The comments section all think I'm a really good person.

This sword should be Nana Ohba's personal weapon, which she can summon at any time. Both Shiori Hachiya and the information provided by the previous research institute indicate that her main weapon is dual swords.

Judging from the knife wounds on Shiraki Rin's body, it must have been done by Ohba Nana, who "happened" to arrive at the scene.

The surveillance footage in the hallway only shows Kita Kirihara being attacked and knocked unconscious by Shiraki Rin, and then Ooba Nana just happened to arrive, slashing Shiraki Rin and seriously injuring her, saving Kita Kirihara.

However, Saki Koizumi felt that something was not right.

She noticed the extra piece of obligatory chocolate in Kita Kirihara's pocket and frowned warily.

What's going on here?

This thoughtful expression drew a burst of laughter from the live chat:

[Chief Koizumi's expression definitely suggests he's noticed something.]

Her eyebrows were furrowed more deeply than usual.

[Koizumi's three-year-old alertness.jpg]

[Chief: Who's spying on my A-Yuan?]

[Silver Garden was already interested in Ahara, and now Ahara is being protected by Banana and even got chocolate... hhhhhhhh]

Let me see who's being so sour... Oh! It's Koizumi Three-Year-Old!

[Koizumi: Banana, huh? You're giving my girlfriend chocolates, aren't you? Don't let me catch you doing that!]

[lol] To be honest, I want to see rivals meet.

I feel like this day won't be too far off...

Despite feeling somewhat jealous, Saki Koizumi was more concerned about the attack on Kita Kirihara itself.

Although Kita Kirihara seemed to be fine, Koizumi Saki was worried that something might be wrong with her body, since she had been cornered and unconscious by an ability user, and she was already so frail.

So, after arriving at the hospital, they quickly took Kita Kirihara for a checkup.

Kita Kirihara's side ended without incident, while something else happened on the other side of the Silver Garden's side.

..

Today is Valentine's Day.

Because today is a rather special day, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a freelancer who relies on short-term jobs to earn a living and experience modern life, has found himself in a rather awkward situation.

A tall young man with red hair and a high ponytail, dressed in a limited-edition Valentine's Day outfit featuring a lucky bear, was squatting at the shop entrance, selling roses.

Actually, he didn't originally intend to wear this to sell flowers, but if he didn't cover his face, the overly handsome and athletic young ghost king would always attract strange looks.

And for some reason, perhaps because his face easily gives others a sense of crisis, he can't sell a single one even when he's not wearing a mascot costume.

Although Yoriichi Tsugikuni could live without money, since demons don't need to eat or sleep.

But he still wanted to live a human life, not a ghost's.

So, just like when he left the Demon Slayer Corps and made a living in the fields with his own hands, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, after being granted permission to act independently, planned to find a place to live in the human world.

He initially worked at a nearby dojo, but because his abilities and teaching methods were beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, and his current lord did not allow him to indiscriminately teach his breathing techniques... Yoriichi Tsugikuni was unable to fully utilize his swordsmanship.

He's really not good at teaching.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni himself was unaware of just how far beyond the comprehension abilities of ordinary people this genius, favored by the heavens.

Therefore, being politely dismissed by the dojo was within Kita Kirihara's expectations.

After being dismissed from the dojo, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who was forced to become a freelancer because of his profound expertise in his original job, began to look for some jobs that were not very stable but interesting enough.

For example, they might wear a Lucky Bear mascot and hand out flyers to shops along this shopping street.

The Lucky Bear costume was the wrong size from the start, but it fit him perfectly, even though he was a tall man of 1.9 meters.

After Yoriichi became a demon, he became somewhat frightening. He always had a blank expression, looked too serious, and easily created distance between himself and others.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni was originally a swordsman who slayed man-eating demons. His wife, children, and friends all died because of demons, but he unexpectedly became the Demon King.

He hates ghosts.

Therefore, he also deeply loathed himself.

Even the sunlight, which is what demons fear most, has been overcome by this decaying body. Now, Yoriichi Tsugikuni cannot even die if he wants to.

Not to mention, there's also the incurable curse that binds him to death.

But beneath the mascot costume's hood, his face and the ugliness that belonged to a ghost would not be seen by anyone.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni was quite popular with children when he wore a mascot costume.

He was able to temporarily forget his identity and simply play the role of the lucky bear that children loved, earnestly and clumsily.

The same is true today.

However, an uninvited guest suddenly stood in front of him.

Slightly worn leather shoes, wrinkled suit trousers, and looking up, there was a face that Yoriichi Tsugikuni had seen before.

