Chapter 131: The Basic Law of Apology
Kouya's expression grew darker by the second, a heavy silence hanging in the air. The two little girls trembled, gripping the edges of their skirts nervously as if the quiet itself was pressing down on them. The tension in the room was so thick that even the flickering lantern light seemed to hesitate. Then—
Then, right before everyone's eyes, the two little girls suddenly lifted their shirts!
The crowd froze. The air itself seemed to stop moving. For a heartbeat, nobody breathed.
Their delicate waists, soft white skin, and tiny navels gleamed under the light—completely exposed to the cool air. They were trembling slightly, not from shame, but from sheer fear that their strange 'ritual' might not work.
Vigne blinked in disbelief before rushing forward with a sharp gasp. She dropped to her knees, hurriedly pressing their clothes down, her hands trembling slightly. "What on earth are you two doing?! Don't be scared, tell me the truth—big sister will protect you."
Her voice was calm, but her glare at Kouya could have burned holes through stone.
The little girl on the left spoke in a fragile voice, "G-Grandpa said… showing our chests is the only way to get Master's forgiveness. It's… it's the basic law of apology…"
Silence.
Kouya nearly fell over. 'The basic law of what now?!'
So apparently, in some twisted world, showing your chest is considered an apology ritual? Which country even invented such nonsense?!
And besides—those aren't even chests! They're barely steamed buns! No, more like flat, fried eggs!
"Hey, hey, this doesn't look like a joke anymore!" Gabriel shouted, nearly choking on her drink.
Raphiel brought a hand to her lips, feigning deep thought. "Could it be… these girls are the ones our dear Kouya-kun seduced and abandoned long ago?"
"Who seduced who?! I told you I don't even know them!" Kouya snapped.
"Then why are they calling you Master?" Raphiel teased with a knowing smirk.
"This isn't my fault!" Kouya's voice cracked as everyone stared. "Stop looking at me like that!"
"That can't be true! Kou-nii would never have a girlfriend," Hinata said confidently, arms crossed.
Gabriel blinked in surprise. "Oh? And how would you know that?"
Hinata tilted her head, her face dead serious. "Because a guy who doesn't know how to comfort a crying girl can't possibly have a girlfriend."
"..."
A few people stifled laughter. Vigne smiled faintly, shooting Kouya another half-playful, half-exasperated glare before turning back to the little girls.
"Sweethearts, where are your parents?" she asked softly, her tone tender.
At that, both girls froze, then their lips trembled. The tears that had been clinging to their lashes finally spilled.
"O-our father's dead…"
"What?!" The shock rippled through the group.
Vigne instantly knelt, pulling tissues from her sleeve to wipe their tears away with gentle motions. "There, there… it's alright. Don't cry."
After a few moments, their sobs quieted enough for them to speak. They explained in fragments—their small voices weaving a pitiful story. They lived deep in the nearby mountains, alone after their father passed away. Their mother had died long ago, and they had no other family.
"I see," Vigne whispered, her chest tightening. "Two orphans, all alone in the woods…"
She looked back at Kouya, her eyes soft yet accusing. "But why do you call him Master? Did you know him before?"
Ai-chan sniffled, her voice barely above a whisper. "B-because Master is Master…"
"Be honest," Kouya said sternly, crossing his arms. "If you don't tell the truth, I'll send you back."
The moment the words left his mouth, the two girls wailed in unison.
"Noooo! Master, please don't send us back!"
"If we go back, we'll be eaten! Like crunchy radishes!"
Kouya blinked. "Do you think you're made of vegetables?! Even if you were eaten, it wouldn't sound like crunch crunch!"
Vigne couldn't help chuckling softly. "Don't worry, no one's going to hurt you." She clearly thought they were talking about bullies, not monsters.
The little girls clung to each other tightly, trembling. Vigne crouched beside them again, her gentle smile like a warm light. "Now, can you tell big sister why you call him Master?"
The right-hand girl hesitated, looking down. "G-Grandpa told us to."
"Grandpa? What grandpa?"
The other girl quickly shook her head, panic flashing across her face. "N-no, we can't tell! Grandpa Kappa said we must never reveal him!"
"Grandpa Kappa?" Everyone blinked in unison.
The silence that followed was awkward enough to make even Gabriel's wings twitch.
Vigne sighed softly. "And what else did he tell you?"
The girls glanced at each other, then answered shyly, "He said Master's orders must always be obeyed. Whatever Master commands, we must do…"
"Apologies should be made by… by showing our chests…"
"And we must cook for Master, wash his clothes, and every morning… give him a good-morning bite…"
Vigne's face turned crimson. "That's enough!" she interrupted, her voice trembling as she shot Kouya another furious glare.
Kouya's eyes widened. "Hey! Don't look at me like that! I didn't teach them anything! They're the ones saying it!"
"Disgusting! What a hentai," Gabriel muttered, glaring at him with open contempt.
"Hey, you're not one to talk!" Kouya snapped. "I've seen how lazy you get when no one's watching!"
Gabriel's cheeks turned bright red. "This rotten world… it really should just be destroyed already!" she muttered dramatically.
"Don't start with that apocalyptic nonsense again," Kouya grumbled. "Your trumpet's a replica anyway."
"The real one wouldn't even let you hold it, slacker angel."
"Uh… should we call the police?" Satania asked suddenly, blinking in confusion. For once, her question was serious.
The group exchanged uncertain looks.
The shrine maiden, standing nearby, finally spoke up. "Let me take them. I know some people who might be able to help." Her voice was calm, but her eyes were watchful.
Vigne nodded after a moment of hesitation. "Alright… we'll leave them to you, Chiba-san."
Once things settled, Vigne smiled at the little girls again. "Ai-chan, Natsu-chan, are you hungry?"
Both shook their heads quickly, voices soft. "N-not hungry!"
A second later, their stomachs betrayed them with two loud growls.
The embarrassment that followed was almost too much—their faces turned scarlet, their eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Vigne only smiled gently, pretending not to notice. "I'm a little hungry myself. Let's have a late-night snack. You can eat with us."
"N-no need!" Ai-chan waved her hands frantically. "We brought food!"
They pulled out a tiny, dusty pouch made of beast hide. Everyone leaned closer as they untied it—and inside were a dozen carrots.
"Big sister, have one!" one girl said earnestly, holding up a carrot like a priceless treasure.
The other followed suit, nervously offering another to Kouya, though she couldn't meet his eyes.
Kouya sighed. Vigne accepted the gift with a smile, then handed the carrot to him. "It's their way of showing gratitude. You should take it."
When Kouya finally took a small bite, both girls exhaled in visible relief. Then, smiling brightly, they began munching their own carrots with adorable 'crunch crunch' sounds that echoed softly in the quiet room.
Vigne's heart softened. "Which one of you is the older sister?" she asked warmly.
"Ai-chan's the big sister!" the one on the left said proudly.
The other puffed her cheeks again. "Hmph! Ai-chan's only older by a few minutes!"
Vigne chuckled and reached out to pat both their heads gently. "You're both very brave and very cute."
"Mmhm!" they nodded eagerly, their tears long forgotten.
After the simple meal, Vigne stood and turned to the others. "Gabi-chan, Raphiel, please keep an eye on Ai-chan and Natsu-chan while I prepare something warm to eat."
As Vigne left for the kitchen, the shrine maiden quietly stepped closer to Kouya, lowering her voice. "Kou-kun… they're youkai, aren't they?"
"Yeah," Kouya admitted with a sigh.
She smiled faintly, her tone softer than usual. "They seem to have completely attached themselves to you, Master Kouya. Why not keep them as your pets?"