ch241-ch260 · 254-ch254
Chapter 254: The Goddess's Temptation
"Oh, Kasugano-kun, long time no see. Say, did you know about those two?"
September 1st. First day back after summer break.
Before I can even take my seat, Souma-san calls out to me.
"Morning, Souma-san. Which two, exactly?"
She tilts her chin toward the window seats with a quick little jerk.
There's a crease between her eyebrows, huh.
Not in the best mood, maybe?
Over by the windows, the girls are crowded around someone...... it's Aikawa.
Ah, I see. So the giggling and squealing had Aikawa as the main event.
"Soushi and Aikawa? Well, the three of us were together all summer, after all."
What girls love most is romance talk, after all.
Sounds like the big topic is that Soushi and Aikawa started dating over the break.
"How far did they get? How far did they get?" and so on.
That part interests me too......
"The three of us, the whole time? I see, I see. Say no more...... gufufu. So when did those two start dating? I heard nothing about this, you know?"
Souma-san's favorite topic is apparently something else. No wait, maybe it's the same thing.
When was it, though?
"The closing ceremony, I think? I just happened to end up with Aikawa, and then she told me the next day they'd decided to date. Shocked me, I'll tell you."
At that, Souma-san yanks me in by the arm.
Th-that's close.
"I heard some adventurer-ish stuff too, so that just means she formed a 'party' with Aikawa-san, right? There's absolutely going to be drama. ......Oh, and Murakami-kun has been shooting you these burning-hot looks all morning, Kasugano-kun. Gufufufu."
Informed of today's progress by the ever-productive Souma-san, I turn around—and my eyes meet Murakami's from a seat a little way off
—or they did.
He immediately looks away. Was he just glaring at me?
Murakami adventures with Minami's group, and apparently he's been asking Aikawa to join his party over and over.
Another drama brewing on our side too, huh.
Please direct both of them at Soushi, not me.
"'Sup—!"
"Kyaaaaah!"
A huge cheer.
The other main event of the day walks into the classroom.
"Oi, Soushi! Tell us everything!"
"You—! Not bad, you!"
"You traitor——!"
He's surrounded by the boys and can't get in the door.
"I see, I see."
Souma-san reacted to the word "traitor"......
"Oh-ha~! Everyone, it's been ages, shii!"
Just as things are heating up, the class's black gal—Saito E...... e, e, er, what was her name again?
Anyway, at the black gal's entrance, the room goes dead silent.
It's the herald of the Goddess's arrival, after all......
"......"
"What's wrong, shii? Did somethin' happen, shii?"
Ignoring the bewildered black gal, the girls return to their seats one after another.
The scattering-spiders move, huh.
No dungeon talk in front of the Goddess......
The unspoken rule.
Seeing that, the boys do the same.
"Morning."
A beat behind the black gal, the Goddess—Mizuki Saori—and the white gal enter the classroom.
"Mornin'~"
Everyone greets them back like nothing happened.
That was too synchronized, come on.
"Eh? Eh? ......What's goin' on, shii? Is this bullyin', shii?"
The black gal was the sacrifice...... shii.
I'll buy her a juice later, shii.
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"Where's mine?"
"Like there'd be one for you?"
Lunch break, after sitting through the principal's long speech at the opening ceremony.
When I suggested we go buy bread, turns out Soushi brought a bento.
And Aikawa's portion too......
The two of them enjoying happy bento time, huh. I see how it is.
"This is cruel. Hey, Soushi-kun, starting tomorrow you make one for Kasugano-kun too—"
Souma-san was mid-furious-rant when she suddenly stopped......
"Kasugano-kun. Do you have a moment?"
"!?"
Because Mizuki was standing behind me.
Bad for the heart, that.
"Sorry, you startled me. ......Not here, though. Let's go talk by the tree behind the school building?"
These days I keep 【Presence Detection】 running at all times in the dungeon, so getting taken from behind basically never happens anymore.
Mizuki's voice somehow carries across the entire classroom, and my classmates' gazes stab into my back.
I knew she'd have something to say about Aikawa.
But me, not Soushi?
There's no doubt a lot is already out.
'Eh? Did she just say behind the school building?'
'Seriously? Kasugano-kun, of all people~'
'No no, it's about Aikawa-san, right? No way, no way.'
Right, no way.
But the tree behind the school is THE confession spot, you know......
Why there?
Oh no. My heart's starting to pound.
"Haru-kun......"
Aikawa looks at me anxiously, but this is way beyond that now.
"I-i-i-i-it's fine. I'll be back."
"You are absolutely not fine. Look, Mizuki-san's already gone."
Mizuki left without waiting for my reply.
Urged on by Souma-san, I go after her.
There exists, I should note, a Hiramatsu-ryu secret art called "I never said I'd go"......
But it seems I still lack the skill to pull that move off.
"......"
I catch up quickly, but neither of us says anything......
Mizuki glances back at me once, but says nothing and keeps walking.
That said, Mizuki draws stares just by walking, huh.
Not just boys—girls, and even teachers, stop and turn to look.
Mizuki doesn't seem bothered at all.
She's used to it, I suppose.
We go down to the first floor and out the back entrance.
No one around.
There are no other windows besides this back door, so this spot is a blind angle from the school building.
We walk a little, until we're under a tree I can't even identify.
Only there does Mizuki finally turn around and speak.
"Phew. This is kinda nerve-wracking. Um......"
Our eyes meet.
Does Mizuki even get nervous?
"......"
Oh no. Words won't come.
It's always like this when I'm with Mizuki.
I remember being told by the black gal that I have to say something interesting......
"Okay. Right! ......Kasugano-kun. Wanna go out with me?"
Hm? What was that?