One week.
For almost every day of that week, they were with Higashino Makoto.
They don't need to do anything else; they're just there for company.
We eat breakfast together, drink tea together, read books together, and daydream together.
We lay in bed together at night, our blankets folded together.
"Mr. Higashino."
Kanae Kocho put down her book, looked at him with her purple eyes, and brought up what the other person had just mentioned.
"You just said, a hundred years?"
"Yes, a century."
Higashino Makoto walked back to the bedside and sat down.
"At the current rate of faith growth, it will take about a hundred years. If the number of believers continues to increase, it may be shortened, though not by much."
Shinobu Kocho put down her teacup and looked at him.
Aren't you in a hurry?
"No rush, I have plenty of time."
Higashino Makoto got to this point, he realized that they were still ordinary humans at the moment, and asked a question in return.
"What about you? Do you have time?"
Shinobu Kocho's fingers tightened slightly.
"Mr. Higashino, what do you mean?"
"I mean, human lifespan is less than a hundred years. Do you want to break that limit?"
The room fell silent.
Kanae Kocho lowered her head, looking at her hands. Shinobu Kocho's lips tightened slightly.
Kanao Tsuyuri walked over from the window and stood beside her sisters, her purple eyes looking at Higashino Makoto.
"Mr. Higashino."
Kanae Kocho raised her head.
Are you asking us if we want immortality?
"Yes and no. I can't even talk about immortality, let alone you, but eternal life is possible."
He stretched out his hand, and a pale golden light appeared in his palm.
It has to be said that this is the good thing about game worlds becoming reality; whether it's immortality or resurrection, it's just a matter of changing some data.
After it became reality, Higashino Makoto truly had the illusion that he was a god.
"Transform into other races. Angels, demons, elemental Elf Kingdom, fairies, vampires... many choices. Each has different powers, and whichever you choose, you can gain near-eternal life."
Shinobu Kocho at him, her purple eyes flashing with a complex light.
"Higashino Makoto, why are you giving us this choice?"
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
"Because you belong to me."
Shinobu Kocho's lips twitched slightly.
"That's all?"
"That's just how it is. I don't like my things breaking, I don't like beautiful things becoming tattered, and I especially don't like my things dying."
Kanae Kocho chuckled softly.
"Mr. Higashino, you really should have been more tactful, perhaps said something sweeter or something."
"I know."
"Okay... we're willing."
Shinobu Kocho looked at her older sister.
"Elder sister--"
"Ren, do you want to become an old lady?"
Shinobu Kocho paused for a moment, taken aback.
"I--"
"You don't want to."
Kanae Kocho stood up, walked to Higashino Makoto, and looked down at him.
"I don't want to either, Kanao doesn't want to either."
She turned around and looked at her sisters.
Right?
Shinobu Kocho was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Right."
Kanao Tsuyuri didn't speak, she just nodded.
Kanae Kocho turned around and looked at Higashino Makoto again.
"Mr. Higashino, we are willing."
Higashino Makoto looked at her for two seconds.
"Are you sure?"
"Confirmed."
No regrets?
No regrets.
Higashino Makoto nodded and withdrew the light from his hand.
"Alright, let's start choosing a race."
Shinobu Kocho's brows furrowed slightly.
What to choose?
Higashino Makoto stood up, walked to his desk, took a thick booklet from the drawer, placed it on the table, and opened it.
Higashino Makoto had the Guardians conduct experiments showing that when humans were transformed into alien species, their personalities would change to some extent, especially those of races like the undead.
This is also why he didn't immediately choose to change the races of the Dragon King Princess and Leinas.
However, after the Guardians' experiments over this period of time, the main drawbacks and side effects have been identified.
Generally speaking, as long as it's not a race like the undead, there shouldn't be any major problems.
Okay, that's right.
Next time I go back, I'll change their race.
"Angels. Powerful, with wings and halos, but their personalities can become a bit... well, how should I put it... detached, like they don't care about mortal affairs."
Shinobu Kocho shook her head.
Let's take another look.
"Demons. They are equally powerful, have wings, and some have tails, but their personalities can become somewhat cunning?"
Kanae Kocho continued to shake her head.
"Elemental Elf Kingdom. They have no physical form, they are pure energy entities, they can transform into any shape, but they have no sense of touch and cannot eat... Let's forget about this one."
He nodded in agreement.
"Fairies. Small and exquisite, with wings, they can fly, but their bodies can shrink."
Shinobu Kocho looked at her voluptuous figure and her already petite body.
"Don't want."
"Vampires are undead and afraid of sunlight. Although this weakness can be overcome, to be honest, I wouldn't recommend it."
The three shook their heads without hesitation.
Higashino Makoto turned page after page, and the Butterfly Sisters denied each other one by one.
Angels need to be considered, demons need to be considered, elemental Elf Kingdom are out, fairies are out, vampires are out, dragonmen need to be considered, centaurs are out, snake women are out...
With each page turned, the butterfly sisters shook their heads.
Until Higashino Makoto turned to the next page.
"Betsucho."
Shinobu Kocho's fingers paused for a moment.
"Betsucho?"
"Yes, Betsucho. It's a kind of Japan yokai in legends. Apart from growing a pair of butterfly wings, it doesn't have any other strange organs. Its strength isn't particularly great, but it's still much stronger than a human."
If I remember correctly, this should be a product of the same era as the Onmyoji profession.
Shinobu Kocho looked at the illustration on that page.
A beautiful woman with a pair of enormous butterfly wings unfolding behind her.
Its wings are purple with golden patterns that shimmer softly in the sunlight.
--Butterfly wings.
"This is it."
Shinobu Kocho's finger is pressed on the illustration.
I want this.
Higashino Makoto glanced at her.
"Are you sure?"
"Confirmed."
Higashino Makoto nodded and looked at Kanae Kocho.
"And you?"
Kanae Kocho looked at the illustration.
"Elder sister--"
Shinobu Kocho was about to say something, but Kanae Kocho raised her hand to interrupt her.
I'll choose this one too.
Kanae Kocho's voice was calm.
"My surname and Ren's surname happen to both be Butterfly; I always felt it was fate."
Higashino Makoto looked at Kanao Tsuyuri.
She didn't speak, but walked to the desk, stretched out her hand, and gently touched the butterfly wings in the illustration with her fingers.
"That's it."
Her voice was very soft.
Higashino Makoto nodded.
"Good."
He put away the booklet and took out three silver-white crystals from the drawer.
The crystal was small, only about the size of a fingernail, with a faint shimmering light flowing across its surface.
That was a racial transformation tool for the "Betsucho," formed from the power of the Seed of the World Tree.
"Stand still, don't move."
The three sisters stood in a row in front of him.
Higashino Makoto walked up to Kanae Kocho and placed the crystal on her forehead.
A pale silver light emanated from the crystal, enveloping her body.