"Huh?"
Putting down her handheld console, Gabriel scratched her head as she looked at the lively crowd.
"How long have I been playing? Why are there suddenly two more dragons here?"
Tugging on Gabriel's sleeve, Vignette explained, "Gabriel, these two are Lord Fafnir's friends."
"Fafnir?"
Tilting her head, Gabriel nudged the nearby Fafnir. "Daishan Takeshi, is your name really Fafnir?"
"Mm."
Nodding, Fafnir stared at Gabriel and said, "Forget about that trivial stuff. Hurry up and start the next boss strategy."
"Nope, not doing that."
Shaking her head, Gabriel stretched lazily. "I need to be a tour guide for Hiroshi and the others. Later, I'll ask him to buy me some games."
Frowning slightly, Fafnir glanced at Hiroshi, who was feeding Kanna nearby. His impatient expression gradually softened as he nodded.
"That human can be trusted. In that case, go fulfill your responsibility, then come back for the boss strategy."
"Got it, got it."
Yawning, Gabriel rubbed her eyes and stood up.
"Let's go, Hiroshi. Time to buy game discs!"
Turning his head, Hiroshi looked at Gabriel's lazy expression and asked, "You ran off to play games while being a tour guide, and now you have the nerve to ask me to buy you games?"
"Don't be so stingy."
Shoving her hands into her pockets, Gabriel pouted, "Things turned out well, didn't they? You made new friends, and I finally met my online gaming buddy. Everyone's happy."
"Come here."
Beckoning with a smirk, Hiroshi said, "Promise me something, and I'll get you the game you want."
"But you're buying it yourself."
"Eh~ So troublesome."
Though reluctant, Gabriel obediently leaned her head toward Hiroshi, knowing he always gave her good stuff.
"Spit it out, Hiroshi. Do you want me to put in a good word for you with the higher-ups?"
"Nope."
Grinning, Hiroshi raised his right hand, middle finger pressing against his thumb.
"Brace yourself and don't scream!"
Bonk!
"Ah~!"
A burst of energy surged from where Hiroshi's finger tapped Gabriel's forehead.
Clutching her head, tears welled up in Gabriel's eyes.
"Ugh~"
Looking pitiful, Gabriel whimpered, "Hiroshi, weren't you supposed to reason with friends kindly?"
"So you knew what I was going to do, huh?"
Blowing away a bit of smoke from his finger, Hiroshi calmly said, "Reasoning doesn't work with you, so I had to try a different approach."
"After all, the old saying goes, 'Discipline through firm action.'"
"I'm not your kid! And I've never heard that saying!"
"It's a saying from where I'm from. It's normal that you haven't heard it."
Waving at Tohru and Kanna, Hiroshi grabbed Ruri Gokou's hand and said, "Let's go, Miss Tour Guide."
"You still want those game discs, don't you?"
"Yes!"
Rubbing the red mark on her forehead, Gabriel quickly ran to Hiroshi's side.
"Hiroshi, after this 'trauma,' can you buy me a few extra games?"
Raising his palm, Hiroshi smirked. "Want a few more knocks on the head instead?"
Clutching her forehead protectively, Gabriel quickly shook her head.
Trailing behind Hiroshi, she made a face at him.
"Bleh~~"
"Gabriel, look ahead."
"Huh?"
Lowering her hand, Gabriel turned to Vignette. "What is it?"
"Over there—Satania."
Pointing at Satania, who was hurriedly hiding a camera, Vignette sighed, "She just took a picture of your silly face."
"WHAT?!!"
Jerking her head up, Gabriel saw Satania holding the camera triumphantly.
"Satania! Hand it over!"
"No way!"
"This is a prized photo captured by the great demon Satania! There's no way I'm giving it to a mere angel!"
Quickly hiding the camera behind her back, Satania stuck out her tongue and ran.
"ARGH!!!"
"Don't you dare run!"
Lowering her stance, Gabriel launched into a full sprint.
"Satania, if I catch you, you're done for!"
"I'm invoking ancient angelic power to banish you completely!"
"Not a trace shall remain!"
"Ahahaha!"
Laughing scornfully, Satania even waved the camera at Gabriel while running.
"Gabriel, how can a mere angel defeat the great demon Satania? Bring it on!"
Stopping briefly, Satania turned to face Gabriel with confidence.
"Today, you'll learn the vast power difference between us!"
"Hand it over!"
Panting, Gabriel lunged at the camera in Satania's hand.
"Ha!"
With a smug snort, Satania disappeared from Gabriel's reach.
Hands on her knees, Gabriel gasped for air, watching Satania vanish into the distance.
Wiping sweat from her brow, she muttered bitterly, "Satania's brain might be hopeless, but her stamina is terrifying."
"Maybe all the nutrients meant for her brain went to her muscles!"
"Gabriel, even Satania would be hurt if she heard that."
Gently tugging at Gabriel's wrinkled sleeve, Vignette wiped her sweat with a handkerchief.
"How are you all here?!"
Looking around, Gabriel gasped in shock.
"I ran at full speed for so long! How are you still nearby?!"
Taking his eyes off his handheld console, Yu Ishigami explained sympathetically, "Miss Fallen Angel, though you're my gaming idol, your stamina is... pathetic."
"Your full-speed sprint is only slightly faster than walking."
"And you only ran for about two minutes."
"No way!"
Breathing heavily, Gabriel's face twisted in disbelief.
"I'm Heaven's top angel! How can my stamina be this bad?!"
"Gabriel."
Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, Vignette softly said, "You've barely left your house for two years. All you've done is play games."
"Honestly, the only reason you can still stand is because of your angelic resilience."
Staring blankly at the ground, Gabriel slowly pulled out a trumpet.
"Maybe it's better if this world with my embarrassing past... just ends."