Ai Hayasaka: "Alright."
The Next Day
Just as Ai Hayasaka predicted, Shinomiya Kaguya indeed came looking for Rei Ao, deliberately choosing to do so during lunch break. Megumi Kato and Michiru both recognized her intentions and politely refrained from interrupting.
Kaguya approached Rei Ao and, after taking a deep breath, said:
"Rei Ao, I hope I'm not bothering you. Could you come with me to the Student Council room? I have a few things I'd like to ask you."
She paused, then added, "It's about Ai," worried he might not understand.
"Sure, let's go."
He agreed readily.
"?"
That took Kaguya aback. She had prepared several approaches in case he refused. But he simply said yes. Quickly regaining her composure, she nodded.
"Alright. Follow me."
They left the classroom one after the other. As soon as they were gone, Michiru edged over to Megumi's desk.
"Hey, Katohow do you think Rei Ao's going to 'handle' Lady Shinomiya?"
"Handle?" Megumi tilted her head. "I don't think he'll 'handle' her in any negative way."
"Eh? Why?"
"Isn't there a possibility that Shinomiya Kaguya might end up liking Rei Ao?"
""
Michiru froze. She realized that was actually plausible.
"But that can't happen that easily, can it?"
"Haha." Megumi let out a soft laugh, staring at Michiru until the latter got flustered, then finally said, "Whether it's that easy or not, maybe you'd know better than me."
"!!!"
Michiru blushed, suspecting Megumi had an ulterior meaning behind that remark.
In the Student Council Room
Kaguya led Rei Ao in, where Ai Hayasaka was already waiting for them. Rei Ao looked around.
"This is the Student Council room? Cozy."
""
Kaguya hadn't expected him to comment on the room first.
"Well, it is a significant part of the school, so we keep it comfortable."
She handed him some black tea, then got straight to the point:
"Rei Ao, you might already guess why I asked you here, right?"
"Nope."
"Huh?"
"No need to guessAi Hayasaka told me everything."
Rei Ao smiled at Ai:
"Isn't that right?"
"Huh?!"
Kaguya spun around to stare at Ai, that look clearly saying, When did you tell him?!
Ai took a breath.
"I'm sorry, Lady Kaguya. My method of communicating with Rei Ao is veryunique, and I'm not allowed to explain it, somy apologies."
""
Kaguya felt awkward. She'd come in acting all stern, but it turned out they were already on the same page.
"Haha, no need to look so surprised, Shinomiya." Rei Ao teased.
"You want to ask about the supernatural phenomenon that happened to Ai, but really, you're worried about whether it might harm her, right?"
He gazed steadily into her eyes.
"Ah"
Kaguya felt uncomfortable. Talking about how she prioritized Ai's safety over all else was embarrassing in front of Ai herself.
"Lady Kaguya"
Ai's heart clenched. Once again, she felt the depth of Kaguya's concernand her guilt only grew heavier.
Kaguya pressed her lips together. She hated feeling so transparent, so overshadowed in this conversation. But she couldn't help it; she knew almost nothing about Rei Ao.
Initially, she hadn't paid him much attention, but he repeatedly blew past her in academic results, stirring her competitive spirit. She tried challenging him and lost, over and over.
Just when she started to see him as a real rival, Ai's situation surfacedAi said he possessed powers that seemed supernatural. Each incident raised her confusion about him. The advantage was clearly on Rei Ao's side.
She tapped her fingertips against the table, the little thump, thump echoing. Suddenly Rei Ao spoke:
"What I can tell you is that Ai Hayasaka is perfectly safe. In fact, she's fortunate. So you don't have to worry about her safety at all."
"He's right, milady. I'm not in any danger."
Ai jumped in, worried Kaguya might offend Rei Ao somehow.
""
Kaguya's expression was complicated. Ai, have you already become his? Of course, she was just mentally grumbling; she knew Ai wasn't Rei Ao's possession. She was simply warning her not to act rashly.
"Understood."
Kaguya chose not to push. She stood up.
"If this turned out to be needless trouble, I apologize. I'll trust what you say about Ai's safety."
"Though," she continued, "there's still something I don't understand: How does she count as 'fortunate' if she got caught up in a supernatural event?"
From her perspective, that sounded more like bad luck.
"Ah."
Rei Ao's lips curved into a faint smile.
"That's something you might have to discover for yourself."
"Discover for myself?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"How?"
"By opening your heart and really feeling it."
[Ding! You have confirmed a Sub-Group Grant for the target: Shinomiya Kaguya!]
~~~
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Chapter 589: Love Detective Chika's senses are tingling...
