Edited by: Priapus, Marethyu
– Ichiban –
Waking up at the irritating noise of his alarm, Ichiban groaned and quickly turned it off, sitting upright on his bed before checking the time. An hour before the first period, which was the time he was used to waking up, yet he felt unusually fatigued. Was it because of the alcohol? Couldn't be. He didn't feel hungover; it wasn't like they drank too much.
Slowly, as he went over his phone, his brain recalled the events of last night. From him contemplating his loss, to Akane coming over, to them drinking together, and finally—
Ichiban blinked, then looked beside him and saw Akane nude and peacefully sleeping on the other side of his small bed, her chest rising with every breath. Once he took the time to process this stunning scene, he felt a combination of emotions resembling surprise, relief, and immense bliss that what had happened then wasn't a dream.
It had actually happened. They'd had sex. Ichiban had lost his virginity to the hottest girl he knew. He'd had a taste of heaven, and for once, it wasn't in one of his wet dreams. This was reality.
Ichiban wanted to bounce around the apartment and cry tears of joy. Tell the whole world of his graduation from a young boy to a real man. And he would've done so had the woman beside him not been asleep. He just couldn't wake her up when she looked this delicate and peaceful.
Although he wouldn't admit it in front of her for fear of her already massive ego growing even more, she may have been onto something when she'd said she was the most beautiful girl in the entire world with how much he was staring at her sleeping form. It wasn't even in a sexual way— she just looked unreasonably pretty when she was asleep.
It really happened. He thought, his heart beating fast. Holy shit, how?!
He really wasn't sure. Ichiban was gonna chalk it up to luck, but he wasn't exactly complaining. So, all this time, had Akane felt the same way about him? Had he simply been dense and missed all her signs? But from his perspective, she didn't show it— it wasn't in the way she acted around him because she was the same when treating most people they knew.
Did she even feel the same way, or did she just want to fuck, and he was the only person available? That was a depressing thought. But it couldn't be, right? She made a point by saying he technically completed her 'challenge'. So maybe she'd planned this the whole time? After all, she'd known she would lose their fight.
Does that mean we're officially dating? Ichiban asked himself.
What he felt toward her wasn't purely sexual, after all. He seriously wanted a future with her and not just a friends-with-benefits type of deal. And the mere idea of her getting with someone else bothered him immensely.
It seems the draconic essence of the Boosted Gear is affecting you after all. Ddraig suddenly said, making Ichiban blink before he elaborated. This incredible envy you feel toward mere thoughts is natural to most dragons. Me included.
Huh… Ichiban paused before his eyes widened in shock. Wait a minute, were you watching?!
I may have been. He responded casually.
"WHAT?!" Ichiban's face went red. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
At his raised voice, Akane stirred in her sleep, turning over to the other side as the blanket fell below her breasts, inadvertently giving Ichiban a show. This prompted him to put a hand over his mouth and look away, but before he could scold the gecko stuck in his head, Ddraig spoke again.
It wasn't like I had a choice. He said. Even if I did not see what you two were doing, I could still hear.
Ichiban couldn't argue with that.
If it makes you feel any better, I can't feel arousal. His partner added. I'm an entity of pure energy. I don't have the instinct to breed like you. Though, I do enjoy a conquest in all forms, even if it's sexual in nature.
I really didn't need to know that.
And partner, I hate to say this, but you didn't stand a chance. Ddraig snorted. She conquered you in a matter of seconds. I would've been annoyed had it not been so amusing.
"Shut up," Ichiban whispered, embarrassed beyond words. "Please just shut up."
Ddraig laughed but was kind enough to drop the subject here as Ichiban got off his bed on his way to take a nice, ice-cold shower. Though, before he made it to the bathroom, someone knocked on his front door, making him stop in place.
He blinked and decided to see who it was first, opening the door slowly while hiding his almost clothless form behind it.
"Morning, Ichi," Arakawa said with his usual soft smile.
Ichiban's eyes widened.
"Boss?!" He exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?!"
"I just thought I'd visit." The old man answered. "We have a lot to talk about."
"We do?"
"Yes." He nodded before pausing. "…So, can I come in?"
