Chapter 112: Kanna Goes to School
"About this problem, I actually know the reason." Raphiel extended a fair finger, smiling sweetly. Her long lashes fluttered as she continued, teasingly, "It seems idiots are always lucky; otherwise, it's hard to imagine how they've survived this long."
Hey hey!
So this is what they call 'fool's luck'!
Satania turned to her, puffing her cheeks. "Why do I feel like you just said something really rude!"
"Oops, I accidentally said what I was thinking out loud." Raphiel raised her hand to cover her mouth, eyes curving mischievously.
"That's even ruder!"
"Now, now, don't focus on such trivial things." Raphiel giggled, her tone dripping with mischief. "Satania-sama just won, but you haven't made your glorious victor's declaration yet."
Satania's eyes sparkled, instantly forgetting the earlier insult. "That's right! The final winner is me!"
She puffed out her chest, proudly putting her hands on her hips and looking down at Vigne and Gabriel as if she were some great ruler.
"Hmph, prepare to receive the punishment of the great demon! Vigne, Gabriel!"
"You only won one round of cards; don't make it sound like you signed our souls away!" Vigne couldn't help but sigh.
Satania grinned smugly. "Vigne, your punishment is to bring me one... no, two melon buns tomorrow!"
Vigne exhaled helplessly. "Fine, fine. I'll remember."
"As for you..." Satania turned her gaze toward Gabriel, her lips curling into a devilish grin. "Ahahaha—"
Under everyone's stunned gaze, the idiot stood up, walked dramatically toward the empty table beside Kouya, and sat down with exaggerated grace. She crossed her right leg over her left, and between her black stockings and short skirt, the glossy, pale skin of her thighs shimmered softly in the café's light.
Wait!
Why does this scene feel so familiar!
I've definitely seen this somewhere before!
Before Kouya could recall it, Satania lifted her foot slightly, as though a queen granting audience to her servant, and declared proudly:
"Gabriel, kneel before me like a little dog and—pff!"
Before she could even finish, Gabriel's lazy figure flashed forward. With one effortless punch, she sent Satania flying off the table, crashing face-first into the floor.
Satania, down.
Kouya's mouth twitched. Ah, now he remembered—this was exactly like that time at school when Raphiel made Satania eat melon buns.
You really do learn fast!
"Let's... talk this out. How about another cup of coffee?" the café owner said with a strained smile.
"Ah, sorry." Gabriel grabbed the unconscious Satania by the collar and started dragging her away. "Don't worry, boss. I'll just toss her outside."
"N-no need!" the owner panicked, sweat rolling down his temples.
"Relax. This idiot's really tough," Gabriel assured him with the same lazy tone.
That's not the point!
Vigne sighed, covering her face in embarrassment, and stood up. "Sorry for the trouble, boss. We'll head out now!"
As they finally left, the café owner let out a long breath of relief. "Ah... another peaceful day."
...
Outside, the rain had stopped. The pavement shimmered faintly, reflecting the glow of the streetlights.
"See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow!"
They waved to each other cheerfully before parting ways.
As they passed a vending machine, Gabriel stopped and held out her hand to Kouya. "Hey, lend me some coins."
What's with that gangster tone!
No wonder the café owner looked relieved when you left—you probably look like some kind of delinquent angel to him!
"I don't have change. I'll pay you back later," Gabriel muttered, pouting slightly. "It's just one card game, but that idiot Satania dared say something so stupid—it's seriously pissing me off."
Pretty sure Satania's the one who should be mad here!
You, who solve everything with punches, really have no right to say that!
"Guess you can only reason with idiots using fists..."
So much for 'God loves all.'
Is that what you call divine punishment—the 'Fist of the Fallen Angel'? Really touching.
"I'll cover it." Kouya slipped in a bill, pressed a few buttons, and the machine clunked three times before dropping the drinks.
"Eh, I get one too?" Takanashi Rikka blinked up at him, eyes shining.
"Yeah," Kouya said casually. Getting change was too much trouble anyway.
"Thank you, hero!" Rikka grinned, clutching the cola like a treasured artifact.
