Chapter 525: The Disappointed Kirari, The Fanatical Sayaka
Justice and the others didn't head straight back to the company. Instead, they found a charming little dessert parlor, happily indulging in layers of rich cake and chatting the afternoon away. Cerberus was practically vibrating with excitement; for the demonic triplet, having an endless supply of sweets to devour was the absolute best way to pass the time.
They say a woman's stomach for dessert is a bottomless pit, and a female demon's appetite is even more abyssal. But Cerberus's stomach was on an entirely different level of terrifying. Nakiri Mana sat across the table, her elegant eyes wide as she stared in sheer astonishment at the sheer volume of pastries vanishing into the girl's mouth.
Justice scooped up a generous bite of strawberry cream cake. "This is so much better than being stuck at the company," she murmured in a lazy, velvety voice, savoring the sweetness. "I don't think I ever want to go back."
Lucifer slammed her fork down, exasperated. "Before you say something so irresponsible, could you please remember that I, your boss, am sitting right here?!"
Justice merely tilted her head, resting her chin in her hand. She didn't say a word, just quietly watched Lucifer chew her cake. Lucifer, on the other hand, went on high alert, staring back at Justice with a deeply serious expression. The Queen of Hell knew her old friend far too well; Justice always had a knack for baiting her into a trap at the most crucial moments.
Time ticked by. Justice still didn't speak. She just kept chewing, her relaxed expression completely unchanged.
Finally, Lucifer's patience snapped. She clenched her fist and barked, "Justice! If you have something to say, just spit it out! Did that cake glue your mouth shut?!"
Justice swallowed smoothly. "Lucifer, you really should learn to just sit back and enjoy good food."
"That's enough! What are you trying to say?!"
Justice tapped her cheek thoughtfully, a sly smile curving her lips. "Lucifer... are you throwing a tantrum?"
"If you don't start making sense right now, I really am going to get angry!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Justice chuckled softly. "In that case, maybe I shouldn't say anything at all. I just wanted to see if, by giving you the silent treatment, you'd eventually get tired of being mad and manage to 'conquer yourself'—just like Ren does. You know, calming down all on your own without me needing to coax you."
Lucifer's face instantly flushed a brilliant shade of crimson. "Impossible!" she shrieked, her tsundere defenses flaring to life. "Do you think you're Ren?! And what do you mean 'conquer myself'?! I was giving Ren a graceful way out! That's called being a considerate partner to my man! A meathead like you wouldn't understand! I'm indirectly punishing him!"
Nami and Aoandon, who had just arrived at the table with fresh drinks, exchanged a long, flat look. The entire group stared at Lucifer with identical expressions that practically screamed: 'Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night, tsundere.'They didn't fully grasp the mechanics of this supposed'self-conquest,' but her frantic excuses lacked even an ounce of credibility.
If Momobami Kirari were sitting at the table, the silver-haired queen would have undoubtedly sneered, 'Tsk. If you're whipped, just admit you're whipped. You talk a big game, as if you'd ever dare challenge Ren to his face. If you actually managed to win an argument against him just once, I'd buy you a coffee shop.'
Meanwhile, within the opulent Student Council office of Private Hyakkaou Academy, Kirari let out a soft, melancholic sigh. She stared down at the small plastic test stick in her hand, her icy blue eyes fixated on the single, solitary line.
Standing faithfully by her side, Igarashi Sayaka spoke in a gentle, comforting murmur. "President, it's perfectly normal not to succeed on the first try... And you might have checked a bit too early."
"I've tested three times now," Kirari replied, a rare trace of dejection coloring her usually imperious tone. "I really thought I might have hit the jackpot this time. What a pity. I suppose I'll just have to check again in a few days..."
Suddenly, Kirari turned her head and sneezed.
"President, are you coming down with a cold?" Sayaka asked, immediately stepping closer.
"I don't think so... It shouldn't be a cold." Kirari rubbed her nose delicately. "Is someone talking behind my back? Could it be that idiot Sonoko? No, no... Sonoko wouldn't dare gossip about me. Then who? Shion wouldn't dare either... Could it be... Ren?"
At the mere thought of that name, Kirari's pale cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink, and a faint, genuinely sweet smile graced her lips.
Seeing that expression, Sayaka's heart skipped a heavy beat. Not many people in this world truly understood the depths of Sayaka's feelings. Her greatest admiration, her most deep longing, had always been anchored to Momobami Kirari. And this longing was far from ordinary—it was love. A twisted, fanatical, all-consuming love. Sayaka would gladly lay down her life for Kirari without a second thought.
