Chapter 161: Moral Support Is Fine, Actual Support Isn't!
"Discuss? What is there to discuss?"
Kasumizuki frowned.
"That thing clearly isn't benevolent. It's a ghost-god capable of affecting public safety, so naturally we should deal with it using everything we have."
"I'll write a report and submit it, get some funding approved… then call those artifact spirits over too."
"I worked hard to guarantee their continued ghostly existence in front of those people in suits. Now it's time for them to repay me."
After saying that, Kasumizuki's frown vanished and a faint smile appeared.
Luke immediately followed up,
"And then you'll pocket all the funding?"
"I earned it."
"…"
Luke turned toward Miko and Yuria.
"Don't learn from her. People like this eventually go to hell."
The two girls quickly nodded.
"You're hardly any better."
Kasumizuki glanced at him.
"What? You want a cut?"
"I don't need one."
Luke paused.
"But I have one condition…"
Making money from this had never been his main goal.
More importantly, he still had his mission to complete.
After all, evil spirits powerful enough to qualify as evil gods were genuinely rare.
Last time, Miko's life had been directly at risk, so Luke had no choice but to rely on others rather than stubbornly fighting alone.
But since things were not quite that dangerous this time, he wanted to try.
Kasumizuki gave him an inquisitive look.
Luke spoke directly.
"Let me fight the Mountain God alone first."
"If I really can't handle it, then we call everyone in and gang up on it."
Kasumizuki did not even ask why.
This guy was always coming up with some new nonsense.
She was already used to it.
"Oh. Fine."
"Also, those artifact spirits you mentioned…"
Luke looked at her.
"Has their treatment finally been decided?"
"Mm."
"As long as they unconditionally handle assigned missions every so often, they'll be left alone."
"The exorcist industry isn't exactly thriving right now. More manpower is useful, and it keeps them safe too."
"Don't care."
Luke waved that aside.
"Anyway, have them follow my orders for a while."
"Why?"
Kasumizuki raised an eyebrow.
"Weren't you going to fight alone? Why do you suddenly need their help?"
"The shikigami."
Luke answered concisely.
According to Miko, the Mountain God itself was not alone.
It also had two shikigami.
Luke wanted the ghost driver, Kuchisake-onna, the Pen Spirit, and the others to keep those shikigami occupied and increase his chances of winning.
If things still went badly after that, they could simply call in the other exorcists.
After discussing a few more details, Luke and the two girls stayed at Kasumizuki's place for the night.
They still did not fully understand the Mountain God's abilities, so keeping Miko and Yuria here was safer and more convenient.
As for Hana, an ordinary human with extraordinarily strong life energy, their earlier conclusion remained unchanged—The best protection was making sure she never learned about any of this in the first place.
...
That night.
Luke, who had been mercilessly assigned the living-room sofa, stared boredly at the ceiling.
He had no idea why Kasumizuki owned so much junk that even her guest rooms were mostly occupied.
Being in an unfamiliar environment, sleeping somewhere other than his own bed, and going to sleep earlier than usual made it difficult to doze off.
Apparently, he was not alone.
Luke's night vision was fairly good, and he noticed Miko emerging from the bathroom through the darkness.
"Still awake?"
"Eek!"
Miko's shoulders violently jumped at the sudden voice.
Even her entire body bounced slightly.
Her frightened cry was surprisingly cute.
Once she recognized the voice, her stiff shoulders finally relaxed.
"Sensei…"
"You scared me…"
"I'm the one who got scared."
Miko smoothed down her hair.
That reaction had been exactly like a cat suddenly encountering someone in the middle of the night.
Come to think of it, was Miko really this timid?
It had been quite a while since he last saw her cry.
What a shame.
Wearing a bathrobe with her hair tied up, Miko slowly walked over to Luke's territory on the sofa.
He shifted his legs inward to make some room.
Miko smoothed down the lower half of her robe and sat in the newly opened space.
"What's wrong?"
Luke asked.
"Can't sleep?"
"A little."
Miko's feet lightly tapped against the sofa, as though she had nowhere else to put them.
"Because of the Mountain God?"
Luke looked at her.
"It's fundamentally not that different from other evil spirits. Eventually, you'll get used to things like this."
"I don't think I could get used to this no matter how many times it happens…"
Miko muttered somewhat gloomily.
Gently lifting the thin blanket covering him, she pressed her body against his. "That's why you'll have to keep helping me, Sensei."
"Don't start acting all spoiled out of nowhere."
Luke patted Miko's small head as she poked it out from under his chest, trying to keep her from headbutting him.
Her body was soft and fragrant... Well, he wasn't a pervert, but Miko was just that soft and supple after a bath, still carrying the scent of body wash.
"Is this so bad?" Miko flashed a rare, mischievous smile, the kind a teenage girl would wear. It was the first time he'd ever seen it.
"Not bad at all... But you should probably put some underwear on."
"I don't have a clean change of underwear. I'll have to wait until tomorrow for these to dry."
"That's not what I meant... Just behave yourself."
He firmly wrapped his arms around Miko, pinning her in place. The contact made him even more aware of her softness…
'Damn, she's got a nice figure,' he thought, a recurring realization every time they got this close.
Sigh. If this were his own place, he'd show her who the real Evil God was. But being in someone else's home made it impossible to let loose.
"Mm," Miko hummed softly, her face buried against his chest.
It seemed she planned to spend the night squeezed onto this cramped sofa with him. He wondered if Kasumizuki and Yuria were early risers.
'Ugh! How am I supposed to sleep like this?!'
...
The next day.
The ghost driver took them to a small village outside the city, near the exact location of the Mountain God.
Although the village bordered the forest where the Mountain God resided, everything around them still looked completely peaceful.
"You two requested leave?"
Luke asked.
"Mm."
Miko and Yuria nodded.
"How about you?"
Kasumizuki put on sunglasses after getting out of the car to block the sunlight.
"Ready?"
"Huh? Ah!"
Luke nodded solemnly.
"My will is already written."
"…"
Kasumizuki stared at him.
"Could you stop talking nonsense?"
"Can't you fix that habit and be serious for once?"
"Then what am I supposed to prepare?"
Luke asked.
"A victory banquet?"
"I swear I'm going to hit you with an Evil Spirit, Begone!"
"That pose is clearly a Kamehameha."
Miko and Yuria watched the two start bickering again and gave helpless, awkward smiles.
'So childish~'
Meanwhile, the ghost driver simply sat on the hood of the taxi.
"Hey, let me make one thing clear beforehand."
"That Mountain God or whatever…"
"Don't expect me to personally charge into battle."
"Moral support is fine."
"Actual support isn't."
"Whatever."
Luke glanced at him.
"No, seriously."
Kasumizuki spoke again helplessly.
"What exactly did you prepare?"
"Where's your weapon?"
He had not even gone home, and his hands were still completely empty.
It was difficult not to worry.
"That kind of thing?"
Luke smiled faintly.
"I prepared it a long time ago."
"Let's go."
...
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