Even after stepping out of the Hidden Management Department building, Tōka Takanashi still felt a sense of unreality.
Especially when watching Serafall twirl that bank card between two fingers, the absurdity of the world struck her even more strongly.
Just like that, she'd obtained 100 million yen?
An amount that would take twenty years to earn at her current salary?
And that twenty-year calculation assumed she worked three jobs simultaneously while spending nothing at all.
In that moment, Tōka Takanashi keenly felt the world's disparities.
Compared to Magical Girls or delusional fantasies, cold, hard cash impacted her heart most powerfully...
Thus, her foremost thought now was to take the bank card and verify whether it truly contained 100 million yen.
Yet regrettably, the card wasn't in her possession... More regrettably, the money wasn't hers either...
Just as Tōka thought this, a hand suddenly reached towards her:
"Here you go."
"Huh?"
Tōka instinctively accepted what Serafall handed over. Only when she realised it was the bank card did she freeze, looking up at Serafall in astonishment.
Seeing Tōka's expression, Serafall said with a cheerful smile: "Tōka-chan really is a bad girl~ You want this thing so much, yet you won't tell your master~"
"Children who don't cry won't get fed, you know."
Hearing the young Satan's teasing words, Tōka Takanashi frowned slightly. While accepting the bank card, she calmly stated:
"Once money is in my hands, I won't be giving it back."
Though she said this, Tōka Takanashi had no intention of spending this unexpected windfall. Instead, she planned to keep it safe for Serafall's living expenses.
Though she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't benefit slightly from this portion of living expenses, she could at least promise not to touch this money for personal desires.
She liked money, but hadn't sunk to the point where everything revolved around it.
"It's fine, Tōka-chan can spend it freely. Compared to that..."
Serafall waved her hand casually, indicating Tōka Takanashi could handle the funds as she wished.
At that moment, she turned her head, narrowing her eyes with a sharp, composed gaze towards the Hidden Management Department building:
"It seems, just as Ajuka said, Luo Shu-kun indeed has those kinds of needs."
Watching Serafall's suddenly transformed expression—her previously silly, endearing aura replaced by this razor-sharp intensity—Tōka Takanashi, who'd been about to put away the bank card, felt a chill crawl up her spine from the base of her tailbone to her brain.
'This expression and gaze? Serafall, you...'
"To win Ravel over in just a few short days?"
Serafall smiled, but her tone was no longer that innocent sweetness—instead carrying a bewitching blend of calm and madness:
"Ruval-dono will likely be heartbroken. After all, having one's younger sister defect so easily... is quite troublesome. He'll worry we Satans might question the Phoenix family's loyalty..."
"Though compared to defection, I'd rather believe there's shared interest at play. Ravel-chan doesn't seem coerced from any angle..."
"Such rapid alignment switching, such abundant mutual trust—it's practically like forming a life-and-death alliance, or even assimilation... Similar abilities perhaps? Or could this be Luo Shu's special power as a Demigod?"
Serafall knew Demigods each possessed unique abilities.
That power, called Class, would, upon reaching Hero Rank, allow its wielder to grasp deeper, conceptual forces.
Mastering these conceptual Class abilities would dramatically enhance power, preparing the foundation for so-called further advancement—the formation of Authority.
This elevated power was called Greater abilities, the true combat means of a Demigod.
Though Serafall had never witnessed a Demigod's Greater ability, she'd experienced Twin-Wings Edelweiss's reality-rending slashes more than once.
Whenever she recalled it, Serafall shuddered at that power which could sever bodies, magic, even thought itself at any moment.
Yet according to intelligence gathered by Ajuka, what Twin-Wings Edelweiss demonstrated then was merely the critical state infinitely approaching a Greater ability—not yet fully transformed.
If untransformed power could be so terrifying, how much more after metamorphosis?
Therefore, if a Demigod's Greater ability could command other races, subjugating them as subordinates...
Serafall gazed at the Hidden Management Department building, staring at the third-floor windows whose interiors were invisible from outside, then suddenly brightened her expression:
"It seems Luo Shu-kun is an extremely dangerous individual where women are concerned~"
Here, Serafall reverted to her usual silly grin, teasing Tōka Takanashi: "Tōka, you should be careful not to get tricked by Luo Shu in the future."
"...I have no interest in married men."
Tōka Takanashi responded with a slightly dry tone, eyeing Serafall with an inexplicable look.
That sudden shift in demeanour earlier—she didn't believe it was just her imagination.
'So, was that the real Serafall just now?'
Compared to the airheaded version from before, Tōka was far more inclined to believe the Serafall she'd just witnessed was the genuine article.
After all, this was someone who could make people hand over 100 million yen with a single sentence, without even expecting anything in return.
Tōka believed fools existed in this world, but she didn't believe wealthy capitalists could ever be that stupid.
And in her mind, both Luo Shu and Mira Tsubakihara fit the capitalist mould.
If Luo Shu was willing to casually gift Serafall 100 million yen, it meant the impact of this 'gift' held value far exceeding that sum.
A capitalist's actions were always driven by profit.
So... why exactly had Serafall chosen her? A hint of suspicion arose in Tōka's heart.
It couldn't really be because she had so-called 'Magical Girl' potential, could it?
Though she'd pieced together some clues, limited by her perspective, Tōka still couldn't grasp the full picture.
And Serafall clearly had no intention of explaining. In fact, she seemed to find Tōka's confusion rather amusing:
"If Tōka-chan says so, then you'd better remember those words~ If you go back on them, I'll be the first to laugh at you."
"Don't worry. I won't give you that opportunity."
Tōka sighed, then calmly tucked away the bank card before asking:
"Now that we're done here, shall we head to my part-time job together?"
Serafall's eyes lit up at this, and she cheered excitedly:
"Sure~ I've always wanted to see what working part-time feels like!"
"You'll be disappointed."
"We'll see about that after trying it."
"Gogogo!!"
As Serafall pumped her fist in encouragement, Tōka sighed again and began walking, leading the girl towards her workplace.
...
Meanwhile, as the two departed...
By the third-floor window.
Luo Shu leaned sideways against the windowsill, watching the two figures below with a heavy, profound gaze.