We had a good talk

Chapter 323 - We had a good talk

Hearing Koneko's words, the corner of Mahiro's eye twitched, a pang of guilt hitting him like he'd been caught sneaking out.

Is her sense of smell that sharp?

"How do you smell that?" Mahiro asked, eyeing Koneko's impassive face.

He and Akeno had bathed and used magic to erase all traces at the shrine. 

No matter how keen her nose was, she shouldn't have picked up anything. 

He'd even been meticulous about removing the shower gel's scent.

"Intuition," Koneko replied, the word dropping from her lips with calm certainty.

Mahiro froze. 

Intuition? With that kind of, why wasn't she dominating in combat?

"Koneko, are you upset?" Mahiro asked, sidestepping admission and testing the waters.

"No," Koneko replied, shaking her head blankly. 

She lowered her gaze, muttering softly, "Rias-senpai got ahead, and now Akeno-senpai too."

Her tone carried a hint of grievance, maybe jealousy. 

Whispering it so only they could hear didn't help.

Mahiro sighed. 

"By the way, Koneko, I heard from classmates about a new game release. Sounds fun. Have you tried it?"

"No," Koneko said, shaking her head.

"Want to grab it together sometime?" Mahiro offered.

"Okay," Koneko nodded, still expressionless, but Mahiro sensed her mood lift slightly.

"Let's pick a day, then," Koneko added, emphasizing the plan.

Mahiro exhaled slightly. 

Koneko was trickier than Rias or Akeno—not because she was loud, but because her quiet, almost pitiful demeanor was impossible to ignore.

Having smoothed things over with Koneko, Mahiro turned to the church trio. 

"I spoke with Michael earlier. He'll fix the issue with your prayers triggering backlash as devils."

Asia and Irina's faces lit up, and even Xenovia, who seemed to be drifting from faith toward her obsession with motherhood, perked up. 

Prayer had been a daily ritual for them, ingrained from their church upbringing. 

Their devil status had made it painful, a constant source of distress.

Mahiro noted their excitement. 

"You can try praying now. Michael's had time to adjust the system."

The trio immediately clasped their hands, closed their eyes, and began praying with fervent devotion.

Koneko glanced at them, then fixed her gaze on Jeanne, who sprawled comfortably on the sofa, watching TV without a trace of decorum.

"What?" Jeanne snapped, catching Koneko's stare.

"You're different from most church members,"

Koneko spoke. 

"You don't seem to revere the Biblical God much."

Church believers typically held the Biblical God as their core belief, showing deep respect. 

Jeanne was an outlier.

"I wasn't raised in the church from childhood," Jeanne said nonchalantly. 

"I had a family, trained differently. Sure, I attended ceremonies, but that's it. Besides, the God's dead."

"Praying's pointless if it doesn't reach anyone."

"That's not true," Asia said, opening her eyes to counter. 

"Even if God is gone, His legacy still responds, still protects us."

"Exactly," Irina added. 

"No more headaches. I can pray like before, and it feels amazing."

"Praying as a devil has this… unique thrill," Xenovia said, frowning as she tried to articulate the rush she felt.

Jeanne's mouth twitched. 

She felt out of place, as if her lack of fervor set her apart from the trio's zeal.

"Dinner's ready," Akeno announced, emerging from the kitchen in an apron, carrying steaming dishes.

"Everyone, wash up and eat," she said, setting the table with a warm smile.

Mahiro glanced at the kitchen. 

It looked intact, but faint demonic residue suggested something unusual had transpired. 

Rias followed, also apron-clad, carrying hot dishes with the air of a doting wife. 

"We had a good talk," she said, catching Mahiro's gaze with a smile that held a dangerous edge. 

She didn't mind Mahiro's other relationships, but Akeno's provocations pushed her limits, prompting a kitchen showdown.

Mahiro knew better than to meddle. He'd let them sort it out and focus on enjoying the harmony.

Dinner unfolded as usual, filled with laughter and chatter.

In the days that followed, life remained uneventful. 

After fulfilling his date with Koneko, Mahiro prepared to enter danmachi world again.

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