Dandadan: My name is Mahito , Just Your Friendly Neighborhood Spirit

Mahito's POV

"Seems like cursed folks are pretty rare these days."

I was currently in my crow form, flying through the night looking for a cursed individual.

I didn't want to directly use a theoretical method to heal young Rin, but things weren't going according to plan.

"At this rate, I'll have to wait for Jiji to get cursed to practice on him, or just go back to the original plan of negotiating with Seiko."

Neither option appeals to me, since cursed Jiji's power rivals that of an S-rank cursed spirit.

Not exactly convenient for practicing curse removal.

"Hold up!!" While I was thinking about heading back to my underground base, I spotted a familiar gray-haired teenager.

Diablo!!

He was sitting on a bench with a girl I'd rate 7/10, though her unkempt appearance brought her down to average.

"How'd this guy end up hanging with humans... oh shit." I remembered I'd given him Okarun's ball, since he couldn't stay at 100% of his power when far from me.

Originally, I'd created this restriction in Diablo's soul to make him dependent on me, despite his free will.

However, he's proven his submission to me multiple times.

He's never shown any real discontent towards me despite my provocations and power trips.

So this restriction stays in place, just to be safe.

I gave him that ball without any real plan, besides the idea of helping him enjoy a break away from me.

Okarun's ball has many advantages, like maintaining supernatural strength in another dimension.

That explains my actions, but I still underestimated that object's capabilities.

'Wait a minute... if I can't find someone to heal from a curse, why don't I just create one?'

This idea started taking root in me as I watched the relaxed couple in front of me.

...

Narrator's POV

"I'll contact you, Tomoko-chan."

Diablo walked away, waving to the shy girl behind him.

"Um... o...kay," she replied, nodding mechanically.

'She's too cute, like a pet you'd want to protect,' he thought while walking down the road.

Diablo's starting to better understand his master, who surrounds himself with cute girls while claiming to appreciate milfs.

'Both just have too many advantages, why should I choose?' he thought while walking into a darker alley.

He wanted to kill time, since it was getting late.

"Master's really a visionary, I should copy him more."

While expressing his thoughts out loud, Diablo felt a slight pressure on his shoulder.

He wanted to react automatically by using his cursed technique to make several spikes emerge from his body, like a sea urchin, but the familiar voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I'm flattered you defend these opinions about me, my dear Diablo." The voice, coming from the beak of the animal on his shoulder, could only belong to one person in his mind.

"M...Mahito!" he said in an unusual tone, devoid of his usual sarcasm or use of the word "boss or patron."

This reaction slightly surprised Mahito for a moment, before he sketched a teasing smile despite his crow beak.

"You're calling me by my name now?" he said in a clearly teasing voice.

"No... no, sorry boss," Diablo said, regaining control of himself.

Mahito nodded with satisfaction while observing his attitude return to how it was before his walk.

"Excellent, I like that better," he said, flying from his shoulder to stand before him in human form.

He had JJK Mahito's usual appearance, but with clothes similar to Diablo's, so a suit.

"Were you spying on me?" Diablo asked, frowning.

"Devil! No, hehe," though he laughed, Mahito's tone was clearly disdainful at the suggestion.

'Any solid relationship is based on sincerity from both parties. So it would be counterproductive for me to be too suspicious of my subordinates.' he thought, forgetting his initial mistrust of the creature before him.

"I was looking for a cursed individual, to help me test a thing or two, but..." you didn't need to be a genius to understand the rest.

"You can't find any, hehe." Diablo couldn't help but laugh a bit at Mahito's frustrated expression.

The strange atmosphere around them returned to normal after resolving the misunderstanding with Diablo.

"Indeed, but you've found a solution for me, my dear Diablo." Mahito's gaze was directed at the girl walking away with joyful steps.

"Her?!" Diablo was confused for a moment before adopting a surprised expression.

He'd just realized his boss's idea.

'Why her of all people!!!' he thought, with complex feelings.

"She's just an ordinary girl with no talent, you could surely find a better one elsewhere." Without knowing or noticing, Diablo had opposed his master's idea.

An act that surprised Mahito, since his "weapon" had always been disdainful towards normal humans and submissive towards him.

'His free will has strengthened in just a few hours away from me... or is there more?' This question troubled Mahito for a moment before he regained his senses.

He didn't have time to study the change in his weapon.

He is the creator, the master, or simply the boss.

Diablo's opinion doesn't interest him.

If he goes against him, then he'll take back his gift, which is his life, himself.

"Nah, I want that one," he said, walking past Diablo in the girl's direction.

"Oh, I forgot, but I need that idiot's ball." Mahito simply held out his hand to Diablo, without caring much about his state regarding his obstinacy for his prey.

"No..." This answer wasn't loud, but it contained a certain strength in it, hard to explain.

"HAHAH," Mahito's laughter froze Diablo's blood.

'Fuck.' Diablo couldn't help but curse mentally.

He had decided to create subordinates like his master, but things had taken an unexpected turn.

Normally, his subordinates would have also been Mahito's

But...

'I can't stand the idea of losing "my possessions," even if it's the boss.'

This abnormal and contradictory way of thinking emerged from Diablo's mind when Mahito brought up the idea of using 'Tomoko-chan' without his "permission."

A way of seeing things that's messed up and weird, but a bit logical.

Even in human history, a vassal state isn't really a complete slave to its ruler.

A strange way of seeing things, which escaped both Mahito's and Diablo's own logic.

Why?

Because it's a way of seeing things specific to humans, and humans don't understand themselves.

So, the origin of Mahito's soul is the culprit behind this situation.

If his soul was completely similar to the original Mahito's, then Diablo would find it logical to blindly follow a being stronger than him.

That's the logic of cursed spirits.

"Okay, Diablo," said Mahito after regaining his calm after his burst of laughter.

He had already somewhat understood the situation.

"I'll make a compromise with you, since you're indeed more than a simple tool at this point," he said, approaching the teenager shorter than him.

"I won't touch your prey without your agreement first."

Mahito brought his lips to Diablo's ear before continuing.

"But, next time you oppose me for your personal desires and not for my interests... I'll take your soul."

Mahito retrieved Okarun's ball from his pocket before walking away.

"Don't worry, Diablo, since I won't touch her or anyone else." Mahito left Diablo with these words.

Diablo remained alone in the dark alley with complex thoughts before reaching a clear conclusion.

"I forgot my place..."