A middle-aged man wearing flat-framed glasses and with deep eye bags stood in front of Lucky Bear.

He looked more haggard than a few days ago, with noticeable gray hairs at his temples and bloodshot eyes, but he still tried his best to tie his tie neatly.

It is a freeze-frame of a scene where Yoriichi Tsugikuni is being searched for, or rather, the former Special Class Hero wearing the mascot costume on Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

"Hello," he asked very politely, "Could I have a moment?"

As he spoke, he handed over a business card with his real name and contact information written on it.

"My name is Matsu Toyotaro. I would like to discuss with you the matter of renting this mascot costume."

Yoriichi Tsugikuni was sitting by the roadside, with several bunches of roses waiting to be sold in front of him.

Wearing a Lucky Bear costume, he struggled to lift his head and carefully took the business card from Matsu Toyotaro with his thickly gloved hand.

"My name is Yoriichi Tsugikuni," Yoriichi Tsugikuni said calmly, "but I am still working."

P.S.: I've developed a condition where I get teary-eyed just listening to "Stage Girl's Reflections Interlude" while writing (sadly).

84. Snowy Night

"I'm really fine, Saki." After the examination, Kitagiri Hara said helplessly to the still worried Koizumi Saki, "Didn't the doctor say there was nothing wrong?"

When Koizumi Saki showed concern for him, Kita Kirihara felt both touched and amused.

She really is fine.

After all, it wasn't her who was nearly killed by a few backhand stabs.

And today is Valentine's Day...

Kita Kirihara subconsciously looked out the window. Outside, where the cold wind was howling, a few scattered snowflakes were falling.

Snowing.

I really should have gone back earlier.

Thinking this, she wrapped her coat tighter around herself as she left the hospital, trying to block the cold wind from getting into her neck.

Saki Koizumi reached out and tentatively touched the back of her hand. Kita Kirihara understood and grasped the outstretched hand.

The heat flowed from Koizumi Saki's side, and soon Kita Kirihara, who was shivering in the cold wind, felt his body warm up quickly.

Slightly surprised, she turned to look at Koizumi Saki and saw a few snowflakes stuck in her hair, and her ears were slightly red, whether from the wind or the heat.

Kita Kirihara blinked, exhaled a puff of white mist, and laughed.

"go home."

The two originally wanted to take a taxi home, but since they were holding hands, they didn't want to go home too soon.

Especially now, Beiqieyuan feels warm and cozy, both mentally and physically.

The two walked hand in hand through the streets that were gradually being covered by snow, leaving their footprints in the thin layer of snow.

A rather unique group walked by.

A person dressed in a round, golden lucky bear costume followed behind a middle-aged man who was walking briskly towards the hospital. Both men walked quickly after getting out of the taxi, but it was clear that the middle-aged man in the suit was more anxious.

Lucky Bear, with an astonishing speed and agility that belies its clumsy appearance, kept pace closely behind the middle-aged man, whose steps quickened due to his anxiety.

Saki Koizumi didn't know what Tadakazu had been doing lately, but she knew that Tadakazu's son seemed to be receiving treatment at that hospital as well.

Seeing his hurried and anxious appearance, she remained silent and watched him run past.

[It's the frozen-frame uncle and the Ghost King, huh?]

[Yoriichi actually agreed?]

[He's actually quite enthusiastic; I thought he would refuse.]

I feel he really likes kids; his attitude towards them is much gentler.

[In one version of the comic, it was mentioned that he actually had a family, and he might indeed have had children.]

[Really? She looks so young!]

Maybe it's because they don't look old.

[But to be honest, I feel like Yoriichi Tsugikuni doesn't seem like someone from this era. He's more like an old relic from a time-travel drama who came to the modern world from a long time ago.]

The comments were still going on, and the snow didn't stop because of the brief interruption.

Snowflakes fluttered down and landed on Fate's blindfold.

She felt a slightly cool dampness in her long-dry eyes and tilted her head up slightly.

The snow fell on her scar, melting and spreading a wet patch, like a damp kiss.

Standing at the entrance of the convenience store, she held a bag of chocolates in her hand, intending to take them home as gifts.

The warm yellow light shone on the ends of her hair, making her blonde hair appear even softer. Fitt waited there for a moment before the convenience store's automatic doors opened.

Suddenly, a steaming bowl of oden was handed to me from behind.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, have something to warm up, Fate," Nanoha Takamachi said with a smile, carrying in her other hand the things she wanted to buy for everyone.

All she received was Fate's disdainful silence.

“Don’t call me Fate,” Fate said, without looking up. “It’s time to go back.”