Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"Isn't that friend you mentioned here?"

Arcueid, who was waiting outside, couldn't help but peek curiously into the room and ask a question.

"Yes, they've gone out."

The ancient snake smiled and turned to respond, while a spark rose from its fingers behind its back, silently burning the note it had just read to ashes. Then it gestured towards a nearby alley.

Soon, accompanied by ripples in the air, five figures emerged from the dim corner and walked over one after another.

Samael opened the door and led Arcueid and Arcturus, along with the four members of the Blood Ancestor Arakawa Neko carrying the Kuonji Jewel, as well as the two beasts, Fou and Ren, into the house.

Since everyone who enters is a guest, and Samael is a hedonist who values ​​quality of life and never shortchanges himself if he has the means.

Therefore, after everyone was seated, the ancient snake casually set up a soundproof barrier, mixed a cocktail for each of the three people and two beasts at the table, and brought it over along with some snacks from the refrigerator. They drank and talked about serious matters at the same time.

"Dr. Arakawa, you are in charge of monitoring the movements of the four exorcist families and the Tono residence."

Samael took a sip of his Long Island Iced Tea, put down his glass, and glanced wistfully at the new member beside him.

"You won't cover for them, will you?"

"I haven't known Tono Kenji for a long time!"

A-liang Juningzi quickly and decisively answered to show his loyalty.

"That's good. Report back to me immediately if there's any news."

Samael smiled noncommittally. What she said was true. She and Tono Kenji were not close for a long time, and she was ruthless in betraying her old classmate. But she cared a lot about Tono Akiha, the princess of the Tono family.

The ancient snake paused, then He Shan patted A Liangjun Ningzi on the shoulder, smilingly reminding her...

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, you have to work hard. Those who just coast along aren't my family..."

"I...I understand..."

Accompanied by the stinging pain from the snake-shaped mark on her back, A Liangjun Ningzi gave a stiff smile that was more like a grimace, nodded repeatedly, immediately extinguished the last vestige of her desire, and obediently resigned herself to her fate.

"Altruchi, take Fou and keep an eye on the Aozaki family."

Immediately, Samael turned his gaze to the side, looking at the man and beast on his left.

"If it's not necessary, try not to disturb that mage."

"it is good!"

Hei Ji nodded and gladly accepted the order.

"Arquette, you and Ren stay in the safe house and take good care of Yuzhu. Bring this council satellite phone and keep it connected. Wait for my message at any time. If Orange comes back, give her this note, and she will know what to do."

Finally, since Kuonji Yuzu had not yet awakened, Samael entrusted the task of guarding the house to Arcueid and Ren.

"no problem!"

Arcueid looked around at the television, the fully stocked bar, and the refrigerator, and accepted it with pleasure.

After receiving their assigned tasks, Hei Ji looked at Samael and couldn't help but frown and ask.

"how about you?"

"I want to check out the area around the church and make some preparations for tonight's operation."

Samael's eyes flashed, and he gave a vague answer, deliberately omitting the contents of the note.

He wasn't stupid. He divided everyone into three groups to separate these incredibly powerful females before the operation, preventing them from bumping into each other and turning it into a chaotic scene.

"Will it be tonight?"

Arcueid looked at Samael with some surprise and reluctance.

"Yes, we've already met the four exorcist families, so we're easily identifiable. To avoid alerting them, we should hide for now before dark."

"What specific time?"

Arakawa Ningko, who was forced to sign the shady contract, was clearly more concerned about the task and started asking questions.

"We met at around 8 p.m. in the shopping street near the church."

Samael pondered for a moment, then casually replied that his skillful time management would allow him and Orange two hours to react to their meeting.

After assigning tasks, the ancient snake decisively set off to report to the shopping street ahead of schedule, and everyone else followed suit and began their respective actions.

In the afternoon, Samael sat in a street-side ice cream shop, ordered a cup of matcha and a strawberry ice cream, and while waiting to kill time, he occasionally looked around at the bustling shopping street.

