"Let's go. Let me, the experienced one, lead the way," Gabriel said confidently, waving her hand as she took the lead.
"Gabriel, we're also here for the first time," Vignette said, gently tugging on Gabriel's clothes. She then smiled apologetically at Ruri Gokou and asked, "Are you also an exchange student from Hell, just like me? I don't think I've seen you on the exchange list."
"Exactly!" Satania nodded in agreement, her voice low and serious. "If you're living in the human world, how could you not pay homage to the great demon Satania?!"
Ruri Gokou gave a sly smile, looking at Satania and Vignette. "I'm not from Hell. Though I do carry the identity of the 'Fallen Saint Black Cat,' I am, first and foremost, a pure human."
"Come on, senior, don't say it like that," Satania patted Ruri on the shoulder knowingly. "I've seen this on TV in the demon world. A great demon who fell in love with a human secretly crossed over to the human world to stay with their beloved forever."
Satania nodded with conviction. "It doesn't matter if you don't admit you're from Hell, but I won't be mistaken about the dark power I sense from you, senior. Your strength is comparable to mine, the great demon Satania."
"Is that so?" Ruri Gokou smiled mysteriously, observing the stunned expressions of Satania and Vignette. "What about now?"
"Ah! An angel's light!" Satania exclaimed, suddenly pointing at Ruri, realization dawning on her. "Senior, are you a fallen angel? That must be why you're called the 'Fallen Saint Black Cat,' right?!"
"Heh." Ruri pulled out half of a mask and placed it on her face. She covered her red eye and lifted her hand towards the sky.
"If it has come to this, I shall no longer conceal my identity! Indeed, I am the legendary being who commands both Heaven and Hell, the 'Fallen Saint Black Cat.' I have returned from the flow of ancient times, and in this era, I shall reign again!"
"Whoa! So cool!" Satania was thrilled. She dropped to her knees before Ruri, her eyes shining with admiration.
"Senior! I, Satania, the great demon, swear to forever follow in your footsteps! Please accept me as your disciple and allow me to bask in your darkness!"
"Heh." Looking down at the prostrated Satania, Ruri raised her chin slightly. "You are far from being worthy to be my disciple, Satania. However, given your sincerity, I shall take you as a provisional disciple. Perform well, and I shall officially accept you as my pupil."
"Yes, Master!" Satania shouted happily as she stood up. She took out a piece of candy and quickly offered it to Ruri.
"Master, I know it's presumptuous, but with this offering I've worked so hard to protect, could you teach me how to deal with Hell's guard dog?" Tears welled up in her eyes as Satania continued, "Every morning on my way to school, I encounter that guard dog. No matter how hard I try, it always takes away my most precious things."
Bowing deeply to Ruri, Satania's tears fell as she pleaded, "Please, Master, teach me!"
Placing her hand gently on Satania's head, Ruri smiled warmly. "Don't worry. I will teach you well."
Ruri then turned to Hiroshi, her gaze playful. Her expression seemed to say, *Hiroshi, this kid is really amusing. I was wrong to doubt you before.*
Hiroshi couldn't help but smile as he nodded at Ruri. *Glad you understand. She's really something else.*
"Hiroshi," Gabriel poked Hiroshi's side, her tone flat. "Although Satania makes you want to tease her just by looking at her, remember not to overdo it. Vignette will get angry if you make her cry."
Gabriel's face darkened slightly as she leaned in closer to Hiroshi and whispered, "And Vignette can be terrifying when she's mad."
"Gabriel, I can hear you," Vignette said sweetly, as she pressed down on Gabriel's head, her entire being seeming to emit dark energy.
"If you know I'm scary when I'm mad, why do you never clean your room when I tell you to? You always leave it a mess, and after I clean it, it's a disaster again in less than a day." Vignette's voice was calm, but there was an underlying chill that made Gabriel shiver.
"Vignette, wasn't that in the past?!" Gabriel wiggled like a floppy fish, her feet barely touching the ground as she pleaded, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Please put me down, Vignette."
Smiling kindly, Vignette brought her face close to Gabriel's terrified expression. "Next time, if you do that again, I'll make sure you know what true regret feels like."
Gabriel stiffened in fear and immediately straightened up. "Yes, ma'am!"
"That's better." Vignette gently set Gabriel down, smiling. "I'll lead the way. I just sensed some dark magic coming from that direction, so let's go check it out."
Gabriel, visibly shaken, huddled beside Hiroshi and whispered, "Vignette usually seems so kind—kinder than me, a literal angel. But when I push her too far, she becomes terrifying. It really scares me."
Gabriel then looked up at Hiroshi. "From the first time I met you, I felt you were really approachable, like a genuinely good person," she said. She nervously bit her lip and asked carefully, "Hiroshi, you're definitely a kind person at heart, right? You'd never lose your temper like Vignette, right?"
"Of course," Hiroshi smiled warmly, ruffling Gabriel's soft, golden hair. "I'm a very kind person. I always reason things out with my family and friends gently, and even with bad people, I'm very... persuasive."
He grinned, his eyes twinkling. "Don't worry. You have nothing to fear."