Why is the Demon King like this?

Shinbata Yui hummed two pieces of classical music before sitting down again and accepting the wine that Shiraishi Chizuru respectfully offered her.

"That's amazing!" She and Hanako (who floated back) clapped wildly.

"I've made a fool of myself," Shenfan said, changing her self-reference again and winking playfully at Qing Guijie.

Watching her and Sei Keisuke exchanging glances, Shiraishi Chizuru felt a sense of defeat, as if she had been abandoned by the times and had become an old auntie.

—Could it be that Keisuke Ao isn't a hothead, but simply doesn't like big things?

The four of them finished another bottle of wine, during which time Shiraishi Chizuru went to the kitchen and brought back a pot of edamame that she had cooked herself.

Prepare them before they arrive by removing both ends of the edamame, washing them, and then soaking them in salt water for a while.

When you want to eat it, take it out and boil it in boiling water until cooked, then add some spices.

Alternatively, you can cook it first and then add the dipping sauce; it tastes quite good that way too.

So, the alcohol was naturally replaced with beer. Hanako drank two cans and then couldn't take it anymore. She was dizzy and flew to the sofa with the empty can in her arms and fell asleep.

Chizuru Shiraishi's alcohol tolerance had also reached a certain level, and to prevent herself from getting too drunk, she transformed into a dignified beauty, sipping her wine and moistening her lips with small sips.

Despite his flushed face and droopy eyes, he still managed to urge Aokiji to exorcise the spirit.

Even Qing Keisuke was shocked by her persistence.

"Qinggui-kun, you're really biased."

In a voice only Keisuke Ao could hear, Yui Kamibata complained, "Although I don't know the details, but... those eyes..."

Keisuke Ao wasn't surprised that Yui Kamabatake could see through the magic he used on Chizuru Shiraishi, after all, she was a relatively powerful figure in the mystical world.

There are many ways to make someone with no talent witness mystery, but there are very few ways to do it "harmlessly".

The situation was completely different from when he and Chizuru Shiraishi fell into Hanako's barrier.

That's essentially like being marked, falling into a trap, becoming a target of hunting; it's like the ghosts and monsters actively revealing themselves.

If Hanako hadn't been devoid of any intention to harm humans, Chizuru Shiraishi would have been hurt the moment she saw her.

On the other hand, it is also necessary to ensure that Shiraishi Chizuru is able to use the ability given to her by Seikisuke, so that even a little kid can wield a large sword...

Therefore, the complexity involved is far beyond what Shiraishi Chizuru perceived as a mere understatement.

"Would my promise be something meager?"

"Oh, then this humble woman looks forward to your future promises!"

Are you sure you want a promise, not a command?

Keisuke Ao picked up the sleeping kitten from the back of his foot and said, "Since Dr. Shiraishi has been so concerned, let's go."

"Now?" Kamabatake Yui pointed at the drunken Shiraishi Chizuru.

"Isn't this a problem she needs to overcome herself?" Keisuke Ao laughed.

What a wicked person!

Shinbata Yui covered her mouth and chuckled: "In that case, please let me make the arrangements. I happen to be investigating something tonight."

"Oh?"

Aokiji acted immediately, completely disregarding the fact that it was almost midnight.

Or perhaps it should be said that the late night is the best time for hunting?

"I'll explain the details once we're in the car," said Kamitsuki Yui, taking out her phone to call the driver.

The matters that were originally planned to be dealt with after the gathering ended have now become Keisuke Ao's entertainment.

When Shiraishi Chizuru saw the two of them get up, she was stunned for a moment, her mind not quite clear, and she even forgot what she had said earlier.

"Are you out of alcohol?"

"Still no food?"

Keisuke Ao chuckled, helped the female doctor up, and tidied her hair.

"Let me take you for a walk in the breeze."

"Eh~"

Chizuru Shiraishi subconsciously pushed Keisuke Ao, looked him over carefully a couple more times, then leaned against him, exhaling hot breath reeking of alcohol: "Little brother, are you an adult yet?"

