“Mmm… smells so good~” Etsuyuki inhaled deeply, unable to help herself.
“You’ve been here before, Etsuyuki. Still marveling at the food?” Tamako frowned slightly but smiled at her.
“Well… it really does smell amazing.” Etsuyuki stuck out her tongue and scratched her head, slightly embarrassed.
“Well, even for me—though I’ve been here a few times—I still think the chef’s cooking is fantastic,” Saya said. “Right, Kotonoha-chan?”
“Mmm, indeed.” Kotonoha nodded. “Tamako-chan and Motoko-chan get to eat meals like this every day. I always feel a bit envious.”
“Haha…” Motoko scratched her head. “Come on, everyone. We’re all friends, right? No matter when you come, you’ll always get a proper meal, at least to this standard.”
The girls laughed together and joined their hands: “Itadakimasu!”
BOOM—they began.
“Mmm… so delicious…” Surprisingly, it was Motoko who praised the food first. “Ah… it’s never tasted this good before. Looks like today, the chef gave his all because you all came… chew…”
“Mmm… seems so. Even better than usual,” Tamako admitted.
—Throughout the meal, Lirina remained silent. Even when eating, she made no sound, aside from the initial “Itadakimasu.”
At first, no one noticed, but as they continued eating, they realized the quiet around Lirina.
“Rina-chan?” Etsuyuki called softly.
No response. Lirina’s expression seemed deep in thought, mechanically picking up food.
Everyone noticed.
“Rina-chan?” Etsuyuki raised her voice.
“Ah!” Lirina flinched. “Ugh… ah… yes, the food is delicious… hehe…”
Confusion spread. For a month, Lirina had always seemed cheerful, brightening anyone’s day. But now, her heavy, distracted expression was new—no one had ever seen it before.
“Rina-chan… what’s wrong? You seem distracted… daydreaming,” Etsuyuki said with concern.
“Ah…” Lirina bit her lip, lowering her head. “I… it’s nothing.”
“This expression must mean something’s happening,” Motoko said, setting down her chopsticks. “It’s okay, Rina-chan. You can tell us anything. We’ll help you solve it.”
…This wasn’t something the seniors could fix. Unlike homework problems, the cause of her worries came from everyone… But how could she say that? Tamako and Motoko only meant well by letting her eat in peace.
Lirina chewed her lip, silent.
After a tense few seconds, Kotoka spoke: “Everyone… listen for a moment?”
Lirina looked up, and the others turned to her. Kotoka smiled at Rina’s puzzled expression. “Even you all probably have things… not everything can be shared or solved together, right?”
The club president…
Lirina’s eyes welled up. Kotoka had just eased her worry.
She couldn’t tell the light novel club about Anya… But here, everyone only meant well—no one was at fault.
Whether it was letting her eat alone, or worrying about her being distracted… Everyone had her best interests at heart, yet it caused her distress. She had no idea how to handle it. Left in this atmosphere, she might even cry from frustration.
“Thank you, President Kotoka,” Lirina said, smiling gratefully. Kotoka waved her hand. “I just spoke the truth. It’s fine, Rina-chan. You just looked troubled.”
“As expected of the president,” Kotonoha said. “She protects Rina-chan and teaches us a good lesson at the same time.”
“Ahaha… well then, if nothing’s pressing, let’s continue eating?” Kotoka said, turning to Lirina. “Your homework’s done, right?”
“Ah, yes.” Lirina nodded.
“If it’s something important, it’s fine to go home after eating. We’ll mostly be here in the afternoon… helping this one with her homework.”
Kotoka gently tapped Motoko’s head, and she groaned in pain.
The table’s atmosphere lightened again.
…
Anya reached out to the latch, paused for a few seconds, and retracted her hand.
It was just past noon. Lirina hadn’t returned.
Anya took a deep breath and returned to the living room.
She rested a bit more, realizing she could barely move again. With a full stomach, her magic energy gradually recovered, and so did her weakened body.
Pulling all the curtains open, soaking in sunlight’s power, the only things still limiting her were deep fatigue, which would take days to fade, and her twisted right ankle.
Satisfied with her state, Anya considered finding Lirina.
…but when she tried sensing her, she realized—while she had regained some strength, the sunlight’s restorative magic in this world couldn’t compare to the holy light in Heaven. She was barely able to move, and using spells would require more rest.
Forcing herself… could worsen her collapse, turning fatigue into pain.
So she gave up the idea. Even if she sensed Lirina’s location, she didn’t know the exact path. Using her cloak would be self-harm, or pointless if she didn’t power it. …Why was she even thinking about this now?
The succubus… broke her promise.
Tch.
Anya frowned.
The note said she’d be back by noon. Noon. It’s just past twelve… she’s not back.
She lied to me.
The thought hit, bringing a tangle of emotions.
…Yes. I’m such a troublesome angel now.
Even if Lirina is pure-hearted, there might be demons nearby protecting her. Their power could be strong enough that Anya couldn’t sense them. If Lirina went out this morning for any reason, those demons could have ensured her safety—and might now be plotting against her.
…After all, I’m a lone angel. I attacked her… of course they’d hold a grudge.
The thought scared her, but a small part refused to accept it.
She ran from Heaven to taste freedom… yet hardly felt it before life might end.
…Even the tiny happiness from the ramen buns was gone.
Anya clenched her fists—but her body was too weak to grip tightly.
Tch.
No matter how she thought about it, the outcome was disheartening.
…If those demons are coming for me, there are two possibilities. One: Lirina… was lying to me all along.
A chill ran down her spine. She recalled Lirina’s shy but gentle expressions, whether feeding her porridge last night or holding her this morning. If that could be faked—
She shook her head. She didn’t want to believe it.
Second possibility: Lirina’s people are coming to take her by force. Then… she didn’t care. Being captured would be fine.
…but ending life here would be a shame.
Yet there was another, least desirable possibility…
Lirina simply went out and didn’t come back. That’s it.
…Why?
Why didn’t she return? The note said she’d be back by noon. It’s past twelve. She’s not back.
Anya bit her lip, staring at the empty drink bottles and ramen bun wrappers.
Am I someone who doesn’t need to care? Then why treat me this way?
…She’d just found a small sense of belonging, and now it was gone. Painful.
…Maybe Lirina has many human friends. She went out to play, had fun, and thought: Who cares about that annoying angel? I won’t come back for her.
She couldn’t walk far anyway. Even if she went out, there was nowhere to go.
Anya gritted her teeth.
Happiness is turning negative.
These negative feelings kept amplifying—the troubling part was that everything she thought was rational, yet sharp like a cold blade.
A/N:Itadakimasu – A Japanese phrase said before meals, meaning “I humbly receive this food.”