Asuna clutched her head, looking a little dazed. "Wait what's even happening right now?"
"President Lynn he has wings now?!"
A devil. Why does that feel strangely familiar?
Her brain did a quick rewindand then a realization hit her like a truck.
The Supernatural Research Club!
That price list they had outside campus! With requests ranging from low-class devils to mid-class ones even a Satan, Devil King.
HissssAsuna's heart started racing, her eyes filled with shock.
Wait a secThat wasn't just some chuunibyou nonsense?! Are Devils actually real?!
Her expression turned complicated. "President Lynn you're not joking, are you?"
"Of course not," Lynn replied confidently. "Didn't I already tell you back in the club?"
"Huh?" Asuna blinked. "When?!"
"That price list, remember?"
Her eyelid twitched. "Who the hell would take something like that seriously?!"
Just dealing with the existence of supernatural powers had already shattered her worldview.
And now whatDevils too?! Is this even the same world she thought she lived in?
A sudden thought crossed her mind.
Wait could it be
She was actually inside some kind of ultra-realistic VR game world all along? And only by uncovering the truth could she return to reality?!
...
Meanwhile, Hitagi just stared at Lynn with a complex look.
She always thought she was weird enough.
But today? She just met someone even weirder.
"A Devil, huh" she muttered softly.
Then she looked up, locking eyes with Lynn's crimson gaze. After a pause, she spoke.
"Compared to humans, maybe Devils are actually more trustworthy."
Coming from someone with her past, it wasn't hard for her to accept Lynn's true nature.
"...What?" Asuna stared at her, baffled. "Hitagi-san, are you?"
'Broken?'
She didn't say it out loud, but her eyes said it all.
Trusting a Devil more than a human? You've got to be kidding.
Devilswhether in myths or booksare never portrayed as trustworthy.
"If you went through what I did, you'd understand," Hitagi said calmly.
But that simple line revealed a lot.
Asuna opened her mouth but couldn't find the words to respond.
Had Hitagi been hurt that badly by people? Was that why she'd rather trust a Devil?
If so then maybe she didn't have the right to push the whole "believe in humanity" speech.
Still, trusting a Devil was problematic on so many levels.
But
Lynn does seem trustworthy, right?
She hadn't known him that long, but he always gave off a decent vibe.
At that moment, Hitagi's eyes were quietly studying Lynn.
"Didn't expect the legendary President of the Supernatural Research Club to be a real Devil."
She let out a soft sigh, then pulled up a chair and sat across from him. Her legs crossed instinctivelyclearly still wary after that gust of wind earlier.
Only after making sure she was fully "secure," did she finally speak again.
"If it's you, Devil-san, maybe you really can solve the problem I've got."
Asuna's expression turned even more conflicted. "That's all it takes for you to trust him?"
Just earlier, she was completely in the "mind your own business" mode
Now Lynn shows a pair of wings, and boomtotal change of heart?
Hitagi just shrugged. "Weren't you the one who said you'd help me?"
"Okay, fair," Asuna sighed.
As student council president, she couldn't just ignore a student clearly dealing with something.
But seriously, why did it have to be a Devil?
Asuna started feeling uneasy again.
"Besides," Hitagi continued, "with a Devil like him around even if I wanted to leave, I doubt I'd be able to."
Then her blue eyes glimmered a bit. "I've noticed something since earlier"
"Devil-san are you interested in me?"
Lynn smiled. "You're pretty sharp."
"Sharp?" Hitagi replied coolly. "Or maybe you're just not hiding it well."
"Is it because of my abnormality?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Or is it because of how I look?"
The term "Harem Club" popped into her head. Was she finally seeing the truth?
A Devil obsessed with building his harem?
Lynn didn't deny itinstead, he answered confidently: "Both, actually."
"But"
His gaze deepened.
"The most important reason"
"is because you've got what it takes to stand by my side."
Hitagi froze.
The qualifications to stand beside a Devil?
What did that even mean?
She couldn't quite figure it out.
Aside from the curse of the Crab of Weight, she didn't think there was anything particularly special about herself.
(Crab of Weight (Heavy Stone Crab) can deprive a person of their weight and may even erase the victim's presence entirely. It took Hitagi's weight.)
Hitagi pondered it over for a moment.
But then again
If she couldn't figure it out, why bother?
Without hesitation, Hitagi gave up on thinking and locked her gaze on Lynn, her eyes glinting.
