Kato Megumi leaned in close and softly asked,
"Something happened just now, didn't it?"
Yukima Azuma gave a small nod.
"I'm not exactly sure what happened either."
"Is that why you added more contact info?"
"Megumi… Has anyone ever told you that you'd make a great detective?"
"No, but a lot of people say I'd make a better assassin."
"…Have you 'handled' them yet?"
"Of course not! What are you talking about, Azuma-san?"
Megumi lightly poked him in the side.
She remembered what Azuma had once said—that if she ever felt like she was spoiling him too much, she should just give him a few pokes to keep him in check. So now, after being teased, she retaliated with a couple of light jabs.
…
As dusk fell, the trio finished their shopping trip and parted ways at the station.
Back at the apartment, the moment the door opened, Shiratamaru came bounding out.
Yukima Azuma quickly scooped up the little fluffball.
It had been a few days since he adopted the white kitten. What used to be a small palm-sized ball of fur had already become noticeably rounder. Maybe all the time spent wandering the streets had stunted its growth, but now that it was eating well, it was starting to plump up nicely.
Mofu-mofu.
At this rate, Shiratamaru might turn into a full-blown chonky cat.
Azuma sat down on the couch with the purring kitten in his arms, just beginning to relax when his phone buzzed.
A new message. From the amber-eyed girl he'd just added earlier.
Miko: [Hello, I'm Yotsuya Miko. Sorry to bother you so suddenly.]
Miko: [May I ask if you would accept me as your disciple?]
Azuma stared at the message, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu.
Sure enough, Yotsuya Miko had misunderstood.
From her perspective, he must have seemed like some kind of reclusive, powerful exorcist.
For someone who had to endure seeing spirits every single day—while pretending not to—her request made a lot of sense.
Azuma: [This is Yukima Azuma. As for accepting a disciple… it's not impossible.]
Azuma: [But it depends on talent.]
Reading his response, Miko felt a deep surge of awe.
Just as expected of a hidden master—of course disciples had to be chosen with great care!
But she could see those things. Surely that counted as talent, right?
Miko swallowed hard and replied.
Miko: [I understand! How do I prove that I meet the qualifications?]
Azuma: [Start with this shogi problem.]
Azuma: [Image: Shogi Endgame Puzzle.jpg]
Miko stared at the extremely complex position and fell into deep thought.
Wait… why shogi? Is this some kind of spiritual compatibility test? Like enlightenment or something?
After a long struggle, she gave up.
Miko: [I can't solve it… What does this have to do with talent?]
Azuma: [Of course it's related. If you can't solve a basic problem like this, maybe you just don't have the potential.]
Miko: [Huh? But this is really hard!]
Azuma: [Really? My elementary school disciple solved it in three seconds.]
Miko: [?]
Yotsuya Miko felt like crying.
Are there really elementary school kids like that…?
Hinatsuru Ai: [Umu, there are!]
Just as Miko was still digesting that absurd fact, another message arrived.
Azuma: [By the way, why did you want to become my disciple all of a sudden?]
Miko: [To be honest, I just can't take it anymore.]
Azuma: [And that connects to me… how?]
Miko: [I want to learn your methods.]
Azuma: [But I'm a professional shogi player.]
Miko: [?]
Azuma: [?]
A giant question mark filled Miko's mind.
Wasn't he the one saying all that strange stuff earlier?
Why does it sound like he's the one who's confused now?
Miko: [But… how can you do what you did before? That thing with the spirits…]
Azuma: [Honestly, I still don't know what you mean by "those things."]
Miko: [I… I can't say it.]
Her home wasn't safe either.
Typing out too much might draw unwanted attention from the very things she feared.
If they found out she could see them…
Azuma: [Okay then, here's how I see it.]
Azuma: [When I met you, I sensed a rotting stench behind you.]
Azuma: [It probably wasn't something my normal senses picked up—it might've come from my sixth sense.]
Azuma: [Maybe that's connected to what you're talking about.]
Azuma: [As for how I can do what I do… maybe it's because I've trained to the extreme in one particular field.]
Azuma: [There's a legend that those who achieve miraculous feats in life can become Heroic Spirits.]
Azuma: [I guess I'm on the same path. I'm aiming to create a miracle.]
Yotsuya Miko sat frozen, stunned.
It was like she'd told him she was scared of being mugged at night…
And he told her to become a billionaire so she could hire a hundred bodyguards.
Technically effective… but completely unreasonable!
Still, she clung to her last hope.
Miko: [If I run into something I can't handle… would it be alright if I asked for your help?]
Miko: [I'm willing to pay… I don't have much money, but I can get a part-time job.]
She sent the message, not expecting a reply.
Who would want to get involved in something so troublesome?
