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"So… what do we do next?"
Hana Yurakawa asked curiously.
"Well, first thing—you'll need to lift your shirt."
Miko Yotsuya explained from the side.
"Eh? Lift my shirt? W-why?"
"It's not what you're imagining! It's a proper contract ritual. I went through it too, and so did Mai-senpai."
"…Alright then. But Rosen, don't look."
"If I don't look, how am I supposed to make the contract? Relax, it's just your stomach we need to see."
Rosen couldn't help but smile helplessly.
If he really wanted to do something inappropriate, would he need to make such a fuss about it? Still, her modesty wasn't a bad thing.
After all, this world wasn't the same as the apocalypse he came from. Women in different worlds had very different attitudes toward intimacy. In a post-apocalyptic setting, chastity was never as strict as it was in peacetime. That said, girls like Rei Miyamoto and Shizuka Marikawa still insisted on choosing partners they actually liked.
Unlike those eroge scenarios where a single line like "You wouldn't want your husband to lose his job, right?" was enough to get a girl into bed—something that would never happen in a normal world.
Hearing that, Hana didn't argue further. With an embarrassed little sigh, she lifted her shirt.
Just as she was about to take it all the way off, Miko Yotsuya quickly stopped her with a sharp, "Stop!"
"Just the stomach! You don't need to strip everything off."
Miko was speechless. How could Hana undress that fast? She didn't even have time to react!
Still… wow. Hana's figure was way more developed than she'd expected.
Rosen probably likes this type, huh?
"And then?" Hana asked nervously.
Rosen responded by forming a glowing, unevenly-shaped spear of light in his hand.
"It might tickle a little, but it'll be over quickly."
He slowly lowered the spear toward Hana's slightly taut stomach.
Her pale skin trembled faintly from nerves, which only made her look cuter. Instinctively, she flinched back.
"W-wait, you're not seriously going to stab me with that, right?"
"Don't worry, it won't hurt."
Miko reassured her, holding her steady from behind.
"But it's so big… it'll—it'll feel awful, won't it?"
Her words were starting to stumble. She was terrified of pain!
But Rosen didn't give her the chance to chicken out. In one swift motion, he thrust the light-spear into her stomach.
Golden, intricate markings began to spread across her flat skin under the flow of divine power.
—The Holy Seal.
Proof that her body had been remade, and a mark of belonging to Rosen.
"This power…"
Hana's eyes lit up as she realized her strength had grown, her vision sharpening at the same time.
But then—
A thick, greasy substance oozed from her pores, soaking into her clothes.
"Ew! What is this?! It stinks, and it's slimy!"
Hana shrieked.
"It's just your body purging toxins and waste now that you've stepped into the transcendent realm. The bathroom's by the entrance—go wash up."
Before Rosen even finished, Hana bolted for the bathroom like the wind, running so fast she looked dazed by her own speed.
Compared to checking out her new powers, a shower was clearly more important!
Rosen conjured up a fresh set of clothes and tossed them to Miko.
"Give these to her when she's done."
While Hana bathed, Rosen pressed her stats onto a blank sheet of paper:
[Contractor: Hana Yurakawa]
[Rank: Novice Divine Envoy]
[Strength: 10 | Endurance: 10 | Dexterity: 10 | Agility: 10 | Divine Power: 10]
[Skills:]
Life Energy MAX
Forms a shield of life energy around the body that blocks all outside attacks.
Special damage and defense bonuses against the undead.
Can actively release life energy outward to cause large-scale damage.
Has a unique lure effect against undead enemies.
Glutton
Eating restores life energy faster.
The tastier the food, the quicker the recovery.
Faster digestion and expanded stomach capacity.
Resistant to weight gain.
Miko and Mai crowded around to take a peek once Rosen laid out the sheet.
"Ohhh, so that golden flame around her was life energy! No wonder normal spirits can't get close to her."
Miko clicked her tongue in wonder.
Though what puzzled her was why Hana still couldn't see spirits despite that.
"'Glutton,' huh… So eating makes her stronger, and she even gets a bigger stomach capacity? And she doesn't get fat?!"
Both girls were instantly jealous.
She had fewer skills compared to them, sure—but each one was ridiculously practical.
"..."
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