“Ugh... I’m dying...”
“Waaah! That was fun!”
“Haa... haa... Asuna... do you even have any stamina left?”
Karin and Akane had already collapsed ages ago, and Asuna was the only one still sitting there, eating the leftover pizza and chicken.
“Wow... I’ll admit it. You really know how to have fun, Asuna.”
“Yep! Thanks!”
“So... Haruta, are you heading out now?”
“Uh... I kind of... want to rest a little longer...”
“Yeah... I had no idea playing could be this exhausting...”
“Right. Then I’ll just help clean up.”
“Thanks...”
Even Neru, who was so strong on the battlefield, seemed unable to keep up with Asuna’s stamina and was slumped over.
“But... Haruta, didn’t you eat a lot too?”
“No? Chicken is one whole bird per person. That’s just the rule.”
“? The rule? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Ah... well, there’s just such a thing.”
“Well... everyone looks tired, and you do too...”
“Yeah. Then get the kids to bed. I’m heading out.”
“Yeah, take care.”
After exchanging a light farewell with Neru, Haruta checked the time and saw that it was already nine o’clock.
“Wait a second... Sensei... will they be okay?”
Worried, he quickly made a call.
“...Just a moment...”
Beep
“Uwaaah... Haruta... save me...”
“Huh? Sensei? What did you do this time?”
“Ah... I’m so tired...”
“Tell me where you are. I’ll come over.”
“The... Game Development Department...”
“Huh? What did you say?”
It seemed the Game Development Department girls had gotten Sensei caught up in making a game again, and the two of them had lost track of time while playing.
“...What is it with them, seriously?”
Haruta quickly moved through space and appeared in front of Sensei.
“Sen... Sensei?”
“Ah... Ha... ru... ta?”
“Hey! What did you do to Sensei?”
“Eek!! W-We... Sensei said... let’s work hard... on making the game...”
“Ah... so they really were just exhausted...”
“Waaah... Haruta, there’s not much time left until Millennium Prize, so you have to help us...”
“Yeah, yeah... then hang in there, and get some rest as soon as possible... no, actually, take a little break first.”
“Thanks... Haruta.”
“Yes... please rest a bit.”
Haruta slipped away quickly and opened his phone.
“Akashi, I’m bored...”
“Hmm... then should I read the message you just got?”
“Huh? From who?”
“Sorasaki Hina.”
“Oh? Wait, just show me.”
“Hehe, understood. You really are in a hurry.”
Haruta had last spoken with Hina, but he’d been so busy he hadn’t even managed to reply properly.
“[Haruta, are you busy?] 9:22”
“[No? I’m done for now and resting.] 9:22”
“[Then... could we meet for a moment?] 9:22”
“[Hmm...] 9:23”
“[Ah... I guess... that’s impossible...?] 9:23”
“[Should I just come straight to the Gehenna Prefect Team?] 9:23”
“[What? You’re really coming?] 9:23”
Crash!
This time, he opened the way a little differently, punching it open. It was easier to step through and wider than before, which was nice.
“Wah! Haruta???”
“Yeah. I’m here, Hina.”
“Y-Yeah...”
“So why did you call me?”
“Th-that’s... because I wanted to see you...”
“What? I can’t hear you.”
“Uu... I said I wanted to see you!”
“Haha... yeah, I wanted to see you too, Hina.”
Haruta buried his face against Hina’s head and asked her,
“Hina, am I a Gehenna student... or just a student from some other school?”
For reasons he didn’t even understand, he could switch between angel and demon wings as he pleased. That was why even getting into Trinity had gone smoothly.
His horns vanished naturally as his halo changed.
And because he wasn’t thinking about it now, he just looked like an ordinary Gehenna student with four wings.
“Hmm... Gehenna students do have all kinds of traits like wings, horns, tails, and so on... but someone with four wings like you, Haruta... I think that would be a first.”
“Well, that’s what makes it better. The worst criminal in Kivotos, and his defining feature is four wings... isn’t that cool?”
Haruta asked Hina carefully.
“Haa... seriously, the more I look at you, the more it feels like nothing about you has changed...”
“Haha, that’s what makes it better.”
“Hehe... that’s why I like you.”
“Haa... you really are cute.”
Haruta helped Hina with the Gehenna work, then went straight back to Schale.
“Phew... the moonlight is pretty tonight.”
And so, once again, he fell asleep with a song playing in the background.
-----------------------------------------------------
One week later.
“Oh, so Millennium Prize is finally over?”
“Yep! And the Game Development Department even got a special award! Pretty cool, right?”
“Sounds like all that effort paid off.”
“Hehehe, of course! This Sensei is truly great!”
“Haha, that’s impressive.”
“Well, Haruta, you had plenty of fun too, didn’t you?”
“Yes... I had a day free for a bit, so I made a track with the C&C girls... it was nice.”
