After having a delicious lunch, Denji let out a satisfied burp.
It was the first time in her life she had ever eaten so much, and also the first time it tasted this good.
But now, she felt even more embarrassed to show off her cooking skills in front of Chiya-nii, because compared to his, hers were clearly lacking.
She silently vowed to secretly improve her cooking skills so that one day, she could impress Chiya-nii.
"Don't overdo it. Eating too much isn't good for your body. Besides, I can cook for you every day from now on."
Chiya said with a smile.
"Really?!"
Denji's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Of course."
Chiya nodded seriously.
"Yay!"
Denji was overjoyed.
But soon, her cheeks flushed slightly, because she suddenly realized—didn't this mean Chiya-nii would be by her side for the rest of her life?
[Ding! Host Achievement Unlocked: "Denji (Lv4)". Attribute Points Gained: 15!]
However, at this moment, Chiya didn't realize Denji had misunderstood. He simply thought she was happy because she could eat delicious food, which made her affection level rise even further.
Denji quickly gathered all the bowls, chopsticks, pots, and plates, carrying them into the kitchen sink.
"Chiya-nii, I'll wash the dishes!"
Right now, Chiya-nii was the only person who was truly close to her, and the most important person in her heart. Pochita was important too, but Pochita was a devil, not a human.
She didn't want to just eat without doing anything. She feared that if she was too lazy, Chiya-nii might dislike her and abandon her, so she wanted to help with the chores as much as possible.
"Alright."
Chiya looked slightly surprised. He hadn't expected Denji to be so diligent and understanding.
Seeing Denji dragging her overly long pant legs into the kitchen, he suddenly remembered something—buying clothes!
So he spoke up, "Denji, let's go to the mall together later."
"Okay!"
Denji was also excited about getting new clothes.
After washing the dishes and resting for a while, Denji's stomach wasn't as full anymore, so Chiya took her outside.
However… there was a small problem—how were they going to bring Pochita along?
If Pochita simply followed behind Denji, it would definitely cause a commotion, especially in a crowded place like the mall.
Even though Pochita looked cute, anyone could immediately tell he was a devil. The chainsaw on his head was way too obvious. No matter how adorable a devil looked, most people would still be afraid of it.
This would definitely attract security, police, or even freelance devil hunters.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Chiya came up with a plan.
He wrapped a clean, soft cloth around the chainsaw on Pochita's head. When Pochita wasn't in combat mode, the chainsaw wouldn't spin or extend, so it could be covered up.
Then he handed Pochita to Denji.
"This way, it'll just look like a stuffed toy. As long as Pochita stays still, it shouldn't cause any problems."
"That's a great idea!"
Denji immediately reminded Pochita, "Pochita, don't move around, okay? Be a good boy and listen to Chiya-nii!"
"Woof!"
Pochita barked once and then froze completely, not even blinking.
At a glance, it really did look like a plush toy. After all, it wasn't unusual for a little girl to carry a stuffed animal around. Plus, no real pet dog looked like Pochita.
"You don't have to be that stiff. If you feel uncomfortable, you can move a little or blink."
Chiya reassured him.
And so, with Denji holding Pochita, they stepped outside.
…
As soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, they ran into Aki Hayakawa at the entrance. He looked like he had just taken out the trash.
When Aki saw the blonde-haired little girl standing beside Chiya, he froze.
His eyes widened slightly, and he gave Chiya a strange look.
"Otonashi… I didn't expect you to be this kind of person…"
Especially since the little girl was wearing what seemed to be Chiya's clothes. That only made the situation even more suspicious.
Chiya instantly realized he was being misunderstood and quickly explained, "It's not what you think! She's my distant cousin, Denji."
"Is that so…?"
Aki's expression was still doubtful.
"Of course!"
Chiya let out a helpless laugh.
"I'm Chiya-nii's little sister. Nice to meet you!"
Denji immediately stepped up to support Chiya-nii, speaking politely to Aki.
But deep down, she wasn't too happy. She wasn't very satisfied with the "little sister" title. Her lips puffed out slightly in protest.
Seeing how polite and well-mannered she was, without any signs of distress, Aki finally believed Chiya's explanation.
He nodded and said, "I'm Aki Hayakawa. I guess you could say I'm Otonashi's colleague."
Chiya gently patted Denji's head. Thanks to her, this misunderstanding was resolved much more easily.
Denji's frustration instantly faded as she smiled brightly.
To Aki, this looked exactly like how a brother and sister would interact.
It made him think of his own younger brother, and his gaze dimmed for a moment before he quickly regained his composure.
"Otonashi Denji? Should I call you that?"
Aki assumed "Denji" was her first name. Since they weren't close, he thought it was more appropriate to address her formally.
And since she was Chiya's sister, that meant she must also have the surname "Otonashi."
Chiya was about to correct him, but Denji quickly nodded.
"Mm! That's right! I'm Otonashi Denji!"
Chiya glanced at Denji, momentarily confused as to why she claimed that.
But he didn't think too much about it. Letting Aki believe she was his real sister wasn't exactly a bad thing.
However, Chiya overlooked one important detail—
In Japan, after marriage, wives typically take their husband's surname.
Of course, he knew this, but Denji's mischievous antics distracted him from realizing what this misunderstanding could lead to.
"Then, why is Otonashi Denji wearing your clothes?"
Aki pressed further.
"She just moved in yesterday, but her luggage got stolen on the way, so she didn't have any clothes to change into. That's why she's wearing mine for now."
Chiya explained, "That's why I'm taking her to buy new clothes right now."
"I see."
Aki nodded, finally convinced.
Chiya let out a small sigh of relief.
At first, Aki's expression had looked like he was about to call the police.
He really didn't want to be mistaken for a lolicon.
His reputation had nearly been ruined!