"Ah—" Ichiban had to physically stop himself from fully opening the door for his patriarch, remembering his current situation. "A-actually, can you give me a few minutes? I, uh, gotta dress up properly for a meeting with my boss, y'know?"
"You know I don't care about these things, Ichi."
"Y-yeah, but still, I have to show you the respect you deserve." Ichiban insisted. "Please, just five minutes. Won't take long."
Arakawa thought about this for a moment before nodding.
"Well, it's probably for the best." He said. "I'll meet you down. We might end up taking a while."
"Right. Thanks." He smiled. "I'll be there in no time."
Arakawa smiled back and walked away, prompting Ichiban to close the door with a relieved sigh. He turned around and then immediately covered his eyes as he saw Akane, still naked, standing in the middle of the apartment, groggily rubbing her eyes.
"Who was it?" She asked with a yawn as she approached him.
"Can you get dressed before asking questions?" He sighed.
"You're naked, too." She scoffed. "Hypocrite."
"It's my apartment. I can dress here however I like." He pointed out. "Also, I'm wearing boxers. You aren't wearing anything."
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes. "I'm taking a shower."
"What? No, I'm taking one first." He said, ignoring her state of undress as he looked at her with a challenging gaze. At her annoyed stare, he explained himself very carefully, knowing she wasn't in the mood to argue. "I-I mean, I just have pretty important business right now. I don't wanna be late."
"I'm sure." She huffed. "School is so important."
"It's not about school. I swear I'm not lying." He muttered, accepting the fact that he may have to wait for her as she entered the bathroom first. "Goddamn it…"
"Well, if you're that serious about it—" She peeked back at him from the bathroom, giving him a sultry smirk not unlike the one she had before she rode him to heaven and hell. "Then come in and join me~"
"Eh?" He blinked. "For real?"
"Why not?" She added. "We'd be saving time and water. As long as we don't get a little busy in there, right? But I'm sure you can keep your hands to yourself~"
Something told Ichiban that she wanted him to do the exact opposite.
"You're the best." He said, still stunned by her offer.
"You bet I am." She responded, gesturing for him to come over. "Come now; you don't want to be late, do you?"
After that, Ichiban quickly followed her to the bathroom without hesitation. Now, he realized how small the shower was for two people, but that thought quickly disappeared as Akane turned the showerhead on at the coldest temperature, making him yelp.
"Please, it's not that cold~" She giggled.
"Easy for you to say, Ice Queen." He snarked. "You'd probably enjoy showering in icicles."
"Oh, you're such a baby." She rolled her eyes before she suddenly hugged him, pressing her soft breasts against his chest. All the while, the sultry smirk never left her face. "This enough to warm you up~?"
"A-ah…" Ichiban had a hard time not staring at her boobs being squished as she rubbed his body with them, her flawless skin glistening with water. However, whether it was from last night or something else, he found enough courage to talk back. "And you tell me to keep my hands to myself…"
"What's wrong with giving my friend a hug?" She snickered, smug as ever. "Especially when he's oh so cold~"
He shivered, but not from the cold. It was when he felt his hardening member being squished between her thighs, rubbing against her slit. It had barely taken him moments before he'd reached full mast. This time, Akane was completely sober as she giggled again, her smirk widening and convincing him that what she did last night wasn't a fluke.
"So?" She purred, guiding one of his hands to rest on her butt. "Think that important business can wait a little?"
She asked that while knowing the answer. Now that he was wide awake, he was sure this would be so much better than what he had experienced last night.
In his head, Ichiban apologized profusely to Arakawa because nothing in this world would get him to refuse this offer.
– Akane –
Pretending to be listening to the teacher droning about, I instead schedule and organize my time for the vacation I want via scouter lenses. I haven't really told anyone about it yet because I'd rather make sure everything is perfect first.
It's not exactly complicated since summer vacation starts about two weeks from now. A 40-day vacation is more than enough to enjoy quality time in Hawaii. Sure, it's going to be packed, especially in Honolulu, but that's to be expected. I have an easy plan to handle that.
Honestly, most of the planning is going into what I will do when I get there. Ignoring the obvious 'build a hidden base somewhere in Hawaii', there's so much to do there. It's not like I'm going there strictly for work. I wanna have fun, too.
