"NoI can get back on my own," she replied, exhaling deeply. She took one final look at Eriri resting against Rei Ao's chest.
"All right, then take care."
In a blink, he and Eriri vanished from the rooftop.
""
Kasumigaoka Utaha stood there, gazing at the empty space. Eventually, she ruffled her hair in agitation.
"What am I even thinking?!"
She'd just felt a sudden surge of jealousy towards Eririsomething new and unsettling.
At Eriri's house
"Rei Ao-kun!!!"
Sayuri, Eriri's mother, stared in amazement to see Rei Ao stepping out of Eriri's room. She rubbed her eyes, but he was still there.
"It'snot an illusion?"
Rei Ao had just tucked an utterly worn-out Eriri into bed. He curved his lips in a slight smile, then blurred forward and pulled Sayuri into an embrace.
"Sayuri, were you hoping I was an illusion?"
His intense gaze and warm breath made her entire body go weak.
"I I just didn't expect you to show up here all of a sudden."
She tried to steady her breathing. Compared to Eriri, who could see him at school regularly, Sayuri seldom got any time alone with Rei Ao. As she relaxed in his armsblushing and softRei Ao felt a little guilty.
"Sorry I haven't visited you recently."
Sayuri gently stroked his cheek, her gaze soft.
"No need to apologize. I know you have lots of important things to do."
She gave him a playful look, tapping her nose.
"You smell like Eriri. Taking care of that greedy girl must wear you out, huh?"
"Eriri's appetite isn't enough to tire me out," Rei Ao said confidently. Then he added, with a teasing glint in his eye, "Even if I add a more 'greedy' Sayuri to the mix, it still wouldn't wear me out."
"Ugh"
Her delicate body trembled slightly. Indeed, she was far more "hungry" than Eriri but had never shown it openly. She felt a little self-conscious about her own age.
Noticing her reluctance, Rei Ao decided to ease her worries tonight. Leaning in close, he whispered into her ear:
"I'll come see you tonight."
"!!!"
As if she'd just heard angelic music, Sayuri lit up with joy. Before she could respond, he sealed her lips with a deep kiss.
~~~
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Chapter 508: Saikawa Riko and Anya...
Having sealed his deal with Sayuri, Rei Ao began to plan out his schedule like a true master of time management.
He met up with Michiru and joined up with Kobayashi so they could all head over to Kanna's elementary school together.
At the school gate:
"You two look pretty nervous."
Rei Ao grinned as he noticed how restless and jittery the other two were.
"Uh"
Kobayashi scratched her head awkwardly.
"Picking kids up from schoolit feels like something only a 'mom' would do. Even though Shin-chan keeps calling me 'Mama,' I've never really been a mother before, so how could I not be nervous?"
She was super tenseher palms were sweating.
"M-me too."
Michiru nodded timidly. She was even younger than Kobayashi, after all. Plus, some of the parents around them were whispering about "how young and pretty that mom is," making her feel self-conscious.
"Just relax. No matter how anxious you get, there's no avoiding this," Rei Ao said. There wasn't much else he could say to comfort themit was their own choice, after all. They couldn't very well let Shin and Kanna go to school alone in the future.
Wellin this world, it's unlikely they'd run into any real danger.
Before long, the school bell rang.
"Riiing riiing!"
"Here they come!"
Kobayashi and Michiru both jumped, eyes wide as they stared at the elementary school gate, mentally rehearsing how to wave at Shin and Kanna.
"You two" Rei Ao shook his head with a smile. Seeing them even more worked up than before, he turned his gaze toward the school gate as well. He wasn't just waiting for Shin and Kanna; he was also looking for that mind-reading girl named Anya that Shin had mentioned.
When the dismissal bell finished chiming, a stream of little kidsround-cheeked elementary schoolershopped out of the gate under their teacher's guidance, happily reuniting with their parents.
"Mama! Papa!"
Shin instantly spotted Kobayashi and Rei Ao, grabbing Kanna's hand as she dashed over excitedly.
""
Kobayashi stiffened. It was one thing for Shin to call her "Mama," but now she was calling Rei Ao "Papa"? How embarrassing! She sneaked a glance at Rei Ao, only to see him smiling back at her. Immediately, her face flushed red.
"Michiru."
Unlike Shin's liveliness, Kanna was much quieter. But from her bright, focused eyes, it was clear she was in a good mood.
"How's it going? How's life in elementary school?"
Rei Ao bent down, patting both of their little heads.
Shin pursed her lips.
