The next day, Morpheus went to school as usual.
Before class, he chatted with Ritsu Tainaka and Mio Akiyama, not giving a second thought to studying.
He was a divine being now—why bother with schoolwork?
The whole point of studying was to land a better job to support oneself later.
But Morpheus already had people supporting him.
Erina Nakiri and Hisako handled his three meals a day, and Nanami Aoyama covered his daily expenses.
He was confident that, soon enough, he'd be swimming in money.
So why study? What was the point?
He'd already suffered through studying in his past life—did he really have to go through it again?
No way.
Feeling bored after arriving at school, Morpheus slipped out of the classroom and wandered around the campus.
As for whether anyone would notice him skipping class, he doubted it.
While strolling, he came across some interesting people.
For instance, Hana Yurikawa, whom he'd met at the convenience store yesterday, was in the classroom next to his.
And in another class, he spotted a girl with an almost nonexistent presence—Megumi Kato.
Wait, wasn't she supposed to be at Toyogasaki Academy?
Morpheus was curious.
This world did have a Toyogasaki Academy, so why was the quintessential "background character" Heroine at Ousai Private Academy?
Could this be another quirk of this crossover world?
After all, Ousai Private Academy was far more prestigious than Toyogasaki.
Did that mean Utaha Kasumigaoka was in the second-year class? Or maybe Eriri Spencer Sawamura in the art club?
Curiosity piqued, Morpheus swung by the second-year classrooms.
Unfortunately, he didn't find Utaha Kasumigaoka, suggesting the dark-haired senpai was likely still at Toyogasaki.
No Eriri in the art club either.
It seemed Megumi Kato was the only one who'd ended up at Ousai Private Academy.
Didn't that mean the Saekano storyline was about to fall apart?
Well, it was a crossover world—things collapsing wasn't a big deal. Morpheus didn't care.
But Megumi Kato… should he make her a devotee too?
Standing outside the classroom window, Morpheus watched Megumi sitting attentively in class, lost in thought.
He pondered what she could offer if she became his devotee. Money? Meals? Or would she just be a decorative flower vase?
Did he even have a collecting hobby?
After mulling it over, Morpheus decided to let Megumi figure it out herself.
So, he pushed open the classroom door, strode in, grabbed her hand, and pulled a stunned Megumi out of the room.
The whole process went unnoticed.
Not a single person found it odd.
Once outside, Megumi stared at Morpheus in disbelief.
Sure, her presence was faint, but not this faint.
When she spoke to people, they could see her just fine—it was only when she stayed quiet that she blended into the background.
But what just happened shattered her worldview.
A stranger had waltzed into the classroom, dragged her out, and not a single person noticed.
It was beyond comprehension.
And even if her presence was weak, what about this guy?
He hadn't interacted with her before entering the classroom.
Why did no one notice his sudden intrusion?
"Pretty surprising, huh?" Morpheus asked.
Megumi nodded. This wasn't just surprising—it was mind-boggling.
"How'd you do that?"
"Just a little trick," Morpheus said. "Wanna learn?"
Megumi instinctively shook her head. Her presence was already faint enough—learning this would make it even worse.
She didn't need that.
Morpheus continued, "This trick doesn't just weaken your presence—it can also amplify it, making you the brightest star in the room. Interested now?"
Megumi's eyes lit up. Now that got her attention.
As a teenage girl, she desperately craved normal interactions and a vibrant high school life.
"Really?"
"Of course. But…"
"But what?" Megumi asked, sensing an opportunity she didn't want to miss.
Morpheus said candidly, "As a divine being, I can make you my devotee, granting you great power to control your presence at will."
"But devotees work for me. Some provide my meals, others cover my expenses. So, Megumi Kato, what can you offer?"
"This is a test. If your answer satisfies me, I'll share my power with you."
"If it doesn't, sorry—you'll lose this chance."
Megumi froze. Divine being? A test? This was… a lot.
It was almost too much to process.
She didn't know how to respond.
Though her face remained expressionless, a flicker of anxiety flashed in her eyes.
She really didn't want to miss this chance to become normal.
Morpheus noticed and said, "Alright, I'll give you three days to think it over. By this Friday, give me your answer."
Megumi let out a relieved breath. Three days might be enough to come up with something.
"Go back to class. I'll find you in three days."
Morpheus waved, and in a blink, Megumi found herself back in the classroom, seated at her desk.
It was as if everything had been a hallucination.
She glanced out the window and immediately spotted the self-proclaimed divine being.
Morpheus nodded at her, then sauntered off, continuing his aimless wandering around the school.
At lunch, Morpheus returned to the classroom to enjoy a delicious meal with Ritsu Tainaka and Mio Akiyama.
"Whoa, that smells amazing! Where'd you get this bento?" a vaguely familiar voice chimed in.
Morpheus turned to see a busty girl standing before him, greeting him with a wave.
"Good afternoon, Morpheus-kun."
It was none other than Hana Yurikawa, whom he'd met yesterday.
Behind her stood a black-haired girl with golden eyes.
The unluckiest high schooler in history.
Miko.
***
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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