Watched from the Rooftop
Hand in hand, steps perfectly in sync, the pair strolled through the streets. Whenever a clothing store caught their eye they wandered inside to browse, and whenever something tempting appeared they each picked up a treat to feed the other. There was no mistaking it—they were lovers. The kind still burning hot in the first flush of a new relationship, radiating pure happiness.
From a high vantage point, someone watched them with a cup of coffee in hand. No—now there were two people watching.
“Oh? What brings you here?”
The figure in the pristine suit, wearing a clown mask that clashed with the formal attire, turned leisurely to regard the nimble silhouette that had just scaled the outer wall and stepped onto the rooftop. A single straw poked through the mask, clearly there because of it.
“Do I have to report every little outing to you?”
“Of course not. I simply came to spy on Ung-ssi’s date. I wondered if you might be here for the same reason.”
“...”
The voice behind the mask came out distorted, but the figure who stepped out of the shadows clearly caught the knowing tone. Irritated, she strode forward with sharp steps.
She wore a glossy black biker suit that clung to every curve. The outfit would have looked ridiculous on anyone less confident in their body, yet she made it look twice as striking.
“Haa…”
She removed her sunglasses and hooked them onto the zipper line of her plunging neckline, then glared at the masked woman with open displeasure. “I heard you were dragging my team into another pointless errand, so I came to see for myself.”
“Your concern for your subordinates is touching. But pointless? Ung-ssi’s value right now exceeds both yours and mine.”
“…What?”
The remark struck at the pride of the Field Team Leader, who ranked at the very top in combat ability, yet the Management Team Leader’s words carried no trace of jest.
“Don’t get your pride hurt over nothing. Come closer and see for yourself.”
“Why would I—”
She started to refuse, but realized refusing would only make her look worse. With a small sigh she walked over.
“Here, have one. It’s mine, but I’ll share.”
“…Fine.”
She had planned to ignore the offered coffee, but her throat felt a little dry after getting worked up. Reluctantly, she accepted the cup from the white-gloved hand.
“I thought you’d refuse… what a waste.”
“...”
Deciding the other woman was thoroughly unpleasant, the Field Team Leader took a sip of the cool coffee and leaned against the railing. The clown-masked figure also settled comfortably and resumed looking down at the street below.
“It isn’t only because of the ability he possesses. Though it’s limited to female subjects, he’s already planted one foot deep inside this world.”
“You mean he’s an even bigger pervert than we thought?”
“Well… that’s not entirely wrong. The important part is that he’s survived this long.”
He had charmed or won over anomalous entities, built friendly relationships despite being an outsider to their races. Of course, countless coincidences, timely choices, and the help of many supporters had played their part.
“I hate to say it, but it wouldn’t be strange if he died at any moment. If he accidentally touches a sore spot while living among them, he’ll lose his life before he can even react or run.”
They possessed values and ways of thinking different from ordinary humans, along with abilities that defied common sense. The Counselor’s casual, everyday treatment of them was like walking barefoot through a minefield. Probably only he himself failed to see how precarious it truly was—though that confidence stemmed not from carelessness, but from the trust they shared.
“More than the external threat from the Vatican, he’s already living beside far greater dangers.”
“…That’s why he’s the thirteenth Counselor.”
“But look at him. He’s already survived one field operation and succeeded in multiple counseling sessions. He’s even earned Undine’s favor… and, most importantly, caught the eye of that old serpent.”
These were outcomes no one had expected, events that should never have happened before. He had survived the Serpent of Calamity’s notice, suppressed the primordial instinct of Undine—who should have seen him as something to be purified—and even accepted her power into his own body while remaining alive.
“Either he possesses some kind of demonic charm, or he’s simply too kind for his own good and keeps drawing people in. And now…”
“…And now?”
“It seems a certain nine-tailed fox has started lingering around him as well.”
Creak…! Crunch…!
The railing of solid iron twisted and warped beneath her delicate hand, crushed solely by raw grip strength.
“You’re blushing quite a bit. Did you think I wouldn’t notice? I’ve been keeping an eye on Ung-ssi’s movements lately. The reports even reached me.”
“…!”
“She seems to want to repay an old debt. She’s not a cat or a magpie, though. Pfft… I’ve been rather busy recently. I should have some free time starting next week.”
“…I’m not curious. I didn’t ask.”
The denial was almost childish, yet it carried little weight. She could practically see the smug smile behind the mask and scowled fiercely at the pretty face she imagined there.
Creak… creak…
With nothing but brute strength she forced the bent railing back into its original shape, making it look as though the metal had been made of clay.
“The fact that he’s survived this long means he can keep surviving. Judging by the success of this counseling session alone… his existence is indispensable to both my goals and the President’s.”
The Management Team Leader tapped the slightly crumpled railing, checking its stability, then turned her gaze toward the woman who was still looking away with a scowl. Even though the grotesque clown mask made the gesture far from pleasant, the next words were enough to capture her attention.
“And that goal… might just align with your own rather trivial and childish wish.”
“Mind your own business.”
The interest was clearly negative—the kind that meant a button had been pressed. The Field Team Leader’s sharp voice alone was enough to make anyone break into a cold sweat, yet the clown mask continued to display its strange smile.
“Watch carefully. I’ve already finished preparing everything—from the dinner reservation he made today to the hotel room.”
“You… really need to do something about that twisted hobby of yours.”
“The one who left an opening is at fault. He should know better by now. And it wasn’t even a same-day reservation—he was simply too careless.”
“...”
A look of utter revulsion, as though she were staring at something that should never have existed, was directed at the mask, but it went ignored. If anything, the reaction only seemed to excite the other woman further.
“You’re right. The one who left the opening is at fault.”
“…?”
In an instant the Field Team Leader lunged at the shameless voyeuristic angel, swinging her arm as if to tear the mask—and the head beneath it—to pieces. The other woman was not so easily caught, however. She leapt backward, narrowly avoiding the surprise attack, spun once in midair, and landed lightly on the narrow railing.
She tugged at the front of her suit to show the small tear the attack had left, deliberately provoking her opponent.
“See?”
“Ah, that’s—”
The Field Team Leader’s real target had never been the mask. Crunch…! Crack…! Pop…!
The terminal that had been tucked inside the suit’s inner pocket was now crushed beyond recognition inside her grip, along with the iron railing. Every video feed from the cameras installed through that device had been set to upload automatically, but watching the internal components shatter into fragments made it obvious the system was no longer functional.
With a triumphant smirk, the Field Team Leader turned her back without hesitation and walked toward the railing she had originally climbed. She paused for a moment, glancing over her shoulder.
“Ah, thanks for the coffee. It wasn’t very good, though.”
She shook the empty cup, tossed it back, then vaulted over the railing with a refreshed stride and disappeared.
“Hmm…”
At first glance it looked like the Field Team Leader had won, but the clown-masked woman was far more thorough than expected.
“Equipment failure happens all the time.”
She pulled a spare terminal from her back pocket, then looked at the empty coffee cup with a faintly disappointed murmur.
“More importantly… who in their right mind calls the coffee they were kindly given ‘not very good’?”