Chapter 166: Stay the Night, Yumiko!
After hearing Luke's explanation, Miura Yumiko immediately began lecturing him without pause.
"Seriously, why didn't you leave something like that to other exorcists? Why did you have to charge in yourself? You're always trying to act tough…"
'Ugh. She sounds like a nagging mom.'
Still, Luke did not dislike the feeling.
He listened to Yumiko freely voicing every bit of her worry and irritation, and a faint smile gradually appeared on his face.
This was the part of Miura Yumiko he liked most.
It was also what set her apart from many other girls at school and helped her stand at the top of the social hierarchy as the so-called Fire Queen.
Her approach to relationships could be clumsy, but when she cared about someone, she cared sincerely.
Luke had never actively investigated girls' social circles, but Service Club work and casual conversations with Yui had taught him a little about their darker side.
Girls could meet, chat, and look perfectly friendly, then suddenly split apart when circumstances changed.
That was what made their social world frightening—Even while two girls smiled and chatted, an outsider might have no idea whether they actually liked each other.
Yumiko had none of that problem.
When she liked someone, she never hid it. When she disliked someone, she did not bother pretending otherwise either.
Even Luke, who usually cared little about social relationships, had to admire how straightforwardly she handled hers.
As expected of Queen Miura—The girl who hated false friendliness more than anything.
And as someone favored by Queen Miura, Luke found that honesty extremely comfortable.
Perhaps genuine sunlight simply felt much warmer than an artificial spotlight.
"I like you."
Luke suddenly interrupted her.
Instead of blushing as expected, the easily embarrassed Yumiko narrowed her eyes and directed an icy, dangerous stare at him.
"Oh? You like me?"
She leaned forward slightly.
"So that girl named Yotsuya Miko… you risked your life for her, didn't you?"
Luke's scalp tingled.
All the discomfort from his injured soul seemed to vanish instantly.
Sure, he had already accepted that his love life was complicated, but still…
"What do you think?"
"Me?"
Yumiko rested both hands beside her skirt and fell silent for a moment.
Before she could answer, Luke spoke again.
"Why don't you stay the night, Yumiko?"
Her entire body jolted.
"No way!"
She hurriedly waved both hands.
"My family has a curfew now!"
A curfew?
Did she really think invoking family rules would let her escape?
'You underestimate me, Yumiko!'
"Huh? Didn't you stay over here before? I don't remember you mentioning any curfew."
Luke immediately presented the evidence.
After all, when the ghost driver brought her here last time, Yumiko had never said anything about such a rule.
Yumiko let out an exhausted sigh while tapping her foot so rapidly it nearly resembled a machine gun.
"The curfew exists because of what happened last time."
"Hmph. Mom said it's dangerous for a girl to stay overnight somewhere else."
"Parents aren't always necessarily—uh."
Yumiko's python-like glare instantly strangled that argument before Luke could finish.
He immediately changed tactics.
"Relax. With me here, what danger could there possibly be? Even if a ghost-god showed up, I could chop it apart."
Luke seriously doubted any evil spirit would dare cause trouble inside his home.
If one interrupted him there, his resentment might surpass the spirit's.
It might even surpass Hiratsuka-sensei's.
"Haa…"
Yumiko released another exhausted sigh and stared at him with a defeated expression.
Her eyes and slightly lowered head seemed to silently say—
'Who do you think the dangerous person is?'
Expressions really could communicate an incredible amount.
From Yumiko's gaze, posture, and bowed head hidden beneath her blonde hair, Luke instantly understood.
His mood could only be described with the famous story Zhou Chu Eliminates the Three Evils.
Zhou Chu: 'Let's find out who the greatest menace around here is!'
'…Oh. It's me.'
That was exactly how Luke felt.
'There's danger?'
'Oh, I'm the danger.'
'Never mind, then.'
"I'm an upright and trustworthy person. I wouldn't do anything bad."
Luke immediately began shamelessly arguing.
"Besides, having you nearby would probably help me recover faster."
Having lost the logical debate completely, he had moved on to pure sophistry.
It almost felt like playing a debate battle in Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI.
"No."
"We have a home theater, movies, cats you can pet, snacks, and every drink you could possibly want."
"No means no!"
Yumiko snorted stubbornly.
"Tch…"
Luke clicked his tongue.
Yumiko had proven completely immune to both reason and bribery, leaving him temporarily out of ideas.
Under his relentless persuasion, Yumiko shyly averted her gaze and murmured, "...And besides, I'm not ready for that yet."
"Huh?" Luke paused, his eyes scanning her up and down repeatedly.
Then, meeting her confused stare, he carefully asked, "Do you mean... that? I didn't say we'd go that far..."
Silence hung in the air for a moment.
"Ah!" Yumiko's face flushed with panic as she snatched his blanket and pulled it over her head.
'Well, that confirms it,' he thought.
'I definitely can't let you leave now.'
After thinking for a moment, Luke came up with another strategy.
"Stay the night, Yumiko. There's going to be heavy rain later, maybe even a storm. Going home in weather like that would be dangerous."
Hearing this, Yumiko slowly peeked out from beneath the blanket until only half her head showed.
Its edge rested just beneath her eyes.
"Hah? Did your head actually get damaged?"
She spoke extremely quickly.
"The sky is completely clear! How could there suddenly be a storm? Stop saying ridiculous things. Seriously."
Yumiko was clearly dissatisfied with her boyfriend's habit of constantly talking nonsense.
Luke offered no further explanation.
He merely said,
"Just wait."
Then he left the room.
Yumiko raised her head slightly and watched his determined back with confusion.
"'Heavy rain,' my foot…"
She glanced at the perfectly clear sky outside, then took out her phone and checked the weather forecast.
"Seriously."
Still—Watching him desperately invent one excuse after another to make her stay had actually put her in a surprisingly good mood.
Now he had even invented something ridiculous like the weather suddenly changing.
'Mm.'
'It's kind of cute~'
As long as he behaved himself, staying here tonight…
Might be okay.
Probably.
Clang!
Clang!
Two loud metallic sounds from outside abruptly interrupted Yumiko's thoughts.
She looked toward the doorway in confusion.
Meanwhile—
'Thunder Lord, aid me!'
Moments later, the clear sky darkened like ink.
Clouds gathered from nowhere, swallowing the sunlight at astonishing speed.
The wind suddenly howled.
Dark clouds covered the sky.
Rain looked ready to fall at any second.
Luke stood outside as the fierce wind stung his face and looked down at the [Five Thunder Command] in his hand.
"Heh."
"This thing is pretty useful."
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