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While Yukino was hesitating over how to speak, Takumi was checking her current status panel.
[Name: Yukino Yukinoshita]
[Class: Divine Envoy – Snow Woman]
[Rank: 1 (High)]
[Entries: Divine Envoy (Purple), Yuki-onna Bloodline (Purple), Master–Servant Contract (Blue)…]
[Yuki-onna Bloodline (Purple): A perfectly awakened Yuki-onna bloodline, triggered by a trace of divine power, with extraordinary potential.]
"Oh? She jumped straight to high-rank strength. Looks like my Divine Envoy pieces will further boost the target's power based on their inherent potential."
Muttering to himself, Takumi organized all that information and dumped it directly into Yukino's mind.
At the same time, he quietly plucked a strand of Yukinoshita's hair and absorbed it. By analyzing the cells in that hair, he perfectly obtained all genetic data related to the Yuki-onna.
[Ding! Acquired Trait: Yuki-onna Bloodline (Purple)]
In that moment, Takumi could feel himself changing.
His understanding and control over snow went a level deeper; if he kept pushing it, he might even refine it into a divine authority and engrave it into his godhead.
Yukino, who had been just about to ask another question, froze for a few seconds.
After sorting through the information in her mind, her cherry lips parted slightly, her expression full of shock.
"I… I'm really that strong now?"
"This is way too big a gift. There's no way I can ever repay this…"
Now that she understood the power tiers of supernaturals in this world, she realized just how heavy a favor Takumi had given her.
"It's fine. I won't charge you anything—you are my slave, after all. I prefer quid pro quo. Just pay me back with your body until I'm satisfied."
Listening to him say that in such an offhand tone, Yukino almost lost control of the magic in her body.
A biting cold wind curled around her, and it was a long time before she finally managed to glare at him with a watery look in her eyes.
"Your personality is truly rotten. As for paying with my body… I'll think about it."
She didn't like taking advantage of others for free. And right now, she really couldn't think of any other way to repay this favor.
There was another reason: she'd realized that she actually… didn't really hate Takumi.
She despised communicating with people through fake masks, deliberately catering to them.
Takumi was different. He was too real.
From the very first time they met, he had never hidden anything—not his overwhelming power and identity, not his reckless behavior.
Even that god-awful personality of his, he never tried to sugarcoat. That genuine realness was precisely what she yearned for.
Hearing that Yukino had actually agreed, Takumi was a little surprised.
"You agreed? I was fully planning to force this one through, you know."
"...Stop lowering my opinion of you!! My mental endurance is almost at its limit with your existence alone already!"
Yukino ripped into him in a flat tone, but it did nothing to shake him.
"Really at your limit? I can tell you're not that resistant inside."
"Don't go peeking into other people's hearts!"
"You're my slave. How could I not look?"
"…"
Facing a Takumi who was too "real," Yukino admitted defeat. This beast was infuriating; she couldn't beat him on any front.
Knowing that if she kept talking she'd only embarrass herself more, she wisely chose to change the subject.
"Takumi-kun, I have another question—where did my Yuki-onna bloodline come from?"
"What do you think? Did I pass it down to you or something?" Takumi shot her a dead-fish stare, completely speechless.
"Phew…" Taking a deep breath, Yukino continued. "What I mean is, I want to ask you to investigate my family."
She had no idea why she possessed a Yuki-onna bloodline, or what kind of secret her family was hiding.
Understanding what she meant, Takumi clicked his tongue. "Hiring someone to investigate your own family? You really are a model filial daughter. Fine, I'll take the job. As for payment… I want you in a cat-eared maid outfit, and then… you know."
He glanced meaningfully at Asia beside him, who was completely innocent and clueless.
Yukino's skin flushed with a tempting rose-red. She shot Takumi a resentful look and gave the tiniest of nods.
Standing to the side, Asia had absolutely no idea what those two had just traded.
As the assistant nun, I'm still far too lacking… Asia felt a pang of guilt and secretly clenched her fists, resolving to work even harder.
Having sealed their "wicked" little deal, Takumi and Yukino stood up at once.
"Yukino, why don't we head to a clothing store right now? I want to pick one out personally."
"D-don't go too far!"
Her voice was barely above a whisper, and her beautiful eyes shimmered with moisture.
But the actual resistance behind her words wasn't much at all—if anything, her obedience was practically an unspoken consent.
"Mm. And while we're at it, we'll pick up a few casual outfits for you too, Asia."
Takumi nodded lightly, paid for the coffee, and was about to lead the two of them out. Just as he was getting into it, his phone suddenly began to ring.
"Oh?" Seeing it was an unfamiliar number, Takumi chose to answer.
"Hello, who is this?"
After half a second of silence on the other end, a girl's urgent voice came through.
"Y-you can hear me, right?"
Why that question? Puzzled, Takumi nodded and replied, "Yeah, I can hear you."
"Thank goodness…"
The girl on the other end let out a sigh of relief.
Then she hurriedly shouted, "Exorcist, please come here right away! I'm at the ruins of Naimu General Hospital—please hurry!!"
"Naimu General Hospital?"
The moment Takumi repeated the address, Yukino, who was beside him, instantly frowned.
"Isn't that that abandoned site in the next city over? They say a UFO appeared there once, that there were aliens and all that. But it's all just rumors. What are you going there for?"
Listening to Yukinoshita rattle off the background of the hospital ruins so smoothly, Takumi said, "I'll be right there," then hung up.
"Dorami, you really are my walking encyclopedia."
At his "compliment," Yukino's expression went dark. "What is with that weird nickname!?"
She had every reason to suspect he was mocking her.
Takumi just waved it off. "Forget the little details. We're heading out!"
"Eh, what?" x2
As Yukino and Asia cried out in surprise, a teleportation magic circle spread across the ground.
In the next instant, the three of them vanished openly from the street. And the pedestrians walking by didn't notice a thing.
Under the influence of Takumi's nightmare magic, no one was able to perceive what had just happened.
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