After the transformation, Night carefully observed herself in a mirror.
"Nice," she said. "This is the most human I can get, plus I look stylish too. I heard that Goth fashion draws a lot of inspiration from themes of death and the macabre."
Then, she looked at the lethal weapon in her hand. "Although the only problem is... how am I supposed to hide this disguise without raising any suspicion?"
She analyzed the scythe. She couldn't just carry it on her back, and it took too long to summon when she was in her human form. Just then, she saw a group of students walking by. One of them was carrying something that caught her eye.
"Hmm," Night whispered. "That could work."
At the door, Hana appeared. She was wearing her usual doll-style dress and holding her luggage.
"I will be off, Harvey," Hana said. "While I am gone, please watch the house for me. Hmm? Has the season of spring begun? You seem to have undergone quite a change."
Night grinned at the girl. "Hey, just because we are celestial beings does not mean we don't have a sense of fashion, right? Besides, don't I look cool and more human as your guardian? Imagine being protected by someone with this much style."
"If I were a huge fan of metal and rock stars, I might think about it," Hana replied calmly. "But looking at it now, I know why I won't even bat an eye at such a sight."
Night just chuckled at the girl's response. "So, do you have everything?"
"As far as I have checked, that is everything," Hana said.
Night nodded. Just as they were about to leave, Harvey caught up to them.
"Wait! Miss Hana, you forgot to bring this with you!" Smiling, he handed her a small plush doll. It looked handmade, crafted carefully by delicate hands. Night watched as Hana took it.
Night thought to herself: A plush doll? Judging by how she holds it with such care, it must be very sentimental for her.
"Thank you," Hana said. "I almost left it."
Night's inner monologue continued: Left it? Did she really leave it by accident? Or did she leave it on purpose... as if once it is gone from her sight, it no longer exists to her?
Back at the cabin
"So, how will you deal with her now?" Lunx asked.
"Hmm? There is no problem with her attitude," Night replied. "She might still be cautious about us, but it is normal for her to act that way."
"Come on, Night, you know that is not what I meant," Lunx said. "I am talking about how you are going to protect her for three whole years."
"Wait, are you starting to question my ability?" Night asked.
"No," Lunx answered. "In fact, I have huge trust in your capabilities. You are a top-ranking Angel of Death who surpasses all others. I am not worried about that. I am worried about how you will deal with the demons."
Night went silent.
"The zombie demons you mentioned earlier," Lunx continued. "Both of us know they do not just show up at random. They are assigned to specific stations. Having them summoned in Hana's backyard is something we should be alert about. We cannot just be relaxed about this anymore."
Night nodded slowly after thinking about her friend's words. "You're right. That is another thing we should be worried about. I almost forgot about them."
"No, I think you were just too focused on the mission. On your redemption," Lunx said.
Night gave her friend a sharp look. "That is not the..."
"Don't worry, buddy," Lunx interrupted. "You don't need to tell me. I understand you and your principles. I also don't think you are being selfish. And I am sure Miss Hana will understand this as well."
Lunx glanced toward the room where Hana was currently sleeping. "So, back to my question: how are you going to protect her?"
At first, Night said nothing. Then, a sly smile appeared on her face. She looked back at Lunx and grinned. "I still stand by my answer. As long as we have the contract, she is always safe with me."
"Tsk, Night, you don't under..."
"Oh, I completely understand your concerns, Lunx," Night said. "But you seem to forget how I survived twenty years of training at the Angel Academy. Why would I fear demons..."
Suddenly, a sharp glow appeared in Night's eyes. They were no longer the purple eyes from before. Now, they glowed a scary, deep, hollow purple. It looked like a vacuum that could suck in your soul if you stared too long. Three lines gradually appeared under her eyes, looking like tattooed tears rolling down her face.
"...when they are the ones who are more scared of me?" Night finished.
The last sentence sent shivers down Lunx's spine. Suddenly, they heard the door to the room open. Night immediately snapped back to her normal form and began acting as if she were looking for something on the floor. Lunx quickly pretended to read a cookbook.
"I hope I will be enlightened by whatever is happening right now," Hana said, standing in the doorway.
"Hmm? Oh!" Lunx said quickly. "I am just trying to find a new recipe for the three of us. But it seems like some ingredients are missing."
Hana turned her eyes to Night, who was busy rubbing the floor with her hands. She looked like she was searching for nothing but air. Noticing the silent stare, Lunx lightly nudged the pretending angel with her foot.
"Hmm? What?" Night exclaimed. "Oh! I am looking for the missing ingredients! Hehehe."
"On the floor?" Hana asked.
"I dropped them!" Night said with a smile.
Hana stared at her for a long moment. "...Oh well."
Hana walked over to Lunx and glanced at the cookbook. She raised an eyebrow at the title. "Kare-Kare?"
"Yes," Lunx nodded. "Kare-Kare is a Filipino dish with a thick, savory peanut sauce. It is usually made with beef or pork and vegetables. For today, we will just use beef tripe."
Night, who had given up on finding "air" on the floor, walked over too. "Why? Do you not eat that?"
Hana shook her head. "It is not that I don't eat it. I have never tried it before. But since you mentioned it has peanuts, I may have trouble eating it."
Night went silent.
"I am allergic to peanuts," Hana said softly. "And from what I remember... my brother once tried to kill me using those."
That ending reveal about the peanuts and her brother is a very dark, effective twist! It explains a lot about her trauma.