Chapter 448: Aoandon's Displeasure, Motherly Akemi
That more or less summed up the morning's events. Afterward, the group naturally headed out for a well-deserved lunch, where Sakura Hibiki and Kasugano Sora, with the practiced ease of seasoned veterans, systematically undid all the progress from their workout.
Shiina Mashiro's eyes, wide with artistic curiosity, followed every passing dish. But her gaze truly locked onto a street vendor's stall, where perfectly layered rings of baumkuchen promised a sweet, buttery delight. She took a half-step towards it, only to be gently intercepted.
Soryuin Akemi immediately blocked her path. "If you eat that now," she said, her tone firm but gentle, "you won't have any room for dinner tonight."
Shiina Mashiro blinked, considering this. Before she could form a reply, Kasugano Sora nodded sagely beside her. "That's right, that's right! How can a simple snack like that even compare to what Brother Ren makes!"
The moment Ren's name was mentioned, all thoughts of the baumkuchen vanished from Shiina Mashiro's mind. Earlier that day, Soryuin Akemi had spent a significant portion of their journey patiently teaching Mashiro the concept of paying for things. Akemi had felt a swell of maternal pride watching Mashiro successfully handle the simple transaction of buying a bottle of water on her own. It was a small step, but it felt monumental.
"Hmm... I still have to go back tonight and help out with the boxing practice at home," Ayaka sighed, a touch of weariness in her voice. "It's really becoming a handful..."
Sakura Hibiki grinned around a mouthful of food. "Well, that can't be helped, can it? Besides, your family's dojo is doing amazing business, Ayaka! You're even collaborating with the Silverman Gym now!"
"It's all because of fighters like Brother Ren and Kaolan!" Gina Boyd interjected, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Ah, this is so frustrating! Why haven't they had a proper match yet!"
Kamisato Ayaka's mouth twitched. "You really are a dreamer of the highest order..."
"Of course!" Gina declared, puffing out her chest. "It's my lifelong dream!"
Shiina Mashiro tilted her head, her voice a soft whisper. "Gina... is also strange..." She then turned her gaze to Akemi, nodded once, and added, "Mhm. Because Akemi is very strange."
Soryuin Akemi was taken aback for a second before her expression turned deadly serious. "Mashiro! For the sake of a healthy life, there is nothing strange about working out with dedication!"
Sakura Hibiki, sipping on a cola, shot her a sidelong glance. "So, Akemi, you're just going to conveniently ignore the part where you want to build a mountain of muscle..."
"Healthy muscles aren't strange!" Akemi insisted.
"It's very strange..." came a chorus of five synchronized voices.
While Soryuin Akemi and her friends continued their lively stroll, Ren and Lucifer were still lingering in a large bookstore. The reason for their delay was simple: Aoandon, their resident "studious" child, was utterly captivated by the horror section.
She was like an addict, lost to the world, devouring one book after another. The moment she finished one terrifying tale, her slender fingers were already reaching for the next, her focus absolute. What was most impressive was that she had already purchased them all. As for the payment method... Ren could still feel the surprising weight of the small pouch she had handed him. It was filled with dozens of gleaming, antiquated gold coins, a currency that had made the cashier's eyes widen in disbelief. He had sighed internally. His companions, it seemed, operated on a level far beyond merely 'rich'.
Aoandon had declared that she simply couldn't wait until they returned home to start reading, so she had found a quiet corner and begun right there in the store. One book led to another, and then another, until she was completely unable to stop. Some of the novels even contained grotesque illustrations, which only seemed to deepen her morbid enjoyment. Her complete absorption was so intense, one might have mistaken her for Shio.
"Aoandon is truly dedicated," Lucifer commented with a soft smile.
Ren nodded, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "She is. But this is the first time I've seen her look so... displeased. It's quite similar to Kirari when she's putting on one of her masks."
