After coming out to the corridor with Neru, I waited for her to speak first.
However, Neru seemed to have the exact opposite idea from me.
We stared at each other for quite a while, until she finally could not hold back.
"Hey, do you really have nothing you want to say?"
"Mm…" I rubbed my chin and asked tentatively, "How about I find a chance later to take one photo first, as a sample for you?"
Before I even finished speaking, Neru instantly flushed red. "Who would ever call you Master!?"
It seemed she had really taken that matter to heart, probably agonizing over it in secret for a long time.
Sigh, yet another tsundere who had fallen for my charm but refused to admit it.
"Then why did you call me out here?"
"Hah…"
Neru's anger came fast and faded just as fast. "I don't know what you, Rio, and Himari are plotting, but that little one, I already tested her for you."
"And what conclusion did you reach?"
"Judging purely by physical ability, she is indeed someone even I would be wary of. Her weapon can fully bring out that advantage. But that is both a strength and a weakness. To use such a weapon proficiently, she needs to put in far more effort than ordinary people and accumulate a huge amount of real combat experience."
At this point, Neru paused, then continued. "But, with the speed of improvement she has shown, that day might not be too far off."
"You rate Arisu very highly."
"Heh! Compared to physique, weapons, and experience, the most important thing in battle is courage."
Luckily, I basically don't need to participate in combat.
The corner of Neru's mouth lifted, her words carrying admiration. "Daring to fight me, and even using that kind of tactic, she does have potential in that regard. I'll be honest. If you want to raise her as the trump card of the Millennium after me, that little one is already qualified."
She had clearly misunderstood something, but it was not a big problem.
"Thank you, Neru."
Neru waved her hand. "Ha! No need to be so polite, it's nothing."
The way she said that almost made me want to make a request that completely treated her as one of my own.
"Still, I should thank you properly," I said sincerely. "A selfie with a wig, sunglasses, and silk scarf as disguise…"
"I already said it! I will never call you Master, you bastard! Do you want to get beaten!? HAAAAH!?"
I had not even finished my sentence when Neru jumped in agitation, clenching one fist while grabbing my tie with the other and yanking it downward.
Pulled forward involuntarily, a flash of inspiration struck me and I gave up trying to keep my balance.
So, under Neru's horrified gaze, I directly fell onto her, holding her tightly in my arms.
"…Hah?"
The girl's mind froze for an instant, followed by incomparable embarrassment and anger, which I could feel from her trembling body and rising temperature.
"W-w-w-w-wha....! You, you jerk! Let go of me right now! Be careful or I'll kill you, you know!? I really will kill you!?"
Neru shouted in panic, but perhaps afraid of hurting me, she did not use much force, only pushing me symbolically a few times.
I slowly pressed her shoulders and stood up. "Sorry, I lost my footing just now."
She did not reply, only frowned deeply and stared straight at my face.
I awkwardly withdrew my hands from her shoulders. "Alright, I admit it, I just wanted to pull a small prank."
"Y-you think I didn't notice?"
A faint blush surfaced on Neru's cheeks, yet her gaze did not shift at all, her expression extremely serious, as if she were thinking about something important.
Maybe she had only just realized how handsome I really was. Considering it was Neru, that was normal.
Even so, being stared at like that made my heart feel a little uneasy, and the atmosphere became somewhat strange.
Speaking of which… looking closely… Neru is really beautiful…
Just as I was about to lose my composure and start letting my thoughts run wild, suddenly, with a snort, someone burst into loud laughter.
Neru was startled and turned to the side. "Hey! What are you laughing at!"
Three girls in maid outfits appeared from around the corner, no longer hiding after being exposed. The one in front was Asuna.
"Hahaha∼ Neru, you're desperately tilting your face up to stare at Master, not saying a single word, with such a serious expression. Of course it's funny∼"
"Are you looking to die!?And you better explain clearly who you're calling Master!?"
Unable to endure her companions' teasing, Neru roared in embarrassment and anger. "Also, since when did you start peeking!"
"We only just arrived," Akane pushed up her glasses. "Probably from the moment you and Master hugged."
"We did not hug! It was just an accident… so explain clearly who you're calling Master already!?"
"Mm… your Master?"
The dark skinned, golden eyed girl wearing the C&C uniform, with sharp and cool features, spoke with a curious expression. "I never expected the Neru to have such an unexpected side. I thought, just like her body, she was still in a growth phase."
She was probably the final member of C&C, codename 02, Kakudate Karin.
