Next door to Haruto's house, Gabriel was having an utterly miserable day.
The moment she had returned from school, she practically sprinted to her desk, fired up her gaming PC, and logged straight back into her favorite MMORPG, burning with eagerness to continue her sacred mission of saving a suffering virtual world.
Just yesterday, after splurging a modest amount of real cash to buy a powerful epic staff, she had successfully healed and resurrected dozens of players and NPCs alike.
The sheer rush of absolute gratitude from the digital populace had made her feel genuinely divine.
But now, she had run straight into an impassable brick wall. Her current staff's magic simply wasn't strong enough to save a critical character.
"Angel... your staff's light is fading... I... I'm going to die..."
An elderly NPC lay crumpled on the cobblestones of the virtual street, bleeding out from a devastating wound.
Panic setting in, Gabriel frantically hammered her skill keys, casting her healing spell over and over again.
The green aura flickered weakly before sputtering out completely, followed by a harsh red notification box flashing across her monitor:
[Warning: The NPC 'Mars' is under a high-level demonic curse. Only legendary-tier healing magic can purify and save him!]
"!!!"
Gabriel's eyes widened in horror as the reality of the situation crashed down on her.
She hurriedly opened her inventory and inspected her gear, realizing with a sinking heart that her current staff only possessed basic-tier magic.
How on earth am I supposed to get legendary-tier healing magic?! she thought, a cold sweat breaking out on the back of her neck.
Frustrated, she clicked frantically through the game menus until she finally spotted a glowing tab in the cash shop.
"Found it!"
There, showcased in a shimmering halo of divine light, was a magnificent, ornate staff—easily ten times more extravagant than her current one, practically vibrating with raw healing potential.
Its name? The Staff of God.
Gabriel's golden eyes lit up with feverish excitement. If I buy this, I can definitely save him! Without a second thought, she reached for her mouse and clicked to purchase.
Biu!
A flashy, premium checkout window popped up, and Gabriel's gaze dropped down to the bold, unyielding price tag.
Tens... hundreds... thousands—9,999?!
"That is insanely expensive!"
Gabriel shrieked, nearly launching herself backward out of her gaming chair. She vividly remembered that her current angelic staff had only cost a modest 2500 Yen.
Over the past few months, she had occasionally tossed a few dozen or even a hundred yen at minor cosmetics, but 9,999 yen in a single lump sum?!
Her entire monthly living allowance, rent included, was strictly capped at 3,000 yen.
Even though grinding in-game good deeds occasionally bumped up her pocket money, she wasn't made of cash! She simply didn't have that kind of money lying around.
"Sigh..."
Just as her trembling cursor hovered over the close button to abandon the purchase, a heartbreaking, rattling cough echoed from the game speakers.
"Angel... I'm fading..."
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Her inner angel radar began wailing like a siren. As a self-proclaimed elite heavenly being, how could she possibly stand idly by and let an innocent virtual soul perish right before her eyes?!
Gabriel bit her lower lip so hard it turned white, caught in a agonizing moral dilemma. Should I ask Raphiel or Vignette for a loan?
She instantly dismissed the thought.
Raphiel was a sadistic mastermind who would undoubtedly exploit the situation for blackmail, and Vignette—while an absolute saint—was perpetually broke.
She thought back to how the supernatural economy worked.
In Heaven, angels were required to perform genuine good deeds to earn their monthly allowances from above.
Demons, on the other hand, had to accumulate "bad deeds" to maintain their demonic status, though the Underworld had grown remarkably soft over the centuries.
Nowadays, minor infractions like running in the halls or submitting homework late counted as severe wicked acts.
Vignette, who was infinitely kind, beautiful, and endlessly helpful, could easily have qualified as an archangel if not for her demonic heritage, meaning her allowance was tightly rationed too.
Gabriel furrowed her brows, deep in thought. "Maybe Satania would have some cash stashed away?"
She immediately shook her head with a grimace. "No way in hell. That red-haired idiot would look down on me and gloat for a month if I had to beg her for a bailout."
She didn't even stop to realize how far her standards had slipped, or that her glowing halo had flickered and dimmed down to a dull, sputtering ring.
Is there seriously no one else I can turn to?
Just then, a sudden, brilliant flash of inspiration struck her mind.
"Haruto-kun!"
Oh, right! How could she have been so stupid? She actually knew a wealthy, real-world human—and to make matters worse, he lived right next door.
Glancing back at the monitor, where the coughing old man was taking his final, pixelated breaths, Gabriel slammed her hands down on the desk and made her frantic decision.
"Hold on just a second, Mars! I'll definitely save you—no matter what it takes!"
Ding-dong!
In the end, driven to the edge of desperation, Gabriel nervously rang Haruto's doorbell.
After a brief pause, the click of the latch echoed, and the door slid open to reveal Haruto, looking slightly puzzled by the unexpected visitor.
"Gabriel? Is something urgent happening at this hour?"
She was clearly fidgeting, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her oversized jersey.
Anyone with eyes could tell she had something massive and humiliating weighing on her mind.
"U-Um... Haruto-san, could I possibly... borrow some money?"
Gabriel stammered, flushing bright red as she finally forced the embarrassing request past her lips.
"Hmm?"
Haruto raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe as he gave her a quick, analytical once-over.
"Even heavenly angels can run out of cash?"
"Well, Heaven's administration only grants us a strict monthly stipend tailored strictly to our basic needs," Gabriel muttered defensively, scratching her cheek in mortification.
"Then why are you coming up short this month?"
Haruto narrowed his eyes playfully. Truth be told, he already had a strong suspicion of what she had gotten herself entangled in.
"Uh..."
Under his quiet, scrutinizing gaze, Gabriel felt her discomfort spike exponentially.
After a moment of painful hesitation, she squeezed her eyes shut and bowed deeply at a sharp ninety-degree angle.
"Haruto-san, please! Come into my room—I desperately need your help with a matter of life and death!"
"Alright, lead the way."
Haruto agreed without a second's hesitation.
Turning back toward the dining room, he raised his voice slightly. "Mai, I'm stepping next door for a moment. I'll be back shortly."
"Okay, but don't take too long, or I'll eat all the tempura myself," Mai teased from the table.
Though she tossed out the remark casually, she knew her boyfriend possessed a magnetic charm that easily attracted trouble—and girls.
Still, she trusted him enough not to worry about the lazy gamer angel next door. At least, not yet.
******
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