Question. Let's say you were caught red handed holding hands with another girl. Let's also say you were caught by your wife. What exactly does one do in such a situation?
Now granted, it was more of the aggressive kind of handholding—as he'd just got done interrogating Wujing. But in Akuma's eyes, he might as well have gotten caught making out with her.
"Akuma?"
Again, what exactly does one do in such a situation?
His mind raced through possible explanations, each one more ridiculous than the last. The truth was completely out of the question—who would believe that an oni-horse general had mind-controlled an entire school into thinking she belonged here?
"S–She's my sister. Her mom died so she's staying with our side of the family now. Oh, and she's pretty big on cosplaying. I think it's even her dream to be an idol. Isn't that right, sis?"
"What? When have I ever–?"
Akuma covered her mouth with his palm, nearly suffocating the poor girl as she flailed around. Her muffled protests only made the situation look worse.
"C'mon sis, don't be so nervous. Alice isn't the type to judge."
Alice's eyes narrowed. Something wasn't adding up, and Akuma could practically see the gears turning in her head.
"If that's true then why do you two look so different? And why haven't you ever mentioned having a sister before?"
Sweat beaded on Akuma's forehead.
"Wait, did I say sister? I meant stepsister, yeah. Recent development. Very recent."
"How recent?"
"Like... yesterday recent?"
Alice crossed her arms. The sweet, gentle girl he knew was being replaced by someone far more skeptical.
"Yesterday? You would've told me your dad was getting married. Akuma, what's really going on here?"
Wujing started licking Akuma's palm with the determination of a cat trying to escape a bath, causing him to jolt back and finally set her free.
"What the hell was that for?!" he yelped, wiping his hand on his uniform.
"Cease your lying, human. I will not be an accomplice to fable." Wujing's voice carried the authority of someone used to commanding armies, making Alice take an instinctive step back.
"You're gonna be an accomplice to an ass-kicking if you don't shut up. In case you haven't realized, I'm trying to fix your mess!"
"My mess?" Wujing's fists found her hips and her chest puffed out with indignation. "I have done nothing wrong! …Do not fret, human girl. I am Wujing, General of the great Kingdom of Ceprun. But right now, I am a humble student at Saint Peter High. In other words, your classmate."
The formal introduction, delivered with such serious conviction, only made Alice look more alarmed. Her gaze darted between Akuma's panicked expression and Wujing's proud stance.
"I... I've never seen you before…" Alice said slowly, as if testing the words. "And I know everyone in our class. Even the other classes."
"!"
Wujing's soul nearly left her body. The color drained from her face as she turned to Akuma, practically on the verge of tears.
"What is happening? Why is my power not working on her? Is something wrong with me?"
"D–Don't ask me!"
"Don't ignore me!" Alice's voice cut through their panic like a blade. "Who are you really? Why was everyone in class acting like they knew you when I've never seen you before in my life? And most importantly... A–Are you two dating?"
This time it was Akuma's soul that nearly left his body. His little ghost wiggled outside his mouth as it floated away, taking with it any hope of salvaging this situation.
Wujing watched his reaction with growing realization. A slow and mischievous smile spread across her face.
"Well, now that it's come to this, I have no choice..." Wujing murmured.
Before Akuma could process what she meant, a warm and impossibly soft sensation enveloped his hand. The feeling was like sinking into clouds, and for a brief moment, his panic was replaced by something that made his brain short-circuit entirely.
(Wait. Clouds didn't have this kind of resistance. These feel more like... like...)
His face turned the color of a fire truck.
"You see, human girl..." Wujing maintained her grip on Akuma's hand with a confidence that suggested she'd done this a thousand times before. "He and I are actually dati–"
"LIKE HELL WE ARE!!!"
Akuma grabbed her by the throat—again—and stormed off down the hallway, leaving Alice with an expression that could only be described as a complete system error.
The final bell rang just as her two friends, Samantha and Aniya, rounded the corner.
"Alice! There you are!" Aniya called out. "We were wondering where you went. Are you still down for shopping?"
