That night, the clock neared eleven.
Asa Mitaka, clad in khaki cotton pajamas, lay on a cushion, her pale, perfectly shaped feet swinging gently in the air. She examined the pendant in her hand, engraved with her name.
"It feels so smooth…" she murmured.
"Yoru, how much do you think this jade pendant costs? Could it be worth a hundred thousand Yen?"
Yoru, still preoccupied with matters concerning Chainsaw Man, answered casually, "I don't know much about human currency. But since Hunger said it was expensive, it's definitely not cheap. More than a hundred thousand, for sure."
"Hiss, that's pricey…" Asa sighed, a smile tugging at her lips despite herself. "Your Eldest Sister is surprisingly generous. Not only did she give me this pendant, she's also promised to help you find Chainsaw Man."
Yoru frowned slightly. "Actually, I don't know much about Hunger. I just know she eats a lot. But if she's willing to help me find Chainsaw Man, she must be decent, right?"
Hearing Yoru's detached assessment, Asa couldn't hold back. "Ah, well…" She put away the pendant. "Has Yoru's mind been completely consumed by Chainsaw Man? That's your sister, your family…"
"Asa, she and I are Devils. Don't judge us by human standards," Yoru replied calmly.
"Hoo…" Asa flipped onto her back, stretching lazily, a mischievous smile on her face. "I'm free, I'm free! With Eldest Sister Fami helping, I don't have to struggle looking for Chainsaw Man anymore. Just by her expression, I know she's terrifyingly strong—definitely beyond Yoru."
"You're talking nonsense!" Yoru panicked. "At my peak, none of the four sisters could match me. Hunger? I barely notice her, and Eldest Sister isn't worth my attention!"
"Alright, alright, Yoru is the strongest," Asa teased, picking up her charging phone. "That sounded too perfunctory!"
Ignoring Yoru's protests, Asa dialed a familiar number.
Beep. Beep. The call connected.
"Cael, what are you doing?"
On the other end, Cael had just finished his daily work at the Funeral Home. He sat in front of his computer, typing a document titled Makima Illness Recovery Training. Several thousand words were already written, carefully detailing methods to prevent ambitious members of the Japanese Cabinet from achieving their goals.
Feeling sleepy just moments ago, Cael's heart jumped at Asa's voice. "I was thinking about Asa~" he replied, mimicking her tone.
"Hehe, if you're thinking of me, should I come over?"
Cael's heart raced. Instinctively, he wanted to say yes, but it was too late. If she went out now, she could be in danger. Though protected by the War Devil, he had seen her struggle against the Bat Devil before.
"No, if anyone visits, it should be me visiting Asa. How dangerous would it be for a girl to wander out alone at night?" he said firmly.
"Oh," Asa replied obediently, but a blush crept onto her face. "You can come, though. I'm home alone. Cael, you can stay the night here. How about it?"
Cael took a deep breath. She was seducing him. He shut the computer without a second thought. Whoever wanted to write this document could do it later. He couldn't concentrate now.
"How many bedrooms does your house have?" he teased.
"One," Asa whispered.
"One? Then I'd sleep in the living room," he said, chuckling.
Her face flamed crimson. "We… we can share a room."
"Not afraid I'll do something bad?" he asked.
"We're a couple. Eventually, we have to do bad things, don't we?" she stammered, finally ready to take this step with Cael. In other words, she agreed.
Cael exhaled in relief, excitement mixing with satisfaction. After nearly a month of hesitation and teasing, they had finally reached this stage.
"So? Are you coming, Cael? If you are, I won't go to sleep yet."
He hesitated. Psychologically, he wanted to go immediately, but he couldn't rush. Ritual mattered. It was his first visit to Asa Mitaka's home. Showing up alone might make him look like a lustful fiend. He took a deep breath. "It's really late today. I still have clothes to wash. Are you free tomorrow, Asa?"
"Tomorrow?" Asa blinked. Did he prefer daytime "activities"?
"Yes… I am free. Exams are over, and I haven't joined any university clubs, so I'm completely free."
In fact, after Yoru possessed Asa, she had long embraced a life of skipping school in favor of searching for Chainsaw Man or dating.
"That's good. I'll come tomorrow. Go to sleep now; staying up late speeds up aging."
"Mhm, mhm. Cael, you should rest early too, and dream about me~"
Cael waited until she hung up. Sleep would not come easily tonight.
---
Dawn broke.
Cael, exhausted from staying up all night, left the house early.
What gift should he bring? Expensive jewelry? Diamonds? No, those were meaningless marketing traps. Asa would prefer something practical.
He racked his brain. Asa had no obvious hobbies. One thing was clear: she loved obscure knowledge. At an aquarium, her detailed analysis of marine life impressed him far more than the official tour guide. While others might find her lectures dull, Cael found her utterly captivating.
Perhaps a book would work? No, e-readers were more than sufficient. A physical encyclopedia would seem trivial. Clothes, then. Asa's wardrobe was modest, and she had ruined a jacket at the amusement park.
Cael decided immediately. He went to a nearby clothing store and purchased five or six outfits that caught his eye. Thanks to his sharp memory and professional habit, he knew Asa's proportions perfectly, eliminating the need for her to try them on.
The sales assistant's eyes lit up at Cael's generosity. Mustering courage, she held up some revealing lace-trimmed outfits.
"Sir, since you're buying clothes for your girlfriend, would you like to see these sets?"
Cael's eyelid twitched. Those were undoubtedly QQ Outfits—entirely impractical and embarrassing. Asa would likely be mortified.
He waved her off. "No, thank you. My girlfriend is alr
eady beautiful. We don't need that to highlight her charm. Please show me something else."
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