Cool fingertips pressed against Haruto's face and pulled down his eyelids.
The corners of his mouth were tugged down, exposing his neat rows of teeth.
Next came his ears, the part in his hair, his fingernails...
In Tamayo's hands, Haruto felt like a dog being examined to determine whether he was a purebred.
After the battle with Doma ended, Gyomei Himejima asked about the Upper Rank Demon's fighting abilities, then hurried back to Headquarters to share this hard-won intelligence with Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
Shinobu Kocho arrived afterward. When she learned that her sister and Haruto had fought a long, desperate battle against Upper Rank Two and nearly both died at Doma's hands, her face went white. She clung to Kanae and refused to let go.
She felt as though her sister would truly leave her the moment she let go-or so Shinobu said.
Haruto rested on the ground for a long time. The effects of the Demonization Potion faded from his body, leaving his muscles aching, but he still smiled happily, delighted that he had saved yet another person from being written out of the story.
After sending the Kocho Sisters back to rest, he limped over to Tamayo's residence in Asakusa.
Tamayo examined him from every angle for so long that Yushiro's glare nearly burned two holes through him. At last, she let out a soft sigh of relief and wiped her hands with a damp towel.
Haruto watched her with bright, intent eyes. Everything's fine, right? Everything's fine, right?
Tamayo considered for a moment, then looked up and said, "Prepare for surgery."
"Huh? What surgery?"
"Your palm. The pain is unbearable because, although the skin has healed, the puncture wound inside is still there. It simply stopped bleeding. We need to cut the skin open and apply medicine... I'll