""
Feel it with your heart?
Kaguya Shinomiya wondered if she might be hallucinating. And yet, the new knowledge in her mind told her it was all real.
In the Chat Group
Rei Ao: "@Kaguya Shinomiya, do you get it now?"
""
Kaguya blinked her wide eyes in bewilderment.
Tohru: "Oho? A newcomer."
Tohru: "Wait, Kaguya Shinomiya? That's the 'Lady' that Ai Hayasaka serves, right?"
"???"
Kaguya's head was full of question marks.
"Who is she? How does she know me?"
Ai Hayasaka: "It's because, yesterday, I told Rei Ao about the incident of being discovered. Sorry, my Lady."
"Oh, so it was you, Ai"
Kaguya tugged at the corners of her mouth, realization dawning on her.
She understood everything now. Ai had joined this bizarre "chat group," which was the so-called "supernatural event." Aihad even traveled to another world?!
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "@Rei Ao, what's going on? The student council president came in as well?"
Megumi Kato: "Actually, she just came to get Rei Ao a moment ago."
Yukinoshita Yukino: "Probably to ask him about that 'certain matter' Ai Hayasaka mentioned."
Eriri Spencer: "Emmm, so they had a conversation, and now she's in the chat group?"
Yukinoshita Haruno: "I bet Rei Ao's taken a liking to her. Wouldn't be surprising if every girl who joins the group is basically a 'prospective member of his harem'~"
Saki Kawasaki: "Huh? Th-that can't be true, right?"
Furuhashi Fumino: "No way!"
Ogata Rizu: ""
Kato Hiromi: "Ehh, I'm Kato's older sister, so Rei Ao invited me here to look after her. I think that was purely his reason."
Yukinoshita Haruno: "Is that so? But I'm Yukino's big sister, and Rei Ao and Iah, never mind."
Yukinoshita Yukino: "Onee-san! That's enough!"
Yukinoshita Haruno: "Oh dear, little Yukino is embarrassed now. ()"
Kobayashi: "Stop, everyone. The important thing is how Rei Ao's conversation with that lady goes."
Rei Ao: "As you can see, she's pretty stunned."
""
Although Kaguya didn't want to admit it, she really was rattledby the chat group's mere existence and by all their comments. She looked at Rei Ao, eyes full of surprise.
"Youyou peoplewhat kind of relationship do you have?"
"Exactly what you think."
"And Ai, too?"
"You can ask her yourself."
"Ai"
Kaguya, thoroughly confused, gazed at Ai Hayasaka with a hint of helplessness. Ai sighed softly.
"My Lady, please don't misunderstand. There's nothing, uhstrange, going on between Rei Ao and me."
At least, not yet
"Oh, thank goodness"
Kaguya breathed a sigh of relief, though her cheeks were tinted pink. She sent Rei Ao a rather fierce glare.
"Even if you do have that sort of relationship with Yukinoshita and the others, as the student council president, I won't allow you to get up to anythingindecent at school!"
As if she'd let such chaos happen on campus.
"What kind of relationship? Huh???"
At that moment, a pink-haired girl burst into the student council room: Chika Fujiwara. Rei Ao couldn't help letting his gaze wander toward herbountiful figure, inwardly thinking, She really is a force of nature.
Chika looked curiously at the three gathered in the council room.
"Rei Ao! Why are you in the student council room? And I thought I heard something about a relationshipwho's in a relationship with whom?"
Her passion for gossip flared as she glanced between Rei Ao and Kaguya.
She gasped dramatically.
"Whacould it be that Rei Ao and Kaguya-chan are secretly?!"
"Secretary Fujiwara, please don't jump to conclusions. There's no"
Kaguya reflexively tried to deny it. But then she rememberedthey do share a secret bond. That bond involved the chat group connecting multiple worlds. It was something they absolutely couldn't tell Chika Fujiwara.
Kaguya hesitated, unused to lying.
""
"Hmm?"
Chika had only been half joking, aiming to lighten the mood. But Kaguya's obvious hesitation made her eyes light up, sensing a real scoop.
She opened her mouth, about to bombard them with further questions
But Ai Hayasaka stepped forward.
"President, let's just leave it at that. Thank you for your help."
She bowed to Kaguya, then turned to Rei Ao.
"Rei Ao, let's go."
Clearly, she was giving Kaguya an escape route. Rei Ao, seeing that, nodded. The two left the student council room one after the other.
"Eh?"
Chika blinked in confusion.
"Kaguya-chan, did Rei Ao and that other girl come to consult you about something?"