The conflicts in the mysterious world and the strange tales of the lost sacred body did not affect the lives of ordinary people in the slightest. Pedestrians came and went in large numbers, creating a lively atmosphere.

On the street, some people were with their families, some were young men and women, and some were couples, showing their affection. They were all seeking simple joys in the shopping street.

Since it was Saturday and school was on holiday, there were many young faces in the crowd. Groups of three or five boys, arm in arm, were discussing popular movies and new games.

The girls, having shed their school uniforms and donned their favorite skirts, were discussing urban legends and popular soap operas.

The vibrant atmosphere of the city and the unspoken sense of intimacy made Samael, who had lived for ten thousand years, lament his lost youth. His nostalgic gaze swept over pairs of fair legs, trying to make up for the missing school life in his previous life.

"Dad, I want this..."

Just as Samael was immersed in his memories of the past, a weak and childish voice came from outside the ice cream shop.

A four- or five-year-old girl in a wheelchair, with long black hair, raised her thin, slender arm and pointed at the fruit shaved ice in the glass window, her eyes filled with longing.

The little girl's skin was sickly pale, clearly from not seeing the sun for a long time. Her slender arms had many bruises from excessive injections and IV drips. Her thin body could no longer support the small size of her dress.

Even so, the girl's eyes remained bright and clear, revealing a glimmer of hope for life.

"But……"

The man, who was called a father, hesitated slightly, looked at his daughter with concern, and his deeply furrowed brows furrowed even more.

"Never mind, I was just saying."

The little girl's eyes dimmed, but she still forced a smile, not wanting to make her father blame himself.

The man couldn't bear to disappoint his daughter, hesitated for a moment, and then compromised.

"One serving, please, but you can only eat a small portion."

"Uh-huh!"

The little girl's tiny hands, hidden under her sleeves, clenched involuntarily. She nodded emphatically in promise, and an undisguised excitement rose on her pale, pretty face.

Soon, a large cup of shaved ice, topped with cream and covered with fruit, was served to the father and daughter.

The father pushed his daughter, who was in a wheelchair, to find a seat. The little girl, who had finally gotten her wish, held the dessert she had only seen in picture books in her arms, feeling the coolness through her skin, and felt extremely satisfied.

However, when the father looked around, he was disappointed to find that there were no empty tables left in the ice cream shop.

Just as the man was struggling with this problem, a passing guest accidentally bumped into the wheelchair while passing through the narrow passageway.

Suddenly, the little black-haired girl, who was holding the shaved ice and looking at it again and again, accidentally dropped the shaved ice from her weak fingers and it fell to the ground.

Faced with this sudden turn of events, the little girl who had been watching this tragic event lost the light in her hopeful eyes, which immediately dimmed.

Just then, a slender arm reached up from the side and caught the falling shaved ice with a smooth, agile, and elegant movement. It even had time to catch a few pieces of fruit that had slipped away.

"Here, this time you'd better take it, little sister."

"Okay! Thank you, big brother!"

In a gentle voice, the sickly little girl looked at the shaved ice she had lost and found again in her arms. Her mood changed from sadness to joy. Coming to her senses, she nodded emphatically.

Realizing he hadn't taken good care of his daughter, the father bowed slightly to the black-haired, black-eyed man before him to express his gratitude.

"If you don't mind, how about we share a table?"

Samael, who offered his help, gave a gentle smile and offered friendly advice.

"Then excuse me."

After the earlier commotion, the father did not refuse. He bowed again to express his gratitude, then pushed his daughter's wheelchair to the table. He sat down beside her and used a small cup to serve her three small spoonfuls of shaved ice, which was considered the amount she was allowed to eat.

However, despite the reduced quantity of cold drinks she received, the little girl, aware of her physical condition, was still quite satisfied.

Once given permission, the little guy immediately took a cup in one hand and a spoon in the other, scooped up a spoonful, lowered his head, and carefully stuck out his tongue to lick the sweet and refreshing shaved ice, like a sick and quiet kitten.

