Chapter 88: Rikka's Tears
The dinner lasted well over an hour, filled with laughter, teasing, and the occasional roar of drunken nonsense. During it, Kobayashi finally gave in to temptation and drank with Takiya, transforming from a calm, emotionless woman into a full-blown, chaotic Lich King.
"Hahahahaha!"
Her cheeks were flushed, her glasses slightly crooked, and a mischievous grin stretched across her face. Sitting beside lucoa, she reached out, shamelessly cupping lucoa's enormous chest with both hands. Her voice was filled with drunken envy and disbelief. "Unbelievable! They're huge! So heavy too! How do you even walk around like this without toppling over? People on the street must think you're some kind of pervert dressed like that!"
"Eh? P-Pervert?" lucoa froze, her face turning red.
"Hmph! A woman who uses her massive boobs to tempt men into sin is a pervert, obviously!" Kobayashi declared proudly, still kneading without shame.
Don't say that! You, who's fondling someone else's chest like that, are the real pervert here!
Meanwhile, Takiya, his glasses now askew, leaned against the wall with a goofy smile, mumbling drunkenly into Fafnir's ear about nonsense that made absolutely no sense.
The room was pure chaos. Laughter, slurred voices, and random drunken phrases overlapped into a mad orchestra of noise. Even Kouya couldn't help but be amused watching the entire scene unfold—it was messy, human, and oddly warm.
But amusement wasn't happiness.
That maid dragon, Tohru, had used distortion magic on him earlier, supposedly to "protect his worldview from corruption." The spell did nothing—except irritate him. His mood soured every time he thought about it.
They were dragons. What was there to hide? As if he didn't already know what they were. If they wanted to pass as humans, at least teach that blue-eyed baby dragon some basic manners! What kind of kid eats snacks nonstop all afternoon and still asks for more?
When the clock neared nine, Kouya finally stood up. "Tohru, I'm heading out."
"Please take care, Kouya-sama." Tohru bowed politely, her tail twitching.
He waved her off and stepped into the night.
The wind outside was crisp and cool.
The streets were quiet, painted silver under the streetlights. Kouya walked alone, his steps echoing faintly, savoring the quiet calm and the taste of solitude.
But as he neared his apartment complex, something caught his eye—a familiar silhouette standing beneath the glow of a streetlamp.
A petite girl with a single ahoge fluttering in the breeze, dressed in a gothic outfit she had clearly stitched herself—
Takanashi Rikka.
Kouya blinked, frowning slightly. "What's she doing out here at this hour?" He considered calling out, but changed his mind, deciding to take a detour instead.
Before he could, Rikka turned her head sharply, her heterochromatic eyes scanning the surroundings. Then she spoke in a solemn, cold voice: "Come out. I already know you're there."
"Eh?" Kouya froze. Then he immediately shook his head. Nice try.
You think I'd fall for that twice?
Rikka sniffed the air like a small animal, gripping her black automatic umbrella like a weapon, and began walking forward with an air of confidence that only made her look more ridiculous.
Kouya sighed and decided to follow quietly, keeping a few steps behind.
She reached a narrow alleyway, stopped, and lifted her chin, smiling faintly. "Creature of darkness, are you too afraid to reveal yourself?"
The alley was empty. Only the soft wind stirred dust and leaves.
Of course, her dramatic lines went unanswered.
"I am the agent of the Wicked Eye! I have traversed countless worlds to find you, destined one! Our battle shall shake the stars!" she declared grandly.
Fight my ass! You'd just trip on your own umbrella swing!
Who does this in the middle of the night? Alone, talking about 'destiny battles'? Her chuunibyou was in full bloom tonight.
Expressionless, Kouya turned to leave. Following her had been a mistake.
Then the sharp roar of a motorcycle shattered the silence. The headlight flared, and with a screech, it stopped right in front of Rikka.
"Get on," a deep, cold voice commanded. The rider was tall, muscular, helmeted—his face hidden. His tone was that of someone used to being obeyed.
Rikka froze. Even her ahoge shot straight up, like a cat's tail bristling in terror.
Kouya stopped, frowning.
Who the hell was this guy?
Had she really managed to summon some kind of "dark creature"? No—there was no magic coming from him. Just an ordinary human.
The scene was strange. An empty street. A quiet night. A trembling girl. A silent man on a motorcycle.
Kouya suddenly remembered the news—stories of young girls going missing while walking home alone.
Could this be one of those scumbags? And Rikka his next target?
The thought made Kouya's blood turn cold. His eyes narrowed as he stepped out of the shadows.
"Move," the man ordered, voice hoarse and low like an owl crying in a graveyard.
Rikka shook, clinging to her umbrella. With a trembling hand, she pressed the button—"puff!"—the umbrella opened wide, a flimsy barrier between her and danger.
Kouya was ready to act. His body tensed, heart steady.
Then—a sound broke through the night.
Footsteps. Fast ones. Accompanied by heavy panting.
Kouya turned, his face twisting into disbelief.
A husky came bounding out from the alley, tongue lolling, tail wagging, and without hesitation, jumped gracefully onto the motorcycle's front pedal.
The rider looked down at it. Then both man and dog turned their heads at the same time to stare at Rikka, their gazes eerily synchronized.
"..."
The air froze solid.
The silence was so thick it was painful.
Then, the motorcycle rumbled, spewing exhaust, and vanished down the street in a blur of taillights.
Kouya just stood there, lips parting, words failing him entirely.
When the sound finally faded, Rikka collapsed into a crouch, clutching her head, her shoulders trembling violently. Tears brimmed in her eyes. Fear still lingered in every shiver.
Kouya sighed deeply and walked over.
Hearing footsteps, Rikka looked up instinctively. The moment she saw Kouya's face, her fear melted into relief, and the tears she'd held back finally spilled over.
"Hero!" she cried, throwing herself against his chest, her small frame shaking. "I knew it! I knew the hero would come! You'd never leave me!"
Kouya stiffened, instinctively wanting to push her away. But seeing how fragile she looked, trembling like a scared kitten, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
After a long pause, he asked quietly, "Why were you out here alone so late?"
"B-Because… I was searching for dark creatures…" she whispered timidly, still clutching his sleeve.
"And your sister? Doesn't she watch over you?"
"My sister's the head chef at a hotel. There's a big banquet tonight… she's not coming home."
Kouya sighed again. "Then stop wandering around at night. Come on, I'll walk you back."
"Mm…" Rikka nodded, her teary eyes reflecting the streetlights, still damp but full of trust.
They started walking slowly toward the apartments. Rikka clung to him tightly, her grip firm, as if afraid he'd vanish.
"Let go," Kouya muttered, glancing down.
"N-No!" she said immediately, pressing closer. "If I let go, the hero might disappear!"
You think I'm some teleporting angel who just goes 'biu' and vanishes into thin air? Really?
"Hero…"
"What now?" Kouya asked, raising a brow.
"Kouya-kun," she said softly, puffing her cheeks like a pouting child. "Walk me all the way home, okay?"
"No."
"Kouya-kun, you're so mean!" she whined, tears threatening again. "What if a monster grabs me on the way? Then what? You'd regret it forever!"
Weren't you the one challenging dark creatures ten minutes ago? Now you're scared of walking home?
With a helpless sigh, Kouya finally escorted her to her building. Only after watching her go inside safely did he turn back toward his apartment.
As soon as he stepped into his room, his phone rang, cutting through the silence.
He answered—and a frantic, panicked voice came through—