“Right... and public opinion about you is getting better and better! Don’t worry.”
“Well... that doesn’t erase my crimes.”
“Still, responsibility is something adults should carry.”
“You really are an incredible person.”
“Haha! What do you think?”
“Hmm... but Sensei.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“I’m curious... what did you do in Korea?”
“Hmm... I was a teacher there too.”
“That’s... kind of amazing.”
“Yeah... but one day I went to sleep and woke up here.”
“I... remember getting hit by a car.”
“...I see... was it hard?”
“No. As soon as I got here, I got put through all kinds of abuse and experiments.”
“...I’m sorry... let’s stop there.”
“Yes... more importantly, shouldn’t we go to the Game Development Department?”
“Ah! Right, that’s true!”
“Then I’ll head out first.”
“Ah! Wait, Haruta! Come with me.”
“Yes.”
Haruta struck the air, and it cracked before shattering quickly.
“Oh, I can see it right away.”
“Then let’s go.”
-----------------
“Sis! Let’s just have a little fun today.”
“Yeah... Millennium Prize is over now...”
“Great! Let’s enjoy ourselves today!!”
“Aris! We’re playing again today!!”
“Hello?”
“Wah! It’s the strongest Demon King!!”
“Haha... yeah.”
“Aah!! Aris! Who is that person?!”
“Sis!”
“Uu...”
“? What’s wrong? That person is a good person!”
“No...”
“Ha... ha... yeah, well... he is a bad person...”
“Eek...!”
“But I just came here to hang out.”
“Huh? Really? That worst criminal in Kivotos?”
“Yep, of course.”
“Ba-bam ba-bam! The max-level Demon King has joined the party!”
“Haha, then today the Demon King will play with you!”
“Hehe, mortals! Tremble in fear!”
Somehow, the secondhand embarrassment hit hard, but the kids were happy, so that was enough.
“More importantly! We have to clear a quest today!”
“Hm? A quest?”
“That’s right! Today we have to clear the daily quest!”
Noticing Sensei’s meaningful look urging him to take Aris out, Haruta did exactly that.
“Aris! Today we set out on an adventure to clear the daily quest!”
“Hehe, then what should we do first?”
“First, we wander around and clear quests!”
“Right... then let’s go to the arcade.”
Haruta headed toward the department store he sometimes visited to play games.
“Wow! There are so many games!!”
“Right? Then let’s play some ga...”
He spotted a familiar orange-haired girl.
“Ah! Little maid lady?”
“Huh? Who are you calling little maid?”
“Eek... scary!”
“Oh, what’s this? Haruta? You came too?”
“...Well, I didn’t expect you to be here.”
“That stings a little. I do have hobbies, you know.”
“Then play with Aris for a bit.”
“What? With that tin can?”
“Aris is not a tin can!”
“Haha, sure, why not.”
30 minutes later.
“Aaaah!!! Seriously, why do I lose every time I’m winning!!”
“Neru, you really have no talent for games.”
“What did you say? Hey! Haruta, you try it.”
10 minutes later.
In the end, Neru played a total of 50 matches against Aris and Haruta and lost 47 of them.
“Kyaaah!!!”
Neru’s scream echoed through the place, but Aris and Haruta only looked at her with the smiles of victors.
“Ah! One more round!”
“Boss? An hour’s already passed.”
“Huh? Akane...?”
“Hehe, then let’s head back now.”
“Ah! Just one real match!”
“No.”
“Aaaah!!!”
Neru looked like a little kid being dragged away by her mother.
“Aris? Ready to go back now?”
“Yes! I had a lot of fun playing with the little maid lady!”
“Good. Then wait a moment.”
Haruta took Aris downstairs and brought her to the ice cream shop.
“How’s this? Tell me whatever you want! I’ll buy it all!”
“Waaah!!!”
Aris made herself a three-tier ice cream and paid for it.
“How is it? Tasty?”
“The Demon King... seems like a truly kind person! Just like a real hero!”
“Haha... a Demon King... a hero...”
“Aris will... never forget today’s adventure... and will keep it forever!!!”
“Haha... you really are a hero.”
“Wonderful! Then one day, we’ll defeat the Demon King and bring peace to the world! Will you join Aris too, Haruta?”
“Yeah... well, I’ll be the new Demon King then.”
“Ba-bam ba-bam! The Demon King has joined as a new companion!!”
“All right, Aris. I’ll shine a light on your journey! Promise?”
And so, they linked pinkies and made a promise before heading back.
He was pretty sure Yuzu had asked him for something, but he’d forgotten.
“...The worst criminal in Kivotos... the so-called Chaos... is in Millennium right now?”
“Yes... Lady Rio... as far as we’ve confirmed, he’s moving together with the
“Hmm... then I’ll have to recalculate.”
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