Sometimes fate worked in strange ways. Even Shirakawa hadn't expected that after taking care of everything for the night, he'd run into someone so familiar.
It had just been a casual walk home—then someone bumped into him.
A normal person, pursued by a ghost. At first, Shirakawa thought he'd simply dispose of the spirit.
But to his surprise—it was an old acquaintance.
Yotsuya Miko.
A classmate from Sobu High.
Having come to this multiverse slice-of-life world and gained supernatural power, Shirakawa had done his best to keep a respectful distance from all the familiar anime heroines.
But this time?
There was no need to hold back.
He resorted to raw force, relying on his maxed-out Diamond Body to rip the high-level spirit apart.
[You have successfully slain a high-level vengeful spirit. Gained 50 EXP.]
"...Good evening. What a surprise to see you here, Miko-san."
Shirakawa extended a hand to help her up.
But Yotsuya Miko, still sitting on the ground, didn't react. Her usual ditzy expression had vanished, replaced by blank shock.
She'd been terrified beyond words.
If she wasn't mistaken… Shirakawa-kun had ripped the ghost apart with his bare hands?
She recalled their recent conversation in the "Classics Literature Club," where they had discussed urban legends.
And then, his strange but kind warning after school. Now, the sheer impact of what she had just witnessed confirmed a terrifying truth:
Shirakawa-kun… probably wasn't normal.
Regaining control of her body, Yotsuya Miko slowly stood up.
She took a deep breath, looked at him seriously, and asked:
"Shirakawa-kun… are you an exorcist?"
Though his method was a little... unconventional, Shirakawa didn't mind the label.
No one said "forced exorcists" weren't real exorcists.
He nodded gently and explained, "I have a rough idea about your condition. You have an unusually strong spiritual perception."
"And the girl who transferred with you—Yurikawa Hana—is a natural spirit magnet. That's why you've been running into more and more ghosts lately."
His gaze dropped to the scattered plastic bag on the ground—inside were stomach meds.
The reason for her late-night errand was obvious.
"Thank you, Shirakawa-kun."
Yotsuya Miko fell into momentary silence. His explanation made sense. Her encounters with ghosts had indeed increased recently.
Still...
She didn't think Hana was the problem.
She cast her spiritual senses into the darkened street once more.
Sure enough, now that Shirakawa stood beside her, the aggressive spirits that had been prowling nearby had all shrunk away, cowering in fear.
She couldn't bear to push Hana away just because of ghosts.
Now, with this new option before her, she gathered her resolve and asked:
"Shirakawa-kun... is there a way to fix this?"
"If I become an exorcist... would I no longer need to be afraid?"
"I'm willing to pay."
"Becoming an exorcist is… a little difficult," Shirakawa said truthfully.
After all, even his [Exorcist] class had only unlocked after meeting her. And his exorcism method? Let's just say it was far from elegant.
He shook his head gently.
Then asked a seemingly unrelated question:
"Are you renting a place here in Chiba?"
"...Yeah."
"But the place is kind of run-down. I've been looking to move. At the very least, I want somewhere that doesn't feel so... gloomy."
Maybe the haunting was linked to her current apartment.
There was a lingering chill in the air whenever she stayed there. She figured that a sunnier unit might help alleviate the problem.
"There's an apartment complex on the next street—mine," Shirakawa said casually. "There are still some open units. If you're looking to move, you might consider mine."
"I might not be able to make you an exorcist..."
"But at the very least, I can offer you a peaceful place to live."
"Don't worry about the rent. It'll be at a normal price. Since we're classmates, I could offer you a bit of a discount if you're tight on money."
"Shirakawa-kun... owns an entire apartment building?"
Hearing that, Yotsuya Miko couldn't help but feel tempted. If she moved in, she wouldn't have to worry about being haunted again.
And the place was conveniently on her way home from school.
It wasn't too far off from the peaceful high school life she longed for. Though she was already inclined to agree, she remembered her best friend.
She nodded lightly, then asked, "Can I add you on LINE, Shirakawa-kun?"
"I want to ask Hana-chan first. If she's okay with it, I'd like to rent a place in your apartment building!"
"Sure."
"Where do you live? I'll walk you home."
It was also a way to prepare for his future harem palace. Shirakawa had a favorable impression of Yotsuya Miko—not just her looks, but her personality too.
A casual walk home with a girl.
Shirakawa certainly didn't mind. Before leaving, he made sure to thoroughly cleanse the area around Miko's current apartment of any lingering spirits.
Watching the black-haired girl standing in the hallway seeing him off—
He gave a slight smile and reminded her, "Miko-san, the fact that you can see spirits—and that I can exorcise them—let's keep that as our little secret."
"I promise I'll never tell anyone," Miko nodded earnestly, eyes following Shirakawa's back as he disappeared down the street.
Even though they were both students at Sobu High, he somehow felt remarkably reliable.
"Good..."
She silently made a vow to herself:
"If Shirakawa-kun ever needs help... no matter what, I'll do everything I can!"
"But... is that really enough?"