Eriri's ability

"Of course I'm joining!"

Eriri raised her chin slightly, a hint of excitement in her eyes, though she did her best to hide it.

She looked at Luo Shu. Although she was sitting on the floor, her slightly raised chin made it seem as though she were looking down at him from above.

"But let me make this clear first. If you don't deliver on your promises, I'll consider leaving."

Eriri Sawamura was still a high school student, after all, not so far removed from the age of adolescent fantasies.

For people her age, "I'm special" wasn't some arrogant declaration. It was something they genuinely believed.

That went doubly for Eriri, who had been pampered by her family since childhood. Although she had received a good education, she still lacked the shrewdness of a working adult.

"In principle, I have no objection to people leaving the organization. Of course, you'd have to sign some binding confidentiality agreements."

"Oh? A mystical contract? I know all about those." Eriri's eyes lit up, and she seemed quite excited.

Yet Luo Shu, who had proposed it, wasn't actually sure whether someone could stop being a member of his divine familia. Still, he figured there ought to be a way.

If Eriri Sawamura really wanted to leave the Astronomy Club and absolutely had to go, he figured he could accept that.

However, judging by Luo Shu's extensive reading, stepping into the supernatural was like becoming a bird that had lost its feet: there would never be a day when you could land again.

Whatever his private thoughts, Luo Shu struck while the iron was hot, taking out a document he had prepared beforehand and placing it on the low table before them.

"This is the [Astronomy Club] membership contract. A god will serve as witness to ensure neither party can go back on it."

Of course, that god is me, and I'm not counted as either party... Luo Shu silently added.

Before coming to the classroom after school, Luo Shu had discussed this with the system and learned that it offered quite a few ways to make contracts with him as the witness.

Every one of those contracts gave him absolute leverage as Party A. Even if both parties breached the contract, Luo Shu would only feel dizzy for a while at most, whereas the other violator would face punishment enforced by the system.

Of course, as a competent Party A, Luo Shu understood that he must never violate the contract unless he had absolutely no other choice. Otherwise, his side would lose the moral advantage of always keeping its word, undermining the entire organization's loyalty and unity.

Luo Shu took his work seriously.

"There's even a contract... That's surprisingly fitting for a secret organization. Are you really just getting started?"

Eriri looked at the contract on the table with some surprise. Finding that all the benefits Luo Shu had promised were clearly listed without any deception, she let go of her lingering wariness.

Hearing Eriri's comment, Utaha Kasumigaoka couldn't help saying:

"Sometimes I wonder whether he was born for this line of work. What normal person would prepare this much while an organization was still getting off the ground?"

He had considered the organization's salaries, benefits, medical care, logistics, and mission expenses and income. All he had done was encounter a giant rat yesterday, yet he had already thought so far ahead.

Was that only to be expected of a reawakening god? Although he hadn't displayed any particularly powerful or terrifying abilities, his mindset and methods clearly far surpassed those of his peers.

At the very least, Utaha Kasumigaoka hadn't thought things through nearly as thoroughly as Luo Shu.

Eriri signed her name on the contract, then took the red ink pad Luo Shu handed her and pressed her handprint onto it.

"Okay, done."

"So how are you going to awaken my superpower?"

Luo Shu checked Eriri's signature and handprint on the document. Once he confirmed that the contract had taken effect, he called out to the system.

System, you can start now.

[Request received. Energy collection device activated. Bestowal ritual initiated.]

As Eriri watched with wide eyes, a silver-blue arc of light shone beneath her feet.

Before her eyes, a strange circular magic array gradually formed, its center bearing an intricate design that she could only vaguely recognize as a sun.

"No way... This is really..."

Eriri muttered to herself, seemingly trying to piece together her freshly shattered worldview.

Just then,

a chime rang in Luo Shu's ears.

[Congratulations! The host's familia member, Eriri Spencer Sawamura, has awakened the excellent-tier ability Transformation.]

"Hmm? Excellent?"

Luo Shu was surprised. During his many conversations with the system that day, he had learned that its abilities were ranked in tiers such as ordinary, excellent, elite, hero, and demigod.

As it happened, an excellent-tier ability was on the same level as Wind Element Manipulation, Luo Shu's strongest ability at present.

Was Eriri really that talented?

Meanwhile, the system's notifications kept coming.

[Congratulations! The host has acquired a second familia member and received 9,000 points.]

Seemingly understanding Luo Shu's thoughts, the system automatically converted energy into points so that he and his familia members could use the same terminology.

[Congratulations! The host's monthly points income has increased to 400.]

400 points? Utaha Kasumigaoka only averages 100, so Eriri gives three times as much? How is this calculated?

While Luo Shu was puzzling over that, Eriri gradually began to open

her eyes after the ritual's brilliant light. Squinting, she raised a hand with a strange expression.

"I really got a superpower?"

She hesitated, took a deep breath, then used her newly acquired ability, Transformation.

In that instant, Eriri's brilliant golden hair turned jet-black at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Her figure grew taller, and her features changed, becoming more mature. Her azure eyes turned wine-red.

Two or three seconds later, Luo Shu stared in astonishment at the slightly shorter, miniature "Utaha Kasumigaoka" before him, then gave the real Utaha Kasumigaoka a strange look.

Utaha Kasumigaoka was equally shocked by Eriri's transformation, scarcely able to believe what she was seeing.

"Is this the ability you got, Eriri?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Utaha Kasumigaoka narrowed her eyes slightly, her expression turning teasing.

"Oh? This transformation can only increase your bust by one cup size? And make you five centimeters taller, but no more? I see. So it does have limitations."

"How do you know that?" The "miniature Utaha Kasumigaoka" stared at Utaha Kasumigaoka in shock and disbelief.

"Ah, I seem to have forgotten to tell you."

Utaha Kasumigaoka swept back the hair that had fallen in front of her and smiled brightly.

"The ability I awakened is called Mind Reading."

"Huh?"

Eriri jumped in fright. Then, with a pop, her body reverted to its original form, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed onto the floor.

At the sight, Luo Shu sprang to his feet and exclaimed:

"What happened?"

Utaha Kasumigaoka, who had just read Eriri's mind through the whole thing, spoke with an odd expression.

"Apparently, another drawback of Eriri's ability is that her emotions can't fluctuate too much."

"Well..."

Hearing that, Luo Shu gave Utaha Kasumigaoka a peculiar look.

The two of them stood there staring at each other in the Astronomy Club's base.