278 People who disappeared

"Speaking of missing people. My class also has two missing students."

Mai added, Lala's words reminded her of a similar incident in her class.

"Mai, four to be exact. The number of missing students in our class just increased three days ago."

Utaha and Mai were actually in the same class. If it wasn't for their relationship with Eiji — the two wouldn't actually be friends. Back when Mai still had her puberty syndrome and was looking for ways to treat it, her existence was often even forgotten by others. Especially Utaha who was busy writing her novel and still had to participate in the group the protagonist created.

Although the two were in the same class, the plot of the original work made it difficult for them to relate to each other.

"Irina, does our class also have missing people?" Xenovia didn't pay much attention to her classmate, she wasn't sure if the same thing happened in her class.

Irina was not surprised by Xenovia's ignorance. It was Xenovia after all, except for the girls in Eiji's harem — she barely remembered the names of her classmates.

"Our class also has.... if I'm not mistaken there are two people who are also missing."

"Eh? Aren't the rumors about the missing students already spreading in the school? Actually not only at school, many people out there are also rumored to be missing."

Eriri knew more than everyone in the group. Instead he looked at Eiji and the others strangely. After all, the news about these missing people had even been broadcast on television!

[Eriri, don't be surprised. Unlike you and the others. The people in this group are busy with their own affairs. If Lala doesn't say anything about her missing classmate, they won't care.]

Hey.... Who says they don't care? They are not that cold, okay?

The girls defended themselves, it wasn't that they didn't care about their missing classmate.

It's just that...

In class, if the teacher wasn't teaching or she was having lunch with Eiji — Utaha would be alone and continue writing her novel without caring too much about the things her classmates were talking about.

Mai was no worse than Utaha, she basically only went to school two or three times a week due to her modeling job. After recovering from her syndrome, the girl seemed a bit traumatized and decided to make more people recognize and remember her by working harder as a model.

Now Mai is a more popular model than her original work. Actually tomorrow, she will also take another day off school for the next three days due to her work. In short the things that classmates talked about or the missing people that had nothing to do with her she often ignored because she was busy working.

Irina and Xenovia were no exception. After coming home from school, they would usually practice or play games together. The tomboyish duo were not the type of people who would interfere with other people's problems that they didn't even know. If they were still exorcists, it was possible. But now? The two were basically fallen exorcists, having even stopped being followers of the Church. The death of the God of the Bible, and their love for a man — made them focus more on their own people like Eiji and the girls in his harem.

What about Asia and Lala? The latter just confirmed that her classmate Mio Sawada went missing this morning. Asia is following in Lala's footsteps. And Lala seems to want him to do something about it.

Eiji used his 'Future Insight' to check the plot in the future and was stunned.

"Well, I just found out this.... It looks like those missing people have something to do with evil spirits."

"Evil spirits?"

This wasn't the first time the girls had heard about evil spirits. A few days before Eiji left for the Demon Realm, they had indeed discussed about the creatures that had often appeared in front of humans lately.

Actually in addition to the news of missing people, there was also news of strange white-skinned creatures that each had a face covered by a skull mask. Their forms vary and yes — so far they are rumored to be making some trouble.

There were even some people on the internet who said that people's disappearances had something to do with these strange creatures that Eiji called Evil Spirits!

"I'm sure you've seen some of them on the internet."

Eiji stuffed fried tofu into his mouth and ate it. He actually wanted to take a vacation for the next few days, but the plot could not leave him alone.

¶{Host, it's a new chance to earn more rewards! A new arc is waiting for you, it's time to slap those idiots you left behind one last time.}

To call the villain group idiots... That's not wrong.

"Eiji! Can you do something? I've actually tried searching for Mio's whereabouts using Sniff-Sniff Trace-Kun. But it didn't work...." Lala said with a sad expression. After all, Mio was also one of her friends.

By the way Sniff-Sniff Trace-Kun is a small robot dog that has the ability to locate objects or people just by their smell. It's basically an enhanced dog.

[Tsk! That bunch of villains dare to make my Lala sad? Okay, it's time.]

[I actually have several suspects in this plot and just need to knock on their doors. After that. ....]

The girls looked at Lala enviously.

"Lala, leave this to me. Even if that girl named Mio Sawada dies. I can still revive her since it hasn't been long since she disappeared, right?"

"Yes! Eiji, thank you~!"

Lala threw herself at Eiji and rubbed her cheek against his.

The two of them spread dog food on the roof.

Even Utaha, Mai, Eriri and the others couldn't help but be annoyed.