This was a chance.
Because of the fear that someone might discover what was wrong with her body, she had locked herself away for two whole years.
Two yearsShe'd cut herself off from everythingno friends, no activities, living like some cloistered heiress from a shut-in mansion.
She'd basically turned into a hedgehog, full of thorns.
Somehow, somewhere along the way That became her "normal."
She had tried. Tried to chase down the Crab of Weight again. Tried to take her weight back. Tried to reclaim her old self.
But every time, she failed.
And after that, she never saw the crab again.
She had honestly thought this weird, empty life was just going to go on like this forever.
But then
Hitagi's thoughts swirled.
She hadn't expected to run into someone even stranger than herself.
A Devil.
"The price for this deal is probably me, isn't it?"
Her voice was calm as she said it.
After all, Lynn hadn't even been subtle about it. He wasn't hinting anymorehe was blatantly laying it out.
Lynn looked at her and smiled. "Exactly. I'll fix your problem, and you'll join my Familia."
"Familia?" Hitagi tasted the word, turning it over in her mind. Then she gave a translation that made more sense to her.
"A harem?"
Lynn shrugged. "That's one way to put it."
"Eh?!" Asuna blinked in shock and stammered, "H-H-Harem?!"
Suddenly, it all clicked.
So the rumors about the "Harem Club" weren't just rumors after all?
Hitagi narrowed her eyes at Lynn and muttered under her breath, "At least you're honest about it"
She shut her eyes, clearly torn inside.
On one sideyears of loneliness and pain, trapped by the crab's curse, cut off from a normal life.
On the other
She thought of the members of the Supernatural Research Club.
Would she become one of them?
If she couldn't get rid of this curse, she'd probably end up dying alone, wouldn't she?
Hitagi quietly weighed the pros and cons.
Then she opened her eyes and studied Lynn carefully.
Finally, she let out a quiet chuckle. "Lynn"
"No wonder every guy at Shuchiin's jealous of you. Not only do you have amazing luck with women, but you also look like you walked out of a manga as the MC"
As she said it, Hitagi had already convinced herself.
At the very leastLynn's looks were totally her type.
And besidesCrab of Weight or Devil?
It wasn't like she had a third option.
Once the decision was made, she felt much calmer.
She looked at Lynn and asked directly, "Can you actually see where my weirdness comes from, Devil-san?"
Lynn glanced over her and nodded. "It's the Crab of Weight's curse, right?"
Bingo.
Hitagi felt it in her guthe really could see through it.
He spotted the problem immediatelyAnd judging by his tone, he didn't seem the least bit intimidated by it?
That was all she needed.
She stood up and gave Lynn a deep bow. "Please help me get back what's mine."
Lynn leaned against the desk and didn't movejust gave a faint smile.
"Getting your weight back isn't hard."
A simple purification would be enough to handle the crab's curse.
"But"
"What you lost wasn't just weight, was it?"
He looked into her eyes. "Are you ready to take back everything that came with it?"
Hitagi's eyes widened.
Then her heart grew heavy.
She hadn't just lost her physical weight.
She'd lost her feelings, her burdens her emotional "gravity."
A long silence followed.
Was she ready to carry all that again?
The classroom felt stillalmost frozen.
Outside, the breeze rustled through the leaves, as if nature itself was waiting for her answer.
At last
Hitagi lifted her head, her gaze steady and full of resolve. "I'm ready!"
She'd made up her mind.
No more running away.
No more hiding.
"I see." Lynn stood up, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Then your request is accepted."
Asuna opened her mouth, wanting to say something.
She'd heard everything about that deal just now.
After this, Hitagi was handing herself over to Lynn!
This was seriously sketchy! A deal like that was illegal in Shuchiin Academy.
Especially right under the student council president's nose!
Asuna clenched her fists.
And yet
Lynn hadn't pressured anyone. Hitagi had made the choice on her own, trying to solve her own problem.
And as a mere human, what right did she have to interfere with a Devil's actions?
Asuna let out a frustrated breath.
On the other side
Lynn placed his hand on Hitagi's shoulder. A flash of pure, radiant light burst forth.
BZZZZT!
Hitagi's eyes widened, her long purple hair lifting into the air like it was caught in a windstorm.
Something was leaving her body.
Her weightwas coming back.
"ROAAARRR!"
