Elsewhere.
After Sogo Doma and the others withdrew—heading to the staff lounge—Muse left the café as well. After all, they had come to discuss things with Kotori Minami, or rather, to train. If they hadn't happened to run into Kotaro Katsura and the others, they would have already begun the day's activities.
"Question..." On the way back, Honoka Kosaka suddenly raised her hand. "Maki, is that guy named Doma really that amazing? Even Touma..."
"Um..." Having already accepted Muse's tsundere princess, Maki Nishikino did not act tsundere. "It's not a matter of whether he's amazing or not. He's just very special, very special..."
"He certainly is special..." Nico Yazawa chimed in. "I've never met anyone that strange in my life. Even now, I can't tell whether he's a good person or a bad person. But..."
"That's probably a common flaw among geniuses, right?" Kotori Minami hesitated.
"Kotori, you know that guy too?" Honoka Kosaka was stunned.
"Uh..." Kotori Minami nodded. "After all, this is the second time I've run into Doma. Last time, it was because of him that I was so resistant toward Mr. Katsura..."
"Could it be that he exposed Mr. Katsura's true nature as a Cao thief?"
Kotori Minami: "..."
Could they not say that so loudly? If there hadn't been anyone around, she would have wanted to dig a hole and bury herself in it.
"Everyone..." Fortunately, Umi Sonoda spoke up in time. "Actually, I don't think Mr. Katsura could possibly be a Cao thief..."
"Huh!?"
"Wait a minute!" Nico Yazawa panicked. "What are you even talking about? What's this Cao thief nonsense? Have you been listening to me at all? I said 'but'! 'But' signals a turn in the conversation..."
However, Nico Yazawa's words were ultimately ignored.
"Umi, wh-why do you say that?" After all,