The sky was still bright when Ryuya boarded the train, heading straight for his destination.
Since Sakurajima Mai hadn't summoned him through their contract, Ryuya had no choice but to go there the old-fashioned way.
Hmm… I really wonder when I'll finally evolve into a mid-rank devil. Then I'd be able to use teleportation magic.
Ryuya had been envious of that spell for a long time. Being able to teleport was like being part of the "car owners club" among humans—once you had it, getting anywhere became ridiculously convenient. No more having to trouble Akeno every time he needed a ride.
After nearly twenty minutes on the train, Ryuya got off and called Mai.
"Hello? Yes?"
The voice on the other end wasn't Mai's. It was a woman's voice Ryuya had never heard before.
He frowned slightly. "Excuse me, but who is this? Why are you answering Mai's phone?"
"Oh—my apologies! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Hanawa Ryoko, Miss Mai's new manager. She's in the middle of filming a commercial, so I'm holding on to her phone for her."
"I see. Then may I ask—how much longer will the shoot take?"
"Hmm, not long. Probably around ten minutes or so."
"Alright. Sorry for disturbing you. I'll call back later."
"Eh? Oh… okay."
The line went dead.
Ryoko blinked in confusion.
She wasn't sure what kind of relationship the caller had with Mai. Curious, she glanced at the caller ID. The name displayed was Ryuya, with a note beside it that read: 'Always available on call.'
Ryoko stared blankly at it for a moment.
So Mai had saved this guy's name like that? She suddenly felt that her celebrity client might be a little bit mischievous. The note sounded far too… intimate.
Always available on call? Could he be… her boyfriend?
No way, right…?
Although the remark made it sound suspiciously close, Ryoko quickly shook her head at the thought.
After all, who could possibly catch the eye of someone as dazzling as Sakurajima Mai?
Before long, Mai finished filming the commercial and walked out of the studio. Ryoko quickly stepped forward to hand her the phone.
"Miss Mai, a boy named Ryuya called earlier asking for you."
"Did he now? I see. Thank you."
At the mention of Ryuya's name, a faint smile naturally appeared on Mai's face as she accepted the phone.
Noticing that subtle smile, Ryoko couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
When she heard that name just now… Miss Mai looked happy, didn't she?
Still, as an actress, Mai quickly regained her composure and hid her expression behind a calm tone.
"Ryoko-san, my work here is done for today. You can head home now—you've worked hard."
"Hehe, alright then! In that case, I'll drive you back." Ryoko jingled her car keys with a grin.
Mai shook her head lightly. "It's fine. I still have something to do. I'll go home on my own later."
As she said that, she was already raising her phone, preparing to make a call.
Seeing this, Ryoko didn't press further. After saying her goodbyes, she left.
Mai dialed Ryuya's number. The call rang only once before it was answered.
"Mai?"
"It's me," she replied, her tone soft as she adjusted her bag and stepped out of the company building.
This wasn't her usual agency, but the headquarters of a large company that had immediately hired her for a commercial after her return to the entertainment industry. They had deep pockets—and history working with her.
"I'm at the izakaya already," Ryuya said.
"Then let's meet under the overpass," Mai suggested.
Ryuya had no reason to disagree. Glancing up, he saw that dusk had already settled in—the perfect time to pick Mai up and walk her home.
Five minutes later, Ryuya arrived at the overpass first.
Before long, he saw a stunning figure gracefully walking toward him from the other end.
Her long black hair flowed straight down her back, her figure perfectly proportioned, and her beautiful face was calm and composed—every inch of her radiated the aura of a proud queen.
Perhaps because she had just finished work, her outfit still carried a hint of professional elegance. Paired with sheer black stockings and high heels—
Hiss…
Even though she was already tall, her look now exuded such mature charm that no one would ever guess she was still a high school student.
As Ryuya stepped closer, he noticed the light makeup that accentuated her features. The subtle touches made her already beautiful face even more exquisite—so perfect she looked like she had stepped right out of a painting.
Such beauty made Ryuya unconsciously slow down just to admire her properly.
Meanwhile, the passersby around them had all turned their heads toward her.
"Hey, hey… isn't that Sakurajima Mai?"
"Whoa, it really is! She's gorgeous… Should we sneak a photo?"
"Uh, isn't that kinda bad…?"
Ryuya noticed the two men itching to take out their phones. His eyes narrowed slightly as he raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
Snap!
—Common Sense Alteration!
Instantly, the two men froze, confusion flickering across their faces as they stared at the phones already in their hands, completely forgetting what they were about to do.
Mai saw the whole thing and couldn't help but smile faintly.
She knew Ryuya wouldn't just stand by and let that sort of thing happen.
Normally, she dealt with such situations all the time—pretending not to see or hear, because that was all she could do. Deep down, she hated it, but confronting them would only make things worse. Say the wrong word, and the internet would explode with "Mai Sakurajima acts like a diva!" drama.
But now, with her devil boyfriend around, those annoyances were taken care of before they could even start.
"How rude—trying to sneak a photo of my adorable girlfriend."
Ryuya lowered his hand calmly as Mai approached.
"And how adorable would that be?" Mai asked playfully, seizing on his words.
Ryuya replied in complete seriousness, "Adorable like a nuclear explosion."
Mai blinked. "...What kind of comparison is that?"
"The kind where the cuteness is catastrophically powerful."
"..."
Mai couldn't help but laugh, giving him a sweetly exasperated glance filled with affection.
"So, what brings you all the way here today?" she asked, reaching out to naturally hook her arm around his left arm.
Ryuya instantly felt the soft warmth pressing against him.
Pleasant as that was, he still had to answer the question. With a light smile, he said, "Because I missed you."
"Oh?"
Mai clearly wasn't buying that.
"So you didn't miss me the past two days you didn't come, huh?"
"Of course not. It's just that today, I missed you extra much."
Perfect—textbook answer.
Mai's lips curved upward. "Fine, I'll let you pass this time."
Ryuya chuckled softly under his breath, almost as if talking to himself.
"Long live Queen Mai."
...
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