Chapter 24: With the Demon God at the Shopping Center

“Oh, this one! I bet it’ll look great on you, Little Ren.”
Doroshi rummaged through her wardrobe and pulled out a simple, elegant dress.
“You’re only a bit shorter than me, so this should fit perfectly.”

“That’s the dress you bought on October 17 last year at 2:54:18 PM at Dobbin’s in Queen’s Square for 7,900 yen!”
“You’ve worn it 18 times on holidays, making it your second-favorite outfit. As expected of you, Lady Doroshi—your taste is impeccable. It looks stunning on you!”

Ren clapped her hands together, placing them by her cheek, beaming.

Doroshi, holding the dress, froze.
“Uh… why do you know all that, Little Ren?!”

“I meticulously track everything related to you, Lady Doroshi. It’s a maid’s essential duty,” Ren replied with unwavering confidence.

“No, that’s definitely not a maid’s duty!”
Doroshi’s lips twitched, sweat beading on her forehead.
“And, uh, you’re kinda acting like a stalker right now.”

Ren coughed lightly, covering her slip.
“This dress—do you wish for me to wear it, Lady Doroshi?”

“Absolutely, put it on!”
Doroshi handed her the dress and turned back to pick her own outfit.

Holding the dress, Ren watched Doroshi struggle with indecision at the wardrobe, chuckling softly.
“As expected, Lady Doroshi is a girl too.”

“I heard that! That’s rude, Little Ren!”

Buried in clothes, Doroshi finally chose a gender-neutral casual outfit.
“This’ll do for today!”

“No one’s taste could surpass yours, Lady Doroshi.”

“Your over-the-top flattery is stressing me out.”

Doroshi was about to tease Ren further when a flash of red light outside her bedroom window caught her eye.
Turning, her pupils shrank.

A silent police car sped by at the street’s end, its red-and-blue lights glaring.
Something had happened nearby.

Her mind raced to Takapan’s death.
If this was another case of a lone woman bitten to death, it’d be the third incident.
Worse, she noticed a disturbing pattern: all the incidents were close to her home.
Coincidence?

This time, she could see the police activity from her bedroom.
Even if it wasn’t a coincidence, what did the proximity mean?
Was the creature that killed Takapan lurking nearby?
Could something smart enough to target lone women really be an ordinary animal?

Her excitement faded, replaced by worry.
Just then, Ren reached over and drew the bedroom curtains shut.

“Little Ren?”

Ren had changed into the dress, which fit her elegantly.
The simple style clashed strikingly with her fiery red hair, radiating purity and youth.

“Didn’t you say we’re going out as friends today, Lady Doroshi?”

“…”
After a long pause, Doroshi smiled, relieved.
“Yeah, you’re right. I almost forgot. Let’s not think about those annoying things—they’ve got nothing to do with me.”

“Yes, Lady Doroshi.”
Ren’s lips curved into a smile.

“Let’s go!”

★

After breakfast, Doroshi slung a casual shoulder bag over her back, and they headed out.
Determined to enjoy the day, she didn’t ask Ren to drive.
Instead, they took the subway to Sogo Shopping Center.

From the subway exit, it was a three-minute walk to Sogo.
The area wasn’t just Sogo—several malls with distinct styles formed a bustling commercial hub.

With cool early-autumn weather and the weekend vibe, the crowds were massive.
But the master and maid, here for the atmosphere, didn’t mind, chatting and laughing warmly.

Though Ren, as a demon god, struggled with human emotions and social nuances, she’d been using her vast intellect to scour the internet for “essential maid knowledge.”
Listening to Doroshi’s JK-style girl talk, Ren occasionally chimed in with what she’d learned, keeping the conversation lively.

At Sogo, they headed straight to a home goods store.
Doroshi wanted Ren to have her own personalized essentials—toothbrush, cup, towel, and more.
Ren had been using spares at Doroshi’s house, which felt too plain for a vibrant girl like her.

Dragging a compliant Ren along, Doroshi darted between renowned home goods stores, comparing prices and quality, even asking Ren’s preferences.
Predictably, they picked a red-and-white set—adorable and fitting.
To Doroshi, Ren’s red hair and white maid outfit defined her.

The cost was steep.
Without her aunt’s financial support, Doroshi’s fun might’ve ended there.
Silently, she praised her generous aunt.

“Ooh, look at this!”
Treating Ren like a peer, Doroshi’s eyes sparkled as she tugged her wrist to a shelf.

“This?”
Ren followed her gaze to a row of keychain charms—Q-version carrots styled as “Little Serenity,” with different poses and expressions.

“Aren’t they cute? They’re super popular with girls. Even some guys love them. Obsessive collectors buy whole sets or hunt for limited-edition blind box versions!”

Ren didn’t quite get the human obsession but nodded since Doroshi found them cute.
“Very cute. As expected of you, Lady Doroshi.”

Used to Ren’s relentless praise, Doroshi picked a charm of a Little Serenity carrot napping on the ground, clearly smitten.
She asked Ren’s opinion, and Ren chose one holding a spatula, cooking—a pair with Doroshi’s.

Doroshi felt they looked even more like best friends now.

Leaving the store, she asked why Ren picked that charm.

“Of course, because the cooking pose feels like me preparing meals for you, Lady Doroshi. And…”
Ren raised her left hand, her red ribbon fluttering.
“Any gift from you, I’ll love—especially if it’s red!”

“I wish you’d pick things you like for yourself, not just because they’re red. Otherwise, it feels like I’m controlling your tastes.”

“No way,” Ren said firmly, cradling the charm like a treasure.
“You don’t control my preferences. I choose to love red on my own.”

“Alright, good.”
Relieved, Doroshi hooked her charm onto her bag’s zipper.
Ren tucked hers away carefully.