"What nonsense are you talking about! I I I don't have that kind of thing, and why are you including me so casually!"
"Ahaha∼ Neru is really flustered∼" Asuna laughed. "As expected of the Neru, even your progress is the fastest, completely opposite to certain other aspects∼"
"You bastard! There's something hidden in your words!"
Akane pondered. "Hmm∼ judging from the body types of the children in the Game Development Department, Sensei's preferences are probably… Neru has quite an advantage in that area. We need to work harder too."
"You guys have had enough already! Know when to stop!!!"
"That's right," I refuted righteously. "I'm clearly the type who loves everyone."
Akane was first surprised by my frankness, then nodded with a satisfied smile. "Hehe∼ so that's how it is. I understand now."
Beside her, Karin exclaimed. "Wow. That line, could it be that it includes me too, even though we just met?"
Contrary to the first impression her appearance gave, Karin seemed to be a very easygoing girl.
"Of course!"
Asuna seemed to be struck by another funny point. "Hahaha∼ being able to say something like that without restraint, Sensei's deserving to be our Master∼"
I took it as a compliment.
Then I extended my hand toward the tan skinned, golden eyed girl in front of me, whose features were extremely proper and carried an exotic beauty.
"You're Karin, right? Nice to meet you!"
"Mm, Sensei, I've heard about you. Please take care of me."
Just as the atmosphere among us was becoming more harmonious, the volcano that had been left aside, silently accumulating anger, finally erupted.
"You guys, are you seriously ignoring me now!?"
Neru raised her submachine gun with both hands and roared. "That's enough already! Are you trying to get yourselves killed!"
The three well developed maid agents looked at each other and gave their verdict in unison.
"She's flustered."
"I'm not flustered! I'm not flustered!!!"
Neru, who was obviously flustered, argued loudly but weakly.
Unfortunately, right and wrong reside in people's hearts. In this regard, compared to her club members, Neru was clearly lacking.
"Sorry, sorry," I kindly gave her a way out. "It's all my fault."
My mistake was that I was simply too outstanding, perfectly matching C&C's criteria for choosing a master, making so many maids fall for me at first sight, fooling around with me and forgetting their own leader. Truly sinful.
Neru's seemingly flat chest, after her intense heaving subsided, became even more striking in contrast to her companions.
"Sigh, forget it." Neru glared at me. "I'm the one who ruined your fun. I'll be going."
"Wait," I called out to Neru as she was about to turn away. "To express my apology and gratitude, and since it's already this time, let me treat you all to a meal today."
"…Oh?"
Neru stopped and began looking me up and down again with that strange gaze from earlier.
But soon, Neru smiled.
"Hmph… fine. After causing a ruckus however we liked, I am hungry too. Hey, let's go eat some ramen or something together."
Akane nodded. "That sounds nice."
Asuna eagerly said, "I agree, I agree∼ Master, do you have any recommended places?"
I thought for a moment and replied, "As for ramen, I happen to know a place. It's a bit out of the way, though. If you don't mind the trouble, I can take you there with Schale's helicopter."
Asuna cheered. "Wow∼ really? Thank you, Master∼"
"Hm… that's not unacceptable." Neru said to me. "Anyway, since you said you're treating, I'll leave everything to you."
Karin said in surprise. "Wow, Neru is really not holding back at all. Could it be that…"
Neru rudely cut her off. "Enough chatter!"
And in my heart, another question suddenly arose.
Master Shiba probably would not tell everyone in the Foreclosure Task Force about me bringing unfamiliar female students to his shop, right?
Mm… Master Shiba is a man of principle.
At this moment, someone reached out and patted my shoulder, saying in a very cocky tone.
"Hmph, then hurry up and get moving, Master."
Just as I was about to answer, I suddenly sensed something was off.
And Neru, realizing what she had just said, froze with her hand suspended in mid air, her face instantly turning bright red.
"Oh∼?" Asuna laughed mischievously. "'Master'∼?"
"…You heard wrong."
Akane's expression was somewhat gentle. "Neru, at this point, there's no use hiding it anymore."
"…It was just a slip of the tongue."
Karin asked in confusion. "Normally, would someone really slip like that? Did your true feelings leak out?"
"…Aaaah! So annoying! It's all because you idiots keep calling him that!"
Neru then shoved me. "What are you standing there for! Hurry up and lead the way!"
"Alright, alright."
On the way to Schale, I glanced at the tsundere maid, twirling her hair with her fingers, her gaze drifting, her heart wavering quite intensely.
It felt like I was probably not far from conquering her anymore, right?