"This is Persephone II. She's the daughter of Jashin-chan's and Minos's teacher and is temporarily staying with us."

Noticing the two angels' stares, Ryohei Tanaka, who was in the open kitchen doing prep work with Yusa, gave a simple introduction.

"Persephone II?" (ﾟдﾟ;)

Poporon and Pecola were both taken aback. Did that mean the demon in front of them was the daughter of the King and Queen of the Underworld? What an important figure! Even if she was from the opposing faction...

"Hello," the Second said, hopping off her chair. With a warm smile, she gave the two angels a polite curtsy. "You can just call me the Second."

'She saw right through us...', Pecola thought, though she wasn't surprised. Even without her halo, she still had angelic power within her; it was normal to be recognized.

Pecola placed her hands in front of her and returned the gesture. "Hello, I'm Pecola." By now, the former archangel's views on demons had changed drastically; she was no longer the angel who "despised evil."

Poporon, however, started dreaming of a promotion and a raise. If she could get her halo back and capture the Second, she'd surely climb the ranks in Heaven! She put on a facade and bowed back. "I'm Poporon. A pleasure to meet you!"

"A pleasure to meet you too!" the Second replied with a cute tilt of her head, flashing a bright, innocent smile at them.

"..." Poporon paused, finding the smile rather dazzling. 'She's a demon... How can she smile so innocently? It's so annoying!' she thought, turning her face away.

"By the way, why don't you two have halos?" the Second asked, curiously looking at the top of their heads. In her mind, all angels had halos. Why didn't they? It was strange.

The question felt like an arrow to the chest for both Poporon and Pecola. Pecola raised a hand and scratched her cheek, her embarrassment mixed with a hint of dejection. "I... accidentally lost it," she mumbled.

"Mine was confiscated," Poporon said, looking up at the ceiling with a melancholic air. Could you believe it? An angel came to the human world, only to have her halo confiscated by a human... If her colleagues in Heaven found out, she'd die of social embarrassment.

"Huh?" (◯Δ◯∥) The Second was completely bewildered. 'How can you just lose that? You're too careless!' she thought, looking at Pecola. She then turned to Poporon, unable to contain her curiosity. "Confiscated by who?"

Poporon shot a resentful look at Ryohei. "By his girlfriend."

"Poporon did something bad first," Ryohei clarified for Yurine's sake as the Second's gaze shifted to him. He didn't go into detail, giving Poporon some face.

"What did she do?" the Second asked, looking at Ryohei with wide, curious eyes like a child.

"Children shouldn't ask so many questions," Minos said, placing a hand on the Second's head.

"Hey," the Second protested, leaning her head back slightly. "I'm several thousand years old. I'm not a child."

"In my eyes, you are," Minos retorted, placing a hand on her hip. Standing at 167 cm tall, and over 170 cm with shoes, combined with her well-endowed figure, Minos for once exuded a big-sisterly aura.

Ryohei glanced at the two and couldn't help but think to himself, 'A several-thousand-year-old child... Good grief. This is a conversation you'd never hear between humans.'

"..." Pecola looked at the Second, thinking about how the number of demons in the restaurant was growing. Although her attitude towards demons had changed, she still wished for more friends from the angelic faction. But that was just a fleeting thought. It seemed completely unrealistic...

...

Night fell quietly, and the city lights began to glow. The restaurant was now open for business, but Jashin-chan still hadn't returned. When Yurine arrived from school around five, she frowned and called Mei Tachibana. Mei's answer was the same: she had let Jashin-chan go a long time ago. Her voice sounded perfectly normal, as if she were telling the truth.

However, after Ryohei asked Lucoa to help find her, Lucoa casually lifted her left eyelid, glanced first at Yurine, then looked in a specific direction, and announced that Jashin-chan was currently with a certain policewoman.

Yurine's face immediately fell. Ryohei was also speechless. That blasted policewoman was detaining someone in private while claiming she had released them. He had no idea how she ever became a police officer. If all the cops in Japan were like her, the country was doomed.

...

Having confirmed Jashin-chan's location, Ryohei didn't rush to bring her back. For one, the pre-opening preparations were already complete. Secondly, he had already asked Yusa to be his assistant for the day. There wouldn't be a spot for Jashin-chan even if she came back, so he decided to wait until after closing.

...

On the streets of Higashi-Yukigaya 3-chome, an old man with silver hair and a hunched back, still wearing a trench coat even in the height of summer, was driving a beautiful blonde woman to the restaurant.

"...We're almost there." Kureo Mado glanced at the car's navigation system and said to his daughter, of whom he was immensely proud, "Let's have a proper celebration today. Congratulations on graduating at the top of your class from the Ghoul Investigator training academy."

"Mmm," Akira Mado replied, leaning against the car door, her hand supporting her cheek as she gazed out at the passing streetscape. 'Glowing cuisine, huh?' she thought, intrigued.

...

Soon, the car pulled up in front of a restaurant. Kureo had made a reservation for eight o'clock. It was now 7:50. The father and daughter placed their order from the car and then, at eight o'clock sharp, got out, carrying their Quinques.

The old man took a few steps toward the restaurant and then suddenly stopped, turning to his left.

"What is it?" Akira asked, confused.

"I think..." Kureo's left eye narrowed while his right eye widened, forming a classic villainous expression. "I feel like some trash is watching me." A moment later, he added, "But it could just be my imagination." The feeling was fleeting. "Maybe I'm just on edge from overwork recently..."

Although he said that, Kureo made a mental note. He turned back to his daughter with a smile. "Anyway, let's eat first."

"Okay." Akira nodded lightly. Her slender, well-defined fingers, like white jade, tightened around the handle of her Quinque, her thumb resting on the activation button. As a daughter trained by Kureo Mado himself, her vigilance was naturally sharp. Even though her father said it might be his imagination, she too was now on guard. It was better to be safe than sorry; it's always good to be cautious.

~~~

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