Chapter 6: Esther, the Bed Warmer
At night, after the two finished bathing together, Esther hugged Renga and peacefully fell asleep.
It wasn't until the next morning that Renga and Esther finally got out of bed.
Even by morning, Esther was still drowsy.
This was because Esther, as the Demon Slaying Holy Sword, needed sleep to replenish her energy.
In her original world, a high-ranking spirit like her would travel to the spirit realm to restore energy.
However, on one hand, Renga's current power couldn't fully sustain Esther's manifestation, so she usually remained asleep inside the sword. She would only emerge when Renga needed to fight, when they were alone together, or when Esther herself wanted to appear.
.....
Sunlight spilled onto the streets, dotted with golden spots.
Most of the people along the way were office workers and students.
The girls wearing Kuoh Academy uniforms were youthful and vibrant, their overflowing youthful energy captivating the opposite sex.
Yet these girls, whom others saw as part of the scenery, focused their gazes on another male.
Naturally, it was Renga.
His appearance was originally quite good, and his height surpassed not only his peers but also few adults.
Moreover, after two and a half years of cultivation, his demeanor had undergone a dramatic change. While not overly sharp, it was certainly extraordinary. Combined with achieving the top scores in every subject at school, even if Renga wanted to keep a low profile, it was difficult.
Not only within his school, but even students from other schools had heard of his name.
Of course, another reason for Renga's immense popularity was that Kuoh Academy was formerly an all-girls school. Although it later became co-ed, student screening remained quite strict.
Because of this, some troubled students and societal youths who couldn't enroll would often harass female students nearby.
One time, Renga happened to pass by and intervened. Later, that group refused to accept defeat and gathered several dozen people to specifically ambush him after school.
In the end, Renga single-handedly took down all of them, instantly becoming the hero in the eyes of all the girls in the entire academy.
Only after entering the classroom did Renga manage to escape the crowd of girls surrounding him.
He felt helpless inwardly—being too perfect was also a sin.
"Ah, the protagonist is here. Now all the girls in the class will focus their attention on him again."
"Dammit, how can there be such a perfect person in this world? If only I were like that too."
"Wake up, stop dreaming. Let's not even think about the girls in our class. As long as this guy is around, we won't have a chance, sob..."
The few boys in the class secretly huddled together to discuss.
Compared to the girls, most boys regarded Renga as the enemy of all males.
But they only dared to whisper about it in private.
Although Renga heard them, he paid no mind to their comments.
Though unintentional, a man like him was destined to shine like a blazing sun wherever he went. Even if he did nothing, he would still radiate intense light.
Because the sun was simply there.
Unless he actively hid himself, there was no place his light wouldn't reach.
Renga took out a book and silently flipped through it, paying no attention to the gazes around him.
However, he was aware that many people in this class were watching him.
Aside from the background characters, the more noteworthy ones were Touka Kirishima, Eriri Spencer Sawamura, and Koneko Toujou.
Through his knowledge of the original work, Renga clearly understood the identities of these three.
One was a ghoul. However, just as there were good and bad devils, ghouls also had their distinctions. She was currently working part-time at a café, keeping her identity secret.
Eriri was an old acquaintance of his; they had known each other since middle school.
It was somewhat amusing—their initial meeting wasn't due to any hero-saving-beauty scenario.
Since childhood, she had loved ACG culture and aspired to be a doujinshi artist. Yet, whether in storytelling or artwork, she had been utterly defeated by Renga.
His unparalleled drawing skills, capable of making both men and women's blood race with just a glance, combined with the countless masterpieces he had seen before transmigrating, allowed him to casually produce a piece that made Eriri bite her lip in frustration before conceding defeat.
However, the young girl's competitive and proud nature meant that every so often, she would create new artwork and invite Renga to view it, hoping to earn his praise.
Noticing her sly, stealthy glances now, it was clear she had recently completed another piece.
But there was no opportunity for him to appreciate it at school.
As for Koneko Toujou—
A member of the Occult Research Club, and a servant of the devil noble Rias Gremory.
She had previously invited him to become a servant, but he had refused. Still, Renga knew very well that Rias wouldn't give up so easily.
If he were in her position, he would do the same.
The class bell rang, and Mafuyu Kirisu, dressed in a mature black stockings outfit with light pink hair, entered the classroom with a stern expression.
"Class, today we will have a surprise test."
"Huh?"
Hearing this, the classroom instantly erupted in complaints.
Koneko and Eriri were horrified.
The former had been pulling all-nighters gaming recently, while the latter had been staying up late drawing and studying other artworks for reference. Neither had reviewed their lessons at all.