"Sure, sure! Thank you, Rei Ao-san. We were about to try that new 'OxKing' barbecue place."
"Emiliachan was saying she wanted to head home early, but with a chauffeur, that makes it so much easier, right, Emiliachan?"
As she spoke she sent Emilia frantic looks begging her not to refuse.
Emilia saw her friend's sparkling, expectant eyes, then Rei Ao's smiling gaze
Helpless and shy, she nodded.
"Mm then thank you."
"My pleasure."
With elegant ease, Rei Ao opened both the frontpassenger and rear doors for the two ladies.
Chapter 821: Treating your wife and her best friend! Perfect Husband Rei Ao!
The silvergray sports car glided smoothly into the evening traffic.
The cabin wasn't especially spacious, yet its superb design radiated both cuttingedge tech and a sense of luxury.
Sitting in such a topoftheline sports car for the first time, RikaSuzuki was as giddy as a mouse let loose in a rice barn.
She carefully stroked the butterysoft leather seat, peering at the console's buttons that glowed a cool blue and at the huge display screen.
"Wow!", "That's amazing!", "The feel of this!" she kept exclaiming.
Phone in hand, she snapped photos of the interior and the blur of city lights outside, and even squeezed in a few selfies, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
In the front passenger seat, Emilia looked slightly tense and shy.
After buckling up, she tilted her head toward Rei Ao's sharply defined profile and asked in a small voice,
"Rei Ao What made you suddenly pick me up todayand in this car?"
She was sure there was no sports car at home; normally Rei Ao just teleported.
One hand on the wheel, he drove in a relaxed posture.
Hearing her, he turned, winked, and lowered his voice with a mischievous smile:
"Got the urge todaywanted to try that 'picking the wife up from work' feeling."
"And if you're doing it, well you need a little style, right? Gotta say, this experience"
He glanced at the rearview mirror, where Rika was still taking pictures in delight.
"is pretty fun."
At the word "wife" Emilia's ears reddenedyet her heart felt honeysweet.
Being openly cherished like this left her both bashful and blissfully happy.
"Hey, hey!"
At last Rika, burning with curiosity, couldn't hold back.
She leaned forward over the seatback, eyes sparkling:
"Rei Aosan, Emiliachan! How did you meet? When did you start dating? Was the proposal romantic? Where will the wedding be?"
The questions poured out like machinegun fire.
Emilia was caught off guard and stammered,
"Um we've known each other for quite a while we, uh"
Given that their relationship involved other worlds, time travel, demon lords, and heroes, there was no way to explain it to an ordinary person.
"Love at first sight," Rei Ao cut in smoothly, spinning a story without missing a beat, his tone perfectly natural.
"We met at an academic conference. Emilia's beauty and kindness captured my heart instantly. As for the proposal"
He shot Emilia a meaningful glance.
"of course it happened at an especially memorable, oneofakind moment. The wedding"
He paused, looking at her with indulgence and promise.
"Whenever Emilia's readywe can hold it anytime, anywhere she wants."
Half of that was true"love at first sight" really had happened; the rest he'd just made up.
But with his persuasive good looks and tender gaze, Rika was moved to tears.
"So romantic!"
"Rei Aosan, you're such a charmer!"
Hands over her heart, Rika beamed.
"Emiliachan, you're so lucky! You two have to stay happy forever!"
To her, they were a reallife fairy tale.
Emilia's heart pounded, her cheeks glowing crimson.
She could only lower her head shyly, emotions swirlingsweetness, embarrassment, and a tinge of guilt toward her friend, since most of it was a lie.
She secretly pinched Rei Ao's thigh in punishment for his tall tales.
Unfazed, he clasped her hand, fingers intertwinedmaking her blush an even deeper red.
Rika, still caught up in the romance, noticed none of it.
The Ox King BBQ wasas expectedpacked.
Fortunately, Rei Ao seemed to have called ahead, and they were ushered into a good private room.
Rika's lively, sociable nature shone.
She ordered all the signature meats, related vivid company gossip, and tirelessly served Emilia and Rei Ao food and drinks.
Thanks to her, the mood stayed light and cheerful.
Emilia gradually relaxed, savoring the food, her friend's company, and her lover's presencea quiet happiness.
Rei Ao, for his part, was impeccable:
polite, witty, always picking up on Rika's topics and making both girls laugh.
His attentiveness to Emiliagrilling meat, serving dishes, passing tissueswas smooth and effortless, leaving Rika openly envious: "model husband!"
