After a brief chat with Kato Megumi, Hayashi Itsuki's expression turned a little strange as he continued scanning his classmates.
That girl with the deadpan expression, chatting with the cute boy behind her—could that be Hikigaya Hachiman and Yozuka Ayaka?
And the slender girl with the ponytail, looking incredibly sweet… Nibutani Morisawa?
Just how many heroines from other anime worlds had been crammed into this class?
Itsuki's gaze wandered again, eventually settling on Shiina Mahiru.
The girl sat upright at her desk, her long golden hair shimmering in the sunlight.
A natural aura of excellence seemed to radiate from her, making her practically glow.
Even from behind, she was captivating.
Itsuki couldn't help but recall the times he'd been close to her—soft, warm, and intoxicatingly sweet.
Feeling a hot gaze on her, Mahiru instinctively glanced back, only to meet Itsuki's eyes.
Her body shivered immediately, and she quickly looked away.
Just like the night before… and that second incident in the morning…
Shiina Mahiru could never forget.
After all, those were her first and second… experiences.
The memories were seared into her mind.
Blushing slightly, she patted her cheeks to calm herself.
Anyway, she told herself. I won't let this delinquent Itsuki touch me in the classroom.
Let him stew on his own!
Itsuki, of course, noticed her behavior.
And he didn't mind one bit.
As he'd said before—she couldn't escape him.
It was only natural that Mahiru wouldn't want to interact with him at school.
After all, Mahiru was practically an angel in everyone's eyes. Nearly all the boys in the class were drawn to her approachable, radiant aura, eager to get close to her.
Her brilliance and charm had made her the centerpiece of the class.
If anyone found out she was Itsuki's woman… he'd be the target of every student's wrath.
And Mahiru herself would be overwhelmed by gossip and rumors.
So Itsuki had no intention of public displays of affection at school. He could wait until they were alone.
Besides, if Mahiru the little angel confirmed a relationship with him publicly, how could he go about forming contracts with other promising familiars?
Trying to open a harem without enough power or resources? He'd just end up like that infamous "Scumbag Protagonist," getting cut down.
Sure, Itsuki had super recovery powers and wouldn't die from a wound—but better safe than sorry.
…
After class, several girls, including Yuigahama Yui, happily gathered around Shiina Mahiru.
"Mahiru, you weren't in school yesterday, right? Are you feeling better?"
"Mm, I'm fine now. Thanks for asking," Mahiru replied with a smile.
Her perfect, adorable smile—paired with her flawless face—was irresistible, practically radiating warmth and charm.
"If you ever need help with anything, make sure to tell us, Mahiru," said the usually proud Miura Yumiko, unable to hide her concern.
This was a clear sign of how popular Mahiru was in the class.
If anyone knew that the angelic Mahiru had been "taken advantage of" by Itsuki and even slept with him, Itsuki would be mobbed by a group of students in seconds.
"I know, thank you, Miura-san," Mahiru said with a polite nod, her gaze flicking toward Itsuki for a brief, almost imperceptible moment.
To Itsuki, she seemed slightly smug.
[See? If you try to pester me in class, you're doomed!]
But he had zero intention of bothering her at school.
Why complicate things? He could sneakily cuddle his little angel at home instead.
She was his now; he'd pamper her properly.
Yes, Itsuki was a demon… but he had his principles. A strong sense of responsibility.
His girl would be protected by him alone.
Time passed without him even realizing it.
The only thing bothering Mahiru was that Itsuki, the bad boy, occasionally stared at her from across the room but never approached her.
And he also leered at other girls.
For some reason, seeing him look at other girls made Mahiru feel an odd discomfort. Of course, Itsuki wasn't constantly staring—he was also deep in thought about the plot of his light novel, preparing to continue writing at lunch and finish volume one for submission.
Money was tight in this world.
Though he had the demonic powers, he was currently just a high-recovery meat shield—too early to flaunt strength recklessly.
Instinctively, he suspected there were special existences in this world worth contracting.
And after all, the academy's full name was Holy White Emperor Academy—nothing about that was ordinary.
For a happy, fulfilling life later, he planned to slowly contract familiars and acquire more power before worrying about other things.
By noon, Itsuki hadn't brought lunch, so he went to a convenience store and bought a single sausage and a discounted loaf of bread, returning to the classroom to eat grimly.
He had only 200,000 yen left. After paying rent, there wasn't much to spare.
Ever since crossing over into this world as an orphan, life had been tight. Even though the car owner compensated his hospital fees, most of it had already been spent during treatment.
No matter where you were, hospital costs were always steep.
Of course, his lunch had another purpose.
He wanted to play the pitiful figure in front of Shiina Mahiru.
Why was Mahiru considered an angel and so popular in the anime circles?
Because she was super gentle and doted on her boyfriend until he became useless from happiness.
Itsuki wanted to be spoiled into a useless heap by little angel Mahiru, too.
Soon, Mahiru returned to the classroom after cleaning up her lunchbox. Seeing his meager meal, her perfect brows immediately furrowed.
She couldn't help but walk over, her voice crisp:
"You're eating this for lunch?"
Itsuki glanced at her, calm as ever, and nodded.
"Yeah… any problem with that?"
"Hmm… no problem."
Mahiru muttered dryly and turned back to her seat, sitting down.
She felt an inexplicable irritation.
How could he get by with such a lunch for noon?
He was a guy, after all, burning all that energy… and he didn't even eat properly to replenish it?
Thinking about the reason for his energy expenditure, Mahiru's cheeks burned red.