"What a miscalculation. To think there would be such a benefit—I would've gone if I'd known."
Hope bit her finger, watching the scene before her with great distress. She hadn't expected Artoria to actually kiss Raven. Weren't you just supposed to ask a question? How did you end up flirting with Artoria? Hope was very dissatisfied with this outcome, but it was their own fault. They were all afraid of touching Artoria's nerves and had shirked the task one by one. No one expected that asking a question would lead to this. What a shame; she should have been thick-skinned enough to go herself.
"Miss Artoria is so bold."
Gwen, who hadn't graduated from university yet, watched the scene with a blush. An office romance like this was so great... oh no! So bold! After all, the door wasn't even locked, yet they were so intimate. A pure-hearted girl like Gwen, who had never been in a relationship, was overwhelmed by the stimulation today. This was her first exposure to the lesbian world, and it felt as if a door had been completely opened for her.
"Hope, this is all your fault."
Susan gave Hope a deadpan look. If it weren't for this big-mouthed girl constantly muttering things like, "This might cross Artoria's line and make her hate us," she would have gone to ask Artoria long ago. She wouldn't have wavered because of those words, and this opportunity wouldn't have fallen to Raven. Now that things had turned out like this, Hope was the first one who couldn't escape blame. Susan took out some of her frustration on Hope.
"Sigh! Have you noticed lately? We're getting further and further away from Miss Artoria."
Regarding the various expressions of the women, Helen Cho saw through them clearly. She voiced her recent feelings, and her words struck a chord in their hearts. They looked at each other, realizing they indeed had very little time with Artoria lately. Even though she sat right there and they could see her anytime, their hearts weren't satisfied. They wanted to go further, but reason restricted their actions. Their feelings were already irreplaceable, and they wanted to confess, yet they didn't dare take that step. They were truly afraid that if they were rejected, they wouldn't even be able to remain friends. So, these women had unconsciously restrained themselves and kept a certain distance from Artoria. Today, Helen Cho pointed it out, making them realize the fact that they were far too cowardly.
"Even if we know, what can we do? Do we have a solution? Who dares to be the first to confess to Artoria?"
The women fell into an eerie silence for a moment. Maya finally stood up and spoke to Helen Cho seriously. The problem had been identified, but there was no solution. If the problem persisted and they didn't change the status quo, they would only drift further from the woman they loved. Because of this, they were conflicted: should they risk the status quo to confess and at worst just be ordinary friends, or should they suppress their feelings and keep waiting for an opportunity? This was the most realistic problem before them. The first person to "eat the crab" is always a hero, but since they hadn't been pushed to desperation yet, none were willing to test the unknown.
"Are we just going to wait here? Artoria doesn't seem to be in a hurry and has no intention of looking for a partner. What should we do?"
Hope spoke with some distress. She was the oldest among them. Women... they look one way when they're young, but after a while, they age rapidly. Which woman wouldn't want to confess to her loved one at her most beautiful and grow old together? When this problem arose, she was the most panicked. She didn't have much time to wait. If she didn't "eat" the girl she raised, what if an outsider got her?
"It seems we have no choice but to take a risk."
Susan didn't feel like mocking Hope's anxiety; they were facing the same problem. After a moment of thought, Susan said something that made all the women present look over. Taking a risk? What kind of idea did this woman come up with? Hopefully, she wouldn't mess it up.
"Since waiting isn't an option, let's organize a trip. We'll create the most romantic environment and find the courage to confess to Artoria. The simplest way is a 'date'."
Susan looked at the women's faces and spoke solemnly. This was no joke; no one could mess it up. If they did, no one would have a good time. She'd had this idea for a while, but before it was just a simple outing. Now, she wanted to use the most romantic place to achieve the most romantic confession.
"We'll use a nice deserted island, hire the best architects to renovate it, and since just us would be too conspicuous, we'll invite the Avengers. To avoid wasting time, please don't bring family. We'll hire staff—bartenders, servers, chefs, and so on. If anyone drops the ball this time, don't blame me for not warning you; there won't be a second chance."
At this moment, an aura of a strong person emanated from Susan, stunning the other women. The plan sounded quite good. If they failed under these circumstances, they could only blame their own incompetence. Susan's plan sparked Hope in the women; it was highly feasible as long as they didn't screw up.
"As for the funding, let's all share the cost!"
It wasn't a small amount, but as Artoria's subordinates, the benefits were excellent. Except for Gwen, the university student, all of them were wealthy women. With the generous backing of these rich women, the 'Date Confession Great Operation' under the guise of a trip began.
"What on Earth did you guys do?"
Raven walked in, blushing and covering her mouth, only to find the women, who had already decided on their goal, gathered like a terrifying cult to discuss matters. This left Raven bewildered. Hearing Raven's voice, the women all looked toward her at the door. This scared Raven into taking two steps back. What was going on? Their eyes were terrifying. Miss Artoria, please come save me.
"We need to have a good talk, Raven."
With a 'kind' smile on her face, Hope pressed her hands onto Raven's shoulders. The immense pressure made Raven furrow her brows. More than the physical discomfort, she felt her friend before her was very abnormal. But when she looked into the room, she realized she had been naive. Not a single one of these women was normal; they were all staring at her 'kindly'. She had never seen anything like this and almost collapsed, her legs turning weak.
"No, let me go! I don't know what's happening, but I apologize."
Amidst her pleas for mercy, Raven was dragged into the room. Her panicked cries frightened the cleaners passing by. When Raven appeared before everyone the next day looking 'broken,' no one knew what had happened to her. What exactly did those women do yesterday to make Mystique, a former Master Assassin, so terrified? It was truly horrifying. Nobody knew what transpired in that room.
"Ancient One Master, why hasn't she come to find me yet?"
Artoria, who knew nothing about the women's plan, was in her office contemplating why Ancient One hadn't sought her out. Was she too busy? Should she, as a 'disciple,' go visit her cheap master? And should she return the mystic ring?
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