When the lunch bell rang the next day, the students scattered, some heading to the courtyard, others gathering in groups.
Rinne scanned the courtyard. Her eyes landed on Shigure, who was leaning against a tree, standing alone, just like he always did—a lone wolf who didn't bother to mingle with anyone else.
She huffed to herself, setting her jaw before making her way over. Her steps were steady, though her heart raced, a small knot of anxiety tightening in her chest. She hadn't forgotten what the Captain said last night, about asking Shigure for pointers—even if the very idea irked her.
Was this really worth it?
Shigure glanced up as she approached, his eyes meeting hers before a knowing smirk spread across his face. His brown eyes had an unsettling calm, as if he could see right through her, and that irked her even more.
"Well, well, look who decided to grace me with her presence," he said, his voice dripping with arrogance, his tone infuriatingly self-assured. "Have you finally fallen in love with me, Heroine-chan? Come to confess because you couldn't resist anymore?"
Rinne flushed instantly, her cheeks growing hot. The warmth spread all the way to the tips of her ears, and she clenched her jaw.
"A-as if! Who would fall for an idiot like you?" she retorted. She looked away, her brow furrowing as she tried to hide her blush, her fingers tightening around her lunchbox.
I knew it, she thought, her frustration building. I can't stand this asshole.
She glanced back at him, his smirk only growing more annoying with each passing second. But she forced herself to stay put, remembering the Captain's words. Shigure had a level of control over his mana that she couldn't deny, and as much as it pained her to admit it, he was someone who could help her grow stronger.
She took a deep breath, her fingers absentmindedly twirling a strand of her hair, a nervous habit she couldn't shake.
"Hey... Shigure," she began, her voice quieter now, almost shy. "Could you... maybe give me some pointers about mana manipulation?" Her eyes darted down to her feet, her foot scuffing the floor as she spoke. "Not that I think you're amazing or anything," she added quickly, her tone flustered, her cheeks turning pink again. "But... I thought you looked kinda cool last night. Just a little."
Shigure raised an eyebrow, then let out a laugh—a low, condescending sound that only made Rinne's face turn redder, her grip tightening on her lunchbox as she tried not to react.
"Oh, I see," he said, his smirk widening, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "You want to learn from me, huh? Well, it's pretty simple, you know. The reason I'm so good at mana manipulation is because I'm not just anyone. I'm a humble salaryman who got reincarnated into this world. Everything here—the combat, the sorcery—it's just like a game to me. I've seen the manual, Heroine-chan~. That's why this world's mechanics are so easy to grasp!”
He crossed his arms, giving her a dismissive look. "But honestly, I wouldn't expect an NPC like you to understand any of it, even if I did try to teach you."
Rinne's eye twitched, her mood instantly soured by his words. She clenched her fists, her earlier nervousness replaced by irritation that bubbled up inside her like a boiling pot.
"W-what did you just call me?!" she snapped, her voice rising as she glared up at him. "An NPC? Seriously?! Who do you think you are?!"
Shigure shrugged nonchalantly, his expression unbothered by her outburst. "Just stating the facts," he said coolly, his voice calm and indifferent. "It takes someone special to grasp these things. Not everyone can be a protagonist, you know."
Rinne's blood boiled, her teeth grinding together as she struggled to keep herself from lunging at him. "You... you arrogant jerk!" she growled, her voice growing louder. Her fingers curled into fists, her knuckles turning white. "I asked for your help, and this is what I get?!"
"The truth can be hard to accept." Shigure replied as he played with his hair casually.
Rinne glared at him for a moment longer, her hands trembling with frustration. Her heart pounded in her chest, the heat of anger mixing with the embarrassment she felt, leaving her unsure whether she wanted to punch him or scream. She let out an exasperated huff, turning on her heel. "Ugh! Forget it! I don't need your help!" she shouted as she stormed off.
I swear, I'm going to kill him someday! She thought to herself.
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The quiet of the office building felt unnatural at this hour, an eerie silence settling over the empty hallways as Rinne and Shigure made their way through the dimly lit corridors. It was far from the usual battleground of Genju and sorcery—the humdrum setting of desks, chairs, and stale air felt oddly mundane for what they were investigating during the Midnight Hour.
Rinne huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she led the way. It wasn’t that she couldn’t handle Shigure tagging along—she just didn’t want to. Her annoyance simmered beneath the surface, though she tried her best to ignore him. She glanced up at the ceiling, noticing how dirty and grimy it was, a patch of blackish stains creeping along the corners where the tiles met the walls.
