In the middle of putting on her bunny girl outfit, complete with black stockings, Mai froze in place.
"Honestly, how did it go from him teasing me to me being the one who's in a rush?" she muttered in frustration.
Rei Ao: "I'll be back later. There are plenty more monsters like this one in this world."
Mai, always understanding, immediately grasped the meaning behind his words. She knew that Rei Ao's ability to grow stronger came from defeating these creatures.
Mai Sakurajima: "Alright."
"Sigh"
She let out a small sigh. It looked like she would have to spend the next few hours waiting alone, still dressed as a bunny girl.
As she glanced down at her sleek black stockings, an idea crossed her mind.
"Maybe I should try something different. Would Rei Ao like that?"
After thinking it over, she reached out with her hand.
Rip!
Meanwhile, Rei Ao turned to Sui, now clothed in his jacket, and asked, "Sui, do you have some free time now?"
Rei Ao suddenly spoke, startling Sui from her daydream. She quickly averted her gaze, not daring to meet his eyes.
"I-I don't have anything going on right now," she stammered.
"If that's the case, could you guide me to where there might be monsters?" Rei Ao asked.
Sui was taken aback. "Monsters? Rei Ao, are you planning to hunt them?"
"Something like that," he replied, his goal being to level up. The monsters in this world offered valuable experience, just like the 20-something level Poison Dragon that had given him a significant boost. He didn't want to waste the remaining three hours he had, so it was the perfect opportunity to practice his new abilities.
Sui thought for a moment before responding, "If you're looking for monsters, you could go to the Adventurers' Guild in town and accept a quest."
Rei Ao considered this. "Where's the nearest city with a large Adventurers' Guild?"
Sui pointed in a direction, her delicate hand motioning. "It's that way, but it's quite far."
"Far, huh" If they were to walk like Sui usually did, who knew how long it would take? So
Whoosh!
Suddenly, large crimson dragon wings unfolded from Rei Ao's back.
"W-What is this?!" Sui exclaimed, wide-eyed as she stared at the wings. A powerful, fiery aura radiated from him, making it feel like she was standing in front of a terrifyingly strong dragon.
"Sui, time is limited. If you don't mind, I can take you there," Rei Ao offered.
"Take?" Sui didn't quite understand, but she trusted the man who had just saved her. She nodded, "I don't mind."
"Alright."
Before she could react, Rei Ao scooped her up in a princess carry.
"Hold on tight," Rei Ao instructed.
Sui, startled by their sudden closeness, felt her heart race. Her head was now close to Rei Ao's chin, and she could feel his warmth and the steady beat of his heart.
How warm...
She didn't move for a moment, overwhelmed by the proximity.
"Sui, I'm going to fly at high speed. Hold onto my neck," Rei Ao reminded her again.
"R-right!" she blurted, blushing deeply. Hesitant, she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Let's go."
With a powerful flap of his dragon wings, they took off into the sky. The rush of air swirled around them, but Sui didn't feel the wind or hear any noiseit was all blocked by Rei Ao's magic. She gazed at his face in awe. It was the first time she had been this close to a man, and it didn't feel bad at all.
A fleeting thought crossed her mind. What did Esdeath experience? She remembered the sounds and expressions from Esdeath that night, which she had inadvertently witnessed. Suddenly, Sui's body felt unusually warm, and her face flushed deeply.
'What am I even thinking?!'
She shook her head, trying to push away those thoughts. She wasn't that kind of person! But her mind betrayed her, and being in Rei Ao's arms made it impossible not to think about it.
As they flew, Rei Ao noticed Sui pressing closer to him. But the trip didn't take long. In just a few minutes, they reached the city Sui had pointed to. As soon as they landed, she quickly stepped out of his arms, her face still burning from embarrassment.
She took a moment to calm herself down but still avoided looking Rei Ao in the eyes.
"Uh you might not be able to pass the city gate's inspection," Sui said, concerned. After all, cities usually didn't allow just anyone to enter without proper checks.
"Don't worry. They won't notice me."
Just as Rei Ao said, when Sui showed her credentials to pass through, the guards completely overlooked Rei Ao's presence.
Once inside, Sui was astonished. "How did you do that? Are you invisible? But I can still see you."
Could it be that Rei Ao was somehow special to her?
Her face flushed again at the thought, and Rei Ao, noticing the odd shift in her demeanor, couldn't help but find it amusing. "That's because you 'are' special, Sui."
"!!!"
