Haruto maintained a poker face and said, "In short, with your qualifications, it would take at least five years to become an Onmyoji."
"Five years? That doesn't sound too long." Hiratsuka sighed in relief.
Haruto clarified, "What I said is that theoretically, it would take five years. It could take ten years or even longer. Additionally, even if you become an Onmyoji, it won't be much different from being a regular person; you'd still need to find a compatible Shikigami for yourself."
"In any case, it's quite troublesome."
"…"
If it were only five years, it might be tolerable.
But if it takes ten years or more, it would be impossible to bear, especially with the need to find a suitable Shikigami.
Is it really that complicated?
With a disappointed expression, Hiratsuka couldn't help but ask, "Is there no other way?"
Seeing her reluctance, Haruto thought for a moment and replied, "There is another way."
His superpower would be revealed eventually, so it didn't matter if Hiratsuka found out now.
"Eh?"
Hiratsuka's eyes widened. She leaned over the table with both hands, looking at him with a surprised expression: "Is there really such a way?"
"There is." Haruto extended his hand and said, "Give me your hand."
"W-what do you intend to do?"
Hiratsuka looked at him with wary eyes, leaning back a little and saying seriously, "I already told you, I'd never betray Mafuyu!"
Haruto looked at her in disgust, "I was just asking for contact; where did you think this was going?"
"Oh, good."
Hiratsuka extended her hand generously, "Here. If I find you taking advantage of this, be warned—I won't let you get out of bed for a month."
Haruto grasped her hand gently and asked, "How do you feel now?"
Hiratsuka thought for a moment, "Your hand is warm?"
Haruto sighed, "I wasn't asking about the feeling of my touch, but something else. For instance, did you hear a sound?"
"A sound?"
Just as Hiratsuka was about to speak, she instinctively pulled her hand back, covering her ears with a distressed expression.
But shortly after, she couldn't help but look surprised.
"I hear something in the distance. What's this? Have I already become a superpowered person?"
"Sorry, no." Haruto poured a glass of water and explained, "This is the method I mentioned. As long as you make contact with me, I can grant certain abilities to others."
"Contact?" Hiratsuka realized and said, "So that's why you wanted to touch my hand?"
There was a slight disappointment on her face, but she soon became excited again.
Although it wasn't exactly becoming an Esper, in her current state, there wasn't much difference.
Is Haruto really that powerful?
Suddenly recalling something, Hiratsuka asked, "Kuromori, will this have any impact on you?"
"It won't." Haruto glanced at her, "Besides, there's a time limit."
"There's a time limit? Your superpower is too weak!"
Hiratsuka couldn't help but complain.
Haruto looked up at her, "In addition to the time limit, the stronger the superpower, the harsher the conditions required."
Hiratsuka asked instinctively, "Like what?"
"For instance, if you wanted to obtain a superpower to face danger."
At this point, Haruto paused. When he saw Hiratsuka staring at him without blinking, he coughed and decided to choose his words carefully.
So, he asked, "Do you know what magical charging is?"
Hiratsuka: "😐"
As a modern woman with a wide range of hobbies and interests, Hiratsuka didn't just enjoy shopping, driving, and wine but also loved all sorts of manga.
So, she naturally understood the concept of magical charging quite well.
"Yes, it's what you're thinking."
Hiratsuka pinched her fingers together and smirked, "You really want to charge up with magic, Kuromori. You're getting bolder these days."
Haruto responded nonchalantly, "Just a reminder, you'd be doing it at your own risk."
"Hmph~"
Of course, Hiratsuka wouldn't actually do anything, especially since she couldn't beat him. What if he retaliated?
She still wanted to save face!
Hiratsuka took a deep breath, waved her hand, and said, "With your ability, forget it. This conversation is over."
She didn't think Haruto would lie.
After Haruto left, Hiratsuka sat in her chair, sighed softly, and scratched her head in frustration.
"Damn! This kind of superpower is way too absurd!"
"You actually need magical charging. That's impossible. Besides, Mafuyu-chan is here."
"I thought I could become an Esper, get rid of these blind dates, and do something meaningful."
"Figures, there's no free lunch."
Hiratsuka rubbed her temples and heard Haruto's footsteps clearly in her ears.
Wait… was that Nakano's voice?
"What's going on? There shouldn't be anyone else here, right?"
Just when Hiratsuka wanted to keep listening, she couldn't hear anything anymore.
But in that last moment, she heard something strange.
Hiratsuka frowned slightly, a subtle expression appearing on her face, and a thought emerged in her mind.
'Mafuyu, you're being cheated on! Wait, what if I misunderstood?'
It's said that misunderstandings should be resolved promptly; otherwise, they'll be buried like seeds and grow later on.
So, should she check?
Hiratsuka hesitated for a moment, but her curiosity got the better of her. With a mix of emotions, she quietly cracked the door open.