Chapter 71: Envy
Yuuna and her group immediately headed to the spot where the anomaly had occurred. When they arrived, the scene looked surprisingly ordinary—just another area in the middle of a bustling metropolis, crowded with people going about their day. It was far from what they'd expected, and the sheer volume of activity made it hard to pinpoint what, or who, might have caused the anomaly. Luckily, they had Ueno Sakurako.
Sakurako was a half-werewolf, half-demon, and with her werewolf heritage came heightened senses of smell and hearing—abilities that would prove invaluable in situations like this.
"There, President," she said, her voice calm but firm as she pointed to a particular spot.
"A love motel?" Yuuna tilted her head, one eyebrow arched. "Why would someone causing an anomaly do it at a love motel?"
The notion seemed wildly out of place. Angels were known for their purity, so stepping into an establishment meant for sex and lust would taint that sanctity. Of course, if angels viewed sex as a pure act of love, it might be fine. But angels had the innate ability to discern purity from lust, and they couldn't turn a blind eye to acts devoid of love. Sex purely driven by lust could stain an angel's purity, and if an angel succumbed to that temptation, they risked falling.
"I think we're dealing with a fallen one, President," Hina chimed in, her tone thoughtful. "Fallen angels give off thicker, tainted auras compared to the pure ones from normal angels. I can sense traces of that aura lingering in this area—it definitely belongs to a fallen."
"Hmm…" Yuuna's eyes narrowed as she studied the love motel in front of them. "Hina, why do you think a fallen angel used their powers here, of all places?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Hina replied, her expression never changing. "But if I had to guess, whatever they're planning, it's not good. Fallen angels love exploiting humans' sinful tendencies. Maybe this one came here to tempt someone into lustful sin. That would explain why they chose this place."
It was a plausible theory. Fallen angels were infamous for preying on human weaknesses, using their inherent sinful nature to steer them toward darkness. They were masters of manipulation, spreading suffering and evil through acts like lying, murder, rape, wars, moral decay, and yes, sexual immorality. Lust was one of their favorite tools—it was easy to exploit and hard for most humans to resist.
"In that case," Yuuna mused, her arms crossed, "this fallen angel probably wasn't here to hunt Kouhei-kun specifically. They're just here to 'play,' huh? Makes sense if they're using their powers inside a love motel."
If the fallen angel had used their powers here, it was likely they'd tempted some unsuspecting human into sin. However, Yuuna hadn't heard anything on the local news about incidents that could confirm this. Typically, when someone was tempted by a fallen angel, they acted on the sin almost immediately. Yet there were no reports, no disturbances in the area to indicate anything had happened. Even her magic circle, which monitored the territory, hadn't picked up any unusual activity.
Something wasn't adding up.
'This would make entirely sense if there had been reports, but there was no reports at all. Maybe I am worrying things a bit, but I can't help it. If Kouhei's safety is compromise, then it would be a great loss for the entirety of demon race. And for me.'
For now, they couldn't afford to take any short cuts. They have to find what exactly that fallen angel did for Yuuna to be felt relieve.
"This would make sense if there had been any reports, but there were none at all. Maybe I'm overthinking things, but I can't shake this feeling. If Kouhei's safety is compromised, it wouldn't just be a loss for me—it'd be a devastating blow to the entire demon race."
For now, they couldn't afford to cut corners. They needed to uncover exactly what that fallen angel had done so Yuuna could finally feel some relief.
Hina, watching Yuuna's determination, shared the same resolve. She also wanted to get to the bottom of this. The idea of another anomaly potentially endangering the man she loved gnawed at her.
However, lunchtime, which they'd already stretched thin for this investigation, was running out. It was time to head back to school. But could they really leave without understanding what was happening? What if something happened here while they were gone? At the same time, Yuuna couldn't stop worrying about Kouhei.
The duty of being the Sarushima Group leader and ruling over her territory, or her worry for the man she loved—it wasn't an easy choice. But in the end, her duties had to take precedence.
"Alright," she said firmly. "Let's investigate further."
With that decision, they resolved to cut class.
***
Meanwhile, back at school…
Lunch was just about to end.
Hina had told Kouhei that Yuuna needed her for something involving the entire student council. Apparently, Kouhei wasn't allowed to tag along due to the danger it might pose to him.
However…
Nagisa was there, her arms firmly pressing his arm against her breast as they walked together. Naturally, people stared at them, some even whispering. It was only expected—Kouhei was apparently something of a celebrity for his rumored connection to the Ice Princess. Seeing him walking this closely with Nagisa, one of the school's most popular girls, was bound to spark chatter.
