Oh… right. Mahiko remembered now. So that was what this was about.
A [Window] — it was a special designation within the Jujutsu High system. Simply put, it referred to ordinary people who could see Cursed Spirits. Once registered, they could serve as civilian collaborators for Jujutsu High, helping sorcerers gather intel and eyewitness reports on Cursed Spirit activity.
Think of them as the jujutsu world's equivalent of civilian informants.
Nobara had been mulling this over for a while now. In her eyes, Mahiko was a parentless orphan girl — small, pitiful, alone in the world. If Mahiko could be brought in as a [Window], she'd have a stable source of income going forward. And as someone who could already see Cursed Spirits, the status would also put her under Jujutsu High's umbrella of protection — a meaningful safety net.
Honestly, Nobara Kugisaki was the kind of friend you'd want in your corner. She actually thought about the people she cared about.
So when Mahiko grasped what Nobara had gone out of her way to arrange for her, she felt a genuine flicker of warmth in her chest.
"A [Window]… what's that?" Mahiko widened her eyes and played dumb.
Nobara smiled and explained, "A Window is basically a specialist who helps us investigate monsters. Since you can already see them, you're a perfect fit for the role."
"Wow, really?" Mahiko put on an appropriately impressed expression.
"You're still pretty young, though, so I only managed to get you an internship slot." Nobara said, pulling out her phone. "I'll send you a contact — you can reach out to her whenever you're ready."
Nitta Akari.
The moment she saw the name, Mahiko knew exactly who it was. An administrative aide at Jujutsu High — short golden hair, the kind of gentle older-sister type who made you feel at ease right away.
On the surface, Mahiko thanked Nobara warmly. Internally, she was quietly weighing whether the [Window] status would actually be of any use to her.
In theory, it should be.
The most immediate benefit was that her human form would have a legitimate, official reason to be in contact with Jujutsu High personnel — she could even step foot inside the school itself. That alone opened up all kinds of doors.
But in practice, it wasn't quite that simple.
Sure, Grade 1 sorcerers wouldn't be able to see through her human disguise. But someone like Satoru Gojo — with that terrifying perception of his — would almost certainly clock that something was off the moment he laid eyes on her. He might even recognize her outright as a Cursed Spirit.
That would be, to put it mildly, walking straight into the lion's den.
Honestly, Mahiko's first instinct was to decline.
"Nobara-nee, does the internship come with a salary?" the girl asked.
"It does," Nobara said, making a gesture with her hand. "I think starting from the third month of the internship, you'd be pulling in a million yen a month."
Mahiko genuinely blanked for a second.
Wait — that's kind of a lot, actually. She suddenly found herself reluctant to say no.
"C-can I… can I think about it a little more?"
"Of course you can. It's completely your call, no pressure either way. Even if you don't become a Window, you can always message me or Nitta-san and the sorcerers will come help you." Nobara Kugisaki said with a smile.
Mahiko nodded, took out her phone, and added Nitta Akari's contact information.
It was almost funny, when she thought about it. Her friends list kept growing at an alarming rate.
A whole pile of jujutsu sorcerers on one side — and tucked right in the middle of the same list, a group chat titled something along the lines of "Kenjaku & Special Grade Cursed Spirits Family" — Kenjaku had apparently bought phones for the Cursed Spirits at some point.
Looking at a contacts list where a bunch of Cursed Spirits and a bunch of sorcerers were all crammed together side by side — Mahiko found that genuinely hilarious.
"Oh, one more thing." Nobara said, holding out a small round yellow object.
Mahiko took it and blinked.
Wait — wasn't this one of those personal alarms? The kind little kids clip to their school bags so adults can find them if they get snatched? The kind where you pull the pin and it starts screaming at full volume?
Why was she being handed one of those?
"Because you're way too cute," Nobara said, holding up one finger. "If you're wandering around by yourself, you are absolutely going to get grabbed by some creep. So I'm giving you this — the moment you pull the alarm, every sorcerer in the area and anyone from Jujutsu High will receive the signal."
Oh. So it was a jujutsu sorcerer edition.
Mahiko thought that was absolutely ridiculous — and accepted it with open arms.
"Thank you so much, Nee-san. Really."
"Don't mention it. What else am I gonna do when you go around calling me Nee-san~"
Unguarded, honest goodwill from another person… Nobara Kugisaki's warmth and care made Mahiko feel something she hadn't felt in a long time.
"And then tonight I'm treating you to some seriously good sushi — but before that, want to walk around for a bit?" Nobara said with a grin.
Mahiko clasped her hands behind her back, smiling brightly. "Yes!"
And so the two of them walked into the shopping center side by side.
They spent the whole afternoon together — crepes, ice cream, trying on clothes, blasting through arcade games. By the end of it they were absolutely stuffed from the sushi, having eaten until they could barely move.
Over dinner, Nobara regaled Mahiko with all the ridiculous things that had been happening lately with Yuji and Megumi. Mahiko listened, delighted, laughing out loud every now and then.
Then Nobara's expression shifted — just slightly more serious.
"Hey, Mahiko — if you ever run into a Cursed Spirit out there who looks similar to you. Same build, same blue hair, looks like a little girl…" Nobara looked her in the eye. "Please be extremely careful. That one is very, very dangerous."
Mahiko listened, nodded with a smile. "Got it. I'll be careful."
Inside, she was quietly laughing.
Because that very dangerous Cursed Spirit was sitting right across from her.
By the time they finished eating, dusk had just settled in and the streetlamps were flickering to life.
The two of them stood outside the sushi restaurant, waving goodbye.
"See you around!" Nobara called, waving.
"See you around!" Mahiko waved back.
And then they went their separate ways.
It had been a wonderful day. Mahiko's heart felt light as she walked away.
But she had barely gone a few steps when she suddenly felt it — a strange, sharp fluctuation of Cursed Energy.
Her footsteps halted. Her brow knitted together.
That Cursed Energy… was it coming from Nobara's direction?
From Nobara's direction?!
She spun around and sprinted toward the street corner Nobara had just turned.
She rounded the corner.
The spot where Nobara should have been was empty. Nothing but a dropped bag lying on the ground.
Mahiko's feet stopped.
What?
The Cursed Energy fluctuation just now had clearly not been Nobara's — which was exactly why Mahiko had rushed over, fearing she'd been attacked.
But when she got there, Nobara had already vanished.
Mahiko's breathing lurched into something sharp and uneven.
She looked left and right, stepped into the spot, and crouched down to examine the ground. Faint traces of Cursed Energy lingered on the pavement — and that signature, that particular feeling, was one Mahiko knew very, very well.
This was… Rime's Cursed Energy??
No question about it. Rime's traces. Even the air still carried the faintest chill.
Mahiko understood in an instant what had just happened here.
Ⅱ
The girl's fist clenched in a heartbeat. She lifted her gaze toward the unseen distance.
— Rime had taken Nobara Kugisaki.
Right in front of Mahiko. She had taken Nobara.
The sky had gone completely dark.
____
👻🔥Whant more?: Walnut-chan🔥👻
🔥 New history: Samsara Game: Starting in The Long Dark with My Waifus
Let's reach these milestones together:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 free chapter for all readers