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Yuto lounged on his bed, staring at his phone screen where a list of five-star servants glowed temptingly: Artoria, Gilgamesh, Scathach, Achilles. 'If only I could summon them all,' he thought, fingers itching to spend his hard-earned 300 Saint Quartz. The thrill of the gacha kept him going, a small escape from the chaos of his life. Beside him, Marin stirred, her soft murmur breaking his focus.
"Mm…" Her eyes fluttered open, sleepy yet warm.
"Morning, Marin," Yuto said, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.
She blushed, a shy smile curving her lips. "Yuto-kun, since we have time… how about round two?" Her playful boldness shone through, a spark in her gaze.
He grinned, unable to resist. They spent that day three days ago tangled in each other, lost in a haze of affection and laughter, the world beyond their room forgotten.
..........
Three Days Later
Morning light filtered through the villa's windows, casting soft rays over Yuto as a mercury maid adjusted his new Shuchiin Academy uniform. The school had been closed for a month due to supernatural upheaval, but today it reopened, and Yuto was ready to reclaim his playground.
"I'm heading out," he called from the entrance, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
Himeno, sharp in a tailored suit, intercepted him with a warm hug and a deep, lingering kiss. "Me to work, you to school; like a romance novel, huh?" she teased. She'd traded the Public Security Bureau for a security role at Yuto's company, joined by Tendou Michiko and Kobeni, her power bolstered by Command Seals and a pact with the Ghost Devil.
Kirisu Mafuyu huffed nearby, arms crossed. "We agreed to share Yuto-kun's time!" She shoved Himeno aside with surprising force. "He's mine now!"
"Master, you're quite the catch," Nero smirked, her form more mature after absorbing spirit fragments from recent battles.
Yukino Yukari clutched her briefcase, rubbing her temples. Living with her former student and colleague in Yuto's chaotic harem was absurd, yet watching him in the sunlight, she felt an undeniable pull. With a sigh, they all parted ways.
...........
At Shuchiin's new lakeside campus, tall pines shaded students buzzing about their month off; some grumbling about fake spiritual teachers, others about family woes. Yuto strode in, arm casually around Kirisu Mafuyu's waist, drawing gasps from onlookers.
"Who's that with Kirisu-sensei?" a student whispered.
"Lucky bastard, Yuto," another muttered.
"Enough," Mafuyu snapped, peeling his arm off as they entered the school. Her cheeks flushed under the scrutiny.
"Never," Yuto teased, grinning. "Your waist is too perfect to let go."
"Not here," she hissed, mortified.
"What's the problem? This school's mine; the Shinomiya Group funds it and I set the rules," he said with a shrug. "Anyone complains, they're gone."
"That's not the point," she groaned. "Just… come with me to the bathroom, okay?"
With a flick of his wrist, Yuto cast a suggestion spell, scattering the gawking crowd. Mafuyu grabbed his hand, and they slipped away. After one morning class, they emerged, her hair slightly mussed, his smirk intact.
Mafuyu returned late to her classroom, where Yukino Yukari was wrapping up a lesson. "Kirisu, you—" Yukino began, then faltered, spotting Yuto behind her. She turned to leave, but he intercepted her.
"Yukino-sensei, got a minute?" His sly grin made her hesitate.
She wanted to refuse, but her knees betrayed her. Reluctantly, she followed him.
.........….
Lunchtime found Yuto sprawled at a table with Utaha, Megumi, Mei, and Marin, the chatter of the cafeteria a dull hum around them. 'Life's sweet,' he mused aloud. 'Hunt monsters, earn Saint Quartz, and I'm set."'
Stretching, he considered skipping the afternoon classes when Fujiwara Chika and Eriri approached, their steps purposeful.
"Hey, Yuto-kun, want to hear a secret?" Chika beamed, her uniform accentuating her curves in a way that caught his eye.
'How did she grow like that?,' he thought, then glanced at Eriri's slighter frame.
"Hey! Stop pitying me!" Eriri snapped, cheeks red.
"What secret?" Yuto asked, ignoring her outburst.
Chika grinned. "Only Eriri and I know, not even the president heard. But for you? I'll spill. Bend down, you're too tall."
He leaned in, catching her sweet scent. "Someone's drawing doujinshi at school," she whispered.
"Doujinshi?" Yuto echoed, glancing at Eriri. Her fidgeting gave her away.
"Yeah, the spicy kind. You've seen them, right?" Chika teased, expecting a blush.
"Sure, but I only like Kashiwagi Eri's stuff," he said flatly.
"Eep!" Eriri jolted, eyes darting in panic.
"Wow, you just admit it?" Chika blinked, impressed by his calm.
"Have you ever checked them out?" Yuto countered.
"N-No! My family's strict!" Chika stammered, burying her face in her chest.
"Where'd you spot this artist?" he asked.
"Art club. Wanna see?"
Eriri squirmed, but Yuto's grin widened. "Let's go."
'What to do, what to do?!' Eiriri trembled as panic seized her. She stared at the two figures buzzing with excitement, her mind racing but coming up empty. There was no way to stop them from heading to the art room.
