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Two hours later.
Edgar wiped his hands and called it a day. The work had dragged on, but to him it barely counted as a warm-up.
Along the way, he'd forcibly turned Itsuki Shima into a demon.
Still, it was more of a minor upgrade than anything game-changing.
With that thought, he finally had the leisure to check her status window.
[Itsuki Shima]
Race: Demon
Master: Edgar Lucifugus
Level: 11
Skill: Bewitching Eyes
[Bewitching Eyes]: By locking eyes, can disturb an opponent's mind and influence their actions.
A mental skill, huh. Not bad.
Edgar stroked his chin and gave a small nod. This was the first time he'd gotten a skill of that type.
As he was mulling it over, he heard Shima's voice.
Turning, he saw that the newest member of his household had regained consciousness.
That was… surprisingly fast.
Should he say it? Truly fitting for someone from the Underworld? The girl really did have some unnatural talent.
In just that short time, she had fainted so many times it must have set a record for new familiars.
And yet—every time she got up again, over and over, like some bizarre sit-up routine.
In its own way, that made her a rare treasure.
"Good evening, Master…"
Shima had barely opened her eyes before instinctively starting to tidy the place.
After her firsthand "experiment" just now, she understood perfectly well that the potion was something precious—far too valuable to waste.
She was about to get to work when Edgar stopped her.
"That's enough. There are people waiting outside."
At his words, she obediently nodded.
"I understand, Master."
Ever since she'd become a demon, she'd discovered something terrifying: every single wicked thought she had brought only unbearable pain.
Her body and mind—no, even her soul—were no longer her own. Everything had been reshaped into his image.
"Oh, right. Here, take this."
With a wave, Edgar summoned a set of clothes from his home using teleportation magic. Whose clothes they had been originally, even he wasn't sure.
Shima thanked him softly, dressed herself quickly, and fell in step behind him.
Meanwhile—
Miko Yotsuya and Hitagi Senjougahara were still waiting anxiously.
The barrier had vanished, yes, but knowing full well their own limits, neither of them dared rush inside. The last thing they wanted was to drag Edgar down.
The next moment, relief lit up their faces.
They spotted Edgar emerging… with Itsuki Shima walking right behind him.
"???" ×2.
Senjougahara and Miko were both left staring, bewildered.
That woman—wasn't she supposed to be their enemy?
So why was she trailing after Edgar so respectfully, as if she belonged to him?
And the closer she drew, the stronger the aura around her became. It was thick and heavy, even sharper than the scent of blood.
They exchanged uneasy glances.
When they finally dared to look at her, they realized the clothes Edgar had given were struggling to contain her generous curves.
Both girls froze, their expressions twisting into something complicated as heat crept up their cheeks. Neither dared meet her gaze.
This turn of events… was way too messy.
"My, my. Dear Master," Senjougahara spoke first, her words smooth but her tone sharp. "Don't you think it's a little inappropriate to keep your loyal familiars waiting outside for so long?"
She leaned heavily on the word long.
"Who are you looking down on?" Edgar blinked, genuinely surprised. "I already did my best to save time."
So shameless?
Hitagi Senjougahara's eyelid twitched.
Doesn't he have even a shred of shame?
…Wait. No.If he had shame, he wouldn't have stuck around this long.
Figures.Her so-called master's brain was nothing but gutter trash.
Sensing what Senjougahara was thinking, Edgar said offhandedly,"Don't make a big deal out of it. I'm destined to build a harem anyway—because, you know, I'm a demon."
"Hold on. Demon? What's that supposed to mean?"
Miko Yotsuya finally snapped out of her daze, blinking in confusion.The word "demon," to her, meant the ultimate evil from legends—the sworn enemy of the Exorcist Temple.
She sneaked a glance at Edgar.
…He looked nothing like a demon.Not hideous at all. If anything, he was ridiculously handsome—way too handsome.
So "demon" must just be some kind of nickname.Strong people on TV always had nicknames.Yeah, that had to be it. No doubt.
Miko nodded to herself over and over.
…What on earth is this girl imagining?
Edgar gave her a weird look."I really am a demon, you know."
