Nakiri Residence
"Hmm hmm hmm~"
Alice hummed a cheerful tune as she prepared dinner in the kitchen.
Watching her cousin, who had been particularly smug around her lately, Erina felt an inexplicable annoyance.
Just then, Makoto appeared out of thin air.
"Makoto, you're back! Dinner will be ready soon..."
Alice was the first to rush to Makoto, beating Erina by a step.
Erina gritted her teeth, 'Damn it, again!'
"Oh? Who's this little one...?"
Alice noticed the dog in Makoto's arms, her eyes full of curiosity.
"His name is Pochita. From today on, he'll be living here."
Makoto introduced him softly. "He's a Devil, but he won't hurt anyone. You all need to get along with him, okay?"
Seeing the little fat dog in Makoto's arms, Leonora and Mana, who had been watching TV, came over as well.
"A dog with a handle and a chainsaw on its head. How strange."
"But he's so cute. So chubby."
"Can I touch him? Probably?"
With so many people staring at him, Pochita instinctively looked wary.
Makoto gently patted his head. "You need to get along with everyone, okay, Pochita?"
"Woof!"
Hearing Makoto's words, Pochita obediently nodded.
Soon, Pochita became the new favorite in the house.
Mana, Leonora, and Alice all couldn't resist petting his fluffy, round head.
Erina fought the urge to pet him too. She quietly sidled up to Makoto and whispered:
"Makoto-kun, um, tonight..."
She thought, nearly two months had passed. Should she try inviting him again?
This had become like an obsession. She didn't even know why she was so fixated… surely it would be a relief if Makoto gave up?
Alice, who had been secretly watching Erina, frowned slightly.
For the past two months, Makoto hadn't gone to Erina, all thanks to Alice's persistent efforts.
Alice had tried everything to keep things fresh for Makoto, from dressing as her own mother to wearing a bunny outfit and dancing, all to keep his attention away from Erina.
But she knew this approach was reaching its limit.
Their 'combat power' wasn't even comparable. These little tricks could only go so far.
But she couldn't let Erina succeed!
'Think, think, think. What else could O do to stop this?'
Just as Alice was racking her brains, thinking Erina might finally succeed, Makoto suddenly spoke:
"I have something to do tonight. I won't be back."
"Huh?"
Hearing this, the other three women, who had been petting Pochita, looked up.
Alice quickly asked, "What's up, Makoto? Something urgent?"
Even two months ago, when she had dressed as her mother, they had still come back, no matter how intense things got, to avoid raising suspicion.
This was the first time Makoto wasn't coming home.
"Something came up. Don't worry. Pochita will protect you."
Hearing this, the women looked skeptically at the little dog on the sofa, watching TV and holding potato chips.
'Him? Really?'
"By the way, how much money is there in the house?"
Makoto suddenly asked.
The four women were confused again, but after living with Makoto for so long, they had learned not to ask questions.
Mana, no longer weakened thanks to Makoto's Genjutsu, quickly went upstairs and brought back a thick money pouch.
"There's this much. Is it enough?"
Makoto casually took a few bills. "This is enough. You all stay home and behave."
With that, Makoto activated Flying Thunder God and vanished.
Erina puffed out her cheeks in frustration. After two months, her invitation had failed again.
Beside her, Alice was the complete opposite, covering her mouth and giggling.
She didn't care what Makoto was doing. As long as Erina didn't succeed, she was satisfied.
But she needed to come up with new ideas to keep things fresh for Makoto...
…
University of Tokyo Hospital
In any era, this was a top-tier hospital in Japan.
Kudo Shinichi lay in a ward here.
He looked out the window, lost in thought.
"Shinichi, do you feel better today?"
Yukiko pushed open the door and asked softly.
"Mom, I'm fine. I want to leave the hospital early," Shinichi replied.
Yukiko gently placed her hand on his head, her voice unusually gentle:
"It's okay. Stay a little longer. It's better for your recovery. Don't worry about the money."
"But Mom, your work is too dangerous. I want to join Public Safety, like Dad."
Hearing 'Public Safety', Yukiko's expression flickered, but she forced a smile.
"Why do you want to join Public Safety?"
"I heard that if you join Public Safety, you have a chance to make a contract with a Devil. Maybe I can find a Devil that can restore my legs. And..."
He paused, gritting his teeth.
"I can't let someone like Makoto, who uses his power to do whatever he wants, continue his evil deeds!"
Hearing this, Yukiko's face went pale with fright.
"Sh-Shinichi, don't think about that. Here, have some black tea."
She produced a cup of black tea from somewhere and handed it to her son.
"Mom, I don't want any..."
"Your food and lodging come from my hard work. Now you won't even drink a cup of black tea?"
Yukiko's voice suddenly sharpened, carrying a suppressed tremor.
Shinichi was startled. He didn't understand why his mother was so angry over a cup of tea.
But seeing her clearly angry expression, he obediently took the tea and drank it down.
Within seconds, Shinichi's eyelids grew heavy. His head slumped, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Yukiko pulled the curtains shut and walked into the adjacent room.
"Can't we just go to a hotel? D-Does it have to be here... Mmm!"
Makoto suddenly understood why Alice had insisted on doing it in Erina's room.
This feeling was truly something else.