Nagisa wasn't just any girl. She was infamous for her casual flings and quick breakups, earning her a reputation for playing around. So watching her cling to Kouhei like this wasn't just unusual—it was scandalous.
"Um… Kiyohara-san?" Kouhei asked hesitantly.
"What is it, Kou-kun?"
"Uh, aren't you a bit… close? People are starting to stare."
"You don't need to worry about them," she said, pulling his arm even tighter between her breasts. "Besides, I'm here to protect you, remember? Who knows, someone might sneak up behind you and stab you or something."
"That's… pretty unlikely. But, uh… okay…" He sighed, realizing she wasn't going to let go.
Nagisa couldn't help but pout internally.
'I'm pressing my breasts against him, and he's not even reacting!'
Normally, when her breasts brushed against her dates, they'd immediately blush and lose their composure. She wasn't even trying—it just happened naturally because of how big they were. But Kouhei didn't bat an eye.
'Maybe he's so used to having tits in his hands that this doesn't even faze him. Jeez, all my effort's wasted…'
Kouhei had already had plenty of sex with Yuuna and Hina, both of whom had impressive chests. It wasn't surprising he didn't react to her pressing her breasts against him.
But she had something to hold over them—hers were bigger.
'I swear, I'll make him notice me,' Nagisa thought, her determination growing.
It felt strange for her to care so much about a mortal, but Kouhei wasn't like the rest. He intrigued her in a way no one else had. Most mortals were dull, predictable—but Kouhei was different. Maybe it was because he was the child of the anti-prophecy. Maybe it was something else. Either way, she couldn't deny it. She was drawn to him, and it wasn't something she was ready to let go of.
As they walked, a boy suddenly stepped into their path.
"Hmm?" Nagisa tilted her head, her ponytail swinging slightly as she sized him up. A smirk tugged at her lips. "Oh, isn't this rich? You're that same guy who tried to gang up on Kou-kun with your little posse, right? Only to swing at air and humiliate yourself in front of everyone?"
The boy in question was Takahashi. The same idiot who had tried to ambush Kouhei with a group of lackeys, only to fail miserably because Kouhei had dodged every single attack without breaking a sweat.
Takahashi didn't even flinch at her mockery, but there was something off about him.
Nagisa crossed her arms and leaned slightly closer, her grin sharp. "What? Are you here to pull the same dumb stunt again? News flash, moron—this time, I'm with him. Unlike Kou-kun, who had the patience to just dodge your pathetic punches, I won't hesitate to knock your teeth out. So think twice, alright?"
Kouhei's calm voice cut through her taunts. "Takahashi-kun."
His gaze was locked firmly on Takahashi.
Takahashi's face twisted in a snarl, his voice rising with every word. "Flirting with another girl again, huh? Saonji isn't enough for you? And I saw you last time with the damn President, too! Tell me, Otaku, just what is your relationship with all these girls, huh? Oh, wait, I know—it's nothing, right? It's nothing!"
His words came fast and erratic, like something inside him was breaking apart.
"No, no... It doesn't make sense! Why are they... why the hell are they all over you?! It should've been me!"
Takahashi's fists clenched, his entire body trembling as his voice cracked with raw jealousy.
"I get it now... You're the main character, aren't you? The perfect fucking protagonist, destined to have all the girls in your harem! And me? I'm just a side character... no, worse—I'm just some goddamn background filler! The girls I want... the girls I deserve... they don't even fucking look my way!"
Nagisa's eyes narrowed. "What the hell is wrong with this guy? Let's just go, Kou-kun." She tugged on his arm, trying to pull him away.
But Kouhei didn't move.
"Kou-kun?" She turned to him, puzzled.
Then she saw it. His face was serious—far more intense than she'd ever seen before. His piercing gaze remained fixed on Takahashi.
"See?!" Takahashi screamed, his voice cracking further. "Even you—Kiyohara-senpai! You're sticking to him like glue! Doesn't that seem wrong to anyone else?! Why would... why would an otaku like him get everything I've ever wanted?! Why not me?! WHY NOT ME?!"
Suddenly, the air around Takahashi shifted.
A dark, suffocating aura erupted from him, spilling out in waves. Nagisa froze, snapping her gaze back to him. The energy pouring out of him wasn't normal—it was thick, malicious, and utterly corrupt.
The aura of a fallen angel.
Takahashi had succumbed to envy and hatred.