"Haha, exorcist-san, quit messing around."
Fwoosh!
Black wings unfurled from his back.
"Believe me now?"
Miko's pupils shrank. A bead of sweat visibly rolled down her forehead.
A demon—he was actually a demon?!
What kind of luck was this?She'd barely escaped the wolf's den, only to stumble straight into a tiger's jaws.
Was she about to be eaten alive?
Her eyes welled up, tears sliding down her cheeks.And worse—heat flushed through her body until—
Drip. Drip.
The sound of liquid hitting the ground made her want to curl up and disappear.
Every instinct screamed at her to turn and run, but her mind was in shock, frozen stiff.
"Relax. I'm not going to hurt you."
Edgar ruffled her hair lightly, then pulled out a parchment contract and slipped it into her hand.
"Keep this. If you ever have a wish you want granted, just summon me."
But Miko didn't react.Or rather—terror had already swallowed her whole.
Edgar sighed. "Think about it. If I really meant you harm, why would I bother with all this?"
That gave her pause.Now that he mentioned it… that did make sense.
She inched back a few steps, glancing between Edgar, Senjougahara, and Itsuki Shima.
Seeing none of them make a move, she finally relaxed a little.Maybe… maybe she was overthinking it.
Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "Um… can I go now?"
"Of course," Edgar answered without hesitation.
"T-then… see you next time."
With that, Miko bolted out of sight, practically tripping over herself in her rush.
Itsuki chuckled. "Master, if you wanted her as a familiar, you could've just done the reincarnation ritual on the spot. Why let her go?"
Edgar shook his head with a small laugh."When it comes to my familiars, I care about their choice. It's way more fun if they agree willingly."
Itsuki froze mid-smile, mouth opening as if to object—then shutting again.
…That's not what you told me.
"Senjougahara," Edgar asked casually, "how's your father doing?"
"…He almost didn't make it," she said quietly. "He's in the hospital now. Still unconscious."
Her eyes flickered with worry.
"Don't stress. He's just suffering from a bit of curse-energy corrosion. I'll help clear it out."
Her eyes lit up at that, gratitude softening her face.
Maybe her master… wasn't so bad after all.
Handsome.
And caring, too.
If only he weren't such a shameless flirt, he'd be the perfect boyfriend.
"By the way, Master, do you have the ability to erase memories?"
"Of course."
Edgar gave Senjougahara Hitagi a brief glance and nodded.
Tweaking a normal person's memories was child's play.
"Then… could you erase that part of my father's memories?"
There was a flicker of emotion in Hitagi's eyes.
"That woman's already gone."
"At least… let her leave behind a decent impression in his heart."
"…Fine."
Edgar's apartment.
A flash of light.
The three of them stepped out of the glowing magic circle.
Hitagi and Itsuki both looked around curiously.
"…Where are we?" they asked almost in unison.
"My place. Think of it as a gathering spot for my familiars."
Hitagi blinked, then asked without thinking, "So, besides the two of us… how many familiars do you have?"
Edgar rubbed his chin. "Ten or so? I've never really counted."
The two women fell silent.
That's… a lot of competition.
Footsteps shuffled from deeper inside, and soon a whole group of girls came pouring into the living room, chattering like a flock of sparrows.
"Perfect timing," Edgar said. "Get to know each other—these are all part of the family too."
Hitagi bowed politely. "Nice to meet you all. I'm Senjougahara Hitagi. Please take care of me from now on."
"I'm Itsuki Shima. Just call me Itsuki ."
Ding—
The girls' gazes swept the newcomers, then—without exception—locked straight onto Itsuki's chest.
…This woman's sin is simply being too blessed.
Sensing their stares, Itsuki smiled sweetly and, almost imperceptibly, straightened her back.
Hmph.
Victory is mine.
Hitagi: "???"
Why do I suddenly feel… looked down on?
On the other side of the room, Eriri's expression was hard to read.
Two more new familiars.
Meanwhile, she was still standing in the same place as always.
Would she just stay like this forever?
Or… was it time to make a move?
The thought firmed in her mind, and determination flashed in her eyes.
She reached out and pulled Shiho Miyano back a step.
"..."
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