(I want to take tomorrow off. It's the first, so I can finally rest.)
Xiao Ran had been waiting at home for El-Elf to return, but even after waiting until the sun had fully set, there was still no sign of him. Or rather, because of the inexplicable feelings between Sousuke Sagara and Chidori, El-Elf had chosen to walk home and ended up delayed outside.
This left Xiao Ran, whose stomach was already growling with hunger, no choice but to take some money and head out to solve his dinner problem himself. After casually finding somewhere nearby to eat, he slowly made his way home carrying a packed meal for El-Elf.
Before he even reached home, a figure in a suit appeared in Xiao Ran's field of vision. The moment he saw that figure, his steps unconsciously slowed, his eyes narrowing slightly as an image surfaced in his mind.
Just then, a little girl walking a large dog passed by the suited man. Xiao Ran also felt a faint tremor traveling up from the ground. Perhaps because of that unexplained vibration, the leashed dog began snarling and barking viciously at the man in the suit. The girl could only anxiously hold her dog, apologizing to the suited man while trying to calm it down.
A layer of golden light instantly appeared in Xiao Ran's eyes. Although he could see nothing other than the little girl, the dog, and the suited man, an enormous figure appeared in his mind behind the man—a humanoid Mobile Weapon with stealth capabilities, yet one that could not escape Xiao Ran's senses.
Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes, and his gaze returned to normal. He walked toward the little girl like an ordinary person. Once he stood between her and the suited man, he gently placed a