Chapter 229

Liu Yuan was researching the upgrade system. Meanwhile, at the main store, Kobane Higashiyama had just received another bonus. She felt as if she was floating.

The bonus had come through, and Hayakawa Aki's bonus for signing the contract had also been received.Tokyo Public Safety noticed Kobane Higashiyama's excellent record, so her salary had been slightly increased. Half of her earnings went towards household expenses, and a portion of the remaining money was set aside as a reward. The leftover funds would be used to invite Tina to visit and have some fun.

The thought of this made Kobane Higashiyama a little excited.

"Tina."

"What's up?"

"Well, um... do you have some time soon? Would you like to come to my world and hang out? We have festivals and fireworks."

"Really? Will there be anything delicious?"

"There should be... I think?"

She wasn't sure. Although she had attended festivals before, she had never spent money there. This time, she wanted to invite Tina because she finally had some extra cash.

It cost 100,000 yen to invite someone over for a visit, and with additional expenses, 200,000 yen might not even be enough. In the past, this was an amount that Kobane wouldn't have dared to think about. But now, she had the money. Her plan to buy a car was still on hold, and she intended to use the remaining funds after inviting Tina to play to purchase a car on loan.

She had already chosen a small car, and once she had it, she would buy herself a few more stylish outfits. Then, she'd feel like a true success.

Thinking of this, Kobane Higashiyama smiled.

"Great! Just let me know when."

"I'll send you an invite on TT tomorrow."

Tina arranged her schedule through TT and prepared to visit Kobane Higashiyama's world the next day for some fun.

At the Tokyo Public Security Special Division 4, Kobane Higashiyama was on patrol with Arai as usual. However, the happy smile on her face made Arai very curious.

"Is something good going on?"

As the one who initiated the conversation, Arai suddenly felt suddenly nervous.

Kobane Higashiyama nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, a friend of mine is coming to visit tomorrow. Hey, is that... Denji?"

"It seems so. What's he doing in that coffee shop?"

"I don't know. Maybe he likes coffee?"

They didn't know Denji very well, but Kobane Higashiyama had worked with him twice and got along with him. They weren't exactly close, but they had a solid bond when things got tough.

Just as Kobane Higashiyama and Arai were passing by the coffee shop, the door suddenly swung open.

"Kobane! Arai!"

Denji waved cheerfully at the two of them. Hearing his call, Kobane Higashiyama knew she couldn't avoid him.

Although it was during work hours, patrol duty was relatively flexible, so it was no big deal to stop for a drink. When she walked into the coffee shop, Kobane Higashiyama noticed a girl with short purple hair sitting next to Denji.

The girl had a strange pull ring on her neck, and her face had an unnatural blush.

She's faking it!

This was Kobane Higashiyama's immediate intuition. Although she didn't understand love or complicated emotions, her instincts as a woman told her that this girl was pretending to be flustered.

Seeing Denji's captivated expression, she quickly pieced things together.

Kobane Higashiyama sat down and ordered a cup of coffee, then introduced herself to Reze, who was sitting beside her: "Hi, I'm Kobane Higashiyama. Nice to meet you."

"Reze. Nice to meet you too."

Arai, curious about Denji's situation, whispered, "Is she... your girlfriend?"

"What? Girlfriend? No way, does she look like one?"

"Well, she looks at you like you're the only person in the room."

Reze leaned towards Kobane Higashiyama, and they started talking casually—about simple hobbies, thoughts on the future. While discussing the future, Reze nonchalantly shared the story of the city mouse and the country mouse from Aesop's fables.

After finishing the tale, Reze added, "Personally, I think country mice have it better. Stability is what matters most."

Denji, who had been listening, offered a different perspective: "I'd rather be a city mouse. Eating well, sleeping well, and having fun is all I need."

Kobane Higashiyama didn't notice the genuine smile fade from Reze's face as she lowered her head and said, "Whether it's a country mouse or a city mouse, they're still mice, destined to be exterminated. So why not aim to be human?"

"But sometimes, people don't have that choice,"

Reze responded with a helpless smile that tugged at Kobane Higashiyama's heart. She could understand Reze's sentiment. If she had a choice, she wouldn't have become a demon hunter.

She had no choice but to become a demon hunter. But how often does life offer choices? She felt fortunate to have discovered the four-dimensional space Internet cafe, met Tina, and signed a contract with the secret demon.

"It's getting late. We should continue patrolling. See you later!"

"Bye~"

Denji cheerfully waved them off. As they left, Reze asked in a strange tone, "Do you really want to be a city mouse? I think country mice have it better—freer, more carefree, and less dangerous."

Denji replied seriously, "I wanted to be a mouse a moment ago, but now I want to be human. As a human, I could care for both city mice and country mice. But honestly, mice aren't cute at all."

"Pfft, you idiot. It's just a metaphor."

"But it's not cute."

"Idiot!"

The two bickered like real lovers. Whether they actually were lovers? Kobane Higashiyama didn't care about that, as she was still focused on inviting Tina tomorrow.

...

The next night, Kobane Higashiyama rushed home after work, changed into her regular clothes, and invited Tina to her world.

When Tina arrived, she saw Kobane Higashiyama in her regular outfit and her eyes lit up.

"You look amazing, especially the hat—it's so cute."

"Hehe~"

Kobane Higashiyama smiled, a little embarrassed.

"Let's go~ Today, our Higayashima-chan will take me around!"

"Yeah!"

Kobane Higashiyama had planned a comprehensive itinerary this time. She had figured out where they would eat, where they would have fun, and how they would end the night with fireworks. She intended to make sure Tina had the best time.

The festival was crowded. For convenience, they didn't change into kimonos, opting to walk around in regular clothes. The two of them ate cotton candy, nibbled on candied apples, and enjoyed the festival like typical girlfriends.

In a hurry, they made their way to the secret viewing spot Arai had recommended. It was a small hill, far from the main fireworks area, but with a wide view and few people—perfect for taking in everything.

But when they arrived, they found someone had beaten them there.

"Denji? Reze?"

Kobane Higashiyama greeted them, but Tina's attention was focused on Reze. She sensed a familiar aura around Reze, one that seemed to be nurtured by an assassin.

But aside from that aura, there was also a sense of entanglement. Was she someone like her who was escaping from some organization?

She didn't know this girl, but the assassin or desperate aura surrounding her made Tina immediately suspect something.