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Around noon, Akio received a prayer from Saeko Busujima.
After the incident in Tokimori City was wrapped up, Saeko went back to living like a normal person again.
Still, she couldn't stop worrying about Umbrella. That was why she reached out to Akio today, asking if he needed her help.
"No need," Akio replied without hesitation. "Things with Umbrella are moving along smoothly. With a little more time, I should be able to rip them out at the roots. You don't need to worry."
Then he added, "If you really want to help, go hunt evil spirits instead."
Whether Akio himself killed them or his followers did, he always received feedback when an evil spirit was destroyed. His strength grew—though the increase was laughably small. It took more than a dozen kills just to gain the tiniest bit of Light.
Akio honestly couldn't be bothered with such pests.
But giving that task to Saeko and the others? That was perfect.
He could just sit back and enjoy growing stronger without lifting a finger. Sure, it was slow—painfully slow—but progress was still progress.
Even a mosquito counts as meat.
Saeko accepted his words with a firm nod.
She knew herself well: she was a violent person at heart. In modern society, she had no choice but to keep that side hidden.
Now, with the excuse of cutting down evil spirits, she could finally let it loose. How could she possibly refuse?
So when classes ended that day, Saeko happily grabbed her wooden sword and went hunting.
Meanwhile, Akio received a sudden message from his clone.
These past few days, Akio had been focused on Umbrella, while his clone attended school in his place. No one had noticed a thing.
Every evening, the clone would share the day's events with him.
Most of it was trivial stuff—like eating lunch with Tanaka Ritsu, dropping by Mio Akiyama's light music club, or watching a couple at school fight about breaking up.
Sometimes it was a teacher calling out a student in class.
Akio didn't care about any of it.
But the normalcy itself was precious.
That was why he kept sending his clone to school—just to savor this rare and ordinary slice of life.
Today's report carried something different, though.
Megumi Kato had approached the clone, saying she wanted to become one of Akio's followers.
That jogged Akio's memory. When he first met Megumi, on a whim, he'd offered her the chance to join him.
He'd even asked what she could bring to the table.
Erina Nakiri and Shiyoko could provide him with daily meals.Nanami Aoyama could earn money for him.Saeko Busujima could slay evil spirits, letting him grow stronger in his sleep.Miko Yotsuya had the most powerful spiritual sight, which gave Yuri Kawasaki the privilege of tagging along as her "bonus."
But what about Megumi Kato?
At the time, she couldn't answer. So gave her space to think about it.
Now she had come seeking him out again. Did that mean she'd found her answer?
Since he was free at the moment, Akio decided it was worth meeting her in person.
He left Umbrella's Tokyo branch and headed back to school.
On the rooftop, he found Megumi waiting for him.
Walking over, he asked, "So, have you figured out what I asked you before?"
Megumi nodded. "I have. The only thing I can offer you, my lord… is myself."
"I'll dedicate myself to you completely. Whatever you need me to do, I'll give it everything I have."
The words sounded roundabout, but they boiled down to one thing: unconditional obedience.
Easier said than done.
What if Akio gave her an order that clashed with her values?
What if he asked her to kill some random stranger with no connection to her?
The answer, of course, was obvious: she couldn't. No ordinary modern girl could casually murder someone like that.
Akio was certain she wasn't capable of it.
But the fact that she still said those words meant something. She really wanted to break free from her paper-thin presence.
That trait had caused her endless trouble growing up. Now that she'd found a chance to change, she wasn't about to let it slip away. She'd take the leap first, and worry about the consequences later.
Akio guessed that was what she was thinking.
Not that he intended to test her limits—he wasn't some villain. All he wanted was her resolve.
And now she'd laid it before him, flawless and sincere.
Akio's lips curved into a genuine smile. "You pass. From this moment on, you're my follower."
For the first time, Megumi's expression shifted. Her lips tugged upward ever so slightly.
For someone usually so expressionless, that tiny smile revealed just how happy she truly was.
Akio then shared a fragment of his power with her, binding her as his follower.
With it, Megumi gained control over her own presence.
She could fade into the background as a normal schoolgirl or stand out as the center of attention—whichever she chose.
At that moment, she suddenly asked, "Lord Akio, I have a question."
"Go on."
"Besides me, do you have other followers?"
"Of course," Akio answered matter-of-factly.
"Then… may I get in touch with them?" she asked. "I'd like to learn from them how a newcomer like me can become a proper follower."
Akio blinked.
The idea was actually a good one. His number of followers would only grow over time. If two strangers ended up clashing, it'd be a joke.
Unlikely, but still worth preventing.
Maybe he really should find a way for them to connect.
The first thought that popped into his head was one of those interdimensional chat groups that spanned countless worlds.
He wasn't nearly strong enough for something like that yet. But creating a way for the followers in this world to talk to each other?
That might not be impossible.
And it didn't sound too troublesome either.
"..."
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