— — — — — —
Kazuma couldn't believe how smooth the crossover was—the system sent him to another world, and he didn't feel a thing.
Then he looked around to see a beautiful girl.
"Oi, you're Miko Yotsuya, right?"
Kazuma studied the girl in front of him — long black hair, yellow eyes with dark circles under them— and it clicked. Ah, right. That poor girl who suddenly started seeing spirits everywhere, trapped in a world crawling with them.
And the worst part? She could see them… but couldn't do a damn thing about it.
Miko stared at the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere. She was sure no one had been there a second ago.
'He looks human, but there's no way he is!'
'He must be one of those spirits pretending to be a person. I can't react. I can't even blink. Just act normal!'
So she kept walking, pretending she hadn't seen or heard a thing, praying he'd lose interest.
"Oi, oi, oi, Miko Yotsuya, I'm talking to you! Why are you ignoring me? Hello? Konnichiwa? Arigato?"
Kazuma frowned. She was completely ignoring him. What the hell? Was there a language barrier or something? Did his system forget to install the universal translator when it sent him here?
No, wait—they're both speaking Japanese. Kazuma even checked the system, and sure enough, they're using the same language. Plus the universal translator's working just fine.
So he stepped in front of her, raising a hand to stop her path.
"Ah—! I just remembered! My friend said there's a dessert shop nearby doing a grand opening event. I totally forgot, gotta check it out!"
Miko's face froze in a painfully fake smile as she stiffly turned and sidestepped him, mind screaming:
'Why does this spirit know my name?!'
'He's targeting me, isn't he?! Oh no, oh no, this is so bad! I'm gonna cry, I'm actually gonna cry!'
'No! Don't cry! If I cry, he'll know I can see him!'
'Wait—another one's coming?! WHY?!'
Miko gripped her phone, pretending to scroll as she power-walked away, eyes fixed ahead.
"Can you see me?"
"You can see me, can't you?"
"You definitely saw me, right?!"
"If you can see me… then I can eat you!"
The mumbling spirit that had been hovering nearby suddenly unhinged its jaws, opening an enormous, blood-stained maw as it lunged for her.
But even as it did, Miko's face didn't change. She looked perfectly calm — her willpower was the only thing keeping her from collapsing.
'So scary so scary so scary so scary!'
Inside, she was screaming. She could feel death breathing down her neck.
And then—
—Bang!
"The hell are you mumbling about, huh? Can't you see I'm busy here?"
"I've been trying to talk to my client and you keep yapping away — you really don't know your place."
Kazuma had already been irritated that Miko wasn't responding, and now this spirit wouldn't shut up.
At first, he'd held back, unsure whether it was connected to her. But now that he was sure it wasn't… he didn't bother with restraint.
He pulled out his pistol and shot the spirit point-blank. It exploded into mist on the spot.
"W-w-wha—!"
Miko's legs gave out as she fell to the ground, tears spilling uncontrollably.
"Y-you… you're human? ...R-Right? You are like, an exorcist or something?"
For the first time, she realized — maybe he wasn't a spirit after all.
"Of course I'm human. And no, I'm not an exorcist. I'm a mage— well think of me as a mercenary or general fixer-for-hire."
"Anyway, you are Miko Yotsuya, right? You're the one who requested this job?"
He studied her again. He was sure he had the right person. So why had she been ignoring him?
"M-me? Yeah, I'm Miko Yotsuya. But I didn't post any job!"
Miko sniffled, completely thrown off. She hadn't posted any request! If she knew someone like him, she wouldn't be living in constant fear!
"You didn't…?"
Kazuma frowned, pulling up his mission log to check. This was his first cross-world commission, so maybe he'd messed something up.
"No, it's right here."
"Client: Miko Yotsuya." "Request: Please... help me deal with my crisis."
"You sure that's not you?"
He started to suspect his system had picked up her subconscious wish or something, auto-generating the commission.
But if even she didn't know, how was he supposed to collect payment later?!
"I…"
Miko hesitated, then remembered something — that weird website she'd stumbled across earlier.
It had said, 'State your desire, and it will be answered.'
She'd thought it was some shrine gimmick, so she'd made a little wish.
"Actually… maybe I did post something. I didn't think it would really work!"
Her fear melted into surprise, even hope. Maybe now she could finally stop seeing those horrible things. Maybe she could live like a normal person again.
"Then yes — that request was from me. I can see lots of… weird things. I just want them gone. Please, help me. I'll pay whatever you ask!"
She stood, wiped her tears, and bowed deeply.
Kazuma nodded. "Well, that clears things up. Bit of a messy start, but now we're on track."
"Before we begin, though, let's get one thing straight: I always collect payment."
"There's no such thing as a free lunch — or free breakfast, dinner, snacks, midnight meals, drinks, sex... ahem, forget the last word."
"What I mean: You post a job, I take it."
"I finish the job, you pay up. Simple as that."
He said it with deadly seriousness. That was his rule: every job completed must be paid in full. No exceptions.
"W-what if I can't afford it…?" Miko asked nervously.
Kazuma didn't answer. He simply raised his gun and pressed the barrel to her forehead.
"Then you pay me slowly. If you don't have money, you have belongings. If you don't have belongings, you have yourself. Time doesn't matter. But the debt gets paid."
"And if you try to skip out on it… then your life becomes the payment."
He'd had clients try to cheat him before. They didn't exist anymore. Word got around fast after that.
And even if she was a beautiful woman, like hell he cared. He wasn't a simp. And to prove it, he pressed his beloved gun on her face more.
"I-I'll pay! I swear I'll pay!"
Miko stood stiff as a soldier. She didn't think for a second he was bluffing — she'd just seen him blast a spirit to pieces without blinking.
Anyone who could do that definitely wouldn't hesitate to kill her. Right?
Now, she was convinced this man was way scarier than any spirit she'd ever seen.
She didn't even dare think about canceling the job — she was afraid he'd shoot her just for suggesting it.
"Um… what's your name, mister?"
"Kazuma Fujita."
He looked past her shoulder and spotted another spirit slinking closer. Without even turning, he raised his gun and fired. Pop. Gone.
"Miko is fine, right? There would be no problem if I called you that?"
"N-no problem! Whatever makes you happy!"
She shook her head so fast her hair whipped around. The spirit that had been approaching had just been vaporized in a flash.
There was no way she'd argue with someone like that. The guy practically radiated danger.
"Miko, don't look so scared. You'll pay me, sure — but I'll finish the job. I never leave a commission incomplete."
"When I take a task, there's only one outcome: success. Failure's not in my vocabulary."
Kazuma grinned — bold, cocky, and utterly confident.
And Miko couldn't help but think, trembling: 'This guy's so smug... He's not gonna kill me if the mission fails, right? I've read about people like him who like to keep their records clean.'
'Ahwoo... He is worse than spirits.'
.
.
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