Chapter 67: Or You Can Live at My House
Kobeni was instantly terrified by her parents' fury, a look of fear washing over her face. Inwardly, she prayed for Otonashi-kun to return quickly...
Eavesdropping outside the living room, the sisters snapped out of their shock as the parents' verbal abuse escalated. Although they felt Kobeni's desire for change wasn't wrong, they were all afraid of their parents and didn't dare speak up for her.
"Hurry up! Hand over the money!"
"You won't keep a single yen of that five thousand today. If you don't hand it over, don't bother coming home tonight—just get out!" the couple threatened.
At that moment, the eldest sister couldn't take it anymore. She rushed into the room and shielded Kobeni, acting as a barrier against their parents' vitriol.
"Stop yelling!" the eldest sister cried out emotionally. "In your hearts, there's only ever Shuta and Nori! Do the nine of us sisters have no freedom of our own?"
Barely in her early twenties, the eldest sister had been forced to work immediately after high school. Fortunately, she had enough of a temper that her parents hadn't dared force her into the sex industry or devil hunting. But Kobeni was the weakest and most timid of the nine, making her the easiest target.
Encouraged by the eldest sister, several other sisters trickled into the room. They didn't dare revolt against their parents, but they wanted to at least protect Kobeni.
"You lot!" the father roared, so enraged he looked ready to smash something. The mother was trembling with fury; her authority was being challenged.
Just as the tension reached its peak, Otonashi Chiya returned. He hadn't actually gone to the restroom; instead, he had entered the Kamui dimension to change into his Public Safety uniform.
Chiya walked calmly back to his spot and picked up the phone he had left on the seat. A faint smile played on his lips. "Uncle, Auntie... everything you just said has been recorded."
"...What?!" The father froze, his face turning pale with shock. He knew his behavior crossed the line into domestic abuse and a violation of parental support obligations. If there was solid evidence, he would be in deep trouble.
"Delete it! Now!" The mother reacted faster, lunging to snatch the phone from Chiya's hand.
However, her hand passed straight through the phone—and then through Chiya's entire body. Losing her balance, she stumbled and fell hard to the floor.
This was Chiya's "Intangibility" power! He had phased the phone along with himself.
Chiya pulled out his work ID and said flatly, "I am a Devil Hunter with the Tokyo Public Safety. If you attack me without provocation, I have the authority to arrest you in place of the police."
Hearing this, the couple froze, not daring to move an inch. They had a general idea of how much power Public Safety hunters wielded. Moreover, the boy's ID clearly stated "Special Division 1" and "Vice-Captain." He was obviously no ordinary hunter.
That brat Kobeni had said he was a classmate! How could a classmate be a Vice-Captain in Tokyo Public Safety? That girl must have lied to them!
The six sisters stood dazed. How did Kobeni's classmate suddenly turn into a Public Safety official? They couldn't wrap their heads around the situation. Only Kobeni remained relatively calm; after all, Chiya had walked her through the general plan beforehand. She felt like she was following a script she already knew the ending to.
Even so, her heart was filled with immense gratitude. She couldn't believe Otonashi-kun would go to such lengths for her.
At that moment, Chiya placed a phone call.
"Are you already here? Good, you can come in."
Hearing the boy's conversation, the Higashiyama couple immediately sensed something was wrong. Who was coming in?
A moment later, the doorbell rang. Otonashi Chiya went to open the door himself, and several police officers in uniform walked in. He had contacted them in advance; ever since his raid on the syndicate, most of the police force admired him greatly and were well-acquainted with him. Therefore, all it took was a single phone call—and if that hadn't worked, he could have just asked Chief Yoshimura.
"Are you the two suspected of domestic abuse?"
The officers had already been briefed by Chiya, so they didn't even need to listen to the recording before questioning the couple.
"Well... we... no..."
Seeing the police enter, the Higashiyama couple panicked completely. The arrogance they displayed earlier had vanished without a trace.
"Move it. Let's head to the station and have a proper chat," one officer said coldly. Like Chiya, they had no patience for parents like these.
The police promptly took the couple away. They likely wouldn't be back for at least half a day. While there wasn't enough "hard" evidence for a major conviction, they would certainly be lectured and warned. Even if they didn't change completely, they would at least be much more restrained in the future.
Chiya turned to the six sisters, who were still standing there dazed. "This is about as much as I can help you. You have to learn to stand up for yourselves from now on. If they ever try this again, just call the police directly."
Because the couple now had a record at the station—and one linked to Otonashi Chiya—the police would pay close attention. If any of the sisters called again, they would respond instantly.
"Oh... okay..." The sisters nodded blankly.
Kobeni, however, gave a radiant smile, the worry that had plagued her brow finally clearing away.
[Ding! Host has activated the achievement "Kobeni Higashiyama's Intimacy (Lv. 3)." Reward: 8 Attribute Points!]
"Well, I'll be heading back now. If you run into any major trouble, you can reach me at this number." Chiya left his contact info with the sisters.
"I-I'll walk you out!" Kobeni immediately chased after him.
On the street in front of the house, Kobeni walked alongside Chiya for a while.
"Otonashi-kun, thank you so much for today!" Kobeni gave a deep, incredibly grateful bow.
"It's nothing. They only got what they deserved. But they'll likely be back tomorrow. What do you plan to do then?" Chiya had aimed for a peaceful and effective resolution, and the parents being hauled off for a warning was a deserved outcome. However, feeling the situation wasn't fully settled, he pressed her further.
"My plan for then..." Kobeni said with a bitter expression. "Living at home will probably be very stifling from now on, but I don't have anywhere else to go..."
"That's actually quite simple. I can help you rent a place and deduct it from your wages, or you could just live at my house," Chiya stated plainly.
He was leaving for the Soviet Union in less than a month anyway. Before he left, Kobeni could share a room with Denji—they could just buy a new bed—and once he was gone, it would be even more convenient.
Kobeni seemed to only hear the last part of his sentence, her face turning bright red instantly.
"Live... live at your house?!"
(AN-Nahh,this chapter 67
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Yall spam the number
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Enjoyy