The next morning, Natsuki stretched lazily and was about to start his day when someone knocked on the door.
“Coming.” He opened it to find Gabriel standing outside, practically glowing with holy light.
“Tenma-san?
What can I do for you?” They were neighbors and appeared to be the same age, so addressing her as a fellow student seemed safe enough.
“Natsuki-kun, how familiar are you with human—” “Human?” Gabriel immediately corrected herself.
A gentle smile remained on her face as though she had not nearly exposed herself at all.
“I mean, how familiar are you with computers?
I’d like to buy one, but when I searched online with my phone, there were so many different specifications that I couldn’t make sense of them.” Natsuki studied the radiant honor student standing before him.
She wanted to buy a computer?
‘So this is where her downfall begins.’ He nodded.
“I play games sometimes, so I’ve researched computers quite a bit.
Are you planning to use it for studying, Tenma-san, or do you also want to play games?” “If it’s only for schoolwork, a basic computer will be more than enough.
But games usually need better hardware.” “Games…?” Gabriel quietly repeated the word.
According to the textbooks she had read in Heaven, computers were essential to many people in the human world.
Heaven did not have them, so she had decided to buy one and learn how to use it properly.
And since so many humans played games, there had to be something special about them, right?
“Yes, I’m quite interested in games,” Gabriel added with a firm nod.
‘So her attraction to games was instinctive all along?’ Natsuki remembered Gabriel’s junior, Tapris Chisaki Sugarbell.
When Tapris later came to the human world, she learned how to use computers so she could help Gabriel with her games.
Somehow, that had led to her studying Java, C, and several other programming languages.
That was a different kind of absurd talent.
“All right.
There’s an electronics section in the nearby department store, so I’ll come with you.
Once you have the computer, I can recommend a few games, and we can play together.” “Okay!” Gabriel’s blue-gray eyes sparkled.
‘Games.
Playing together.’ ‘It already sounded like fun!’ She would probably get along wonderfully with that NEET princess from Gensokyo.
Anyone capable of gaming through the night until she dropped dead, only to revive at full health on the spot, would surely be Gabriel’s kindred spirit.
“Wait here for a moment, Tenma-san.
I’ll change first.” “Mm-hm.” Natsuki stepped back inside and quickly traded his pajamas for a comfortable, sporty outfit.
Blessed with naturally good looks, he had no need to waste time fixing himself up.
…
On the way to the department store, Gabriel kept sneaking glances at him.
“Jiiiiiii~” Natsuki walked with both hands tucked into his jacket pockets, an amused smile on his face.
“You didn’t come to me only because you needed help buying a computer, did you?” This world contained man-eating demons, angels, and devils.
Gabriel was an elite angel who had come to the human world to guide people toward happiness while continuing her own training.
She undoubtedly knew some of the world’s hidden truths, and there was little chance she had failed to notice yesterday’s battle.
Gabriel nodded.
“You’re a supernatural being, Natsuki-kun.” “I suppose I am.” At the moment, Hamon was the only ability he possessed that was truly useful in battle.
There was a limit to how far an ordinary human could take Hamon, of course.
If an Ultimate Life Form like Kars used it, however, its potential became considerably more terrifying.
“You aren’t an ordinary human either, Tenma-san.
You’re an angel, right?” Gabriel almost certainly knew far more about this world’s secrets than he did.
Natsuki only knew that he had been thrown into some enormous anime crossover world.
How many different series had been mixed together was something he could only discover by meeting more familiar characters.
Getting a few answers from Gabriel sounded like a good idea.
“I’m an exchange student from Heaven,” she admitted without hesitation.
The human world contained plenty of supernatural beings, including some powerful enough to destroy the entire planet.
Gabriel usually moved around in human form, but there were exceptional humans capable of seeing through her disguise, so Natsuki recognizing her true nature was not particularly shocking.
“Could you tell me some of the things ordinary people aren’t allowed to know?” Natsuki asked.
“Naturally, you don’t have to answer if it would break any rules.” “I can.” Gabriel nodded.
“Broadly speaking, the world is divided into three realms: Heaven, where angels live; Hell, where demons live; and the human world.
However, a chaotic region exists along the boundary between Heaven and the human world.
Dragons and spirits are particularly active there.” “The boundary between the human world and Hell, meanwhile, contains the realms where human souls go after death—what humans commonly describe as going to Heaven or being sent to Hell.” Gabriel continued her explanation as they walked.
“The human world also has many supernatural practitioners, including magicians, jujutsu sorcerers, and espers.
Originally, the three realms and their various factions avoided interfering with one another, but recently, something has gone wrong with the barriers between worlds.” “Monsters from other worlds have begun entering the human world through spatial rifts.
The creature you encountered yesterday was one of them.” Natsuki listened as though Gabriel were telling him a fantasy story, gradually gaining a much clearer understanding of the world around him.
So, to summarize…
A world already filled with Cursed Spirits, monsters, and countless other supernatural threats had recently started receiving unwanted visitors from entirely different universes.
Wasn’t that a little excessive?
No wonder the creature from yesterday had looked so much like a demon from Demon Slayer.
“Aren’t you telling me a little too much, Tenma-san?” Natsuki asked dryly.
“There must be confidentiality rules for this sort of thing.
Don’t tell me every random supernatural person is allowed to know all of that.” “There are confidentiality rules, but you’re different, Natsuki-kun.” Gabriel tilted her head and smiled, her holy radiance intensifying around her.
“Huh?” “You have the potential to become a Guardian of Human Order.
I’m not allowed to explain much more right now, but you’ll understand eventually.” “Sure.
We’ve reached the store, so let’s focus on buying your computer.” Natsuki shrugged.
Whatever happened, he would deal with it when the time came.
There was no point worrying endlessly about problems that had not appeared yet.
Besides, he had two cheats on his side.
He would definitely grow stronger in no time!
At least, he firmly believed he would.
…
The two of them entered the department store’s electronics section.
Natsuki knew a fair amount about computers, and after comparing the various models and explaining their specifications, he helped Gabriel choose a pink laptop with the highest available configuration.
According to her, a laptop would be easier to carry around.
In truth, Gabriel had also wanted to buy a desktop computer.
Unfortunately, her budget would not allow it.
The monthly allowance provided by Heaven was fairly generous, but there were still plenty of other expenses to consider.
In the end, Gabriel reluctantly decided to manage her money carefully for the time being.
Natsuki glanced at her wallet, his eyes filled with unmistakable pity.
Once someone entered the bottomless pit of game purchases, saving money became nothing more than a distant memory.
Gabriel’s fall, it seemed, had always been inevitable.