While chatting with Marina, Takumi learned that she also studied at Kuoh Academy.
When she heard that he would be transferring there, Marina looked pleasantly surprised, a faint trace of joy flickering in her eyes. Though their interaction had been brief, she already held a good impression of him. As neighbors and future schoolmates, it almost felt like the beginning of a childhood-friend story.
Thinking that made a gentle blush bloom over her porcelain skin.
Takumi noticed it, but didn't linger. "My two little sisters are still waiting at home. I'll head back first."
Finding an excuse, he stood up and left the house.
As he turned back, his gaze met Airi, who was secretly peeking at him from the window. Her small head instantly ducked away.
"Ah—he saw me!?"
Airi slapped her reddened cheeks, trying to suppress the sudden rush of shyness. She had already regretted shouting at him earlier but couldn't bring herself to back down. Hiding in her room afterward was the only escape her pride allowed.
Now that Takumi was leaving, she just wanted to take one last look… and immediately got caught.
"So the affection isn't low… but she's still acting all proud. Guess that's what they call a tsundere."
Chuckling softly, Takumi turned his gaze away and returned home.
He was really starting to realize that this so-called Love Curse (Red) was absolute nonsense.
Every time he saw a pretty girl, his heart skipped a beat—how was he supposed to tell who was "the destined one"? If this kept up, then every girl he met was a "fated partner."
Even though he had never smoked in his life, he genuinely wanted a cigarette right now.
As soon as he stepped inside his house, something immediately felt different. Plush anime dolls, character figures, and posters were everywhere, covering the living room.
"What the hell happened here…?"
Approaching curiously, he found Yuki standing proudly with her hands on her hips.
"Secret Room—major renovation project complete!" she announced, looking quite pleased with herself.
As a devoted otaku, Yuki's previous life had been rather "suppressed." The Suou family was a noble household—strict, conservative, and dedicated to molding her into a proper lady. That meant absolutely no anime goods allowed.
Everything she owned had been hidden away at Ayano's place. But now that she had her own "secret room," naturally, everything had to be moved in!
Takumi sighed wordlessly.
He considered himself half an otaku too, so he didn't really mind. But then he saw Mio and Maria helping out enthusiastically.
Mio seemed genuinely curious about all the anime stuff, while Maria—being a succubus from the "inner world"—fit right in, getting along perfectly with Yuki.
With Yuki officially moved in, the whole house had become much livelier.
But amid the noise and laughter, Takumi felt his nerves fray.
Three days had passed already, and school was about to start—yet his Exorcism Agency still hadn't received a single job!
"What about all those flyers I posted? And the online ads? Why isn't anyone calling!?"
Ruffling his hair in frustration, he could only blame his lack of fame. Most of the people following his account were just there for the memes, and none of them lived in Kuoh Town.
As for the flyers… probably no one believed them.
So he decided to head out and pay Miko Yotsuya a visit. If he could just borrow some of that "spirit magnet" luck of hers, maybe he'd finally attract a ghost or two before classes began.
But just as he stepped outside, his phone rang.
"Hello, is this the Kobayashi Exorcism Agency?" came a clear, feminine voice on the other end.
Takumi's eyes lit up. "Oh ho! Miko really is a goddess of luck—was just about to visit her, and bam, first client call!"
"Eh? Miko? I'm not Miko… Did I dial the wrong number?"
"Nope! That's my assistant's nickname. Tell me the situation—I'll be right over."
"I'm at Haneha Street, Takan Apartment Complex, Unit 189. We'll talk when you arrive."
The caller hung up right after.
"Just an address, huh? Trying to lure me into a trap?" Takumi muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Focusing in the direction of Takan Apartment Complex, he activated [Thousand-Mile Ear.]
Instantly, the voice of the same woman who'd just hung up echoed in his mind.
"Momo, are you sure calling an exorcism agency like that isn't just scamming the guy?"
"It's fine," replied a short-haired girl with wine-red hair and confident eyes. "He's probably a fake exorcist, like my grandma's case. We'll pay him anyway. If something does happen, at least he'll be there to call the cops."
At the gate of Takan Apartment Complex, the two girls continued chatting.
The first speaker—a purple-haired beauty with a worried look—was Hitagi Senjougahara. The red-haired one beside her, Momo Ayase, exuded the energy of a bold and fiery leader type.
They were here because something had happened to Senjougahara's family.
Her mother had fallen deep into a dangerous cult years ago, and things had only worsened recently. Senjougahara had cut contact long ago, living on her own since middle school—but three days ago, her father had gone missing.
When she investigated, she found that her mother had summoned him back home. Because of that connection, she couldn't file a missing-person report yet.
Worried sick, she decided to check it out herself. Ayase, hearing this, volunteered to accompany her.
They hadn't really thought it was supernatural. Calling Takumi's Exorcism Agency was just a way to add another pair of hands for safety.
"So I'm just a cheap extra muscle… huh. But looks like this is the real deal."
Takumi's face hardened slightly. Through [Thousand-Mile Ear], he could also hear faint, wet crunching sounds coming from inside Unit 189.
By the time he arrived in the area, he could already sense it—thick, pulsing cursed energy.
"Such a dense aura… something's definitely wrong."
Within his sight, multiple cursed spirits were gathering—low-class Grade-4s and 3s, with a few Grade-2 and quasi-Grade-1 among them.
The air itself grew cold from the concentration of malevolent energy.
"Raynare, Mittelt, Kalawarna—come to me!"
Through the master-servant bond, Takumi's command reached his three fallen angels.
"Yes, Master!" x3
Bored and restless inside the church, the trio's faces lit up with excitement as they spread their black wings and took to the sky.
Ever since receiving Takumi's reward, Kalawarna and Mittelt had both felt their strength surge.
For fallen angels—whose power rarely changed—this kind of growth was unprecedented. Usually, centuries of "merit points" only brought minimal progress… but one session with Takumi had been worth more than all those years combined.
Having not seen him in days, they were already aching with anticipation. Now that their beloved Master had summoned them again, they flew at full speed, eager to earn more of his divine nectar of life.
...
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