After dinner
At Rika's suggestion to "walk off the meal" (truthfully, she wanted more time with the handsome guy and the sports car),
Rei Ao drove them to a nearby upscale mall.
Rika meant only to windowshop, but Rei Ao proved extravagantly generous.
"This scarf matches Rika-san's hair perfectly."
"This perfume is great for young womenfresh and energetic."
"This new handheld consoleEmilia and Miss Rika might enjoy unwinding with it after work."
"Oh? Kobeexclusive sweets? Rika-san, you're from Kobe, right? Bring a taste of home back?"
It was as if Rei Ao could read minds and had an infinite wallet; every suggestion made Rika's eyes sparkle.
She kept protesting, "It's too much, you don't have to," yet never stopped the staff from wrapping everything.
Emilia watched, trying several times to intervene, but each time Rei Ao soothed her with a glance and a smile.
"Just a thankyou for how Rika-san looks after Emilia at work."
An unassailable excuse.
So, a little after eight, when the sports car stopped outside Rika's apartment, she was laden with multiple luxurylogo bagsscarves, perfume, the latest handheld console, elegant dessert boxes, and even a pair of designer earrings she'd admired for a moment too long.
"Rei Aosan, really thank you so, so much!"
Panting from the load yet beaming with unprecedented joy, her eyes sparkled with excitement and gratitude.
"Tonight was amazingfantastic BBQ, awesome shopping, a private rideit felt like a dream! Thank you!"
She bowed deeply.
"No need to thank us. Having you along made Emilia very happy too," Rei Ao smiled.
Emilia added sincerely, "Thank you, Rika. I had a great time tonight as well."
"Hehe, I'll head up now.
Emiliachan, Rei Aosan, good night!"
Waving cheerfully, arms full of bags, Rika skipped into the building.
~~~
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Chapter 822: Emilia meets the beat up Lucifer and Olba
The sports car slid back into the flow of night traffic.
Inside, it was just the two of them.
Emilia leaned against the passenger seat, a soft smile on her face as she watched the lights of the city blur past the window.
"Rika's honestly super cheerful. And she really knows how to take care of people," she said quietly. "Being with her just feels easy. Relaxing. Fun."
Her mind drifted back to Ente Isla, where her companions were usually people like Emeraldacalm, dependableor Albertloyal and upright to a fault. But someone like Suzuki Rika? Bright, carefree, with that real everyday charm? Totally new for her.
"Yeah," Rei Ao nodded, grinning. "She's a fun one, that's for sure."
"She's got the gift of gab, lively personality, knows how to read the room and she's amazing at keeping the mood light."
"When she's around, time just flies."
Emilia's smile faltered slightly.
She turned her head, her gaze settling on Rei Ao's sharp profile.
There was a glimmer of curiosityand maybe just the tiniest hint of jealousyin her clear, gem-like eyes.
"You kinda like her, don't you? Waitdon't tell me you've got a crush on Rika?"
Rei Ao didn't deny it.
Instead, he tilted his head slightly, pinching his chin like he was genuinely thinking it over. A teasing gleam lit up his dark eyes.
"Hmm Rika-san is cute. Great personality. Full of energy"
"Rei Ao!"
Emilia practically exploded, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Her cheeks puffed out in a full-on pout, all that earlier gentle sweetness gone in a flash.
She reached over and twisted his arm.
"You shameless flirt! I knew iteating what's in your bowl while staring at someone else's plate! Yoummph!"
Her rant was cut off mid-sentence by a surprise kiss.
Right as they hit a red light, Rei Ao leaned over and kissed herquick but intense, full of boldness and unmistakable possessiveness.
"Dummy," he murmured.
The light turned green.
He let her go and restarted the car, his tone relaxed, playful, and warm.
"No matter how fun or cute she is, she's just a friend."
With one hand on the wheel, he reached over and laced his fingers with hers, gently rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.
"I hang out with her because you like her. Because she makes you happy. That's it."
Emilia sat there dazed, still reeling from the kiss and those blunt, sweet words. Whatever jealousy she felt just melted away, replaced by a warm, giddy kind of embarrassment.
Blushing hard, she mumbled, "Hmph who knows if you're telling the truth, you two-timing flirt"
Rei Ao just laughed and didn't tease her anymore.
Instead, he smoothly shifted gears. "Alright, time to get serious. I'm taking you to meet a few people."
"People?" Emilia blinked. "Who?"
"You'll see when we get there," he said with a smirk.
He stepped on the gas.
The engine let out a deep purr as the car sped off toward another part of the city.
It was late now.
Sasazuka was an old neighborhood, and it felt even quieter at night.
