Funeral Home, body preparation room.
Reze, her long hair tied back and wearing her work uniform, concentrated on applying makeup to a corpse. Asa Mitaka, acting as her assistant, prepared materials beside her. Cael observed them with his arms crossed, like an examiner monitoring a test.
Reze picked up tweezers, adjusting the corpse's eyebrows, then used a black oil-based pen to define them and a red one to outline the lips. Technically, dead bodies didn't need such precision, but heavier makeup helped create a lifelike appearance, and oil-based pens were ideal for this.
"Asa, pass me the white oil, the oil paint, and the palette," Reze said calmly.
The oil paint and palette were for mixing pigments to match the deceased's skin tone, and the white oil helped blend them smoothly. Reze's learning speed was incredible; under Cael's guidance, she already had the air of a master after just two weeks.
"I've mixed it for you," Asa said, handing over the palette and a small brush.
Asa, accustomed to Cael's methods, didn't hinder Reze. She also approved of Cael hiring staff—otherwise, the workload would be overwhelming. But why did he have to hire someone as beautiful as Reze?
When Asa first met her, she had doubted Reze's small frame could handle the high-intensity work. She even suspected Cael of ulterior motives—hiring a secretary to do his work, and… other things, in his absence.
But Reze quickly proved herself. In just days, she earned Asa's respect through professionalism. She never acted ambiguously toward Cael, often approaching Asa instead. Faced with Reze's considerate behavior, Asa relaxed. Making friends with her was simple; a confident, plain girl posed no threat.
Unexpectedly, Yoru, who typically treated humans as tools, found herself liking Reze. This, in turn, influenced Asa through their shared connection, making her favor Reze as well.
"Thanks, Asa, you're the best~" Reze said with a wink.
"Ahem…" Cael cleared his throat. "Reze, focus on the work. Don't flirt with the boss's wife in front of me…"
"Blehh, Cael is stingy," Reze teased.
Shortly after, the corpse was ready. It looked as if merely asleep, nothing like its initial state—mangled and torn by a devil. Cael examined it with satisfaction.
"The assessment is passed. Reze, your performance is perfect. I'll raise your monthly salary to 900,000 Yen."
Cael judged her fully capable of working independently. With her handling one line while he managed another, the Funeral Home's output could double. Customer demand was never an issue; in a devil-ravaged world like Japan, the dead were abundant, and Cael's shop already had a solid reputation.
"Yay! 900,000 Yen!" Reze cheered.
"What about me? What's my score?" Asa asked, a tinge of jealousy in her voice.
"Asa is also perfect—in every sense," Cael replied, rubbing her head gently.
"Really?" Asa blushed. "Then come to my room tonight and I'll check."
"Don't be silly. You have a competition tomorrow," Cael said.
"It won't interfere…" Asa murmured.
Reze's feelings were conflicted. Her mind liked Cael, but her heart favored Asa. Still, she couldn't disrupt their relationship. To break the deadlock, she'd need Asa's consent. Reze wasn't reckless like Makima.
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Kyoto, Prime Minister's Office.
Five of Japan's most powerful figures sat before a floor-to-ceiling window: Ishida Kentaro, Prime Minister; Toma Shin, Minister of Defense; Sakaue Shinji, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications; Hasegawa Tadashi, Minister of Finance; and Yuki Tomoda, Chief Cabinet Secretary.
Makima sat calmly, legs crossed, holding Pochita. Why stand before these idiots?
"The Gun Devil Expeditionary Force is almost ready. With it, I can control enough devil abilities to launch an attack on the United States at any time to seize Pieces of the Gun Devil," she stated calmly.
The ministers weren't focused on her words, but her attitude. Sakaue Shinji, the old man with glasses, flickered his eyelids, indignation lacing his voice.
"Makima, we told you not to bring dogs in front of us, remember?"
Makima raised an eyebrow. What was wrong with these fools? She was reporting her work.
"This isn't a dog," she corrected, holding Pochita aloft like a newborn lion. "This is a superhero."
"Woof!" Pochita obligingly responded.
Toma Shin, the short-tempered Minister of Defense, slammed the table. "A stinking dog is a stinking dog! Superhero? Makima, you're outrageous!"
Makima lowered her eyes. "I'm doing my job well. How am I outrageous?"
Hasegawa Tadashi, Minister of Finance, tugged Toma Shin down, then spoke sarcastically. "Makima, report standing. It's basic etiquette. Have you forgotten your training?"
Ishida Kentaro, Prime Minister, remained silent, dark-faced. He had signed the heaven-defying contract with Makima, responsible for her upbringing and mental instability.
"If…" Makima paused, her gaze turning cold, "if I say I don't want to stand?"
The room went silent. Ishida Kentaro's lips twitched. He had failed in raising her properly.
A hoarse chuckle escaped him. "Emotions make people stupid. Makima, I warned you long ago not to develop feelings for any dog…"
"Any advice, Prime Minister?" Makima asked calmly.
"Ishida Kentaro pulled a photograph from a pile on the table and showed her—a picture of her kissing Cael on the rooftop. To prevent dogs from going into heat and disobedient, humans neuter them. Now, Makima, do you think this dog needs to be taught obedience through death?"
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