(Heartfelt thanks to Ma Shuming, Genkaku no Ningyōshi, Haidi Zhongcao, and Wufeng Haotian for their tips!)
Silence.
A deathly silence.
At that moment, everyone present stared blankly at the calm-faced Noah and the bewildered Ais. Every last one of them had lost the ability to react.
Under those circumstances, Ais's mind was the first to start working properly again. Tilting her head, she repeated that word uncertainly.
"A... date...?"
"That's right, a date." As if he had not just said something astonishing, Noah answered frankly.
"We'll just go stroll around town together. How about it?"
"Go into town?" Ais still looked utterly confused as she asked timidly.
"Just... you and me?"
"Yeah." Noah smiled faintly.
"What? You don't want to?"
Ais shook her head almost reflexively.
"Then it's settled."
With that, Noah directly reached out and took Ais's hand.
"Then let's go."
As soon as he finished speaking, Noah led the still-uncomprehending and somewhat flustered Ais away. Beneath countless vacant stares, their clearly audible footsteps carried them running out.
"Y-You..." Loki stared blankly at the scene. Only after a long while did her lips begin to tremble and her body shake. Then, like a crazed beast, she screamed.
"Get back here----!"
Amid that roar, Loki charged after them with a wild look on her face.
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah----!"
"Ooooooooooooooooooh----!"
Half a second later, Lefiya and Bert let out feral cries and chased after them without a second thought.
The remaining members looked at one another. After a moment of silence, they suddenly erupted into an uproar.
"T-Tione!" Tiona cried out in a panic.
"Big brother is going on a date with Ais! A date!"
"I know! I heard!" Tione's voice rose as well, her tone filled with indescribable confusion and excitement.
"Quick! Let's catch up!"
The Amazon sisters rushed out, their excitement