Chapter 196

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"Is it really you?"

"Alright, see you tonight."

Himeno, dressed in her uniform, had just put away her phone when her partner, Aki, asked, "Elder Himeno, are you meeting someone tonight?"

Aki looked sharp with small braids on his head and a 'long sword' weapon on his back, also serving as Himeno's sixth partner.

Both of them were official demon hunters from Tokyo's Special Division 4.

"Yes, I have a date with a guy even more handsome than you, Aki~"

Himeno teased with a suggestive tone, getting closer to speak, but her crush, who was as unresponsive as a log, annoyingly replied,

"Elder Himeno, it's about time for you to consider someone's background before meeting them. Do you need me to reserve a restaurant for you? I know a good one."

"No need, after I get that cutie drunk, I'll just take him home and 'devour' him. The toys I've been using to deal with loneliness lately are becoming so boring."

"Could you please not talk about such things during work hours? This is already a form of workplace harassment."

"Tsk, you're really not cute at all. I should have taken advantage of you when we first partnered. It's a pity that back then, you were underage and didn't even smoke. I just couldn't bring myself to do it, looking back, I have regrets."

"Great, Elder Himeno, now add 'enticing a minor to commit an offense' to your list of charges along with workplace harassment."

"Go ahead and report me, I've been wanting to quit for a while. Hey Aki, why not we both resign and become freelance demon hunters? I heard they get paid more and it's less dangerous."

Unfortunately, Aki didn't notice the hope in Himeno's eyes.

Without thinking, he rejected the idea outright because he still sought revenge against the Gun Devil!

The gleam in Himeno's eyes quickly faded.

In the evening, after work, Himeno arrived at the restaurant they agreed upon during the day.

"You really showed up, huh? The offer to drink together another time always sounds like an indefinitely postponed courtesy."

As soon as she sat down, Himeno greeted him familiarly and began to order.

Abel, who had been following her secretly all day, just smiled, "Order whatever, this meal is on me."

"You got a lot of money?" Himeno suddenly looked up, intrigued.

"Not really wealthy, but I can afford a few rounds of drinks," Abel modestly responded, thinking of the 'gifts' given to him by some 'kind-hearted' people.

"Tell me, you're not trying to woo me, are you?"

"Relax, I'm not that desperate."

"Hey! What do you mean desperate? Can't you see how pretty and well-endowed I am?"

Himeno shouted in feigned anger, but when she complimented herself, she inadvertently glanced at him and swallowed the rest of her words.

After all, the man in front of her was far more good-looking than she was.

"Darn it, how can a man be so handsome; what's left for us women?" Himeno muttered to herself in frustration.

She was completely unaware that her explosive remark had already drawn the attention of many people around them.

Even Abel had to admit, after she took off her jacket, this woman was indeed very generous.

"You're already drunk without having drunk anything."

"Hmph!"

Soon, all the drinks and food were served.

"Bang!"

"Here, let's start with a blast!"

Himeno slammed a beer on the table with a spirit that suggested she was ready to drink to her heart's content today.

Abel, of course, was not fazed by this. Not to mention that his physical condition had been enhanced numerous times, far surpassing the limits of an ordinary human; just his gourmet cells and rapid digestion talent alone were enough to convert all the alcohol he drank into bioenergy.

Get drunk?

That seemed unlikely in this lifetime.

So, the two of them began to chug down the drinks together.

Seeing this, Himeno was not to be outdone and enthusiastically said, "Another round!"

"Let's have another!"

Before they knew it, they had each downed 6 bottles, astounding the other patrons around them, who stopped eating just to watch their performance.

"Burp~ I didn't expect you to hold your liquor so well, another round!"

Seeing Himeno starting to burp from the alcohol, Abel suggested they stop and eat, "Have some food, drinking too much on an empty stomach will harm your stomach."

"Fine, I'll let you off this time."

After eating for a while, they both simultaneously took out cigarettes.

"Want one?"

This tacit understanding made them both laugh, and they decided to smoke their own, as they both had the same brand of crows cigarettes.

It seemed as if their relationship had grown closer, undoubtedly influenced by the alcohol.

Abel also learned some information from her—secrets not necessarily kept from demon hunters, but largely unknown to the public—which deepened his understanding of the world.

As time passed, the number of empty bottles around them grew to several dozens.

The inebriated Himeno began to speak more recklessly.

"It's fine if you don't like me, you're not the first anyway."

"Aki has been secretly pining for Miss Makima all this time, thinking nobody knows when in fact, it's practically an open secret."

"I was going to give you a treat for treating me to drinks, but that's off the table now, canceled, canceled!"

Rambling on, Himeno eventually fell asleep at the table.

At that moment, a figure appropriately entered from outside and sat down beside Himeno.

"Do you mind?"

The newcomer gestured with his eyes at the cigarettes near Abel's hand.

Abel pushed them over, indicating for him to help himself.

And so, the scene was set: two men smoking silently with a drunk woman asleep among them.

"My name is Aki, Himeno's partner."

"I guessed as much. You're the one secretly in love with Makima."

"Cough, cough, cough, cough."

"Don't force yourself if you can't handle it."

"Just choked a bit, what's your name?"

"The full name is too long, just call me Abel."

"So, Abel, tell me, what's your real intention in approaching Himeno?"

Aki's expression became incredibly stern, his eyes even held a hint of murderous intent.

Abel, unfazed, continued to smoke and casually replied, "Someone hired me to protect this woman. If she dies, I don't get paid. So you don't have to worry about me harming her. As for our quick meeting, that was just a coincidence."

This unexpected answer made Aki frown.

"Who hired you?"

"Sorry, that's confidential."

"With just that brief explanation, do you think I will believe you?"