Chapter 97: You're Going to Get...
When Kouya came back to his senses, his first thought was that he had entered the wrong room. His hand was still on the doorknob, his mind blank for a few seconds as he stared at the scene before him, his pulse stuttering.
He instinctively took a step back and looked up at the room number...
It was his own room, no mistake. The familiar scratches on the door, the worn-out welcome mat—it was definitely his.
But could someone tell him what the hell was going on with the naked girl sleeping inside!?
Kouya froze for several seconds before finally stepping inside with a dark expression, closing the door behind him as quietly as possible. The click of the latch echoed louder than it should have.
The curtains were drawn, making the light in the room dim, only faint morning rays slipping through the gaps. The computer on the desk flickered with a cold white glow, illuminating the empty drink bottles, snack wrappers, and a mouse that still twitched from some auto-click macro. The faint smell of soda, chips, and girl perfume mixed in the air.
On the sofa lay a small, blonde, lazy angel — that was none other than Gabriel, the girl who found joy in poking people and skipping responsibilities.
She was curled up quietly in a sideways position, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, her breathing steady and soft. Her small chest rose and fell gently, the faint sound of her sleepy breathing somehow peaceful. Her sleeping face was so delicate and cute that it could almost make someone forget how infuriating she actually was when awake.
She wore a white frilled camisole, the thin straps hanging loosely from her shoulders. The neckline was slightly open, showing a glimpse of her delicate collarbone and smooth pale skin — and, from the shape beneath the thin fabric, it was clear she wasn't wearing a bra.
Further down, her flawless legs — soft and pale like fresh cream — were exposed to the air. Her toes curled slightly in her sleep, the faint pink hue on them like flower petals. Her small, round feet rested over the armrest of the sofa as if she had kicked off her blanket halfway through the night.
Yes, Gabriel was only wearing panties on her lower half.
A pink pair with a cat pattern and a little ribbon tied into a bow at the waist — a bow that looked as though it would come undone if someone so much as tugged on it.
Of course, that wasn't the main point.
The main point was — why the hell was this lazy angel in his room!?
He'd only been gone one night, but why did it feel like a whole year had passed!?
"Get up!" Kouya barked with a dark face, his voice sharp enough to cut through the silence.
"..."
The room stayed quiet. The only sound was the low hum of the computer and the angel's faint breathing.
The lazy girl slept soundly, her golden hair scattered like silk over the pillow.
Kouya's lips twitched slightly, and with a sigh, he reached out — not for the tempting ribbon bow at her waist, but for her ear.
Her long lashes trembled as she stirred, and she finally opened her eyes. Still half-asleep, she blinked lazily, her gaze unfocused, her lips parting in a small yawn.
"Mm... you're back..." Gabriel mumbled, covering her mouth with her hand, her voice drowsy and sweet.
"Why are you in my room?" Kouya asked flatly.
"Eh? Your room?" Gabriel blinked, her expression slow to process. Her eyes wandered around the room, then back to the sofa, then down to herself.
And then—
"Ah!!!" Her scream tore through the air like an explosion.
Shut up, lazy angel!
You're the one who broke in! Don't act like I'm the villain here!
And seriously, what are you even covering!? I've already seen everything!
That holy light of yours isn't doing much of a job either!
And then, from downstairs, came an even louder shout.
"Keep it down! It's my only day off, and you're screaming your lungs out! If you're doing that kind of thing, bite on a damn towel!!!"
"..."
Gabriel froze mid-scream. Her face turned bright red, the color rushing to her cheeks so fast it looked painful.
This building was old and cheap, with paper-thin walls. Her voice probably woke half the tenants.
After that awkward moment, Gabriel finally snapped back to reality, scrambling to grab her clothes and press them against her chest defensively.
"Hentai! Don't look! Get out!"
Kouya nearly laughed out loud from frustration. You break into my home and strip down, and now I'm the pervert?
Instead of leaving, he stepped forward, looming over her. "I'll ask one more time — why are you in my room?"
"Y-you go out first!" Gabriel said weakly, her voice losing all confidence.
