Rebirth From Ordinary Person To The Strongest

The negotiations with the Theater Troupe Actor had ended in failure.

However, despite the lack of a deal, the fact that the Theater Troupe Actor had shown itself was apparently a big win for the exorcists. That's what the black-suited man explained on the car ride back.

As we listened, the car continued driving through the night, the headlights cutting through the darkness, illuminating the road ahead.

Inside the steadily moving vehicle, Nina-chan, having heard everything, muttered discontentedly.

"But we still don't know where the Theater Troupe Actor is, right? Is that really okay?"

"Yes, the important thing is that the existence of the Theater Troupe Actor as a 'demon' has been confirmed," the black-suited man responded without taking his eyes off the road.

"So, up until now, you didn't even know if it was real?" Nina-chan asked.

"You're exactly right, Nina-sama."

The black-suited man responded while still looking straight ahead.

Indeed, until now, the Theater Troupe Actor was just a name that monsters were throwing around. It could have just been a rumor, or worse, some kind of misinformation spread by the monsters.

But today, that was cleared up.

"And since they initiated contact with us, there are things we can do," he added.

"How?" Nina-chan asked, her curiosity piqued.

"We'll use the stuffed toy we retrieved."

The stuffed toy he mentioned was the one the Theater Troupe Actor had used to communicate.

"If they used the stuffed toy to connect with us, then it's likely a form of 'resonance magic.' If that's the case, there are ways to trace it."

"Are you going to call Shirayuki-sensei for that?" Nina-chan asked, thinking of the exorcist skilled in such magic.

"No, Shirayuki-sama is very busy, so a different exorcist will likely handle it," the black-suited man replied.

I was a little disappointed that we wouldn't be seeing Shirayuki-sensei again soon. I was hoping we'd get the chance. Still, if there was a way to trace the origin of the connection, I definitely wanted them to pursue it and, if possible, exorcise the Theater Troupe Actor for good.

That weird "Smile Plan" the Theater Troupe Actor mentioned didn't make any sense, but given that they were creating monsters, it was clear that nothing good would come from it. I hoped they'd deal with the situation before it escalated.

That said, the fact that the Theater Troupe Actor was creating monsters meant they were at least at the Fifth Rank, maybe higher. Only a handful of exorcists would be strong enough to handle them.

…Wait a minute.

Since the Theater Troupe Actor is a named monster, does that mean it's at the Sixth Rank?

I shook my head at the thought.

No, that shouldn't be the case. After all, the name "Theater Troupe Actor" was something the monsters themselves were using, not a name humans had given.

Sixth Rank monsters are always named by humans due to the danger they pose. Just because a monster gives itself a name doesn't mean it's automatically Sixth Rank.

Well, except for someone like the Ice Snow Empress, who named herself and actually turned out to be a Sixth Rank monster… But that was an exception. I shouldn't assume the same here.

So, the Theater Troupe Actor shouldn't be Sixth Rank.

As I thought about that, the car slowed down. We were turning onto the street near my house.

The car came to a complete stop, and we took off our seat belts.

"Itsuki-sama, Nina-sama, thank you for your hard work today," the black-suited man said.

"Thank you for driving us," I responded.

"It's my job," he said calmly.

Nina-chan and I grabbed the bags with the souvenirs and stepped out of the car. Just then, Hina came running out of the house, likely having heard the sound of the car. Behind her, my mother appeared, chasing after Hina.

"Well then, we'll contact you if there's anything else," the black-suited man said.

"Please do," I replied, bowing slightly.

With that final exchange, he drove off, and we headed inside for dinner. I hoped Hina and Mom would be happy with the souvenirs we bought.

After dinner, I took a bath and then did my usual stretching routine in my room. It was a part of my daily regimen. Just as I was finishing up, Nina-chan, now dressed in pajamas, entered my room.

"Itsuki, are you still up? Um… what are you doing?" she asked, looking at me with a confused expression.

"Stretching," I replied.

She didn't have to look at me like I was doing something strange.

"Stretching? Mama does that too, but do you do it every day, Itsuki?"

"Yeah. Dad says I should," I explained.

"Really? Then maybe I should try it too," she said, looking curious.

Dad always said that consistent stretching was important. He said it wasn't the time to focus on building muscle yet, but stretching was something that should never be skipped. Loose, flexible muscles are more effective in movement than stiff, tight ones, he often explained.

As exorcists, we have access to body enhancement magic, so I was never sure if stretching was necessary, but I trusted Dad's advice. He's survived in a profession with an incredibly high fatality rate. If he says it's important, then I have no reason to doubt him.

"Do you stretch, Nina-chan?" I asked.

"Sometimes, with Mama," she admitted.

So, she does stretch. And even Ireena-san does it.

If two highly skilled exorcists both make stretching a daily habit, then it's probably something I should definitely keep doing. After all, my flexibility had improved, and I even got an 'A' in the flexibility test during the physical fitness assessment in second grade.

But enough about stretching.

"Why did you come to my room, Nina-chan?" I asked, still stretching my legs.

"Oh, um…"

Nina-chan hesitated, standing awkwardly in the doorway of my room, before she spoke again, this time a little shyly.

"If it's okay with you… could I sleep in your room tonight?"

"Sure, I don't mind," I replied without thinking too much.

It wasn't until after I had already agreed that I fully processed what she had just said.

Wait… What did she just ask?

Before I could really grasp the situation, Nina-chan's face lit up with a bright smile.

"Thanks! I'll go grab my futon!"

With that, she left my room, leaving me sitting there, still in my stretching position, too stunned to take back my answer.

I remained frozen in place, realizing too late that I might have just agreed to something unexpected. I was so stiff, I almost hurt myself during the stretch.