Asia blinked several times after hearing Izumi's words.
"Eh…?"
"We're… not going to speak with this world's leaders?"
Izumi shook his head.
Then he explained the situation of this world in a calm—almost cold—tone.
"The rulers of this world are selfish cowards," he said.
"They have children who could be saviors—children with powers born from the Gastrea virus."
"Yet they brand them as omens of misfortune… monsters."
His voice hardened.
"They're abused. Hated. Cast aside."
"So, Asia—no matter who you meet from this world, you don't need to listen to them."
"Our goal is simple."
"Take every one of those children away."
He smiled gently.
"I've already prepared many safe places for them to live. If this world doesn't want them… then I'll take them all."
Before Asia could respond, Izumi stepped forward—
—and the scenery instantly changed.
Asia gasped when she realized she was no longer in the wasteland.
Instead, she now stood before a group of small girls, all watching warily from the shadows of a ruined concrete pillar.
Their clothes were in tatters.
Their faces were dirty.
And they stood in the most dangerous outskirts of the Tokyo Area.
These children… are the saviors he mentioned…
Asia's chest tightened.
They looked so fragile.
So scared.
So alone.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Enju Aihara froze the moment Izumi appeared, as if he'd materialized out of thin air.
Her body tensed immediately, and the children behind her raised their arms—ready to attack at the slightest threat.
If Izumi made even a suspicious movement, they would absolutely strike first.
But seeing that Izumi didn't attack, Enju breathed out slowly.
"…Calm down," she whispered to the girls behind her.
Then she stepped forward.
Her bright red eyes remained guarded, but she spoke bravely.
"Big brother… who are you?"
"And why did you come to find us?"
For someone so young, she displayed remarkable composure.
Izumi smiled softly the moment he saw her.
"Wow… what luck."
"I didn't expect to meet you this quickly."
"Hello, Enju-chan."
Enju's eyes widened.
He knew her name.
Enju Aihara—
a Cursed Child with dolphin-type traits.
Not physically strong, but exceptionally intelligent, compassionate, and far too mature for her age.
"You… know me?" she asked, voice cautious.
Izumi nodded.
"No need to be on guard," he said gently.
"My name is Izumi. I came from another world."
He pointed upward, toward the tear in reality floating above.
"You see that space fissure? Our worlds collided by accident. The opening happened to appear right in front of me, so… I came to take a look."
Then he stepped closer and extended a hand toward her.
"Enju-chan," he said softly,
"do you want to leave this world with me?"
Enju flinched.
The children behind her gasped.
Izumi continued.
"In my world, no one will hate you."
"You'll have good food, warm clothes, clean beds."
"School, safety… anything you want, I can provide."
He didn't sugarcoat or hide anything.
He spoke with full sincerity.
Behind Enju, in the dark of the sewer entrance, dozens more children were huddled—
their red eyes peeking out from the shadows.
This sewer, reeking of rot, was their only safe refuge.
Izumi's expression darkened.
He felt his patience for this world evaporating.
These children shouldn't be living like this.
Since this world didn't care about them—
he would simply take them all.
Enju trembled.
The other girls stared at Izumi in disbelief.
She looked at his outstretched hand.
Then finally spoke:
"…Do you have proof?"
She took a deep breath.
"You said you're from another world, but no one would believe that."
"And… Izumi-oniisan…"
"Lying is bad."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"If you make promises you can't keep… people will hate you."
She didn't trust easily.
Not after all she'd gone through.
Izumi chuckled gently.
"Fair enough."
"I'll show you something, then."
He raised his hand—
and snapped his fingers.
The sky tore open.
A massive vortex spiraled overhead, glowing with violet light.
Within it, the silhouette of an enormous kingdom appeared—
the phantom citadel of Scáthach's Land of Shadows.
A divine, unreal sight.
The children froze, breath caught in their throats.
Enju stared upward, utterly stunned.
Izumi shrugged lightly.
"Believe me now?"
"I don't lie."
Enju didn't answer at first.
Her gaze remained fixed on the glowing palace in the sky.
When she finally looked back at Izumi, her voice was a whisper.
"…Are you… kami-sama?"
Izumi grinned.
"Nope."
"I'm a Demon King—the kind who destroys worlds."
Enju blinked—
then laughed through her tears.
"So that's it…"
"Izumi-oniisan isn't a god… he's a demon king."
"That makes sense. Only a demon king would care about us—the cursed ones."
Her small shoulders shook.
Tears spilled freely, but she didn't look away.
Then she grabbed his hand tightly with both of hers.
"I'll go."
"I'll leave this world with you."
"So please… take all of us."
"No matter where we're going, we'll follow you."
No one could imagine their despair.
But Izumi didn't need to imagine.
He could feel it—hear it—in their voices and hearts.
He placed a gentle hand on Enju's head.
"Then gather your friends."
"I'll send you all ahead to a safe place. There's food, clothes, and warm houses waiting for you."
"And someone will take care of you there."
As he spoke, Izumi's consciousness slipped into his internal world.
He instantly created new housing, children's clothes, food supplies—
and ordered the homunculus maids to prepare for the incoming Cursed Children.
Enju wiped her eyes and nodded vigorously.
Then she turned toward the dark sewer entrance and shouted:
"Everyone—come out! We're moving!"
One by one, loli after loli crawled out from the shadows—
their red eyes shining with cautious hope as they looked at Izumi and Asia.
Seeing their innocence—
Izumi's heart tightened.
Yes.
Lolis truly are the most precious treasures in this world.