The next day, the sun slowly rose.
Overworked, Miko was still asleep in bed and Touko had gone out to buy groceries.
At this moment, only Abel, Mamoru, and the dog were in the living room.
"So you're here for Shiba?"
"That's right, I want Shiba to become Miko's familiar, or rather, her guardian spirit, one unaffected by grudges, and one that can greatly help Miko in the future."
Abel answered Mamoru's questions one by one.
Mamoru was stroking Shiba, which was in its spirit form, deep in thought, then he asked Shiba, "Do you want to continue guarding Miko?"
Facing his master's question, Shiba let out a harsh, hoarse sound. "I... leave... home... what to do?"
Mamoru said, "I'll be here if you stay at home, Shiba. Actually, I want to ask you to protect Miko well, okay?"
"No... problem."
Under Mamoru's persuasion, Shiba nodded in agreement.
Since Shiba had agreed, now all that was needed was for Miko to wake up and form the contract.
Time passed little by little.
Miko slowly woke up and the tearing sensation from last night was completely gone. She changed her clothes and slowly went downstairs.
As soon as she reached the staircase, she heard.
"Look, these are Miko's childhood photos. Aren't they cute?"
"Hmm, like a little dumpling."
Miko hurried downstairs and saw her 'deadbeat' dad showing Abel her childhood photo album.
"Dad!"
"Miko's awake."
Miko's face flushed with embarrassment. She rushed over, both angry and anxious, snatched the album, and chided, "Dad, how could you just show my childhood photos to others?"
Mamoru chuckled. "What's the big deal? Abel is your husband, not an outsider."
Abel looked at Miko's adorable appearance and couldn't help but laugh. A shy and angry Miko was also quite nice.
After a while, Abel told Miko about his conversation with Mamoru.
Miko looked incredulously at the dog, which looked like an evil spirit, realizing it was Shiba.
"Miko, are you ready for the contract?"
"I'm ready."
Miko walked up to Shiba and stroked his head. Demonic power was infused and the magic circle unfolded.
"By the name of Miko Yotsuya, I make a contract with you. You shall be my familiar, my companion, my family. Please respond to my contract, Shiba."
Shiba didn't speak, agreeing wholeheartedly.
Light emanated from both of them, then they were enveloped by the glow.
Shiba's form began to change. His previously hideous body slowly shrank and transformed into the appearance of a small dog.
At this moment, the door suddenly opened. Touko walked in with her grocery basket, looking a bit bewildered by the light in the living room, and her grocery basket dropped to the floor.
Everyone turned around, frozen. They hadn't expected Touko to return at this moment.
At this moment, Touko was too shocked to speak.
The next second, Miko and Shiba, who had just become a familiar, appeared vividly before her.
"Shi... Shiba!?"
"Woof!"
Looking at the familiar dog, Touko called out its name uncertainly, and Shiba responded.
"It really is Shiba!?" Touko incredulously rubbed Shiba's head.
After a while, Touko looked up at Abel and Miko. "Tell me, what's going on?"
Abel said, "Auntie, let's sit down and talk."
Touko sat next to Mamoru on the sofa. Abel couldn't shake the feeling that Touko could see spirits, though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.
After thinking for a moment, he decided it was better to confess than to resist.
"Auntie, I'm sorry for hiding it from you. Actually, I am a devil."
As Abel spoke, he spread his wings, but Touko showed no surprise. Instead, she looked at the candid Abel with satisfaction.
"Actually, yesterday when Miko and I came home, it was also for Shiba. I wanted Shiba to become Miko's familiar so he could protect Miko in the future. Sorry, we didn't mean to hide it."
The atmosphere was a bit quiet.
After a while, Touko said, "Actually, I know all of this."
"Eh!?"
Touko's words shocked Miko and Abel.
However, Abel quickly realized that if the daughter could see, then how could the mother not see?
Touko rubbed Shiba's head and continued, "It seems now, Miko can see too, right?"
"Eh!? Mom, do you mean..."
Hearing her mother's words, Miko's eyes widened.
Under her shocked gaze, Touko continued, "That's right, I can see too, but I can only see shadows. But I know that your dad, brother, and Shiba are at home, guarding this home."
"And I've also noticed Miko's change, she is not the same as before."
"Mom, aren't you scared?"
Hearing Miko's question, Touko stroked Shiba and showed a gentle smile. "Not scared. Why should I be scared? Dad and Shiba have always been protecting us."
"And Miko, you are my daughter, you know. What mother would be afraid of her own child?"
Miko's eyes reddened slightly. She had always thought her mother didn't know these things, but it turns out she actually understood everything.
Touko said, "As for why I know you and Abel are different, it's because I have summoned devils before."
"Eh!?"
Then Touko recounted many things.
Regarding the ability to see the unseen, Touko's side of the family all had some form of it. However, everyone in the family saw things differently.
Touko could see souls, but only their blurry outlines. The reason she noticed Miko and Abel's uniqueness was because their souls had an extra pair of small wings.
As for devils, Touko had received a card when she was young and tried to summon one once. After a simple wish was granted, she paid with dessert as compensation.
Abel and Miko listened silently.
Likewise, Mamoru and Kyousuke, who were next to them, placed their hands on their loved ones' (mother's) hands.
This scene was beautiful in Miko's eyes.
Yes, her family was still there, just accompanying her in a different way.
Touko said, "Alright, it's not late. After lunch, you still have to go back to school."