Undoubtedly, the moment Spider Princess's basic data appeared, the surrounding crowd erupted in excitement.
If Nurikabe had only been able to navigate sideways among the students, then Spider Princess—the Jorogumo—was in a league entirely her own. Even when facing the teachers of the Onmyo Academy, she wouldn't be at a disadvantage. This was a B-rank great yokai.
Since the Great Changes in the world, the frequency of calamity yokai had increased, but most were D- or C-rank. B-rank calamity yokai existed, but they were extremely rare. A-rank yokai were even rarer, appearing only once before being suppressed by the combined forces of a powerful exorcist family. To see a B-rank yokai standing here—and voluntarily acknowledging a boy as her master—was nothing short of astonishing.
The student who had previously offered thirty million yen to "buy" Spider Princess now cowered in fear. He wondered if his earlier boldness had angered this formidable yokai. The other students looked at him with pity. Spending thirty million yen on a B-rank yokai? Three billion would have been more appropriate! Most exorcist families, even distinguished ones, struggled to handle strong C-rank yokai, let alone a B-rank powerhouse.
"I had a vague sense that the maid's aura was stronger than Nurikabe's, but I never imagined she was a B-rank Jorogumo," one student whispered. "It's probably why Senior Kamishiro disappeared for a week—he must have been handling her case."
"It's intriguing," Yamato Kyuuka added, her hand on Onikiri. "Her demonic power reaches B- rank, and she's a Jorogumo—a type of yokai that normally hates men. Why would she willingly submit to him?"
The question lingered in the air. Not only did she possess incredible swordsmanship, but she also commanded the loyalty of a yokai few could hope to control.
"Both of your shikigami have now been registered and are officially recognized," the Shikigami Dormitory teacher said, her tone stern. "However, I must remind you: ambition is not without risk. Summoning them in battle won't drain your spiritual power without a formal Shikigami Contract, but the stronger the yokai, the greater the danger if they rebel."
The teacher had been equally shocked by Spider Princess's stats and reiterated the importance of a contract. Clearly, the staff understood that Yuto hadn't signed one by choice. Someone capable of commanding C- and B-rank yokai without a contract wasn't ignorant—they simply preferred to conserve spiritual energy, leaving his shikigami in their yokai forms. How could a boy capable of this not know a basic spell?
Yuto could only give a wry smile. He really didn't know.
"One more thing," the teacher continued. "After registering Jorogumo in the Shikigami Record, your ranking jumped into the top 300. Your current rank is 288."
Spider Princess's combat strength alone was enough to place her in the top 300 of all registered shikigami. Though a rank above 200 might not seem extraordinary, the Shikigami Record included thousands of shikigami spanning generations. For a B-rank yokai to enter the top 300 was remarkable.
Even Nurikabe, despite being a C-rank, didn't make the top three according to the dormitory staff.
Once the enrollment and shikigami registration were complete, Yuto chose to leave the Onmyo Academy, planning to formally enroll a few days later. Yet the commotion he had caused did not subside.
A first-year transfer student had easily defeated the upstart Jizanami Maruji using his shikigami. Then, in the Shikigami Dormitory, he revealed a shikigami ranking 288th in the record. Yuto's reputation skyrocketed overnight, despite not even formally enrolling.
Initially, the Kazuhashi family—Maruji's own—seemed poised to intervene. Many expected them to punish the arrogant transfer student. Yet their response was unexpected. The family stated that they were a respected clan and would not interfere with a junior unless necessary. Maruji, while a prodigy, had no special privileges; if beaten, he should learn and grow from the experience.
Even the current head of the Kazuhashi family welcomed Yuto to visit their clan. Talented juniors were assets, not liabilities.
The Kagamimori family, too, had no reason to oppose him. They merely had a business-related disagreement with Yuto, and seeing his shikigami—particularly Spider Princess—was enough to pique their interest. Their daughters were enrolled in the same academy, ensuring plenty of interaction.
The reason both clans treated Yuto favorably was simple: they saw potential investment. Setting aside Yuto himself, his shikigami, especially the Spider Princess at rank 288, were assets worth cultivating.