"Hiiragi-san! For the request I will ask of you, please answer with a 'Haii' or a 'Yes'."
He does not answer me.
For The Request I Will Ask Of You
A Night Wizard Fan Fic
I, Anzelotte, disciple of Gazer, protector of the world, face the greatest crisis in my life.
Hiiragi Renji is missing.
He is not at home or school. He is not with his friends or his enemies. He does not answer his phone. He does not have his phone; he apparently wised up to the tracer hidden inside. He is not appearing on any of the monitor screens before me.
Where is he?
He has never done this before. Succeed in running away, that is. He always tries to escape. But he always fails.
I should have known something was up when he stopped resisting being fetched a week ago. But I believed too much in the milk of human kindness. I thought he had seen the light. I thought he finally respected me.
I thought he likes me.
I was so happy with him that I decided to be nice to him. Not that I have never been nice to him. I have never laid even just a pinky on the smallest hair on his head.
But I did treat him nicely for a whole week. I told my men to slow down when fetching him. I vowed not to get angry when he made a bad comment about me during mission briefings– and in return he didn't spout a single complaint or curse. It was amazing.
I even let him taste my secret special tea recipe which I had never let anyone taste before. And he told me it was delicious. Claimed it was the best, even. I was so happy to hear that from him.
But he was only pretending. He was lying.
He deceived me. He betrayed me.
Just because he has graduated (and only thanks to my help, which he begged for), found a steady job and is the strongest Demon Sword Master in Far-The-Earth, he thinks he can escape me?
I am Anzelotte. Apostle of Gazer. Protector of the world.
And I am very annoyed.
"Find Hiiragi-san at once."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Everyone scurries about the command room. They all obey me without question.
Only Hiiragi-san complains. Only he tries to run away from missions.
Only he plays hard to get.
This mission isn't even dangerous. It's just Bell begging for some attention. Ever since Hiiragi-san defeated her but spared her life, Bell hasn't been quite the same old Great Demon Lord. She just mopes in her castle and tries to cook normal food. It's terrifying, what that woman can conjure out of boiling water. I send Hiiragi-san every now and then to lure her out of her kitchen, lest her cooking end up accidentally resurrecting Syaimaral, Gazer or both.
It's Hiiragi-san's fault, anyway. What was he thinking? I admit we owe Bell for assisting us against Gazer. But letting a Great Demon Lord live?
Sure, Bell is harmless now. It's her cooking that's dangerous. Between her and Akari-san, I'm not sure whose bento can do more damage.
Still!
It's just like Hiiragi-san to complicate things. Like how he broke both Kureha-san and Elis-san's hearts in just one day. How heartless can a boy be?
"I already have someone I love," he says.
Who?
Not that his love life is of any interest to me. I am not nosy like Hiiragi-san makes me out to be. I do not pry when it is not needed.
For example, I have no idea what secret Kureha-san uses to make Hiiragi-san do whatever she wants him to do. And I am not going to try and find it out. I am above blackmailing people. I merely rely on their sense of responsibility to humankind and the world to have then accept and accomplish missions.
But I am responsible for Hiiragi-san and Kureha-san and Elis-san.
So: Who is it that Hiiragi-san loves?
It was not Kureha-san. Nor was it Elis-san.
Akari-san? I barely stop myself from laughing aloud. No, Akari-san would blast Hiiragi-san before he could get two words of a confession out.
Bell? Maybe. But Hiiragi-san rarely visits her. And only when I send him. It's not like he can get to the Internal World on his own.
Wait. Could it be that Hiiragi-san snuck over to Bell's room today? Is that why we cannot find him?
That womanizer! How dare he? Collaborating with the enemy– he's completely betrayed me…
Was this part of Bell's plan? Use what excuses for feminine charm she possessed to control Hiiragi-san? Hiiragi-san doesn't have a strong defense again flirting.
Ooh, men are so weak…
"I'll be in my room. Inform me when you find him."
"Yes, ma'am."
I lock the doors to my quarters. Change into my pajamas. Plop myself on my bed. Glare at the ceiling.
Huff.
Hiiragi Renji-san.
You are the worst.
And yet…
I miss you.
Come back.
Come back to me.
"Anzelotte."
Huh?
"Eek!"
I cannot believe what I just did. I'm an Apostle of Gazer. I am the protector of the world.
And yet I had just squeaked like a little girl.
It's him.
Hiiragi Renji.
He snuck into my room. He hid himself here while we were looking for him. He probably watched me change into my pajamas.
Pervert!
"Hiiragi-san…"
Where is he? Where? I'll kill him with my bare hands. I swear…
There!
Oh.
"Yo. Anzelotte."
Oh, my.
I think I am gaping. I know I am definitely staring.
Hiiragi Renji looks absolutely dashing in a tuxedo.
"Hiiragi-san?"
"Yeah. Sorry for skipping out on the mission. I needed to get something important for you."
For me?
Wait! Where have you been? What have you been doing? Do you know how worried I was about you?
Who do you love?
"Anzelotte."
"Yes?"
"For the request I will ask of you, please answer with a 'Haii' or a 'Yes'."
Hiiragi knelt before me. His hands proffered me a glittering ring.
"Will you marry me?" he asks me.
Absolutely.
The End