He was referring to an incident from an hour ago. A man had attempted to strike up a conversation with Aoandon. It was understandable; a classical beauty with a graceful figure, lost in a book, was a naturally alluring sight in the quiet ambiance of a bookstore.
The man had called out to her twice. The first time, Aoandon simply glanced up, her eyes unfocused, before immediately returning to her page, offering no acknowledgment. Her complete disregard left the would-be suitor standing awkwardly in the aisle. Just as he was about to try a third time, Aoandon slowly lifted her head again. Her eyes narrowed, and her voice, a silken whisper that carried an unnatural chill, slithered through the air.
"Can you not see that I am reading? If you persist, be careful... or Aoandon might just spirit you away~"
And just like that, the man had fled, his face pale.
One couldn't entirely blame him for his reaction. Aoandon was, after all, an immensely powerful youkai. In that moment, a sliver of her true nature had leaked out, plunging the immediate vicinity into a sudden, inexplicable cold. Seated in a dimly lit corner, the faint light caught her eyes, making them seem to glow with a faint, ghostly fire.
That single, chilling display had been enough. At the time, Ren and Lucifer had stood off to the side, sharing a look of resignation. That had been the sixth person to approach her.
When the first one had appeared, Ren had been about to step in and send him away. Firstly, it was wrong to disturb someone so engrossed in reading. Secondly, and more pragmatically, he had no idea if a sufficiently annoyed Aoandon might simply... suck the man's soul out. He knew she could do it in an instant, and the subsequent interrogation and paperwork would be an absolute nightmare.
'And he worries about me being a bad influence,'Lucifer thought, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.'He's far more demonic in his pragmatism than he realizes.'
"Hmm~ how interesting."
Seeing Aoandon stretch languidly after finishing another volume, Ren approached her. "It's almost time for us to head back," he said gently. "What do you think, Aoandon?"
Towards Ren, her impatience vanished completely. A slight, genuine smile touched her lips. "Mhm, this was very good. I never expected there to be so many strange tales I had never heard. It's wonderful."
Ren considered this for a moment. "Perhaps if you travel to other worlds, you'll discover even more. There are far too many horror stories in existence to read in a short time."
Aoandon tilted her head, a thoughtful expression on her face. "So, Ren, which do you think is better: myths or strange tales?"
"Why can't it be both?"
She looked startled, then confused. "Eh? Are there stories like that? Are there... scary gods?"
Ren thought for a moment, then pulled out his phone and found an image for her. Aoandon leaned in for a glance, and her reaction was immediate. She physically recoiled, her neck shrinking into her shoulders.
"Eek! What is that thing! It looks so... strange. An indescribable kind of weirdness... Is that a god?"
Ren smiled and nodded. "That's from the Cthulhu Mythos. If you're interested, you can look into it sometime."
"Oh, I see. But... there are still so many stories here I don't know. Ren, how should I carry all these books?"
"We can just ask the staff to have them delivered to the shop," Ren suggested. "But you can take a few with you to read on the way."
Aoandon nodded, clutching several of the horror novels to her chest as if they were precious treasures. After Ren made the arrangements with the staff, the three of them finally left the store. Looking at Aoandon's contented, smiling face, Ren chuckled.
"A lantern in one hand and a stack of books in the other... isn't that a slightly peculiar look?"
"Hmm... It is a little strange..." she admitted.
"I can carry the books for you," he offered. "After all, you can't really put down your lantern, can you?"
"Eh? No, no, I can carry them myself."
"Don't worry, it's not like I'm going to run off with them~"
"No... hmm... it's just that, I feel I should be able to handle such a small thing myself..."
Lucifer's knowing smile reappeared. "I understand what you're thinking," he said kindly. "A temporary contract is still a contract, and you feel such tasks shouldn't be left to your master. But you can leave it to Ren with confidence; he never lets us carry things anyway."
"Eh? Oh..." Aoandon blinked, finally relenting as she hesitantly passed the stack of books to Ren.
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