ugly shade of green.
Her blood pressure skyrocketed. She slammed her glass down on the desk. "How much do you think I eat?! I'm not a pig! And I can cook, thank you very much! I am a goddess of both unmatched beauty and boundless wisdom, do you understand?!"
Kirari let out a soft, melodic laugh, thoroughly enjoying the reaction. "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you. Tell me, what kind of shop do you actually run?"
Yuko took a deep breath, used to their constant verbal sparring. The anger melted away, replaced by a deep, mysterious smile that seemed to alter the very atmosphere of the room.
"My shop..." Yuko murmured, her crimson eyes gleaming with an ancient, heavy weight. "I run a shop that can grant wishes. Any wish... for a price."
Kirari initially thought Yuko was just bluffing to save face, but as she looked into those crimson eyes, she saw absolutely no deception—only a chilling, absolute certainty.
After studying her in silence for a long moment, Kirari smiled softly. "Oh, Yuko. You truly are an extraordinary existence."
"Naturally. I happen to agree."
A few feet away, Ren was standing before a bank of security monitors, quietly observing the live feed of Jabami Yumeko tearing through the academy's gambling dens.
After watching the chaotic, obsessive light in Yumeko's eyes for a long time, Ren shook his head with a faint, amused smile. "She really is just another Kirari..."
Hearing her name, Kirari turned around, her eyes curving into crescent moons. She glided over to Ren, her voice dropping to a sultry, teasing purr. "Then... do you want me to take care of her for you? Two Kiraris... double the fun, don't you think? Ah, speaking of which, I really am the perfect, accommodating wife, aren't I?"
Ren let out a dry sigh, not even glancing away from the monitor. "You should just focus on drinking your wine."
"Eh? Why so cold? If it's Yumeko we're talking about, I'm actually quite looking forward to it."
[Akarin's Note: The "Nation's Good Woman" (国民好女人) is a Chinese internet slang term referring to an ideal, perfectly accommodating, and highly supportive wife/girlfriend. Kirari is jokingly using it to praise herself for being willing to arrange a threesome for Ren.]
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