Yui sat frozen on the floor.
She thought her classmate was just sharing a ghost story to make friends.
Now she realized the girl had used her as a human shield to escape a deadly curse, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth.
She lowered her head, sadness clouding her eyes.
Ren walked over, crouched down in front of her, and slowly raised a hand.
“R-Ren?” Yui looked up.
Was he trying to comfort her?
Before she could get emotional, Ren spoke.
“That will be 200,000 yen.”
“EH??” Yui snapped out of her daze and jumped to her feet.
“Two hundred thousand??”
That was a huge amount of money.
With only her mom supporting the family, things were already tight at home.
“Exorcisms aren’t free,” Ren stated.
Yui couldn’t argue with that logic.
He had literally just saved her life.
“C-Can I pay you back in installments?” she asked nervously.
“I promise I will pay off the debt!”
She was already thinking about how many meals she’d have to skip and what she’d need to give up just to pay off the debt.
Yumiko stepped forward, feeling bad for her friend.
She knew Yui’s financial situation better than anyone.
“I can cover the fee—”
“Forget it,” Ren interrupted.
“Since she’s your friend, I’ll waive the fee this time.”
He liked making money, but he wasn’t cold enough to take cash from a high school girl who clearly couldn’t pay.
It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot to both girls.
Yui looked at him with shining eyes, and even Yumiko gave him an adoring, love-struck look.
Watching the scene unfold, Utaha let out an exasperated sigh.
“You really know how to play the hero, Kouhai.
Do you two know each other?”
“I just bumped into her during an urban legend incident and helped her out.
That’s all,” Ren replied, keeping it brief.
The other girls went quiet.
The whole hero-saving-the-girl thing was a cliché, but it obviously worked.
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The Woman in Red was just a minor distraction to Ren.
It hardly even counted as a fight.
[Demon Exorcism System]
Host: Ren
Constitution: Radiant Monarch Physique
Skills: Golden Light Spell (Lv.
3) | Palm Thunder (Lv.
3) | Mystic Physiognomy (Lv.
4) | Art of Talismans (Lv.
4)
Items: Yin Gourd
Yin Energy: 800
Eight hundred points wasn’t even enough for a low-tier draw.
He decided to bank it.
His current strength was more than enough to handle everyday threats.
It made more sense to save up for something bigger later.
The next day.
When Ren walked into the Service Club, he was immediately greeted by a cheerful voice.
“Yahallo!” Yui popped up in front of him with a bright smile.
“Hey.” Ren gave a brief nod.
Then he noticed she wasn’t alone.
Yumiko Miura and Hina Ebina were standing in the clubroom as well.
“What are you guys doing here?”
“We submitted our club applications today!” Yui announced proudly.
Yumiko had been looking for a permanent excuse to stay close to Ren, and yesterday’s terrifying incident had left Yui incredibly curious about the club.
Since both of her best friends were joining, Hina naturally tagged along.
“I had no idea that the quiet, antisocial kid in our class was a real magician!” Hina pushed her glasses up her nose, her eyes shining with excitement.
“Does joining this club mean we’ll get to see a bunch of urban legends?”
Yui and Yumiko had obviously filled her in on the details.
“First, I’m not a magician,” Ren said as he walked to his usual seat.
“Second, urban legends aren’t party tricks.
You’re better off never seeing one.”
“If you say so.” Hina nodded, though it was highly debatable if she actually understood the danger.
“By the way,” Ren noted, looking at the three of them.
The popular clique was mostly split between the boys, led by Hayato, and the girls, led by Yumiko.
Now that Yumiko brought her friends to the Service Club, that balance was basically gone.
“Who cares about that?” Yumiko waved her hand.
She really didn’t care about the class’s social pecking order right now.
Ren shrugged and sat down.
It wasn’t his problem anyway.
Just then, Megumi Kato walked over to his desk.
“Ren…” Her voice was calm.
She was much more comfortable talking to him now than when they first met.
“Yeah?” He looked up.
Megumi kept her face a blank slate.
“I need a Positive energy top-up.”
“Sure.”
Didn’t they just do this on the way to school this morning?
Oh well.
If she wanted it, he wasn’t going to say no.
He pulled her in and kissed her.
Utaha, Yukino, and Eriri had seen this plenty of times, but for the new girls, it was a shock.
“SO BOLD!” Hina squeaked, covering her eyes with her hands but peeking through her fingers.
Yui’s cheerful smile froze instantly.
Even Yumiko stood there, paralyzed by shock.
After a long minute, Ren and Megumi finally separated.
“A-ARE YOU TWO DATING?” Yumiko asked, her voice shaking.
She wanted to know, but she was scared of the answer.
“We are not,” Megumi answered before Ren could even open his mouth.
She looked calmly at Yumiko and the others, her face devoid of any emotion.
“I have a rare medical condition.
Ren is just doing this to help me.”
“…” Yumiko, Yui, and Hina stared at her.
What kind of medical condition needed making out in the middle of the clubroom??
It helps new readers find it.
And of course, your Power Stones help push the story forward.
Thanks for reading.