The bustling commercial district was alive with activity.
Towering skyscrapers rose like giants into the sky, and wide roads stretched endlessly in every direction, fading into the horizon.
Down the center of the road ran a lush greenbelt, dotted with vibrant, colorful flowers blooming under the sunlight—a truly beautiful sight.
"Nagami, are you sure it's really okay for us to be taking it easy like this? I mean... our opponent is the strongest magician in the world, and she's leading nearly a hundred artificial magicians…"
Even though she was out on a date with someone she loved, a shadow loomed faintly over Honjou Nia's delicate features.
Though many of her implanted memories had been wiped by the display device connected to her brain, she still had lingering recollections about Ellen, that magician.
After conducting several searches using The Book of Truth, she confirmed that Ellen's title as the strongest human magician was no exaggeration.
"Darling… this really isn't a problem, is it?"
Of course, a maid outfit wouldn't be appropriate for a date, so Kurumi had naturally changed the way she addressed him.
Now, she was wearing a pure black formal dress trimmed with lace, which perfectly outlined her elegant curves.
Strappy high heels accentuated her long legs and tall figure, while the flowing skirt fluttered like a flower dancing in the wind, revealing smooth, slender thighs that were pale and alluring.
In her waterfall-like black hair, she wore a delicate butterfly hairpin Nagami had just gifted her, adorned with tiny sparkling crystals.
Despite her usual composure, even Kurumi's voice carried a hint of unease.
Although her main body had never directly fought a magician, the number of clones that had fallen to that enemy—and the intel they managed to transmit before being destroyed—was enough to confirm that Ellen was a formidable foe.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. Just enjoy the date, like Yuzuriha's doing."
Nagami scooped up a spoonful of ice cream and gently held it to Inori's lips.
The girl softly licked the creamy top with her pink tongue, her eyes narrowing in blissful satisfaction.
Neither Kurumi nor Nia had ever seen Nagami fight seriously, so their concern was understandable.
And since The Book of Truth could only retrieve limited information about him, especially when he deliberately used his power over Void to obscure his presence, their doubts only made sense.
"Hey, Kurumi—why did you just call Nagami 'Darling'? What exactly is your relationship with him?"
One moment she was calling him "Master," the next "Nagami-kun," and now suddenly "Darling"? Each title had wildly different implications.
Nia furrowed her brows at the smiling girl beside her.
'This junior… how could she be so shameless?!'
'Stealing a man from her senior like this!'
"Why? Because he proposed to me the very first time we met~ And I accepted, of course~"
Just as Nagami was about to explain, Kurumi slipped her slender arms around his arm and leaned her full figure against him.
Her smooth forehead rested lightly on his shoulder, and a blissful smile spread across her face.
'No—you clearly rejected me back then!'
And even if someone did say something like that on a whim, no normal person would actually take it seriously…
Nagami instinctively opened his mouth to object—but feeling the soft pressure of her body on his arm, he hesitated for a moment.
"W-What?!" Nia's eyes widened in shock.
She practically leapt in the air, completely stunned. "You proposed to her the first time you met?!"
"Well… I guess that is something Nagami might actually do…"
Looking at Kurumi's fair, flawless face—a beauty who could easily be a main heroine or a key rival in any anime—Nia rested her chin on one hand and nodded with a helpless sigh.
She moved to grab Nagami's other arm but found it was already firmly occupied—by Inori.
With her wine-red eyes blinking slowly and a dazed, adorable expression on her face, the pink-haired girl clung tightly to Nagami.
Nia had heard about Inori from him before, and now found herself feeling just a little awkward about trying to pull her away.
"What do you mean, 'that is something I'd do'? That sounds like slander!"
Nagami pulled a face of mock innocence. "I feel like you're insulting my integrity."
Sure, if you looked back at all the wild stuff he'd done, it was hard to argue—but still!
Saying he was the kind of guy who'd propose to every pretty girl he met was going too far!
Nia didn't say a word—she just stared at him in silence. But her eyes said everything.
"I can't believe you, of all people, don't trust me, Nia! As fellow kindred spirits, that hurts! Truly!"
Clutching his chest dramatically, Nagami put on a wounded expression. "Do I look like that kind of guy to you?!"
"Oh my, so you're saying our dear darling was just joking when he proposed to me upon our first meeting?"
Kurumi blinked her gorgeous wine-red eyes, raised a slender finger to her lips, and smiled elegantly.
"You never agreed to it, did you? That kind of thing doesn't count afterward. Even if you wanted to accept later, it's too late."
With narrowed eyes, Nagami glanced around the lively crowd.
Practically every male in sight had their gaze locked on him—especially the single guys, whose looks were practically burning with jealousy.
Having spent his previous life constantly being trampled by "top dogs," Nagami naturally understood what those poor souls were thinking.
So, like a kind and considerate person, he led the three beautiful girls toward a quieter, less crowded area.
"Then, if I had said yes back then, what would you have done, darling~?"
In the sunlight, the shadow of the girl beside him stretched out and gradually merged with Nagami's own, like a pool of deepening darkness.
"Uh…"
Avoiding Nia's sharp stare, Nagami subtly glanced at the always dangerously charming Kurumi beside him, his mind slipping into deep thought.
If Kurumi had accepted his proposal back then… what would he have done?
Well, wasn't this one of those so-called multiple-choice questions with only one real answer for any normal guy?
What kind of trap was he supposed to walk into here?
Nia let out a small sigh, looking gloomily at the scenery around them.
Honestly, it wasn't surprising. Kurumi's charm was impossible to resist.
"But… Nagami," Nia said, a teasing glint in her eyes, "just where exactly are we heading now?"
Her aquamarine-blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "Don't tell me you're taking us into the woods for something naughty~? Going for three girls all at once? You're bolder than I thought, Nagami~"
As she joked, the group of four had already left the busy commercial district behind.
They now found themselves near a rather large wooded area, irregularly arranged yet picturesque.
It was a known scenic spot in the area, occasionally visited by couples.
The trees were rare in variety and offered a quiet, private space for "bonding." Plus, the density of the forest wasn't overwhelming—there was little risk of getting lost.
Just as Nia was preparing to tease Nagami some more, he responded with a completely blank expression—and chopped her on the head with a swift karate chop.
"Wahh—oww!"
Nia immediately squatted down, clutching her forehead with teary eyes.
"Nagami! What was that for?!"
"Nia, there's a reason DEM managed to catch you so easily, you know…"
Sure, being this proactive about GHS (Good Headpat Standards?) might be a plus in a girlfriend, but having zero awareness of your surroundings was a serious minus.
The Book of Truth—a supposedly omniscient angel—must be weeping.
"Aww, don't just say stuff like that out of nowhere~"
The silver-haired girl pouted as she looked up at Nagami with teary eyes, her lips trembling in mock sorrow.
Wait… Why did Kurumi suddenly let go of his arm?
"Alright, that's enough fooling around. We've got company."
Nagami reached out and gently pinched Nia's soft cheek, brushing aside a lock of hair from near her ear.
"There wasn't exactly a better spot… so we'll just use this place."
Murmuring as if talking to himself, Nagami turned around.
His purple, six-pointed star-like eyes narrowed as he stared directly into the woods.
A playful smirk tugged at his lips.
"No intention of coming out yet… Miss Ellen?"