Chapter 501: Infusing the Soul

The next day, Mashiro couldn’t get up at all.

Of course, it wasn’t Himekoji’s doing!

Himekoji, who had gone to Mashiro’s room early in the morning to wake her, could only vaguely remember saying some slightly embarrassing words the night before…

No, not just embarrassing—super embarrassing! He really wanted to forget it!

What was he, “I like you a hundred billion times more”—a grade-schooler?!

A totally cringe-worthy, outdated love confession!

Luckily, Mashiro didn’t laugh at him.

Last night, right after that—after that “hundred billion times more” line—Mashiro suddenly said she needed to draw. She’d been struck by inspiration and really wanted to sketch it.

So, she left Himekoji, who’d obediently closed his eyes to fit the mood, all alone in the living room.

His shameless lips, puckered with both expectation and nerves, waited and waited until, finally opening his eyes, he found Mashiro had slipped away without a trace…

Seriously? You couldn’t put off drawing for just one moment? Skipping that perfect moment for a kiss was such a waste!

Anyway, it became another utterly mortifying memory for Himekoji!

He really wanted to forget it!

…

“Mashiro, time to wake up.”

Wake up—he said it, but Mashiro wasn’t even in her bed.

He figured she’d worked on comics late again. Looking at the girl curled and fast asleep beneath the desk, he felt both exasperated and amused.

Would it be better to turn that space under the desk into Mashiro’s own cozy little nook?

That thought briefly crossed his mind.

“Hmph~”

She let out a soft, sulky murmur. Annoyed at Himekoji disturbing her sweet dream, she rolled over, turning her face away and leaving only a silent, cute back of her head to him.

Himekoji couldn’t help but reach out and touch it—the feel, unsurprisingly, was top-notch.

“Pervert!”

That was what Mashiro, half-asleep, said to him.

“I was just touching your head!”

Himekoji instantly defended himself.

“But in your mind, you were thinking about touching elsewhere.”

“Can’t a guy even think?”

“So, you admit it. You were thinking that.”

“No! Absolutely not! Hey!”

She was starting to trick him into admitting things; she must be awake!

“If you’re awake then get up properly and go to school!”

“Akito, go for me.”

“Then I’ll also eat your bento and Baumkuchen for you.”

“You can’t do that.”

The groggy Mashiro reluctantly opened her bleary eyes. She looked at Himekoji, clearly displeased at his threat to snatch her food.

“Akito just needs to go to school for me. Put the bento and Baumkuchen on the table. Don’t eat them for me.”

“Going for you is fine? But eating for you isn’t?”

No one’s ever heard of such a rule!

“Though you can’t eat for me, Akito can wear my clothes for me.”

Her eyes closed again. Was she half-dreaming while talking? That explained the madness of her words—it must be sleep talk!

While she spoke nonsense, she did something ridiculous too: she picked up yesterday’s school uniform lying on the wooden floor… and handed it to Himekoji.

A Toyosaki Girls’ High student uniform!

“Akito, put it on.”

“Who would wear this?!”

“Oh, you want to wear the underwear first.”

Mashiro flashed a knowing look. Half-opening her sleepy eyes, she reached under her pajama dress. With a few quick motions, she took off the thin layer of cotton… and stuffed it into Himekoji’s hand.

Himekoji felt the soft cotton texture… then he felt the lingering warmth carrying Mashiro’s scent…

“Don’t twist people’s words like that!”

He muttered that protest, hesitated for a long moment… then finally followed his heart and slipped Mashiro’s underwear into his pocket. The uniform, however, got annoyingly tossed aside as clutter.

“Akito, goodnight.”

Seeing Himekoji accept her “bribe,” Mashiro peacefully closed her eyes again. She wriggled under the desk into a comfier sleep posture.

“It’s morning!”

Himekoji sighed in defeat.

He gave up on waking Mashiro up!

Sleeping at home, sleeping at school—might as well let her sleep peacefully at home.

Mashiro skipped class plenty anyway. From what Himekoji knew, during her stay at the hotel with no one watching her, she’d never once arrived at school on time.

Also—

“When will she ever understand—you can’t sleep on the floor.”

Clucking like a worried mother, he muttered complaints while scooping Mashiro into his arms and placing her on the bed. He tucked her in.

In just that small moment, Mashiro seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep. She stopped fussing, stopped talking nonsense… making her sleeping face look exceptionally cute and tranquil.

Looking at her delicate, slender form… Himekoji got a mischievous urge. He secretly pinched the cheek of the sleeping girl.

“Akito… don’t do things while I’m sleeping…”

Her words shocked Himekoji. He stared carefully… It seemed like just more sleep talk.

He breathed a sigh of relief… Then—

“Akito… you actually did nothing while I was asleep…”

Say what?!

Even talking in your sleep, aren’t you contradicting yourself?!

So… would doing something have been better?

Himekoji smiled wryly, shaking his head. He pulled the curtains closed for Mashiro.

The room went dark, as if night had fallen again.

“Goodnight, Mashiro.”

Carefully, quietly, Himekoji walked out of Mashiro’s room and shut the door, trying not to make a sound.

……

Now, he had to go wake Rikka—or rather, Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye.

He said “or” because until he saw her awake look, he couldn’t tell whether today it would be Rikka or Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye waking up.

A Schrödinger’s girl!

Himekoji raised his hand to knock, but found the door unlocked. A single light push opened it… revealing an empty room. The futon was neatly folded on the bed.

“Guess it’s Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye who woke up.”

Right then, sounds came from the kitchen—a low murmur, like mysterious ritualistic chanting.

Curious, Himekoji followed the noise. And there he saw—

Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye, standing with clasped hands, eyes softly closed, head slightly bowed, in a prayerful maidenly pose. She mumbled words under her breath.

What the—?!

Confused, but knowing it was rude to just barge in, he patiently waited. Only after Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye finished with a contented clap declaring “Mission accomplished!” did he seize his chance.

“Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye… what are you doing?”

“Making bento,” she stated, as if it were utterly obvious.

“Huh?”

Naturally, Himekoji was utterly baffled.

But he noticed the cooking book near her. An idea struck; he reached out and grabbed it, flipping through the pages.

Reading one part, his lips involuntarily twitched!

“Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye, just to check… that ritual-like chanting you just did… was it…”

“Yep! Infusing the bento with its soul!”

Exactly the answer he expected!

The highest state of cuisine was a dish possessing a soul.

That’s what the book said…

But you weren’t supposed to take it literally!

So, an important question arose:

Had Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye used any of her powers while infusing that soul?!

…