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"How rude! Calling me a demon the moment we meet, I'll get shy!"
Kaito turned to Seitenshi, who was staring at him with a look of sheer terror, and feigned embarrassment.
[Ugh! Host, please don't disgust the System!]
'Hmph, you just don't appreciate it!'
"Um... Sir, is there something you need from us?"
The purple-haired older sister in black stockings set her bowl of noodles aside and asked with a charming smile.
She was certainly very interested in the handsome young man standing before her, but a man capable of making Seitenshi call him a demon was not someone to take lightly.
"Ahem... let's get back to business!"
Kaito realised his joke had landed on completely deaf ears. He cleared his throat awkwardly and let his expression settle into something more serious.
[Host, I didn't get your joke either!]
"You all know what happened, right?"
"Yes! Shinobu has already explained everything to us in detail!"
Tendo Kisara replied with a composed expression. She and Satomi Rentaro had originally planned to make their way back to the company and figure out their next move from there.
But halfway through, the world had gone dark, and both of them had been brought to their knees by a soul-crushing dread.
It didn't last long. When she and Rentaro climbed back to their feet, the city around them was utterly silent.
After searching for some time, they confirmed it. Ninety-nine percent of the population was dead. With revenge the only thing left on her mind, she had come to terms with it faster than most would expect.
What she hadn't expected was Satomi Rentaro suddenly snapping. The moment she looked away, he had turned his gun on himself.
She had been found shortly after by Demon Slayer Corps members searching for survivors, and brought here.
"The people gathered here are those who never did anything cruel to the Cursed Children. You're all very fortunate."
The purple-haired older sister rested her chin in her hand, looking thoughtful.
"Is that so?"
"What are your plans once you get over there?"
Kaito asked directly, cutting straight to it.
"Plans? I don't have much time left to live anyway. My revenge has already been seen to, so for whatever time I have left, I'll just take things one day at a time."
Tendo Kisara waved a hand with the air of someone who had fully committed to drifting wherever the current took her.
Seeing her like that, Kaito couldn't help himself.
"With that attitude, I'd strongly recommend you join a very famous organisation back where we come from!"
Tendo Kisara blinked. "What organisation?"
Kaito straightened up and announced with great pride:
"The 'Do-Nothing Duo,' known to absolutely everyone in the entire city!"
"If you join, our membership will experience tremendous growth!"
From two people to three people. Wasn't that tremendous growth!
"Huh? Is there really an organisation like that where you're from?"
"There's no way something that ridiculous actually exists. You stupid woman, you really are a gorilla who can only solve things with a sword!"
Miori Shiba, standing nearby, watched Tendo Kisara actually consider it and scoffed in disbelief.
"Hey! What was that? What's so ridiculous about it!"
Kaito couldn't help cutting in at having his and Rimuru's organisation mocked.
"It can't possibly be real, can it?"
Even Seitenshi, still visibly wary of Kaito, found herself asking.
"Hmph hmph! I, humble as I am, happen to be one of the two great leaders of this organisation. Surprised?"
"I genuinely want to know who the other person is, that someone would actually join something like this."
Miori Shiba asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
"The other is Rimuru, leader of the Jura Forest Alliance!"
Kaito declared proudly to the baffled women in front of him.
"Um..."
The purple-haired older sister, Muroto Sumire, raised her hand with a somewhat hesitant expression.
"Are you referring to the Rimuru-sama that Shinobu and the others mentioned?"
"Oh! So Shinobu told you about her!"
Kaito looked genuinely surprised.
"Hold on," Miori Shiba cut in. "If I'm not mistaken, you and this Rimuru-sama are the two highest leaders of your entire faction, right?"
"Yes. Why?"
Kaito nodded without missing a beat.
"Why would your two highest leaders go and start something like that?"
"Well... that... there are always reasons that are hard to put into words, haha... hahahaha..."
Kaito laughed, his eyes sliding involuntarily away from everyone in the room.
What a guilty expression.
Every person present thought the same thing as they watched him.
"Alright, let's leave that aside." Kaito looked to Kisara. "Tendo, your illness is not a problem for us. We can treat it without any difficulty, so I'd genuinely encourage you to join Shizu's school as a teacher. Those children need people like you."
He turned to the purple-haired woman. "Miss Muroto Sumire, you would be an excellent fit for our research department."
Then to Miori Shiba. "Miss Shiba, our caravan could use someone with your skills."
Finally, his gaze settled on Seitenshi. "As for you, Seitenshi. I destroyed your Tokyo Area. But I think you understand by now why it had to be done."
Kaito watched her carefully. If even a flicker of hatred showed in her eyes, he had already decided how he would handle it.
"This... Alright. Things are as they are, and I have nothing more to say." Seitenshi met his gaze steadily despite the fear still written across her face. "How do you intend to place me?"
She had done a great deal of thinking over these past days. She had spoken to many people. And she had come to understand, fully, that Tendo Kikunojo and the others had been deceiving her from the very beginning. The Tokyo Area had brought its fate upon itself.
'This Seitenshi truly lives up to her name. I destroyed her city, and there isn't a trace of hatred in her.'
'From a different angle, she really is something.'
"I'd recommend starting in the political department to learn the ropes, then working toward a proper government role. You were raised to lead a nation. After a little adjustment, you could be a tremendous asset to Kagaya."
Seitenshi's eyes widened slightly at the recommendation. "Me? Am I really allowed to join? Aren't you worried I'll cause problems?"
"Hmph! Once you're in that world, what could you possibly do on your own."
"That's... true." Seitenshi let out a quiet breath, and then bowed slightly toward Kaito. "I've made my peace with things. I won't cause any trouble. I'll work hard."
"Good. That's enough then. Everyone get your things together. We're departing soon."
"Okay! *4"
People began streaming toward the centre of the camp. The entire camp filled with the bustle of children packing their belongings, alongside the small number of adults who had been gathered.
The world had been full of despicable people. But there had always been those who held to their principles, who had never crossed that line with the Cursed Children. Those were the ones brought here. They would help look after the children on the other side.
Kaito opened [Dimensional Gate] at the heart of the camp. A towering white portal rose before them, dozens of metres high, and every pair of eyes in the camp turned toward it...