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"Even though I still don't quite get what's going on with Chisato Hasegawa, she didn't seem hostile at all. In fact, the things she said to Karane and Hakari earlier almost sounded like she was helping me out."
Unable to figure out her motives, Takumi decided to drop the thought for now. If he couldn't get an answer immediately, he'd just ask later.
Leaving the infirmary, his mood was unusually bright. Spending time around beautiful girls always had that effect—good for the mind and the soul.
Plus, meeting Hasegawa for the first time had given his [World-Crossing Gate] progress a sudden boost. 96%.
He was just a step away from full synchronization.
Whistling softly, Takumi walked toward Class 1-D. The moment he stepped in, his gaze landed on Mio sitting near the front.
As soon as she noticed him, she turned her head sharply with a pout, pretending not to see him. Her playful, tsundere act only made him smile in amusement.
Scanning the room, he also spotted Yuko and Anri among the students. There were plenty of familiar faces—and quite a few more pretty girls than he'd expected. But what really caught his eye was a girl sitting in the back. When their eyes met, her lips curved in a teasing smile.
Hitagi Senjougahara.
"Hey there, perv-kun~ sit here," she mouthed silently.
Takumi nearly groaned out loud. Looking around, he realized all the front seats were taken.
He sighed—no other choice—then made his way to the back and sat beside her.
The instant he did, Senjougahara's smile widened. "Well, what do you know? Fate really tied us together, perv-kun~"
In truth, she hadn't expected him to be the only male student in the academy. After all, ever since that day when he'd saved her from a Cursed Spirit, she'd come to view him as a kind of superior being—her "lord."
She just hadn't realized until now that the "lord" in question was her same age and now her classmate.
"Can you not call me that?" Takumi muttered, exasperated. "It sounds weird."
"Oh? You don't like it?" she purred, leaning close enough for her breath to tickle his ear.
"Then… would you rather I call you Master instead?"
Her voice was soft, sultry—like a kitten's whisper right against his skin. A shiver shot through him before he could stop it.
"…Forget it," he said, forcing a cough. "Between the two, I'll take the first one."
If she'd said it in private, he might've enjoyed it—but not in a crowded classroom!
"Hehehe~ you said it yourself, perv-kun," she teased triumphantly.
Then she exhaled a warm puff of air, and a glowing pink heart drifted from her lips—vanishing the instant it touched his ear.
"What was that… feeling?"
Senjougahara giggled softly. "I've been experimenting with [Word Spirit]. It lets me infuse my feelings into my words and send them to someone."
Takumi's eyes brightened in genuine interest. As expected of a purple-tier trait—on par with Mio's [Gravity Magic].
While they whispered back and forth, Takumi began to feel several pairs of eyes burning into him. He could already guess who one of them belonged to—Mio. So he deliberately ignored it.
But there were others, too.
When he turned his head, he caught a pair of sapphire-blue eyes quickly darting away. The girl they belonged to had long silver hair tied half-up, pale flawless skin, and a graceful figure that screamed "noble."
Even among so many beautiful girls, her presence was unmistakable. Takumi recognized her immediately—Alyssa Mikhailovna Kujou, better known by her nickname, the Solitary Princess.
"Hey there, Alyssa," he greeted casually.
"…Hello."
And that was it. Short, polite, distant.
Takumi smiled wryly. He wasn't about to throw himself at a cold shoulder. Better to go back to chatting with Senjougahara—and maybe see if she'd help him test out that [Word Spirit] later in the forest.
But just as he turned away, another gaze struck him—one that made cold sweat form on his forehead.
A girl with short blue hair braided to one side was staring straight at him. Her face was breathtakingly beautiful yet emotionless, but her golden eyes burned with unmistakable passion.
Her tall, full-figured body looked far too mature for a first-year. Slim waist, long legs, and a perfectly curved, generous shape that could rival any idol—the kind of proportions that defied reason itself.
"Takumi~"
The blue-haired girl called his name aloud, not even trying to hide the affection in her voice. Then, right there in front of everyone, she walked up and wrapped her arms tightly around him.
The faint scent of sweetness and warmth filled his senses. His hands froze in mid-air—he couldn't touch her, but he couldn't not, either.
"Haha~ Yuki, it's been a while," he said awkwardly. "You've… really grown since last time."
The class erupted in stunned silence. Beside him, Senjougahara's expression turned sharp and dangerous.
But before she could even react, Mio was already on her feet, trembling with fury. First one girl, then another—and now this!?
"This is too much!" she yelled, storming over, cheeks flushed scarlet. Her expression was pure feline jealousy, like a cat arching its back to chase off a rival.
But Yuki Nonaka didn't even look her way. Her cool face warmed with a rare blush, lips curling into a small, genuine smile.
"Takumi~ I knew you'd remember me. There's… so much I've wanted to tell you."
"Hey, hey, HEY—aren't you two getting a little too close!?"
Mio jumped between them, prying them apart. Her face was as red as her temper.
"You can't just throw yourself at someone and start saying weird things! That's totally crazy!"
Yuki blinked once, her tone calm and flat. "Crazy? Not really. For me and Takumi… that's completely normal."
Her answer hit like a thunderbolt—and Mio's gaze slowly turned back to Takumi, her mouth twitching in disbelief.
Just how many girls does this guy know…?
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