Chapter 36: Upwards Traversal

Angelie walked inside Romon Gate. She hung her head while looking at the ground as she was walking. Akuma was still beside her.

"Why did they ignore me…? Maybe they just didn't hear me? Yeah… that's it."

Angelie kept on talking to herself.

"Just run after them, you dumb Saint. Stop wasting that space where your brain should be."

Akuma picked the inside of his ear using his pinky finger.

"I can't just do that! What if they didn't really want me to be there? I'll just be a nuisance and ruin their fun school trip…"

She looked at Akuma for a while, then returned to looking at the ground.

"Ah! How bothersome, as always. Whatever. I'll head to the main hall. Do what you want."

Akuma walked faster than Angelie and left her behind.

"Just leave me. Everyone wants to leave me behind, anyway…"

Angelie walked on a snail's pace toward the main hall.

---

Once Angelie finally reached the main hall, she went and paid her respects and made a small offering at the shrine. After she finished and bowed, she headed to the start of the two main paths going up to the summit. Everyone was walking a bit faster than she did. When she reached the starting point, she looked at both gates to choose which path to take. Something caught her eye when she looked at the left one. Akuma was standing there, his eyes closed and hands inside his pockets. She approached him.

"What are you still doing here?"

She stood beside him.

"Took you long enough. Let's go."

He opened his eyes and started to walk on the left path.

"A-are you… pitying me?"

Angelie clenched her fists.

"I just don't want to be reprimanded by a teacher if they see me by myself. Our club's reputation is shot as it is. I don't want my name to be further dragged into the ground by you guys. I have grander ambitions to be fulfilled."

Akuma answered without looking back at her.

"You said a lot of irritating things, as usual."

She let out a sigh and smiled a tiny, tiny bit.

"Once we see them, I'll hand your sorry ass over to them in a heartbeat. You're dragging my mood down with all that moping of yours."

He scratched the back of his head.

"Fine. This is just a temporary truce until I can get rid of you."

Angelie walked past Akuma without looking at him.

"Heh. I'm the one getting rid of you."

Akuma followed her.

---

The two started to walk up the path. Angelie looked at the torii gates with awe. She kept on taking a few pictures of different angles and locations. They then reached an area where the path went straight and the torii gates were condensed and lined up beautifully. She took a few photos with the path as the background. She looked at the pictures in her phone. She then took a few more pictures with the same background. After looking at the pictures again, she let out a sigh and slightly smiled. Akuma saw all this and clicked his tongue.

"Give me that."

Akuma snatched the phone from Angelie's hands

"Hey! Don't touch that! I don't want your filthy hands contaminating my phone!"

Angelie just reached out at Akuma without moving from her spot.

"Hurry up and pose or whatever. I'll take the picture."

Akuma took a few steps away from Angelie and positioned himself to take pictures of her.

"I d-didn't ask you to this!"

Angelie's face turned red.

"I kept quiet while you took all those pictures. Now, we've been left behind by those three. We need to catch up to them. So, hurry up and let's get this over with."

Akuma raised the phone up to his eye level and looked at the screen.

"Fine… Just make them look good or I'll hit you!"

(We both know you'll hit me anytime you want to.)

Akuma squinted at Angelie.

Angelie calmed herself down. She then started to do different poses. Akuma took the shots. Angelie even moved to different spots and Akuma followed to take more pictures. When Angelie said that they've taken enough, Akuma approached her and tossed the phone to her and walked past her. She clumsily caught the phone.

"Let's go, then. We've wasted enough time as it is."

"Hey! Be careful with my phone! Don't just throw it like it's some trash!"

Angelie checked the phone and then saw the pictures Akuma took. Her eyes widened. She looked at Akuma who was now walking further away from her. She hurriedly went after him.

"What the hell is this?!"

Angelie kept on looking at each of the pictures as she walked beside Akuma.

"What?"

Akuma didn't look at her.

"These… these all look so good! Even someone like you might have talent for taking pictures!"

Angelie was still staring at the pictures on her phone with a smile on her face.

"What the hell do you mean 'even someone like me'?"

Akuma turned his head to look at Angelie.

"A trashy Demon Lord."

Angelie smiled at him. Akuma stared at her. His face turned slightly red. He then looked away.

"Whatever. Get your praise or insult straight, at least."

"Still, I can't believe you're good at this."

Angelie touched her cheek and titled her head sideways as she looked at a photo on her phone.

"Who do you think takes pictures of Yuurei? I've been trained… extensively."

Akuma furrowed his eyebrows while remembering the past.

---

The two of them finally reached an area where several restaurants and food stalls were lined up. The place was packed with people as it was just more than an hour before noon. The pair walked around for a bit.

"Since there are a lot of food here, I'm sure Sanaka and the others are hanging around here. Especially that Sanaka."

Akuma was looking around the area.

"Uh-huh."

Angelie replied half-heartedly.

"Anyway, just keep your eyes open. This may be our chance for us to catch up to them—"

Akuma noticed that Angelie was not beside him any longer. He looked back and saw her standing in line in front of one of the food stalls. Akuma approached her and put his hands on his waist.

"What are you doing? We've got to hurry up and look for them."

"I'm hungry. Let's eat first."

Angelie then pointed at the different skewers on display. The food stall vendor gladly packed the skewers Angelie wanted. She then paid for the food and left the stall. Akuma followed her as he shook his head.

"You're like a weaker version of that glutton Sanaka."

"What's wrong with liking food, anyway."

Angelie ate her skewers with a smile on her face.

"When you eat a lot is what is wrong with liking food."

"We all have different capacities for food. You shouldn't judge—"

Angelie noticed that Akuma disappeared.

"Where did you go, you stupid Demon Lord?!"

Angelie looked around for a while. After walking around for a bit, she then saw him near a food stall. She approached him with heavy steps. When she was near him, Akuma turned around. He held in his arms a big paper bag filled with taiyaki. He also had one taiyaki hanging from his mouth.

"What were you saying, you hypocrite?"

Angelie raised her eyebrow at Akuma.

---

The two of them finished the food they bought as they continued to walk around. They still weren't able to catch up to or even get a glimpse of Sanaka and the others. They reached the Yotsutsuji Intersection. A lot of people were resting there. A view of Kyoto mesmerized most of the visitors there. The pair stood near the benches provided for those who wanted to rest.

"I blame you for this. We're halfway to the top and we still haven't seen them."

Angelie stared at the Kyoto view.

"I wasn't the one who wanted to take all those pictures and then made a side trip just to eat."

Akuma also stared at the view.

"But you bought food, too. That wasted more time."

"I just followed your bad example. It's your fault, through and through.

The two of them then quietly continued to stare at the view.

"Even though you piss me off, this view is so relaxing that I can let you off the hook. For now."

Angelie took a deep breath.

"Enjoy this view while you can. One day I'll have it all under my control."

Akuma grinned.

"Yeah. In your dreams. As if I'll let that happen."

Angelie then turned around and looked at the split path going up to the summit. Her gaze went straight up to the top.

"Anyway, the problem now is which path do we take? Since there are two paths, we have a fifty-fifty chance of missing them."

Angelie put her hand on her chin.

"Judging by the time you wasted, they are probably near the summit now. It's no use chasing after them. It's highly likely we'll miss them if we go up now."

Akuma was still looking at the view.

"So, what are you suggesting? We give up now after going so far?"

Angelie glared at Akuma.