But then—
Azuma: [Sure. And you don't have to pay.]
Azuma: [In fact, I'm curious about your ability. I might ask for your help someday, too. Just don't refuse when I do.]
For a moment, Yotsuya Miko just stared at her screen.
Then the relief hit her like a wave.
Before, she'd been like someone drowning, unable to even cry for help.
Now, someone had extended a hand.
Even if she never asked Azuma for help in the future,
just knowing someone like him existed—someone who could help—
was enough to keep her going.
As for the "condition" attached to Azuma's help?
To Miko, it didn't feel like a condition at all.
She couldn't turn her eyes off anyway.
And if Azuma ever needed her, she would help without question.
…
On the other side, Azuma put down his phone and scratched Shiratamaru under the chin.
The cat purred happily.
(Servant :v)
He began to think back on what he knew of Yotsuya Miko.
She had a true form of clairvoyance—perhaps better called yin-yang eyes.
She could see all kinds of spirits, good or evil, weak or powerful.
In fact, her vision might be the strongest in all of humanity.
Of course, that came with trouble.
In the original timeline of this world,
she eventually made a pact with a mountain god—a fox spirit—at an abandoned shrine.
The god offered to protect her three times,
and in exchange, she would become its servant after death.
Miko had already used all three protections.
Whether she still had a future beyond that… was uncertain.
Her appearance today had caused a minor shift in Yukima Azuma's view of the world.
He had long suspected the supernatural might exist—
especially after his shogi skills reached a point where he could trigger strange phenomena.
Now it was confirmed.
Still, this wasn't a Holy Grail War scenario.
No massive gas explosions. No cities in ruins.
No need to panic.
For now, he should just focus on improving his shogi.
When Azuma said he wanted to become a Heroic Spirit, he wasn't joking.
He was steadily advancing toward the title of Eternal Ryuuou.
And once he reached the peak, who knew what kind of miracle he could pull off?
He might truly become a Demi-Heroic Spirit.
As he stroked Shiratamaru and drifted in thought, the sound of the front door opening snapped him back.
"I'm home," came the voice of Kasumigaoka Utaha.
"Welcome back," Azuma said, rising to greet her.
Shiratamaru leaped from his lap and ran over, rubbing up against Utaha's black-stockinged legs.
She changed her shoes and handed Azuma a neatly wrapped light novel.
He looked at the cover and blinked in surprise.
It was Volume 4 of The Metronome in Love, freshly printed, not yet released.
"Wow, your new book! I've been dying to read this one."
He hugged the book close. "Is it signed?"
Utaha raised an eyebrow. "No signature. You should be grateful you got it early."
"If you want one, come to the signing event tomorrow and wait in line."
Azuma understood instantly.
He nodded. "I'll be there, promise."
Utaha gave a satisfied little smile.
She still had to wrap up work on Azuma's game script.
There was no way she'd let herself fall behind some blonde girl's pace.
…
The night passed quietly.
The next day, at Toyosaki High School—
"I saw you with a guitar case yesterday! Running off in Shimokitazawa!"
Eriri had cornered Kita Ikuyo, grilling her for answers.
Azuma watched from the side, quietly impressed.
Eriri was doing better than she had in middle school.
When you needed to press someone, you had to do it properly.
Eventually, Kita sighed and told the truth.
She'd discovered a cool girl bassist at an art gallery, and boldly joined her band as lead singer and "guitarist"… even though she couldn't play guitar at all.
In panic, she'd spent two months of pocket money on an instrument and tried to teach herself. But no matter how hard she practiced, she couldn't play a single full song.
The pressure finally made her flee rehearsal.
After hearing her story, Eriri quickly tried to comfort her.
Meanwhile, Azuma raised a brow.
"Kita-san… that buzzing sound you mentioned. Could it be a bass?"
"No way!" Kita laughed nervously. "I know the difference between a bass and a guitar!"
She showed him a photo. "See? Six strings!"
Azuma looked at it.
"…Kita-san, that's a six-string bass. Also called a multi-string bass."
Kita froze.
"Did you ask the store staff, or just pick one out yourself?"
"…I picked it…"
And just like that, her soul seemed to leave her body.
"Hang in there, Kita-chan!" Eriri shook her friend.
Azuma gently patted her head.
"You can borrow money from Eriri and get a new guitar. And I know someone great at guitar—she could teach you."
Kita was almost in tears.
"But Azuma-san… that would be too much. What if you never use the bass? I'd feel like I owe you too much…"
Azuma waved her off. "It's for Eriri. If you're grateful, thank her."
Both girls turned to Eriri.
Her cheeks slowly turned pink.
Azuma smiled.
He had his reasons.
Bocchi needed more friends. Kita was a great candidate.
And that bass? It would definitely come in handy later.