Beside her, Gabriel twisted off her cap and took a long sip, sighing lazily. "Tch, only this much? I wish watermelons didn't have seeds, avocados didn't have pits, and vending machines just spat out free snacks whenever I wanted."
Yeah, dream on.
...
Back home, Kouya followed his usual routine—took a shower, ate dinner, and sat down to play a few games. The soft hum of his console filled the quiet room.
After a while, his phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen—it was a group chat notification. This was the study group Vigne had created the day before to help everyone prepare for exams. Naturally, she'd added him too.
Two adorable cat avatars blinked in the chat window—the same folded-ear cats Vigne had rescued earlier.
Your group admin, Vignette, is online.
Vigne: "Everyone, time for bed!"
It's only 9:30, isn't it?
Even if you're not a gamer, that's still ridiculously early!
The chat went quiet.
Vigne: "Satania, don't eat melon buns in bed!"
Satania: "Eh?! How did you know?"
Anyone could guess that! You treat melon buns like your lifeline!
Another avatar flashed to life—a pink cherry blossom tree with a silver-haired girl. It was Raphiel.
Raphiel: "Hehe, Satania-sama's thoughts are so easy to read."
Satania: "They're not! I was just hungry from studying, so I ate some bread, that's all!"
Then an image appeared in the chat.
It was a picture of a girl with an ahoge holding a black umbrella, standing in a glowing magic circle surrounded by odd trinkets.
Rikka: "I'm summoning a dark spirit..."
Vigne: "Rikka! Don't draw on the floor! That stuff's impossible to clean!"
She's not wrong—that ink really does look permanent.
Wait!
Your priorities are a little off!
After a short pause, Vigne messaged again, clearly having gone to scold Rikka privately. "Gabi-chan, you're watching too, right? Don't stay up gaming—sleep early!"
Gabriel's avatar blinked—it was the stuffed toy she'd won at the convenience store raffle.
Gabriel: "Vigne, getting angry too much makes you age faster..."
Vigne: "I'll kill you~"
Raphiel: "Everyone, after exams, let's all go to the hot springs together! Kouya-kun, is that okay?"
Kouya frowned at the screen. How did she even know he was online?
Kouya: "You guys can go. Why ask me?"
Raphiel: "Because the membership card only works if you're there, Kouya-kun. It'll save us a lot of money, right everyone?"
Gabriel: "No thanks. I'm staying home to play games."
Vigne: "Even if we go, we can't go with a boy..."
Satania: "As long as I can fight Gabriel again, I don't care!"
Rikka: "If the hero goes, I'll go."
Raphiel: "Then it's settled—this weekend!"
Kouya: "Hey, you haven't even asked my opinion yet!"
...
Thursday came quickly, and so did the pressure of exams. The entire school was filled with the tense energy of students whispering formulas and last-minute notes.
Kouya leaned back in his chair, calm as ever. He didn't really care about being top-ranked. As long as his deviation score wasn't too embarrassing, that was fine.
The "deviation score," after all, measures how much a student's performance differs from the national average. Japan's favorite way of labeling who's smart and who's not.
By Friday afternoon, the final bell rang, signaling the end of the exams. The moment they walked out, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, as though a great weight had lifted from their shoulders.
Kouya stepped through the school gate, stretching his arms. That's when his phone rang.
"Hey, Kouya?" It was his cousin, Kobayashi, on the line.
"Yeah," Kouya replied.
Kobayashi's voice sounded amused. "So, lately, Kanna's been standing on the balcony every afternoon, watching the neighborhood kids walking home from school. She looks like she really wants to go too."
What?
That thousand-year-old blue-eyed dragon wants to go to elementary school?
Is that really necessary?
"I thought about it," Kobayashi continued. "Kanna's still a child, no matter how long she's lived. Keeping her cooped up at home isn't healthy. She needs friends her age."
More like potential snacks, right!
"I've already asked a friend to handle her registration paperwork, but she still needs school supplies. I've got work tomorrow... could you take her shopping?"
"If you can, bring that female classmate of yours too."
Why specifically emphasize female classmate!
Wouldn't that dragon maid of yours handle it just fine?
Kobayashi's tone softened, almost teasing. "Kouya, your cousin can only help you this much—"