Her eyes softened unnaturally, and she clasped her hands together with a dreamy sigh. “Oh, Muichiro-kun~! You’re just so mature for your age… so handsome~”

Obanai’s left eye twitched violently. His entire body tensed as if he had just been physically assaulted by her words. His gaze darkened, his voice flat yet dripping with undisguised disgust. “What… the hell am I looking at?” When Kaburamaru slithered toward her, he immediately yanked the snake back. “No. Stay away from that.”

Gyomei stopped weeping. His massive hands pressed together in silent prayer, his face unreadable. Slowly, as if the weight of the world had just doubled, he turned toward the nearest wall and pressed his forehead against it. His deep voice rumbled through the room. “Lord… grant me patience…”