When his consciousness struggled up from a deep, chaotic dream that felt like it carried an endless tidal surge of information, the first thing Genichi felt was an extreme mental fullness and exhaustion, as if someone had forcibly stuffed every book in an entire library into his brain.
He slowly opened his eyes. His vision was still a little blurry as he adjusted to the faint, early-morning light filtering in through the window.
Then he realized something was wrong.
The way his body felt…
It was warm. Soft. And there was a hard-to-describe, calming, delicate fragrance that soothed the mind. It smelled like ripened wheat mixed with rain-damp grass and sunlight, threading itself through his breath in fine strands.
That was absolutely not the scent his own simple bedding should have.
He carefully turned his stiff neck and shifted his gaze to the side.
In the next instant, Genichi's pupils constricted. His whole body went taut, and even his breathing stalled for half a beat.
A beautiful sleeping face, so close it filled his entire field of view.
Honey-colored, silky long hair spilled across the pillow, a few strands even brushing his cheek and leaving a faint itch.
Long lashes rested on pale skin like butterfly wings, casting a soft shadow.
Her lips, rosy and slightly pursed, seemed to hold the faintest trace of a satisfied smile.
The goddess Demeter lay on her side facing him, sunk in sleep. They were close enough that he could clearly feel the even warmth of her breath.
She wore only a thin nightgown. The neckline was loose, opened slightly by her sleeping posture, revealing a delicate collarbone and a curve full enough to make his heart jump.
The hem of the nightgown had ridden up, exposing long, smooth legs. One foot had even draped itself unconsciously over Genichi's leg.
For several seconds, Genichi's brain completely blue-screened.
I didn't walk into the wrong room, did I?
No. This really was the room that farmer had pointed him to yesterday.
So why was the goddess Demeter here?
And why was she sleeping in his bed in a posture this defenseless, this intimate, this excessively close?
Questions boiled up like bubbles popping in his mind.
Was this the dream continuing?
Some kind of divine prank?
Or had something happened during last night's magical awakening that he didn't know about?
He forced himself to calm down, his black eyes sweeping the room. It really was his room. The grimoire still lay open on the desk. Outside the window was the familiar farm scenery.
It seemed to be morning.
Which meant Demeter was truly, genuinely lying right beside him.
Genichi drew a slow breath, pressing down the turmoil of shock and a reflexive edge of caution.
He carefully, as quietly as possible, tried to inch his body out of the overly intimate tangle.
The moment he moved, Demeter seemed to sense it. She let out a soft, unconscious whimper and not only didn't release him, but scooted closer instead. One arm naturally slid over and settled around his waist.
"…"
Genichi froze.
After a brief hesitation, he reached out and lightly, tentatively nudged Demeter's shoulder.
"Mm…"
She made a vague sound through her nose, squirmed a little, and buried her face deeper, as if she'd simply had her sleep disturbed. She showed no sign of waking.
Genichi's brows furrowed. He added a bit more force and pushed again.
This time, Demeter reacted more strongly.
Apparently displeased at being bothered, she kept her eyes closed but accurately grabbed the hand he'd used to push her, then yanked hard.
Caught off guard, Genichi was dragged sideways by an irresistible force. The next instant, Demeter hugged him tight, like she was clutching a giant plush toy, pulling him firmly into her arms.
His face nearly sank into warmth and softness. His nose filled with Demeter's unique fragrance, the kind that made a person's mind sway.
Her arms wrapped around him with surprising strength, as if she was afraid he'd run away. She even nuzzled the top of his head with a satisfied little rub, making a faint, contented hum like a small animal.
For a moment, Genichi's entire body went rigid.
This posture, this touch, this scent…
It was far more direct, far more intimate than the vague teasing and accidental brushes he'd endured from Rias before.
This was full contact. Zero distance. A lethal level of temptation.
Fortunately, thanks to the steady "benefits training" Rias had subjected him to over time, Genichi had built up resistance far beyond a normal person's against this level of closeness and psychological impact.
After the initial stiffness, he quickly recovered his reason.
He tried to struggle lightly, to free himself from this suffocating embrace.
But Demeter seemed to sense his intent. Not only did she not loosen her arms, she tightened them even more.
For a goddess famed for agriculture, that strength was unexpectedly great, as if she truly meant to knead him into herself.
Genichi stopped wasting effort.
He fell silent for a few seconds, then spoke in a flat, steady voice that carried a faint certainty, like he could already see the truth.
"Goddess Demeter, stop pretending to sleep."
As the words fell, the room went quiet for a beat.
Then Genichi clearly felt the subtle change in the rhythm of the warm body holding him. The grip around his waist eased by the slightest degree.