As I said before, I deserve a good vacation for all the hard work I've put in since getting the system. Getting VIP treatment anywhere is easy as fuck for someone with my wealth. Most importantly, getting away from the Yakuzas' watchful eyes for 40 whole days sounds like a dream.
I had 3 days without them watching my every move, and I'm already missing that feeling. I know, I know, they're only doing it to keep me safe, but it's equally annoying because I don't want them knowing what I'm capable of with my tech. Things like Excelsis I can hide just fine, but tech already somewhat rivaling the Amons'? Eyebrows will be raised.
"Amamiya-san, do you know the answer to this question?" The teacher asks. "What's the phenomenon where believing in a treatment's power is enough to improve your condition?"
"Placebo effect."
"Correct! As expected from the second-year best student!"
Speaking of tech, I think it's also about time I made new armor since that other one was destroyed against Shalba. Two weeks are more than enough to make something new, though, with reasonable upgrades compared to the previous one.
Obviously, I can make something a hundred times more powerful if I really put my mind to it, but that's not exactly reasonable, is it? I have to make my improvements look believable to the yakuza to avoid suspicions. I'm already 'too' talented. Any more, and they'll think it's too weird.
I don't want my greatest allies to think that yet. Not when I'm not confident I can take them on. As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think I'm strong enough to take down one of the generals like Majima, even with Excelsis.
But I'm getting there. Slowly but surely. Hell, I think I've already reached Satan-class without the use of the angry stick. Maybe not physically without the use of Touki, but my ice magic is most definitely at that level. Call me arrogant, but I'm pretty confident that I can actually defeat Serafall by myself. My immunity to ice magic makes her a non-issue.
Especially with this new perk. Besides satisfying my own sexual needs that only appear once in a blue moon, I wasn't the only one growing more attached, as I've fully maxed out Ichi's affection, meaning I've gotten a new power from him.
[Heroic Tenacity] – Affection Perk
Heroes possess an incredible strength of will and a spirit that just won't give up. They stand firm even when faced with seemingly impossible challenges, bravely pushing through pain and hardship to protect those who need it most. And through it all, their confident smiles light up the way, showing that hope truly shines brightest in the darkest of times.
The closer you are to death, the more powerful you become.
Pain no longer distracts you as it once did, and regardless of the injury, as long as you have the determination, you can still fight.
At 50% HP, your stats increase by 5%
At 25% HP, your stats increase by 15%
At 10% HP, your stats increase by 40%
Perk will be lost if Ichiban's affection lowers, but can be regained at any time.
Pretentious as it may sound, the perk is still extremely powerful because I just got a perk that does the same thing. This, Lionheart, Touki, and Excelsis together will make me strong enough to easily match the yakuza generals. The synergy is insane.
However, the main point of this perk is the ability to lose it. If I fuck up with Ichiban big time, then bye-bye, awesome power boost. But fucking that up won't happen unless I actively try to ruin it. Ichi is too in love with me to lose affection points so quickly.
As long as I continue to play the good girl, I should be safe. And so far, it's been working pretty damn well.
I stretch my arms and let out a satisfied groan as the bell rings. I wanna go back home and work on my new armor. The only reason I'm tolerating school is because of the quest, which I should be done with after the exams. Getting the top score in my grade should be piss easy.
"Hey, Akane," Issei calls out to me. "You seen Kasuga on your way to school?"
"Yeah. Saw his boss come pick him up." I respond.
"His boss?" He blinks. "You mean that Arakawa-san he keeps talking about?"
"Yup." I nod. "Apparently, he has business with Ichi. Dunno what it is about, though."
"Is that so? Damn, I thought I'd get to hang out with him today."
I couldn't really get a good look at this "Masumi Arakawa" Guy before Ichi ran off with him. Since we had a little fun in the shower, I made him late. Intentionally. Because I decide when he gets to meet up with this celebrity of his.
Given how devoted Ichiban is to that man, it made me realize that he's the biggest obstacle to making Ichi entirely mine in body, mind, and soul. The way he talks about this boss of his almost feels like he worships the ground he walks on, and it's admittedly pissing me off.
I can't have that. He's a threat.
