Chapter 12. Makima’s Probe — Turns Out Utaha Is a Glass Cannon

Hayashi leaned back. Makima bent over him.

Their faces were barely 30 centimeters apart.

Her logic, her questions—they almost had Hayashi convinced he was a devil. Any more and he'd feel embarrassed denying it.

But no matter how close it sounded—

"No," he shook his head. "While you're half right, and it does sound like something a devil would have… I'm not one. I don't transform. And I won't leave behind a successor after death."

One of a devil's defining traits was conceptual persistence—when one died, another would eventually take its place.

Unless it was eaten by the Chainsaw Devil, then it would disappear entirely.

Hayashi looked at Makima's skeptical expression and gave a helpless shrug.

"If you want to believe I'm a devil, that's fine. I don't mind. Based on what you said, I guess it does kinda fit."

It was true. His food did have some kind of "magic" to it.

An undeniable fact—and one unique to him.

Hayashi wasn't planning to deny it stubbornly.

If she figured something out, so be it.

But… did she really know everything?

Makima saw that Hayashi had "indirectly admitted it," so she straightened up and sat in the nearby chair, continuing the conversation.

"I'm Makima. And you?"

"Hayashi."

Makima glanced at the coffee in his hand.

Hayashi understood and poured her a cup with a smile.

"So you know I'm some kind of Food Devil, and you're still willing to try it?"

Makima took a sip. "As long as it's delicious, that's all that matters."

The rich, smooth flavor spread across her tongue—even she fell into a brief daze, relishing the aftertaste.

It was unbelievably good.

Better than any drink she'd ever tasted.

Makima began to wonder… Was this really his ability?

To make food taste this divine?

If so… wasn't this devil way too wholesome?

And somehow, her mind drifted to the incident in the nearby alley.

It was too close… and this kind of power?

"Hayashi-kun," she suddenly asked, "Did you hear the commotion last night?"

Hayashi was caught off guard by the question.

More than that, it was how she addressed him.

Usually, with strangers, the polite suffix was -san…

You only use -kun when you're very familiar with someone.

That suffix even carries a kind of intimacy between men and women.

But knowing the personality of this dangerous woman, Hayashi understood—she was most likely trying to guide him down a certain path.

"I heard it," Hayashi nodded.

"Did you go check it out?" Makima continued staring at him.

"I watched from the courtyard. Didn't go over."

"What were your thoughts?"

"I was worried they'd fight into my yard and wreck my house."

"Your house? A devil like you has a home here too, huh, Hayashi-kun?"

"You don't?"

"That's just a place I live."

"Fair enough."

"What if they had fought into your home last night?"

"Then I'd have tried to stop them."

"Do you have that kind of power, Hayashi-kun?"

"More or less?"

The two of them sipped their coffee, trading lines back and forth.

Makima asked whatever she wanted, and Hayashi just casually responded.

He treated it like an interview—no need to be too guarded. When the time came, it came. It's not like he could hide it forever.

But as the conversation went on…

Makima seemed more intrigued by Hayashi than before.

She tilted her head, clearly ready to dig deeper.

Just then, Hayashi caught sight of Touka approaching the door from the corner of his eye.

So he stood up and walked over. "You heading out?"

"Yes." Touka nodded. "Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all." Hayashi shook his head. "I'll get your takeout ready."

After he left—

Inside the diner—

Power had already finished eating.

She ran out and asked Makima, "Can I come here to eat regularly?"

Makima glanced at her. "That's your decision."

"Wahoo!" Power cheered, visibly excited.

Aki Hayakawa glanced at the prices on the menu.

They were fair considering the food's quality, but still—definitely higher than normal meals.

So Aki warned her, "Your salary might not cover eating here every day."

"Hah?" Power looked absolutely stunned. "Me? Short on money?"

Aki: "???"

You think you make that much?

She was on base pay. Any bonus income would have to come from demon-hunting commissions.

He wanted to remind her.

But out here in public, it wasn't appropriate to talk about Devil Hunters or devils, so he held back. He'd deal with it later.

Not far away, Kamishiro Rize had seen and heard everything.

Watching all these weird creatures show up and gather at the Midnight Diner—

Rize suddenly felt… like her food might get taken away?

Yes—she was getting possessive.

If they were just normal people, she wouldn't care.

But now ghouls knew. And soon, CCG, Public Safety, even devils might find out too.

Then what?

Would she even be able to eat here again?

Would Hayashi be taken away for experimentation?

Would she have to go back… to eating that meat again?

Just the thought of that cheap, revolting flesh that now seemed so disgusting—

Gag—

Rize even had a slight reflexive dry heave.

No. Absolutely not.

The idea that she might one day lose access to this food and have to go back to that filth—

Her jaw clenched with a dangerous edge.

Sharing a little was already her limit.

If she couldn't eat this anymore—she'd rather destroy everything.

Or maybe…

Make it hers alone.

—

In the kitchen—

Hayashi quickly finished prepping the takeout.

He handed it to Touka at the door and accepted her payment.

Touka gave a small wave and headed off.

Hayashi turned to go back—and suddenly found Rize staring at him.

It nearly made him jump.

Seeing that look in her eyes, Hayashi had a pretty good idea that her thoughts weren't entirely pure.

Time to dip.

He grabbed a glass of ice water and sat down next to the only "normal" person in the store—Kasumigaoka Utaha.

The moment he sat beside her, he let out a breath of relief.

Being near a normal person really was the most comfortable.

Seeing Hayashi sit down to rest beside her, Utaha's lips curled slightly. Still, she couldn't help throwing some teasing jabs.

"My, my. How rare, Hayashi-kun. Why not keep chatting with your new customer?"

She didn't need to say the name—he knew she meant Makima.

Hayashi shook his head. "It's more relaxing next to you."

Utaha blinked.

"Mm~" Her cheeks flushed a light pink.

Hayashi smirked.

So, she was a glass cannon after all. All bark, no defense.

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