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In that moment, Nanami Aoyama finally understood what Hana Yurakawa had felt.
Sure, five hundred yen for five minutes was ridiculously expensive. But it was worth every coin. She had never experienced pleasure like this before—it was as if she'd slipped back into the womb itself.
She felt completely renewed.
When Akio stopped his hands, a wave of disappointment washed over her, leaving her oddly bereft, unwilling for him to stop just yet.
"This doesn't make sense. It just… doesn't make any sense."
Nanami had worked part-time jobs before where she'd picked up some massage basics, so she knew enough to tell his technique was anything but professional.
In fact, it was clumsy. No—that wasn't fair. It wasn't just clumsy, it was downright amateur.
And yet, the results were unbelievable. Too good to be real.
"What… what's going on here?"
"It's simple."
Akio lifted his right hand, and faint strands of light shimmered in his palm, illuminating Nanami's face.
"The massage itself doesn't matter," he explained. "What mattered was the power I channeled into it. A transcendent force. It nourishes the body."
"When it flows inside, it not only heals damage, but also scrubs away exhaustion. That's why you felt the way you did."
"Nanami, I want to share this power with you."
"With it, you could give massages that no one else on earth can. You could make a fortune catering to the rich. For their health, they wouldn't hesitate to pay a hundred yen per minute—no, a thousand yen. Even ten thousand yen per minute."
"With just an hour of work a day, you'd be making hundreds of thousands. Maybe even millions. Ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times what you earn now."
"So? What do you say?"
Nanami was stunned. Because she knew—he wasn't exaggerating. Wealthy people would gladly pay obscene amounts for something that restored their health.
If she had this power, it was only a matter of time before she joined their ranks.
But one thing still bothered her…
"Why me?"
Akio gave her a small smile and answered with another question. "Why not you?"
Nanami bit her lip. "But I'm just… an ordinary high school girl."
It felt too good to be true, almost like some cosmic joke. Could something this incredible really happen to her?
"So what? Being a high schooler doesn't mean you can't make serious money. Where'd you get that idea?" Akio said with mock annoyance.
"Just say yes or no. I'm only offering because we're friends. If you don't want it, fine—pretend I never said a word."
Nanami froze. Friends?
So that's what this was about… she had been overthinking.
Her face softened into a small, genuine smile. "If it's a friend inviting me, then of course I have no reason to refuse."
"Good." Akio clapped her shoulder warmly. "From today on, you're my third follower, Nanami."
With that, he poured a surge of radiant energy into her—about the same amount he'd given to Erina Nakiri and Hisako. Roughly ten thousand points.
To him, it was nothing. Barely one ten-thousandth of his strength.
But for Nanami, the change was earth-shattering. Suddenly, she could see them—malicious spirits wandering the world all around her. The sight made her jump back in fright.
Calmly, Akio explained about corruption, impurities, and the wastelands.
Luckily, this world already had vampires, magic, even psychic powers. So Nanami accepted it quickly, though she couldn't help but sigh.
"This world is way more dangerous than I thought…"
She had always imagined things like magic and monsters as distant, belonging to some other realm far from her own life. But now she knew better.
The supernatural had always been here, brushing against her daily existence. She just hadn't been able to see it—until now.
"Anyway," Akio said, "enough of that for now. Let's talk business. As your god, and you my follower, I expect offerings."
Nanami blinked. But then she thought about it—it wasn't unreasonable. Followers giving offerings to their deity was the most natural thing in the world.
Seeing her silent agreement, Akio nodded in satisfaction. "Whatever money you make—whether from healing or massages—I'll take half. How's that sound, Nanami?"
"Half? Isn't that a little… much?" she asked timidly.
Akio's eyes widened. "Half is too much?"
Since when was this girl, who looked so straightforward, secretly so greedy?
"No, no, that's not what I mean!" Nanami waved her hands frantically. "I mean… isn't half too much for me? The power comes from you, Akio. Keeping thirty percent, even twenty percent, is more than enough for me."
She quickly did the math. Even if she gave Akio eighty percent, she'd still be earning way more than her current part-time jobs. Even ninety percent, and she'd still come out ahead.
Akio could only shake his head, half amused, half exasperated.
"Hearing you talk like that, I can't help but feel like I'll end up strung from a lamppost for exploiting you. Who skims eighty percent of a worker's pay? Do I look like some shady capitalist?"
Nanami flailed her hands again. "No, no, that's not what I meant! I just thought—"
"Enough. Half. That's final," Akio cut in, leaving no room for argument.
Nanami swallowed her words and lowered her head, but her eyes shone with gratitude. "Thank you."
"No need. If you really want to thank me, then earn big. Really big. Even gods need money to buy things in this world."
Of course, technically, Akio didn't have to pay for anything. But he wasn't shameless enough to freeload. Not yet, anyway.
Nanami burst out laughing, the sound bright and clear as spring flowers in full bloom.
"Don't worry, Akio. I'll make a fortune and take good care of you."
She said it with a smile, and for the first time, she truly meant it.
"..."
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