'If only I hadn't drawn doujinshi during lunch break...' she thought, regret gnawing at her. If she hadn't forgotten to lock the door when she stepped out to the bathroom, those draft papers clipped to the easel wouldn't have fluttered away in the wind. But it was done now, it was too late for second guesses. All she could do was pray they wouldn't figure out she was the artist behind those pages.
The art room door swung open, revealing an easel turned away from the entrance, still holding those striking, provocative sketches. Yuto stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied them. The ink hadn't even dried yet.
"It was right here that I spotted those flying drafts and ran into Eiriri," Fujiwara Chika said, her gray loafers tapping lightly on the floor. As her gaze fell on the sketches, characters caught in shameless poses and wild Ahegao expressions, her fair cheeks flushed a quick, vivid red.
"T-These poses are so lewd... Whoever drew this has to be a total degenrate," she stammered.
"Maybe," Yuto replied, a faint, knowing smile tugging at his lips as he lifted a draft for a closer look. The lines were sharp and alive, capturing the drooling heroine with unsettling skill. Too bad it was such a niche piece.
Behind them, Eiriri stayed quiet, her thoughts churning with defiance. 'What's wrong with being a degenerate? It's not like I'm hurting anyone.'
Then came Fujiwara's sudden, gleeful shout, snapping Eiriri out of her daze and sending a shiver through her. "Haha, I've got it! The signature on this draft, it's Kashiwagi Eri!" Chika had somehow produced a tiny detective hat, plopping it on her head. She struck a pose, hand on hip, chuckling "kukuku" like some imaginary soundtrack to her sleuthing. "That means Kashiwagi Eri is a student here... and probably in the art club. The truth is close!"
"Exactly, exactly!" she cheered.
Eiriri's face was drained of color. She froze, rooted to the spot as if caught in a spell.
'Someone help! Chika seems so harmless most days, why does her brain kick into overdrive now?' she thought, desperation creeping in.
"Hmm... let this detective ponder a bit more," Chika mused, pinching her small chin with a serious air. "The art club's small, and the student council office has a roster. If we check it and see who was in the art room today, we'll know who's behind these doujinshi in no time."
"W-Wait a second!" Eiriri blurted, her hands flailing as panic took over. 'I can't let her keep going!' she thought. "Is this really okay? I mean, whoever drew these... questionable doujinshi is still one of us. If they got caught—"
"Hehe, relax," Chika cut in, her big blue eyes twinkling as she grinned. "I just want to know who it is. I couldn't care less about their private quirks."
'Her curiosity is terrifying,' Eiriri thought, words failing her. She shrank to the side, her face twisted with worry, waiting for the inevitable.
Just then, Yuto, standing nearby, snapped his fingers into the empty air.
Snap!
The sharp sound clicked like a switch flipping. Chika blinked, then frowned, confusion clouding her eyes. She rubbed her head and wandered out of the room, muttering, "Weird... Why am I here? Hmm... Did I forget something important?"
"Eh?!" Eiriri gaped at the pink-haired girl's sudden exit, then whipped around to Yuto, suspicion in her voice. "How'd you do that?"
"Just a simple spell," Yuto said offhandedly, shrugging. "So, how's your curse technique training coming along?"
After that mess of a school massacre, Yuto had tested Eiriri with some kind of detection method and found she had the makings of a curse user. She'd been curious enough to give it a shot, but like Marin, talent wasn't on her side.
"No luck," she mumbled, pouting slightly, her shoulders slumping. "I can't get started. Maybe I'm just not cut out for it."
"Now that you mention it," Yuto said, leaning against a desk and picking up the doujinshi's cover page with a light smile, "how about we discuss my reward for bailing you out?"
"What? A reward?" Eiriri's jaw dropped, heat rushing to her face. Flustered, she stammered, "W-What do you want?"
"Easy. I'll take it myself," Yuto said, his smile widening. Then, without warning, he laced his fingers with hers, gripping her soft hand firmly.
"!"
Eiriri jolted like she'd been shocked, her cheeks blazing, her eyes darting anywhere but his. 'What's he trying to do!?' she thought, heart pounding.
She caught the hint in his words and turned her head, cheeks puffed out in a mix of embarrassment and protest. "D-Don't... Someone might walk by," she whined softly.
"Relax. With me here, no one's finding out," Yuto said, his gaze intense as it locked onto the twin-tailed girl.
Today, Eiriri wore a simple gray school uniform skirt. Her slender arms crossed her chest, shielding a bust that was barely there, though there was just a faint suggestion of it. Below, her smooth, flat stomach showed no trace of extra weight, leading down to long, graceful legs wrapped in black knee-high socks. Her small, perky backside curved out sharply, like a ripe peach.
"So, Eiriri's growth just went elsewhere," Yuto said, eyeing her figure with a nod. "Her backside's pretty nice."
"Uuu!" Tears pricked at Eiriri's blue eyes. She clenched her teeth, trembling with a mix of shame and anger.
"Y-You're going too far!"
"Too far? Hmph. Today, I'll just take a small token, Miss Eiriri," Yuto smirked. Before she could react, he pinned her against the wall and pressed his lips to hers.
"Mmm..."
