Had he been in close contact with a monster recently?
Or had he passed through a place where monsters gathered?
For a middle school student who had to attend school, his daily routine was likely just school and home... Ah, right. He could also wander into places like MgRonald's. But in any case, it wouldn't be too far from school or home.
So there was a monster near the school or the boy's house?
Gazing at the almost invisible demon aura on the boy with his superhuman vision, Sū ěr mind raced.
Honestly, if it were anyone else—or even another monster—standing here, Sū ěr doubted they would even notice the boy's uniqueness.
[He can't be a monster in human form. An aura this thin wouldn't be enough to maintain a physical shape.]
"Yeah, you're right," Sū ěr whispered. Forget maintaining a form; it would be hard just to stay alive.
But why, if it was this weak, was it not dissipating?
So... a half-blood?
[If he really were a half-blood, someone this weak would have been kicked out of the monster world long ago, right? He'd be living just like a normal human.]
"Who knows?" Sū ěr replied to Think, tearing his eyes away from the cheerful middle schoolers. "But let's follow them and find out. I'll put a mark on him."
"What are you muttering to yourself for?" Maou suddenly slapped Sū ěr on the shoulder from behind, walking around with a look of indignation. "By the way, you totally tricked me! I can't believe I trusted you! The moment I walked in—!"
Maou voice cut off abruptly. Recalling his own reaction seemed to fill him with embarrassment, and he could only wave his hands frantically.
"I didn't trick you, it was just a little joke," Sū ěr said with a playful grin, turning his attention away from the boy with the demon aura for a moment. "Only by looking up from the bottom of a valley can you truly appreciate the height of the mountains. Only by weathering the storm can you know the beauty of the rainbow... How was it? Experiencing that beautiful moment after facing total despair?"
"...Are you some kind of devil?" Maou face was a picture of disbelief. Then he sighed. "Forget it. Anyway, I'm happy now! Hourly wage UP!!"
Maou gave a thumbs-up, and Sū ěr could practically see a sparkle at the corner of his mouth. He'd even learned some English... and a trendy mix of Japanese and English.
Sū ěr called it "The Metamorphosis."
The sincere country boy was transforming.
"Well, whatever, a raise is—"
BAM!
"Young Master!!!"
Sū ěr was cut off mid-sentence. The door of the MgRonald's was slammed open to a ninety-degree angle by a girl who had appeared out of nowhere. The deafening bang echoed through the shop.
"Young Master! How could you leave me behind and go on ahead?!" Complaining loudly, the girl with pale blue hair streaked with black stormed over to the middle schooler Sū ěr had marked. She grabbed his arm without hesitation.
"L-Let go, Tsurara... didn't I send you a text?"
The brown-haired boy looked embarrassed, trying to pull his arm free. But the girl's grip was too tight, and he could only plead with her.
[Oho?]
"Oho?"
Sū ěr and Think uttered the same sound. He didn't know how to describe his luck—it was almost too good.
The girl's pale blue hair was thick and lustrous, and her fair skin was flawless. Despite the summer heat, she radiated a refreshing coolness. At first glance, she looked like a "cool beauty," but the moment she spoke, her personality was anything but.
Like the other middle schoolers, she wore a school uniform. However, she had a thick white scarf wrapped around her neck, completely out of season, and she didn't look hot at all.
There was no doubt about it—Sū ěr could tell with a single glance that she was a monster. In fact, her demon aura was practically begging Sū ěr to notice it. Plus, those blue eyes... they had a very dense, yellow iris.
What normal human looks like that?
Sū ěr had thought the monsters and gods of this world were either dead or in hiding. He hadn't expected to run into one literally jumping into his face while he was at work. She didn't even know how to hide; who wears a thick scarf in the middle of summer and doesn't sweat a drop?
"Hello! I'd like three sundaes!!"
Completely oblivious to the fact that her identity had been blown, the monster called Tsurara chatted with the middle schoolers for a bit before running over to the counter.
"...Certainly. Three sundaes... please take a seat, and they'll be out shortly."
Sū ěr: Service with a smile.
"Mmh, thanks!" With a simple-minded grin, the monster turned and ran back without looking back.
'Three sundaes... she's just doing whatever she wants because monsters don't get stomach aches, huh? At least try a little harder to act human, little girl.'
Sū ěr was at a loss for words.
[Maybe she's an ice monster? The name Tsurara is already a big hint.]
'True,' Sū ěr nodded inwardly. 'But that means our first guess was wrong. That boy doesn't seem to be as ignorant of monsters as he looks.'
[The title 'Young Master' isn't used lightly, is it? That rules out the 'my childhood friend is a monster' scenario.]
Think said casually. But rather than her deduction, Sū ěr was more concerned about what kind of books his wife had been reading lately... she had just casually dropped some light novel tropes.
Feeling the terrifying power of culture, Sū ěr decided he had to keep a closer eye on the books Think was ordering online. Even in this world, Japan's "unique" books were appearing in a deluge, especially in the light novel category.
Yes, in less than a month of modern life, Think—the Elf from another world—had already mastered the internet, cell phones, and computers. She was even a pro at ordering things online.
Generally, she would read her favorite books while Sū ěr was at home resting or sleeping. Even her beloved magic research was becoming a rarer occurrence.