After settling his daughter in, the father finally felt relieved and chatted casually with Samael, who had shown kindness.

After chatting for a while, Samael learned about the situation of the father and daughter.

My daughter was diagnosed with a congenital hereditary disease shortly after birth and has been receiving treatment in the hospital ever since.

According to the attending physician, barring a medical miracle, this child will likely spend the rest of his life in the hospital.

Fortunately, things finally took a turn for the better.

A few days ago, the father received a package of medicine from the family. He gave it to his daughter with some skepticism, and her health improved significantly afterward.

This delighted the man, who quickly completed the discharge procedures and brought his daughter to Misaki City, hoping for a cure.

Since this was the first time her daughter had left the hospital and seen the scenery outside the ward window, she was very curious about everything around her and full of curiosity.

As he spoke, the man's spine was hunched over, and he coughed softly from time to time. He was only in his early twenties, but he seemed to have entered the age of forty. Obviously, his health was not very good, and he probably had some hidden illness.

However, faced with this frail body and ordinary soul, Samael, a deity, treated him with the utmost respect and patience, listening attentively.

Besides the luxurious life of bright lights and revelry, there is also the joy and sorrow of birth, aging, sickness and death. Even if Samael didn't have specific experience, he knew how difficult it was for an ordinary family to support a seriously ill child.

Moreover, according to this father, the child's initial treatment was chosen in Kanbuko City, near Tokyo, where the medical conditions are relatively good, but the cost at this level is basically astronomical.

After borrowing from all relatives and friends, exhausting all favors, and severing all ties, this child will likely be left lying in a hospital bed, enduring endless pain and despair, awaiting death. This is the tragedy of ordinary people.

The father had anticipated this future and appeared quite calm, even making ample preparations.

Even if he dies, an old friend entrusted with his care will take good care of his daughter.

The little girl, engrossed in sweets and novel experiences, was unaware that the adults were discussing matters of life and death. In her innocent eyes, all she could see were the three spoonfuls of shaved ice in her hands.

Samael raised his hand and gently stroked the girl's head, asking casually.

When is the child scheduled to begin formal treatment?

It's so comfortable and warm...

Aside from her father, the little girl rarely received such treatment. For some reason, she felt an inexplicable sense of closeness from the handsome older brother opposite her. She enjoyed the close contact of being patted on the head and even unconsciously raised her little head to gently rub against his palm.

"tomorrow."

The father answered solemnly, his eyes filled with hope for the future.

tomorrow?

Samael paused slightly, looking at the father and daughter suffering in hardship, his heart filled with emotion.

The world has never been fair. Some people are born with everything and don't need to work hard at all; others have to fight their hardest just to survive.

And soon, they may also rob themselves of their last glimmer of hope.

"Oh dear, after saying so much, I completely forgot to introduce myself. I'm sorry, here is my business card, please accept it."

It must be said that the person opposite him was a good confidant. After telling his story, the man realized his rudeness and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his pale face. He took the initiative to stand up and offer his simple business card with both hands.

Samael politely accepted it and looked down at it.

Wu Tiao is a very rare surname. If I remember correctly, their main family's surname is Wu Jing.

"Oh right, I haven't asked what the child's name is yet?"

"Kiri! Big brother, my name is Kiri! Remember it!"

The little girl spoke first, blinking her pure eyes, and earnestly pleaded.

Samael smiled and gently rubbed the little girl's head.

"Okay, I'll remember that. But you also need to obediently accept the treatment. If you recover, I might come to see you."

"Is big brother coming?"

The little girl's eyes lit up, her gaze sparkling with excitement.

"Yes, I will."

Samael nodded, then glanced at the church outside the window, his gaze somewhat distant.

"Hook!"

The little girl was overjoyed. Without saying a word, she grabbed Samael's arm, hooked her little finger on the snake's finger, and excitedly hummed a nursery rhyme.

"A liar will suffer the consequences of swallowing a thousand needles!"

"Misty, we should go."