Class goes well and I can for once concentrate on studying.

There are at the moment no imminent problems so I wasn't distracted as usual.

Apart from a little topic I wanted to ask Zika about.

"Hey Karin! Got a minute?" (I)

"Again? I have a quota to meet! Have I done anything to you? Didn't I cope with all of your troublesome requests?" (Z)

Woah, someone is really on edge here.

"Calm down. It's just a single, tiny, little question." (I)

"Sigh! Get done with it! Can we talk here or do we have to leave the room?" (Z)

"I think it's harmless." (I)

"Then out with it!" (Z)

"It's... I cannot sleep. I mean, whenever I try I drift off, to somewhere else." (I)

Somewhere very, very far away.

"Yes, naturally. What else?" (Z)

"Is there no way around it? It's a little troubling to always have an all-nighter and hide it from mum. And I don't really know what to do during that time." (I)

"Oh no. Already at this point? It were only four days." (Z)

She takes it quite tragic, doesn't she?

"What do you mean?" (I)

"You are just like the typical outer god who grows bored of existence, not finding any sufficing occupation. That spells trouble!" (Z)

"I just want to find a way to sleep at night instead of having continuous all-nighters. Is there really nothing I can do about it?" (I)

"You could simply do what all outer gods do. (Z)

"There is something? Tell me!" (I)

"Simple. Dreamless slumber. Quite an all-time favorite of your kind." (Z)

Could she please stop this "I'm-a-goddess-thing" at one point?

However, I am receiving help and this is positive.

"How do I do this?" (I)

"You quell your mind, slow your thinking, reduce input, disconnect. You will find that in every meditation book in existence. Not very complicated." (Z)

This sounds almost too easy.

But there is a question.

"Why are you telling me just now? I had this problem for a while!" (I)

"Well, there might be a little risk." (Z)

"A risk? Of wh-what kind?" (I)

"You might never wake up again." (Z)

Excuse me!!?

"What are you saying? That doesn't sound like a little risk, but a great danger!" (I)

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"It's easy. You stop your own processing with this. It's not for no reason sometimes referred to as eternal slumber. There are more than enough gods who just spend millennia in this state. And those are the light cases. If there is nothing to wake you up, you will just continue sleeping. Forever. Which might be better for reality." (Z)

Okay, sorry no!

Not doing this!

I won't risk to sleep for all eternity!

Thank you for nothing!

"This... wasn't very helpful." (I)

"You are a goddess! You should start to think in the proper dimensions. Because of this gods have safety measures." (Z)

"What kind of measures?" (I)

"Emergency setups. Someone who wakes you up and can always get to you. Or widely spread rituals to call you awake and summon you. It's just a very deep sleep. You can still get woken up like anyone else. Don't you have this little demon calamity for this?" (Z)

"Kuri? Well, I see her more as... Well, someone I have to take responsibility for. But I didn't make her with a purpose in mind." (I)

"Oddball. By the way, where is she?" (Z)

"Why do you ask?" (I)

"I'm just curious if the town will last a little longer. So, where is she?" (Z)

"You were the one to suggest to let someone watch out for mum. I let her do just that" (I)

"Oh, that one!? Pfft. Ahahaha. That's good. That's too good!" (Z)

"What's wrong? I think I've missed the punchline." (I)

"My advice had a small shadow demon against critters in mind, but you linked the biggest calamity you could create to her! This will be great! Really great!" (Z)

"You make me uncomfortable! What is..." (I)

I become aware that I might be too loud here.

Zika's seat is at the far end of the class, not too close to the others, but a glance shows that at least Makoto became aware of our conversation.

However, it's not like there's a problem if he overhears anything about the supernatural stuff we discuss.

Anyone else maybe, but he's already informed.

"Please! Is there a problem Zika?" (I)

"Hmm, a problem... Yes and no. Not really at least. I noticed that this little one is emitting miasma like crazy." (Z)

"Miasma?" (I)

"Sigh! Newbies. This dark smoke. Something like life force for demons to make it simple enough for you!" (Z)

"And what is with this stuff?" (I)

"Your "Kuri" emits such vast amounts, you wouldn't believe it! It can refer to her relative strength. But there are some peculiar effects. Some "issues" may arise from this." (Z)

"Issues? What do you mean with issues? What kind of effects?" (I)

"Hard to tell. I don't exactly know how it looks on her side. She's probably fine." (Z)

"Stop making me worry and then saying it's nothing!" (I)

Shit, I shouted!

"Great ones! Keep it down! It's starting to get difficult to distract everyone." (Z)

She's doing this?

The whole time?

Naturally, she's experienced, but why is she telling me this?

And why is she so calm?

Shouldn't she be more concerned about what I might do in the end?

"W-what is with my mum?" (I)

"Tell me. What did you say to your little spawn?" (Z)

"I said that I'm worried about mum because she's defenseless against monsters and I don't want that anything happens to her. And then she said she would protect her and jumped into mum's shadow." (I)

"Pfft!" (Z)

"What is funny about this?!" (I)

"Just the idea. That monster protecting her while destroying half the city and spreading miasma everywhere! Pfft!" (Z)

"This isn't funny! Something could happen to mum! I-If I caused this I wouldn't know what to do!" (I)

"Calm down, she should be fine!" (Z)

"Fine? You just said something else." (I)

"Because you told your demon to prevent harm. This should be enough. Your spawn cannot go against your word. It won't even consider it. So if she's determined to preserve her, she will." (Z)

"So you're saying that my mum is still well and there's no reason to worry?" (I)

"If you want to see it like this, sure. I'm certain that she's healthy. In one way or the other." (I)

I don't know what to think about this.

The biggest problem is that I didn't discuss this with mum in advance.

I'm sure she could be upset about my irresponsible behavior.

On the other side, if Kuri stays hidden, she might never find out.

So maybe I shouldn't confront mum with my slip up.

Then Zika suddenly bows deeply down and speaks up.

"If you are done now, would you kindly grant me some freedom, oh great goddess of the end?" (Z)

Before this demon becomes any more theatric I leave.

If I wouldn't have to endure the rest of the school day.

The last segment finishes and the school day ultimately comes to an end.

If not for Chiaki who catches me before I can get away.

"Iori! You need to listen to this! You won't believe it!" (C)

Maybe I should just have teleported home.

"Since you won't let me go before I do, just get started!" (I)

"I've just found out our school has an occultism club! We totally need to go there!" (C)

Heck, what!!?

"Chiaki, no! Just, no! What do you even have in mind? They are probably just kids playing with old books and candles! They surely have never seen a ghost, not to speak of a demon! And I have no intention to change that! You can't be serious!" (I)

"But wouldn't this be even more of a reason?" (C)

Huh?

Sometimes I believe she is crazy.

At least, it's very difficult to follow her thoughts.

"Sorry, you lost me! What do you want to say?" (I)

"If they play around with this stuff they might actually find something. And this something could cause harm. How would you feel then if you could have prevented this?" (C)

"I would feel bad. It's not like I wish for anyone to die, but that doesn't mean I am going around and voluntarily save people in the third world! I absolutely don't plan to create a new age of prosperity! This is stupid!" (I)

"No one said you'd have to do this, but saving those who are around is normal. It's even stated in the law." (C)

"How did we digress to this? What do you even plan to do there? What I have in store is absolutely off-limits to show to these kids!" (I)

"At least we could go there and let them show us what they have in store! If you find that they are just playing around, no one can force you to ever visit them again. And if it's serious, going there to check would've been a good idea!" (C)

"Sigh! You won't go quiet about this, huh?" (I)

"Nope! This is our new big project!" (C)

As I feared!