Anyone who's had intimate interactions with both girls and mature women knows: the easiest way to tell them apart?
Slap a girl on the butt—she'll probably just give you a confused look.
But a mature woman?
She'll kindly help you figure out a better way to do it next time.
That's the kind of feeling Izumi Mio gave Shirakawa. Despite being a gentle widow, she was completely untouched—pure, almost like a maiden. The barrier between them? Absolutely real.
Including the physical proof of that status—red, and unmistakable.
"..."
At this moment, Shirakawa felt a bit strange. Thoughts swirled in his mind.
Sagiri and Mio ooked like they came from the same mold.
You could basically rule out any possibility of adoption.
Noticing the odd look on Shirakawa's face, Mio blushed deeply and hesitantly explained, "Sagiri really is my daughter."
"But..."
"She's from my late husband. We never... never really had that kind of relationship. Sagiri was born via in vitro fertilization because of some health issues."
A widow blessed with the aura of an innocent girl.
You could say she was the ultimate fusion of all attack-speed attributes. Especially when paired with Mio's naturally beautiful face, taking her in as a "Chosen of Pleasure" was definitely the right move.
By granting her a portion of his divine authority—
He could effectively boost her physical abilities. At the very least, her combat strength would increase a bit. With that thought, Shirakawa decisively activated his skill.
A pink glow—
Divine energy gathered in his palm. The entire living room was soon enveloped in an ambiguous atmosphere.
Even the not-so-skilled-in-housework Mio fully let loose.
She seized control of the final battle.
Smooth.
Very smooth!
The ritual to make Izumi Miori a Chosen of Pleasure wrapped up around midnight. Thanks to Shirakawa's maxed-out exorcist stamina—
A constant stream of holy light—
Purified her soul completely. And since she kept overflowing with it, the overall result was pretty great.
Especially after becoming a superhuman—
All her fatigue from pulling all-nighters drawing manga, including her dark eye circles, instantly vanished.
Even her entire mental state saw a dramatic improvement. This moment—Izumi Mio had truly become a radiant and stunning woman.
Bright.
As sweet as a ripe peach.
"From now on, you're officially a superhuman. At least in our world, you won't have to worry about ghosts or evil spirits."
Shirakawa's eyes fell on Mio, who was diligently cleaning up the remnants of the battlefield. Occasionally, her teeth grazed something lightly.
Not bad.
And he hadn't forgotten to remind her—evil spirits still existed in this world.
He pointed at a wooden box placed a short distance away and spoke casually, "Mio-nee, becoming a superhuman is only the starting point."
"From here, you can choose a power system from one of the many worlds."
"Use that as a foundation to grow stronger. Right now, you can pick the path of an adventurer. Once you do, you'll be able to select a Class."
"A Class?"
That faint scent—like warm milk. But Mio liked how he now addressed her. From "auntie" to "Mrs," and now...
"Big sister."
Mio rinsed her mouth with barley tea but, finding no trash bin, had to swallow it down. She shifted her gaze toward the wooden box on the table.
To become a superhuman—
And to choose a class.
That held immense appeal to her. But the idea of abandoning Sagiri to live in another world? She didn't even consider it.
If anything was troubling her now—
It was that becoming a superhuman meant she had left the category of "ordinary human."
According to Shirakawa-kun—
Her soul had ascended into subspace, where she'd no longer be bound by aging, sickness, or death.
Immortality—in every sense of the word.
But what about her daughter, Sagiri?
That was something Izumi Mio couldn't ignore. Becoming a Chosen of Pleasure required offering up one's body, soul, and faith...
"Isn't this just..."
"Just like... those mother-daughter scenarios in novels!"
Her focus wasn't on choosing a Class anymore. Staring at the globe-like apparatus on the table, her mind was elsewhere.
"What's wrong?"
Noticing something off about Mio, Shirakawa asked with concern.
"It's just..."
"Shirakawa-kun, are you saying that once the soul ascends to subspace, you achieve a state of immortality? Is that right?"
She voiced the confusion in her heart, looking to Shirakawa for clarity.
"More or less. Time doesn't really exist in subspace, and the energy there will gradually elevate your lifeform classification. It's essentially eternal life."
When it came to Chosen of Pleasure, Shirakawa didn't hide the truth. This was the reward for offering everything.
But seeing Mio's heavy expression—
He suddenly realized the real issue.
He forced a wry smile and asked, "This is about Sagiri, isn't it?"
"..."
Mio shot him a sharp glare, though her flushed cheeks made her look even more charming. Birth, aging, sickness, and death... especially when it involved close family—it was unbearable to even think about.
But now, it was something she had to face.
In the end, after a moment of silence, she said in a slightly resigned tone:
"If I had known it would be like this, I shouldn't have... shouldn't have agreed to it, Shirakawa-kun."
"If immortality means I'll be separated from Sagiri..."
"Then..."
"You take care of Sagiri!"
Shirakawa: Mother-daughter combo?! Are you for real!?
In a way, he had gotten Mio's approval. And that idea? It definitely piqued his interest, though he didn't let it show too much.
He shifted his gaze to the adventurer assessment device on the table.
"Let's choose your Class first!"
---
Meanwhile, for Haruno, dinner that night wasn't exactly enjoyable. First, there was Shirakawa's innocent demeanor. But in the end...
He totally redefined her view of high schoolers.
Even on a supposed long vacation, he could respond to her calmly without flinching. At the very least, she couldn't imagine someone like Hayama Hayato, the same age as Yukino, handling things this well.
"How interesting."
That was the highest praise she could give Shirakawa. And the key was that she knew he had some kind of connection to her sister Yukino at school.
Haruno curled her lips into a smile.
She stepped out from the backseat of the Rolls-Royce. Even after drinking, her mind remained clear. She was about to return to her stifling home when—
Her eyes caught something in the distance.
A shadowy figure hiding near a vending machine.
Dark mist oozed from its body. The stench was strong even from afar. At first, Haruno didn't think much of it, but...
As a breeze passed by—
The shadow slowly turned its head, revealing a hideous, rotting face. The gust of wind instantly blew away all the alcohol haze from Haruno's body...
Her expression froze completely.
Her mouth opened—but no sound came out.
What the hell...!?
What is that!?