Chapter 413: Kaguya's True Heart
"That's true."
To Shijo Maki's surprise, upon hearing her words, Asagiri showed no sign of modesty or politeness. Instead, he simply nodded.
"If you put it that way, I gave your Shijo Family the opportunity to gift me a piece of Red equipment. You're the ones who should owe me a favor."
Shijo Maki's eyebrows twitched. Her gaze toward Kaguya Shinomiya, who stood beside Asagiri, became somewhat complicated.
"Is he... always like this?"
Kaguya Shinomiya let out a soft sigh and said quietly,
"You'll get used to it."
Shijo Maki looked at Asagiri standing there, her feelings at this moment somewhat complicated.
Why had she not figured it out?
There had been so many clues.
She had seen Kaguya Shinomiya standing with Utsunomiya-san before, wearing a gentle expression she had never seen before. She knew their relationship was far from ordinary.
Added to that was the cooperative relationship between the Shinomiya Family and the Ashikaga Budo Association.
The answer had been laid out right in front of her.
Was it that she had not considered this possibility?
Or had she realized it deep down, but chosen to subconsciously ignore it, resisting the fact that Shadow and Kaguya Shinomiya shared an unusual relationship?
Shijo Maki forcibly suppressed the strange thoughts in her mind and spoke to Asagiri in a standard tsundere tone.
"Anyway, I just wanted to express my gratitude to you in person."
"If you need anything from me in the future, just say the word, and I'll do my best to help."
To Shijo Maki's surprise, Asagiri immediately spoke upon hearing this.
"I actually do have something I need your help with."
Shijo Maki was stunned for a moment.
Then, seeing the smile in Asagiri's eyes, a cute blush rose to her cheeks. She subconsciously took two steps back, covered her chest, and hesitated.
"Although I said I'd help with anything, if it's that kind of indecent thing..."
"In your dreams."
Asagiri replied bluntly, then reached out his right hand and pressed the back of it against Shijo Maki's shoulder, pushing her aside.
"We're going to get something to eat. I'm starving, so move aside."
"Bye."
After Asagiri and Kaguya Shinomiya walked away, Shijo Maki, who had been left stunned in place, finally came back to her senses.
Her eyes trembled slightly, a flush rising to her cheeks as she instantly turned bright red.
She stomped her foot forcefully and said angrily,
"What do you mean, in my dreams!?"
"That guy... does he think doing indecent things would be a reward for me!? It's so infuriating..."
A girl's blush was better than any sweet talk.
...
After leaving Shuchiin Private Academy, Kaguya Shinomiya walked side by side with Asagiri along the street, unable to stop herself from asking curiously,
"Maki knows our identities now. You're just going to let her go like that?"
"What else would I do?"
Hearing Kaguya Shinomiya's question, Asagiri casually slung his school satchel over his back.
The buttons of his black Shuchiin Academy uniform jacket were undone, forming a stark contrast with the neatly dressed Kaguya Shinomiya beside him.
He replied in a relaxed, casual tone.
"She already said that, and she's not going to leak our identities, so this is the only way, right? What else do you want? Kill her?"
"I don't believe that's necessary."
Although, from an emotional standpoint, Kaguya Shinomiya did not want to take Shijo Maki's life, she and Iwanaga Kotoko shared a similar way of thinking.
Both approached matters from a position of absolute rationality.
On such an important issue, she would not let personal feelings cloud her judgment.
"I have some understanding of Maki's personality and the Shijo Family's style."
"Setting aside ability and talent, the Shijo Family is different from the Shinomiya Family. They don't subscribe to cold, ruthless, imperialist ideologies."
"Although Maki comes from a prestigious family, she's no different from an ordinary high school girl. She would never betray her savior."
"Furthermore, neither she nor the Shijo Family behind her have any reason to do so. After all, the Shijo Family is our ally."
"Players killing each other is, fundamentally, a very stupid act."
Asagiri spoke in a flat tone.
"At first, our enemies seemed to be Players from other worlds. But now that the game's ultimate main storyline has been unlocked, we know that those were merely internal competitions among Players."
"The true ultimate boss we have to face is Nyx, who claims to be the embodiment of the Will of Death."
"Nyx..."
Kaguya Shinomiya pursed her lips and looked up at the sky, which was nearing dusk.
A complex look filled her red eyes.
"If we were to fail..."
"Fail?"
Asagiri smiled and teased,
"Given your personality, how could you say such a thing? You aren't as confident as you used to be."
"I don't understand it either."
Kaguya Shinomiya raised her hand to tuck back her black hair, her movement incredibly gentle and graceful.
Then she looked at Asagiri beside her.
A faint, gentle smile appeared on her face, which was usually as cold as ice. Though her tone was flat, her words made Asagiri's heart skip a beat.
"Perhaps it's because I now have someone I absolutely do not want to lose."
