But this time her "job" seemed to be connected to Gozo Island?
His instincts told him someone was deliberately pulling her into all this. Was it also related to the Fourth Primogenitor?
If he remembered right, Natsuki had come to Gozo Island in the original story too. But that had been under a request from Dimitrie Vatler.
And since Lynn had already turned Vatler into air molecules, why was Natsuki still here?
Shaking his head, Lynn decided to stop overthinking it.
Right now, the priority was giving Avrora her Blessing.
With that in mind
A soft hum filled the air as a black magic circle expanded from beneath Lynn's feet, spreading across the icy ground.
"Wait, please!"
A sudden voice rang outLiana Caruana.
Lynn glanced over at her, expression calm and unreadable.
The moment her eyes met his deep wine-red gaze, Liana's breath caught in her throat. It felt like an invisible hand had clamped down on her heart.
But still, she looked over at Avrora, then clenched her jaw and forced herself to speak up.
"Please please let me follow you!"
She hadn't come all this way for nothing.
She was here for the Fourth Primogenitor. But now? That soul was goneLynn had done something with it. And the vesselAvrora, the twelfth Kaleid Bloodwas going with him.
So if she didn't act now, she'd be left with nothing.
At the very least, if she stayed close to the twelfth vessel, she might still get a lead on the Primogenitor's soul.
Taking a deep breath, Liana bowed deeply, voice earnest and full of determination.
"I beg you!"
Lynn didn't respond.
He simply turned to Endou and said calmly, "I'll leave the rest of the vessels to you."
"You can count on me!" Endou stood tall and gave a serious nod.
The next moment Lynn vanished with Avrora in tow, the magic circle disappearing with them.
Once they were gone, Endou finally let out a long breath.
"...Hey," she said suddenly, turning to Yukina. "Why didn't we just hitch a ride with them?"
Teleportation magic was super common among Devils, surebut it was still rare among other factions.
That's why someone like the "Witch of the Void," Minamiya Natsuki, was such a big name in the human world.
Natsuki gave a mocking snort, folding her arms.
"Hmph. So the Lion King Organization's already been completely domesticated by Devils, huh?"
Endou didn't respond.
When you were dealing with someone like Lynn, playing it cautious was just smart survival instinct.
...
Meanwhile
Liana stood there, disappointed.
No reply...
Did that mean she was rejected?
Her legs wobbled a bit, heart sinkingbut she quickly steadied herself.
She couldn't give up here.
Taking a moment to recompose herself, Liana looked toward the people who clearly had a close relationship with LynnEndou, Natsuki, and the others.
"Could could one of you tell me where that man lives?"
At her question, the entire underground tomb fell silent.
Natsuki and Endou exchanged glances.
Yeah they were all thinking the same thing.
(Another one walking right into the net.)
Before either of them could answer, Yukina's voice cut in.
"Tokyo. Shuchiin Academy."
She gave the address quietly, almost like she was reciting something from memory.
Natsuki and Endou both looked at her in surprise.
Yukina turned her head away, not meeting their eyes.
"Recruiting new talent for the Familia is part of the job too," she thought to herself.
—
Back at Lynn's residence
A magic circle shimmered into existence, and Lynn and Avrora materialized in the center of the room.
"Urgh"
Avrora groaned softly.
After being dormant for so long, the feeling of moving through space made her feel queasy.
She wobbled a little, trying to clear her head, and blinked as she curiously took in her surroundings.
"It's huge" she murmured, clutching at Lynn's sleeve for comfort.
The unfamiliar place made her feel uneasy.
Just then
Hayasaka Ai stepped forward, hands neatly folded in front of her stomach. She gave a small, graceful bow.
"Welcome home, Lord Lynn," she said gently.
"Would you like to take a bath first? Or eat something? Or perhaps"
She paused, eyes drifting downward for a second. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she bit her lip and murmured: "...Would you rather eat me firs?"
But before she could finish that sentenceAvrora suddenly chimed in.
"Let's eat first!"
Hayasaka blinked.
"???"
She slowly turned her head to stare silently at Avrora.
Who the hell are you?
.
.
.
—
C/N: Yo~ I've posted all the filler chapters, so the story can finally get back on track. Hopefully things will be better from here!
PS: Drop your stones to support the book
.
{Support me and read advanced chapters at patreon.com/_Coreal }
The Forgotten Nakiri Erina
Lynn's Estate — Dining Room
Thud.
