The only sound in the bathroom was the soft splashing of water spilling over the edge of the tub.
Ryuichi looked down—and froze.
Soaking in the steaming water before him was Sakurajima Mai. The surface rippled and distorted her form, but he could still see her clearly enough.
…Not bad.
"...Right. Mental note for later—add a warning on the flyers: 'Do not use the summoning spell while bathing.'"
He muttered under his breath, but in the quiet of the bathroom, his voice was perfectly audible.
Mai blinked, her face instantly flushing a bright red. In that same moment, she recognized him—the boy who had handed her the strange flyer yesterday.
She didn't scream. Instead, she drew her knees to her chest, curling up defensively in the tub while glaring at Ryuichi with a mixture of shock and icy composure.
"Get out."
Her voice was cold and controlled, but he could still feel the unease beneath it.
Given how he had literally appeared out of thin air inside her home, it was no wonder. But Mai was no stranger to supernatural phenomena—she'd been living with them for long enough to at least pretend she was calm.
"My deepest apologies. I meant no offense."
Ryuichi immediately turned his head away, stepped out of the bathtub in his drenched clothes, and left the bathroom. The door shut behind him with a soft click.
He stood there for a moment, sighing.
First summon ever, and this happens…
Not only had he made a fool of himself, he'd probably offended his summoner.
If she got angry about him accidentally seeing her and refused to sign a contract—or worse, decided to make things difficult for him—it'd be a huge problem.
What a mess…
Before long, Mai emerged from the bathroom, now dressed and composed once more. Ryuichi was still standing quietly in the living room, clothes dry but expression calm, as if nothing awkward had ever happened.
"I haven't properly introduced myself yet," he said evenly. "Sakurajima Mai-san, my name is Ryuichi. I came here in response to your summons… as a Devil."
Mai's eyes widened slightly. "A Devil?"
"That's right," he said with an easy nod. "The kind you're thinking of."
He moved over to the sofa as he spoke. A faint pulse of magic radiated from him—his black hair fluttered, and the air stirred around him. The water soaking his clothes evaporated instantly under the aura of his power.
Mai could only watch in stunned silence. The sight of real magic, performed so effortlessly, shattered any lingering doubt she had.
"…The world's really starting to make less and less sense," she murmured under her breath. Her worldview had taken yet another hit.
Ryuichi understood exactly what she meant.
He'd felt the same way not long ago—after dying, crossing worlds, and being reborn as a Devil. Compared to that, today's situation was practically mild.
"The world has always been absurd," he said quietly, settling into the sofa. "You've just started seeing it for what it truly is."
His tone was calm, serious. His crimson eyes fixed on her.
"I came to fulfill your wish. You summoned me because you want help with the problem of not being seen by others, correct?"
Mai blinked.
He wasn't acting like the fake-smiling, overly polite boy she'd met yesterday. His demeanor now was composed, genuine—calmly confident without a trace of flattery.
"How did you know that?" she asked.
"I sensed it from your soul when you summoned me," he explained patiently. "That flyer I gave you was actually a summoning spell—it connects our souls. Through that link, I can understand your wish when you call for me."
He paused, giving her a moment to absorb it. "If our contract goes well, you'll be able to use that same magic circle to summon me again whenever you need me."
"I see… So if you're here to grant my wish, what do I have to give in return?"
Her tone was calm—surprisingly calm, in fact.
Ryuichi couldn't help but be impressed. Most humans would be panicking or shouting by now. But she was collected, almost analytical.
She's… really composed, he thought. The shock only lasted a few seconds. Now she's perfectly steady again.
"My goal," he said honestly, "is to form a contract with you."
"A contract? What kind of contract?"
"Once a contract is established, your emotions and desires naturally generate energy. That energy flows to me, allowing me to grow stronger. In return, I'll help you with any wish within my power to grant."
Mai's eyes narrowed slightly. "So those old legends about Devils tempting humans for power… are actually true."
Ryuichi smiled faintly. "That's not temptation—it's a fair exchange."
He leaned back slightly, his tone even.
"Contracts are always voluntary. I don't force anyone. And honestly, the emotional energy humans produce every day—your joy, sadness, anger—it usually just dissipates. A contract simply lets it serve a purpose."
Mai blinked in mild surprise. "You… make it sound so reasonable."
He chuckled softly. "What did you expect? That I'd eat you alive? Or maybe that I'd be some bloodthirsty, lust-crazed monster?"
"...Aren't Devils supposed to be like that?" she thought silently.
Her gaze studied him carefully.
Now that she had a moment to really look, she realized—he was strikingly handsome. Yesterday, she hadn't noticed, but up close, with that quiet composure and the faint air of mystery surrounding him, it was impossible to ignore.
He seemed genuinely patient, too—earnestly explaining things, answering her questions without annoyance. But when she didn't ask, he stayed silent, as if he didn't feel the need to fill the air with small talk.
A bit distant, she thought. But… sincere.
At the very least, Mai was certain of one thing—he wasn't here to hurt her.
If he'd wanted to, she wouldn't even have had time to scream.
"…Please give me some time to think about it," she said softly.
"Of course."
Ryuichi nodded. Patience was something he had plenty of.
Mai felt a faint sense of relief. For the first time in a long while, she was having a normal conversation with someone—a real, mutual exchange. Ever since her strange condition began, she'd almost forgotten what that felt like.
Even if the one she was talking to called himself a Devil.
"Would you like some water?" she asked politely.
"Thank you," Ryuichi replied. "But I already have my own saliva."
"…What?"
A pause.
The two of them stared at each other in silence.
Ryuichi cleared his throat. "…Just trying to lighten the mood."
"Thank you for successfully making it awkward again," Mai replied dryly, expressionless.
Ryuichi only smiled faintly, unbothered by the jab.
At least the atmosphere had eased a little—and as far as he was concerned, if they could both pretend the earlier bath incident had never happened, that was good enough.
To be continued.