But at the same time, I can't exactly eliminate an essential asset of the Tojo clan so casually. He's not some 'guy'; he's an old legend on the level of Majima and my dad. Granted, clearly, he's not as strong as the generals, as he is definitely past his prime, but he has a legacy.
And the yakuza value that.
At the same time, trying to manipulate Ichi into thinking Arakawa is some kind of an evil monster would be damn near impossible. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's too loyal and pure for manipulation tactics to work. I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do here.
I'm gonna need to think about this for a lot longer before I can make a reckless decision. I'm not going to fuck with someone whom Ichi owes his life to unless I'm absolutely 100% sure I can get away with it.
I sigh to myself and try to think about something else, glancing at Issei enjoying his lunch before staring back at the ceiling.
…Wait a minute–
"Oi, where the hell did you run off to anyway?" I ask Issei, making him pause. "You didn't come to the festival for some reason. What was that about?"
"You just noticed?!" He exclaims incredulously. "Am I that unimportant to you as a person?!"
"Just spill it."
"Y-yes, ma'am…" He sighs sadly. "Well, you remember how Irina and Xenovia said they were gonna stay here as ambassadors for the church?"
I frown.
"What about it?"
"Well, it's mostly about Irina, to be honest. She, uh, keeps dragging me around town 'n stuff. She even forced me to train with her a few times." He answers. "And when I told her about the tournament, she got all sad, and I just… felt terrible about it, I guess."
"Huh…" I look at him in slight surprise. "So you thought you'd keep her company since they're not allowed in the underworld yet?"
"Yeah. And Xenovia, too, but I don't think she cares much." He says before sighing again. "I know, that was dumb of me. After everything that happened during the festival, the whole invasion, and whatnot, I just know I should've been there to help. I'm sorry for letting you down."
I mean, his very existence lets me down, and it's not like he would've been any help during the invasion—cannon fodder at best.
…But you know what? I feel nice today.
"Not at all." I smile. "I think that's pretty sweet of you."
The compliment seems to have caught him off guard as his eyes widen in surprise.
"Really?"
"Yes. You sacrificed your own fun to spoil a girl and keep her happy. That's how a gentleman acts, y'know? As long as you don't overdo it, of course." I nod. Overdoing it makes you look pathetic. "Besides, none of us knew about the invasion since it happened too suddenly. I don't think you're at fault for not knowing the future."
"I-I guess." He rubs his neck bashfully, not used to me praising him. "So you're not mad?"
"No. I only asked where you were out of curiosity. I'm actually kind of proud of you now that I know why you didn't come with us." I say, making him blush. "See what happens when you don't act like a loud, obnoxious degenerate like those dumbass friends of yours?"
Speaking of, whatever happened to them? I threatened them that one time when they were in the hospital, and then they never showed up again. They should've recovered already. Maybe they moved to a different school? If so, good riddance.
If not, and they come back here eventually, well, let's say that nobody will miss them if they disappear permanently.
"As much as I admire you, Akane, you'll never make me stop loving boobs."
"That's not what I'm saying." I sigh, resisting the immense urge to punch him in the face. "I'm not gonna scold you for having a sex drive. I'm just telling you to keep it to yourself. Or until you get a girlfriend. In fact, why not shoot your shot with her?"
"Huh? Y-you mean Irina?" He looks nervous. "But what if she doesn't see me that way? I mean, yeah, she's very friendly with me, but that's just because we were friends since childhood."
"I'm pretty sure you've seen enough anime to know all about the childhood friend archetype and how they work."
"Yes, but this is real life. She might not be feeling that way at all."
"With how you say she's been 'dragging you around town', I'm inclined to believe she does." I snort. "I know how girls function. I'm sure she's waiting for you to ask her out."
Issei remains hesitant and doubtful.
"Trust me, Issei. I mean, the worst she could say is 'no' right? Didn't you say something about being the Harem King? How are you gonna do that if you can't even get one girl?" I insist. "Don't worry, if she's rude about it, I'll beat her up for you."
"Please don't do that." He responds meekly before pausing, giving it some thought. "Okay. I'll ask her out later today."
"You won't regret it." I pat him on the back. "Now get off your ass and bring me some iced tea. Call it paying me for my flawless advice."
