Volume 2: The Demi-Human City
Chapter 1: Revisiting the Hyakkiya Agency
In the Yotsuya district, inside the Hyakkiya Agency...
"Hallow! Long time no see, Mr. Alistair!"
The beast-eared girl greeted him with her usual boundless energy, a cute little snaggletooth peeking out as she smiled.
Long time no see, though I'm afraid I can't speak to you right now, Alistair wrote quickly on a sticky note, sliding it across the desk.
"Oh, I see. No worries! I can sense your power shifting anyway. Give me a second; I need to dig through some old books. I think I've seen this before."
Hikari Hyakkiya nodded understandingly. After giving Alistair a quick once-over, her eyes lit up as if she'd had an epiphany. Before he could respond, she darted into the back storage room, the sound of clattering boxes following her.
Sigh. I just wanted to ask how to get to the Academy of Elves, Alistair thought. He left the sticky note with his question on the desk and sank into a chair to wait.
"You're going to the Academy of Elves? That's quite a trek from here. What business does a human have in a place like that?"
A sultry, feminine voice echoed through the room. Alistair glanced around, confused, but saw no one.
"Hey, human. Down here."
A feline paw waved in front of his face, drawing his gaze.
Wait, you're not just a regular cat? Alistair was genuinely surprised. The cat had been so unassuming during his previous visits that he had taken her for a common pet.
I remember you. Your name is... Tama? Alistair wrote, looking at the cat whose fur was split perfectly down the middle into black and white sections. (Note: Regardless of previous lore, she is a pure female Nekomata here—a cat yokai who prefers the company of other female spirits).
"I'm surprised you remember. Color me impressed," Tama purred, her eyes blinking with mild curiosity.
Your appearance is quite rare for a cat, after all, Alistair noted.
"Staring at a lady's body is quite rude. However, seeing as you have this, I suppose I can indulge you."
Somehow, Tama had produced a candy-like sphere between her paws. She hugged it, licking the surface with a look of absolute, ecstatic bliss.
Is that... the Catnip Candy I pulled from the gacha? Alistair stared. This cat was skilled—he had kept that in his inventory, yet she had swiped it without him noticing. Well, it was meant to bribe cat-girls anyway; if she was this capable, it was a fair trade.
You're quite something. Any idea how to fix my 'voice' problem? Alistair scribbled.
"I'm not entirely sure about the specifics, but I can tell it's linked to those 'Weapons' you humans cooked up. My advice? Find a human expert in that field. But if you're heading to the Academy of Elves to find the 'Old Souls,' be careful. You don't exactly have any bargaining chips they'd care about. If you annoy those ancient hags who have long since lost their empathy, they'll slaughter you without a second thought."
Tama set down the candy and analyzed the situation with sudden gravity.
What if I have a recommendation letter for a Sponsored Student? Alistair showed her the letter.
"A Sponsored Student letter? I thought those were just urban legends." Tama's expression turned peculiar.
Is something wrong with it?
"You humans might not know, but among us Demi-Humans who have... lived a bit longer... that letter basically labels you as a 'Superior Genetic Donor.' That's the polite way to put it."
Superior Genetic Donor? Is that as sexual as it sounds? Alistair felt a bead of sweat on his brow.
"What else would it mean?" Tama leaned back. "The students at that Academy are all top-tier Demi-Humans: Feline, Liberi, Perro, Itra... not to mention the Phantasmal types like Yuki-onna, Oni, and dryads. Everything there is curated. And as for the Phantasmal races, their fertility issues are common knowledge. They live forever, so they can afford to wait. That 'recommendation' is essentially a 'Voluntary Sperm Donation' program. Also, worth noting: we Demi-Humans have a naturally high libido. The Phantasmal types? Even higher. So, if you enter that school, be prepared to be fucked to death. Literally."
She reached out a paw and playfully stroked Alistair's cheek.
Dammit! I just spent the night with Kasumi, so why does this cat look so seductive right now? Am I being corrupted by my own power? Alistair turned away, suppressing his rising heat.
BANG!
"I found it! Mr. Alistair, I found a case just like yours!"
The door burst open as Hikari charged out, holding a dusty tome.
Are you sure it's the same? Alistair asked, holding up his notepad while glancing at Tama, who was back to licking her candy with a look of post-orgasmic relief.
"Not 100%, but it's close! Maybe yours is just a mutation?" Hikari pointed to a page. "It says this is normal for 'Word Soul' practitioners. You merged the runes into your body to speed up casting, right? At first, the runes are unstable and can't be toggled off. It says it should settle after a while."
Mine isn't magic, though, Alistair noted. High-level Word Soul magic used mana to suppress reality. His power, however, bypassed mana and directly rewrote the world's source code. One was a forceful suggestion; his was a hard command.
"Ehehe?" Hikari tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with a purity that suggested a complete lack of any "contamination" by actual knowledge.
"Forget her," Tama sighed, looking at Hikari with pity. "She previously offered to 'purify' you with her body. I thought you'd accept, but then I remembered that human saying: 'Sleeping with the mentally challenged is a crime.'"
Tama turned back to Alistair. "The letter doesn't expire. Try the human experts first. If that fails, then go to the Academy. As thanks for the candy, here's a tip: You met the 'Lady in the Tall Hat,' right? Stay on her good side. She's an anomaly even to us, but she's terrifyingly strong. That 'Domain' of hers is a cheat code. She took a liking to you last time. Stick with her, kid. You could spend the rest of your life as a kept man—just watch your back; she's a heavy ride."
Tama gave a human-like thumbs up. "Oh, and I'm taking the rest of these candies. If you run into trouble, call me. I owe you one."
Alistair realized his bag of ten catnip treats was gone. This cat was a god-tier thief.
"Looking for the human base? Head west to 'Lucky Coffee.' It looks ordinary, but that's where the Exorcists hang out. With your looks, you can pass as a regular hunter."