「Skill 'Diamond Body' has gained 1500 EXP (Lv4 → Lv5)」
「Skill 'Stamina' has gained 1500 EXP (Lv2 → Lv4)」
「Skill 'Purification' has gained 1500 EXP (Lv1 → Lv3)」
"You have successfully completed an exorcism against the urban legend 'Miss Mary.' Exorcist level has increased → Lv5. Blank profession panel has been unlocked."
As the purification ritual came to an end, a skill upgrade notification popped up before Shirakawa's eyes. His Diamond Body—virtually invincible against spirits—had finally reached max level.
However, despite the skill's upgrade, there weren't any visible changes to his body.
If there had to be something, then perhaps it was this: as his Stamina stat increased, even in a fasting state, the energy he had lost earlier through the encounter with Mary—
—had now been significantly restored!
"…"
Pulling up his pants, Shirakawa glanced at Mary, who lay on the wooden floor. Her white princess dress had been tossed aside carelessly, and the lamplight spilled over her pale, bare body.
Perhaps due to how forcefully he had restrained her, the spot on her arm where he'd gripped her was now faintly red.
After enduring two straight hours of relentless purification, the resentful ghost girl Mary had fallen into a state of semi-consciousness, her grudge thoroughly cleansed.
Her pair of flawless, ivory legs struggled weakly to close.
"The exorcism went well, but your resentment was quite strong. My forced purification can only remove part of it, so… you still can't leave."
"I need to make sure it's completely gone before I let you go."
There was no way Shirakawa would simply release such a perfect humanoid spirit so easily. The real reason? His Stamina and Purification skills hadn't reached their peak yet.
Now that he had unlocked a supernatural class, he intended to master every skill it offered.
"…"
"Lord Shirakawa… I'm sorry I wasn't able to fully satisfy you. I swear I won't harm anyone again. Could you please… let me go?"
Mary, lying limp on the floor, tried to sit up—but her body wouldn't obey. The power she had when they first met was completely gone.
Instead, she now resembled an injured little rabbit, her wide eyes brimming with tears. She gazed up at Shirakawa, this devil of an exorcist, with a pleading look.
"No."
"…"
Shirakawa rejected her without even a shred of mercy. Mary's now-clear eyes were instantly filled with despair.
"Then… Lord Shirakawa, may I ask something?"
"During exorcisms… could you please not be so violent?"
"Of course."
Shirakawa's mood tonight was unusually pleasant. After all, he had finally maxed out his Exorcist profession level—
—and unlocked a brand-new profession panel.
His otherwise mundane multiversal life had changed ever since his encounter with Miko Yotsuya, which awakened his latent supernatural potential. While the Exorcist profession only allowed him to combat evil spirits…
It was still a major step into the world of the extraordinary. The Stamina skill had proven useful even in everyday life. And if he were to eventually meet the Railgun girl…
Who knows? He might truly ascend to another realm of power.
"Pick a room for yourself to stay in."
"If you want to go out temporarily, you'll need permission. And don't forget to clean up after yourself… If you don't know how, just come ask me."
Now that she had lost her resentment, this urban legend posed no threat to someone like him—someone with a maxed-out Diamond Body.
Watching Mary slump against the wall in her princess dress, like someone who had lost all purpose, Shirakawa figured there probably wasn't much cleaning to do. Especially since the suction power earlier…
…was comparable to a spring breeze sprite—flawless and without spillage!
Shirakawa glanced at the white-haired girl before him.
"I'm going to make dinner. If you're curious about human food, feel free to join me in the living room."
After a forceful exorcism like that, it was natural to feel refreshed.
Most importantly, the burden of leveling up his profession had finally been lifted. Heating up the convenience store bento meals he'd bought, Shirakawa sank into the living room sofa and turned on the TV.
It was playing a film from the Urban Legend Series—"The Slit-Mouthed Woman."
Damn, even the slit-mouthed woman's kind of hot…
Salmon sashimi, fatty tuna sushi, and seafood miso soup filled the room with a rich aroma. Ignoring Mary, who was sitting nearby with her knees hugged to her chest, Shirakawa picked up his phone.
During his earlier busy "purification," he had missed several unread LINE messages.
He quickly scanned through them—it was from Izumi Mio.
"Shirakawa-kun, I've made up my mind!"
"Thank you for giving me this opportunity! I'll definitely keep your place spotless. Once a week, right?"
"If there are any special instructions, please do let me know when you have time."
"An unexpected bonus."
Shirakawa hadn't expected Izumi Mio to agree so quickly. After some thought, he rapidly typed out his reply.
"Tomorrow's the weekend. I wonder if Auntie Izumi is free?"
"If it's not too much trouble… could I ask for one more favor? Would you mind cooking for me too? I've been living off bentos lately—very little nutrition."
"Of course, I'll cover all food expenses, so please don't worry."
Even though the messages were still marked as "unread," he didn't mind. Having a young housewife take care of household chores and cooking—
That matched exactly what he envisioned for a comfortable life.
As his food settled and his stamina recovered, Shirakawa turned once more to Mary. With a smile playing at the corners of his lips, he said:
"Mary, let's continue with the exorcism."
"…"
Mary's face twitched ever so slightly, deadpan.
Why the hell did this guy treat urban legends like they were energy generators!?
What a bastard!
And yet… despite mentally preparing herself for more brutality, Mary was met with silence.
"…?"
That was because Shirakawa, now slumped lazily on the sofa, had an expression of complete shock plastered on his face. His mind echoed with a mechanical chime—
Not from his proficiency panel… but from—
[You are invited to join the Dimensional Chat Group.]
[Do you accept?]