"L-lolicon? Who told you that?" Shichen asked, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"Your file clearly says…" The girl trailed off, noticing his expression shift.
"Heh. Sounds like the Lion King Agency has a death wish. Maybe I should pay them a visit," he said with a chilly smile.
Since the girl was from the Lion King Agency, the "info" she'd seen could only have come from them—meaning they'd labeled him a lolicon. Slandering him.
"Eek—y-you can't go!" she blurted.
With his status, showing up at the Agency would be a catastrophe. He'd devoured the so-called strongest vampire, the Fourth Primogenitor. Even without seeing his full power, anyone knew how terrifying he was—especially since the other three Primogenitors each ruled their own empires. Whatever anti-Primogenitor measures the Agency had, the Primogenitors weren't exactly defenseless.
"And why not?" Shichen shot back.
"It's t-too dangerous," she said honestly.
"Oh? If you know it's dangerous, why fabricate rumors about me?"
"Rumors?" She looked confused.
"Why are you calling me a lolicon?" he asked, dead serious.
"?"
She blinked, then caught on. "You mean… you're not a lolicon?"
"Of course not."
"Then why keep the Fourth Primogenitor's twelve vessels? Every one of them looks like a loli."
"First, let's correct your terms. 'Loli' refers to girls around seven to twelve. How old do you think Avrora and the others are? They're not lolis."
"Is that so? Why are you so well-versed in this?"
"None of your business."
"But don't the twelve vessels look loli? What's that phrase… right: 'legal loli'!"
"…You know that term?" Shichen gave her a look.
"Of course!" she said, straightening proudly.
"Good for you…"
"Hehe~ which just proves you are a lolicon, doesn't it?"
"I said I'm not!"
"I don't believe you. You're surrounded by petite girls, and you conveniently took a teaching job in the lower division just to be close to them. Because you're a lolicon, Yukina had to be assigned to monitor you!"
By the end, resentment edged her voice.
"…You and Yukina are close?"
"Obviously! We're best friends—we're roommates."
"That so? What's your name?"
"I… why should I tell you?" she said warily.
"Won't tell me? Then I'll drop by the Lion King Agency."
"Despicable! Threatening me like that!" she snapped through gritted teeth.
"I'll also make sure they know they earned my payback because you picked a fight with me for no reason."
"Ugh… you're awful! Fine—my name is Kirasaka Sayaka," she said at last.
"'Kirasaka Sayaka'? Nice name," Shichen nodded.
"W-what? Flatter me all you want, I still won't like you," Sayaka said, blushing.
The Agency's shrine maidens lived almost exclusively among women and had little contact with men—overly sheltered. A little praise from a man was enough to make them flustered. Not that men usually got access to them anyway.
"I don't need you to like me. You did just ambush me."
"T-that's because… I came to deliver an invitation," Sayaka said, awkward.
"An invitation?"
"This." She obediently handed him an envelope—brand-new, gilt, sealed with silver wax pressed with a sigil of serpent and sword. Tasteful on the surface, but with something eerily off.
Shichen didn't take it. He already knew who it was from—the "snake charmer." So the guy had set his sights on him. Reckless.
"You're not taking it?" Sayaka asked when he kept his hands at his sides.
"Why should I? I don't know the sender, and the courier opened with violence."
"I—I was just… saying hello…" Her voice faded; even she didn't buy it.
"Some greeting," he said flatly.
"Mm… You're a Primogenitor—you're not going to die… And it is your fault Yukina had to start missions early. Who knows whether you've done anything bad to her…" Sayaka muttered.
"She started early because your people sent her. And how do you know she's not willing?" Shichen countered.
"No way she is! You're a lolicon and Yukina's exactly your type—of course she'd be in danger!"
"I keep telling you—I'm not a lolicon," he said, face darkening.
"I don't believe you…"
"Heh." The smile dropped from his eyes. "Seems I've been too gentle with you." He walked toward her.
"Eek? W-what are you doing? Don't come any closer! Pervert! Creep! Back off!" Sayaka forgot her training and stumbled backward, shouting.
He remembered she had a touch of androphobia, but that didn't change his decision to punish her.
Shichen stepped in, caught her flailing hands with his right, and pinched her cheeks with his left, forcing her lips into a pout.
"W-what are you going to do to me?" she asked, tense.
"Punish you, of course," he said with a cold smile.
"P-punish?"
"I settle scores. Girls who make a scene get punished. One of your 'Three Saints' already learned that."
"Eh? One of the Three Saints? Really?" Sayaka's eyes went wide.
"Why would I lie?"
"H-how did you punish them?" she asked cautiously.
"You're about to find out."
"What do you—hey! What are you doing?!" Shichen hoisted her sideways against his hip so she couldn't see, then raised his hand and glanced at the skirt-covered target.
Smack—!
The crisp crack rang across the rooftop—though he'd set a barrier so no one could witness it.
"—!" Sayaka's eyes flew open as a hot sting bloomed; her face flushed and tears sprang up. She'd just been… spanked. By a man. By the Fifth Primogenitor.
Smack—!
"You—you—! Aaaah!" Sayaka's ears burned as she squirmed, hands and feet flailing, but his arm pinned her fast.
"Still resisting?" Another slap fell.
Smack—!
"I—I'll fight you—aaah!"
Smack—!
"You—how could you… You pervert! Creep! Beast! I'll—ah~"
Another slap; she yelped.
"Still going to scream?"
"I'll kill you—!"
Smack—!
"Eep—"
Sayaka cried out again, then fell silent.
Just as Shichen was considering whether to lift her skirt for "extra emphasis," he heard sobbing.
"Sob, sob—How could you… I can't show my face after this—sob…"
"Wait, are you crying?" He blinked and looked back; her eyes were brimming.
"I've never been humiliated like this… It's too embarrassing—I don't want to live!"
Pain was one thing; the disgrace was worse.
"…Is it really that serious?"