By the time Shido returned to his apartment it was already 5 PM. The rays of the sun had shifted into a warm golden hue, casting a soft amber glow over the city.
Once inside, Shido immediately got to work. He began unloading the items from his inventory and placing the food and drinks neatly into the fridge. He made sure to leave out a few ingredients for dinner. Tonight, he planned to make croquettes, something he hadn't had in a while.
Shido entered the kitchen and rolled up his sleeves and started cooking dinner.
He grabbed a few potatoes and placed them in a pot of water to boil, setting it on the stove. While they cooked, he began finely chopping onions, the familiar sting hitting his eyes, but he powered through with practiced ease.
Next came the ground beef and minced pork, which he seasoned lightly before tossing into a pan. The sound of sizzling meat filled the room, blending with the comforting aroma of onions and spices. Once the meat was cooked, he drained the potatoes and mashed them until smooth, then folded in the meat mixture and added a bit of salt and pepper.
With deft hands, Shido formed the croquette patties, carefully dipping them in flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs. Each one was crisped to a golden brown in the frying pan, giving off a delicious crackle as they cooked.
After placing the freshly made croquettes onto a plate and setting them on the dining table, Shido headed toward the bathroom. A thin layer of sweat clung to his skin from wandering all over the city, and a hot bath was exactly what he needed. Shido figured to have dinner after taking a bath.
The warm water instantly soothed his tired muscles. "Ahh... what a nice bath," Shido murmured, leaning back in the tub as steam gently rose around him.
Despite the comfort, the silence around him echoed too loudly. The Itsuka residence had always been lively, filled with noise, laughter, shouting... chaos. But now, only stillness greeted him.
Soaking in the tub, Shido leaned his head back and gazed up at the ceiling. The steam blurred his vision slightly, and before long, his eyes slowly shut, and he allowed himself a brief nap.
The furniture he ordered was set to arrive tomorrow, so there was no need to rush anything else tonight. For now, he simply let the quiet lull him.
...
Walking outside his apartment, Shido looked freshly groomed in a crisp white shirt and black pants. It was already dark outside as he took quite a long time to finish taking a bath and had dinner.
In his hands were two neatly packed paper bags filled with cakes, along with a Tupperware container with croquettes inside as a small greeting gifts for his neighbors next-door.
Stopping in front of the apartment next door, Shido took a deep breath. He straightened his posture, cleared his throat lightly, and then pressed the doorbell.
Ding-dong.
The chime of the doorbell echoed lightly through the corridor. Shido stood calmly, waiting for his neighbor to open the door. The hallway was quiet, only the hum of city life buzzing faintly in the distance through the apartment windows.
A moment later, there were light footsteps approaching from inside.
Click.
The door creaked open, and standing there was a girl Shido recognized immediately. At first, he thought that the surname on the nameplate was only a coincidence but he didn't expect it to be actually her.
The young girl couldn't be described with mere words, her appearance was like that of an angel, untouched by the mortal world. Her beauty rivaled, perhaps even surpassed, that of Tohka and Kurumi. There was an air of purity around her, a serene innocence that made her seem almost saintlike.
Her long, blonde hair flowed like a silk down her back, catching the light with every subtle movement. Her caramel eyes were calm and clear as she look quietly at Shido.
She wore a long, pale yellow dress that perfectly complemented her gentle presence. The fabric hugged her figure softly, cinched just below the bust by a thin satin ribbon tied into a delicate bow.
"...Yes?" she said softly.
Noticing Shido staring blankly at her, the girl tilted her head slightly and spoke, her voice soft yet direct.
"Is there something you need?"
"Ah, right." Shido smiled awkwardly, realizing he'd been completely mesmerized by her beauty, despite having tried to prepare himself for it.
"Good evening, it's nice to meet you. My name is Itsuka Shido, and I just moved into the apartment next door, unit 503. Please take care of me." He introduced himself politely, offering a slight bow.
"I see. Nice to meet you, Itsuka-san. I'm Shiina Mahiru. Please take care of me as well." she replied with a gentle nod, her was voice calm and courteous.
She had known the apartment next to hers had been vacant for some time, so it caught her by surprise when someone finally moved in, and even more so when that person came to introduce himself so properly.
Mahiru looked curiously at Shido and felt that he was quite nice and even looked handsome. Compared to her other neighbor, who always looked a bit gloomy and withdrawn, this new resident gave her a refreshingly pleasant first impression.
Meanwhile as Mahiru was examining Shido's appearance from head to toe, Shido was also examining her. He used his scan ability displaying her information in detail.
Name: Shiina Mahiru
Level: 6
Age: 16
Height: 155 cm
Measurements (B/W/H): 88/54/82
Class: None
STR: E
VIT: E
AGI: E
INT: B+
CHA: S
LUK: B
Threat Level: None
Affiliation: Fujou High School
Shido viewed her information and stats and saw that except for STR, VIT and AGI. Her INT, CHA and LUK was unusually high especially her CHA which was at S rank.
It was the first time Shido saw a person with S rank CHA. But thinking of Mahiru's appearance that was radiating with holiness, Shido was not surprised anymore.
Still as usual, his eyes wouldn't miss her measurements. Her figure was not bad but her waist was so slim, that it would make many women jealous in addition to her gracefully shaped hips.
If this were a fantasy world, Shido might've truly believed she was an actual angel descended from the heavens.