[Shiraishikawa — Shirakawa]
Shirakawa ignored the phone calls from Miss Mary.
That was all part of the plan.
Letting the threat creep closer and closer, step by step, built psychological pressure. A normal person would've lost it by now.
But he wasn't a normal person.
A nearly max-leveled exorcist, endowed with a Diamond Body impervious to evil, stamina straight out of an H-scene anime, and overwhelming purification skills—he had already finished all the prep work.
His heart? Completely still. Unshaken.
And Mary? She didn't keep him waiting long.
A sudden, hurried knock came from the door. He didn't even need to check the peephole.
From the other side of the reinforced steel door came a sweet, innocent-sounding voice:
"Shirakawa-kun? Are you home? I'm Mary—the one who called you earlier!"
But with her voice came a chilling aura. A creeping cold slithered through the door seams, the temperature in the room dropping by several degrees in an instant.
Unbothered, Shirakawa got up and opened the door—
—only to find no one there.
Just as the rumors said: the infamous Miss Mary's Call, the cursed tale of a forsaken doll who, upon making contact, begins tailing her target...
...until she appears directly behind them.
"I'll make you truly afraid. Prepare yourself."
A chilling voice suddenly whispered from behind him.
Right on cue.
Shirakawa turned around, anticipation brimming in his eyes.
What greeted him was a petite girl barely 140cm tall, silver hair cascading down to her waist, and eyes of piercing sapphire—burning with deep, concentrated hatred.
She looked just like the urban legend described: a delicate porcelain face, a crimson and white frilly princess dress, and a rose-red ribbon adorning her head.
"Nice to meet you, Mary."
After all, this was his first encounter with a real urban legend. Shirakawa gave her the courtesy of a proper greeting.
"..."
Mary, for her part, blinked in surprise.
There was no fear in Shirakawa's gaze.
None.
Urban legends draw their power from fear. The more terrified the target, the stronger they become.
And yet… this guy didn't even flinch.
Still, she wasn't about to let her prey go just because he wasn't scared.
With a huff, she gripped her red umbrella tightly and lunged—
—only for the floor to erupt in radiant light.
The unassuming floor beneath her transformed into a holy exorcism seal, binding her body in place like a cage of divine fire.
The cursed aura leaking from her body began to dissipate.
Mary's doll-like face twisted into a frosty scowl. "You're… an exorcist?"
"No," Shirakawa replied, shaking his head.
"I'm an Enforced Exorcist."
Ordinary exorcists purify spirits through ceremony or faith. His methods, however, were... far more persuasive.
"..."
Mary didn't quite catch the nuance, but now she understood why he'd been so calm on the phone.
The exorcism array beneath her continuously drained her cursed energy, making her weaker by the second. If she didn't escape soon, she'd be completely purified by this despicable bastard.
She tried to rally her energy, to explode with hatred and break the seal—
—but her body wouldn't respond.
Her eyes lost their earlier arrogance. Now, there was a trace of real fear behind her bright irises.
"What did you do to me?!"
"Like I said."
"I'm an Enforced Exorcist. Emphasis on enforced."
Ignoring her trembling voice and pitiful expression, Shirakawa stepped forward.
If this had been a normal person instead of him, they'd already be a corpse by now. And besides, if he wanted to unlock his next job class, he had to complete a real exorcism.
"Y-you damn pleb! What are you planning?!"
Mary tried to back away, but the glowing array kept her rooted in place.
Her petite body began to tremble.
"Exorcism," Shirakawa said calmly.
Sure, his methods might be a little... unorthodox. But at the end of the day, he was doing good, wasn't he?
He reached out and gently grabbed her slender, icy wrist. Surprisingly soft—nothing like a wooden doll.
Then, with practiced motion, he lifted the hem of her frilly dress.
A cute patterned pair of panties came into view.
Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile and said, "Don't misunderstand."
"This is part of the exorcism."
"HENTAI!!"
"Nooo!! You'll break meee!!"
---
Meanwhile, back at home, Izumi Mio had just finished heating up a bento and giving the room a quick clean-up.
She didn't return to her drawing desk afterward.
Instead, she stood frozen, conflicted.
How on earth was she supposed to explain to her daughter Sagiri… that she'd be working as a housekeeper at Shirakawa's place?
Well, with the rent savings... she could finally afford to buy Sagiri all sorts of things.
The meals would improve, and Shirakawa-kun really was a decent guy.
"For Sagiri's sake…"
She looked toward her daughter, who was hard at work on a new illustration. A gentle smile touched her lips.
"Sagiri, mommy's heading out for a bit."
"Okay, mama."
She locked the front door and stepped into the apartment elevator.
Destination: Penthouse, 15th floor.
Her heart pounded with a strange rhythm.
After all, it wasn't just any top-floor suite—it had a rooftop garden, a pool, even a BBQ area. None of which were available to regular tenants.
Still, her only goal tonight was to finalize the cleaning arrangements.
But as she neared the door… strange noises leaked from within.
A muffled voice cried out from the hallway:
"HENTAI! Are you really an exorcist?!"
"..."
"Forgive me, Lord Shirakawa, it's my fault for not being obedient enough..."
Mio's cheeks flushed bright red.
She didn't know whether to keep standing there or run for her life.
Was this... seriously something straight out of a manga?