Chapter 6: Goal—Private Kuoh Academy
“Don’t get me wrong, I just feel safer around you.”
Kasumigaoka Utaha crossed her arms, her eyes darting around the nearby curses, unable to find a shred of security. She had made this decision after careful consideration.
After all, since starting high school, she had been living alone in a rented apartment. And second, she couldn’t believe that her home was free of evil spirits. Rather than go back and share a space with those things, she might as well stay with Lynn. At least it was much safer.
Hmm… and quite easy on the eyes.
At that thought, she couldn’t help but steal a glance at him. If she didn’t already know he was a full-fledged demon, she might have mistaken him for some noble young master.
Or… maybe a noble among demons?
Lynn looked disappointed.
Utaha’s eyelid twitched.
Alright, this guy with a head full of indecent thoughts was definitely not some refined nobleman.
Hmm… then again, nobles were all scum anyway.
Kasumigaoka Utaha slipped into Lynn’s slippers, eyes scanning the room with mild surprise.
“What? Is my place strange?”
“No, just a bit unexpected.” She set her bag down. Earlier, in the chaos of escaping, she had dropped it in an alley. Once things had settled, she went back to retrieve it. “You’re a demon, yet you live in such an ordinary place.”
Lynn grabbed two cans of Coke from the fridge. “Demons living in human society need money too, you know.”
At the mention of money, he sighed.
When he first arrived in the human world at seven years old, life had been tough. Fortunately, his demon identity had some advantages. By taking on small exorcism jobs, he managed to make a bit of money. At the very least, this apartment was entirely his.
He popped open a can and handed it to Utaha.
She took it with a quiet word of thanks, sipped, and settled onto the sofa. Her gaze drifted slightly.
Too much had happened today. The impact of it all left her shaken—and exhausted.
Even though reincarnating as a demon had erased her physical fatigue, the mental strain remained.
She had no idea how long she sat there until a sharp ding startled her back to reality.
Seeing the supermarket’s half-priced meal, she couldn’t help but scoff.
“The perverted master’s dinner is seriously half-hearted.”
“Are you eating or not?”
She eyed the bento Lynn handed her, then silently accepted it and began eating with practiced ease. Judging by her familiarity, she’d had her fair share of these convenience-store meals.
And he had the audacity to judge her.
After dinner, she finally remembered something important. “By the way, what exactly do we need to do as a clan?”
Lynn paused for a moment. “Since our clan is newly established, your primary goal is to fight monsters, level up, and earn money to support me.”
“Me?” She widened her eyes, pointing at herself, then at him. “Support you?”
She was just a high school girl! Had she already reached the age where she had to financially support a man?
“Relax. As long as you get stronger, you can take on exorcism jobs. It’ll help you level up too.”
That… actually made sense.
Kasumigaoka Utaha was successfully convinced. Not that she had much choice.
Lynn was now, in every sense, her master. Even if she protested, he had the final say.
“Speaking of getting stronger…” She activated her magic, manifesting the Demon’s Book, then asked, “Are there any magic or Onmyouji-style techniques?”
She was ready to fill this book to the brim. Swinging a book to exorcise spirits? Not ladylike at all.
Lynn opened his system panel, glanced at his skill list, and fell silent.
A bad feeling crept up Utaha’s spine.
“You… don’t tell me…”
Lynn spread his hands. “I came to the human world at seven. I never learned any magic or special techniques.”
She smacked her forehead. It’s over. Looks like she’d be relying on brute force for a while.
“Don’t worry. As a demon, I do have connections.”
Well… connections he had just made today.
Lynn hadn’t expected to use a newly saved contact so soon. Fortunately, tomorrow was the weekend.
The next morning, Kasumigaoka Utaha yawned as she stepped out of her bedroom and made her way downstairs. Still half-asleep, she caught sight of Lynn on the sofa and froze.
Huh? When did a man show up in her house?
Her drowsiness vanished as yesterday’s events flooded back.
Instinctively, she tugged her shirt down to cover herself completely.
“Tsk, tsk. Unexpectedly well-endowed, huh?”
Lynn’s gaze flicked downward, locking onto the hint of exposed skin from her hurried movement. Her arms flew up to block her chest—only to realize that, in doing so, the black lace was even more exposed.
She stood there in silence. Forget it. Just let the world burn.
By the time she returned, properly dressed, Lynn sighed in regret.
“I should’ve bought a smaller house.”
Utaha narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you enjoy the view?”
Lynn gave a thumbs-up. “Feast for the eyes!”
She bit her lip, feeling her ears heat up. How could he be so shamelessly honest?
Destination: Kuoh Academy.