Chapter 12: Time to Schedule Pest Control

Snap.
Suddenly, the rooftop door swung open, startling Doroshi into looking up.

This spot was usually deserted, and with the door left ajar, passersby wouldn’t notice her.
Who would come to the rooftop at this hour?

Then, emerging calmly from behind the door was the maid, holding an absurdly large bento box.

“Huh?”
Doroshi’s brows furrowed in surprise at Ren’s appearance.
“Kimihiro, how’d you find me here?”

But as soon as she asked, she realized the question was pointless.
If Ren, a demon god, couldn’t track her down in school, that would be the real surprise.
No doubt, the maid was here for her.

Ren approached steadily.
“I’ve finally found you, Lady Doroshi. Why do you call me ‘Kimihiro’?”

Up close, Doroshi could smell the tantalizing aroma wafting from the lavish bento box Ren held, clearly packed with delicious dishes.
‘But I’m already stuffed!’
Her eye twitched.

“Um,” Doroshi said, avoiding the bento and hesitating before continuing, “at school, I’d rather not draw attention… So, could you call me ‘Jinzenji’ here, Kimihiro?”

“…”
Ren’s smile faded slightly, her cherry-pink lips pursing as she gave a small nod.
“As you wish.”

Sighing, Doroshi stood, brushing dust off her skirt from sitting on the rooftop floor.
Sidestepping Ren and her bento, she glanced back, her tone stiff.
“I’m done eating, so I’ll head out first.”
“If you get too close to me at school, Kimihiro, people might shun you too. So… I’d prefer if you didn’t talk to me here.”

With that, Doroshi left the rooftop.

Ren stared at Doroshi’s retreating figure, not visibly hurt by the rejection but lowering her head in thought.
“Shunned?”
‘Lady Doroshi doesn’t seem happy at all.’

Ren pressed her palm to her chest, where the red ribbon peeked out from under her sleeve.
Slowly, she clenched her fist.

★

Walking home after school, Doroshi was filled with regret.
More accurately, immense regret.

The words she’d said to Ren on the rooftop at noon now felt utterly heartless.
Rejecting Ren’s kindness so coldly—she was sure the maid must hate her now.

Doroshi clutched her head in distress.
“I really messed up big time.”

All afternoon, she’d avoided facing Ren, terrified of seeing disdain in her eyes.
So, after school, Doroshi had bolted out the gate like she was escaping.

Thinking about Ren visiting her house later, Doroshi sighed repeatedly, unsure how to face her.
‘I’ll just have to apologize like crazy and beg for forgiveness.’

Not far behind, Ren, school bag slung over one shoulder, followed from the school.
Spotting her, Doroshi panicked and hurried forward, quickening her pace.

“Doro…”

Ren started to follow, but a group of girls from their class spotted her at the school gate, their eyes lighting up as they swarmed her.
“Kimihiro, are you heading home alone? Or waiting for someone?”
A trendy-looking girl stepped in front of Ren, blocking her view.

Ren’s eyes darkened as she scanned the four girls surrounding her.
Shaking her head, she stepped aside and pointed at Doroshi’s retreating figure.
“That…”

Following Ren’s gesture, the girls’ expressions shifted uncomfortably upon seeing Doroshi.
The trendy girl scoffed dismissively.
“You mean Jinzenji? Don’t bother with her.”
“Forget that—any plans after school, Kimihiro? Wanna hit up karaoke with us?”

Ignoring the invitation, Ren pressed on.
“Do you know why Jinzenji is always alone at school?”

The girls’ faces changed instantly, exchanging uneasy glances at Ren’s fixation on Doroshi.
“Well, that’s just how Jinzenji is.”
“You’re better off not getting involved with her, Kimihiro,” they stammered.

“Has something happened to Jinzenji before?”
Ren’s gaze fixed on the trendy girl.

The girl’s eyes darted aside awkwardly, her face darkening as if reluctant to speak.
“Jinzenji caused some kind of accident before, and it got someone hurt.”
“Anyway, someone like you shouldn’t get close to her, Kimihiro. What if you catch her bad luck?”

Ren froze for a split second, then turned, staring at the trendy girl with an unreadable expression.
In that moment, the girl felt a chill down her spine, as if plunged into an arctic lake, her body trembling.

“W-What’s wrong?”
Sensing an overwhelming danger, the trendy girl stared at Ren in shock.

But in the next instant, so quickly it felt like an illusion, Ren’s face returned to its usual polite, elegant smile.
“Nothing,” Ren said, shaking her head.
“My apologies. I just moved to this city, and I have important matters at home tonight, so I can’t join you. Please, enjoy your time after school.”

The girls accepted her response and left, chatting about fashion, though the trendy girl kept glancing back at Ren, puzzled.
“Was that my imagination?”

Once they were gone, Ren narrowed her purple eyes, a tidal wave of murderous intent surging within.
The maid had come this close to losing control.
‘I can’t. Killing these bugs now would trouble Lady Doroshi.’

Quickly composing herself, Ren followed Doroshi’s route home on foot.
“I’m starting to think it’s time to clean up these annoying pests.”

A faint smirk curved her lips as a mental to-do list formed: Pest Extermination.
Find a discreet moment to take care of it quietly, perhaps?

Of course, such tasks were trivial for a demon god.
More pressing was Doroshi’s apparent avoidance, which weighed on Ren.
‘Does Lady Doroshi hate me now? I can’t feel happy about that.’

Under the setting sun, Ren paused at the mouth of an alley.
Peering inside, she saw a grotesque, twisted creature lurking at the end.
Covered in armored scales, its wolf-like body bristled with massive spikes, its eyes glaring menacingly at the maid.

Ren raised an eyebrow and strolled into the alley.
“The second monster today? That’s a bit too frequent. Don’t your kind stay confined to that plain, according to human research?”

The scaled wolf crouched, ready to pounce.
Unfazed, Ren approached casually.
From her uniform’s skirt hem, a dark red crowbar slid out, and she gripped it firmly.

“You’re wasting precious time I could spend with Lady Doroshi. You’d better take responsibility.”

In a flash, the monster lunged, but Ren didn’t even blink.
With a confident smirk, she swung her “Holy Sword of Physics,” the crowbar streaking red as it struck the creature’s body with precision.
The blow carried a hint of pent-up frustration.

A bone-chilling crunch echoed through the alley.

“That’s one pest dealt with,” Ren said.