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Asagi's place wasn't exactly far from the city center. Even accounting for waiting on the elevator and riding it up, the entire trip barely took ten minutes.
By the time Bokue had walked Asagi back to her apartment, the lights in the first-floor living room and the second-floor hallway had already been turned off. Only a small entryway lamp remained on. The whole house was quiet.
"Looks like Mom's already asleep,"
Asagi whispered as she slipped off her shoes at the door.
Her mother had nearly died of a serious illness when Asagi was little.
Thankfully, through Bokue's connections, she'd undergone treatment via Onmyōji arts and made a full recovery.
Perhaps it was that brush with death—or maybe the sudden financial boost from her husband's career taking off—that had turned her into a devoted wellness enthusiast. Her daily routine now included shopping trips and spa sessions, with a strict bedtime before ten every night.
"Yeah, seems like it."
Bokue stood quietly at the threshold, not stepping any farther in.
"Well, you should wash up and head to bed. I'll get going."
"Huh?"
That caught Asagi by surprise. Her hands paused mid-motion as she swapped into her indoor slippers.
"You're heading out already... right now?"
"Of course. Don't you have to wake up early tomorrow?"
"Ugh—"
She grimaced at the spot-on guess.
"How'd you know that?"
"How do you think?" Bokue raised a brow. "Back when I first got here, you were halfway through undressing. Your pajamas were already laid out on the bed. What else would you be doing—getting ready to wrestle a bear?"
"Ugh... I mean, you're not wrong."
It wasn't exactly some master deduction, but it still made her feel like she'd been completely seen through.
Asagi cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Anyway, yeah, I do have to wake up early tomorrow. I've gotta swing by Keystone Gate. Should be back by afternoon though."
"Keystone Gate?"
The name didn't ring a bell for Bokue.
To be fair, he wasn't exactly well-versed in Itogami Island geography.
As a designated Demon Sanctuary, the place was mostly a junction between the Human and Devil Worlds. Bokue hadn't even set foot in the Underworld until he met Rias—so naturally, he'd only started familiarizing himself with Itogami in the past few days.
So Asagi helpfully translated it for him.
"It's basically the island's city hall. They just gave it a fancy name."
"Ah."
That made sense.
"Then I'll swing by again tomorrow afternoon."
"Ah—wait!"
Just as he began to shimmer with teleportation energy, Asagi reached out and scratched her cheek a little shyly.
"About tomorrow... how about we grab dinner downtown again? Just the two of us this time. You're free tomorrow night, right?"
She made sure to emphasize that part—just the two of us.
Bokue didn't even need to think about it. He flashed an OK sign.
"Got it. It's a date then. See you tomorrow."
"Mhm. See you tomorrow."
With that, the glow of spirit energy fully enveloped him—and a moment later, he vanished into thin air.
❁❁❁❁
Meanwhile, deep within the Underworld—night had fallen.
Inside the Gremory family castle, in a lavish third-floor master bedroom, a single flickering candle bathed the room in soft amber light.
"Haa~n..."
Dressed in elegant silk sleepwear, the gorgeous woman by the tea table let out a quiet yawn and covered her mouth delicately. She folded the corner of the page she was reading, then closed the book and set it aside, stretching out her arms.
It was hard not to feel drowsy. Venelana had read that particular book more times than she could count. Nearly every page, minus the index, bore folded corners from past readings. She'd memorized the entire thing to the point she could probably recite it like scripture.
But what else was there to do? Nightlife in the Underworld was practically nonexistent. Reading was one of the few decent options for passing the time.
Still, even the most interesting book becomes a sleep aid after the fiftieth read.
Alright, enough for tonight. Time for bed...
She took a breath, reached for the candle, and leaned forward to blow it out.
And that's when it happened.
A flare of golden spirit energy suddenly shimmered in the air—and the boy's figure materialized out of nowhere, catching Venelana completely off guard.
Still mid-reach toward the flame, she froze, blinking in surprise. Then, once she registered who it was, she slowly lowered her hand from her chest... and smiled.
"Ara~? You're back this late? Just got in?"
"Yeah..."
"You haven't showered yet, have you?"
"Not yet..."
Venelana didn't even let him finish. As soon as she heard he hadn't bathed, her eyes practically lit up.
"Perfect. Then tonight, don't go looking for Rias."
"Huh?"
"Oh, come on now. Don't try and play dumb, young man. You and Rias did that last night... didn't you?"
She pouted playfully, stepping in close and slipping her arms around his neck. Her fingers laced together behind his collarbone, locking him into place.
Their bodies pressed together at the waist. Her long lashes fluttered as she smiled.
"I saw everything this morning, you know. Rias was practically tilting at breakfast. And devils don't get hemorrhoids—so don't even try it. There's only one explanation for why she was walking funny, and it's that you did something naughty, hmm? And not gently, either."
Then she tiptoed up and leaned close, her breath warm against his ear.
"But you don't need to worry about that with me. You can do whatever you want to me, Bokue-kun. Everyone else is asleep, and the big bath on the second floor should be empty by now. Come on—after a long day, we have to get you nice and clean~"
Her voice turned husky by the final syllable, her lips practically brushing against his skin.
What she didn't realize, though, was that just a few rooms down the hall, a certain silver-haired maid had finished her duties for the night and was now gathering everything she needed for a soak.
The second floor bath should be empty by now...
She thought to herself, unaware of what was about to unfold just a few doors away.
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