"Are you embarrassed?" Ryuji asked with a hint of curiosity, Megumi closely.

  Though unsure why Ryuji had asked that question, Megumi instinctively nodded. "Well, after all, this is my first time asking a boy for his taformation, so I'm a little shy."

  "You don't look shy at all."

  Ryuji had a point. Despite g to be shy, Megumi's expression remained as calm aral as ever, her characteristic ck of stroions on full dispy. Even when she had asked for his taformation, her face remained calm, as if she were discussing something trivial.

  Ryuji found it amusing. "I guess that's just one of her main charming point," he thought with a grin.

  "Let's exge tacts," he said, pulling out his phohout much about her expression.

  "Mm!" Megumi nodded and took out her own phone.

  After adding each other, they said their goodbyes aheir separate ways. As she watched Ryuji walk away, Megumi couldn't help but murmur to herself, "What an amazing cssmate."

  Her entire worldview had been shattered in the span of a day. First, she had witnessed an urban legend e to life something she had only ever seen in novels and ics. Then, she had watched as her sate, Ryuji, effortlessly defeated the strange creature. It was beyond surreal.

  Looking at the new ta her phone, her usual calm expression flickered slightly, betraying the strange mix of emotions bubbling up inside her. But the day was ending, and with darkness falling, she decided it was time to head home.

  ---

  After arriving home, Ryuji took a quick shower auro his room, eager to check out the goldery he had unlocked earlier. He wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. After suffering a setbace, he knew better than to load a goldery without cheg its details first.

  "Gold entry: Presence cealment."

  Ryuji chuckled. This entry fit Megumi perfectly. It allowed the user to pletely trol their presence, even to the point of making it vanish entirely. No wonder people referred to Megumi as the ultimate stealth character she could practically disappear from any situation.

  "Load it," Ryuji said fidently.

  As the goldery was absorbed, Ryuji could immediately feel a new ability take root in his mind.

  Talery System!

  - Host: Ryuji Hoshino

  - Bloodline: Human

  - Loaded Entries: Soul Dev [Red], Yin-Yang Eyes [Gold], Presence cealment [Gold].

  - Points: 0

  Seeing his ry dispyed on his status s, Ryuji nodded in satisfa. With this new ability, he could trol his prese will, even make himself pletely invisible to others if he wanted. It would be useful, no doubt, but he'd o test its limits properly soon.

  ---

  The m, Ryuji woke up feeling refreshed and powerful, the energy from all the spirits he had ed making him feel as if he could take on the world. He stretched, feeling the full extent of his newfound strength c through his body.

  "Ha~" he sighed tentedly, shaking out his limbs as he got ready for the day.

  Wheepped out of his house, he noticed Miko waiting outside for him, her eyes sing the area as if she were looking for something or rather, someone.

  "M, Miko," Ryuji called out, but there was no response. She just tianding there, her fak as she waited.

  "Uh, Miko?" Ryuji said again, fused as to why she wasn't responding.

  And then it hit him. "ht. I activated my presence cealment ability st night and ur off."

  That expined everything. With his presenpletely hidden, it was no wonder Miko couldn't see him. Fortunately, unlike Megumi, Ryuji could trol this ability at will.

  With a thought, he deactivated the it.

  "Ryuji!" Miko suddenly called out, her eyes log onto him as if he had just appeared out of thin air. "When did you get here? I didn't even see you e out!"

  "Just a little trick," Ryuji said with a smirk. "A special ability of mine."

  "Oh!" Miko nodded, not particurly surprised. After all, she had already e to expect the ued when it came to Ryuji. He was full of surprises, and she was learning to roll with it.

  "e on," Ryuji said as he reached out, taking her hand. "We'd better head to school before we're te."

  "Yeah," Miko agreed, her heart fluttering a little as Ryuji took the initiative to hold her hand. Ever sihey had bee a couple, she had feared it might all be a dream, but moments like this made it feel so real. The unease melted away, leaving behind a sweet sense of warmth.

  "You don't have to wait outside for me so early, you know," Ryuji said, notig the way she had been standing there for a while. "It's okay to sleep in a bit longer."

  "It's fine!" Miko said quickly, though her cheeks flushed slightly. "I don't mind waking up early. I just… wao see you." She couldn't bring herself to admit that she had woken up early just to be with him.

  Ryuji chuckled, amused by her siy. Without a word, he pulled a small key from his pocket and ha to Miko.

  "What's this?" Miko asked, her eyes widening in surprise. She took the key hesitantly, her heart rag as a flood of thoughts crossed her mind.

  "It's the key to my house," Ryuji said casually. "If you ever e by again and I'm not out yet, just go inside. o wait around like that."

  Miko blinked, her face turning red as she processed what he was saying. "Are you sure?" she asked nervously. "Is that really okay?"

  Ryuji grinned. "You're my girlfriend now, aren't you? Of course it's okay."

  Hearing his words, Miko's heart swelled with emotion. She nodded seriously, clutg the key tightly in her hand as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

  "Mm!" she hummed, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

  Ryuji was about to say something else when suddenly, a system notification fshed in his mind.

  "ditio. Greery triggered! Load?"

  "Wait, what?" Ryuji blinked in surprise. Greery? That meant… he could trigger multiple entries from Miko? Could he farm multiple taleries from the same person?

  Curious, Ryuji quickly ected with the system in his mind.

  "System, I refresh these taleries multiple times from the same heroine?"

  "...."

  As usual, the system didn't respond. It was a bit rigid like that. Still, Ryuji didn't mind. He'd figure it out eventually by testing it himself.

  "Let's see what this greery is," Ryuji muttered, turning his attention to the ry.

  Greery: Delicate

  "...Huh?"

  For a moment, Ryuji was at a loss. "Delicate? What does that even mean?"