Suddenly, a guttural roar tore from deep inside her!
The next moment
A massive phantom of a crab began to emerge.
Its sheer size looked like it could fill the whole classroom. Every time its massive claws twitched, they kicked up howling gusts of wind.
Asuna clamped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with fear. "T-That's the Crab of Weight?!"
Hitagi narrowed her eyes. "Yeah. That's it."
She'd only seen it once, but she'd never forget the creature that had turned her life upside down.
"ROAAARRR!"
The crab let out another bellow, its eyes locked on Lynn with murderous intent.
Lynn let out a short laugh. "Wow this crab's more possessive than I expected."
"?"
Hitagi blinked.
Possessive?
Before she could think more about it, the phantom crab lashed out with both claws, launching an attack straight at Lynn!
CRACK!Its pincers collided with Lynn's raised hand.
"Watch out!"Asuna shouted.
But Lynn didn't budge.
He simply raised one hand
BOOM!
Suddenly, a web of cracks spread across the crab's massive shell.
KA-CRASH!
In the blink of an eye, the giant phantom shattered into light and vanished without a trace.
Hitagi and Asuna stood there, mouths open, completely stunned.
"Is it over?"
.
.
.
Dad Lynn?
"Nope. This is just the beginning."
Lynn's calm voice echoed.
"Huh?"
Asuna blinked in confusion, not quite getting what he meant.
Hearing that, Hitagi narrowed her eyes slightly and explained, "That was just a projection of the Crab of Weight."
Asuna's eyes widened in realization. "So... that thing might actually show up for real later?"
Just the thought made her shiver.
Even that shadow was enough to make her feelhow small and powerless she was as a human.
If the real thing shows up...
She couldn't help but tremble at the thought.
"Looking for trouble, huh?"
Hitagi glanced at Lynn, then said in a soft voice, "I get the feeling... it's not the crab that's gonna be picking the fight."
Lynn grinned. "Wow, I didn't think we've known each other long enough for you to read me that well."
"No," she shook her head, "It's just that your intentions are way too obvious. So, shall we go?"
Lynn's smirk widened."Of course."
That crab looked at him like it had a serious grudge.
Naturally, there's no way Lynn was gonna let it slide.
Suddenly
"Master! Master!"
Stella's voice rang out in Lynn's mind.
He raised an eyebrow. "Stella?"
A sweet voice answered, "And Luna is here too~"
"Master," Luna chimed in, "That crab... I think it might actually be useful."
Lynn looked a bit surprised.
Luna continued, "The moment it appeared, my star chart reacted. Just a little, but it did."
Lynn rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing.
"I see..."
That sealed it.
That crab was definitely not walking away from this.
Meanwhile
Thanks to Lynn's purification magic, Hitagi could feel her body growing heavier.
Her weight...
Her real weight was finally coming back!
That long-lost sense of being truly alive... it was back!
Her heart was all over the place, but her lips curled up unconsciously.
But with that weight also camethe pain, and the memories.
Her mother...
A stifled groan escaped her lips. Her brows furrowed. The smile vanished, replaced by visible grief.
She knew this would happen the moment she chose to take her weight back.
But still
The sheer flood of negative emotions felt like it might crush her all over again.
Her body swayed, almost collapsing.
ThenA large, warm hand gently rested on her head.
"Harmony."
Lynn's voice was calm and soft. He used the Nigimitama skill of [Four-Soul Devil] that symbolizes harmony, mediation, and compassion.
A wave of peace, compassion, and warmth flowed from his hand and into her body, soothing the storm in her heart.
Hitagi blinked in surprise and looked up at him, her eyes slightly unfocused.
Then, as if drawn to him She leaned forward and buried her face in his chest.
Softly, she whispered,"Dad"
Asuna: "...Huh?"
Lynn: "...Wait, what?"
Lynn's expression twitched. A rare look of shock passed through his eyes.
He'd met a lot of people, taken in many companions...
But this? This was new.
He and Asuna exchanged glancesboth unsure how to react.
Meanwhile, Hitagi clung to him like it was the most natural thing in the world, muttering "Dad" again and again.
A while passed.
The painful memories settled down for now, and her mind cleared up.
And then...She froze.
What... what did she just do?
She hugged Lynn?
Called him dad?
Ugh...
Stay calm! Deep breaths!!
But... She couldn't stay calm.
Lynn smelled so comforting... just like a father should.
