Liohime Kitagami and the beast-formed Shihon both entered the Polar Town Park, the location of their next outing.
Although the latter obviously thought it as the place of their date, the former had other plans.
"Shihon, we're gonna simply relax here, okay? We're only staying here for like an hour just to get out of the house for a bit. Also, try your best not to cause a ruckus again, please.
"Are you planning to just sleep on the grass because you were still tired from the mission earlier today, Master?"
Genuinely forgetting that Shihon could still talk in her beast form, Liohime quickly looked over his shoulders and confirmed that passers-by were most likely out of earshot before crouching slightly and keeping his face close to hers.
"For like the thousandth time, don't say 'Master' in public," he said in a hushed voice, "and also, don't talk in your beast form in public! If somehow people find out that you're a special type of Magical Beast that can transform and speak-"
"Yeah it'll spell trouble. I get it."
"Y-You're still fucking doing it!"
He stood back up and walked ahead of her, entering the grassy arena as his pitch returned to normal. "Let's just enjoy some peace and quiet, Shihon."
***
What happened was the absolute opposite of peace and quiet, as you probably guessed.
As usual, read the fucking chapter title, nerds.
Because…
You're kidding.
"W-What a coincidence…Lita."
--Tisha Marsey, Liohime's neighbor, as well as her Magical Beast, Michi the ram with fiery horns, had spotted them both.
The stunning young woman with glasses and pinkish gradient hair exchanged glances with him as her eyes widened and her breaths began to quicken.
Liohime, who had been laying down and stroking Shihon's fur, gave his own Magical Beast a quick glare that clearly said "calm down", and got up to greet them both with an awkward smile.
"Well, well, what's up, you two-"
In an instant, Michi headbutted his lower leg with the horns that scorched his skin on contact, causing him to sprawl onto the ground.
"GAHK!!"
"M-Michi! Be nice!!" ordered Tisha, who quickly rushed to the young man's aid.
Meanwhile, Michi quickly backed off, noticing the aggravated growl from Shihon who bore her fangs.
You dare to hurt my Master!? I'll end your life here and now!
It was taking everything in her power not to attack. For the sake of pleasing her own Master, she heeded self-control.
Still, she gave a haunting stare at both Michi and its owner, who nervously eyed her at the corner of her eyes while helping Liohime back onto his feet.
"Sorry about that Lita! It seems that no matter what, Michi still won't develop a liking for you…"
"Eh, it's alright."
"Also…when you said that you had got a pet that night when I visited you, did you mean you got a Magical Beast, Lita?" she surmised. "I clearly remember you said that it was a dog though…"
Yeah, a dog might have been a huge understatement, especially as Shihon's beast form was an unidentified variant of a wolf with horns and a big build.
Tisha walked up to Liohime's Magical Beast (bad idea, but go off, I guess) and tried to pet it, but quickly retracted her outstretched arm when the beast snarled.
In Shihon's eyes, this was a golden opportunity.
Finally, this bitch is right in front of me! I can kill her right here and now!
…Is what she wanted to do, if Liohime had not basically begged for her to not do anything outrageous like five minutes ago. Therefore, snarls, growls, and internally hurling the worst slurs known to mankind would have to do for now.
You had all the time in the world to sneak out of the house in the night and go next door to finish the job, girl. That's on you.
"Don't mind Shihon," Liohime assured her. "She seems a bit…possesive, and doesn't really like any girl who tries to interact with me."
"Oh, is that so?" She gave off an innocent smile. "You would've haaated our history, then. Teehee!"
A vein popped in the Magical Beast's head.
Oh, this piece of shit is soooo dying today.
At the same time, the young man who looked on furrowed his eyebrows, questioning himself internally on if what was being felt as sparks flying between the two was true. He decided to change the subject to ensure that Shihon wouldn't lose control over herself.
"A-Anyway, you and Michi must also have come to take some time off and relax here, huh?"
"Yeah! I guess that our minds really are similar after all! Boy, has this place changed since we came here together last Christmas Eve, though."
"-hk."
Liohime could easily feel the dark aura forming from Shihon's body and the death glare that she gave behind Tisha's back.
I just made it worse!! Way worse!!!
"Hey, Lita, do you…still…" her voice trailed off, and she couldn't finish.
"Huh?"
"No…nothing," she replied, shaking off those thoughts. "Anyway, how about we both just hang out here together, for a while? Just you and I, with our Magical Beasts?"
Liohime paused, and taking that as a sign of rejection, Tisha remarked, "You…don't want to?"
"N-No it's not that, it's just that if you stay here any longer, that…thing behind you is gonna unleash all hell on earth."
"Hm? Oh, shit."
She turned around and found Shihon with darkness clouding her entire figure, so prevalent that it made her seem like a completely different deadly entity.
"W-Well, on second thought, I'll go and take a walk around with Michi."
"Right."
"...See you around, Lita."
She waved him goodbye and trotted away, and as if a curse had been lifted, the brightness and whimsical aura had returned to the beast beside him that quickly brushed up against his body and lay down.
"I was genuinely scared for her life there, Shihon."
"As you should be. Fake ass smile, using pet names, bringing up old memories when his future fucking wife was right in front of her…"
"Alright, calm down, will you? And no talking like I said. I know we're a bit isolated here, but can you still act cautiously?"
"Hmph."
Resigning to the comfortable scenario of being alone with her master, the beast lay silently, causing Liohime to finally sigh with relief.
"Let's just finally enjoy a peaceful time together at the park, partner."