Chapter 22: Autumn Days, The Bitten Victim

The rooftop was quiet.
Doroshi and Ren sat wordlessly on the camping blanket.

Though she savored Ren’s consistently exquisite cooking, Doroshi found it tasteless today.
Takapan was an annoying person, but if something had truly happened to her, it felt… pitiable.
Human empathy and morality were such a hassle.

Unconsciously, Doroshi began linking the woman bitten to death from this morning’s incident with Takapan.

“Little Ren…”

“Lady Doroshi?”

“Do you know what’s going on with Takapan?”
Doroshi looked up at the clear blue sky, cloudless and crisp, yet she couldn’t muster any joy.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know much,” Ren said, lowering her head, her purple eyes dim and unreadable behind half-closed lids.

Doroshi gave a wry smile.
“Yeah, makes sense.”

Ren packed away her utensils, fixing her gaze on Doroshi.
“You seem very concerned, Lady Doroshi. If you want to know about Takapan-san, why not ask the teacher?”

“You mean… ask Taki-sensei?”
Doroshi stood but hesitated, shrinking back.
“If Takapan just transferred, I’d look like an idiot asking about her.”

Ren didn’t reply, only stared intently, silently conveying she’d support Doroshi’s choice no matter what.
As a maid, she left the decision to her master.

“Alright, I’ve decided. I’ll ask—just as a concerned classmate.”
Adhering to her habit of not wasting food, Doroshi wolfed down the rest of the meal.

“Your concern for your classmate is touching, Lady Doroshi,” Ren said.
She didn’t care about Takapan at all, but since Doroshi’s feelings were involved, it demanded serious attention.

After packing up the “Rooftop Camping Club” gear, Ren smiled at Doroshi’s newfound resolve.

In the second-year teachers’ office, Taki sighed helplessly at Doroshi and Ren.
“So, the rumors about you two being close are true, huh?”

Worried Ren might say something odd, Doroshi jumped in.
“Yup, that’s right, Taki-sensei. Little Ren and I are super close friends.”

“That’s good to hear,” Taki said, nodding before turning to Ren apologetically.
“Sorry, Kimihiro-san. You’re new here, still adjusting, and I haven’t had time to check in on you.”

“No need to worry, Taki-sensei. I’m doing well,” Ren replied politely, neither humble nor overbearing.

“Is that so?”
Taki gave a wry smile, falling silent briefly before asking, “So, why are you here?”

“It’s about Takapan,” Doroshi said firmly, her directness surprising Taki.

“Why ask about her? You two weren’t close, right?”

Taki knew Takapan had badmouthed Doroshi behind her back.
He’d intended to intervene after the accident a year ago, but Doroshi herself had stopped him.

“Sure, I don’t like her, but as a classmate, it’s fine to care, right? Or is there something you can’t say, Sensei?”

“…”

Taki lowered his head, silent.
With no other teachers around, it almost felt like Doroshi was the teacher and Taki the scolded student.

“You’re sharp, Jinzenji-san,” Taki said, closing his eyes and taking a breath.

“Come on, Sensei, you’re just terrible at lying. It’s not just me—half the class thinks something’s off. Your face has been grim since yesterday, like it’s caked in cement.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“You should check a mirror, Sensei.”

Taki hesitated, then spoke, his voice heavy.
“Takapan-san… passed away.”

Doroshi’s fears became reality.

Leaving the office, her face was ashen.
Taki had confirmed Takapan’s death.

She covered her cheeks, taking a deep breath.
Takapan had picked on her for a year, spreading rumors.
Doroshi should feel smug about her death.
But she couldn’t.
For the first time, death felt so close.
Or maybe not the first—her parents had died in an accident when she was young, though those memories were hazy.
But Takapan’s death happened right in her world, her daily life.

“Takapan-san’s neighbor found her after noticing a strange smell. They knocked, got no answer, and found the door unlocked.”
“The police confirmed she died the night before last. After checking surveillance, they learned she’d gone to karaoke with some close classmates and was attacked shortly after returning home.”
“She lived alone, and the police couldn’t reach her parents, so they contacted the school. As her homeroom teacher, I went to her place.”

“So that’s why you looked so awful rushing through the hall yesterday,” Doroshi had said.

“I know what you did during the accident a year ago, Jinzenji-san.”
“I’m grateful for your choice back then, so I trust you can keep this confidential—Takapan-san was apparently bitten to death by some animal.”

“…”

“When I arrived, I saw it myself—her neck and shoulder torn apart. It was tragic.”
Taki had lowered his head, reliving the horrific memory, looking like he might vomit.

Doroshi had no mood for class anymore.
How could she stay calm after that?
But as an ordinary high school girl, she was powerless, trapped in a frustrating limbo.

No—she wasn’t just an ordinary girl.
She had a maid who was a demon god.

“What do you think, Little Ren?”
She glanced at Ren, who remained eerily calm.

The twin-tailed maid showed no concern for Takapan’s death, speaking matter-of-factly.
“Based on current information, there’s indeed someone—or something—attacking lone women in this city. Remember the apartment we passed this morning, Lady Doroshi?”

“Yeah, of course. Another biting death. That makes two victims.”

Doroshi nodded, then sighed helplessly.
“But knowing that doesn’t help. I’m just a student, not some justice-driven hero risking my life to catch a monster.”

“Relax, Lady Doroshi. This has nothing to do with you.”
Sensing her distress, Ren stepped closer, placing her hands gently on Doroshi’s shoulders.
“You’ve done nothing wrong. I know that better than anyone.”

Doroshi felt a warmth bloom in her chest, Ren’s care lifting her spirits.
She was only shaken because her petty curse on Takapan had come true, making her feel guilty.

“You’re right. Thanks, Little Ren.”
Her face softened, and she rubbed her stiff cheeks, clenching her fists with resolve.
“Alright, I’m back on track.”

“Yes, Lady Doroshi.”

“You encouraged me so much—moping now would betray your kindness, right?”
Doroshi flashed a thumbs-up and a toothy grin.

Ren, clearly delighted, covered her face with her right hand, but her smile was unmistakable.
“No, I merely stated the truth.”

“Sure, let’s call it that.”