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At least they took Rosen's lessons seriously, even if their natural talent was… well, average. Progress was slow, but steady.
Time ticked by.Before they knew it, it was already eight-thirty at night.
After killing the last ghost in the park, Mai Sakurajima exhaled in relief, watching the thing crumble into black ash.It had only been her first day as his retainer, but she was already starting to get used to it.
Thinking back on everything that had happened today… it all felt unreal.
Right then, Miko's phone suddenly rang.
"Mom?!"
"Ah—sorry! I had my phone on silent all day. I forgot to tell you I was out with friends!"
Miko had thought of a few excuses earlier in case her family called, but somehow forgot to actually send a message.
"I—I'll come home right now!"
She hung up and looked at Rosen with a pitiful expression.
"Lord Rosen, I have to go."
"Works out fine. It's late, no trains at this hour anyway. I'll take you both home."
He called a cab.
Ten minutes later, they arrived outside the Yotsuya residence.
"Thank you for today."Miko bowed, embarrassed."You've done so much for us…"
"It's fine," Rosen said, shrugging. "You're my retainer. This is the least I can do for you right now."
His words only made her feel even more touched.She was already thinking about how to repay him when the front door opened behind her.
"Miko, is that your classmate? Why not invite him in for a bit?"
It was her mother, Toko Yotsuya. She used to be a stay-at-home mom, but after Miko's father passed away, she'd shouldered the role of breadwinner alone.She was usually only home at night.
Her eyes flickered with surprise when she saw Rosen, but she quickly smiled warmly.
"It's alright, ma'am. It's already late," Rosen said politely."If I get the chance, I'll visit properly."
But just as he spoke, something caught his attention inside the house.His gaze shifted past Toko—and that's when he saw it.
A hulking, pitch-black creature.Dog-like in shape, but its pure, suffocating miasma filled the entire house.
The moment Rosen's eyes landed on it, the beast—more like a ghostly hound—lifted its head and stared right back.Its gaze was filled with an unmistakable, predatory warning.
The ghosts they'd fought earlier today were all small fry.Most of the undead had no intelligence to speak of.But this… "dog," or maybe "horse," had eyes that showed emotion.
Restless.Uneasy.Mad, and ready to attack.
It reminded him of a guard dog snarling at an intruder trespassing on its territory.
He remembered that Miko's family was a single-parent household.Her father had died in a car accident, but his lingering attachment to his family kept him here as an earthbound spirit—appearing just like he had in life.And with him… a ghostly hound acting as a protector.
Its strength was unknown.Still, Rosen didn't feel threatened by it.
"…?"Toko tilted her head. Was Rosen staring into the house?
Miko, however, knew exactly what he was looking at.Her face paled slightly, and she quickly grabbed his arm.
"Mom, I… I need to talk to Rosen for a bit."
She pulled him aside, all the way past the garden wall, before speaking again, her expression complicated.
"Do you need me to deal with it?" Rosen asked.
She hesitated, then nodded—only to immediately shake her head."I… I want to handle it myself. Is that alright, Lord Rosen?"
"That could be risky. You're not a match for that dog yet. And your father… something about him is strange. He looks like he did in life, but once you let him know you can see him, there's no guarantee he won't turn into just another ghost like the ones outside."
"I… I know. So I'll just keep pretending I can't see him."
Her voice dropped to almost a whisper.
"…Alright."
Hearing that, she finally let out a deep sigh of relief.
"If anything happens, contact me immediately. No need for a phone—just think my name in your head."
"Got it!"
She seemed more drained than she had been that afternoon.After saying goodbye, she went back inside, joining her mother at the doorway as they watched Rosen's cab pull away.
"Kids these days, no manners at all," Toko muttered."I even told him to be careful on the way. Keep it up and I won't let him have you, Miko."
Inside, a middle-aged man wrapped in black mist watched his daughter walk past.He smiled faintly, a bittersweet pride in his voice.
"My little girl's grown up… already dating, huh?"
"Miko, tell your old man about him. Let me check if he's good enough for you."
"…Ignoring me, huh? I see. Guess you still haven't forgiven me."
Night deepened.The Yotsuya home fell silent.
"..."
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