Hearing Kottou-onna's voice, Enma Ai calmly looked at her and noticed the balloon in her hand. Her gaze lingered on it for a moment before she looked away again.
"Miss, here..."
Kottou-onna held out the balloon to Enma Ai.
Enma Ai did not like many things, but origami balloons were one of them.
"I'm going out to clear my head. You don't need to follow me."
Looking at the balloon before her, Enma Ai did not take it, though her gaze rested on it for a few extra seconds. Then, in her utterly emotionless tone, she spoke to the three of them.
"This..."
Hearing Enma Ai's words, Wheel-Eating Monk's expression did not change at all. He still wore that gentle smile. Only Kottou-onna and Ichimokuren showed a hint of hesitation.
Under normal circumstances, they would not have needed to worry about Enma Ai being alone. Though she looked only thirteen, she was actually already several hundred years old. There was no need for concern.
But now... they were worried that Miss might suddenly act irrationally in a fit of impulse.
"Before I find a way to deal with that woman, I won't take the initiative to look for her."
Enma Ai saw the concerns of her two subordinates as well and added that impatiently. After saying so... she did not wait for any further reaction from the three of them, turning and walking off in one direction.
Leaving Kottou-onna, Ichimokuren, and Wheel-Eating Monk staring at one another.
After leaving her subordinates, Enma Ai wandered aimlessly through the streets. She did not know how long she had walked when she suddenly heard a beautiful recorder melody.
Enma Ai could not help stopping. She had often practiced the recorder herself, and she had liked it even when she was still human.