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"Is it this?"
Togawa Sakiko's gaze shifted to the desk beside her.
In the corner of the desk sat an unremarkable oil painting, with a somber style that looked quite inconspicuous.
Kitahara Makoto, however, gently raised his eyebrows.
This style… why does it resemble the sky of the Otherworld?
"Strange, why do I have no impression of it at all…" Mrs. Sato's tone was puzzled. "I come here every day, and it seems I never noticed that painting."
Kitahara Makoto and Togawa Sakiko exchanged glances, understanding.
It seems this painting is indeed the source of the curse, possessing an unknown mysterious power that allows ordinary people to unconsciously ignore its existence.
"Let's ask Miss Kana when she wakes up." Kitahara Makoto said seriously, "Mrs. Sato, please have someone bring a basin for burning things."
"…Alright."
Mrs. Sato hesitated for two seconds before agreeing.
It was just a strange painting, burning it wouldn't hurt. What if it really could save her daughter?
She had tried all sorts of bizarre methods before to help her daughter recover, so one more wouldn't make a difference.
As Mrs. Sato gave the order, a maid soon brought in a stainless steel washbasin.
Kitahara Makoto reminded her:
"We still need a lighter."
The maid bowed slightly: "Please wait, guest."
"I'll get the painting…"
Togawa Sakiko reached out and picked up the cursed painting, then suddenly let out a soft hum.
"What's wrong?"
Kitahara Makoto looked over with concern.
Togawa Sakiko gently furrowed her delicate brows, knowing that she shouldn't conceal anything at such a moment, and whispered:
"Just now, a chilling aura seeped into my body through my fingers…"
Kitahara Makoto raised his eyebrows: "Is it a curse aura?"
Togawa Sakiko shook her head: "I don't know."
"Give me the painting." Kitahara Makoto reached out and took the eerie oil painting. Immediately, he felt a chilling sensation invade his body through his fingertips, but it quickly dissipated into nothing, like snow melting under the sun.
"It seems the Dutiful Exorcist's physique can resist curses…"
Kitahara Makoto felt relieved.
A moment later.
The maid brought a lighter, and Kitahara Makoto directly lit the eerie oil painting, then dropped it into the basin.
As the flames consumed the oil painting, a hollow, ethereal scream suddenly echoed through the room, exceptionally eerie and chilling.
Mrs. Sato was startled, her face turning pale as she nervously looked around:
"What was that sound just now?"
Kitahara Makoto looked over: "Ma'am should have heard it very clearly, it was, of course, the sound of this oil painting."
"…"
Watching the oil painting twist eerily in the flames, as if it were about to come alive, Mrs. Sato involuntarily took a half-step back in tension.
Fortunately, apart from that eerie scream, nothing else unusual happened. The oil painting quickly turned into a pile of ashes in the flames.
The room fell silent.
The three of them waited quietly for a moment, but the university student on the bed was still clutching her head and trembling, with no change whatsoever.
Mrs. Sato couldn't help but frown, hesitantly asking:
"Didn't you say burning that painting would be enough? Why hasn't Kana gotten better?"
Kitahara Makoto said simply:
"Ma'am, please call the maid in."
When the maid walked in, Kitahara Makoto handed over the answer book and simultaneously taught her how to ask questions.
When in doubt, consult the answer book.
It would be foolish to have a strategy guide and not use it. Kitahara Makoto was not a masochistic player.
Whoosh.
The answer book quickly provided the answer:
[Curse residue, Hand of Stripping]
"Eh?" Togawa Sakiko blinked, and asked curiously, "Curse residue is understandable… what does the latter part mean?"
Kitahara Makoto, however, understood immediately. It clearly meant for him to use Hand of Stripping to strip away the curse aura.
It was clear that although the source of the curse had been burned, the curse's aura had not been eliminated with it. If left untreated, the university student on the bed might remain insane, or perhaps regain consciousness on her own in ten days to half a month.
But no matter which possibility, none of them satisfied Kitahara Makoto.
The reward of twenty million yen, I'm taking it!
Even Jesus can't stop me!
"Mrs. Sato, please step outside." Kitahara Makoto turned and said, "Give us ten minutes of private time."
Mrs. Sato hesitated for two seconds, then nodded in agreement:
"Then I'll wait for you two outside."
"…"
Bang.
The door closed gently.
"The Hand of Stripping is a power I recently acquired…" Kitahara Makoto turned to Togawa-chan and briefly explained the reason, "So, I'm asking Togawa-san to take off Miss Kana's clothes."
"It's best to take them all off. If you can't take them all off, you can only leave two pieces of underwear at most."
Togawa Sakiko: "…"
To actually strip someone's daughter naked, no wonder Mrs. Sato was asked to leave first!
"Treating illnesses and saving people always requires some sacrifice." Kitahara Makoto's expression was serious, "Besides, Togawa-san wouldn't want to miss out on twenty million yen, would she?"
"…"
Togawa Sakiko raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, took a deep breath, and her eyes quickly became firm:
"Leave it to me."
She had worked so hard for so long, could she give up the reward of twenty million yen?
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
Togawa Sakiko walked towards the bed. Kitahara Makoto didn't stay where he was but followed behind Togawa-san.
"Kitahara-kun, you don't need to come over." Togawa Sakiko whispered, "You can leave the undressing to me."
"No." Kitahara Makoto shook his head gently, "I have to watch from the side. Miss Kana is mentally unstable right now, and I don't know if she will suddenly attack you. What if you get hurt?"
"…"
Togawa Sakiko pursed her lips and didn't say anything. She only felt a warm current gently surging in her chest. Her pretty face flushed slightly, and she bent down, preparing to take off the female college student's pajamas.
Who knew that as soon as her hand touched Miss Kana, the female college student would suddenly raise her head, her eyes fierce, and bite towards Togawa Sakiko.
"Ah…"
Togawa Sakiko was startled.
Kitahara Makoto, however, was quick-witted and swiftly pressed down on the female college student's head. He reached his other hand around Togawa-san's waist and quickly pulled Togawa Sakiko behind him.
"Tsk~" Kitahara Makoto raised his eyebrows, "If you're worried about her getting lost, you could let her roam around the villa, but instead, she's locked in a room and not allowed to go out. There's definitely a reason for that… It's just like those cats tied up with ropes, they're bound to be tough characters."
"Thank you, Kitahara-kun." Her waist was already a sensitive area for girls, and now that she was being held, Togawa Sakiko only felt her body go weak. Her face was flushed, and she quickly said, "Y-You can let me go now."
"Mm." Kitahara Makoto released Togawa-san, holding down the female college student's head with one hand, "I'll suppress Miss Kana, you continue."
"…"
Under Kitahara Makoto's suppression, Miss Kana naturally couldn't continue to attack people. Soon, Togawa Sakiko took off her pajamas, even her socks were no exception.
Looking at the female college student with tear-streaked face, constantly struggling, and only wearing two pieces of underwear, Togawa Sakiko's mood suddenly became a little strange:
"I feel like a bad woman helping a villain…"
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