This was cuisine that the lord of the Ichinomiya clan, one of the five great clans protecting Japan, would call the “highest class.” It clearly wasn’t going to be the sort anyone could find at a hole-in-the-wall.
Hana was overjoyed, but she also casually slinked backward as Saku steadily advanced toward her. He paid her avoidance no mind and continued approaching until Hana’s back reached the wall. Escape wasn’t an option; Saku planted both arms on either side of her head. He had her caught in a kabedon wall pin.
Saku’s self-assured grin was close enough to Hana that he could kiss her; her lips trembled as her body sensed she was in danger.
“Wh-what?”
“You’re leaving all your shikigami at home when the day comes. Azuha too.”
“Why?”
“We don’t need anyone getting in the way of our date.”
“Date?!”
“What’re you making a fuss over? People call it a ‘date’ when a couple goes out together.”
He wasn’t incorrect, but only in the case of an ordinary couple. Hana and Saku were together because of a contract, and nothing more. They could divorce at any moment if Hana had her way.
However, Hana held her tongue; she had certainly learned by now that those words would throw him into a fit, and there was no telling what Saku would do then.
“You’d better leave them at home. Got it?”
“Easier said than done…”
Saku was trying to emphasize his point, but Hana could only look sheepishly behind him at Miyabi, who was holding the squeaky toy hammer responsible for felling the boss of the Skull of Nirvana in a single blow. She was aiming it right at Saku’s cranium, prepared to swing it the instant Hana gave the word.
“Miyabi, I think that might be a little dangerous, so let’s put that away.”
“Oh dear, what a shame.”
With an expression that made no attempt to hide just how much of a shame she thought it was, Miyabi made her squeaky toy hammer disappear. Hana had bought that squeaky hammer online as a weapon for Miyabi, and once it arrived, she’d imbued it with power to make it Miyabi’s personal talisman. Just like how the shikigami themselves could appear and disappear at will, Miyabi could summon it or make it vanish whenever she liked. The great sword that Aoi wielded had a similar story; it was originally a toy Hana purchased online that she gave to Aoi after converting it into a talisman.
The weapons Hana made were fine enough for her to toot her own horn. If one of those were swung at Saku’s defenseless dome, then the consequences would be rather dire. Then again, Saku was a Fifth Color—an Obsidian-rank—practitioner, so he’d probably avoid a fatal blow.
“I simply believe it’s important to exterminate any insects attempting to bug my master before they become a problem.”
Pouring from this divine, ethereal beauty’s lips came a bit of venom toward Saku.
“Your shikigami are really overprotective.”
“You’ve got some nerve telling me to leave them at home when you already know that.”
Azuha and Arashi would probably stay home without any trouble if Hana asked, but Aoi was sure to throw a tantrum about it.
“Leave ’em anyway. Otherwise, your full-course meal is off the table.”
“How could you?!”
Hana was shocked. She might actually need a plan. After she hemmed and hawed, a light bulb went off.
“Then how about you lend us Tsubaki for the day?”
Saku smirked as he caught on to what Hana was scheming.
“Fair enough. I’m sure Tsubaki will be happy to have some quality time with her beloved darling.”
Hana felt a bit bad for Aoi, knowing how poorly he got along with Saku’s shikigami. But full-course feasts didn’t come around every day, so she chose to sacrifice her dedicated servant. That left only Miyabi…
“Miyabi, I promise I’ll buy you a souvenir, so be a dear and watch the house, okay?”
Miyabi’s disdain showed for an instant in her expression, but she had far more discipline than her emotional and childish shikigami sibling, so she hesitantly nodded soon enough.
“If that is what you wish, Master…”
“Thanks a bunch!”
Hana’s head was occupied only with thoughts of her dinner. She began singing the phrase “full-course, full-course,” with an elated smile. Saku, still keeping her pinned to the wall, gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
Hana froze.
Taking her lack of resistance to mean what he wanted it to, Saku moved in for a kiss on the lips. That was when the squeaky toy hammer was swung from behind him. Saku effortlessly dodged it as though he’d expected it from the start, but with the hammer failing to collide with its target, it hit the wall instead.
With an intense thud, the hammer opened a large hole in the wall. Saku looked none too pleased about it.
“Hana… Don’t go handing out lethal weapons to your shikigami like candy. What would you do if I got hit by that?”
“I’d laugh at how you had it coming!”
Once she snapped out of her daze, Hana kicked Saku right in the shin.
Later, after Mio saw the hole in the changing room, a ban was issued on all squeaky toy hammer usage within the mansion. Hana ended up being scolded harshly over the property damage, which she felt was rather unfair.
Finally, the day came for Hana to feast on her promised full-course French dinner.
She wore a formal, light pink dress adorned with lace, a far cry from her typical wardrobe. Her hair and makeup were beautifully done, and she looked quite pleased as she performed her final check in front of the mirror. This rather feminine style arguably suited Hazuki more than her, but having similar faces was a perk of being twins, so Hana was delighted to see that she could pull the outfit off just fine in her own right.
Aoi watched with a sullen look on his face. Tsubaki was stuck to his side with a blissful look on hers.
“Daaarling, let’s have a little date of our own next time.”
“No way! Master, I’m coming with you!” Aoi shouted.
“Now, darling, you have to be a good boy and watch the house with me. Besides, my own master ordered me to hold you tight all day looong!”
“LET ME GOOO!”
Tsubaki stuck to Aoi like glue, pinning down any hopes he had of escape.
“Master, should I stay home, too?” Azuha asked in her cute, childlike voice as she fluttered around Hana’s head. It figured that with Aoi’s attempts to come along, Azuha would ask as well.
“Sorry, Azuha. Saku told me not to take any of you along.”
“Master,” Aoi said, pouting a bit, “what do you value more? Us, or your full-course dinner?”
Hana couldn’t answer immediately, so she stared off into space. Her shikigami were important, but it was hard to say no to a full-course meal.
“Master…,” Aoi said accusingly, pointedly glaring at Hana after he seemed to pick up on the whispers of her heart.