Hearing Jahy's declaration, Hiratsuka Shizuka burst into loud laughter.
"Hah! Of course I'm paying if I'm the one taking you out. Don't you dare hold back on my account."
"Worry not. I won't."
The lunch break was brief, and by the time they finished eating, afternoon classes was nearly upon them.
Masao gathered his things and fixed Jahy with a look.
"Alright, I've got class. You should head home. Don't just loiter around."
"Home? I think not." Jahy crossed her arms. "It's dull being all alone at the house."
"Then what do you plan to do?"
"I will accompany you to your class."
"No." Masao's refusal was immediate and absolute. "You'll just be a distraction."
"Haah? How could I, of all people, possibly be a distraction?"
Witnessing the standoff, Hiratsuka smoothly interceded.
"Alright, that's enough. Since Jahy wants to stay, it's settled. I've got no classes this afternoon anyway. I'll give her a proper tour of the campus. How does that sound?"
"Are you sure it's not too much trouble, Hiratsuka-sensei?"
"None at all. It'll be a nice way to kill time."
With her insistence, Masao relented.
He turned to Jahy. "Your verdict?"
"Remaining with Shizuka-chan is acceptable."
Given Hiratsuka's timely rescue from those girls' clutches previously, Jahy decided having an ally—or perhaps a bodyguard—was a sound strategic move.
"Then be on your best behavior. No causing problems for Hiratsuka-sensei."
As he spoke, Masao leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper for Jahy's ears only.
"Listen. Be careful. Do not let Hiratsuka-sensei or anyone else touch the Mana Stone on your neck. If some human gets cursed because of you, I will make you regret it."
His desire for her to go home wasn't born of annoyance, but of caution. The Mana Stone pendant she wore was dangerous, a vessel of curses harmful to ordinary humans.
Without the protection of his own armor, he'd likely be hospitalized by now. It was the same reason he'd been so watchful during Yukinoshita's earlier fascination with Jahy.
"Your concern is unnecessary. I am well aware. And I would never let just anyone lay hands on something so vital."
Somewhat reassured by her reply, Masao straightened up.
"What's all the whispering about?" Hiratsuka asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Nothing important," Masao said, offering her a easy smile. "Just a final reminder to be polite."
"Well then, Hiratsuka-sensei, I should be off to class. I leave this handful in your care."
"Go on, get out of here. She'll be fine with me."
As Masao and Yukinoshita departed for their classrooms, Hiratsuka led Jahy in the opposite direction.
At the moment of parting, Yukinoshita cast one last, longing look at Jahy. 'I never did get to feel her ears…'
—
On the walk back, noticing Yukinoshita's unusual silence and distracted air, Masao glanced at her.
"What's on your mind? Jahy?"
Yukinoshita looked at him, offered a faint, almost imperceptible nod, but said nothing.
Masao sighed.
"Don't be fooled by her appearance. Her personality is nowhere near as cute as she looks."
Yukinoshita tilted her head, a flicker of confusion in her eyes. "You seem rather cold toward little Jahy."
"No," Masao shook his head. "I just understand her true nature. Give her an inch, and she'll take a light-year. Besides, she's resilient. A little sternness won't break her."
"You know her quite well. You two must be close."
It was clear to Yukinoshita that their bickering masked a genuine, if exasperated, bond.
She fell into thought again, murmuring under her breath, "I wonder how those… appendages on her head feel. Compared to a cat's ears, that is…"
Though her voice was soft, Masao caught every word.
"Oh, those? Their texture is surprisingly good," he answered offhandedly.
The air around them instantly chilled several degrees.
"You've… touched them?"
Oblivious to the sudden frost, Masao nodded.
"Once. She doesn't like it when people touch them though. Got chased off after one try."
"I see." Yukinoshita brought a finger to her chin,her expression one of deep intellectual scrutiny. "So, the timid type…? No, more likely the proud type. The strategy for winning over such a feline personality requires…"
Watching her descend fully into her analytical world, Masao could only marvel inwardly.
Anything even remotely cat-adjacent is a lethal-grade obsession for her.
A truly bizarre idea suddenly bloomed in his mind.
'If I cosplayed as a cat, would that be enough to capture Yukinoshita's heart? Garfield might be a solid choice… Petting… snuggling… hehehe…'
—
Setting aside Masao's concerning train of thought, Yukinoshita spent the afternoon's lessons in a rare state of inattention.
Not that it mattered; she had long since mastered the curriculum. Her formidable intellect was entirely devoted to a new, critical project: [Operation: Win Over Jahy.]
She was, in fact, mentally drafting a proposal to challenge Masao for custody.
Ahem. That wasn't quite right.
She wanted to… secure possession of Jahy?
That still didn't sound legally or ethically sound.
Jahy demonstrates a pronounced interest in food. 'A gourmand, perhaps. That is a viable vector of approach. Once a sufficient fondness level is achieved, then I can proceed to…'
—
Meanwhile, that afternoon proved enlightening.
Under Hiratsuka Shizuka's guidance, Jahy not only learned the layout of the school but also gained crucial insights into the modern human world.
She now understood electronics—phones, computers—not as sorcery, but as marvels of engineering and code. She learned they were tools for communication, entertainment, and information.
She learned that school was not a gladiatorial arena of bloody rivalry, but a sanctuary of youthful camaraderie and growth.
And she learned, with immense relief, that the figures in Masao's room were not captured spirits in miniature prisons, but meticulously crafted sculptures.
The world was far safer than she had presumed.
Yet, one mystery persisted, nagging at her.
Why, in the moving pictures and illustrated tomes on Masao's computer, were all the young women depicted in such… compromising positions?
Was it voluntary?
Or was Masao the shadowy mastermind behind it all, coercing them for his own archives?
Jahy couldn't puzzle it out. She resolved to interrogate him at the earliest opportunity.
___
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