"Eh? Ehh!!"
Miko Yotsuya first gasped in shock, then flailed her hands before her like she was cleaning a window:
"Wait, hold on a second!"
"Weren't you going to explain our abilities? How did it turn into staying over tonight?"
"This development isn't right, is it?"
Miko Yotsuya felt utterly bewildered. Weren't they supposed to be discussing abilities? How had it turned into an overnight stay?
Though she understood that becoming part of the Familia meant her future was now tied to Luo Shu, staying over still felt way too sudden.
"This development is perfectly logical. We've just skipped a few steps, that's all."
Luo Shu wasn't particularly surprised by Miko's reaction—in fact, a strong reaction was to be expected. They hadn't known each other long, so mentioning an overnight stay naturally elicited... reactions:
"Yotsuya, do you think Demigods are common?"
Miko froze, not daring to speak. She hesitated, glancing at Luo Shu, then at Yukino Yukinoshita beside them, before finally answering in an uncertain tone:
"There should be... quite a few?"
"If we're talking about the entire world's population of over seven billion, then yes, that number would be large."
Luo Shu nodded, watching as Miko's expression relaxed slightly, then calmly added:
"But in terms of confirmed Demigods, there are currently about five in the entire world. Quite the substantial number—almost enough to count on one hand."
"...Five?" Miko stared blankly at Luo Shu, tilting her head. "In the whole world?"
"Correct." Luo Shu confirmed.
"That's ridiculously few!"
Miko suddenly exclaimed, her entire face a picture of disbelief.
Five people out of seven billion? That would make them the top five in the world, wouldn't it? By that logic, they'd be on par with the leaders of the Five Major Powers. The strongest—or at least top five strongest—in the world?
A sudden, grave realisation struck her:
"Then how many sorcerers possess Demigod Rank abilities?"
On the mystic side, ability users were generally referred to as sorcerers, with abilities classified by rank. Demigod Rank referred to abilities with Demigod-level power...
All this information had been transmitted to her through the contract after she signed it.
Now, realising just how rare Demigods were, Miko understood that possessing a Demigod Rank ability likely made her extremely special.
In response to her question, Luo Shu answered with some uncertainty:
"Sorcerers with Demigod Rank abilities are far more numerous than actual Demigods. I'm not sure of the exact count, but there should be at least twenty."
"Top twenty in the world..." Miko suddenly felt a toothache coming on.
Back when she only had her ghost-seeing Mystic Eyes, she hadn't grasped how unique she was. But now, with Luo Shu's concrete numbers, it clicked.
Top twenty in the world—comparable to the top twenty wealthiest individuals, each worth at least twenty to thirty billion dollars. At an exchange rate of 1:150 yen, that would be 3 to 4 trillion yen.
Miko fell silent. Her eyes turned lifeless, dark and hollow:
"I'll get robbed... Absolutely, without a doubt... I'm just a normal high school student..."
Seeing her like this, Luo Shu and Yukino exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.
"You're surprisingly self-aware," Yukino remarked with a sigh.
Upon realising her own worth, Luo Shu immediately recognised that she was adopting a victim's perspective. Though he didn't understand why Miko Yotsuya would think this way, her line of reasoning was indeed a very suitable angle to approach from.
"To be honest, your Yin-Yang Insight is essentially a degraded version of the Eyes of God. In my opinion, its value is comparable to that of a living Demigod."
"In fact, I believe that if you were to advance to Demigod status, you might very well skip that stage entirely and directly become an Apostle wielding authority."
No sooner had Luo Shu finished speaking than Miko Yotsuya began shedding pitiful tears:
"Comparable to a Demigod? Doesn't that make it even worse?"
"...In a certain sense, yes."
Seeing Miko like this, Luo Shu found it both amusing and pitiful:
"Frankly speaking, if there weren't a lack of actual cases, I'd suspect your ability could serve as the main ingredient for certain professions advancing to Apostle status..."
This wasn't an impossible notion. Luo Shu had seen SDS archives documenting cases where people were used as primary materials for advancement. Of course, the perpetrators themselves were unaware they were using living humans as advancement materials, as these cases were typically disguised behind blood sacrifices.
"...Luo Shu, what should I do?"
