"Of course my answer is yes—I'm joining!" Eriri raised her chin slightly, a glimmer of excitement flickering in her eyes, though she tried her best to hide it. Even while seated on the floor, the way she tilted her head made it seem like she was looking down from a position of superiority.
"But I'll say this upfront—if you fail to deliver on the benefits you promised, I will consider quitting."
After all, Sawamura Spencer Eriri was still a high school girl, not far removed from her chunibyo years. At that age, believing "I'm special" isn't arrogance—it's a deeply held conviction. And being raised in a doting household, even though she'd received a good education, she didn't have the sharp instincts of someone seasoned by society.
"I'm okay with allowing members to leave the organization in principle," Luo Shu replied, "though that would require signing a confidentiality agreement with some actual binding force."
"Oooh? A secret contract? I know, I know." Eriri's eyes sparkled with interest, visibly thrilled.
What Luo Shu didn't say aloud was that he wasn't entirely sure if a Follower could even leave. But he imagined there should be a way. And if Eriri genuinely wished to exit the club, he'd probably let her. Still, based on the countless novels he'd read, once someone stepped into the extraordinary, it was like a bird that had lost its feet—there would never again be a place to land.
Regardless of his inner thoughts, Luo Shu seized the moment and placed a prepared document on the low table in front of them.
"This is the [Astronomy Club] membership contract. It's witnessed by a god, so neither side can go back on it."
(Of course, that god is me—and I'm not one of the parties to the contract...) Luo Shu mentally added.
Before coming to the clubroom after school, he had discussed this with the system and learned that there were several contract templates using him as a divine witness. Unsurprisingly, they were all heavily biased in his favor—if both sides broke the terms, Luo Shu might get a headache, while the other party would face the system's enforced penalties. That said, Luo Shu understood that as the 'Party A,' unless absolutely necessary, he must not break the terms himself. Otherwise, he'd lose the moral high ground of being a god who honors his word, which could cause his entire organization to lose cohesion and trust.
When it came to handling things seriously, Luo Shu didn't mess around.
"A real contract, huh? That's surprisingly fitting for a secret organization," Eriri remarked, surprised as she looked over the document on the table. Seeing that every benefit Luo Shu had promised was listed clearly and without any deceit, the skepticism she had been holding onto quickly melted away.
Even Kasumigaoka Utaha couldn't help but chime in. "Sometimes I wonder if this guy was just born for this. What kind of person prepares all this while the organization is still in its infancy?"
Salaries, benefits, medical support, mission funding and revenue—he'd accounted for it all. They had only fought a giant rat yesterday, and he was already thinking about the long-term structure of the club. Maybe it really was fitting to call him a god-in-the-making. While he hadn't shown any particularly terrifying powers yet, his mindset and approach were far beyond what any ordinary high schooler could manage. Utaha herself certainly hadn't thought this far ahead.
Eriri signed her name on the contract, accepted the red wax seal that Luo Shu passed her, and pressed her fingerprint onto the document. "All done. So, what happens next? Are you going to awaken my power now?"
Luo Shu confirmed the contract had taken effect, then mentally called to the system.
(System, we're ready—begin the process.)
[Request received. Energy collection module activating. Commencing Blessing Ritual.]
Before Eriri's widened eyes, a silvery-blue arc of light appeared beneath her feet. A circular formation with intricate symbols—vaguely resembling a stylized sun—gradually materialized.
"No way... this is really happening..." she murmured, trying to piece together the fragments of her shattered worldview.
Then came the ding of a system notification in Luo Shu's mind.
[Congratulations, Host. Your Follower, "Sawamura Spencer Eriri," has awakened an Excellent-tier ability: "Shapeshift."]
"Huh? Excellent?" Luo Shu raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He had learned from the system that abilities were ranked as: Common – Excellent – Elite – Heroic – Demi-God, and so on. Coincidentally, his own current best ability, Wind Elemental Control, was also rated Excellent. Which meant—Eriri's ability was on par with his.
(Wait, Eriri's aptitude is this high?)
The system notifications continued.
[Congratulations, Host. You have acquired your second Follower. Awarding 9,000 points.]
The system automatically converted the energy into points to align with the terminology he used with his Followers.
[Congratulations, Host. Your monthly point income has increased to 400.]
(Four hundred? Utaha was only giving me 100 a month. So Eriri is generating three times as much? How is this even calculated?)
While Luo Shu puzzled over the numbers, Eriri slowly opened her eyes, blinking through the lingering brightness of the ritual. With a slightly dazed expression, she raised her hand and muttered, "Did I really just gain a superpower?"
After a moment of hesitation, she took a deep breath and activated her newfound ability: Shapeshift.
In the blink of an eye, her golden hair turned jet black. Her body grew taller and more mature. Her facial features shifted as well—more refined and elegant—and her ocean-blue eyes became a deep crimson.
Within two or three seconds, Luo Shu found himself staring at a shorter, younger version of… Kasumigaoka Utaha?
He glanced awkwardly at the real Utaha, then back at the look-alike.
Utaha was also visibly shaken, her voice tinged with disbelief. "This is the ability you awakened?"
But then her eyes narrowed mischievously.
"Oh? So, you can make your chest one size larger, gain five centimeters of height, but that's your limit? I see—it's not without its flaws."
"How do you know that?!" 'Mini-Utaha' stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"Ah, I think I forgot to mention." Utaha casually brushed her bangs aside and gave a sweet smile. "My ability is called Mind Reading."
"…Huh?"
The shock hit Eriri like a brick. With a startled thump, her transformation collapsed, and she reverted to her original self. Her eyes rolled back as she passed out cold.
Luo Shu immediately leapt up. "What happened?!"
Utaha, who had just finished reading her every thought, replied with an odd expression, "Apparently, one of the drawbacks of her ability is that her emotional state can't fluctuate too much."
"…Well, that's awkward."
Luo Shu glanced at Utaha, who looked back at him with the same bemused expression. And just like that, in the heart of the [Astronomy Club]'s hidden base, the two of them stood in silence—locked in a wide-eyed stare.