A moment later, Demeter's voice drifted down from above, thick with sleepiness and laced with curiosity.
"Eh? How did you figure it out?"
She loosened her arms and propped herself up slightly, looking down at Genichi in her embrace.
Those amber eyes were clear and bright, wearing the haze of someone who had just "woken," yet deep inside was a small, mischievous glint and an intense curiosity at being caught.
She really had been faking it.
Genichi seized the chance, slipping out of her arms and sitting up. He straightened his slightly rumpled collar and looked at her with calm composure.
"I didn't know for sure," he answered honestly. "I just suspected it. You being here is already extremely unusual, and when I pushed you the second time, your reaction was too strange. So I simply bluffed. That's all."
Demeter: "…"
The "sleepy innocence" vanished from her face in an instant, replaced by the childish displeasure and frustration of someone who'd been exposed.
She puffed out her cheeks, her beautiful eyes widening as if to accuse Genichi of being unromantic and too clever by half.
"What the heck! So you were just tricking me!"
She sounded huffy, but there wasn't any real anger in her eyes. If anything, she looked even more interested.
"What an utterly un-cute kid!"
Genichi didn't pick up that thread. He steered the conversation back to what mattered, his tone turning serious.
"Then, Goddess Demeter, could I trouble you to update my Status? I want to know what kind of magic I awakened last night."
At the mention of magic, Demeter's sulk instantly dissolved into curiosity and anticipation.
Her amber eyes lit up. Clearly, she was just as eager to see what kind of magic this unusual child had awakened.
"Right! Magic!"
She sat up straight on the bed at once, so excited she didn't even notice one of her nightgown straps had slipped off her shoulder.
"I'm curious too! Come on, come on. Let me see!"
She gestured for Genichi to turn around and show his back.
Genichi did as instructed.
Demeter pricked her finger again, a bead of divine blood welling up. She lightly pressed her fingertip against the sacred script on Genichi's back.
Unlike the initial engraving, this was an update.
The instant the divine blood touched his skin, the letters on his back faintly glowed, resonating with Demeter's divinity. They began synchronizing with the latest changes in Genichi's body, especially the previously blank Magic section.
Demeter closed her eyes, focusing entirely on the information flowing back from the sacred text.
At first her expression was expectant, but as she read, it gradually turned uncertain.
Her brows knitted tighter and tighter. Her long lashes fluttered rapidly. Her rosy lips parted slightly.
Finally, she withdrew her finger. Her face was filled with a shock so intense it looked like disbelief.
She didn't even immediately imprint the new Status for him. She just stared blankly at the sacred script area on his back that seemed unchanged, as if she'd seen something that made no sense.
"Th-This is…"
Her voice came out a little dry.
Genichi turned back to look at her. "Well?"
Demeter took several deep breaths before she could steady the surge of emotion.
Then she moved almost mechanically, casting the imprinting magic again to present the updated Status on a fresh sheet of paper. She handed it to Genichi with eyes so complicated it was like she was looking at a monster…
No. A walking miracle, or a walking calamity.
Genichi took the paper and went straight to the Magic section.
Where it had once been blank, a new line now sat there. Simple, and yet powerful enough to shake anyone who understood what it meant.
[Magic]
[Magic Catalogue]
·Passive: Records all magic
·Active: Uses recorded magic
The room fell into dead silence.
Genichi stared at those two short lines. In the depths of his black eyes, it was as if a storm was gathering, spinning, tightening.
Magic Catalogue. Records all magic… uses all recorded magic…
This wasn't a "spell" in the normal sense at all.
This magic was effectively a key that allowed Genichi to use any and all magic he knew.
It meant that from this point on, as long as something fell within the domain of "magic," whether it was Orario's native magic, a magical system from another world, or even certain skills or supernatural abilities built on magical principles…
As long as the Catalogue recorded it, Genichi could use it directly.
Its potential and growth ceiling were beyond estimation.
Demeter finally found her voice again, clawing her way back from sheer shock. She looked at Genichi, her amber eyes full of awe, confusion, and a faint, lingering worry.
"This is truly unheard of," she said softly, as if afraid of startling something.
"This isn't magic. It's more like the embryonic form of a god's Authority. Genichi, you've awakened something that would scare every god and adventurer to death."
She paused, her tone turning grave.
"This magic, no, all of your abilities, absolutely, absolutely cannot be exposed lightly. Not until you have enough power to protect yourself. You must not."
Genichi slowly raised his eyes to meet her worried, earnest gaze.
He nodded once, carefully folded the Status sheet, and put it away.
"I understand."
His voice was calm, but it carried the weight of iron.
(End of Chapter)
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