After spending ten minutes tidying up the low table and their appearance, the three of them finally got into the luxury car that Yui Kamibata had called.

"Miss, who are these two people...?"

"Let's go."

"yes!"

Kamibata Yui raised the partition between the driver's seat and the back seat and began to tell Ao Keisuke about the paranormal events she was investigating.

"Around 8 p.m., a murder occurred in a residential area near the Garden Shrine, and all the residents on the entire floor were killed."

After the head priest of the Garden Shrine noticed the anomaly, he immediately alerted us, and the news was completely blocked.

Initial exploration revealed that a spiritually distorted barrier had formed within it. The divine lord, lacking sufficient power, had no choice but to seek assistance.

"Insufficient power? Could it be that the supernatural force this time is very strong?"

"That's not quite the case. It's just that the current head priest of the shrine is of poor quality and doesn't have any usable shikigami under his command..."

Shinbata Yui didn't finish her sentence.

Although Hanazono Shrine is a relatively famous shrine and enshrines three deities, there are always some unspeakable secrets behind it all...

She continued, "According to the message from the shrine, the evil spirit that appeared this time is extremely brutal and has a strong desire to attack. The shrine has already done its best just to prevent the disaster from spreading."

Secondly, the evil spirit's abilities are most likely related to corpses and sharp weapons. In the area explored, all the residents' corpses had disappeared, leaving only traces of blood.

When a living person approaches the barrier, they will experience the illusion of being cut. Once they mistake this for an illusion, the wounds will become real.

"Hmph...that's interesting."

Aokiji looked thoughtful: "But is it really necessary for you to get involved for something like this?"

"this……"

Yui Kamabatake hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice and whispered in Keisuke Ao's ear, "Actually, we also suspect that there's more to this incident than meets the eye."

—A secret that could warrant the involvement of the chief priestess?

Keisuke Aoki began to look forward to it.

"I hope you won't let me down."

Shinbata Yui nodded with a gentle smile.

"So sleepy..."

As the two talked, Shiraishi Chizuru, who was already feeling drowsy, became even more sleepy as the car swayed.

She covered her burning face with her hands, feeling the whole world spinning around her. If she had the strength, she could have performed a headbutt on the ground right there and then.

He instinctively bent over and braced his knees with his elbows in an attempt to maintain his balance.

"Where's my bed... Tsukishima... Help!"

"I feel so dizzy..."

"Did she drink a lot?" Yui Kamabata asked, looking at Keisuke Ao who had taken out his phone to record a video.

"It wasn't a lot, but the second bottle of wine she took seemed to have an alcohol content of 60% or higher."

Ah this...

So he got me drunk?

So that's how it is! What a cunning woman!

Chizuru Shiraishi, propping her head up, slowly but gradually accelerated her fall towards Keisuke Ao's knees.

What?!

Shinbata Yui's pupils dilated in shock; she never expected such a plot twist!

Keisuke Ao didn't dodge; he even reached out to cushion Chizuru Shiraishi's fall before gently placing her on his knee.

"Goodnight~" Shiraishi Chizuru rubbed her head, a sweet smile on her face, as if she had finally found her bed and was about to fall asleep peacefully.

Keisuke Aoki kept a picture of her looking smug and nodded in satisfaction—he'd send it to her in person tomorrow.

Incidentally, their current seating order is: Chizuru Shiraishi, Keisuke Ao, and Yui Kamabata.

The Demon King was caught in the middle.

As for the reason, the chief priestess, who didn't want Shiraishi Chizuru to sneak away alone, specially went to the other side of the car door and squeezed him into the middle seat.

Shinbata Yui blinked wildly with envy, then exclaimed "Aiya!" and leaned her head on Ao Keisuke's shoulder.

After taking the photo, Aokiji casually used his phone to block the view, and the corner of the phone directly poked into Shinbata Yui's face, pushing her away.

"Sit down properly."

"Huh?!"