Chapter 276: Stay the Night
"So how did you even show up here?" Vigne tossed out her routine complaint.
"Mhm, because wherever Satania-sama is, you can be sure I won't be far behind," Raphael answered with her hands pressed together, smiling brightly.
Vigne pressed a hand to her forehead. "There's watermelon in the fridge. Help yourselves. And don't spit the seeds anywhere—spit them into the trash can."
...
"Gabriel, duel me!"
Satania held a wedge of watermelon, fighting spirit blazing.
"Let's see who can spit watermelon seeds more accurately."
Gabriel sat on the sofa watching TV, completely uninterested in dueling. "No."
"H-How dare you look down on a sacred duel. I'll settle this today!"
"Move. You're blocking the TV."
"Duel me and I'll move."
The lazy angel tipped her head back and said, "Ah," then murmured, "Fine, let's duel… Accuracy is whatever. Why don't we compete on distance instead?"
"Great, great."
"You go first," Gabriel said listlessly.
"Hmph. Foolish Gabriel, you're destined to be defeated by me!" Satania laughed three times, chomped a bite of melon, then mumbled, "Watch closely!"
With a "biu~" like a Peashooter from Plants vs. Zombies, a single seed shot out.
It flew clean over the trash can, smacked the wall hard enough to leave a tiny mark, then bounced down to the floor.
And then…
"Vigne, Satania's spitting seeds everywhere!" Gabriel called, turning her head.
"…Satania!!!"
...
Half an hour later, dinner was finally ready.
Vigne brought the dishes out, untied her apron, and issued orders with the authority of a head of household.
"Satania, get up and wash your hands. The floor's cold."
"Gabi-chan, clean up the snacks!"
"Rikka, help carry the dishes."
"Raphael, bring the rice cooker over."
"…"
Once everything was set, Kouya looked at the girls seated around the table and suddenly felt a strange warmth.
He used to eat convenience-store bento alone, quietly. Tasty enough, sure, but it was just about filling his stomach. This felt completely different.
At the table, Vigne said in praise, "Kouya made all these. I've tasted them already—they're really good. You should try."
Raphael picked up a bite of celery stir-fried with pork, took a gentle nibble, and quickly raised a thumb. "I give Kouya nine points."
She blinked and flashed a playful smile. "The remaining ninety-one are so he doesn't get cocky."
'So out of a hundred you gave me nine?!'.
'I don't need that kind of compliment!'
Just then, Gabriel used the communal chopsticks to drop a bundle of shredded green pepper into Kouya's bowl. "Hey, eat more. You need the nutrients."
Kouya stared at the peppers in his bowl in silence.
'It's green pepper stir-fried with pork, and you only gave me the peppers?'
He lowered his gaze and took a bite of pepper.
"How is it?" the lazy angel asked.
"Not bad…"
'Of course it's not bad. I cooked it.'
"Then have some more." She reached over for another bunch of peppers.
Kouya's face darkened; he simply took his bowl away. "I'm full!"
...
After the meal, once the dishes were cleaned up, Vigne cleared her throat and said,
"Our club still hasn't held an actual activity yet. I'm thinking about a training camp, so I wanted to hear everyone's opinions."
"Eh? A training camp?" Satania's eyes lit up. "Let's play!"
A training camp meant living together for a set time in the same place, practicing and improving together—basically a group intensive.
Vigne kept her pretty face stern. "It's not a trip. When we come back, everyone will write a reflection."
Raphael thought for a moment, lifted a slender finger, and said, "How about the zoo?"
"Who holds a training camp at the zoo!"
If you want to see animals, go watch nature documentaries.
"What a pity," Raphael said, disappointed. "I've always wanted to see the penguins at the aquarium."
'They're birds—why are they in the aquarium!'
"I don't want to go anywhere," Gabriel said lazily. "Gaming at home is the best option… Actually, why don't we party up and play together?"
"I'd rather go to the zoo and watch sloths," Vigne said deadpan.
In the end it was Takanashi Rikka who suggested they go to a food festival together, and the discussion finally wrapped up.
...
Time slipped by. Before they knew it, it was past eight and close to nine.
Vigne stood up. "We should head back…"
Right then, a flash of lightning cracked outside the window, and moments later rolling thunder followed.
Vigne stepped out to the balcony and saw that the already hazy moonlight had vanished entirely; even the faint starlight was gone. Only a heavy, pitch-dark night remained.
Lightning pulsed within the clouds.
The wind had picked up.
A chill night breeze tore through the streets and alleys, cutting through clothing with icy teeth.
"Looks like it might rain…" Vigne said, worried.
The words had barely left her lips when a cool drop landed on her cheek. Soon, bean-sized raindrops began to fall.
"Oh no, it's raining…"
Vigne clicked her tongue and turned back—only to find that no one else seemed the least bit concerned about the downpour.
Which, to be fair, made sense. This was Kouya's place, and he wasn't going anywhere. The lazy angel's room was right next door. Step out and you're there.
Vigne shook her head. "Kouya, do you have an umbrella at home?"
"One," Kouya said after glancing at the sheets of rain outside. "In the shoe cabinet."
Umbrellas were a necessity, but he didn't use them much. He only kept a spare.
"With rain this heavy, we'll get soaked," Raphael suggested. "And we're dressed lightly. Someone might catch a cold. Why don't we wait for a bit?"
Vigne hesitated, then nodded. "Alright… maybe it's a passing shower."
Satania, still oblivious to any sense of danger, waved. "Vigne, Vigne, come watch this drama! It's super fun."
Turned out it wasn't a brief shower at all. The rain weakened from its initial burst, but it continued steadily, with no sign of stopping.
By the time it was nearly ten, the drama had ended. Satania rubbed her eyes and yawned. "So sleepy. I want to go to bed…"
She wandered toward the bedroom, half-asleep, ready to collapse.
"Sleep at home!" Vigne grabbed her by the arm. "Gabi-chan, do you have an umbrella in your room?"
"Yeah," Gabriel said after thinking. "But just one."
"So that makes two umbrellas. Barely enough…" Vigne began, but Raphael lifted a slender finger and, smiling with narrowed eyes, made a suggestion. "Why rush back at all?"
"Eh, what do you mean?"
Raphael chuckled softly. "Tomorrow's the weekend—no classes. Why don't we stay over?"
"But this is Kouya's room. Staying the night is…"
"We can sleep in Gabi-chan's room."
"Th-Then… alright," Vigne said, wavering. "Let's at least tidy up the place first…"
The girls headed into Gabriel's room next door.
Moments later, a terrified scream split the air:
"Aaaaah! Cockroach!!!"
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