Those simple words made Sui feel as though her entire body had turned to steam. She was flustered beyond belief.
Rei Ao couldn't help but smile at her reaction. Sui was surprisingly easy to understand. After she regained her composure, they headed to the Adventurers' Guild, where Sui picked out quests involving powerful monsters for him to hunt.
For the next couple of hours, Rei Ao spent his time hunting down those monsters. Sometimes the information was incorrect, and the monsters were nowhere to be found, while other times he wiped out entire nests at once.
In the end, his efforts paid off, and he leveled up twice.
[Name]: Rei Ao
[Level]: 40
[Abilities]: Hidden
[Possessions]: Hidden
[Description]: You possess the power to destroy entire nations in an instant!
His overall power had increased significantly, and Rei Ao was quite satisfied with the results.
~~~
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Chapter 71: Date with Sensei
"Eh? Y-you're leaving already?" Sui asked, feeling a hint of reluctance upon hearing that Rei Ao was about to depart. Ever since she had left the Elven tribe, she had been a loner, and it had been a long time since she'd had such close interaction with anyone.
"Yes, it's about time," Rei Ao replied. "There isn't enough time left to track more monsters, so it's time to head back."
"And this coat" Sui's face turned a deep shade of red. She realized she was still wearing the jacket Rei Ao had lent her earlier.
Rei Ao glanced at her and smiled. "You can keep wearing it for now. Just return it to me the next time we meet."
Sui breathed a sigh of relief. If she had to give it back now, she'd be left only in her undergarments, which would be beyond embarrassing.
But suddenly, a thought hit her: according to the chat room rules, she had nothing left to offer for a tradeexcept her body! Sui's eyes widened in realization. She wanted to say something, but before she could, Rei Ao vanished without a trace.
""
Sui stood there in a daze, Rei Ao's words about "next time" echoing in her mind. That would mean she would have to make *that* kind of trade next time. Sui felt lightheaded. Wasn't that an obvious hint from Rei Ao?
Indeed, Rei Ao had subtly hinted at it, but back home, what awaited him was a far more direct approach from Mai.
After not finding her in the living room or bathroom, Rei Ao opened the bedroom door. In the bright light, he saw Mai standing before him, dressed in a revealing bunny girl outfit with a torn stocking. Her face was flushed with embarrassment, and she trembled slightly as she asked, "Ao-kun, are you just going to stand there and watch?"
Rei Ao's fiery gaze made Mai feel both happy and self-conscious. But instead of acting on the enticing scene, Rei Ao suddenly asked, "Mai, do you know what I'm thinking right now?"
Confused, Mai responded, "What are you thinking?"
"Well, of course"
The next morning, Mai was still asleep when she was woken by the sound of Rei Ao's phone ringing. Lying in his strong embrace, she rubbed her sleepy eyes.
"Ao-kun, who's calling?"
"It's my homeroom teacher."
Rei Ao was equally puzzled as to why Shizuka Hiratsuka was calling him this early. After answering the call, he heard her familiar voice.
"Ao-san, are you up?"
"Not yet. Is there something you need, Shizuka-sensei?"
"Ao-kun, I need to take a shower first," Mai whispered. Even though she was exhausted and sore from the previous night, she still wanted to clean up.
Rei Ao gave her a playful "OK" sign.
Mai's face flushed as she stood up right in front of Rei Ao, heading toward the bathroom. Rei Ao, with a smile, watched her elegant figure and continued the call.
"As your homeroom teacher, I wanted to congratulate you for getting a perfect score and ranking first. Both Kirisu-sensei and I have verified that it was entirely your own achievement."
Rei Ao glanced at Mai, who was still teasing him as she walked away, and signaled to her with his eyes.
""
Mai immediately understood, giving him a quick glare before complying with his unspoken request.
Rei Ao couldn't help but grin with satisfaction. Under his guidance, Mai had learned a lot of new "skills."
"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Hiratsuka sounded annoyed on the other end. "I'm hearing some weird soundsdo you have bad reception, or is it on my end?"
"It must be a signal issue. But I heard your congratulations, Shizuka-sensei. Is there anything else?"
""
Hiratsuka fell silent for a moment before sighing. "You forgot about our earlier agreement, didn't you?"
"Oh, the date? Um, Mai" Rei Ao suddenly called out.
"Mai?" Hiratsuka was confused. "Who's that?"
"Ah, it's nothing," Rei Ao quickly covered. "I meant, are you ready for our date, Shizuka-sensei?"