Hayasaka Ai slammed the final dish onto the table in front of Avrora. Her expression was cold and unreadable.
A pair of icy blue eyes locked onto Avrora, silently conveying a strong sense of disapproval.
But Avrora didn't even notice the glare. Her attention was completely consumed by the dazzling spread of food in front of her. Eyes wide, lips licking unconsciously, she stared at the table like a predator eyeing its prey.
Then she looked up at Lynn, eyes brimming with anticipation.
Lynn chuckled. "Go ahead and eat. I made it for you anyway."
The moment the words left his mouth, Avrora's eyes lit up like stars. She dove in immediately.
Lynn shook his head in amusement. "Great. Another foodie brought home."
Watching Avrora devour her meal with enthusiasm, even Lynn started to feel a bit hungry himself. He picked up a fork and tried a bite of the dish Hayasaka had made for him.
The moment it hit his tongue, he could tellthis was a level-up.
"Did you make this, Hayasaka?" he asked, genuinely surprised.
Hayasaka blinked and finally tore her gaze away from Avrora. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to look casual. "Yes. How's it taste?"
Lynn gave her a thumbs-up. "Big improvement. Seriously."
Even though she'd been a maid for quite some time now, Hayasaka had always been just okay in the kitchen.
Honestly she might've even been a step below Shiina Mahiru.
But in just a few days, she made major progress in her cooking skills.
Hearing the praise, Hayasaka's mood visibly lifted, though she fought to keep her lips from curling into a smile.
Trying to play it cool, she replied, "I just did a short training session with the Totsuki Division at Shuchiin Academy. My cooking still isn't anywhere near graduation level."
"You're doing great already," Lynn said, not holding back his praise.
After all, if his maid was working hard to please his taste buds, that definitely deserved recognition.
Totsuki, huh
The name jogged his memoryspecifically, a certain someone he hadn't messaged in a while: Nakiri Erina. The same Erina who'd been regularly talking to him through the [Devil Link] app.
He'd been so caught up with things over in the Bleach world and Strike the Blood plot lately, he hadn't had time to "feed" his digital pet in a while.
Pulling out his phone, Lynn opened up [Devil Link]and sure enough, the screen was filled with messages from Erina. Walls of text.
Lynn: "..."
Did I starve her into madness?
Tokyo — A certain restaurant
Nakiri Erina sat listlessly at her table, eyes vacant and spiritless. She absentmindedly stirred the dish placed in front of her by the chef.
But not a single bite passed her lips.
Standing beside her, the chef was drenched in a cold sweat, nervously wringing his hands.
"Did I mess up the seasoning?" He was panicking inside.
If ErinaGod's Tongue herselfsaid one bad word about his cooking, his entire career could go up in flames.
"Miss?" A soft voice came from behind.
Hisako Arato stood behind Erina, her eyes filled with concern.
Lately, her mistress had been acting off.
Was it because of that Devil-san?
She sighed inwardly.
What did that so-called devil say or do to completely derail the proud and composed Erina?
Still, if this emotional slump went on much longer...
Hisako clenched her fists.
Should she tell the Director?
She hesitated.
And thenBuzz!
Erina's phone vibrated on the table.
Her body jolted like she'd been electrocuted. Her eyes snapped into focus.
With trembling hands, she snatched up the phone, eyes gleaming with hopemixed with a little fear.
After all, a vibration didn't necessarily mean it was from him.
It could've been anything.
Another app notification. A random promo. Spam.
She'd been through this disappointment dozens of times already.
Still, every time the phone buzzed, she couldn't help but look.
This time, though, she wasn't disappointed.
"It's him! It's Devil-san!!"
Suddenly energized, Erina shot up from her seat. "Hisako, we're leaving!"
Hisako blinked in surprise, then nodded. "Yes, ma'am!"
"?!!!" The chef nearby was completely bewildered.
As he watched the two walk toward the door, panic flared in his chest. "W-Wait! Miss Nakiri! What about my evaluation?!"
"Huh?"
Erina turned back, obviously annoyed at being stopped. Still, she remembered why she'd come here in the first place.
Waving her hand dismissively, she replied, "You passed."
With that, she and Hisako disappeared out the door.
The chef stood there, mouth open, staring at the dish that was now just a stirred-up mess.
""
That was passing?
