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After clearing up all her questions about the stats, Miko finally asked the last thing on her mind.
"So… how do I level up?"
"You ever play games? You fight monsters, or train. But if you want to level faster, monster-hunting's the way to go," Rosen said with a faint smile.
"Oh, that I get."
Still, the thought made her uneasy.
Fight spirits?
Sure, she had power now, but until this point she'd either ignored spirits or gone out of her way to avoid them.
Now she was suddenly supposed to fight the very things she feared most.
Her mind couldn't just leap over that hurdle in an instant.
"The way to beat fear is to face it head-on. Trust me—with your current strength, you could wipe out those spirits without breaking a sweat," Rosen said, patting her shoulder.
A warmth spread through her chest, washing away some of her doubt and giving her the courage to try.
If even Rosen-sama said so, then she really could do it.
Besides—if she kept living the way she had, nothing would ever change.
For the sake of her own life—and so as not to disappoint him—Miko steeled herself for her first real battle.
"Don't worry. Even if something happens, I'll see it coming. I won't let my first follower get hurt," Rosen assured her.
"Yes, Rosen-sama!"
Hearing that, Miko felt like she could face anything, no matter how terrifying.
She didn't even realize how much she'd changed inside.
After all, once the contract was made, Rosen was no longer just some stranger—he was family. No, more than family. Someone she couldn't imagine betraying.
Anything he said, she accepted without question.
"In that case, Rosen, Yotsuya Miko is ready to purge the undead!" she declared, turning on her heel.
Just before she disappeared down the stairs, his voice followed.
"Oh, and if you come across anyone else suitable for a contract, send them my way."
"Got it!"
Her mind immediately jumped to her friend Yuri, and then her slender, confident figure vanished from the rooftop.
The satisfaction of gaining his first follower put Rosen in an excellent mood.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before his numbers grew.
It was just a shame the Life Tree system leaned toward quality over quantity.
Otherwise, he could just go into the street, show off a miracle or two, and—given the internet's speed these days—become a global sensation overnight.
Not that he was about to say something fake-deep like, "I just want a peaceful life."
He simply didn't feel like complicating things.
Fame in this world would only make daily life harder—and besides, he'd only just awakened his golden cheat.
For now, focusing on gathering followers was the best move.
With that thought, his gaze shifted forward.
To be precise—to within two meters of where he stood.
A tall, long-legged girl in a tantalizing bunny girl outfit was leaning forward, her pose perfectly emphasizing the kind of bust that could make her peers weep. Her pale violet eyes studied him with open curiosity.
When Rosen's eyes met hers, they froze in mutual recognition.
She seemed startled that he could actually see her.
The air grew awkward.
"You've been staring at me for a while now. Planning to explain? Or are you some kind of bodhisattva handing out free eye candy to lonely high school boys?" he said.
Fine then. If that's how it was—he'd look his fill.
She wore semi-sheer high-silk pantyhose that showed a hint of skin beneath, her hips so perfect they practically demanded exploration.
Tsk, tsk.
Truth was, he'd noticed her on the rooftop right after finishing Miko's contract—but he hadn't spoken up immediately.
"Well then… I'll just take my payment now."
He reached out and grabbed for the bunny ears.
"?!"
The moment she saw his hand reaching toward her, the bunny girl instinctively jumped back. But in her high heels, she stumbled, lost her balance, and pitched forward toward the rough cement rooftop.
This was no smooth floor—years of sun and rain had left it gritty and unforgiving.
A normal person hitting the ground here would walk away with bruises at best. Hit your head? You might not be walking away at all.
But Rosen moved in a blur, suddenly behind her. His arm slid around her waist, steadying her before she could hit the ground.
"...Th-thanks," she murmured, her voice small once she realized he'd caught her.
The gratitude didn't last long—awareness of how bizarre the situation was quickly set in, and she went quiet again.
"..."
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