In that moment, Nanami Aoyama finally understood Hana Yurikawa's feelings.
Five hundred yen for five minutes was steep, but it was worth every cent. She'd never felt this refreshed, as if she'd been reborn in the womb.
Her entire being felt renewed.
When Morpheus stopped, Nanami felt a pang of loss, reluctant to let the sensation end.
"That's just not scientific," She muttered.
Having learned some massage techniques during her part-time jobs, she could tell Morpheus's technique was utterly unprofessional.
Amateurish, even. No, he was a complete novice.
Yet the results were beyond imagination—almost unbelievable.
"What's going on here?"
"Simple," Morpheus said, extending his right hand. Faint strands of light bloomed in his palm, illuminating Nanami's face. "The massage itself wasn't the key."
"What matters is the power I used—transcendent power that nourishes the body."
"When it flows into you, it not only heals physical damage but also washes away fatigue."
"That's why you felt the way you did."
"Aoyama, I'm willing to share this power with you."
"With it, you can give massages to earn money—maybe even specialize in serving the wealthy."
"For their health, they'd pay not just 100 yen a minute, but 1,000, or even 10,000 yen."
"You could work one hour a day and make hundreds of thousands, maybe millions."
"That's ten, a hundred, even a thousand times what you earn now."
"What do you say?"
Nanami was floored. She knew Morpheus wasn't exaggerating.
For their health, the rich would pay 10,000 yen a minute, maybe even 100,000.
With this power, becoming wealthy was just a matter of time.
But…
"Why me?" She asked.
Morpheus smiled. "Why not you?"
Nanami hesitated. "I'm just an ordinary high schooler."
This pie-in-the-sky opportunity left her dazed and doubtful.
She couldn't believe such good fortune would fall into her lap.
"What's wrong with being a high schooler? Can't high schoolers make big money?" Morpheus said, exasperated. "Look, I'm offering you this chance because we're friends."
"If you don't want it, just say so, and I'll drop it."
Nanami blinked. Friends, huh? So that's how it was.
She'd been overthinking things.
A small, relieved smile spread across her face. "If it's an invitation from a friend, I've got no reason to say no."
Morpheus clapped her shoulder with a grin. "Excellent. From now on, you're my third devotee, Aoyama-san."
With that, he infused her with a surge of light power.
Like with Erina Nakiri and Hisako, he gave her about 10,000 units of it.
To Morpheus, this was a mere fraction of his power—barely a drop in the bucket.
Upon receiving it, Nanami could suddenly see the evil spirits roaming the world and jumped in surprise.
Morpheus explained the nature of miasma and the dangers of the supernatural.
Fortunately, in a world with vampires, magic, and superpowers, Nanami quickly accepted the reality.
"So the world we live in is this dangerous," She marveled.
She'd always thought vampires, magic, and superpowers were distant, like they belonged to another realm.
But now she understood.
The supernatural was always here, lurking close by.
She'd just never had the ability to see it before.
With Morpheus's power, she could finally perceive the truth, and it left her in awe.
"Alright, let's set that aside for now and talk business," Morpheus said. "As my devotee, and me as your divine patron, you should offer tributes, right?"
Nanami nodded. That made sense.
Didn't devotees always offer something to their deity?
Seeing her agreement, Morpheus nodded approvingly. "Whether you're healing people or giving massages, I'll take fifty percent of your earnings. How's that sound, Aoyama?"
"Fifty percent? Isn't that a bit much?" Nanami asked cautiously.
Morpheus's eyes widened. "Too much?"
He hadn't pegged Nanami, with her earnest face, as someone so money-conscious.
"No, no!" Nanami waved her hands frantically, realizing she'd been misunderstood. "I meant, isn't fifty percent too much for me to keep?"
"Your power comes from you, Lord Morpheus. Thirty percent—no, twenty percent is enough for me."
She did some quick math. At 1,000 yen per minute, even if she gave Morpheus eighty percent, she'd still earn 200 yen per minute.
That was way more than her part-time jobs.
Even giving him ninety percent, she'd still come out ahead.
Morpheus couldn't help but laugh. "Hearing you say that, I feel like I'm some heartless capitalist about to be strung up on a lamppost. Taking eighty percent of your hard-earned money? What kind of monster do you think I am?"
"No, that's not what I meant!" Nanami waved her hands again, flustered.
"Enough," Morpheus cut her off decisively. "Fifty percent is my call. No more arguing."
Seeing his resolve, Nanami closed her mouth, giving him a grateful look. "Thank you," She said softly.
"No need for that. If you really want to repay me, just make money—lots of it. I may be a divine being, but I still need cash to buy stuff in this world."
Truthfully, Morpheus could get by without paying, but he wasn't that shameless.
His pride wouldn't allow it.
Nanami burst into laughter at his words, her smile radiant like blooming flowers. "Don't worry, Lord Morpheus. I'll make tons of money to support you," She promised with a grin.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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