Kai looked at the girl in front of him, long straight black hair and faint dark circles under her eyes, and immediately remembered who Yotsuya Miko was.
Was she not that poor girl who suddenly started seeing ghosts and had to live in a world crawling with them.
The worst part was that she could see them, but had absolutely no way to fight back.
Yotsuya Miko stared at the person who had suddenly appeared before her. She was sure there had been no one here a moment ago. This man had just popped into existence.
He might look human, but there is no way he is actually human.
He has to be one of those things pretending to be human. I absolutely cannot fall for it. I must not react.
Miko pretended she could not see or hear him at all. She walked forward, planning to just slip past.
"Yotsuya Miko, I am talking to you. Why are you ignoring me. Hello, yokoso, arigatou."
Kai watched Miko completely ignore him and frowned slightly. What was going on. Was it a language problem.
Why was this girl acting like he did not exist. Had the system not auto installed a translation module when he crossed over.
He stepped directly into Miko's path and reached out a hand to stop her.
"Ah, I just remembered. Hana said there was a new sweets shop nearby that just opened. I almost forgot to go check it out."
No. I absolutely cannot cry. If I cry, it will mean I can see them.
Why is there another one following me now. This is terrifying.
"If you can see me, then I can eat you."
Even as the ghost hissed in her ear, Miko kept her face blank, acting like she saw nothing and heard nothing. Her ability to endure pressure was truly insane.
So scary. So scary. So scary.
On the outside, she looked calm and oblivious. On the inside, she was petrified. It felt like her life was over.
BANG
"I have been talking to you and you ignored me. Now you are getting all pushy. I was trying to be polite."
Kai had been annoyed that his client was not responding. On top of that, the ghost at her side would not stop muttering.
At first, he had not been sure if it was connected to Miko, so he had held back.
Now that he had decided it was trouble for no reason, there was nothing to hesitate about. If it had nothing to do with him, he would not have cared.
He drew a pistol, aimed, and blew the ghost's head apart with a single shot.
"Uuugh."
Miko watched the ghost in front of her explode and vanish. Her legs gave out and she dropped to the ground, tears spilling from her eyes.
"A are you human. A real human. Some kind of exorcist or something."
"And are you Yotsuya Miko or not. Are you the one who posted the request."
Kai looked at the girl. He did not think he was wrong. This had to be Yotsuya Miko. So why had she kept ignoring him.
"I I am Yotsuya Miko, but I never posted any request."
She had not even had time to properly break down and cry before Kai's question threw her off.
She had never requested anything. If she knew someone this powerful, would she still be living every day scared out of her mind.
"You did not post it."
This was Kai's first time doing a job in another world, so he was not exactly used to it. Even he felt a bit uncertain and pulled up the mission sheet to double check.
"It clearly says Yotsuya Miko, asking for help dealing with strange beings. You really never sent this request."
He frowned. Maybe his system had somehow received Miko's prayer on its own and fed it to him as a mission.
If even Miko herself did not know about it, how was he supposed to collect his reward afterward.
Miko was about to say no when a memory flashed in her mind. Not long ago, she had seen a strange website on her phone.
It said that if you had a wish, it would surely be answered.
Back then, Miko had thought it was some kind of shrine website or something. She had tried sending a small wish.
"I think I actually did post something. But... I never thought it would really work."
Her fear was suddenly tinted with hope. If her wish had been granted, then maybe from now on she would not have to see those horrible things anymore.
Maybe she could live like a normal person again.
"Yes, that request was from me. I can see all sorts of strange things, so I wanted to ask you to make it so I cannot see them anymore."
"Please. Whatever the reward is, I will pay it."
"Good. The road to get here was a bit twisty, but we have finally landed on the right track."
Kai nodded. He now had both the client and the commission. Next came the part he was good at.
"Before I start working, there is one thing I have to make clear. My payment is non negotiable."
"In this world there is no free lunch, no free breakfast, dinner, snacks, late night food, or drinks."
He spoke in a solemn tone.
"If you cannot pay right away, then you can pay slowly. If you have no money, you still have belongings. If you have no belongings, you still have yourself. Time is not a problem. But the reward must be paid."
"If you try to skip out on it, that is simple too. Your life will be your payment."
He was not afraid of ghosts. Why would he be afraid of killing someone.
In that moment, Miko felt like she had found something far more terrifying than any ghost.
She did not even dare mention canceling the request. She was afraid he would get angry and shoot her on the spot.
"Um, what is your name."
"Kai."
"Kaikun, is it okay if I call you that."
As he answered, Kai sensed another ghost drifting toward them from not far away. A second later, it was blown apart by a single shot.
"No problem, as long as you are happy."
Miko shook her head so fast it was almost a blur. A ghost had just been coming toward her, and Kai had taken it out with a casual shot without even glancing at it.
How could she possibly object to anything. The person in front of her had a killing intent far greater than any ghost.
Kai laughed recklessly, completely confident in himself.