Rei Ao gently removed Mai's hands and pinned them along with the butterfly clasp to the stone ledge. He then asked the question he had been wanting to ask, "Mai, are you ready now?"
Understanding what he meant, Mai bit her lip, her gaze flickering nervously as she replied, "Not yet."
Rei Ao noticed her hesitation. "Tell me, what are you worried about?"
"…"
Lowering her head, Mai spoke softly, "I… I'm afraid that one day I might really disappear, and I won't be able to respond to your feelings."
That was her fear—that she might eventually fade away to the point where even Rei Ao couldn't remember her.
"So that's what it is," Rei Ao said, a soft smile forming on his lips. "If that's the case, let's fix it."
He leaned in and kissed her forehead. A radiant light enveloped her as he granted her a blessing.
"Uh?!"
Mai immediately felt a change within her body, a surge of powerful energy flowing through her. She now had a pair of shimmering earrings beneath her ears, and red dragon scales appeared on her arms and cheeks.
"What is this?!"
Mai was shocked by her transformation.
[Name]: Mai Sakurajima
[Level]: 3
[Abilities]: "Dragon Strength," "Cognitive Disappearance," "Rei Ao's Blessing," "Inherent Device: Void Star"
"Dragon Strength": Grants the body the strength of a dragon.
"Inherent Device: Void Star": Earrings that can erase the existence of objects.
These abilities made her stronger, but what stood out most was the evolution of her cognitive disappearance.
"Now that you have my blessing, you should understand what has happened to you."
"…"
Mai gazed at the dragon scales on her arms, and with a thought, they vanished. She could also feel that she now had the ability to restore people's perception of her at will.
"Don't even think about testing your abilities right now," Rei Ao warned, seeing her thoughts clearly. "Unless you want Kasumigaoka to notice."
He nodded toward Kasumigaoka, who was still seated nearby, eating.
"!!!"
Mai, suddenly remembering that Kasumigaoka was still there, quickly gave up the idea of restoring her presence. She looked at Rei Ao with a complicated expression.
"So you already had a way to restore my presence."
"This method wasn't something I was completely sure about," Rei Ao admitted. The blessing could trigger unexpected evolutions, based on a combination of his power and the individual's own abilities.
It was now clear that Mai's abilities had evolved alongside his, resulting in her gaining powers that matched his "Crimson Lotus Dragon God" and an Inherent Device. It was a pleasant surprise, and he couldn't help but wonder if Saeko and Aoi would undergo similar changes. If they didn't, it would be a missed opportunity worth a fortune. He'd have to investigate that further later.
For now, Mai was more important.
"Now that your worries are gone, Mai, are you ready?" Rei Ao asked once again.
"W-Wait!!!"
Mai gasped as she felt herself being overwhelmed by him. Her final worry had vanished, and the person she loved was right here, the one who had taken away her fear. The emotions and affection she wanted to express flowed through her, but words couldn't capture everything. She realized the only way to truly share her feelings was through the closeness they shared.
With her long hair cascading down, she rested her chin on Rei Ao's shoulder, her voice barely a whisper.
"She… she really won't notice, will she?"
Her newfound vulnerability made Rei Ao smile.
"Don't you trust me?"
"I do, but… this feels so strange."
"So, that's a yes? Then, here I go."
"Wait, no—ah!"
...
"Whose bento was this, again?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha stared blankly at the empty bento box in her hands after finishing her meal. Was it hers? Why couldn't she remember?
She recalled talking to someone earlier, but when she glanced around the rooftop, it was completely empty, save for the sound of the metal railing rattling in the wind. Wait—there was no wind.
Kasumigaoka's face went pale as she stared at the shaking railing, recalling various ghost stories about rooftops in schools.
Frightened, she hastily packed up the bento box and fled from the rooftop, running as fast as she could.
Still gripping the railing, Mai sighed, exhausted. "You said she wouldn't notice…"
Rei Ao grinned mischievously, replying, "Haha, I lied, Mai. Kasumigaoka has been able to see us the whole time."
"!!!"
Mai's reaction was immediate, her eyes widening in shock.
Rei Ao couldn't help but laugh as the wind whipped across the rooftop.
That day, the rooftop was filled with an unusually loud and restless breeze, and the rattling metal railing stood witness to everything that had transpired.
~~~
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