Chapter 92: The Winter Palace
Otonashi Chiya had no idea that he was already being targeted by the Soviet military's high command. All he knew was that his paid leave had been extended by another ten days, and his bonus for the recent subjugation mission had been doubled. In the world of Chainsaw Man, earning Rubles felt just as good as earning US Dollars. While he earned in Rubles and spent in Rubles, the life of a Military Devil Hunter—a high-pay, high-benefit, high-risk profession—meant he earned a lot and had very little time to spend it.
Currently, Chiya was at the Winter Palace. Specifically, the State Hermitage Museum in Leningrad, also known as the Winter Palace Museum. During their last mission to slay the Typhoon Devil, Shingetsu had mentioned taking him here. Chiya hadn't taken it seriously, assuming Shingetsu was just making idle talk, yet here they were today.
Early this morning, Chiya had been dragged out by Shingetsu to go sightseeing. In the eyes of the other tourists, they were just two young men in military uniforms, appearing to be around eighteen at most. Most notably, both possessed exceptionally high levels of attractiveness.
"Those uniforms... are they soldiers? Or Military Devil Hunters?"
"There are slight differences between regular military uniforms and those of Devil Hunters. Looking at them, they're definitely Military Devil Hunters from the Leningrad Department."
"It's rare to see Devil Hunters at a tourist spot like the Winter Palace. And they're both quite the handsome young men."
"Wait, really? I hope they're just here as tourists and not because a devil appeared. Otherwise, our tickets would be a waste, and we'd be in danger..."
Walking through such a dense crowd, Chiya and Shingetsu naturally drew a lot of attention. If Chiya was considered exceptionally handsome among men, then Shingetsu possessed a delicate beauty that surpassed most women. Their uniforms, however, tended to spark worry in some people.
In reality, they only wore them because they were too lazy to change. Additionally, the uniforms helped them avoid unnecessary trouble—such as being harassed by thugs or being stopped for questioning by security guards due to Chiya's unusual eyes.
"I didn't expect you to have such elegant taste as to go sightseeing," Chiya remarked to Shingetsu. "But then again, the Winter Palace was once the residence of the Tsars, and your codename is 'Tsar'."
He figured Shingetsu didn't necessarily love traveling, but simply had a soft spot for this specific place.
"That isn't the only reason," Shingetsu said simply, offering no further explanation.
"Is that so," Chiya replied casually, clearly not sensing any deeper meaning behind the statement.
Just then, two Soviet girls approached them. Both were fairly pretty. Soviet girls seemed quite open, and their intent was clearly to strike up a conversation.
"Hey, handsome, care to give us some face? Leave us your contact info, maybe we can go for a drink tonight?" one of the girls asked Shingetsu directly.
When a Soviet girl enthusiastically invites you for a drink, it usually means the night is "settled"—in more ways than one. Of course, that might just have been Chiya's stereotype.
Shingetsu, however, had zero interest and ignored the girl completely.
Not only did Shingetsu remain silent, but she didn't even deign to glance at the girl. She walked past with such cold indifference that the girl might as well have been a pocket of empty air.
The girl looked instantly dejected. While being rejected after striking up a conversation is common, being completely ignored was an unexpected sting to her pride.
Otonashi Chiya gave the girl a slightly awkward, apologetic smile. However, following the lead of his partner, he said nothing and continued into the Winter Palace Museum with Shingetsu.
The ignored girl felt a little better, finding some small comfort in Chiya's apologetic look. Her friend, meanwhile, had been eyeing the crimson-eyed youth from the start; seeing his polite reaction only raised her opinion of him. She figured this boy would be much easier to talk to than the ice-cold youth who had just snubbed her friend.
"You must be a Devil Hunter from the Leningrad Department, right? Interested in grabbing dinner with us later? My treat~"
The second girl was just as direct, practically wearing her intent on her sleeve. Although she was enthusiastic, Chiya had no desire to go on a date with total strangers.
Just as he was framing a polite refusal, Shingetsu suddenly shot the girl a look so frigid it practically radiated murderous intent. The girl felt as if she had been plunged into a bottomless abyss of ice. Terrified, her face paled instantly.
The youth's features were strikingly beautiful, yet his eyes looked like they could kill. The girl grabbed her friend, and they bolted away as if escaping for their lives. They didn't stop until they were panting for breath.
"What was with that guy?! It's one thing to ignore you, but why did he look at me like that just for talking to the other cute one?"
"I don't know... Forget it. Let's just call it bad luck today. It's a shame—he was exactly my type, but he's just too weird."
Meanwhile, Chiya looked at Shingetsu with a puzzled expression. "Even if you're not interested in them, was there really a need for such a terrifying look?"
That glare from Shingetsu had made even him feel a slight chill, as if she were on the verge of actually attacking. Those two girls were just ordinary civilians; if Shingetsu so much as lifted a finger, the consequences would be dire. More importantly, he couldn't see any logical reason for Shingetsu to be so hostile toward them.
Despite Chiya's moderate tone, Shingetsu didn't take the advice well. Instead, her expression darkened further, as if Chiya merely speaking up for the girls was a grave offense.
Chiya wasn't about to keep humoring this erratic temper forever. "Fine. I'm not in the mood to argue with you. Do whatever you want."
What was supposed to be a pleasant sightseeing trip had turned sour. Fortunately, the tension was only temporary. Before long, Shingetsu returned to normal.
She pointed toward a corridor and took the initiative to speak. "Let's go check out that area."
She acted as if the unpleasantness from moments ago had never happened.
"Alright," Chiya replied. He wasn't the type to hold a grudge.
While it wasn't a major crisis, he still felt a sense of helplessness. He considered himself a fairly easygoing person, but Shingetsu's bizarre personality was both confusing and a headache. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't be able to stand her temperament at all.
AN-
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