I sat at my desk, waiting for our homeroom teacher to arrive. After a while, she came in, accompanied by a girl who looked like a transfer student. I thought her face seemed familiar... and then it hit me. She was the girl from yesterday.
"Hello, everyone. Starting this semester, you'll have a new classmate," Ms. Kyoko, our homeroom teacher, said.
"Please introduce yourself."
"Uh, yes... umm... my name is Himeko Tsukimiya... nice to meet you."
The boys in the class clapped and cheered. They really welcomed her. She's beautiful, after all, and her long black hair, resembling the night sky, stood out the most.
She looked at me and smiled, and then I felt the stares of the boys—looks that could kill. She sat in the empty seat in the second row, far from me, since I sit in the back next to the window—where the main characters always sit.
We continued with the lessons, and during lunch break, she approached me. I knew she'd probably want to talk about what happened yesterday, so I invited her to the rooftop. I couldn't risk someone overhearing us.
I invited her to sit on the bench by the iron fence.
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked.
"Uh, I just want to thank you again... for yesterday. You must be pretty strong, Misaki!" she said.
I smiled and replied, "You should keep what happened yesterday a secret, okay? It'd be a problem if anyone found out we can see them."
"Why?" she asked.
"Well, people might think we're crazy, or if they believe us, we could end up being part of cruel scientific experiments."
She looked frightened after hearing that. I figured I could trust her to keep quiet.
"Uhm, Misaki, is this little thing also a spirit?" she asked.
Then, she pulled something out of her skirt pocket. A small bird, about the size of her hand, covered in white feathers with a single horn on its forehead.
"Yes... it's a spirit... or rather, a spectre. It doesn't have a manifestation, after all."
"Manifestation? Like a weapon?" she asked.
"Uh, yes."
"The one you used to kill the demon yesterday, is that also a manifestation?"
I stuttered. I wasn't sure how to answer. If I said yes, my secret would be at risk. If I didn't answer, she might grow suspicious.
"Uh, yes, it is. Humans can use manifestations too."
"Wow, you're really knowledgeable about this!" she said.
Luckily, she didn't ask more questions. It would've been a problem if she did. I was amazed that she had tamed a spectre, though. That's impressive. I planned to give her pet a manifestation so it could protect her, but that meant I'd have to tell her about my shop. I figured it wouldn't hurt too much. I could just say the price is money. Plus, I was curious about what would happen to her pet if I gave it a manifestation.
"To be honest, I have this strange business. I sell the manifestations I get. The hammer that the demon used yesterday... it's also a manifestation, but sadly, I accidentally cut it off when I severed its head," I said.
I asked her to come with me after school to show her my shop, and she agreed. After class, we went to my apartment, where I showed her the products I sell.
"Wow! These are beautiful! Did you get them all from other spirits and demons?" she asked.
"Hmm, yes. Though I only got these from evil spirits and demons because they're dangerous. Killing them isn't a problem."
"It must be dangerous, right?"
We talked a lot about my shop, and I didn't realize how much time had passed. By the time we finished, it was already night. I offered to walk her to the nearest station since it wasn't safe for her to walk alone at night.
Before we left my apartment, I gave her one of the manifestations I sold. It was for her spectre specifically. I didn't want to give her a manifestation because it would mean she would lose her humanity.
"I'll give you this, Himeko. It's for your spectre. Give this ring to it. Don't worry, it will adjust to your spectre's size."
"Oh! REALLY? It's so beautiful! Yuki will love it!"
"Yuki? A name?"
"Yes! Because she resembles the color of snow."
She called her spectre and gave it the ring, which was apparently called the "Frost Ring." It gives the wearer the ability to manipulate ice. I specifically chose it because her spectre's attribute is ice, and the ring would gradually increase its strength. As soon as the bird wore the ring, its appearance changed.
It became a bird-like creature whose feathers were as white as the moon, shimmering when the light hit it. Its wings grew wider than its body, and its eyes were a brilliant azure. From a palm-sized bird, it grew into a human-sized monster. Though still tamed and attached to Himeko, it retained its cognitive abilities.
She looked both surprised and amazed by what she saw. Her sparkling eyes glanced at me, like a little girl receiving a gift.
"You don't have to worry. You're the only one who can see Yuki, even as she grows larger."
"Yes!! Thank you so much... Misaki!!"
I smiled at her, and after that, we left the apartment. We continued talking about spirits while walking to the station.
"Thanks again, Misaki... see you tomorrow!"
"You too!"
After I said my goodbyes, I had to take care of my personal problems... like confronting the spirit that had been following us since morning.
I pretended not to notice her until I reached the park near the station.
"You thought I didn't sense you?" I said.
A figure of a tall woman with purple hair and wolf-like purple eyes appeared. She was someone I knew.
"My, my. It looks like the skills of an ancient spirit are still within you."
"Hmm... What do you need from me? Are you a customer?"
"Straight to the point, huh? I think we should have a little reunion first."
"Our fists will be enough to reminisce the past, Nine-Tailed Ancient Spirit—Kitsune Ishi."