Chapter 3: A Reliable Working Adult

Uesugi Toru withdrew his gaze from outside the window; at some point, a drizzle had begun falling outside.

By common sense, no one could appear outside a third-floor window, nor could he remain vigilant in the corridor while clearly seeing what lay outside the window.

But this world always has people who don't play by common sense.

For example, that Nure-oni floating outside the window, dripping wet all over, with prominent curves.

Another example: Uesugi Toru, who drew the Hundred-Eyed Demon's eyeball.

【Hundred-Eyed Demon's Single Eyeball】

【Quality: Excellent Quality】

【Usage One: Equip onto a Yokai Avatar】

【Usage Two: Use directly, occupying one equipment slot. If equipment slots are insufficient when used, it continuously consumes the user's Spirit Power.】

【Current Equipment Slots: 1/1】

The Hundred-Eyed Demon's big eyeball was very useful.

Not only was the vision excellent, but it could also move freely and rotate its viewpoint within a range of about fifty meters centered on him.

Moreover, the eyeball's concealment effect was quite good. This was evident from the fact that the Nure-oni had not yet discovered it was being peeped at.

However, the drawback was that a screen with a different viewpoint would suddenly appear before his eyes.

As a result, Uesugi Toru could only use it while motionless; once he started moving, he would feel inexplicably nauseous, like 3D motion sickness.

As for Usage One, it could not be tested for now.

"Is this Nure-oni an Onmyoji's Shikigami?"

Uesugi Toru, hearing footsteps clearly approaching from the corridor, couldn't help but show fear on his face.

Before he could deduce further, the footsteps outside the door stopped.

Uesugi Toru also took a deep breath at just the right moment, gripping the thorny wooden stick in his hand under the Nure-oni's quiet gaze.

Immediately, at the moment the door was pushed open, he roared and unleashed the Wangba Stick Technique!

"Get lost!"

Under Uesugi Toru's "terrified" gaze, a rough big hand steadily caught the wooden stick, followed by a burly body that nearly burst out of a police uniform.

Yet on this body that could be called a bodybuilding champion's physique, there grew a very incongruous sunny boy's face.

"Ghost! Ghost!"

Uesugi Toru was "scared" into sitting on the ground.

But then he seemed to remember something, and said forcefully yet timidly: "I won't let you pass!"

The bodybuilding youth sighed helplessly, took out his ID from his suit's inner pocket with practiced ease, and showed it before Uesugi Toru's eyes.

——【Special Police: Hasegawa Ken】.

"Police?"

Uesugi Toru lowered his outstretched arms and said in a daze.

Hasegawa nodded at him, showed his teeth in a smile, said "Leave it to me from now on," and then asked:

"Nanjo Sister, is there another one?"

Before Uesugi Toru could answer, a cold voice came from the radio on the other person's chest:

"The kid is lying behind the guy in front of you. Also, remember to use titles when working."

Uesugi Toru's pupils shrank.

Without a doubt, this "Nanjo Sister" was the master of that powerful Nure-oni outside the window!

Hasegawa: "Received, received, Minor Officer Adult."

After speaking, he patted Uesugi Toru's shoulder: "If you still have strength, carry your friend on your back and leave with me."

"Mr. Police, I still have a few friends..."

"Don't worry, someone will be responsible for them too."

The words had just fallen when the Nure-oni outside the window silently floated into the room, sending a chill down Uesugi Toru's back.

Shikigami count as people, no problem, right.

As an Ordinary Person, Uesugi Toru remained silent for a good while under the joint gaze of Hasegawa and the Nure-oni, then regained his spirit, patted his cheeks, and rather "laboriously" hoisted the comatose Shizuku onto his back.

The first feeling after hoisting Shizuku was that it was poking uncomfortably.

It wasn't heavy, but Uesugi Toru suspected he might have gotten the front and back wrong.

Not long after, the group arrived at the Outer Area of the Abandoned Campus.

There was a van there that followed traffic rules with its hazard lights flashing.

Uesugi Toru asked hesitantly: "Officer... don't you think it's a bit strange?"

"Strange where?"

"It's clearly raining, yet we haven't gotten wet..."

Hasegawa: "This is rain cast by Teru Teru Bozu Miss; it's said to bring Good Luck."

"Teru Teru Bozu?"

Uesugi Toru hadn't finished wondering when he saw a palm-sized Teru Teru Bozu Miss wearing a light blue dress fly slowly toward him, finally landing lightly on top of his head and lying prone.

