“They aren’t coming back.”
It had been an hour since we started staking out the Ryuguin estate in the rain.
Perhaps Leeza-san had finally started feeling the heat, as she had removed her full set of disguise tools.
A woman taller than me, with beauty that would put models to shame, was waiting around dressed in beige cropped chinos and a white short-sleeved hoodie.
Holding a pale yellow umbrella, she looked up at the sky with a melancholy expression.
Just that alone was enough to make everyone passing by, regardless of age or gender, keep their eyes glued to Leeza-san. A beauty of the level that made you mistake her for a model or actress who had jumped right out of a magazine was standing there.
Honestly, if I didn’t know she was my master, my eyes would have been stolen too.
Lies, sorry. My eyes were stolen just a little bit. Even now, I’m feeling a bit nervous.
If you didn't know this person's true identity and just saw her standing there silently, she really was a peerless beauty.
“Muu, the thread is moving. It might be coming this way! W-What should I do, Boy?!”
“I don’t know.”
However, what she’s doing is the same as a stalker, isn't it?
This person has been staking out someone else’s house for an hour now.
I’m starting to think I should report her to the police.
“What do you mean, you don't know? Your master is in trouble. Help me, disciple.”
“That’s not the way someone who wants help should ask for it.”
Sigh... I want to go home.
Whether the red thread was moving or not, Leeza-san was alternating between hope and despair as she fidgeted and looked in the direction the thread was stretching.
What is this person? Is she a maiden in love?
“The other person is a high school girl. She’s probably out having fun after school.”
“Hmm, that's true...”
“Maybe she’ll be out playing until night, so for now, let’s just go home—”
“N-N-N-Night... Out playing until night...?! T-That’s no good! That’s unacceptable! H-How scandalous...!”
Her face is completely red. This person is actually surprisingly naive. I’m learning this for the first time.
Also, staying out at night isn't particularly scandalous. You’re the scandalous one for thinking like that.
“Anyway, let's go home for today. No matter if it's the rainy season, you'll catch a cold if you stay outside for a long time.”
“No, I will wait.”
“Just how long do you want to wait?”
“If you wait, chances slip away. I won't let another chance slip away... I don't want to let it slip away.”
With eyes tinged with a faint sadness and regret, Leeza-san gazed off into the distance.
...That makes sense. This person lost her previous fated person without ever meeting them once.
Thinking about it that way, waiting here for a few hours is probably nothing to her...
“...Fine, I'll wait too.”
“That's only natural... is what I want to say, but is it okay? I feel a bit guilty for making you go along with my selfishness.”
If you feel guilty, then let me leave when I try to go home, damn it.
“Well, I'm free anyway. Besides, I kind of want to see what happens when Leeza-san and Ryuguin meet.”
“...Wait. Why does Boy know her?”
“We're classmates. We're in the same class.”
“!?”
Oh, come to think of it, hadn't I told her?
“Wait, wha— same class?! Really?!”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“W-What kind of person is she?! As expected from my image, is she a super-beautiful girl who is pure, innocent, pure-hearted, naive, fresh, dignified, refreshing, dashing, clean, adorable, refined, lovely, modest, pure, cute, beautiful, charming, like a sprite, a fairy, an angel, and a goddess?!”
“............”
“Y-Yeah, that's about right.”
“I knew it! I knew it!”
Leeza-san showed a happy, cheerful smile.
Well, she's not wrong.
But I can't tell her that her true nature is a girl who loves heavy Iekei-style ramen and sneaks out of her house alone to wander the city at night.
“—Hmm? M-Mmm. H-Hey, Boy! The thread! The thread is coming this way!”
“Ah, then she should be here soon, right?”
“...I’m going home after all.”
“Hah?!”
Wait, what is this person saying?!
I grabbed Leeza-san's hand as she seriously tried to leave and pulled her back. Whoa, she really is strong!
“Nn—! L-L-Let go—!”
“I won't let go! Just wait here, I'm telling you!”
“Nnn—!”
Is this person a child?!
I was pulling on Leeza-san who was trying to escape, but I was actually being pulled slightly. I don't understand. Even though she's older than me, for me to lose in terms of power...
Guhhh...! At this rate...!
“Oh, Sanada-kun?”
“A-Akito?! What are you doing in a place like this?!”
Freeze.
Both Leeza-san and my movements stopped completely.
Voices coming from behind us. And two of them.
Together with Leeza-san, I turned around slowly like a rusted robot.
There stood Ryuguin, eyes wide in surprise.
And next to her was Riran, her face turning bright red as she looked at Leeza-san and me in shock.
Her eyes were fixed on my hand.
Depending on how you looked at it, I was a thug forcibly grabbing the wrist of a fragile(?) woman like Leeza-san. It could definitely be seen that way.
“Y-You...!”
“............”
“Wait. I can explain.”
“No excuses!”