By the time the little rabbit's training was over, the sky above the training hall had already turned a hazy orange.
Soga Yuzu waited until the little rabbit was so exhausted she could barely crawl before, with a mischievous heart... she went to the 'Operator Development' interface. Looking at the chibi version of Saotome Yukina, who was collapsed in a heap with a cute dazed expression (×﹏×), she tapped 'Develop'.
"Nngh..."
A rather cute sound.
Even though she was so drained she had collapsed on the floor, the girl's toes suddenly clenched, her cute little feet curling up almost convulsively... and she shot up into a sitting position like a sit-up.
Hugging her thighs with both arms, her head buried between her knees, the little rabbit's snow-white hair trembled slightly.
Saotome Yukina's hair was a beautiful shade of snow-white.
The tips of her snow-white strands were dip-dyed a very, very light, dreamy, bubble-like sky blue.
When it trembled, you could just catch a glimpse of the sky blue peeking through.
However, according to her profile.
This was a manifestation of the girl's potential as a 'Dragon King.'
Not some meticulously layered masterpiece of a dye job.
Soga Yuzu crouched down in front of Saotome Yukina, gently pried open the girl's clenched fist, and took her incredibly soft hand, slipping her own fingers between Yukina's until their hands were tightly interlaced.
"Yukina."
Biting her lower lip hard, Saotome Yukina looked up.
The girl's aqua-blue eyes were misty.
Lady Fate's 'Blessing' had come so unexpectedly that the girl, who had just finished an exhausting training session, was completely unprepared.
Her disheveled state... was no less than Kujou Katora's that morning.
Hearing her senpai call her by name, the little rabbit's shame and embarrassment were almost instantly forgotten.
Her watery aqua-blue eyes stared intently at Soga Yuzu.
"You've done a great job, Yukina."
"Compared to most girls in the Healing Department... you're already so strong."
"On the battlefield, anyone lucky enough to have you as their shield would be truly blessed."
And it was true.
Saotome Yukina's talent, 'Dragon King,' aside from being able to spray water, also had the 'superpowers' of altering the environment and bringing good luck in the game.
Good luck—
Those two words alone were enough to let Saotome Yukina surpass many six-star healers.
To become the cornerstone of the team.
"R-Really?" Her moist eyes were fixed on Soga Yuzu's.
"Mhm." Soga Yuzu nodded seriously.
"I... I'll keep working hard!"
[Ding—]
[Encouragement: Saotome Yukina Favorability +1]
[Favorability Increase Reward Obtained: Rose-Flavored Candy.]
[Rose-Flavored Candy: A candy with the scent of roses. Charm +2 when kissing.]
[Ding—]
[Saotome Yukina Favorability: 59 'Favor' → 60 'Dependence (Heavy)'.]
[Favorability Promotion Reward Obtained: Talent - Dragon King (Pseudo).]
[...]
[Congratulations, you have unlocked a new achievement: Two-timing (?).]
[...]
Soga Yuzu almost did a real spit-take.
The talent she received from Saotome Yukina was only 'Dragon King (Pseudo)'; she hadn't gained the ability to change the environment or bring good luck at all.
About all she could do now was hold out her hand and spray a little water to liven things up for everyone.
Hiding the twitching at the corner of her eye, Soga Yuzu squeezed Saotome Yukina's small hand and gently stroked the girl's soft, short hair.
"There, there~"
"First, go to the locker room for a quick shower and change into your school uniform."
"I'll take you to dinner."
Hearing Soga Yuzu's words, Saotome Yukina seemed to remember something, and the tips of her ears turned a scorching crimson.
"Yes!!!"
The little rabbit scrambled to her feet and fled in a panic.
Soga Yuzu slowly stood up.
Kujou Katora slowly walked to her side. "She really likes you, you know."
Her crimson eyes watched Saotome Yukina's wobbly, weak-kneed steps. "Just seeing you is enough... she'll even use her ability to suppress the ache in her muscles just to keep swinging that bamboo staff."
"I know..." Soga Yuzu slowly looked down at the hand that had just been holding Saotome Yukina's.
Then, she looked up and smiled.
"The little rabbit... she's wonderful."
She took the little rabbit and Kujou Katora to the Chinese restaurant on campus.
Even though feeding the little rabbit a strawberry cream crêpe would directly raise her favorability, she couldn't just let her eat dessert for dinner.
Besides~ she'll get fat.
The Chinese restaurant was a place both Saotome Yukina and Kujou Katora could agree on.
Kujou Katora loves spicy food.
The little rabbit likes sweet and sour flavors.
Soga Yuzu kept the girls' preferences in mind.
She watched the little rabbit, whose eyes were watering from the spiciness after trying the mapo tofu in front of Kujou Katora.
Soga Yuzu silently pushed her own glass of milk over to her.
Mhm—
She had anticipated this.
But... what the little rabbit cared about was clearly not the milk itself.
It was—
This milk... Senpai... already drank from it, didn't she?
Gulp.
Her throat swallowed unconsciously as Saotome Yukina's gaze couldn't help but fall on the girl's philtrum, which looked crystalline under the restaurant lights.
Cupping the milk glass with both hands, her snow-white hair trembled slightly.
"Thank you for the meal—"
In every sense of the word.
After dinner, at the fork in the road between the Healing Department dorms and the Assault Department dorms, Saotome Yukina waved enthusiastically, bidding Soga Yuzu farewell.
Kujou Katora stood in the shadows beside Soga Yuzu.
Quiet, silent.
Her mission was merely to use Soga Yuzu as bait, and then—
slaughter every member of the 'Eye of Insight' cult who came for her.
Not... to take the bait herself.
Shaking her head, Kujou Katora recalled the nature of the 'Eye of Insight' cult.
Although she didn't know why the cult had targeted Soga Yuzu.
But... the cult was like a cancer that clung to the bone; once they set their sights on Soga Yuzu, they would never let go.
Judging from Kujou Katora's experience.
They appeared like a swarm of insects.
Once they began their assault, the attacks would be as relentless as a tempest.
They would not stop until all the cult members in a district were wiped out or... their objective was achieved.
But—
It was strange.
The Guanzheng District had been too quiet these past few days.
So quiet it was as if that day's attack had been nothing more than an accident.
"Oh, by the way~ Kujou-senpai."
With her hands behind her back, Soga Yuzu looked at Kujou Katora, who was standing in the shadows.
The crimson eyes lifted.
"If you have time..."
"would you go see a movie with me?"
"A... movie?" Kujou Katora was a bit bewildered.
Why wouldn't a girl ask that little rabbit to see a movie?
Besides, isn't it too dangerous to go to the movies at a time like this?
"Please~" Soga Yuzu showed her the movie tickets on her phone.
She clasped her hands together, pleading with Kujou Katora.
Kujou Katora frowned. She had countless reasons to refuse. And then—
"Fine."
There were ten thousand reasons to say no.
But to say yes... she only needed one.
________________________________________
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