Immediately, he felt a gentle warmth rising from within his body.

Hasegawa looked surprised: "Teru Teru Bozu Miss is usually afraid of strangers and hides when she sees them."

"—That shows he has the potential to become an Onmyoji."

It was that female voice that had appeared on the radio!

Uesugi Toru subconsciously raised his gaze.

What came into view was an adult woman with an expressionless face and her arms crossed.

Neat short hair, immaculate attire, and an ID badge hanging from her chest—all indicated she was a white-collar worker who had spent years on the front lines of the workplace.

Only the curves of the front armor were a bit too eye-catching; the pitch-black tie was maliciously bent, and even the white shirt inside was stretched high, its second button strained tight, as if constantly letting out a cry of distress.

"Nice to meet you, I am Ai Minami."

She did not extend her hand politely, but simply said: "You're safe now."

For a moment, a great sense of security washed over them.

Even Uesugi Toru couldn't help but relax his whole body, losing his strength, and nearly dropped Shizuku.

After a daze of two seconds, Uesugi Toru gave his name.

Ai Minami nodded: "Get in the car."

The van had been modified; there were not many seats inside, but the space was exceptionally large.

Except for the driver and the passenger seat, there was only a row of connected seats at the rear—after laying Shizuku flat inside the vehicle, Uesugi Toru climbed up.

He gazed at the girl's barely-there skirt hem, looked at the rear view mirror that gave a full view of the rear from the front row, then looked at the Nure-oni sitting in the trunk area, and the teru teru bozu hanging above.

After thinking for a while, he still chose to take off his coat and cover her with it.

The child has grown up; let's leave her some privacy.

"Uesugi-san, your mental fortitude is truly impressive." Ai Minami in the passenger seat praised after seeing this scene, taking out a laptop: "Would you mind telling us the cause and effect?"

The van drove slowly for a while longer in the late night.

After clicking "Save" and closing the document, Ai Minami took a deep breath, her hanging ID badge fluctuating: "I understand the matter; we'll take a statement later, just sleep and forget everything that happened today."

"I guarantee you, everything is fine now."

Hearing Ai Minami's guarantee, Uesugi Toru gazed at Shizuku, who at some point had flipped upside down one hundred and eighty degrees, using his thigh as a pillow.

"What about that spirit board?" Uesugi Toru asked: "That thing is very wrong."

"Probably deliberately circulated by the Friendship Club..."

Ai Minami immediately realized she had misspoken, shaking her head: "What happens after this has nothing to do with you, Uesugi-san."

"How could it have nothing to do with me?"

The one who spoke was not Uesugi Toru, but Tokugawa Ririko, who had opened her eyes at some point.

Ririko reached out and grasped at the empty space of her chest, as if the pendant before her neck still existed: "Whether it is Kumamoto, Aofeng, or Takahashi-san, they are all my friends..."

"Too dangerous."

Ai Minami interrupted someone's words for the first time, staring expressionlessly at Ririko: "Ordinary people should not come into contact with these things."

"But there should be some right to know." Ririko was expressionless, only her tone was dim: "At least, I don't want to be speechless when their parents ask me why."

"Sorry."

Ai Minami's voice was still without fluctuation, like a robot that only gave formulaic responses.

A large amount of repeated experience told her that at this time, constant apologizing and saying nothing was the best choice; what she had just done was already a serious work mistake.

It hardened.

Ririko's fist hardened.

"My employee number is 2-009-xxx."

Ai Minami lowered her head slightly and skillfully handed over a copy of her ID badge:

"If you have dissatisfaction and suggestions, you can file a complaint against me immediately after completing the statement at the Special Affairs Division of the Police Station tonight, and staff will give you a reply within three working days."

Seeing the atmosphere was about to turn bad, Uesugi Toru moved his mind and poked the palm Ririko was grasping at: "Tokugawa-san, what has your right hand been holding?"

"Oh, this is a kendo pendant, it doesn't have any use..."

Ririko's words had not finished when she discovered her hand was actually empty.

The pendant was gone.

The girl opened and closed her mouth, and the "swordsmanship" dam in her heart collapsed with a boom.

Her small face turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye; immediately she curled up, trembling all over as she hugged Uesugi Toru's waist, and cried out loudly:

"I thought I was going to be eaten by that terrifying Hannya waaaah!!!"

End of Chapter