A Bunch of Unreliable People

"W-Who wants to go on a date with him?!"

Yulis's face instantly flushed red. Pointing at Amagiri Ayato, she spoke loudly.

"I'm just repaying this guy for helping me, so don't get the wrong idea!"

Azer raised an eyebrow at that.

"A favor?"

He looked at Amagiri Ayato, wanting him to explain.

"Well..."

Amagiri Ayato gave a wry smile and began explaining.

It turned out that after the previous duel at the Girls' Dormitory, Yulis had suffered another attack.

That time, Amagiri Ayato had once again happened to be there, so he gave Yulis a hand.

Having been helped, Yulis naturally couldn't keep giving Amagiri Ayato the cold shoulder. She could only put the previous matter aside and declare that she would repay him.

But how could Amagiri Ayato possibly care about that?

Seeing Yulis stubbornly insist on repaying him, Amagiri Ayato suddenly had an idea while he was at a loss.

He said that since she insisted on repaying the favor no matter what, she might as well show him around Asterisk.

He had only just arrived and wasn't familiar with the place. If he didn't properly learn his way around, what if he got lost again next time?

So, he needed a guide to take him out for a good look around...

That was perfectly reasonable, right?

Perfectly reasonable!

...Reasonable my ass! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

What kind of harem-protagonist behavior was this supposed to be?

She only wanted to repay a favor, yet he wanted her to take him shopping?

And he still claimed it wasn't a date?

In the real world, this would probably be an excuse a guy used to ask a girl out. If he said it wasn't intentional, absolutely no one would believe him.

But... this was a fantasy world, after all.

Following the usual style of Japanese light novel protagonists, he definitely hadn't done it deliberately. It had simply happened by accident.

Accidentally flirting with girls was the deadliest move of all. That was what normal plot development looked like, wasn't it?

Azer couldn't stop himself from complaining internally, but unfortunately, he could only keep it bottled up.

Of course, at least one thing was certain.

"So inviting us out really was just an afterthought."

Since she was repaying a favor, she might as well repay everyone together.

Yulis had probably invited Azer and Toudou Kirin with that in mind, hadn't she?

By a twist of fate, this had eliminated an excellent opportunity for a man and woman to be alone together. Any man with ulterior motives would probably be smiling on the outside while crying inside right now. Only a certain utterly oblivious protagonist was still standing there grinning like an idiot.

"What about Toudou?" Azer no longer paid attention to this development that was full of things to complain about and simply changed the subject. "She didn't accept your invitation?"

Azer vaguely remembered that Toudou Kirin's uncle had demanded that she keep her distance from Page One's Twelve, lest they see through her and target her.

So even if Toudou Kirin had refused Yulis's invitation, Azer wouldn't have found it strange.

However...

"At first, that girl did politely decline. She seemed rather troubled." Yulis took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions that had just arisen, and said, "I didn't want to pressure her too much either. But I heard that after she saved me last time, she didn't seem to be doing very well, so I was a little forceful and insisted on asking her out."

Yulis didn't know that Toudou Kirin had an uncle behind her who was extremely controlling and full of ambition.

But Yulis could still tell that the other girl had been put in a difficult position by someone because she had saved her.

Naturally, Yulis couldn't pretend not to see that.

Only then did Azer realize what Yulis meant.

"Maybe that's the real reason she invited us out?"

Reports online had mentioned that Toudou Kirin hadn't seemed well after saving Yulis.

If Azer could see them, then naturally Yulis could as well.

That was why this Princess had, for once, stopped being so solitary and made a rare display of social consideration. With Amagiri Ayato adding fuel to the fire, she had come up with the idea of treating Azer and Toudou Kirin to a meal.

Though she said she was repaying a favor, it was obvious that a single meal couldn't possibly settle such a debt.

At the very least, Yulis wouldn't think so.

Therefore, the biggest reason for this invitation was still Toudou Kirin.