"A d-date?! No! It's just a lunch invitation!" Hiratsuka hastily corrected. "Meet me at the shopping mall entrance at noon."
She ended the call quickly, afraid Rei Ao would say something even more outrageous.
"That brat How dare he act so bold toward me," Hiratsuka grumbled, running her fingers through her hair. She recalled the advice from Haruno Yukinoshita. "I guess I'll just have lunch with him and turn him down gently afterward. Better to get it over with quickly."
Without telling Haruno, Hiratsuka decided she would handle it on her own. As she stood in front of her mirror in just her underwear, she glanced at her reflection.
Her figure was still decent, though she couldn't help but feel self-conscious about her age.
"I don't get what Rei Ao sees in older women" she muttered, sighing as she looked through her wardrobe. She hesitated before picking out a light blue dress that she rarely wore, originally intended for blind dates her family had arranged.
"I guess it should be fine for today," she told herself, feeling embarrassed as she imagined how she'd look in the dress paired with high heels. "This will do Dressing up is such a hassle."
With that excuse, Hiratsuka managed to convince herself, at least for the moment.
In front of the mall, Rei Ao stood waiting, looking sharp and neat.
"Jealous Mai is kind of cute," he thought, but then remembered the bite she had given him when she heard the word "date."
With a wry smile, he muttered, "Her teeth are a bit too much, though."
"Rei Ao."
Suddenly, Shizuka Hiratsuka's voice called out.
Turning around, Rei Ao saw a completely different version of the usually laid-back teacher. She was dressed in a light blue long dress, paired with white high heels. Her hair was elegantly tied up, and she wore a necklace and earrings. Her feminine charm was unmistakable, and she even had a touch of lipstick and light eyeshadow on.
Even Rei Ao couldn't help but steal a second glance.
Hiratsuka felt uncomfortable under his gaze and, in her embarrassment, impulsively grabbed his head, trapping it under her smooth armpit.
"Hey, kid! Your eyes are a bit too bold!" she exclaimed, trying to cover up her awkwardness.
She regretted it instantlythis was a bad idea. Dressing up like this in front of her student felt embarrassing and mortifying.
Rei Ao, however, didn't seem to mind, especially since his head was now pressed against her chest, which Hiratsuka didn't even notice.
But he did remind her, "Shizuka-sensei, you look very ladylike today, but that move wasn't ladylike at all."
"Ugh, who cares about being ladylike," she huffed in frustration. "That word doesn't suit me at all."
Rei Ao chuckled and agreed, "True, the word 'ladylike' doesn't quite match you."
But then he added, "Still, you look young and beautiful today, Sensei. It's quite refreshing to see you like this."
Hiratsuka was taken aback by the unexpected compliment. Her breath hitched, and a blush crept up her face. Embarrassed, she quickly released him and coughed awkwardly.
"Ahem. Enough of that. Let's head to the restaurantI've already reserved a table."
With that, she turned and walked toward the mall, her hips swaying slightly as she hurried off.
Rei Ao stifled a laugh. "Sensei is so easy to read," he thought, shaking his head with amusement. She wore all her emotions on her sleeve. It seemed winning her over wouldn't be too hard.
As they entered the mall, someone else was watching.
"Ah, Shizuka didn't invite me to this?"
From a short distance away, Haruno Yukinoshita watched the scene unfold. She had been out shopping during her rare break when she spotted the two.
"So, she really is into younger guys, huh?" Haruno mused, noting Shizuka's rare effort to dress up. She had never seen her friend go to such lengths before.
"This is going to be interesting," Haruno said with a sly smile.
"Shizuka-sensei, aren't you going to say anything?"
Rei Ao couldn't help but laugh a little as he watched Hiratsuka quietly and awkwardly focus on eating her meal.
"This is turning into a pretty boring date," he teased.
Hiratsuka froze for a second.
Could it be that she didn't have any dating experience at all?
Thud.
Hiratsuka felt like he had hit her right in the heart with that comment.
She immediately tried to explain, "W-what are you talking about! Of course not!"
"I'm an adult, okay? I've had several boyfriends. What would you know?" she blurted out, clearly flustered.
Rei Ao just smiled without saying anything, his eyes clearly showing that he wasn't buying it.
"She's really easy to read," he thought. Her blushing face, the way her heart was racing, and her nervous gestures all gave her away.
She was cute, and Rei Ao found himself wanting to kiss her.
But he held back.
Seeing his expression of disbelief, Hiratsuka felt her pride being crushed.