"Yes, ma'am!" He salutes, looking all fired up like the good minion he is. "I'll be back in no time!"
With that, he dashes out of the classroom, leaving his half-finished lunch on the desk. Had I found any value in Issei, I wouldn't have told him to get attached to someone else other than me, but it's very clear that we're outgrowing him a bit too quickly.
Investing time in him and helping him find the other pieces of Vritra's gear might not be as beneficial as I once thought. Not at the rate we're growing at, anyhow. So unless I get all of them right at this very moment, I'm okay with him leaving the group to find his purpose somewhere else.
Really, his Sacred Gear isn't even worth devouring. If I'm stealing one, it's gonna need to be a Longinus.
And it's not like I find him pleasant, either. He might not be as annoying as he was before, but I still don't like him much. So, handing him over to a faction I have no interest in is perfectly fine with me.
…Though, the blue-haired chick does have a lot of potential. Trading her for Issei might actually be worthwhile. She has the holy factor to wield Excaliburs and can even use Durandal. But how am I supposed to turn her over to my side?
If I remember correctly, she ended up with the devils after losing her faith upon learning about Yahweh's death. But Kokabiel didn't leak that info to us, so she's still intensely loyal to the church. And I have no way of telling her because I shouldn't know that either.
Hmm, I'll keep it in the back of my mind for now. If I'm going to go through with it, then I'll need to plan appropriately.
I guess spending some time with her for now won't hurt.
– Irina –
It'd been a while since the big battle against Kokabiel, nearly a month in fact, and ever since then, things had been relatively quiet on their end. After being informed that their stay in Kuoh would be extended for a few more months, she admittedly felt glad. She liked Japan and how peaceful it was in a small town like this.
And, as shameful as it was to admit, she was very scared of going back to the main church HQ to report. After what had happened during Kokabiel's attack, she couldn't bear to see the looks on her peers' faces. Likely ones of scorn and hatred for letting their beloved teacher die. For being useless during the battle. It made Irina feel utterly unworthy of wielding one of the pieces of Excalibur.
She couldn't imagine what Griselda would be like if she returned with such failure. Not only did one of their best warriors pass away, but they couldn't even take the stolen pieces back. The mission was an utter failure, and it made Irina consider whether she was even suited to be a combatant.
While not outright quitting yet, as she still kept up with her training, she did feel very demotivated. And it hurt even more seeing that she made so little progress. Just what was she supposed to do right now?
She prayed for an answer every day, hoping that God's wisdom would guide her down the right path. She knew that this was a test from Him, so she did her best and remained steadfast despite her growing depression. If she weren't fit to be a fighter, then so be it. But if she were, then she'd keep on going no matter what.
At the very least, her childhood friend was there to support her. Being around him made her feel very much at ease, and his positive attitude genuinely helped with her gloomy mood. Sure, she may have involuntarily strongarmed him into staying with her when he wanted to attend the devils' festival, but she seriously hadn't meant to. She supposed he was just a gentleman and didn't want to make her sad.
After not seeing him for so long, she forgot just how nice he was. He may be a little stupid, but he was still her beloved friend. Irina swore to herself that she was going to pay him back a thousandfold for such kindness.
She didn't know why Akane treated him so indifferently compared to their other friends, but honestly, Irina was too scared of her to demand she show respect, especially after watching her performance in the tournament finals.
"I refuse." Xenovia scoffed, standing opposite her opponent in the open training grounds. "I don't care if you're strong without it. I will not duel you unless you're holding a blade."
"And I'm telling you, I don't need one to kick your ass." Akane scowled, annoyed by Xenovia's unmatched stubbornness. "Why are you so against that idea?"
As for her beloved partner, she viewed things… differently. So much that Irina felt genuine jealousy.
While Irina felt discouraged and depressed, Xenovia was the opposite. David's death motivated her, and she worked harder than ever, waking up early at dawn and training until dusk. Even if she was alone, she didn't let that deter her from her training. She only gave herself a single day of mandatory rest.
Coupled with what they'd seen in that finals livestream, Xenovia felt like a completely different person. She used to be arrogant, looking down on everyone around her, but the battle with the Warhawk had changed her mindset altogether.