Does the janitor even bother to clean this place? she thought, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
The thought briefly distracted her until she caught sight of Shigure trailing behind her, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. He walked with an air of swagger, a Pocky stick dangling lazily from his mouth, his katana strapped loosely to his waist. Everything about him screamed casual indifference, as if this wasn’t some investigation into a potentially dangerous paranormal phenomenon but a stroll through a park.
Does this guy have no shame? Rinne seethed inwardly, her brow furrowing. After how rude he was to me this afternoon, and now he acts like it’s nothing?
She stole another glance over her shoulder, unable to help herself, before snapping, “So, is it fine for someone as mighty as yourself to be stuck investigating an office building with me tonight? Shouldn’t you be out there on the front lines, showing off?”
Shigure didn’t even look fazed. He pulled the Pocky stick from his mouth and turned it between his fingers thoughtfully before flashing her a lazy grin. “It’s fine. I trust the other senior members of the Nightguard to handle things outside tonight,” he said smoothly, his voice as calm as ever. “Besides, it wouldn’t be very ‘main-character-like’ of me to let my love interest wander off into a dangerous place by herself.”
Rinne flushed, her cheeks turning pink as she spun around to face him, arms flailing slightly. “I-I’m not your love interest!” she stammered, her voice rising an octave as her heart raced, frustration bubbling up. “Why do you always say stuff like that?!”
Shigure shrugged casually, slipping his hands back into his pockets. “That’s what they all say,” he said with a sly smirk. “But once I finish your Route, you’ll be head over heels for me.”
Rinne’s eye twitched, and she had to bite her lip to stop herself from yelling at him. Why do I put up with this guy? she thought. But instead of responding, she decided to just tolerate him—for now.
Her eyes drifted upward again, this time focusing on the odd markings spread across the ceiling tiles, dark stains that could easily be mistaken for water damage, but there was something… off about them.
“According to the reports,” she said, her tone more serious now, “the workers in this building have been feeling nauseous and fatigued ever since those marks appeared.”
Shigure glanced up at the ceiling, chewing on the end of his Pocky. “You think it’s someone’s sorcery?”
Rinne shrugged, her expression thoughtful. “Could be. Either way, it’s our job to investigate.”
Shigure gave a noncommittal nod as Rinne continued, “Genju can exist outside of the Midnight Hour if they manage to escape the Nightguard during the clean up, but most of them prefer causing trouble during the Midnight Hour because they know that’s when we’re the busiest.” She scowled. “Troublesome bunch, those Genju.”
Reaching into her pocket, Rinne pulled out several ping-pong-sized spheres, holding them up so Shigure could see. “This is a good time to test these babies out—the Unveiling Orbs.”
Shigure raised an eyebrow. “What are those?”
“New weapons,” Rinne explained, turning one over in her hand. “The Nightguard got their hands on them recently. They have sorcery sealed inside. Once they explode, they release an illuminating light that will cover the entire floor. Supposedly, it forces any spirit hiding in the area to reveal itself. The effect lasts for about an hour.” She pouted slightly. “If I’d had these during the Aka Manto case, my life would’ve been a lot easier!”
She handed a few to Shigure, who inspected them with mild curiosity. “We’ll pop one on each floor as we go.”
With that, Rinne tossed one of the orbs onto the ground. The sphere rolled a few inches before stopping, and then—without warning—it exploded in a brilliant flash of light. The entire floor was engulfed in a blinding white glow, forcing both Rinne and Shigure to shield their eyes as they instinctively winced.
Rinne blinked several times, her vision struggling to adjust to the sudden brightness. As the light began to settle, she heard a low, guttural groaning from the far corner of the room. Her eyes darted in the direction of the sound.
Emerging slowly was a hideous creature, its skin a sickly gray and eyes sunken deep into its skull. A long, serpentine tongue slithered from its gaping mouth, and its limbs moved with a jerky, unnatural motion. It clutched its head, as if pained by the sudden exposure.
Rinne’s eyes lit up with excitement. Lucky! We got it on the first try! She was about to leap into action, but before she could move, Shigure was already rushing forward.
In one smooth motion, Shigure unsheathed his blade and cut through the spirit with a single, clean slice. The abomination let out a final screech before dissolving into nothingness, it's dark essence vanishing into the air like smoke.
Rinne stood frozen in place, her excitement evaporating into annoyance as she glared at Shigure’s back. Seriously?! she fumed silently. I wanted that one.
Shigure sheathed his sword with a casual flick of his wrist. "Once again, something pointless has been sliced by me," he declared, a hint of smugness in his voice.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "If you're going to quote, at least get it right!”