What did she mean? Why did they feel Eiji loved Lala too much compared to them? Hey this wasn't fair!

Still, girls like Asia who joined Eiji's harem earlier than those girls knew the title of number one fiancée was not just a number. It represented Lala's status in Eiji's heart. Asia knew this and had long since given up competing with Lala. She was not like Rias and Sona, being one of Eiji's women already made her satisfied.

"A-Ano.... Are you Eiji Seiya-san?"

Suddenly, just as they were about to resume lunch — a girl came up to their group.

It was just an ordinary girl, no.... She did look like a girl, but she was wearing a boy's school uniform!

Eiji suddenly remembered someone in the original work.

"It's me. Are you Nanao Tachibana?"

"Eh?! Y-You know my name?"

Lala and the other girls were surprised. When they saw Nanao, they thought she was a boy with a feminine appearance similar to one of Rias' servants — they knew Gasper.

To be honest both of them had the same hair and eye color.

Eiji's lips twitching, he looked Nanao up and down.

¶{Host, are you greedy for her too? She's one of Basara's wives in the original work. She's actually the heroine!}

No, you think I'll always be interested in any girl as long as she's a heroine?

¶{You don't?}

Well... Eiji was even still waiting for Bella and Liala to finish their training. He was waiting to hear from Alpha.

Nanao is cute, but she's not his type. Looks aside — in the original work, this girl even had a race similar to Gasper Vladi. She was half-vampire! But unlike Gasper who is now a devil/vampire hybrid and he is male — Nanao is a human/vampire hybrid and she is female! Only she would be petite and even dress like a boy.

"I found out from Basara. Isn't she your classmate?"

Eiji lied naturally. The girls even believed what he said.

Nanao said "Oh" and nodded. For some reason she blushed slightly, "Yes, Basara is my classmate...."

[Basara, this is actually the vampire girl I was referring to. At this point, do you still think Nanao is a boy? And you've somehow made her like you!]

[I'll skip it. This girl has a similar appearance to Gasper! This... This is too dangerous for me.]

The heroines fell silent. This was probably the first time Eiji had so rejected a girl.

[Rias: I heard a girl has a similar appearance to one of my servants? Gasper?]

[Lala √: Yes, I'd say they look 80% like each other.]

[Sona: Makes sense.... I also don't recommend a girl who looks like Gasper join Eiji's harem.]

[Rias: Sona, do you have a problem with my cute servant?]

[Sona: Rias, are you okay sleeping naked in the same bed as Gasper?]

[Rias: Of course not! Even though Gasper is dressed like a girl, he's actually....]

[Sona: You know.]

Rias did not say anything more after that. Many of the other girls supported Sona.

"So Nanao, what do you need something from me?"

"Ah this is actually... A girl asked for my help to return this to you."

Nanao handed the object to Eiji and Eiji accepted it. After that, the girl immediately said goodbye and left.

Lala and the others stared at the object in Eiji's hand.

It was actually Eiji's own student card, and a letter.

....

School hours were over. In a park, the sun was about to set and the sky was already quite dark.

Eiji remembered that he had accidentally dropped his student card in the process of arresting Haruna. It was after he killed the Loose Soul or Spirit called Kaketama.

He was a little surprised that the thing he did back then only reacted now. And based on the plot he saw using 'Future Insight', this also had something to do with the people from that franchise.

After all, the so-called Evil Spirit was actually Kaketama who was used as an experimental subject and mass-produced by the villain group. And not just one, but two villain groups from different franchises were working together.

Eiji and several girls were now here.

"It's you. You're the girl who asked me to come here?"

In front of them, there was a purple-haired girl in a black one-piece dress and a hagoromo floating around her neck. The hagoromo was the same color as her hair and in one of the girl's hands — she held a jet black scythe that was slightly taller than her body. Her legs were wrapped in black stockings and she was wearing high heels.

At first glance, she looks like a cool beauty.

Seen from anywhere, this girl was no ordinary girl! She was clearly part of the supernatural, especially when the hagoromo (scarf-like cloak) around her neck seemed to move on its own.

"That's right. I asked that girl to give you my letter. I also returned your student card to you.... But Eiji Seiya, I believe I only invited you."

"You mean these girls? Don't worry, they're all my women and the rest are my friends. You can say whatever you want."

Eiji knew who the girl standing not far from him was.

The girl had a rather cold expression. Her gaze hardened when she heard that all the beautiful girls following Eiji were her own women.

"I see...." She crossed one of her arms over her chest and bowed slightly.

"My name is Haqua du Lot Herminium. You can call me Haqua. I am a demon from the New Hell."

