Chapter 193: Master Meow

  "Don’t move!"

  The sharp command sliced through the air like a whip. Kouya’s tone carried that subtle authority that made Gabriel’s entire body freeze. Beneath him, the fallen angel stopped struggling, her wide golden eyes flickering with confusion and faint panic.

  "W-What are you doing?" she stammered, voice trembling as her hands pressed weakly against his chest. Her wings twitched, feathers trembling as if mirroring her heartbeat.

  Kouya leaned slightly closer, his gaze dark and unwavering. Without a word, he reached up and brushed aside a stray lock of her messy blonde hair, tucking it gently behind her ear. His fingertips trailed across her cheek with deliberate slowness.

  The warmth of his touch seared her skin. Gabriel’s breath caught in her throat; her eyelashes fluttered, and her heart slammed violently in her chest. For one suspended heartbeat, she forgot how to breathe. Her mind spun wildly—an overwhelming rush of embarrassment, anger, and something she couldn’t quite name flooding her senses.

  ‘Y-you bastard! How dare you touch me like that!’

  Her inner voice screamed, but her limbs refused to obey. Every inch of her body was tense, frozen between outrage and the strange, unbearable heat crawling under her skin.

  Meanwhile, Kouya’s pulse was pounding too. The subtle fragrance of her hair, the softness of her skin, the faint quiver of her lips—everything drew him closer like gravity. Staring at those trembling pink lips that opened slightly in protest, he felt an irresistible impulse rising inside him.

  Just one kiss. He only had to lean in a little closer—

  And then, abruptly, a bright ringtone shattered the silence.

  Kouya froze mid-motion, his expression hardening.

  Gabriel, realizing her chance, bolted. She wriggled free from his arms, her movements quick and clumsy. In one swift motion, she yanked up the hood of her dinosaur pajamas to cover her blazing red cheeks and ears, then sprinted toward the door.

  “Hentai! You—you big hentai! You’ll pay for this!” she yelled as she fled down the hall.

  Kouya sighed, running a hand through his hair, and finally answered the ringing phone.

  “Kou-kun, are you awake?” The miko’s voice was calm and elegant, soft as the whisper of wind through morning leaves.

  “Yeah,” Kouya replied. “Just got up.”

  “If you’re free, why don’t you come by for a meal?” she invited, her tone carrying a gentle warmth.

  Kouya hesitated, glancing toward the wall separating him from the angel’s room. Gabriel was probably sulking under her blanket again. Vigne wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow. He had no particular plans. “Alright,” he said simply.

  …

  The sun hung bright and golden when Kouya arrived at the shrine. A row of little girls stood by the entrance, all tiptoeing as they peered expectantly toward the road.

  “Kou-nii is here!”

  “It’s Master!”

  “Good morning, meow~”

  Their cheerful voices echoed through the courtyard. The moment they saw him, the group of lolis rushed forward like a small wave of energy, skirts fluttering and tails—real or fake—bouncing behind them. Their eyes sparkled, but their focus was not on his face.

  It was on the paper bag in his hand.

  “Kou-nii, what’s in there?” the pervy loli asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Taiyaki,” Kouya replied, lifting the bag slightly. “Picked it up on the way.”

  The pervy loli’s face fell instantly. “Oh…” she muttered, shoulders slumping.

  Only the catgirl perked up. Her tail swished excitedly as she clapped her hands. “I want fish, meow!”

  Kouya resisted the urge to laugh. “It’s not actually fish, you know.”

  He sighed inwardly. Taiyaki was shaped like a fish, sure, but it was filled with sweet red bean paste—not something any catgirl would actually crave. Just like wife cakes didn’t contain wives, and snake fruit had nothing to do with snakes.

  It wasn’t hard to realize why the girls had gathered here. Their “welcome” was merely a pretense—the real reason was likely the spiritual cookies he sometimes brought.

  With a faint smirk, Kouya reached into his coat and pulled out a small packet. “Here. Share these among yourselves.”

  The girls’ eyes widened with joy. “Thank you, Kou-nii!” “Yay, cookies!” Their happy voices echoed as they dashed away, giggling.

  Meanwhile, the catgirl stood still, torn between the taiyaki in her hands and the cookies the others were carrying away.

  “I want cookies too, meow!” she said, taking a hesitant step forward.

  One of the girls turned back and teased, “No way! You already have taiyaki!”

