You've Got Problems!

Asterisk was shaped like a Hexagram, with the six academies, including Seidoukan Academy, located at each of its six points.

After leaving the academy and following the main street, one could enter the City District.

The City District was mainly divided into the Outer Residential Area and the Central Area.

A light-rail loop ran through the Outer Residential Area, connecting the Harbor Area and residential districts along the outskirts. The Six Academies were also on this route, so students could often be seen taking the light rail out.

The Central Area, on the other hand, relied mainly on the subway for transportation and was divided internally into the Commercial District and the Administrative Area.

Whenever the Star Martial Festival was held, huge numbers of outside visitors flooded into Asterisk. As a result, the Commercial District and Administrative Area covered an enormous area, and even the duel stages were spread throughout them.

As a Duel City, the facilities Asterisk had built the most of were competition stages.

There were three large-scale stages alone, seven medium-sized ones, and too many small ones to count. Beyond that, there was also Asterisk's largest main stage—the Sirius Dome.

During the latter half of every Star Martial Festival, all matches were held in the Sirius Dome. Thus, the Sirius Dome was located almost at the very center of Asterisk; calling it Asterisk's heart would not have been an exaggeration.

After all, during the Star Martial Festival, outside visitors all came here for this place.

Thanks to that, the Sirius Dome saw an immense flow of people. Even when the Star Martial Festival was not being held, many people came to check in there. It was practically Asterisk's premier tourist attraction.

To cater to the Star Martial Festival and the endless stream of outside visitors each year, Asterisk's Commercial District had been built into an exceptionally bustling area.

It was the weekend, and the Commercial District was even more crowded than usual. The neatly paved stone streets were packed with students in casual clothes, their school emblems the only thing identifying them as students.

In Asterisk, one of a student's obligations was to wear their school emblem even on holidays.

The reason was simple. As always, this was the Duel City.

Even on holidays, hot-blooded students would duel for all sorts of reasons. Without a school emblem, a duel could not be officially established, which was why such a rule existed.

Fortunately, things were fairly peaceful today. The Commercial District's streets were filled only with a steady stream of pedestrians coming and going, with no one suddenly starting a duel.

Azer's group of four arrived near noon and entered the Commercial District.

"Th-There are so many shops..."

At this point, Toudou Kirin seemed to have relaxed a little. She was no longer so tense, and her eyes kept darting around in amazement and curiosity.

"There really are. And there are a lot of people too."

Amagiri Ayato, who was visiting for the first time as well, looked equally surprised. The way he kept looking around made him seem like a country bumpkin who had just entered the city.

"This area is where most of the restaurants are gathered. Every shop posts its prices outside, so no one has to go in first only to find that the prices are unsuitable."

Yulis, who had been too embarrassed to speak ever since earlier, had finally found an opportunity to regain some dignity.

"The restaurant we're looking for is around here, closer to the Outer Residential Area and some distance from the subway station. It probably won't have many customers, but it has excellent online reviews. It seems even Queenveil students often go there."

Hearing that, Toudou Kirin, who had been drawn in by the lively surroundings, looked toward Yulis.

"Queenveil Girls' Academy?"

"That's right, so it should be worth looking forward to."

The moment the two girls mentioned the name "Queenveil," they both seemed to have strangely subtle reactions, prompting Amagiri Ayato to ask in confusion.

"What's with Queenveil?"

Of course, Amagiri Ayato knew Queenveil.

As places dedicated to training Star Martial Festival competitors, the six major academies in Asterisk were famous throughout the world. Even children knew of their existence and names.

The Six Academies were Seidoukan Academy, Seidoukan Academy, Jielong Seventh Academy, Lefevre Black Academy, Arle Kant Research Institute, and Queenveil Girls' Academy.

All six academies were backed by the Integrated Enterprise Foundation, which could practically be said to rule the world today, though each had a different school culture.

Take Seidoukan Academy, for example. Its symbol was the indomitable red lotus—the Red Lotus on its school emblem. Its culture was relatively free, placing great importance on students' independence, so its rules were quite lax. As a result, students who were Witches or Magicians often chose that academy, without worrying about being studied as lab rats.

Queenveil Girls' Academy, meanwhile, was symbolized by the Nameless Goddess. Its culture was bright and cheerful, but aside from combat ability and academic credentials, applicants also needed one additional qualification—beauty.

Well... in other words, they did not accept ugly people.

That was because, compared to training Star Martial Festival competitors, the academy placed greater emphasis on cultivating idols. The Integrated Enterprise Foundation behind it had practically monopolized the entertainment industry across the world. Thus, Queenveil Girls' Academy adopted a unique development strategy that disregarded overall Star Martial Festival results, steering its students more toward the entertainment industry.

Because of that, Queenveil was not only the sole girls' academy among the Six Academies, but also the smallest. Its results often ranked at the bottom, yet its students took pride in possessing top-tier idol-level beauty. In fact, many students took part in idol activities, including no shortage of world-class female idol stars.

For girls, that place naturally inspired all kinds of fantasies and aspirations.

As for boys... well, most of them regarded it as the paradise of their dreams.

Yulis and Toudou Kirin were not so taken with it that they would aspire to attend, but when that place, practically a secret garden for girls, was mentioned, they could not help but indulge in a few thoughts.

Of course...

"You wouldn't understand."

Azer had no intention of explaining it to Amagiri Ayato. He patted Ayato on the shoulder and said that.

"What?"

Amagiri Ayato was immediately bewildered.

It could not be helped. Expecting this sort of dense Japanese light-novel protagonist to gain any insight in that regard was simply asking too much.

Azer, who understood that well enough, naturally had no intention of enlightening him. He merely sighed and patted his shoulder again, leaving him even more confused.

Under those circumstances, the group turned from a corner of the main road into a small alley and arrived before a shop.

"This is it."

Yulis checked the location against the pictures online, then pushed open the door and led everyone inside.

The lighting inside was fairly bright. There were not many seats—only around twenty at most between the tables and counter seats—but quite a few were already occupied.

Most of the customers were girls, and beautiful girls at that. Judging from the school emblems pinned to their chests, they were undoubtedly students from Queenveil Girls' Academy.

"W-We're eating here?"

Amagiri Ayato looked at the shop full of pretty girls and felt that he did not belong here at all. For a moment, he felt awkward and restless.

Azer, on the other hand, looked perfectly composed. He ignored both the atmosphere and the customers, seeming instead to be drawn to the soft music playing in the shop.

"This sounds pretty good."

While Azer listened to the music, Yulis and Toudou Kirin had already started ordering.

"How about this?"

"I-It looks delicious, but isn't the price a little..."

"It's fine. These prices are already very reasonable. Don't worry about it, just order whatever you want."

"Th-Then, excuse me..."

The two began ordering from the menu, leaving Azer and Amagiri Ayato, seated across from them, with little to do.

"You're not ordering?"

Azer asked Amagiri Ayato casually.

"I'm fine with anything. I can eat pretty much whatever."

Amagiri Ayato looked content to go with the flow, a loose smile on his face as though he had no particular desires.

But before long, he started staring intensely at Azer, making Azer's skin crawl slightly.

What's with this guy staring at me like that?

There are so many beautiful girls here, yet instead of appreciating them, he's staring at me—a grown man?

Then Azer recalled what Amagiri Ayato had just said: "I'm fine with anything. I can eat pretty much whatever."

You've got problems!!!! ∑(Дノ)ノ