"Hmph, it's a bunch of immature little brats."
She sounded dismissive, but her slight smile betrayed her good mood. Kanna, blinking her large eyes, said with a touch of excitement, "Kanna made a new friend."
She turned to point behind her.
"A new friend?"
Michiru followed the direction of Kanna's tiny finger and saw a red-haired girl peeking out from behind a pillar, hiding half her body as she stared at Kanna. The moment she realized she was being watched, she flinched and ducked fully behind the pillar.
"???"
Michiru was taken aback. Was she a friend, or some sort of stalker?
"Her name's Saikawa Riko. She thinks Kanna's really cute and suddenly wanted to be her friend."
Shin explained.
"Oh, her."
Rei Ao remembered that Kanna indeed had such a strange little friend in Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. An interesting character, if nothing else.
Just then, Kobayashi adjusted her glasses.
"Shin-chan, that other little girl seems to be looking over here too. Is she also your friend?"
She'd just noticed another young girl watching them.
"Papa Papa!"
Shin's eyes sparkled, and she lowered her voice, calling out to Rei Ao: "Papa, that's herAnya! She's the telepathic mind-reader kid!"
"Telepathic mind-reader?"
Kobayashi and Michiru both blinked in surprise. There was a mind-reading expert in this elementary school?
Following Shin's indication, they saw a pink-haired girl standing not too far from the gate, occasionally peeking out.
She stood out among the other children in both her looks and attire: Shoulder-length pink hair with black hair ornaments, big green eyes, and a delicate face.
She was wearing a black dress adorned with a bow, white stockings, and black shoes. A pair of small, witch-like accessories perched atop her head. Odd though her getup might be, it didn't detract from her cuteness.
The moment Rei Ao laid eyes on her, he guessed that this was indeed "Anya" from that spy familyan intriguing detail.
"You all wait here for me."
After speaking, Rei Ao strolled forward.
"!!!"
The pink-haired girl, who'd been watching Kanna and Shin from the school entrance, froze when she saw Rei Ao approach.
At once, she tried to empty her mind and put on a dazed expression. This was exactly the "acting technique" her mother had taught her!
"Anya, is that right? I've heard you have some sort of 'psychic power'?"
"!!!"
Anya flinched at the sound of his voice. She gazed up at him in a daze. Then she realized he was smilingbut he hadn't opened his mouth!
"I'm using my mind to communicate with you."
Anya's mouth hung open in shock. She was certain she hadn't imagined it. She had indeed heard his voice, though his lips never moved.
"My telepathy can't do that!" she thought instinctively, her heart pounding.
"I know. Yours is the ability to read minds."
"Eh?! You really answered me?!"
Anya was stunned. She had never expected this big brother-like figure to be able to communicate with her without speaking.
"I'm not lying."
Rei Ao crouched down beside her.
""
Anya took a deep breath, glancing uncertainly over at Kanna and Shin. In her mind, she wondered, "Onii-chan, who are you? How do you know I have these powers?"
Rei Ao smiled.
"I'm Rei Ao, Shin and Kanna's guardian. Shin told me you have psychic powers."
"It was them!"
Anya looked a bit flustered.
"Rei Ao-nii, II can't read their minds at all!"
She sounded aggrieved.
"Oh?"
Everything Anya said was trueher mind-reading ability was usually very strong. She even knew that her adoptive mom had once been a highly skilled assassin.
However, in this elementary school, she'd encountered two exceptions: Shin and Kanna. Her ability didn't work on either of them, which was why she'd been so focused on them just now.
~~~
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Chapter 509: Waku! Waku!
Anya suddenly widened her eyes.
"Waku waku!"
She'd just made an astounding discovery. Staring intently at Rei Ao, her eyes shone with excitement:
"Onii-chan, you have psychic powers, too!"
That meant there was someone like her! Not only that, she found that her usual mind-reading didn't work on Rei Ao at all. Just as she was getting excited by this revelation:
"Anya."
A gentle yet anxious voice rang out. Rei Ao turned his head to see a tall, black-haired beauty striding rapidly toward them.
In one swift movement, she placed herself in front of Anya, shielding her from view. Her dark-red eyes fixed upon Rei Ao sharply, as if trying to see right through him.
"Mama!"
Anya's face lit up. The newcomer was, in fact, her assassin mother.
Rei Ao's gaze flickered knowingly. He recognized her immediately: Yor Briar. Just as he suspected.
"Who are you?"
Yor questioned him. Anyone getting close to her beloved "daughter" demanded her utmost vigilance.
