The site was close to the Kamiarizuki household, so they offered to take me there immediately if I accepted the job.
Since I didn't want my newly-formed resolve to waver, I decided to take on the job that same day.
"Itsuki-sama, are you nervous?"
"...Yeah, I'm nervous."
The one driving me was the older brother who had taught me attribute transformation. Meeting him again after a year, I was relieved to see that nothing about him had changed.
He would also be my support, should anything go wrong.
"Do you often take exorcists to work sites like this?"
"Yes. Being transportation for those without a license is part of my job."
While turning the wheel, he added,
"Though, most of the time, I drive people ranked Third Degree or higher."
"Really?"
"Yes. Those at higher ranks travel more often. Exorcists at the First and Second Degree tend to stay local and deal with the 'ma' nearby, so they are often stretched thin."
"I see..."
I nodded in understanding as we stopped at a red light, realizing that it made sense.
Most monsters, like exorcists, also rank around First and Second Degree.
Monsters of those ranks don't require someone at my father's level to be involved, as the on-site exorcists can usually handle them. But First and Second Degree exorcists rarely travel far—they're too busy handling monsters that suddenly show up on streets, in shops, or even in ordinary homes.
"So, the people you usually drive must be high schoolers or middle schoolers?"
"Yes, mostly. Many of them work actively but don't yet have a driver's license. Although, once they reach high school, some get motorcycle licenses, so I end up driving middle schoolers more often."
"Motorcycles in high school? That's pretty wild."
"I can also perform basic healing magic and provide support. If anything happens, please don't hesitate to contact me."
"Sure. If I can..."
"...Yes. Please do."
Some monsters don't even allow you the chance to ask for help. That's why I said it like that. But the older brother looked apologetic as if he had taken my words the wrong way.
I wasn't trying to be snide. I just wanted to acknowledge the reality—that there are times when help won't come.
My hand drifted to the relic of Raikou Douji hanging around my neck. The golden artifact was my ultimate trump card.
And it wasn't my only one—I also carried a purification talisman in my chest pocket at all times.
Even with all these precautions, though, the unease wouldn't leave me. Gripping the seatbelt tightly to steady myself, I felt the car come to a halt.
"We've arrived."
"...Okay."
I sighed and told the fairy to stay quiet. There was no point in getting angry at it.
I walked around the factory, trying to get a better look inside through one of the broken windows. The fairy said the monster was easy to spot, so I figured I might as well take a peek before entering.
And there it was—a monster.
The inside of the factory was even more cluttered than I'd imagined.
In the middle of the room sat a massive, sumo-sized figure, surrounded by red buds hanging from the ceiling.
Each bud was roughly the size of a small child—quite large.
What the hell are those?
Just as I was puzzling over the buds, the giant reached up and grabbed one with his right hand.
With a squelching sound, the bud released a gush of red liquid into a filthy bucket below.
The moment I saw that liquid, I instinctively knew—it was human blood.
I couldn't explain how I knew, but the certainty was there.
The giant, unaware that I was watching, plunged his left hand into the bucket. The blood instantly solidified into a rigid mass. Explore more adventures at mvl
When he pulled his hand out, the solid lump crumbled into fine powder.
Then, to my astonishment, the giant casually scooped up the powder, put some in his mouth, and spat it out.
The powder coalesced into silver-wrapped packets that scattered across the floor.
That's how they do it?
The process used form transformation—the monster didn't have enough magical power to make the powder directly, so he used manual labor for most of it, reserving magic for the packaging.
The sheer absurdity of it left me stunned. I'd assumed the packaging was done by machine.
As the giant reached for another bud, I knew I couldn't let him continue.
"Wind Blade—Kamaitachi."
With my chant, blades of wind sliced through the giant, cleaving both him and the red buds in half.
Silver packets scattered as the giant's body was torn apart, and soon he dissolved into black mist.
For now, I'd stopped the source of the strange powder.
All that remained was to deal with the monster handling distribution. If I waited at the factory, it might return on its own.
Just as I thought that, the black mist began to swirl violently.
From the mist emerged a humanoid figure in a suit—headless, and moving as if scanning the factory.
"Working hard today, are we? Wait... what's this?"
The headless figure tilted its upper body, as if confused.
"Slacking off on the job, huh?"