After a few minutes, Hayashi Maki finished explaining his identity as a demon to Asada Shino.
Shino instinctively covered her mouth—his secret left her stunned and at a loss for words. But soon she took a deep breath, slipped her arms gently around his neck, and said softly:
"No matter what you are… after everything between us, Maki-kun, please take responsibility for me—for my whole life."
Demon or not, he was gentler than an angel. Angels hadn't answered her prayers, nor had they shown up when she was bullied. He had—and more than once.
Seeing the trust in her eyes, Hayashi Maki ruffled her hair and said in a warm voice:
"Of course I'll take responsibility—for you, Shino, to the very end. So… will you become my follower and entrust everything to me?"
Shino nodded hard. "I will. I don't quite understand what a 'follower' means, but if that means you'll always protect me… right?"
"Of course. Even if you didn't agree, I'd still protect you—until you do. In truth, a demon's follower is no different from a wife—we stay by each other's side for life."
He said it with a smile. Shino's cheeks flamed, but curiosity won out:
"Does Shiina know? And… has she become your follower too?"
"I haven't told her yet—but yes, she already is."
As he answered, Hayashi Maki lifted her chin and leaned closer. "The pact is sealed. Let's take the next step. Becoming my follower lets you gain a special power. Does Shino-chan want that?"
"If I can, of course I do. How… do I get it?"
Thinking of her former weakness, she craved strength—enough to protect herself, and the man who cared for her.
Hayashi Maki gazed at her gently, lips nearing. "It's simple. Same as we just did… for a few dozen rounds."
Shino's face changed immediately. "A f-few dozen rounds? No way! Absolutely not!"
I'll break… she thought.
He laughed. "Don't be scared. It's really just deepening our bond. Once my magic helps your body adapt and bear my power, you'll awaken an ability of your own. We can take it slow. Even Mahiru hasn't awakened yet—we're not in a hurry."
Only then did she relax. Shooting him a wounded look, she tapped his chest with a tiny fist. "You're awful—scaring me like that. I thought you were about to… break me."
Hayashi Maki caught her little fist with a smile. "Silly. How could I bear to? It took me long enough to win you—I'll treasure you, Shino."
"Alright. It's still early; let's work at it so you can awaken sooner. It's not safe with you living here alone."
He lowered his head toward her pink lips. Shino, face burning, shyly closed her eyes. Refusal was impossible. Time was short; he'd surely go back to Shiina later. That only made her want to seize the moment and cherish their time.
He'd told her demon marriages weren't like human ones—that a demon could have multiple wives. As the "other woman," stealing her friend's man made her feel a little guilty. But even if she felt guilty, she wasn't going to let go. Maki-kun had killed the people who tried to hurt her—for her sake. She wanted to answer that tenderness and make him happy.
What followed came naturally.
…
After a long while, boneless with bliss, Shino lay languidly in Hayashi Maki's arms. She playfully tapped his chin with a fingertip, gazed at his handsome profile, and couldn't help the sweet smile at her lips.
He let her play, then dipped down to kiss her. "You're super cute without your glasses too. And those lenses aren't even prescription."
Flushed, Shino gathered herself and explained. "The ad said they're bullet-resistant. They were really expensive—¥50,000. Because of… what happened when I was little, I've got a deep trauma. Without them I'm even scared to go outside. Isn't that useless of me?"
The isolation had lasted so long that her mindset couldn't change overnight. Hayashi Maki, seeing her droop, slid an arm around her waist and drew her closer. "Silly—Shino's already brave. You still go out. You work and support yourself. That matters."
"Are you… still afraid of that gun now?" he asked.
"I… don't know." She was nervous—eager to try but afraid of breaking down again. No girl wants her man to see her at her worst. As much as she enjoyed being protected in his warm arms, she had pride too; she wanted to become brave and protect him in return.
"Then let's try."
With a turn of his right hand, the pistol Shinkawa had used appeared in his palm. Shino flinched when she saw that familiar gun—but it wasn't as terrifying as she'd imagined. As if the shadow had lifted, she even took the weapon to look it over.
Hayashi Maki smiled in relief. "Looks like you're not afraid anymore. I knew it—the girl who threw herself in front of a bullet for me in an emergency is a brave one."
"Stop praising me—it's embarrassing!" Shino pressed her face to his chest. But it did feel like the trauma was gone.
Watching her shy face, desire flickered again—and what had begun as "replenishing magic" resumed once more…
Some time later, he finally left Shino's place. On the way, he checked his abilities.
[Demon]
Follower 1: Shiina Mahiru (grants Super Regeneration)
Follower 2: Yukinoshita Haruno (grants Damage Absorption/Storage and Damage Transfer)
Follower 3: Asada Shino (grants Attacks Always Hit)
Attacks always hit? So once he locked on, any attack—whatever the method—would land. It was basically Shino's sniper talent. He was very satisfied. And once Shino fully awakened as a follower, he'd gain another ability again.
There was another change after contracting Shino: his physique, magic, and even endurance in that department had all improved again. The more followers, the stronger he became. He really was destined to be a broad-hearted man—and he would keep contracting other excellent followers.
After Hayashi Maki left, Shino took a shower. Back in her room, one look at the messy sheets and her cheeks went scarlet. She hurried to strip the bed and start the wash. Images of their closeness flickered through her mind; warmth spread through her chest.
From now on, she had someone to rely on. No more fear of bullies, no more flinching at the thought of a sudden gun attack. Without that shadow, the whole world felt bright.
He might call himself a demon, but to her he was a beam of light that illuminated everything.
"Sorry, Shiina… with a man this good, I'm not letting go," she murmured. They were all his followers anyway—surely they could get along.
She glanced at the glasses on her desk—the ones she'd bought for ¥50,000 —and thought maybe she wouldn't need to wear them when she went out anymore. At least not for "safety." Now she felt completely secure; her heart was full of him. The fear was gone.
To be honest, when he said he'd taken care of Endou's trio and Shinkawa, she'd been scared. But thinking it through—if he hadn't rooted those scumbags out—she'd only have been harassed again. And the way Shinkawa had acted today wasn't normal at all—practically monstrous. Someone like that, wanting to violate her… disgusting.
Maki-kun killed only the bad ones, to protect her. Remembering that, she wasn't afraid anymore. Besides—hadn't she killed someone too? A bank robber. She'd felt inferior about it, but in a way, Maki-kun was like her—that made them a good match, didn't it?
And there was one more thing: this was their secret. Shiina didn't even know yet. She understood Hayashi Maki spoiled Mahiru, which was why he hadn't told her who he really was. But as the "other woman," Shino felt she had no right to get jealous.
She could only hope that when Mahiru eventually found out about her and Maki-kun, she would accept it—and they could live in peace together. Shino liked Shiina Mahiru too; she didn't want to lose a friend like her.
Friendship and love—greedy or not, she wanted them both.
~~~
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