Renji froze.
"…A hero?"
The word sounded absurd coming from her mouth.
"My father was an office worker," Renji said. "He left when I was six. That's all I know."
Mizuki didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she walked slowly around the room, studying him like someone examining a strange artifact.
"You really don't know anything," she murmured.
Renji frowned.
"Know what?"
She stopped in front of him.
"Your father wasn't from this world."
Silence filled the room.
Renji stared at her.
"…That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
Mizuki crossed her arms.
"Your father was one of the strongest adventurers in my world. An SS-rank hero who fought in the war against the Demon Lord."
Renji blinked slowly.
"…You expect me to believe that?"
"Believe whatever you want," she replied calmly. "But it doesn't change the truth."
Renji looked down at his strange body again.
His thin fingers trembled slightly.
"…Then explain this."
Mizuki nodded.
"That body you're in right now is a temporary vessel."
"A what?"
"A vessel."
She tapped his chest lightly.
"Your real body is overflowing with magical energy. Too much for this world to handle."
Renji raised an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about? Magic doesn't even exist here."
"Exactly."
Mizuki pointed toward the window.
"In this world, magic doesn't function properly. The laws of reality suppress it."
"Then how do you exist?"
"Because I'm not from here."
She looked straight at him.
"And neither was your father."
Renji leaned against the wall, trying to process everything.
"So let me get this straight."
He raised a finger.
"My father was a hero from another world."
"Correct."
"He fought a Demon Lord."
"Yes."
"And now somehow… I'm involved in all of this."
"Very involved."
Renji exhaled slowly.
"…Great."
Mizuki tilted her head.
"You're taking this surprisingly well."
"I'm not," Renji said flatly. "My brain just gave up."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Renji looked up again.
"…You still haven't answered my question."
"Which one?"
"Why do I look like a broken robot?"
Mizuki sighed.
"Because if you stayed in your real body here, the magical pressure would eventually destroy it."
Renji's expression stiffened.
"…Destroy it?"
"Your father transferred his power to you before he died."
The room went quiet.
Renji looked away.
"…He's dead?"
Mizuki hesitated.
"…Yes."
Renji didn't respond.
Instead, he stared at the floor.
For a moment, his voice sounded smaller.
"…I see."
Mizuki watched him carefully.
Then she spoke again.
"But before he died… he also did something else."
Renji looked up.
"He created a spiritual contract."
"Between who?"
"Between you and me."
Renji blinked.
"…What?"
Mizuki pointed at herself.
"I'm the spirit assigned to protect you."
Renji rubbed his temples.
"So you're saying… you're basically my bodyguard."
"Something like that."
"And if you don't stay near me…?"
"I die."
Renji stared at her.
"…That seems like a terrible contract."
"It wasn't my decision."
She turned toward the door.
"But right now we have a bigger problem."
Renji frowned.
"What problem?"
Mizuki pointed at him.
"You."
"…Me?"
"Yes."
She walked closer.
"The Demon Lord's forces can sense powerful mana."
Renji's stomach tightened.
"And?"
"And right now… you're basically a walking beacon."
Renji looked down at his strange body again.
"…So what do we do?"
Mizuki smiled slightly.
"We leave."
"Leave where?"
She extended her hand.
"To my world."
Renji blinked.
"You're serious."
"Very."
"What about my mom?"
Mizuki shrugged.
"I already solved that."
Renji narrowed his eyes.
"…Solved how?"
"A magical clone."
"You WHAT?"
"It looks exactly like you," she said casually. "Acts like you too."
Renji stared at her in disbelief.
"You replaced me with a fake version of myself?!"
"Relax," Mizuki replied. "Your mom won't notice."
"That's not the comforting statement you think it is!"
Mizuki ignored him and stretched her hand forward.
A faint circle of glowing symbols slowly appeared beneath her feet.
"Alright," she said.
"Let's go."
Renji looked at the growing light around them.
"…I have a bad feeling about this."
"You'll get used to it."
The light intensified.
Wind began swirling around the room.
Renji instinctively grabbed Mizuki's hand.
"Wait—!"
The world twisted.
Reality folded in on itself.
And in the next instant—
Everything disappeared.