Kirari was well aware of this absolute devotion. Even though the President already had a lover, she had still carved out a tiny, precious piece of her heart just for her secretary. When Sayaka first realized this, the sheer ecstasy had nearly driven her mad.
But alongside that joy came a burning curiosity and a strange, reverent admiration for the man who had achieved the impossible. Ren was the only existence capable of taking Kirari—a woman Sayaka worshipped as a literal god—and reducing her to an ordinary, lovestruck girl who blushed at the mere mention of his name. Sayaka's world was incredibly small. It was so small that Kirari was the only person who mattered, the absolute pinnacle of humanity.
And yet, this flawless goddess was hopelessly devoted to a man. A man who had thoroughly conquered the untouchable queen. Thus, a new name forcibly carved its way into Sayaka's tiny world.
Over time, Kirari naturally began bringing Sayaka along whenever she went to meet Ren. Gradually, the secretary made a startling discovery: her fanatical love for Kirari had inevitably bled over, extending its roots to entangle Ren as well.
When Ren eventually noticed this shift in her affections, he didn't push her away. That silent acceptance thrilled Sayaka to her core. The fact that she was allowed to remain by the side of the two people she loved most in the world filled her with an intoxicating, overwhelming happiness.
Kirari was a remarkably bold woman, and whenever she was in Ren's arms, her passion burned with an intensity that left Sayaka breathless. Witnessing her god submit so beautifully only made Sayaka admire Ren even more. It was a complex, beautiful web of devotion, which was exactly why Sayaka ultimately chose to submit to Ren alongside Kirari.
Kirari sighed again, pulling Sayaka from her thoughts. "It looks like I'll have to go see Ren sometime in the next two days. If I don't, I'll be completely restless. Sayaka, you'll come with me."
"Of course, President."
Kirari walked over to her desk and picked up a finely carved chess piece, rolling it between her slender fingers. She stretched her back gracefully, a dangerous, predatory glint returning to her eyes. "Jabami Yumeko... Heh. An interesting woman. She actually thinks she can beat me... Impossible."
In the past, Kirari might have entertained the thrill of losing, or at least settling for a chaotic draw. But now? She would never lose. She would never allow herself to drop a single match.
She had made a sacred promise to Ren: she would never lose to anyone. Ever. The very word 'lose' now disgusted her. She possessed an absolute capital, a treasure she could not afford to forfeit. If she were to fail in the massive, overarching gamble she was currently orchestrating, she would genuinely lose her mind.
So, she would win. Absolutely.
Sayaka simply nodded in silence, her eyes locked on Kirari's exceptionally serious profile. She knew exactly what the President was planning, and her only role was to stand by her side until the bitter end.
Meanwhile, far away on the gloomy, mist-shrouded grounds of Kuraigana Island, an ancient castle loomed in the darkness.
Dracule Mihawk, the hawk-eyed swordsman, stood in the courtyard. He gave a curt nod to Roronoa Zoro, who was currently sitting on the stone floor, panting heavily and covered in fresh, bloody injuries from their grueling training.
"The timing is almost right," Mihawk said, his deep voice cutting through the eerie silence. "Fire Fist Ace was successfully rescued by Shopkeeper Ren. The day after tomorrow night should be the perfect moment."
Zoro gasped for air, gripping the hilt of his sword to steady himself. "Hawkeye... are you really going to go?"
"I have a desire to test this Shopkeeper Ren's true strength for myself," Mihawk replied calmly. His piercing golden eyes then shifted toward a dark corner of the ruins. "Also, you over there. The one eavesdropping in the shadows. Come out."
A ghostly figure floated out from behind a crumbling pillar. Perona puffed out her cheeks, her twin-tails bobbing as she shouted defensively, "Who's eavesdropping?! You two were talking so loudly! I was literally just passing by! And my name is Perona! Pe-ro-na! What is wrong with you two?!"
Zoro wiped a streak of blood from his mouth and chuckled. "Hey, don't mind them."
Perona's eyes snapped to the green-haired swordsman, her irritation boiling over. "I am not 'Hey'! Negative Hollow!"
A translucent, depressing ghost shot out from her hand, diving straight through Zoro's chest.
Zoro instantly collapsed onto his hands and knees, a dark cloud of absolute despair settling over his head. "I'm sorry... I'm lower than a flea... I shouldn't even be alive..."
"I told you!" Perona huffed, floating higher into the air. "I'm not 'Hey'!"
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