Looking down at Shiina Mahiru in his arms, limp and utterly unwilling to move, her eyes vacant and her mind blank, a flicker of pity passed through Lin Mu's gaze.
Each familiar grants him different abilities as a demon, based on their inner qualities and soul characteristics.
And the Super Recovery Ability precisely reflected the gentleness in Shiina Mahiru's heart; she was a girl as pure as an angel.
Yet he had taken advantage of her vulnerability, claiming her without even telling her his name, right when her heart was breaking.
He really was a demon, wasn't he?
But why did it feel so damn good?
Lin Mu happily stroked Shiina Mahiru's damp golden locks, then scooped her up and carried her into the bathroom.
After a bath, he held her as they lay down again.
He'd changed the bedsheets too, making it far more comfortable.
Shiina Mahiru's cheeks flushed for a bit, but otherwise she said nothing, simply resting quietly in his arms.
Letting him hold her like that.
Her breathing evened out; exhausted as she was, she had actually fallen asleep.
Lin Mu, meanwhile, recalled the anime he had watched in his previous life, piecing together what he knew about Shiina Mahiru.
Shiina Mahiru came from the anime "The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten."
Her father, Shiina Asahi, and mother, Shiina Sayo, had been forced into marriage for family interests, conceiving her in a night of passion.
From a young age, those so-called parents had ignored her, dumping her on Auntie Yukino the maid to raise.
Shiina Mahiru had deliberately presented herself as a gentle, obedient, and virtuous "angel" from childhood, studying hard in all sorts of ways, but it had done nothing to bridge the gap between her parents.
She had ended up drenching herself in the rain out of self-abandonment because her mother had revealed the truth: she was an unwanted child.
No matter how excellently she performed, those parents wouldn't spare her a glance, let alone come home to eat with her.
She was their scar; just seeing her ripped the wound open, so they could never give her the love of a family.
From birth until high school, she had believed her efforts stemmed from her own inadequacies, pushing her to perform so hard.
But learning the truth suddenly, realizing all those years of striving had been for nothing, shattered the girl's defenses in an instant.
So she sat alone on the swing, letting the rain soak her in self-destructive despair.
And in the end, Lin Mu had picked up the bargain!
Understanding the root of Shiina Mahiru's breakdown gave Lin Mu a solid foundation.
In short, the girl was just starved for love, that's all.
If that was the case, then from now on, he'd take care of her.
She was already his familiar; as a demon, Lin Mu had no intention of losing her.
He stroked her silky golden hair once more, pulled the blanket over them, and held her as he drifted off to sleep.
The rest could wait until tomorrow; for now, rest was the priority.
...
The next morning.
Shiina Mahiru groggily opened her eyes.
"Hiss... it hurts!"
A tingling ache from below made the girl instinctively furrow her brows.
She sat up straight, only to see the man sleeping soundly while holding her.
He was pretty handsome, a black-haired guy.
But the problem was...
Had she really done "that" with him last night?
Flashes of shameful scenes surged from the depths of her mind, leaving Shiina Mahiru's head buzzing.
She had been self-destructing last night, sure, but after a night's sleep, clarity had returned.
In its place: endless regret.
Her eyes welled up, sorrow, sadness, and grievance twisting together, sending tears streaming down unbidden.
How could she have given her body away so casually?
Lost in her heartbreak.
Lin Mu opened his eyes, pulled her into his arms, and pinned her back to the bed.
He swiftly leaned down and captured her red lips in a kiss.
The forceful kiss earned him a hard bite from the furious Shiina Mahiru.
The metallic tang in his mouth signaled her anger.
But Lin Mu didn't mind at all. He endured the pain, hugged her tighter, and continued the kiss.
After all, with his head regenerating even if severed, what was a little damage to his tongue and lips?
He wouldn't die from it anyway; better to convey his passion to her first.
Seeing he still wouldn't let go, Shiina Mahiru panicked.
Amid the panic, a strange sensation rose from her heart, softening her body as she slowly closed her beautiful eyes.
Tears slid down her cheeks even as she tacitly allowed his actions.
It had already happened once anyway.
What difference did a second time make?
Shiina Mahiru's snow-white hands clutched the bedsheets tightly; she might as well think of it as getting bitten by a dog.
A long while passed.
Morning exercise concluded.
Lin Mu gently stroked the golden hair of the girl in his arms and spoke softly.
"I'm Lin Mu, a first-year at Seihaku Imperial Academy. And you?"
"..."
Shiina Mahiru glanced at him but didn't reply.
"Say something, or I'll kiss you!"
At his words, her little face flushed red, and she shot him an annoyed glare.
"You expect me to believe you don't know my name? I'm in Class 1-B too. What are you pretending for, you perverted opportunist!"
Lin Mu replied earnestly, "I really didn't know. I got hit by a car on the first day of school and just got out of the hospital today."
This was also the trigger for realizing he'd transmigrated: awakening memories from his past life as a transmigrator, along with that Demon Cultivation Panel.
Hearing this, Shiina Mahiru looked at him in astonishment.
"You're that unlucky guy everyone was talking about, the one who got hit by a car on opening day?"
Lin Mu's mouth twitched. "Yeah, I was pretty unlucky."
"But honestly, I feel like my luck's turned around now..."
As he spoke, he pulled her slim waist closer, letting her feel his warmth.
Shiina Mahiru's cheeks burned hot; she quickly pushed at him, gazing at him with grievance.
"No... don't... it hurts..."
Lin Mu chuckled mischievously, leaning down to peck her lips. "Don't worry, I won't bully you anymore."
"Speaking of which, what a coincidence. We're actually classmates."
Shiina Mahiru stared at him blankly for a moment, then turned her head away, ignoring him.
Lin Mu knew everything was happening too fast for her to accept, so he leaned close to her ear.
"I'll take responsibility."
But Shiina Mahiru pinched his arm hard and glared at him fiercely.
"In your dreams! You think you can keep bullying me? I'm not that stupid!"
Lin Mu widened his eyes. "So... you mean I don't have to take responsibility?"
"Hmph, no! Just stay away from me from now on. Please forget everything that happened earlier and yesterday."
With that, Shiina Mahiru shoved him away, sat up, and started looking for her clothes.
When she spotted the crumpled black stockings tossed by the bed, her face reddened, and she cursed inwardly.
Did he think stockings were free?
Tearing them like that; he really was a pervert!
She quickly slipped on her underwear, then her school uniform and skirt, stumbling out of his room before hurrying back to her own next door.
In the bathroom, she cried while washing her snow-white body, her mind filled with confusion.
As a demon, Lin Mu could see his familiar's status; using his demonic authority, watching her cry tore at his heart.
But what was done was done; regret wouldn't change it.
Besides, even if he could go back, he'd still make his move on her.
A girl this great had to be claimed fast, or he'd end up as the yellow-haired homewrecker prying at someone else's wall.
For now, all he could do was find ways to warm her heart as much as possible, helping her gradually accept him.
And things weren't all bad; he and Shiina Mahiru had a solid starting point.
They'd already reached the most intimate level. Little Angel Shiina... future wife material for sure.