"New Hell, what kind of place is that? Don't tell me it's similar to the Underworld and Demon Realm?"

Rias massaged her forehead as if she had a headache. She had followed Eiji and the others here because she was curious. Besides, Kuoh city was her territory. The arrival of this demon girl named Haqua should definitely be noticed by her and Sona's group.

Because Sona was busy doing her student council work. She was the one who had to do it.

"I don't know about the Demon Realm. But that must be where demons live. As for the Underworld? I know a little bit. And I know you are Rias Gremory, one of the devils who rule this city."

Rias was a little surprised the other party knew about her. Instead of asking again, she and the other girls looked at Eiji.

It was possible that Eiji knew a lot about....

[I know this girl. She's actually one of the heroine in another franchise. Unfortunately unlike the other heroine... Well, actually the protagonist didn't choose anyone in the end. Poor girls.... But compared to the other girls in that franchise. Haqua is at least better because she's not crazy about the protagonist.]

[She's also pretty and hardworking, but the protagonist is so crazy about 2D girls that he looks down on Haqua and other heroine because they're 3D girls! I mean the protagonist in this franchise actually dislikes girls in the real world and even feels disgusted!]

Sure enough, Eiji knew! Rias and the other girls raised their ears.

But they didn't notice that the currently silent Haqua also actually had a change of expression on her face.

So the purple-haired girl was also one of the heroine? The girls on the scene looked at Haqua with a pitiful look. It was because the protagonist in the original work was such a person.

Haqua must have gone through a lot of hard things.

"..."

"Haqua, right? I thank you for returning my student card. It was lost for a long time. I had to make a new one after that."

Doesn't that mean that the student card she returned is useless? Haqua's lips twitched. But that's okay, after all that little thing was just an excuse so that she could get Eiji Seiya to agree to meet her in a place like this.

There was also that boy's inner voice that she had actually heard for a long time. But this was the first time she knew that she was also actually one of the heroine and protagonist in her franchise.... Wait, the characteristics of a person who likes 2D girls and is crazy about games...

Isn't that Keima?

Does that mean she's in love with him in the original work? Haqua's expression became a little ugly.

She shook her head and looked at Eiji Seiya. From his inner voice and the intelligence she got, that boy should be very strong. If it was him, he might be able to help her. Previously she had always hesitated, but now the situation demanded it.

"Since I helped you by returning your student card. It makes sense that I can also ask for your help, right?"

"That's...." Eiji wondered if he was a magnet for damsels in distress and in need of help?

¶{You're the protagonist since killing Issei's protagonist and taking over his plot. And isn't this great? Even though the girls in that franchise don't interest you. But look at Haqua, look at her long purple hair and hourglass figure, she must be an exception, right?!}

Miss System was excited.

Just like Rias, Eiji was sure that if it wasn't for his physique - he would definitely have a migraine.

"What? Aren't you going to help me?"

Haqua's shoulders drooped, she held her scythe as if her life rested on it.

"Eiji.... This girl seems to really need help. Why don't we help her?"

Rias persuaded him.

Girls like Lala, Irina, Xenovia and Asia were also looking at him. By the way there were also Rias' peerage like Akeno, Yuuto, Koneko and Gasper who happened to come along because they had just finished patrolling.

"What are you guys saying? When did I say I refused? I actually don't mind helping Haqua."

[It's still a plot after all and in line with the help Lala asked me for at lunch.]

Although Eiji could directly end this plot with his power, he decided to look at the situation first. Just like Haqua, he might be able to get more benefits if he waited a bit.

At this moment, Koneko's nose suddenly twitched.

"Eiji-senpai, Buchou! This.... We seem to be surrounded."

Huh? Except for Eiji, the others immediately looked around vigilantly.

The park was actually very quiet. Too quiet for a park located in the center of the city. The lights there suddenly went out and the air became colder. There was a lot of hostility and killing intent directed at their group from the darkness.

Xenovia and Irina took out their swords. The other girls and Haqua also looked ready to fight at any time.

...

A/N: If you want to read 7 advanced chapters with a faster update frequency than the webnovel, you can read it on my patreon whose link is below:

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By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)

...

A/N 2: There are some franchises that have already been mentioned deep in the previous chapter and I will bring them up slowly. For now, let's start with The World God Only Knows. I remember there was also a pendant from Nisekoi and Fragments for a certain anime. That might still have to wait a little longer. And Chisato? Gosh, that woman will have to wait too. We'll see her again when her franchise plot turn comes. I have some rough plot ideas for that.