The dim streetlights stretched long shadows from the run-down apartment buildings across the cracked sidewalks.
That sleek, silver-gray sports carcompletely out of place in this rundown part of townrolled to a silent stop in front of the apartment where Sadao Maou and Shirou Ashiya lived.
Rei Ao and Emilia got out.
Emilia looked around at the obvious poverty and frowned slightly, still not sure who they were here to see.
But instead of heading toward the door, Rei Ao just stood in the overgrown patch of yard outside and looked up at a second-story window faintly glowing with light.
Then he called out, calm and casual:
"Come out. Your place is too cramped."
His voice wasn't loud, but it cut right through the walls.
From inside came the sounds of panicked shuffling and someone whispering, trying not to freak out.
Then
Creaaak.
The battered wooden door creaked open.
Out came Sadao Maou in a wrinkled T-shirt, looking like he'd just lost a week of sleep, and Shirou Ashiya, still in his neatly tucked-in shirt, clearly trying to keep his usual butler composure despite the tension.
As soon as they spotted Rei Aoand especially Emiliatheir bodies froze. Their faces practically screamed we're dead.
But it didn't end there.
A third figure hobbled out behind them, limping badly.
It was Luciferblack and blue, hair a mess, looking like he'd survived a small explosion, clutching his stomach and moaning as he shuffled forward.
Emilia's eyes widened in shock.
"Lucifer?!"
Her voice turned cold as ice in an instant.
Her right hand went instinctively to her waist.
A burst of righteous energy flared around herpure reflex from her days as a Hero.
"Demon King Satan! Why is Lucifer alive?! What are you planning?!"
Her gaze zeroed in on Sadao Maou, sharp and full of suspicion.
To her, Lucifer turning up alive could only mean trouble.
"No, no, no! Wait!" Maou practically tripped over his own words, waving his arms wildly.
"It's not me! It was Rei Ao-sama! He's the one who brought him here!"
"Andand"
He didn't get to finish.
Because yet another person slipped out the door, head low, clearly trying not to be seen.
And when Emilia caught a glimpse of the shiny bald headand the bruised face that, despite everything, she still knew all too wellshe froze in place.
"PPriest Olba?!"
She gasped, eyes wide with disbelief.
She looked from the beaten-up Lucifer to the equally battered and terrified Olba.
Her anger spiked.
"Demon Kingwhat did you do to Olba?! How dare you!"
She was this close to charging forward and decking Maou in the face.
"It wasn't me! I swear it wasn't me!!" Maou nearly cried, throwing his hands in the air like a man wrongly accused of murder.
Then he jabbed a finger at Rei Ao, who stood calmly off to the side, arms crossed, looking like he was enjoying the show.
"It was Rei Ao-sama! He caught them! He beat them up! I had nothing to do with it!!"
Emilia's fury short-circuited.
She spun around to stare at Rei Ao, eyes full of disbelief, confusion, and a million questions.
"You? Rei Ao? You caught them? You beat up Priest Olba?!"
Rei Ao met her stunned look without blinking and gave a simple nod.
"Yeah," he said, like it was no big deal. "That was me."
Chapter 823: Emilia's kind heart... Rei Ao's mercy
The night breeze was cool, brushing through Emilia's silver hair.
But no wind could blow away the shock that had frozen her in place.
She stood there, stunned.
Her eyes were locked onto Olba Meyer messy, bloodied, but unmistakably him.
"Rei Ao you caught them? And you hit High Priest Olba?"
Her voice was full of disbelief.
"Yeah. That was me," Rei Ao replied, calm to the point of being cold like he'd just taken care of some trash.
He turned his gaze toward Olba, who was curled up in the corner, visibly trembling.
His eyes were like ice. Unfeeling.
"Olba. Speak."
"Say everything here and now, in front of Emilia. What you and that bird-brain were plotting. Don't leave out a single word."
Olba flinched hard.
Sweat poured from his bald head, mixing with the blood on his face. He looked utterly pathetic.
Rei Ao's voice made his heart seize.
He had never imagined anyone could be this terrifying.
He couldn't even look Emilia in the eyes.
The gaze that once held trust and respect now felt like a blade driving into his soul.
With Rei Ao's overwhelming presence bearing down on him, he didn't dare lie.
"Y-Yes I"
His voice was dry and raspy, filled with helpless fear.
"II made a deal with Lucifer."
"I was afraid Hero Emilia's rise would shake the Church's foundation. That the upper ranks, who once supported me, would turn to her instead. I couldn't let that happen"
