Everything is Anime!

Hikaru felt rather put on the spot—Kishimojin just went and dropped this problem on him.

Sure enough, as soon as Kishimojin vanished, Yayoi Hozuki turned toward Hikaru, her gaze filled with hopeful expectation.

"Big brother, can you help me?"

She would have looked even cuter if she showed a bit more emotion on her face.

"I can, but not for free."

Hikaru already knew what kind of curse afflicted Eiko Hozuki. However difficult it might be, it shouldn't be more troublesome than cleansing Kishimojin's grudge had been.

Upon hearing this, Yayoi Hozuki nodded.

"Understood. If you succeed, I can have Sister Eiko give you some... benefits."

"?"

"And if that's not enough, and you're into lolis, then I can do it."

That "casual" offer coming from a little girl left Sona Sitri and Tsubaki Shinra taken aback. They had assumed she was just small in stature with big courage, but they hadn't expected her to be that brazen. Yet Hikaru knew she was serious.

And indeed, Yayoi Hozuki was quite earnest. She might've been half-joking, but Eiko was her only family, and she didn't want her big sister to die from some malignant curse—especially a curse that had been brought on by her own actions.

"Let me see the curse first, then we'll figure out the fee."

Hikaru said.

After that, they followed Yayoi Hozuki down the mountain. Before reaching the base, they spotted a young woman sitting in a car, anxiously waiting. Through the driver's-side window, she spotted the figures on the slope—and her worried expression turned to delighted surprise. She immediately unfastened her seatbelt, pushed open the car door, and ran over in a rush.

"Yayoi, are you all right? You're not hurt, are you? And who are these people? Did it work out? Which one is Kishimojin?"

Compared to Sona and the others, this girl looked more mature—likely a college student, judging by her age and the fact she was driving. She was fair-skinned, beautiful, with a great figure, a trendy style, wearing accessories, her hair in wavy curls. She looked like a cover model for a fashion magazine.

"Miss Eiko Hozuki, I'm Sona Sitri, the devil who manages Hachiōji City. You must've received a flyer from my familiars."

Said the glasses-wearing young aristocrat in a formal tone. Despite her youth, her demeanor far outclassed Eiko Hozuki's.

"Huh? A d-devil? You're real?! I thought it was just some scam marketing stunt!"

Eiko's eyes went wide. She covered her mouth in shock. Then a quick nod from Yayoi reassured her that what Sona said was true. After all, Eiko had heard of various urban legends at school, including ones about devils who could grant wishes. But most people treated them like the "Seven Wonders of the Campus"—just fanciful rumors.

"I see... But looking at you all, you must have dealt with evil spirits before, right? Why believe in evil spirits yet not devils?"

Sona asked in exasperation. Perhaps because devils were "mythological," people found it easier to accept evil spirits than devils.

"It was just a subconscious assumption, I guess. Anyway—Yayoi, what about Kishimojin?"

"We defeated her, but right now she can't remove your curse. She'll need five years to recover her strength."

Hearing this, Eiko Hozuki's face sank. Anyone stuck with an unsightly curse on her arm would be miserable. Still, she forced a smile. At least there was a solution, right? Even if it meant waiting five years. By that time, she'd have long since graduated from college.

"But it's okay. I found someone else who's even more reliable than Kishimojin."

With that, Yayoi Hozuki introduced Hikaru to Eiko, giving a quick summary of how he'd saved her.

"Hikaru, thank you!"

Eiko didn't catch most of the details, but upon hearing that he had rescued her little sister, her goodwill toward him skyrocketed. It was only then she realized how strikingly good-looking the boy before her was. His looks and aura hit her sweet spot perfectly. Coupled with the hero angle, her heart was already starting to race with special feelings.

"Let me see the curse first."

Hikaru said, eyeing the young woman before him. It seemed that the original male protagonist from Dark Gathering was nowhere in sight—probably due to the merged setting causing some characters to vanish. No matter; that was a small detail.

Hearing him, Eiko hesitated. But with Yayoi chiming in, she reluctantly took off her gloves while everyone looked on. Beneath them lay a pair of hands covered in white, wart-like growths.

~~~

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