Kazushi had stopped going to the café because he’d gotten sick of it, but it wasn’t that he disliked the place. He was simply quick to grow bored.
“Oh, I guess I haven’t, huh.”
“Honestly, you forgot who I was just now, didn’t you?”
“No, no, I could never forget a girl as cute as you!”
“There you go again. Ever the smooth talker.”
Behind the young girl, cheerfully laughing out loud, Kazushi saw an unbecoming black fog. It resembled some type of curse, and while it didn’t seem to be affecting her at all now, it would likely cause physical and mental harm to her if it stuck by her for long.
Curses definitely aren’t a good look on a cute young girl like her.
As Kazushi flashed a smile, he casually pulled out his trusty fan from his sleeve.
“Well, I need to get going now,” she said.
“Ha-ha, sounds like you’re busy.”
“I am. But you should drop by the café again. I’ll always have time for you.”
Kazushi tapped the young girl’s shoulder as she went on her way, and the black fog dispersed immediately.
“Got it. I’ll swing by soon.”
“I’ll be waiting, then! Bye!” the girl said, hurrying off. After watching her depart, Kazushi began walking off in the opposite direction.
On top of entertaining himself by teasing his close acquaintance today, he had also helped someone out; that put him in a good mood.
Continuing on a bit farther, he arrived at a peaceful park.
Near the park pond was woman in a kimono who cut a beautiful figure carrying a lace-trimmed parasol.
Well, well, well.
She was probably the wife of some noble, as she had a personal attendant.
He couldn’t get a good look at her face, but he could surmise just from the air about her that she had to be quite a beautiful woman.
Kazushi wasn’t sure why, but he was having a particularly lucky day.
It wouldn’t be very manly of me to leave without talking to her, would it?
Without much thought, Kazushi approached the woman, like a butterfly drawn in by a flower—until he froze with his smile on his face.
It was then that the woman, noting his presence, relaxed her fair and refined countenance into a smile.
“Oh…Mr. Tatsuishi. Hello.”
“H-heya there, Miyo.”
A cold sweat beaded on his temple. He had been in real danger. If he had tried to do anything untoward to Miyo Saimori, then Kazushi would have literally lost his head.
All that aside, the shabby and miserable young girl he once knew had drastically changed. Kazushi was shocked he had mistaken her for the wife of a high-ranking noble. Though in a way, that was exactly who she was going to be.
“Lovely weather, isn’t it? Out for a stroll?”
“Indeed, I am.”
Miyo nodded slightly at Kazushi’s question. This mannerism was just as lovely, and while it was no concern of his own, Kazushi grew worried about her attracting unwanted attention.
However, before that, there was something he needed to address.
“What is that in your hand there?”
There was a black fog escaping from Miyo’s free hand. Miyo frowned at Kazushi’s question.
“Um, there was a gentlemen handing them out. He said it was a lucky stone…and pressed me to take one.”
Sitting in the palm of Miyo’s hand was a small, semitranslucent rock. The rock was white, but it was emanating the black fog nonstop. This was another curse.
I see now.
Kazushi didn’t understand why, but apparently, there was a freak going around passing out curses.
“That stone is bad news.”
“Really, you think so, too? It did seem…a bit creepy.”
“Can I see it for a moment?”
Kazushi took the stone from Miyo, clenching down on it and crushing it. The effects of the curse completely vanished from the unexpectedly brittle stone.
“That should do it.”
“Thank you very much. “
Kazushi broke into a smile as he saw Miyo’s look of relief and peace of mind.
He appeared to have done yet another virtuous deed.
“Oh, no worries, it was a piece of cake. Give Kudou my regards.”
“I will. Good day.”
Leaving Miyo as she smiled and waved, Kazushi turned in the direction of the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit station with a glint in his eyes…
Awwww. Guess that means work after this.
…all while inwardly drooping his shoulders in disappointment.
By the time Kazushi had finished his slate of odd jobs and returned to the Tatsuishi estate, the sun had long set. Given that he would often come home at the crack of dawn, this was actually early for him.
He had assisted with destroying the base of operations for the criminal organization spreading this curse everywhere, so he was quite exhausted.
That being said, Kazushi had mostly just watched from the sidelines as the Great Demon Commander had run roughshod over the criminals after learning his fiancée had nearly been put in harm’s way.
Phew… Huh?
No one had come to greet him in the entryway. Kazushi cocked his head and stepped inside his abode. Searching for Ichita, he reached the dining hall, where he saw the boy with his face down on the table.
Near Ichita was his dinner, long gone cold, and a small rock releasing a fog.
“Sheesh, looks like work followed me home.”
Kazushi crushed the stone with an exasperated smile before taking a seat and beginning his meal.
The food Ichita made him tasted rather average, but Kazushi was still fond enough of it to eat it cold.
He’d had quite the eventful day.
However, his physical fatigue felt almost pleasant somehow, and his heart was perfectly satisfied. Maybe having a day like this wasn’t so bad every once and while.
That thought came to Kazushi as he watched his servant’s tranquil face and rhythmic, sleepy breathing.