After a while, Asuna Yuuki finally snapped back to her senses, suddenly realizing that peeking at someone like this was impolite. She quickly cleared her throat twice and said, feigning nonchalance.
"*Cough, cough,* Kotoko Iwanaga just emailed me. It turns out she also lives in Tokyo. She sent me her address and said that if we are free tonight, we can go to her place to meet."
"Go to her place... She's showing sincerity."
Hearing Asagiri Utsunomiya's words, Asuna Yuuki nodded in agreement.
Asagiri Utsunomiya had already said that for Players, there must be an absolutely safe and hidden location to serve as a base when entering dungeons.
Kotoko Iwanaga did not say she would come to find them, but instead actively sent her home address. This action was enough to show her sincerity.
"That..." Asuna Yuuki walked to the sofa, hesitated slightly, and then sat down next to Asagiri Utsunomiya. She raised her hand to tuck her long hair behind her ear and spoke softly.
"Kotoko Iwanaga, this person, should be trustworthy, right? Her talent determines that she's not suitable to be a lone wolf Player, and... didn't she also say? She fell in love with you at first sight."
"I already told you, that doesn't work on me."
Asagiri Utsunomiya picked up the can of Coca-Cola from the coffee table, drank it in one gulp, and then asked in return.
"Yuuki-san, what do you think the behavior of liking someone is like?"
"This..."
Asuna Yuuki was a little unsure how to answer, as the question Asagiri Utsunomiya asked had touched upon her blind spot of knowledge. She had never been in love either.
"If I were to believe she truly liked me just by saying a few words, then I would be too foolish."
"That's true. You're not the type to be moved when a cute girl actively approaches you."
"Of course." Asagiri Utsunomiya first said in a matter-of-fact tone, then asked, "Liking someone will definitely show in their actions, not just words, right?"
Asuna Yuuki replied with a nod, "Right."
"For example, when everyone else is staying away from that person, you actively approach them."
Asuna Yuuki nodded obediently again, saying, "Yes, if you like someone, you will definitely actively approach them."
"Another example, summoning the courage to actively ask for their contact information."
Asuna Yuuki was slightly surprised, saying, "Huh? You know so much? Could it be... you've been in love before?"
Asagiri Utsunomiya waved his hand, not answering Asuna Yuuki's question, but continued to say.
"Don't interrupt yet. Another example, going to that person's house and actively cooking for them. That's definitely liking, right?"
Asuna Yuuki nodded and replied subconsciously.
"Definitely. If you're running to someone else's house and actively cooking for them, what else could that be besides liking... Huh?"
When she said that, Asuna Yuuki noticed Asagiri Utsunomiya staring at her with interest and finally realized. Her face instantly flushed red, and she couldn't help but pick up the sofa cushion next to her, then used it to hit Asagiri Utsunomiya while speaking with a mix of shyness and anger:
"You... you... you set me up!"
"I didn't, did I? Didn't you agree with my opinion yourself?"
"You..."
Asuna Yuuki was momentarily speechless, and she was almost turning into a steam engine from embarrassment.
Thinking about it carefully, wasn't that exactly what it was?
What about actively approaching when others are staying away, what about actively asking for contact information, what about cooking...
Weren't these all descriptions of her own actions?
"I... I'm going to sleep!"
Asuna Yuuki couldn't look Asagiri Utsunomiya directly in the face. She stood up and ran into the guest room, locking the door from the inside.
Then, she leaned her back against the door, raised her hand to gently stroke her chest, feeling the increasingly intense heartbeat from her fingertips, and murmured to herself:
"I... So, so I don't actually dislike Kotoko Iwanaga... So... that feeling, is that what they call jealousy...?"
◆—⊰✧⊱—◆
That evening, in Tokyo.
Asuna Yuuki and Asagiri Utsunomiya got out of the taxi together and stared at the castle-like mansion before them, both a little dumbfounded.
"No... this... this is Kotoko Iwanaga's house?" Asuna Yuuki couldn't help but ask with doubt.
Her family was also very wealthy, and the house she originally lived in with her parents was undoubtedly a mansion in the eyes of ordinary people.
However, compared to the white castle in front of her, it seemed a bit shabby.
And this was still within the Tokyo city area!
To build such an extremely luxurious independent castle in the Tokyo city area, with no other buildings within a few kilometers, just how exaggerated was the scale of Kotoko Iwanaga's family wealth?
"Please come in; the young lady is waiting for you inside."
Led by a young woman in a maid outfit, Asagiri Utsunomiya and Asuna Yuuki walked towards the white castle before them.
"Kotoko Iwanaga's house... is ridiculously big..."
Hearing Asuna Yuuki's hushed words, Asagiri Utsunomiya said calmly.
"If I hadn't obtained that item, I wouldn't be meeting her here."
Asuna Yuuki was slightly stunned at first, but then immediately realized that what Asagiri Utsunomiya was referring to was the Pocket Watch of Reversal.
"You... think Kotoko Iwanaga might have set up an ambush for us here in advance?"
"The possibility is small, but not zero. After all, I can't fully trust her yet. What if she actually knows the hidden rule that killing other Players and taking their phones allows for a random draw of an item or piece of equipment from them, and deliberately arranged to meet us here after we cleared the dungeon, and then found someone to kill us? Then everything would be over."
After saying that, Asagiri Utsunomiya whispered:
"However, Kotoko Iwanaga not only has a very powerful exclusive talent, but her mindset, intelligence, judgment, and various abilities all meet our standards for selecting teammates. Taking the risk of using that item to verify whether she is trustworthy, I believe this is acceptable."
"You are truly cautious." Asuna Yuuki sighed slightly, her expression complex. "It seems the only person you will absolutely trust is yourself..."
"No, two." Asagiri Utsunomiya interrupted Asuna Yuuki's words and said with a slight smile. "I trust myself, and I trust Yuuki-san just as I trust myself."