Over on Shiina Mahiru's side—
She had changed into her store uniform, tied her hair into a high ponytail, and was stocking shelves alongside Asada Shino.
Lately, Mahiru had developed a surprising fascination with one particular task—putting "Half-Price" stickers on items.
In a convenience store, plenty of products with short shelf lives get marked down to draw in buyers. Office workers in particular love them. But the discounted goods are limited and often get snatched up almost instantly. Some people even time their visits precisely to fight over them.
And the one doing the stickering… got this subtle sense of power over the customers. It was secretly satisfying.
In the monitoring room, store manager Saionji Youko—curvy and composed—took a glance at the security feed and smiled.
"Business is getting better… and it feels like more customers are coming in. Must be because of Shiina-san, huh?"
Pretty female clerks were always good for business. She even spotted two guys "browsing" the aisles just to watch Mahiru, circling back and forth until they accidentally bumped heads.
A beauty really did draw attention.
Youko decided they could use a little more male presence in the store—otherwise, it might be risky for all these girls to work alone.
As for Takagi? Too soft. He had a delicate face, but that was about it.
That's when she found herself thinking about the boy from yesterday. Hayashi Maki—handsome, tall, strong enough to send Kurata flying with a single slap. The image made her cheeks warm.
"Ugh… what am I thinking? Shameless… Am I just that lonely?"
She sighed. Her daughter was already in high school, and she herself had never remarried. Seeing a good-looking, capable younger man was enough to stir something in her.
"Come to think of it, I haven't invited Mai over in a while. Next time, I'll ask her to join us for dinner."
The "Mai" she meant was Kiyoura Mai.
Mai's daughter, Kiyoura Setsuna, was an adorable, doll-like loli beauty. If Hayashi Maki ever met her… he'd probably make a move without hesitation.
…
While she was thinking about that, a black sedan pulled up outside.
A hulking, blond-haired man climbed out with a cocky swagger.
Looking at the store, Sawagoe Tomaru's lips curled into a smirk.
"Youko… finally found you. Today, Daddy's going to take real good care of you."
Just thinking about how his "daughter" had grown into such an alluring figure was enough to make him excited.
"Oh, right… there's Mai-chan too. Judging from the photos, she's grown into something special."
Someone had been keeping him from finding them until now—but that obstacle was gone. Tonight, he would "harvest" both.
With that in mind, he stepped into the store, wanting his "daughter" to know he was here.
"Welcome."
The voice was soft and melodious. Sawagoe Tomaru turned his head automatically—
—and his heart nearly stopped.
His eyes locked on the name tag that read "Shiina." Swallowing back his urge, he forced what he thought was a friendly smile, gave a small nod, and wandered toward the shelves—watching Mahiru out of the corner of his eye.
The more he looked, the more excited he felt. The Shiina family's pampered young lady… if he got her, it'd be good for his business and his personal tastes.
And the short-haired one next to her—Asada, was it?—she's pretty cute too.
Sawagoe Tomaru figured he'd hit the jackpot—two angelic beauties in one day.
He bought a bottle of liquor, paid at the counter while staring at Mahiru's lovely face, then left with a lingering smile.
But—
Driving past a side alley, a mass of pitch-black flame dropped from the sky and engulfed his car.
"Ah! I'm burning—what's happening—AHHHHH!"
In his panic, he swerved straight into a wall. Fire consumed the vehicle instantly, swallowing the would-be predator whole.
By the time the fire department arrived, there was nothing left of him—not even bones.
In the crowd of onlookers, Hayashi Maki's face was calm as he watched the flames die down, then turned and casually walked away toward the convenience store.
That hellfire? His doing.
Like the flames from Ghost Rider, it burned evil itself. The guiltier the target, the more the fire judged them—until they were consumed by their own sins in unbearable agony.
The fact that Sawagoe Tomaru had been reduced to ash said everything about his depravity.
He'd been a "Red Name"—the kind that practically glowed with danger in Hayashi Maki's eyes—so Hayashi Maki had attacked the moment he saw him.
Absorbing the purified soul energy from the hellfire, Hayashi Maki also got flashes of memory—enough to realize he'd just eliminated the School Days universe's ultimate boss.
"Looks like staking out Saionji Youko's store was the right move. The evil came straight to me."
In a world with him—the demon—there was no need for another evil "protagonist."
Hayashi Maki's philosophy was simple: live for his own enjoyment, surround himself with girls he liked, and keep scum like that from interfering.
With Sawagoe Tomaru gone, one of his demon powers unlocked—Wish Granting.
He didn't use it immediately, though. First, he headed for the store to clock in, and maybe earn a few more points with Youko.
She was still charming, attractive, and curvy… but Hayashi Maki's real interest was in her daughter's friend, Kiyoura Setsuna.
Back when he'd watched the anime in his past life, his favorite had been Katsura Kotonoha, with Setsuna a close second—cute, petite, and kind-hearted.
If the chance came, he wasn't going to pass it up.
For the record, Hayashi Maki wasn't a "lolicon." It just so happened that a few of the girls he liked came in smaller packages.