Alice stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, staring at the spot where Akuma and the mysterious horned girl had just vanished. Her mind was reeling, trying to process everything she'd witnessed.
"Alice?" Samantha waved a hand in front of her face. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I..." Alice started, then stopped. How could she even begin to explain what had just happened? "I think I might have."
†
Several blocks away, Akuma finally stopped running. He released Wujing and bent over, his hands on his knees as he gasped for air.
"What... is... going on?"
"Human, was it wise to just leave her there? She knows about us now."
"Us? There is no us!" Akuma straightened up. "It's only you, you and more you! It's only ever been you! Now you need to find a way to fix this. Because if Alice genuinely thinks you and I are a thing, then I'm gonna personally end your mission here and now!"
"Hm? Mission? What mission?"
"HUH?!!"
For a moment, Akuma stared at her in disbelief.
"I thought the entire reason you were here was for some important mission. Was that all just a lie?" He took a half step back, genuine fear creeping into his voice. "No. Don't tell me you really were sent by the government. You were, weren't you? That's why you're out to ruin me."
"No, I was not! I just already told you that I completed that mission."
"...Huh? No you didn't. You told me that you were currently searching for the AntiGod or whatever."
"Yeah, and I was going to tell you that I already found him."
"...Oh. You did, huh." His voice was flat, like someone who'd just been told their favorite restaurant had burned down. "Congratulations, I guess. So what now? You pack up and leave?"
"Well, sort of. According to the prophecy, the AntiGod can be born in any of the 9 realms. And across my decade-long journey, I have only searched one of them. However, after what I found this morning, I am confident that he's not only in this realm, but in this city."
"What you found this morning...?" Despite himself, Akuma found his curiosity piqued.
"You remember when I said I had something to investigate? Well, last week I sensed a tear in space somewhere nearby. So I have been investigating it."
"A tear in space...?"
"Yes. There's a mall around here, like a clothing store. Inside it, there is a small tear in space."
"Okay, but what exactly does that mean?"
All traces of Wujing's earlier playfulness vanished.
"It means that something from another realm is forcibly trying to enter this one. Likely, a demon."
Akuma froze in place. Just yesterday he was enjoying his regular, unremarkable life. Never did he imagine he'd hear that word used in a context that didn't involve his own self-loathing.
"Demons are creatures from the underworld that wander the 9 realms in search of anything sweet to eat. And I don't mean honey or syrup, I mean the sweetness that comes from massive amounts of divinity. A power that practically oozes from the highest of gods... Angels."
Akuma's thoughts instantly jumped to the apparition that had been haunting him. Where was it now? Just an hour ago he'd been staring at the thing through his classroom window. And yet now, the moment he was around Wujing, it was gone.
"So you're saying that some angel around here is attracting this demon?"
"Precisely."
"...Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit!" Akuma ran his hands through his hair.
"What is the matter, human?"
The pieces were falling into place with horrible clarity.
"Hey, Wujing... Could you tell me how any of that links to this AntiGod character?"
"Oh, that's the thing. As I said earlier, demons are attracted to the scent of divinity. By nature, the AntiGod is very sweet. No matter what race they are born as, they always carry as much sweetness as an angel. Which is why I am sure that he must be in this city. In fact, I've been smelling a very sweet presence around the school all day."
Akuma had already assumed the worst, but hearing it confirmed made his blood run cold.
"...Hey, Wujing."
"Yeah?"
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but demons would be attracted to angels too, right? Like if an angel was in this city right now, right this second, it could call a demon here?"
"Well, yeah. After all, AntiGods pretty much have the same amount of divinity as angels." She tilted her head, studying his increasingly pale complexion. "Why do you ask?"
According to Wujing, this tear in space was at a nearby mall. If his memory hadn't betrayed him, then Akuma vividly remembered Alice and her friends talking about going shopping after school today. They'd mentioned it right in front of him, planning their route while he sat there like a piece of furniture.
The realization crashed down on him like a collapsing building. Alice wasn't just going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, she was going to be exactly where a demon was trying to break through into their world.
And it was all his fault for not taking any of this seriously until now.
"...Shit."