Faced with the teary-eyed girl sniffling as she looked at him, Luo Shu felt his heart soften slightly.
He leaned back against the sofa cushions, considering for a moment before replying:
"As I said, the best solution is to stay at the garrison for the time being, using this environment to buy time for your growth."
"That's why I suggested you stay here directly."
"As for your family... shall I go and explain things to them?"
"Would that really be alright?"
Miko slapped both hands on the table with a loud clap, staring at Luo Shu with hopeful, expectant eyes.
"It should be fine, most likely." Luo Shu thought for a moment - Miko's family seemed to consist of just her mother. Gaining that woman's consent would just require showing her the ring on his hand.
"That's wonderful!"
Miko couldn't contain her urge to cheer, but just then, Hana Yurikawa, who had been listening quietly, suddenly asked in confusion:
"But how exactly will Luo Shu convince Aunt Yotsuya to let Miko stay here long-term?"
"Wait... could it be..." Hana glanced between Miko and Luo Shu before exclaiming in sudden realisation: "Actually, that might really work!!"
"Hana... whatever you're thinking, just say it directly." Miko's eyelid twitched violently as she forced a smile, already anticipating a dangerous possibility.
At this, Hana said cheerfully:
"I remember Aunt Yotsuya had you at around this age, Miko. Thinking about it that way, she'd probably agree to let you stay at a boy's place at your current age, too, right?"
Miko covered her face with both hands, curling up on the sofa as she took several deep breaths:
"I knew it would be this..."
Her voice muffled behind her hands, she spoke with utter despair:
"Hana, if you'd already guessed, you shouldn't have said it out loud!!"
"This method..." Luo Shu glanced at the nearly broken Miko Yotsuya and smiled faintly. "It's quite similar to what I had in mind."
He had originally planned to tamper with things by hypnotising Miko's mother into believing her daughter had become independent and was living in rented accommodation. But now, it seemed that moving in with a male lover better served his interests?
'Excellent, I'll copy this homework assignment!'
Unaware of Luo Shu's thoughts, Miko Yotsuya mistakenly believed Hana Yurikawa's words had exposed the truth. She was barely holding herself together:
"Don't just admit it at a time like this!"
"More importantly, why is this only happening to me? What about Hana? Doesn't her ability have any problems?"
Seeing Miko's angry attempt to drag others down with her, Luo Shu considered before replying:
"Yurikawa-san's Life Manipulation ability is Hero Rank, but truthfully, as long as it's properly controlled, apart from the risk of attracting demons and Evil Spirits by emitting life energy, it doesn't pose significant danger."
"Did you hear that, Hana? Your ability has risks too, so stay here with me!"
Miko selectively ignored the "properly controlled" part, immediately reaching out to grip Hana's shoulders with considerable force, as if afraid she might escape.
Hana seemed to be thinking about something, tilting her head for a long moment before saying:
"Hmm...I suppose a study trip would still be possible!"
Miko instantly understood her best friend's meaning and quickly accepted the compromise:
"Just staying with me for a month? Fine! It's decided then."
Watching the two happily reach their agreement, Luo Shu was momentarily taken aback before smiling wryly. He turned to Yukino Yukinoshita beside him:
"Yukino, would you mind showing them the accommodation arrangements for Familia members?"
"Understood." Yukino sighed, having anticipated this, then addressed the two girls: "Please follow me."
With that, Yukino led the two away from the reception room towards the Familia apartments on the top floor, leaving Luo Shu with three elegant silhouettes.
Once everyone had left, Luo Shu's smile gradually faded, his expression turning serious.
He was now contemplating a question.
A question concerning Evil Spirits manifesting in reality:
"Yin-Yang Insight doesn't seem to have the ability to make Evil Spirits visible - at least, not in Miko's current state..."
"So why do Evil Spirits descend from the Abyss into reality after being observed?"
Luo Shu silently attempted divination using the Mysticism Encyclopaedia, but as expected, received no answers.
"At least Demigod Rank or higher secrecy..."
He couldn't help but think.
Just then, a 'ding' sounded - the notification tone from his phone.
Frowning, he retrieved the device from his pocket and checked the message, his brows knitting deeply:
".....The Lost Demon capture operation actually failed?"
"What kind of situation is this?"