"N-nothing, really. Last night's dinner that Mom made was just too delicious. I can still taste it now," Yotsuya Miko said with a forced smile, looking around. She only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that she didn't spot any of those monsters.
As long as those monsters were around, she had to be careful with every word and action. If she slipped up even a little, she didn't know what would happen, but she would most likely be eaten. That's how it always played out in TV shows and anime—as soon as you admitted you could see them, you'd be eaten.
"Auntie's dinner, huh? Hearing Miko talk about it makes me want to try it too. When can Miko invite me over? Can I come?" Yurikawa Hana's large eyes blinked with expectation.
"Oh, okay, sure," Yotsuya Miko's tense nerves instantly relaxed. Her head felt a bit dizzy, and her limbs went soft. She knew this was temporary anemia from being too stressed and suddenly relaxing.
'What's that sunlight over there? It's so warm. I want to go see it.'
Yotsuya Miko looked back at another street, turning her head every few steps. The warm light didn't disappear instantly; it remained constant since it appeared.
She looked down at the time on her phone and sighed.
She was about to be late.
"I get to eat Miko's mom's cooking! I'm so excited!" Yurikawa Hana happily took small steps.
'I'm so envious,' Yotsuya Miko watched the carefree Yurikawa Hana with deep envy.
Just three days ago, she had been just as carefree.
Somehow, after getting caught in the rain, she started seeing those monsters.
Those strangely shaped monsters were everywhere. Even in places that seemed clear, they would emerge from who knows where.
Luckily, she reacted quickly and seemed to have found a way to deal with them.
As long as I pretend not to see them, they won't harm me.
As Yotsuya Miko thought about what she had endured over the past three days, she pursed her lips and looked at her 'clean' surroundings. Tears of happiness involuntarily streamed down her face.
It was great; they were gone. She didn't know how much longer she could have held on.
"What's wrong, Miko? Did I do something to upset you?" Yurikawa Hana panicked, seeing her best friend suddenly cry silently.
"N-nothing, really. I just thought of something happy. It's nothing big, anyway," Yotsuya Miko wiped her tears with her sleeve and pulled her best friend to speed up.
"Oh no!"
However, when Yotsuya Miko arrived at school, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning, and her hard-won happiness instantly vanished.
"..."
Yotsuya Miko clutched the hem of her skirt, pursing her lips, looking like she was about to cry.
A very large monster stood at the school entrance, waving, its mouth constantly uttering incomprehensible words. Black Smoke was almost filling the entire school entrance.
"Gulp—" Yotsuya Miko swallowed hard.
"Hurry, hurry! We'll be late!" Yurikawa Hana didn't notice Yotsuya Miko's expression and pulled her, rushing towards the school gate.
Yotsuya Miko was dragged through the body of the monster, which was spewing Black Smoke.
"Huh? Miko, you've seemed out of sorts lately. Is something bothering you?" Yurikawa Hana looked at the listless Yotsuya Miko with concern.
"I've been—staying up late reading manga—sorry for making you worry," Yotsuya Miko said wearily.
It seems that only in that glowing place were there no monsters.
I'll go check that place after school. Please, please don't disappear.
Tears welled in Yotsuya Miko's eyes, and she clutched the hem of her skirt, a little shy.
"Just now—it showed."
"Good thing I prepared it beforehand and put it in my bag."
Meanwhile, in the Cafe, "What? Is this world that terrifying? Good thing I didn't see it all at once, or I would have been scared to death."
Busujima Yako recounted her minute-long experience in detail to Tendo Kisara.
Tendo Kisara couldn't help but swallow. She wasn't afraid of monsters she could see and touch, no matter how powerful they were. But she was uniquely afraid of those ghost-like monsters that couldn't be touched or seen.
She looked around nervously, her hand involuntarily gripping the hilt of the sword at her waist.
The other customers in the Cafe weren't surprised to see Tendo Kisara and Busujima Yako carrying swords. After all, the school had a Kendo Club, and students were allowed to bring their own wooden swords, so passersby wouldn't assume they were real swords.
"There are no monsters around. Where Lord Xia Wei is, there will be no defilement," Saya Takagi virtuously added two spoons of white sugar to Lord Xia Wei's coffee and stirred it gently.
Lord Xia Wei is a true deity. Even if he does nothing, the place he is in is a pure land.
Even she, if she were to spread her divinity, could instantly clear monsters within a hundred-meter radius, no matter how strong those monsters were.
This is a rule; ordinary monsters cannot resist the power of rules.
Tendo Kisara patted her chest. Yes, how could there be defilement where Lord Xia Wei was?
"This world is a very good training ground for Vassals below Lv.3," Lord Xia Wei picked up his coffee and took a light sip.
"Those monsters are fallen souls of people who died with resentment. The strongest ones already have the strength of Lv.3 Vassals."
"What's rare is that they are endless. Thousands of humans die every day."
"Slaying these monsters can also free their souls. Those souls will naturally reincarnate into various animals, though the probability of being reborn as humans is not high."
"This place is also perfect for you, Kisara, to advance to Lv.3."
This world is simply a natural training ground for low-level Vassals.
While previous worlds could serve as training grounds, both Zombies and Gastrea would only become fewer and fewer, making it impossible to truly have a continuous supply.
The only truly endless training ground currently is the Dangerous Species in the Akame ga Kill! World.
However, the difficulty is quite high, making it unsuitable for novice Vassals who have just received a Blessing.
"But I can't see them, Lord Xia Wei," Tendo Kisara blinked her large eyes, which were full of light, as if to say, 'Lord Xia Wei, are you going to bestow upon me a tiny bit of power?'
Lord Xia Wei extended a finger and flicked Tendo Kisara's head.
"Ow!" Tendo Kisara cried out in pain. Before she could feel wronged, a piece of information appeared in her mind.
Divine Blessing "Spirit Sight Lv.1": Able to break through self-cognitive barriers and see spiritual bodies invisible to the naked eye.
"Thank you, Lord Xia Wei!" Tendo Kisara excitedly hugged Lord Xia Wei's arm and kissed his cheek. She had been granted another Divine Blessing! This was great! She now had one skill and two Divine Blessings.
Although "Divine Blessing" wasn't counted in her personal information, it was still power.
The surrounding guests looked over with envy and jealousy. The women envied Tendo Kisara and Busujima Yako for having such a handsome boyfriend, while the men envied Lord Xia Wei for being able to have two such beautiful girlfriends at once, and both were willing.
"Hmm, I think this shop is good. Let's make this our base in this lower realm," Lord Xia Wei stroked his chin, and the golden pendulum's phantom flickered in his eyes.
A middle-aged woman in a black and white suit walked over from inside the shop.
"Young sir, are you interested in taking over this Cafe?"