Her first kiss was stolen in an instant. Eiriri's cheeks glowed a quiet red. Her eyes grew misty as the moment sank in.
........
Half an hour later, the art room door creaked open. A small head peeked out. Eiriri, still reeling from being thoroughly taken advantage of, shot Yuto a glare full of embarrassment and frustration before slipping out like a thief, terrified someone might spot the evidence of their closeness.
'Sigh, she's still too shy,' Yuto thought, brushing his lips where her touch lingered, a flicker of longing in his chest.
Shuchiin Academy had turned into his personal playground, a place where he could act freely without worry. So, who was next? Maybe his senpai. It'd been a while since they'd last gotten close.
This easy, carefree life was exactly what Yuto craved. Days slipped by fast, and soon, a few had passed.
That afternoon, he'd just wrapped up a fun little lunchtime break with Megumi and Utaha when a message pinged in from Isayama Yomi.
Isayama Yomi: "Yuto-kun, there's been a bad accident in the western city subway. The countermeasure office says there might be some strong demons inside. We're short-handed, can you help?"
Yuto: "For you, Yomi, I've always got time."
Isayama Yomi: "Thanks. I owe you one."
Phew... Setting the phone down, the kendo girl's striking face flushed an odd shade of red, her delicate nose twitching with shy excitement. She'd finally talked to Yuto-kun again. Sure, it was for work, but it still warmed her heart.
Love was new to her, her feelings for guys were a clean slate, untouched and simple. Only lately, as Yuto kept showing up in her dreams, did it hit her: she'd fallen for him. Maybe it started with that lion plush he gave her when they first met, or the rush of relief when he took down her annoying fiance, Ioka Noriyuki. Whatever it was, she knew her heart now.
Chasing a guy, though? That was a mountain too steep for someone like her, with zero experience. So, she turned to Jinguuji Ayame for help, a temporary guide.
"Oh my, I never thought our cool-headed Yomi would catch feelings for a boy," Jinguuji Ayame said, hiding a teasing smile behind her hand as she watched Yomi fidget.
"Chief, don't tease me," Yomi replied, her face red as she turned away, awkwardness creeping in. She didn't want to spill her secrets, but as an Omnyoji master, Ayame was the only one she could talk to. Her adopted sister, Tsuchimiya Kagura, was just a high school freshman, no way she'd go there.
"Someone like you falling for a guy is a rare sight," Ayame said, wheeling her chair closer, her eyes sparkling with interest as she studied the tense, black-haired girl. She'd never been in love herself but jumped at the chance to play advisor.
"Try showing your softer, feminine side on this next mission," she suggested. "Most guys don't go for women who are too hard-edged, especially you, Yomi, with your sharp decisions and fierce aura."
"?" Yomi shook her head, puzzled. "But my job is killing demons. How can I be soft or scared when facing them?"
"Uh, ahem..." Ayame coughed, suddenly weary. Yomi's stubborn, straight-to-the-point nature made acting delicate a long shot.
What now? The older woman frowned, stumped.
"Just... be yourself, I guess. Ugh, I don't really know," she admitted. After all that talk, two love rookies couldn't scrape together anything solid.
With time running out, Yomi grabbed her coat and headed for the door, head down. 'I'll show myself as best I can,' she thought. 'If I can't be weak, I'll let my swordsmanship shine.' Her grip tightened on her sword, eyes blazing with resolve.
......…
Yuto, ditching class, rode his motorcycle towards the western subway station, Benio clinging behind him. They tore through the streets, a blur against the busy traffic, arriving at the sealed-off site in no time.
"Yuto-kun! Miss Benio," Isayama Yomi called from the entrance, her tall frame and sword making her stand out like a beacon, pulling curious stares.
"What's it like inside, Miss Yomi?" Benio asked. The moment they got close, she felt it; a thick, foul demonic energy seeping from the station, heavy and vile. Even regular people, blind to it, would sense the danger and steer clear.
"154 dead," Yomi said. "Word is, the train hit a huge, rogue demon while speeding. Camera footage shows it's got a calf's upper body and a spider's lower half."
"Bull head, spider body... that sounds familiar," Yuto murmured, brow creasing as he racked his brain. Then it clicked—Ushioni from Nurarihyon no Mago. A bull-faced, spider-bodied yokai, once called Umewakamaru, who served Nurarihyon, head of the Nura Clan. Tricky and strong, he could pass as human, excelling at deception and strikes.
Yuto wasn't sure how Iwanaga Kotoko, the yokai princess, tied into the Nura Clan, but Ushioni popping up here, leaving bodies behind, hinted at trouble back in their ranks.
"Let's head in and see," he said. He led the two girls down into the station.
At the bottom of the stairs, the wrecked subway train loomed. Steel panels lay torn and scattered, a massive crater gouged into the wall from the blast. Shards and parts littered the ground, knocking out every light. The air hung thick, stifling, like mud trapped in a damp forest.
The strength to flip a speeding train with raw force alone was staggering, Ushioni was no pushover. Benio's face tightened as she pulled a stack of talismans from her pocket, the heavy sense of danger sharpening her focus.
{As someone asked, I have posted character pics in auxiliary chapter}
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