Love nectar cookies… Clyde tried not to look at them. Chika acted as if everything was fine, chatting, and making jokes. Then her smile dropped.

“Are you okay?” she said.

“Yeah, just the exhaustion from studying finally hitting me,” he lied.

“Ah, I can make some green tea to—”

“It’s fine,” Clyde said, holding up a hand. He glanced at the cookies again, shaking his head, his temper stirring inside. On Earth, men ditched crazy. In Satovia, that didn’t seem to be an option.

He gazed into Chika’s eyes and found lucidity there. He reached for a calmness deep within himself, fizzling away the temper then spoke.

“Look Chika, I’m going to be frank, I’m very disappointed in you,” he said. She opened her mouth to speak, but Clyde held up a hand. “I have the gift and special abilities that branch out from it. One of them enables me to see traps and contamination, even inside food.” He gave her an inescapable glare.

Suddenly, she dove into arms, her face buried in his shirt, crying.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please don’t leave me, I promise I won’t ever do it again. I don’t know what came over me. Please don’t go. Please don’t hate me. Please, I’m sorry.”

Clyde was at a loss of words. He wasn’t the type to let tears change his mind, but the circumstances gave him an idea.

[Warning! Warning! Danger! Danger! Your friend is slipping into #@$#[email protected] %%]

[Warning! Warning! Danger! Danger! Your friend could use your honest words of comfort. A slip into Mind Break mode could be %$%#$]

Clyde thought for a second, as Chika continued an endless banter of apologizes, crying, and doing whatever he said. Was this his problem? No…He needed to stop this. But…the yandere was just too much for him—how did he let himself get into this mess? No, there was no time for regret. She could be like this due to family issues.

He took a deep breath then came to a decision. He’d aim to improve the group.

Clyde placed a comforting hand on the young woman’s back. It stiffened at first, then she relaxed into him.

“Look, I’m a forgiving guy, since I didn’t eat the cookies, but.”

She froze at the “but.”

“I’ve got a request,” he pushed on. “Maybe a suggestion. Normally, I’d be really pissed. In honesty, I should leave and never speak to you again.”

She held onto him tighter, tears streaming.

“I’m really sorry. Please don’t hate me.”

“Look me in the eyes,” Clyde said, voice still calm. She did, tears streaming. The young man tried to ignore his soaked shirt.

“Make this up to me,” he said. “Help us free this city from the demon lord. You’re strong. Really strong. I won’t force you, I’m not a dick. I will also keep quiet about this, but it would be nice to go outside again during the night. Hell, if we succeed, I may even let you lose control. Just none of that knife bullshit and putting things in my food.”

Chika nodded almost too eagerly.

“I…I truly am sorry… You’re right. There are times that I lose control. Particularly when I think of you. And especially when other girls are around you. But…you belong to no one, so I’ll try not to be unfair.”

“Like I said, I’m a forgiving guy,” Clyde said. “Can you meet us at eight tonight?”

“Sure,” Chika said. “And…if you don’t mind me losing control.”

“After we beat the demon lord,” the young man quickly added. “Other than that, I’m not running your life or anything. Just try to keep it together. Everyone has a past that—”

“I don’t want to talk about mine, if you don’t mind, Clyde,” Chika said with hardened eyes. “I don’t want to remember it.” She placed her face back into his chest. “Please don’t make me remember.”

A twinge of guilt struck Clyde, surprising him.

“Then don’t,” he said. “I don’t want to know it.”

She suddenly caught him in a line of aggressive kisses. Clyde pulled away just to breathe, but he didn’t let go of the young woman. A past that could make her a yandere spoke abuse. He’d not dig into it at her request, but if she decided to face it, his listening ears were open.

“I’ve got to go, to prepare for tonight,” Clyde said. He gently moved Chika off him then stood. The inviting aura around her almost made him reconsider, but there were other things to take care of—and bathing in endless lust wouldn’t get the young man anywhere.

Chika walked to the door then grabbed his arm.

“Are you…. are you sure you’re not mad?” she said, eyes glistening.

“I’m not mad,” Clyde assured her. “See you at eight. Meet us at the bus stop near my place.” She looked longing. “You’ve got my respect for choosing to fight with me. And besides, I want to host a barbeque or something in the evening. No need for monsters to ruin it.”

“Fight with you….” Chika nodded. “A barbeque or hanging out after dark, in general, would be nice.” She nodded to herself. “Lead the way and I’ll follow, I guess.” In a low voice, she said, “and you’re letting me lose control. I’ll take no less than four rounds.”

Clyde sighed, waved her off, then started for the bus stop. He felt Chika’s eyes on his back. Her apologies were sincere—but he wouldn’t believe for a moment that she could maintain control one hundred percent of the time.

[Chika has joined your party! Know this, a chaotic companion on your side could dramatically alter the battle in your favor. Remember your vows, anything promised to them will serve as motivation as they eagerly await the award.]

Clyde hoped that his decision didn’t screw him over in the long run. Still, if the Viper were to attack, maybe Chika’s overpowered gift could stomp the fucker into dust.

Before calling it a day, he stopped by the dojo to increase his combat skill level, Clare’s to scope out weapons and lowkey flirt and then practiced his crafting in his head. He had a feeling that soon, he’d be able to fuse items.

Another stupid trading card awaited at his doorstep when he got home. Why did he constantly forget to sell them?

[You have found an Attacker card. Item class: bizarre. The Wizard Otus. Power: ??? Defense: ???.]

[The cards effect’s and abilities cannot be revealed to you until the contract is formed.]

A little before eight, Clyde added Chika to the group, then sent out the mass text. He didn’t mind soaking away the day’s troubles with some monster ass kicking. What would they encounter this time? Hopefully not another slime girl. Monster girls seemed…overpowered.