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The two girls locked eyes and instantly understood.
Fresh out of their recent experiences, it was only natural they'd want to rely on Rosen.
Miko felt a little awkward, like she'd been caught sneaking around; Mai, on the other hand, was cool as ever—years in showbiz had made her unshakable.
"Rosen…"
Miko started to greet him, only for Mai to tug her sleeve mid-sentence.
Realizing her slip, she quickly corrected herself: "Rosen!"
Some students frowned. Did she just say "sama"? Sure, Japan used honorifics, but calling a classmate that respectfully was… weird.
Still, gossip moved fast. Soon, whispers filled the room.
"Isn't that the guy who stood up for them earlier?""Whoa, Mai Sakurajima in person—she's even prettier than on TV.""Damn… he's got two cute girls interested in him at once?"
Rosen met their eyes and gave a small nod. He could guess why they were here.
"Two adorable girls, huh? Rosen sure is something," one girl muttered enviously.
She'd heard of Mai before, but seeing her in person drove home the difference—Mai looked radiant even in a school uniform, while she herself felt utterly plain.
"By the way, Kae," she added, "in some ways, Mai Sakurajima's actually a lot like you."
Rosen spoke with a knowing look.
"Where?"
She gave Mai Sakurajima a careful once-over.
At least when it came to body management, she couldn't hold a candle to her.
"If you're talking about my figure, I should warn you—that counts as sexual harassment, sensei."
"Actually, I mean your presence."
Both Mai Sakurajima and Megumi Katō had an unusually faint sense of presence.
Of course, if you looked closer, the cause was completely different.
In Mai's case, her weak presence was caused by "Adolescence Syndrome," which erased the traces she left in the world.
When it flared up, not only could people not see her, but electronic devices couldn't capture her image either. Even photos or videos already stored would vanish without a trace.
Megumi Katō, on the other hand, was just… extremely ordinary.
Neat features, average height, a name and grades that didn't stand out, no club activities, never a class representative, no friends, and no courage to make more. To be blunt, aside from Rosen, if you asked anyone in class about her—even the homeroom teacher—they wouldn't immediately remember who she was.
She was the type who could melt into a crowd and be impossible to find.
Honestly, both of them would make excellent assassins.
One was like a ghost—striking before the enemy even realized she was there.
The other was a killer who could end a life without ever being noticed.
"…Why are you suddenly talking about assassins?"
Megumi couldn't help but complain.
Still, she was curious—was Mai's presence really as faint as hers?
She seemed pretty noticeable right now.
But Rosen wouldn't lie to her… probably.
"Well, I'm heading home," Megumi said, not thinking too hard about it.
Her curiosity wasn't strong to begin with—just plain and simple.
As she passed by, she gave Miko Yotsuya and Mai Sakurajima a small nod, then disappeared into the after-school crowd.
"Let's go. Time to grind some levels," Rosen said.
The two girls instantly perked up—especially Miko, who looked like she'd just chugged a double espresso.
Charge!
Before long, Rosen's senses led them to an area with a heavy undead presence—near a hospital.
He brought them into a narrow alley.
Even before they got close, a chill ran through the air.
"Alright, there are about twenty undead in there. Which of you wants to go first?"
Miko's eyes lit up, while Mai curiously peeked inside—only to lock eyes with a wandering spirit.
Its skin was deathly pale, eye sockets empty, no teeth or lips, just gaping black holes where facial features should've been. Its twisted limbs looked as if they'd been broken over and over.
Rosen gave it a glance. "This one must've had a pretty bad day when it was alive."
"You can see me?"
"You can see me! You can see me!"
The undead had no intelligence, but feeling Mai's direct gaze made it jolt to life like a rusty machine suddenly oiled. It lunged at her in a jerky, mechanical dance, mouth stretching impossibly wide.
"..."
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