Unexpected Person 5

"Ugh..."

Yato suddenly clutched his neck and cried out in pain, as though he had been pricked by needles earlier. At the same time, he irritably smacked Yukine. "Pervert Yukine, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing... What could I possibly be looking at?!"

Caught by Yato, Yukine looked a little embarrassed and hurriedly denied it.

"You haven't even grown all your hair yet, and you're already thinking about adult stuff. Think less about all this messy nonsense. Pubescent boys are such a pain."

Yato held his neck. Only after the pain eased a little did he continue lecturing Yukine.

"Hmph! None of your business," Yukine retorted unhappily.

"Yato, what are you doing? Can you stop bullying Yukine?" Seeing Yato scold his Regalia, Yukine, Iki Hiyori—who had not noticed Yukine's behavior—thought Yato was deliberately picking on him. She immediately stepped in front of Yukine to protect him, glaring at Yato unhappily.

"Do you even know what this guy has been thinking about?!"

At that moment, Yukine hid behind Iki Hiyori and made a face at Yato, making Yato even less able to hold himself back. Still... the argument was not too serious. They would probably make up soon enough.

Seele and Aso Yuna stood off to the side, calmly watching the three interact without disturbing them. It seemed... Yato had only taken in Yukine not long ago. He had plenty to suffer through in the days ahead.

But that had nothing to do with Seele. Yato had willingly accepted all that suffering and pain. As Yukine's master, he had understood what would happen the first time he was struck by that pain.

If it had been anyone else, they would probably have abandoned Yukine immediately. But Yato was unwilling to do so. He had chosen to gamble... and Seele had