Looking at the packed soy-braised pork, Asagi couldn't help but anticipate Sayu's expression after tasting it. He was the kind of person who liked to share the things he loved with the people he cared about, especially food. Enjoying it together created even more happiness. Of course, he didn't share with just anyone. Some people weren't worth it.
While he was lost in thought, a foul odor suddenly assaulted his senses. It smelled like a dead rat rotting in a sewage ditch. It was so potent it almost made him vomit.
Looking up, he traced the smell to a JK with long black hair standing nearby. Looking closer, he noticed the girl's legs were pressed tightly together. She was standing rigidly in front of the train door, staring intently at her phone, but Asagi noticed her whole body was trembling slightly.
Perhaps his eyesight was too good. He seemed to see that the pretty girl's skirt looked... damp.
Ding. Quest triggered: The Spirit-Seer Girl's Fright. Before you is a girl who can see evil spirits and is constantly harassed by them. If the evil spirits discover she can see them, they might take her away. Because of fear, the girl has even wet herself. Please assist the girl in dispelling the evil spirits. Completing the quest will reward you with a skill or item.
Seeing the quest details and looking at the cute, terrified face of the black-haired JK, he instantly knew who she was. Yotsuya Miko. FromMieruko-chan, a supernatural gag anime. The anime's selling point was the main character, Miko Yotsuya, being constantly frightened by evil spirits while having to hide her fear and pretend she couldn't see them. But for Miko herself, having this spiritual sight and being constantly terrified was simply a living nightmare. The fact that she hadn't gone insane already showed she had incredibly strong mental fortitude.
Asagi could already smell the rotten stench of the evil spirit; he could only imagine how much more intense Miko's experience was. If this thing stayed any longer, he felt he would genuinely throw up. There was no choice. For both emotional and practical reasons, he had to do this quest.
So, he moved, coming to stand beside Miko Yotsuya, who was surrounded by a dark, writhing figure covered in eyeballs and exuding a foul stench. He stared directly into the evil spirit's scarlet eyes.
"Get lost. You stink!"
"Gaaah? You… can see me?" the evil spirit tilted its head, its entire body contorting like a worm or a twisted piece of dough. Each eyeball occasionally widened, staring intently at him. Then, it suddenly opened its bloody maw and bit down on him.
Asagi's Damage Reflection skill instantly activated. Ding. Attacked by a living creature (evil spirit). Damage doubled and reflected!
So, under the girl's utterly shocked gaze, the evil spirit's mouth shattered directly, and it vanished with a final, howling shriek.
Ding. The Spirit-Seer Girl's Fright, quest completed. Congratulations, User, for obtaining the skill: Spirit Eye. Spirit Eye: This skill is automatically triggered upon encountering a spirit, gaining one charge. Each charge can release one Spirit Eye Strike effect.
Spirit Eye Strike? Although he hadn't tested it, it should be a type of soul attack. Well, it was another means of dealing with spiritual entities. Asagi felt it was worth it.
He turned his gaze to the still-stunned girl. Noticing that her uniform skirt was visibly damp, he quickly took off his jacket and wrapped it around her waist. "Here.You're welcome."
After saying that, he strode out as the train doors opened. He had reached his stop. At the same time,far away, the delivery trucks of the courier company began starting up normally, one after another.
---
Asagi clearly had no intention of continuing to interact with the spirit-seeing girl. Mainly because she had already been scared into wetting herself. Her skirt was a mess. Wouldn't striking up a conversation now just make the girl even more embarrassed? He simply left his jacket for her to cover up with. Maybe they would meet again someday.
He had no idea that Miko Yotsuya behind him was making a feeble, tearful waving gesture. Compared to the constant fear and anxiety she lived with, what was a little accident! She had finally met someone else who could see the spirits, someone who could shatter a terrifying spirit's teeth just by standing there, making it flee howling. Miko Yotsuya naturally wanted desperately to get to know such a powerful person.
However, what made her want to cry was that this powerful, handsome guy had just run away! She could only silently comfort herself: Maybe he had something urgent to do. Now that he was gone, it was too late to chase after him. But the girl had already memorized the station where he got off. Next time, she would go shopping there with her best friend; maybe she would meet him again.
Thinking this, the girl finally moved her feet, clutching the jacket Asagi had given her tightly around her waist. When she arrived at her stop, she quickly got off the train and ran to the nearest clothing store to buy new underwear and a skirt to change into.
---
Returning to Asagi's perspective, after getting off the train, he quickly arrived near Sakura Dormitory. The sign for Suimei University of the Arts Affiliated High School was very prominent.
You might ask, why didn't Asagi choose to attend the nearby Suimei University of the Arts Affiliated High School? When Mashiro Shiina arrives in the future, wouldn't he be able to go to and from school with her? Wouldn't that be advantageous?
However, compared to waiting, Asagi preferred to take the initiative. Moreover, Soubu High School was a very good school. There were also more people there he was familiar with. At Suimei University of the Arts, the only people he knew were the residents of Sakura Dormitory. And damn it, I haven't triggered a single quest with any of them yet. It wasn't until he picked up Sayu that he got his first proper skill.
The characters from the original Pet Girl of Sakurasou anime—besides Mashiro Shiina, her best friend Rita Ainsworth, and the hardworking girl Nanami Aoyama—he had basically met them all. But he hadn't triggered any quests. Beyond these people, he didn't know anyone else there.
Furthermore, Asagi didn't plan to pursue the arts. He wanted to live a laid-back life relying on collecting rent. So, he had decisively given up on Suimei University of the Arts Affiliated High School.
And Soubu High School was interesting. Yukino Yukinoshita, Yui Yuigahama, Yumiko Miura, and so on—a whole series of characters were at that school. Classes started in two days. Perhaps he could even witness the famous scene of a certain dead-fish-eyed boy saving a dog from being hit by a car.
Asagi's thoughts then turned to his finances. He had about 1.2 million yen left. It seemed like a lot, but it was really only about $8,000 USD. It wasn't much.
Studying at Soubu High School, the first year required about 600,000 yen in enrollment fees, uniform costs, and various miscellaneous fees. The second year was about 70% of that, probably around 420,000 yen. This didn't include accommodation and living expenses. Generally, students ate breakfast at home and brought a bento for lunch. Some students lived in dorms, but it was often cheaper to rent an apartment outside, with the cheapest options starting around 80,000 yen per month.
After careful calculation, Asagi suddenly realized his funds were tight. He had 1.2 million yen total. After paying the 600,000 yen tuition, he'd only have 600,000 left. This was enough for his daily expenses, but with Sayu Ogiwara to support as well, life would be very stretched.
Available funds: 600,000 yen. Plus, the rent from Sakura Dormitory is 150,000 yen per month, with 5 people paying... so that's 750,000 yen per month income? Wait, no.He recalculated. 150,000 yen is the total rent from all tenants? Per person? He needed to be clear. If the total rent collected was 150,000 yen per month, then his annual income from rent would be 1.8 million yen. After deducting taxes and maintenance, maybe 1.5 million yen net.
After calculating, the money should still be enough, he concluded, feeling slightly relieved.