"Did you get a stiff neck?"
Yanami looked curiously at Asakura, who was tilting his head at an odd angle.
"If I had to describe it, it felt more like I was wrestling with a giant python for half the night."
Asakura let out a long yawn.
He hadn't seen Hiratsuka Shizuka since he woke up. If it weren't for the lingering scent of her on him and his neck being stiff from actually being squeezed by something, he would have thought everything from last night was just a dream.
"Oh, as expected of the Savior. Truly diligent."
Yanami didn't doubt him much. After all, she had genuinely experienced supernatural events. Compared to the time she was split into four pieces, fighting a python sounded almost believable.
"Here, a little treat for your hard work~"
As she spoke, she placed a carton of milk on Asakura's desk.
Ever since she was restricted to only four meals a day, the girl had, after a period of wandering, instinctively discovered a "bug": "drinking things doesn't count as eating." Consequently, the various snacks she used to have at hand had been replaced by all sorts of drinks.
Her friends all thought she was on a diet and offered words of encouragement. This left her muttering to herself, "Is no one surprised that I've started dieting? Was I really that fat before?" while only being able to respond with awkward "ah-haha" laughter.
She couldn't exactly tell people she had "dieted" herself into being four times her original weight, could she?
"...I prefer MAX Coffee over milk."
Asakura accepted the gift without any psychological burden. After all, compared to a mere carton of milk, the snacks he had fed her in the past could have been sold for a small fortune at the Rabbit House.
"Don't be so picky about other people's kindness."
"Yanami, you've got it wrong..." Asakura said with a straight face.
"What?"
"I'm not being picky about 'other people's' kindness. I'm only being picky about yours."
"Bullying?! Am I being taken advantage of?!" The girl gasped in shock.
"It just means that to me, Yanami, you're special!"
"That sounds like a very romantic line, but given the context here, it's absolutely terrible! Give me back my maidenly heart!"
"No can do, Yanami."
"So, what's the plan for the Magic Club's activities?"
In the clubroom, Yuigahama Yui asked Asakura.
Everyone else—including Yukino, whose face was written with indifference—perked up their ears, waiting for Asakura's answer.
Asakura pulled out a lot box: "Let's draw lots. Based on the order we draw, one person will stay behind each day to watch over the clubroom and handle any emergencies."
"That doesn't feel like it has any 'magic' elements at all..." Yanami, who had been full of anticipation, grumbled.
Then she drew the number 1 slot, meaning she had to come in and pull duty tomorrow.
"By the way, if you're going on a family trip or have some other long-term situation where you can't make your shift, remember to mention it in the group chat so someone else can cover for you..." Asakura reminded them.
"Isn't Asakura going on a trip? Something called a 'Ghost Story Pilgrimage'?" Chihaya Anon asked curiously. "Will you be able to make it back and forth in time? Won't it be too much trouble?"
"The places I'm going aren't very far. It takes an hour at most by Shinkansen, so it's fine..." Asakura said.
"If it's several hours one way, a round trip would take most of the day, right? That's too much time..." Asagumo frowned. "Maybe we should skip it. Takuma-kun should just be purely on 'field duty.' You should rest properly when there's nothing going on."
Asakura actually wanted to say that no matter where he went, it was only a one-way trip. When it was time to come back, he could just use the bonfire in the Roundtable Hold to teleport back.
However, seeing that everyone else seemed to agree with Asagumo, he didn't say anything more.
"Right, what about Yukinon?" Yuigahama Yui looked at Yukino. "Do you want to draw a lot?"
"I'll..."
Yukino instinctively started to refuse.
In previous summer vacations, she usually ended up being played like a puppet by her sister, Haruno, being led by the nose all over the place, making it impossible to confirm her schedule.
But on second thought, the current Haruno seemed to be completely in favor of her spending time with Asakura. Suddenly, it felt like there was no need to refuse.