Kouya said nothing.
Gabriel puffed her cheeks and shouted, "Kouya-kun, you really are a hentai!"
Of all people, you're the last one who should be saying that!
You sneak into a guy's room and sleep half-naked, and now you're pretending to have morals!?
They glared at each other for a long moment before Gabriel finally deflated, shoulders slumping. "I-I didn't have a choice! My room suddenly lost power last night... the wires burned out or something..."
"Then stay at a hotel, damn it!"
"That's not a reason to break into my place!"
"I wanted to, but I'm broke!" Gabriel pouted. "When I was gaming yesterday, some jerk with rare gear started trash-talking me! I got mad and spent all my money on gacha pulls!"
You idiot! You can't even afford proper food, and you're gambling on pixels!?
"So I called you to borrow some money..."
Knew it. That call wasn't concern — it was a loan request in disguise.
"Where'd you get the key?" Kouya asked darkly.
"I-I didn't use a key!" Gabriel stuck out her tongue, pretending to look cute.
"How did you get in, then?"
"Umm... from the balcony..." she muttered.
You what!? Through the damn balcony!?
You know that's illegal, right!?
"It was Takanashi-san's idea!" Gabriel whined. "I was still thinking about it, but she pulled out a rope and said she wanted to explore the hero's treasure vault!"
Kouya's face twitched. He turned toward the bedroom — and sure enough, he found Takanashi Rikka sleeping there, hugging a pillow like a cocoon, a line of drool trailing from her mouth.
"Takanashi-san?" he said through gritted teeth.
It took several tries before the girl stirred, mumbling, "The hero... mustn't disturb the seal... cursed blanket... too strong..."
And she went right back to sleep.
Kouya sighed deeply. This was his life now.
He went back to the living room. "What did you two even do last night?"
"Just played games..." Gabriel said meekly.
"And the snacks?"
"When I game, I need snacks to stop myself from swearing!" she muttered, face flushed. "I'll pay you back!"
"Really?" Kouya said. "Didn't someone just say they were broke?"
"I-I'll have money soon!" Gabriel huffed, turning away again.
Kouya's stare was blank and cold.
Gabriel clutched her clothes nervously. "W-What are you going to do?"
As she asked, she subconsciously checked her halo — still dark, but her holy light was, thankfully, intact.
Kouya sighed again, rubbing his forehead. "You're going to get dressed, clean this place up, and wake Takanashi Rikka. Got it?"
"Oh..." Gabriel pouted in defeat, nodding weakly.
She picked up her clothes and turned toward the bedroom — but before she could move, the doorbell suddenly rang.
A familiar voice followed: "Kouya-kun, are you there?"
"It's Vigne!" Gabriel squeaked, her eyes wide, and she bolted into the bedroom like a cat caught stealing food.
Hey! What's with that guilty look!? Why are you hiding!?
Kouya went to the door and opened it. Vigne stood there, wearing a green blouse and blue jeans, a small bag slung at her waist. She looked neat and radiant, her smile warm enough to melt away the chaos inside.
"We were supposed to take Kanna-chan out yesterday," she said cheerfully, "but didn't get the chance. So... Kouya-kun, are you free today?"
She clasped her hands together and added with a hopeful look, "If you are, bring Kanna-chan too! I brought tons of snacks!"
Kouya breathed a little easier. Just as he was about to reply, Vigne's expression changed.
"Kouya-kun, did you stay up all night gaming again?"
She stepped inside, frowning. "Why is your place such a mess? Honestly... I'll clean up a bit, okay? Just think of it as thanks for helping us last time—"
But she froze mid-sentence.
Because on the sofa lay a single black stocking.
Damn you, Gabriel!
You left your stocking behind!?
The air grew heavy in an instant.
Vigne's smile disappeared. Her violet eyes narrowed, a cold spark flashing within them. "Kouya-kun... care to explain where this came from?"
"Well..." Kouya started carefully, sweat forming on his brow.
And then, from the bedroom, came a soft feminine moan.