  The catgirl froze. Her little ears twitched, and she bit her lip in indecision. Finally, she turned her pleading gaze toward Kouya, eyes shimmering like a kitten left out in the rain.

  “Why are you staring at me like that?” Kouya asked with raised brows.

  Her cheeks turned pink. She shuffled her feet and whispered, voice trembling with embarrassment, “M-Master... I want some too, meow~”

  Kouya sighed in exasperation, hiding his amused smile. “…Fine. Just one.”

  …

  Inside the shrine’s courtyard, the scent of cherry blossoms filled the air. Under the blooming tree stood the miko, her long black hair swaying gently in the breeze. She wore her usual red-and-white outfit, the crimson ribbon cinching her waist and accentuating her delicate frame.

  When she turned toward him, her smile was serene. “You came. The girls have been talking about you since yesterday.”

  Kouya’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re injured?”

  The miko hesitated, glancing down. Then, seeing the faint concern in his gaze, she nodded softly. “Yes. I was hurt yesterday, but it’s nothing serious.”

  “What happened?”

  Her expression turned thoughtful. “After we defeated that great youkai at the hot spring resort, the nearby mountains fell into chaos. Without a leader, the other monsters began fighting among themselves. Some even wandered into human lands.”

  She paused, her voice lowering. “Onmyoji families like ours may hold authority and privilege, but that means responsibility as well. Yesterday, while settling a conflict between two youkai, I got caught in the fight.”

  Her lips curved into a faint smile. “Don’t worry. It’ll heal in a few days.”

  “I see.” Kouya’s tone was calm, though his brow furrowed slightly. He hadn’t imagined that punching that silver wolf to death would ripple out like this. Still, he wasn’t the type to lose sleep over consequences.

  “Also…” The miko’s eyes lifted to meet his. “That great youkai despised humans, so most of her followers avoided the cities. But now that she’s gone, many have fled into human society to escape the ongoing battles. It may cause disturbances.”

  “So more onmyoji will be active,” Kouya summarized.

  She nodded. “If you see a hostile youkai, you can deal with it—or call me.”

  Kouya gave a small, confident nod. “If you ever face something beyond your strength, call me immediately. I’ll come.”

  The miko’s smile deepened, her tone light and sincere. “Alright. I’ll remember that.”

  …

  “Wow! Eromanga-sensei is streaming today!” the pervy loli’s excited shriek echoed through the living room.

  Kouya turned lazily toward the screen. A young girl with long silver hair and a mask was sitting in front of her computer, drawing something with intense focus.

  And on her tablet screen was a loli in a bikini—her hand tugging at the string of her panties, lips slightly parted in a playful, teasing pose. The atmosphere was dripping with lewdness.

  “Hehe,” the pervy loli giggled proudly. “Kou-nii, this is Eromanga-sensei! Her art is amazing!”

  Kouya stared flatly. “You do know what ‘Eromanga’ means, right?”

  “I do~ but she’s still the best!”

  Kouya pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘You’re already corrupted enough, kid.’

  The pervy loli leaned closer to the screen. “My classmate said her sister goes to the same school as Eromanga-sensei! I wanna meet her! Kou-nii, come with me!”

  “Not interested,” Kouya replied instantly.

  “Then… I’ll give you my sister’s panties!”

  Kouya choked on his tea. “What the—”

  Before he could even recover, a shadow loomed behind the pervy loli. The miko stood there silently, her expression gentle but her cheeks faintly red.

  “Hinata.”

  “Eek! Big Sis is scary!”

  …

  The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully. Kouya stayed to chat for a while, basking in the calm atmosphere of the shrine, before finally taking his leave.

  By the time he reached the small bridge nearby, the sky was painted in hues of red and gold. The river shimmered beneath the fading sunlight.

  There, leaning quietly against the railing, stood Hotaru—the woman from the previous night. The wind played with the hem of her light blue kimono, the scene so still and picturesque it felt like a painting come to life.

  As he approached, she turned her head, her calm eyes reflecting the dying light of the sun. Then she bowed slightly. “Kouya-sama,” she said softly, her voice carrying a faint tremor, “I’ve made my decision. I’m ready to give him my blessing.”

  Kouya’s gaze met hers, unreadable. “When?”

  “Now.” A small, tender smile curved her lips. “He’s painting me right now…”