[You named the Beast of Pleasure "Koyanskaya." Though she outwardly disliked it, she quietly accepted the name. Her attitude toward you grows increasingly careful and gentle.]
[Unknowingly, two months have passed. In that time, you have continued to purify the grudges of the dead on this scorched land. The undead of the Tunguska region have gradually come to recognize your presence.]
[With Koyanskaya's careful guidance, your Empathy has grown much more refined. You've also absorbed and digested much of the divine magecraft she taught you.]
[Likewise, she has shown interest in the modern magecraft you perform, occasionally asking questions about its structure. When she learned you were from the Clock Tower, she quietly committed that name to memory.]
Inside a magnificently decorated tent, a youth with a still-immature face and demeanor stood barefoot on a soft carpet.
In his hands, the grudges he'd collected had been purified into a strange magecraft, which shifted its form quietly with his will.
Not far away, Koyanskaya watched him, her expression tinged with surprise, her eyes fixed on the magecraft in his hands.
"I didn't expect a human to have such strong learning ability…" she said softly.
"Should I take that as a compliment?" Sajyou looked up with a small smile.
"…You may take it as such—for now," Koyanskaya replied, nodding in a deliberately reserved way.
She didn't want to admit it, but Sajyou's performance over the past two months genuinely surprised her.
More importantly, he studied with unwavering diligence.
Every day, he used Empathy to refine grudges into pure energy for her to absorb.
…But why?
"Every time you use Empathy, you have to probe the pain of the undead's inner world," she finally said, unable to hold the question back any longer. "If you keep this up, won't you be exhausted?"
Over this period, Sajyou had almost never needed her to "urge" him. Each morning, he would wake up and immediately start extracting pure energy, working until evening before finally resting.
He was still a human being, full of common flaws like cowardice and laziness…
Purifying the dead's grudges placed no small burden on his spirit. How could he not be tired?
Sometimes, watching him in the tent, she couldn't help but think that.
Sajyou thought for a moment, then answered honestly, "A little. But as long as I can, I want to purify more grudges."
She blinked, slightly stunned.
"Why?"
Sajyou turned his eyes toward the vast, barren land outside the tent.
"You were born from this great explosion," he said quietly. "In other words, you're a part of this land."
"So…"
He smiled and met her gaze.
"When I empathize with this land's resentment, I feel like I understand you a little better, too."
Silence fell over the tent.
The Beast of Pleasure, born with intense hostility toward humans, stared at him with a faintly dazed expression.
His still slightly boyish face shone with a gentle brilliance under the light, his warm smile scattering her focus for a moment.
…So he wanted to understand her more.
Even to the point of willingly accepting the tragic memories of those who had died here?
This human… was truly strange.
Was it out of self-pity?
Or—
Thump.
For an instant, Koyanskaya felt her heart beating faster again.
But as a newly born Beast—and worse, one born as a natural enemy to humanity—she had no idea what this strange flutter in her chest meant.
Under the boy's open, gentle gaze, her own chest tightened inexplicably. Her cheeks began to feel slightly warm.
Already a goddess of seduction by appearance alone, once she grew even the slightest bit shy, her charm became overwhelming.
Yet the words that came from her soft red lips remained as dispassionate and scornful as ever.
"Hmph… As expected, a foolish human," she muttered. "I was only asking because I was worried you'd collapse in one day from overworking yourself trying to purify all the resentment in this country."
"Got it, got it. I'll think about what topic to teach you tonight, so look forward to it," she added, quickly turning away. "And you must rest properly. Even for me, a balance of work and rest is preferable…"
She didn't give Sajyou a chance to respond. Head lowered, she hurried out of the tent—afraid that if she stayed a second longer, she might "lose face" in front of him.
Watching her back in silence, Sajyou couldn't help but chuckle softly. He stretched out lazily and sank back into the soft sofa.
They say "tsunderes" are out of fashion nowadays…
But this one is… really cute.
In two lives, Sajyou Izaya had never dated anyone. But he firmly believed that sincerity was the greatest weapon of all—provided, of course, that the other party wasn't a "bad woman."
After this period of interaction, he already had a fairly clear understanding of Koyanskaya.
On the surface she was cold, arrogant, and dismissive. In truth, she was more prideful than cruel.
After all, every evil born of humanity fundamentally loved humanity in some twisted way…
As for her being "good" or "evil," that was beside the point. The fact remained that she taught him magecraft every night with patience—and even spent effort roundaboutly reminding him to rest.
From his perspective—
That made her a very good woman.
Thinking about it this way, it almost felt like she had no flaws at all…
Her strength needed no comment. As a Beast, her power was beyond doubt.
As for her looks—
She was a perfect match for his personal tastes.
A tall royal "older sister" type, long pink hair, elegant dress, smooth and slender white legs, and a chest big enough to leave a person breathless…
She truly was a "fox," with a unique, dangerous allure.
There were no flaws to pick at on that front, either.
Of course, Sajyou was still in his developmental phase…
But imagining a future where he ended up with this royal "older sister" kind of woman, how could he not feel a thrill of excitement?
Though, he wasn't quite sure which of them should count as the "older" one.
On one hand, she was a newborn Beast.
On the other, he had lived in this world for sixteen years.
Thinking about all this, he eventually got to his feet and stepped out of the tent.
He stood upon the vast land of silent death and began another day of Empathy.
Before he knew it, the day had passed from morning to dusk.
As the sky darkened and Sajyou finished that day's purification, preparing to return to rest, a special interface quietly appeared before his eyes.
[You have obtained a special talent: Reality Marble – Scorched Earth]
[Scorched Earth: You can expand your inner world, temporarily reproducing—within a limited area—the full scene of extinction after the Tunguska Explosion. Within this bounded field, you may summon the creatures of this land to fight at your side.]