Kaguya took half a second to catch up but followed Ai's lead:
"Yes, it was a personal matter. Anyway, please don't pry too deeply, Secretary Fujiwara."
"Ah"
Chika looked disappointed.
"What a shame! I bet it was a romantic issue. I mean, I'm a genius at solving love problems, but darn it, I arrived too late."
""
Kaguya scowled at her, not bothering to retort.
She's never even been in a relationshiphow could she be a Love Detective Chika? This unstoppable pink creature is just in it for the gossip.
After Leaving the Student Council
"Rei Ao, thank you for cooperating."
"It's no big deal. Besides, now that it's settled, there's no reason to linger."
Rei Ao gave a casual wave of his hand.
"Rei Aodid you invite Lady Kaguya to join the chat group just because I got exposed?"
Ai Hayasaka asked suddenly. In her mind, it made sense. She worried her slip-up had forced Rei Ao's hand, and that might have serious repercussions.
Rei Ao gently patted her shoulder and chuckled.
"Don't overthink it. Your little 'exposure' was trivial to me."
He gave her a knowing look.
"You could say I'm interested in your Lady Kaguya, which is why I did it."
""
Ai fell silent. That explanation actually soundedbelievable. She gave Rei Ao a long look, her voice soft: "If that's the reason, I guessit's not so bad."
~~~
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Chapter 590: Tiger Monster! Demon-Class Monster!
"A monster's here! Everyone, run!!!"
A monstrous threat had once again descended upon the city. Ordinary citizens stood no chance against such a powerful creature; fleeing was their best option.
"You damn humans! I'm the Tiger Monster! How pitiful for tigers to be locked away in zoos! Tigers are supposed to be kings of beasts, not caged cats. You'll pay for this!"
A tall, upright tiger-man stood on a high-rise, roaring angrily. Formerly, he was a big fan of tigersespecially their title as "Tiger King." But each time he saw them trapped in zoos, as if their fangs had been pulled out, he seethed with rage at the humans responsible.
In the end, his deep hatred made him transform into a monster. He became the "Ferocious Tiger Monster," with tremendous power. Now, acting as the Tiger King, he intended to avenge all his so-called "brethren."
"Die, worthless humans!"
On top of the high-rise, the tiger monster opened his bloody jaws. A red light gathered in his mouth, condensing into a glowing orb.
"Roar!!!"
A thunderous tiger's roar shattered the building's windows, and a blood-red beam shot from his jaws toward the fleeing crowd below.
"Aaaaah!!!"
Someone glanced back just in time to see the laser barreling toward them and screamed in terror.
Whoosh!!!
A sudden gust of wind sprang up, whipping sand and debris into a whirlwind. It collided with the crimson beam, scattering it. Laser fragments sprayed the surrounding buildings, causing a series of explosions.
"We we're not dead?"
The panicked crowd realized they were still alive.
"Hey! Don't just stand thereget out of here!"
The whirlwind that had shielded them dissipated, revealing Fubuki in her iconic coat. People recognized her immediately.
"A hero!"
"It's the top B-Class hero, Hellish Blizzard! We're saved! Hahaha!"
Hearing that, some stopped fleeing altogether and started taking pictures on their phones.
"?"
Fubuki scowled. Don't they realize how dangerous this is? Still, she didn't reprimand them further. She could tell from deflecting that first attack that she could handle this monster's laser.
The Hero Association had labeled him a "Wolf-Level Threat," which was within her capabilities. This was a prime opportunity to show off her powerand her Blizzard Group's power.
But in the next moment, Fubuki's confidence wavered.
"Roar! You wretched human, daring to thwart me!"
Her interference only stoked the tiger monster's anger further. He flexed the muscles in his legs
Boom!
He launched himself like a cannonball toward the ground.
Rumble!
The impact shook the earth, sending rubble flying. Fubuki narrowed her eyes and waved a hand, using psychic wind to disperse the debris.
"Roar!!!"
The tiger monster let out another fierce roar.
"Ugh, shut up already!"
Fubuki growled in annoyance, eager to knock him out and end the racket. But as she raised her hand to strike, she froze.
Leaping from alleyways and rooftops came one tiger after anotherreal, living tigers.
"Why are there so many tigers?"
Fubuki's gaze flicked back to the monster. The tigers were converging on him, clearly connected to him somehow. Still, she didn't feel too threatened. No matter if they're tigers or bears, I can take them.
"Hahahaha," the monster laughed triumphantly.
"I released them from zoos across the city. These imprisoned tigerslend me your strength! I will restore the Tiger King to glory!"