"Madam, good day. I'm Rei Ao, guardian of those two over there."
Rei Ao answered calmly, gesturing to Shin and Kanna in the distance.
"Hmm?"
Yor glanced in their direction and, upon seeing Shin and Kanna, a trace of surprise flickered in her eyes.
They're so cute! Just like Anya!
That was her initial thought.
Anya's mind-reading suddenly kicked in; she heard Yor's inner voice.
"Waku waku!"
She beamed, delighted by the compliment.
After briefly assessing the situation, Yor retracted her hostility and bowed deeply.
"My apologies. I misunderstood and thought you might be someone suspicious approaching Anya."
"It's partly my fault. Shin and Kanna told me there was a cute little friend here, so I hoped they might look out for one another."
Rei Ao gave Anya a knowing wink.
Smart as she was, Anya immediately tugged on Yor's sleeve.
"That's right, Mama. Onii-chan was asking if I'd like to be friends with Shin and Kanna."
"I see," Yor said, relief washing over her. "I'm sorry again. My name is Yor Briar um, Anya'smother"
She flushed slightly at the word "mother." She'd only recently adopted Anya and was still adjusting to the role. In fact, it was far more difficult than any assassination mission she'd undertaken.
"Mrs. Yor, if that's okay to call you?"
"Yes, that's fine."
Rei Ao smiled in praise.
"Mrs. Yor, your daughter Anya is absolutely adorable."
"Mhm! I agree!"
Yor gave two enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"Anya's the cutest!"
"Mama~"
Anya's face turned pink, and she hid shyly behind her hands.
"Well, I hope Anya can get along with Shin and Kanna sometime. I won't keep you any longer."
Having accomplished his introduction, Rei Ao was ready to leave. Just before he did, he spoke telepathically to Anya:
"Anya, let me share a secret with you."
"A secret? Waku waku! Anya loves secrets!"
"You couldn't hear Shin and Kanna's thoughts before because they're not ordinary children. Kanna is actually a dragon."
"Eh?!"
Anya's eyes nearly popped out. She watched in disbelief as Rei Ao walked away, glancing between his retreating figure and the quietly standing Kanna in the distance.
A dragon?! And she's that cute?!
"Waku waku!!!"
"Anya, what's wrong?"
Noticing Anya's reaction, Yorstill feeling tense about her first-ever chat with other parentsturned to her daughter with concern.
""
Anya pulled her gaze back and looked up spiritedly.
"Mama, do you think there are dragons in this world?"
"Huh?"
Yor was taken aback. Despite her formidable assassination skills and extensive knowledge, she had her share of knowledge gaps.
"Well, dragonsthey're probably things from fairy tales, right? Are you interested in reading a picture book about dragons, Anya?"
From what she'd read in child-rearing guides, a mother Shinld pay close attention to a child's interests and encourage them.
She was determined to be the best mother possibleto satisfy Anya's every desire!
But Anya abruptly clenched both fists and Shinted, "Mama, Anya wants to be friends with a dragon!!!"
"???"
Yor was petrified.
"B-be friends witha dragon?"
She felt like crying. This was impossible, right? Even a "perfect mother" had her limits!
Some distance away, Rei Ao, Michiru, and Kobayashi were leaving the school gate. Checking that Anya and Yor were now out of earshot, Kobayashi tentatively asked,
"Rei Ao, can that little girl really use psychic powers?"
Michiru's gaze shone with curiosity, too. Supernatural topics never failed to fascinate.
"Yes. The pink-haired kid named Anya can read minds."
[Name]: Anya Forger
[Level]: 1
[Ability]: "Mind Reading"
That's what he saw.
"Mind reading, huh?"
Kobayashi's eyes gleamed with envy.
"If I had that power, I'd always know my boss's intentions. I'd never get scolded again."
"No, you're overthinking it."
Rei Ao patted her Shinlder in a sympathetic, brotherly way.
"When a boss wants to scold you, they can always find a reason. You can't escape it."
""
Kobayashi tugged at the corners of her mouth. Such was the life of a corporate workers.
Since Michiru had never truly been a corporate drone, she didn't share the sentiment. Instead, she worried about something else.
"If that little girl can read minds, won't Shin and Kanna's identities be exposed?"
"It won't,"
Shin answered, puffing out her chest proudly, "Her reading doesn't work on Kanna or me. It's too low-level for that."
"Good," Michiru sighed, relieved. Then Rei Ao added:
"She already knows, though."
"Huh?"
"No way!"
