The only sound in the bathroom was the steady splash of water overflowing from the tub.
Ryuya glanced down—and froze.
Sakurajima Mai's body was half-submerged in the steaming bath. The rippling water distorted the view slightly, but not enough to hide the alluring outline beneath.
Uhh… not bad…
"…Yeah, I should probably add a warning on the flyers next time—'Do NOT perform the summoning spell while you're in the bath,'" he muttered under his breath.
In the silence of the bathroom, his voice was embarrassingly clear.
Mai blinked, her face instantly flushing red as she finally realized what had just happened. And now that she could see him clearly—she recognized him as the boy who had handed her that strange flyer yesterday.
She forced herself not to scream, instead curling up tightly in the bathtub, her eyes locked on Ryuya with sharp wariness.
"Get out," she said coldly.
Her tone was calm on the surface, but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her confusion.
Judging by how Ryuya had just appeared out of thin air in her home, she already knew this was another supernatural event. Thankfully, she'd had her fair share of bizarre experiences, so she barely managed to keep her composure.
"My deepest apologies. I didn't mean to intrude," Ryuya said quickly, turning his head aside.
He stood up immediately, climbed out of the bath—soaking wet from head to toe—and walked out of the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, he exhaled helplessly.
His first-ever summoning, and he had to appear like this? Drenched, awkward, and possibly about to offend the person who summoned him.
If she got angry thinking he'd seen her naked and refused to make a contract—or worse, decided to mess with him on purpose—he was doomed.
Great. Just great.
A few minutes later, Sakurajima Mai emerged from the bathroom, now fully dressed.
Ryuya was still standing there in his soaked clothes, waiting patiently like nothing had happened.
"Let me introduce myself properly," he said calmly. "Miss Sakurajima Mai, my name is Ryuya Kurobane. I came in response to your summoning. I am—" he paused slightly, "—a devil."
It was as if the earlier embarrassment had never occurred. His tone was composed, his demeanor steady.
"...A devil?" Mai repeated, her attention caught despite herself.
"That's right," he said with a faint smile. "Exactly the kind you're thinking of."
As he spoke, Ryuya walked toward the sofa. The air around him shifted—dark energy surged, his black hair fluttered, his wet clothes rustling in the force of his demonic aura.
A moment later, the dampness evaporated completely, leaving him perfectly dry.
Seeing that display up close, Mai's breath hitched.
That… wasn't something an ordinary human could do.
"The world really is getting more and more ridiculous," she murmured under her breath. Her worldview had just taken another direct hit.
Ryuya could easily understand what she meant—he'd felt that same sense of disbelief before.
After all, not long ago he'd died, crossed worlds, and been reincarnated as a devil. Compared to that, this girl's situation was practically mundane.
"The world's always been ridiculous," he said, sitting down comfortably on the sofa. "You've simply started to see what's real."
His expression grew serious as his gaze met hers.
"I came to grant your wish. You want me to solve the problem of being unseen by others, don't you?"
Ryuya didn't bother faking pleasantries—he knew someone like Mai would see through that instantly. Instead, he kept to his true self: calm, straightforward, and composed.
His sincerity seemed to catch her off guard. Yesterday, he'd worn a fake smile, acting polite and accommodating. But now… he was entirely different.
"…How did you know?" Mai asked curiously.
"I sensed it from the fluctuations of your soul when you summoned me," he explained patiently. "The flyer I gave you was actually a summoning spell. It connects to your soul—letting me perceive your wish and respond to it."
He spoke plainly, explaining the purpose of the magic circle and how it worked.
If things went smoothly, Sakurajima Mai would be able to summon him again through this same magic circle in the future—so Ryuya figured it was best to explain everything clearly now.
"You said you're here to grant my wish," Mai asked calmly. "What do I have to give in return?"
Her tone wasn't frightened or flustered—just composed and steady.
Ryuya couldn't help but admire her composure. This girl really was something else. Her initial shock had lasted only a few seconds, and now she was completely level-headed, as if none of this could shake her.
"My purpose," he said truthfully, "is to form a contract with you."
He saw no reason to hide it.
"A contract…? What does that do?" she asked.
"Once a contract is established," Ryuya explained, "your emotions and desires will generate energy that flows to me. That power helps me grow stronger. In return, I'll do my best to fulfill some of your wishes."
Mai blinked blankly. "So the legends about devils gaining strength by tempting humans… are actually true."
"You seem to be misunderstanding something," Ryuya replied lightly. "This isn't temptation—it's an equal exchange."
Leaning back against the sofa, his voice grew soft, calm.
"The contract is purely voluntary. I won't force you into it. And it won't harm you in any way. Normally, the emotional energy you produce—your joy, anger, sorrow, and desire—just dissipates into nothing. I simply make use of what's already wasted."
That explanation actually surprised Mai a little.
"…Are devils always this easy to talk to?"
"What did you think?" he asked with a faint smirk. "That we eat people alive? Or that we're all greedy, lustful, bloodthirsty monsters?"
…Aren't you? Mai thought silently.
She studied him quietly.
Now that she had a closer look, he really was handsome. And after actually talking with him, her impression from yesterday—that he was just a polite, ordinary boy—had completely changed.
Since the moment he appeared, he'd been calm and detached. Combined with his identity, that composed attitude gave him an oddly mysterious air.
He clearly cared about forming this contract; that much was obvious from how patiently he explained everything to her. But if she didn't ask questions, he wouldn't say much on his own. A bit of an introvert, perhaps.
Still, one thing she could tell for sure—Ryuya wasn't going to hurt her.
If he'd intended harm, someone with his kind of power wouldn't have bothered wasting time talking to a weak human girl like her.
"…Please allow me to think about it first," Mai said softly.
"Of course." Ryuya nodded without hesitation. Patience was something he could afford.
Mai found his attitude unexpectedly agreeable.
Ever since this strange invisibility phenomenon began, it had been a long time since she'd been able to properly talk to anyone. Now, for the first time in ages, she actually felt human again—not like some wandering ghost.
Even if the person she was talking to happened to be a self-proclaimed devil…
Her tone softened slightly. "Would you like some water?"
"Thank you," Ryuya said with a straight face. "But I already have my own mouth water."
Mai: "…??"
Both of them fell silent.
The atmosphere froze.
"…Just trying to lighten the mood," he added after a beat.
"Congratulations," Mai deadpanned. "You've successfully made it colder."
Ryuya chuckled quietly, unfazed by her sarcasm.
Well… at least the whole "seeing her naked" incident was behind them now. As long as they both pretended it never happened, everything would be fine.
...
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