In other words, Azer and Amagiri Ayato, these two stinky men, were the ones invited as an afterthought...

"Looks like she's here."

As Azer showed a look of sudden realization, Yulis noticed something. Looking inside the school gate, she said that.

"S-Sorry! I'm late!"

A clear voice rang out at just the right moment, drawing everyone's attention toward the school gate.

The next second, they saw a girl hurrying over in a panic.

"S-Sorry for keeping you waiting."

Toudou Kirin ran all the way over to them, then bent at the waist and repeatedly apologized.

But at that moment, neither Azer nor Amagiri Ayato, not even Yulis, was paying attention to that.

What they were focused on was Toudou Kirin's outfit.

Today, Toudou Kirin wasn't wearing the academy uniform as usual. Instead, she had put on casual clothes.

The girl wore a white long-sleeved blouse with lace trim, the kind with buttons down the front. The hem was tucked into a blue pleated miniskirt with a cinched waist. The skirt was even shorter than Yulis's dress, stopping above her knees, leaving her thighs bare. On her feet was a pair of mid-calf boots.

The outfit wasn't flashy, but it was youthful and suited a girl Toudou Kirin's age perfectly.

Only...

"Stare... (￢_￢)"

As though drawn by an irresistible force, everyone's eyes involuntarily settled on the girl's blouse, which looked as if its buttons were about to burst.

"W-What's wrong?"

Sensing the subtle looks and expressions everyone was giving her, Toudou Kirin became even more flustered.

Why are they looking at me like that?

Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?

B-But these are the only clothes I brought that still fit me!

It's only been a little over two months since I enrolled, but the clothes I brought back then don't fit anymore... I can't wear any of them... o(╥﹏╥)o

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Toudou Kirin immediately looked close to tears and kept bowing as she apologized.

Little did she know that this only emphasized her outstanding figure even more, making even Amagiri Ayato, a pure-love Warrior, blush furiously and turn his head away.

"N-No, it's fine. You didn't do anything wrong, so there's no need to apologize."

Yulis finally came to her senses and spoke to comfort Toudou Kirin. Her voice was somewhat stiff, however, and the smile on her face was rather forced. In the end, there were even faint tears at the corners of her eyes, as though she had suffered some unknown blow.

"That's right, Toudou." Azer coughed twice. Silently asking forgiveness in his heart, he spoke as calmly as possible. "You arrived at just the right time. There are still a few minutes before the agreed time, so you aren't late. No need to apologize."

"R-Really?" Toudou Kirin furtively glanced at the older students. Though she still thought their expressions were somewhat strange, she finally let out a relieved breath, patted her chest, and said, "That's good..."

Azer resisted the urge to look at her movement and turned toward Yulis.

"Now that everyone's here, Princess, where are you planning to take us for lunch?"

If he remembered correctly, this Princess didn't leave the academy much herself, did she?

Did she really know where they could have a proper meal?

Azer was highly skeptical.

"What kind of look is that?" Yulis seemed to understand what Azer meant. She frowned slightly and said with some dissatisfaction, "Of course I know where to eat!"

Though Claudia had happened to recommend it while Yulis was looking up guides online...

Well, it was Claudia. Her taste could probably be trusted... right?

"Let's go." Yulis opened her Parasol, turned around, and said, "I'll take you to the Commercial District."

With that, Yulis strode forward as though full of confidence.

Seeing this, Amagiri Ayato and Toudou Kirin hurriedly followed her.

Only Azer remained where he was, expressionlessly saying one thing.

"According to the map, the Commercial District seems to be this way."

Azer pointed in the opposite direction from the one Yulis and the others had taken.

"..."

A group of young men and women who rarely left the academy and had barely explored Asterisk froze on the spot.

"Sigh..."

Azer let out a sigh like an exhausted father and summoned his window.

"Forget it. I'll lead the way."

Compared to these unreliable people, navigation was much more trustworthy...