But, she didn't even taste it.
—
In the car
Erina sat in the back seat, legs bouncing slightly, staring intently at the message on [Devil Link].
Even her God Tongue seemed to sense the incoming feastit was already drooling in anticipation.
The good news? She was going to eat something that satisfied her.
The bad news? This time, the "price" was higher.
She read the message again, eyes narrowing. "Cook for his maids?"
So this meant she'd have to meet him.
In real life.
Erina froze.
Her mind immediately flashed back to the rizz photos and videos she'd sent him. Her cheeks turned red-hot, her head spinning.
Through a screen, she could barely hold onto her dignity.
But face-to-face?
Her breathing grew heavier, fingers clenching the phone tight.
What now?
She had a bad feeling.
Like she was slowly being lured into the devil's trapone careful step at a time.
But, she licked her lips and clutched her stomach, which was now painfully empty.
Ever since tasting those divine ingredients from their first deal, her God Tongue refused to accept anything less.
And now? Just a short time without a "transaction" from him had her feeling mentally and physically drained.
"Haaah."
Erina let out a deep sigh. Then quietly muttered to herself, "No choice, huh"
She'd have to go.
If she didn't want to starve to death, that is.
Just a bit of real-life training.
That's fine right?
R-Right?
But meeting the devil in person Was that really fine?
Erina's thoughts spiraled. But after a few minutes of inner turmoil, she finally looked up, eyes filled with determination.
"I'm going."
She made up her mind.
Now that her resolve was set, she turned to Hisako, who was still driving. Doing her best to sound calm, she said:
"Change the route. We're heading to"
.
.
.
You... You Can! But Please be gentle!
"...Huh?"
Hearing Erina Nakiri's instructions, Hisako Arato tilted her head in confusion.
The address she was looking at... She had never even heard of it before.
Why would Miss Erina want to go somewhere like that?
She had plenty of questions, but she didn't ask. Instead, she quietly opened up her navigation app and started driving.
In the back seat, Erina's heart pounded faster and faster as she saw Hisako actually following the location Lynn had sent them.
Sure, the guy was a devil and yeah, there were a lot of things to be worried about.
But stillWasn't this basically a meet-up with an online friend?
That thought alone was oddly exciting. For a brief moment, it even made her forget all her doubts and anxieties.
Devil-san! What would he look like?
Would he have three heads and six arms? Horns? A terrifying face?
Uh.
The more she imagined, the more her anticipation dropped. She even started second-guessing the whole thing.
But, if she didn't go, she'd eventually die because of the God's Tongue anyway.
So Screw it. No point running from fate.
At Lynn's Mansion
Playing with his "digital pet" on his phone, Lynn hadn't actually expected Nakiri Erina to work up the courage and come over.
Guess things must've been pretty rough for her lately.
Still, this works out perfectly.
It was about time his familia had a real professional chef.
HmmWith her on board, Hayasaka's maid team was definitely going to grow again soon.
"Mmm..."
Across the table, Avrora let out a deeply satisfied sound as she leaned back in her chair, her round belly on full display after devouring the food.
With her eyes half-closed and her hands resting contently on her belly, she looked like someone who had just reached enlightenment.
She spoke in her usual grand tone: "You mortals have served Me well. This meal pleases Me. Good job."
"???"
Hayasaka raised an eyebrow.
Lynn gave Avrora a not-so-subtle look, half-smiling, half-exasperated.
The room went quiet for a beat.
Avrora blinked, then straightened up immediately like a guilty schoolkid. "Uh thank you for the meal!"
Okay, yeah.
She may have gotten a little carried away.
But can you blame her? This guy once choked the original. He's not someone you mess with.
Just thinking about that made her aura shrink a little more.
Now that's more like it.
Lynn nodded and said, "Alright, let's get to the real reason you're here."
"Real reason?" Avrora tilted her head.
. . .
Cut to: Lynn's Bedroom
"Whoa, this place is huge!"
Avrora's eyes lit up as she looked around. "Is this... my bedroom?"
"This is my room," Lynn said flatly. "Of course, if you want to sleep here with me, I won't stop you."
"?!"
Avrora's eyes went wide, and she instantly hugged herself protectively, staring at Lynn like he'd just turned into a wolf.
"Wh-What are you planning to do to me?!"
"Huh." Lynn raised a brow. "You're naive, but you know that much?"
