"Sent by my Grandpa?"
Alistair stared at the sender field of the text message for a long time before finally reading the content with a frown.
The message stated that Grandpa Vance owned a high-class apartment building specifically for demi-humans and Youkai (supernatural beings). Ownership of the building was not direct inheritance but proved by a key and a certificate. An agent would manage the property before Alistair took over, so there was no need to worry.
As previously mentioned, this world contained supernatural races like demi-humans and Youkai. Although they had coexisted peacefully for countless years, they still observed a de facto segregation into Human Districts and Demi-Human Districts. This was why Alistair rarely saw demi-humans here.
There were no major restrictions on movement between the two areas, no legal barriers; the separation was merely a social custom. In the areas where the two districts bordered, one could see humans and demi-humans coexisting harmoniously. Therefore, Alistair could go to the Demi-Human District whenever he wished.
Oddly, Grandpa mentioned in the text that he had mailed the key to Alistair but didn't mention the certificate. He also said that to become the landlord there, Alistair needed to gain the key's approval; otherwise, Grandpa would withhold the certificate, citing concerns for Alistair's safety.
The so-called key was mainly something that could be used to "open" their hearts and calm their emotions. The certificate was the genuine proof of inheritance. Essentially, the key was a tool to facilitate harmonious communication.
Youkai and demi-humans commonly possessed special abilities. Some powerful ones, like the Oni race, had great strength, rapid healing, and certain cursed abilities that inherently gave them significant destructive power and harmful potential. Even without training, one punch from them could take half your life.
The key served a pacifying function, making communication easier. However, the key also had side effects, so Grandpa emphasized in the text that Alistair should never wear it continuously. He just needed to confirm he could wear it, and Grandpa would give him the certificate at the appropriate time.
Wearing it? Is it something like a glove or a bracelet?
Alistair mused, noting that Grandpa stressed he should pick it up at night. Why not go get it tonight? Alistair wasn't particularly desperate for the sex party; if the activity was canceled, so be it.
But picking it up at a designated place at night? It felt a little suspicious. Huh? Midnight? What kind of time is that? Is he going to pick up a key or meet a ghost? The vibe is wrong.
"Rina, are you familiar with Yotsuya-cho?"
Alistair turned to Rina, who was pacing around a bit, bored while waiting.
"Yotsuya-cho? I don't know much about it. That's a demi-human city. Although there are normal humans there, they're quite rare. I only went once and don't know much about the area."
Rina stopped, pondered for a moment, then shook her head, shrugging her shoulders to indicate her lack of knowledge.
"What's wrong? Are you going there?" Rina leaned close to Alistair's face, asking curiously.
"Yes. My grandfather sent something and stored it there. He wants me to pick it up tonight."
Alistair felt there was no need for secrecy, so he told her everything.
"Ah? Then the activity tonight is off?" Rina pouted, looking like she was about to cry.
"We'll see. It's important business. I'll contact Chiaki later and tell them I have something to do."
Alistair was unmoved and had no intention of comforting her. He was thinking, something that can open hearts and soothe emotions... That sounded fairly normal, but when considered within the context of this behind-the-scenes anime world, wasn't that just hypnosis?
My grandfather sent me a hypnotism tool?
Am I truly the protagonist now? Is this school going to become the setting for a hypnosis series from now on?
Alistair glanced at Rina's slightly wilted expression, feeling depressed that the party might be off, and thought, Well, it's pretty close already, isn't it?
...
At the Aikido Club room.
Adopting the spirit of knowing yourself and your enemy guarantees victory, Alistair decided to seek out Hikari Matsuda, the girl with demi-human blood, to learn about the area.
"The Hyakki House Detective Agency in Yotsuya-cho?"
Hikari Matsuda listened to Alistair's question, worriedly tugged at the cat ear on her cap, hesitated, and then asked, "Why are you going there? That's not a good place, especially for humans."
"Uh, is there a problem with that place? It sounds like an all-purpose general assistance agency."
Alistair looked at Hikari Matsuda's expression, sensing that the place he was heading to seemed rather sketchy. Could Grandpa be setting him up?
"It's a huge problem. That place was originally a mixed community for humans and demi-humans, but now it's basically all demi-humans..." Hikari Matsuda's face looked troubled.
"Have all the humans moved out? I thought humans and demi-humans were supposed to be quite harmonious?" Alistair's knowledge mostly suggested peaceful coexistence.
"It is peaceful, but you know that this world has supernatural powers, right, like the Oni race?
"We don't know why, but about twenty years ago, humans there started dying mysteriously. Not by suicide, and not by demi-human murder. They were turned into dried husks..." Hikari Matsuda shared what she knew.
"Sucked dry?"
Alistair's expression was subtle. Holy shit, draining their essence?
"Yes. There are a lot of those weird things over there, but the demi-humans are completely fine. Nobody knows why. At first, it was just one or two, and no one paid attention. But when the number reached a dozen or so, those people got scared and moved out overnight." Hikari Matsuda nodded, confirming Alistair's suggestion.
"Even though the frequency isn't high, it's a steady few every week. It's like being under a suspended sentence; you never know when it will be your turn, so everyone ran away."
"You seem to know a lot."
"I used to live and attend school there before coming here. My mother was afraid something would happen to me, so she brought me here to the human settlement." Hikari Matsuda spoke casually about her past.
"Thank you for the warning. I'll be careful."
Alistair thanked her and pulled Rina away.
"You're not really going, are you? Going there is like a delivery order, you could ask someone else to pick it up for you." Rina warned, sounding worried.
"It's fine. I have self-healing abilities. Don't worry." Alistair pinched Rina's cheek, signaling her to relax.
According to Hikari Matsuda, it's just draining life force. Alistair wasn't afraid. The Horse Talisman, remember? As long as it wasn't instant death, this strange phenomenon posed no threat to him. Alistair had plenty of essence for her to suck. If the creature was even remotely good-looking, Alistair might just turn into the next Ning Caichen (a literary scholar seduced by a ghost/demon). If it was a nature spirit, he'd be Xu Xian (a human married to a snake demon), letting her know who the real top dog was.