"I have the desire to spend my life with someone, and I have expectations for my own future."
"Because there is someone I must protect, someone I absolutely do not want to lose, this time, I am no longer just chasing victory."
"Instead, I am afraid of the pain that failure would bring."
"Ahem."
Asagiri coughed twice, turned his head to avoid Kaguya Shinomiya's gaze, and spoke softly.
"We're still on the street, and there are so many students from our school around. If you say things like that in public, Student Council President, it'll affect your reputation."
After saying that, Kaguya Shinomiya instantly blushed, knowing it was no different from a confession.
However, seeing Asagiri's seemingly shy demeanor, she could not help wanting to tease him.
She wanted to best him for the very first time.
Suppressing her own shyness, she covered her lips and chuckled softly.
"Hmm? Are you worried about your own reputation being affected, Vice President?"
"How could that be?"
"Hmm? What do you mean by how could that be?"
Kaguya Shinomiya quickened her pace and stepped in front of Asagiri.
Her demeanor was dignified and graceful, yet her face held a meaningful, devilish smile.
"Does the Vice President mean that you don't mind if your reputation is affected?"
"Could it be that... you don't mind at all, or perhaps you even hope for rumors that we are dating?"
"Well, that would be..."
Kaguya Shinomiya gently pressed her fingertips against her cheek, lifted her snow white chin slightly, and spoke slowly in a meaningful tone.
"How truly cute~"
"Provoking me?"
In the next second, Utsunomiya Asagiri made a shocking move that caught Kaguya Shinomiya completely off guard, causing her to instantly lose her composure and flush bright red.
Holding hands.
Kaguya Shinomiya's face instantly flushed bright red.
A sound like steam exploding seemed to ring out above her head, and her entire being fell into a state of brain freeze, leaving her unable to even speak for a moment.
"It seems, President, that this is the extent of your abilities."
Utsunomiya Asagiri said this with a smile.
Then he immediately made a move to let go of the hand he was holding.
But Kaguya Shinomiya subconsciously turned her palm over and tightly interlaced her fingers with his.
"Kaguya."
Hearing Utsunomiya Asagiri call her name, Kaguya Shinomiya was too embarrassed to even lift her head.
She only said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum, yet very firm,
"I... I won't let go. Absolutely not..."
"That's not what I meant."
Utsunomiya Asagiri looked down at his right hand, which was being tightly gripped by Kaguya Shinomiya, causing a slight sensation of pain, and spoke softly.
"I just wanted you to loosen your grip. With that much force, are you trying to relieve stress by squeezing a stress ball?"
Hearing this, Kaguya Shinomiya realized that in her extreme nervousness, her fingers had unconsciously tightened.
She immediately apologized.
"I'm sorry, I..."
"It's fine. Your strength isn't enough to hurt me. Besides..."
Utsunomiya Asagiri first reassured her, then changed the subject and spoke very earnestly.
"There's a bit of that tsundere feeling of playing hard to get, which is actually quite enjoyable."
Hearing this, Kaguya Shinomiya blushed and muttered,
"You're actually saying it feels good to have your hand squeezed so hard... What a pervert..."
"Like I said, the premise is that your strength can't hurt me, nor will it cause unbearable pain."
Utsunomiya Asagiri smiled and spoke in a matter of fact tone.
"Hmm... It's probably like a cat sticking out its barbed tongue to gently lick my palm. Although it stings a little, it feels more like it's acting spoiled."
Kaguya Shinomiya looked up at Utsunomiya Asagiri upon hearing this and chided him.
"Do you think of me as a cat?"
"Of course."
Utsunomiya Asagiri nodded without hesitation, then added,
"I was even thinking of having you cosplay as a catgirl for me."
...
On the other side, at Kasumigaoka Utaha's home.
"Sigh..."
Hearing this sudden sigh, Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was sitting in front of her laptop browsing a light novel library, turned around.
She looked at Eriri, who was lying on the bed with her face buried in the pillow, seemingly unhappy, and spoke with an expression of disdain.
"I'm saying, you suddenly ran to my house, lay on my bed without asking, and have been sighing here the whole time without saying why."
"Are you trying to get revenge on me?"
"Do you think I'm as petty as you?"
Eriri retorted irritably.
Then she fell silent for a few seconds before slowly sighing.
"Do you still remember that Utsunomiya-san from Shuchiin Academy?"
"Utsunomiya Asagiri?"
Hearing this name, Kasumigaoka Utaha could not help recalling the joint examination last semester.
A complex look appeared in her dark red eyes as she said indifferently,
"Of course I remember."
"The humiliation from that Shuchiin Academy genius... I'm afraid I'll never forget that arrogant, high and mighty, dismissive guy in my entire life."
"Hmm..."
Hearing Kasumigaoka Utaha's series of negative comments about Utsunomiya Asagiri, Eriri could not help whispering,
"Actually... he isn't like that…"
.....
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