But besides that, Xenovia didn't let anything distract her. She even used some of the facility's equipment — with the yakuza's permission — like those gravity belts. She'd push herself to her limits every single day, and it made Irina both proud and envious.
Irina's reaction to their teacher's death disheartened her immensely, while her partner showed the complete opposite reaction. Why? Or rather, how? How wasn't Xenovia hurt? Did she simply not care? That couldn't be it.
Irina wanted to ask if maybe her partner could help her gain this level of motivation she didn't have, but she felt very hesitant. Xenovia had always had a sharp tongue, and if she were to call her out on her weakness, then Irina didn't think she could handle it anymore.
"I wish to test my sword skills, not my strength." Irina's partner argued. "Besides, it's dishonorable."
"I can kill you ten times over with my eyes closed before you even realize it." The yakuza princess responded, venom and aggression dripping off her tone. "I don't need a fucking sword to make this honorable."
"Every other duel, you humored my request and conjured a sword using your magic." Xenovia pointed out. "What makes this any different? Have you grown arrogant?"
"You're not facing the same person anymore."
"Don't be so pretentious. I know what I'm getting myself into." Xenovia responded bluntly. "I know how strong you were each time I've challenged you, and I can tell that you've grown astronomically more powerful since our last duel."
"Then you know I don't need a sword."
"I don't care if you need one or not." The blue-haired exorcist said. "I simply requested a sword duel. Not a regular duel."
Akane, aggravated by Xenovia's insistence on this being a duel of swords, growled angrily before her scowl dropped. She sighed and rubbed her temples in exasperation, realizing that it was pointless to continue this stupid argument.
"You know what, as irritating as you are, I respect your persistence. Fine." Akane muttered, creating an ice sword in her right hand. "You'll get a sword duel, and I'll make sure you regret it."
"Heh," Xenovia smirked, gripping her Excalibur as she got into her stance. "We'll see. Irina!"
"Yeah, yeah." Irina rolled her eyes, very glad that their idiotic argument ended. "Duel starts in three, two, one…"
Xenovia frowned in focus, tensing and preparing to charge in with an attack. In contrast, Akane was super relaxed, twirling her sword around and not even looking back at her opponent.
"Begin–!"
As soon as that word left her mouth, Akane was right in front of Xenovia, the blunted tip of her ice sword touching her throat. The blue-haired exorcist's eyes widened in shock, having lost the battle in less than a second of its beginning.
"See? This is what I'm capable of." Akane said with a glare. "Sword or not. You're not on a level where you can just 'duel' me. You're too weak."
With that, she lowered her sword and haughtily walked away. Irina wanted to call her out for being so rude to her partner, but she was intimidated. However, seeing the weight of this crushing defeat leave Xenovia looking frustrated with her head lowered, Irina mustered up just enough courage to say something.
…Before she was beaten to the punch by Xenovia herself.
"Don't think this is over, Akane Amamiya!" She pointed at Akane with a weirdly excited grin. "What you did just now has merely shown me the mountain I must scale to defeat you!"
Akane paused and turned around to face Xenovia with a surprised expression.
"Huh?"
"One day, you'll recognize my worth as a swordsman— No! More than that!" Xenovia added. "I don't care how long it takes me, but I'll have you admit that I, Xenovia Quarta, am the better swordsman! In fact, you'll walk away from our final duel claiming that I'm the greatest, most skilled swordsman in the whole world!"
"Give it up," Akane responded bluntly. "You saw the difference between us. I didn't even break a sweat."
"Even so, I won't give up." She said. "What you've done was merely light the flame of my heart as a dedicated swordsman. Impossible as it may seem, with my faith in the Lord and this blade in my hand, I will defeat you one day!"
"R-right…" Akane quickly stopped arguing, seemingly not expecting the determined response in the face of her brutality.
Irina didn't blame her. Even she hadn't expected such determination from Xenovia. A humiliating, crushing defeat like the one Akane had given her would surely frustrate and anger anyone else. Xenovia just looked excited.
"In the meantime, I'll have to push myself even harder." She continued. "Until then, you'll have to wait. I recommend you find a blade equal to my Durandal. Your ice blades, as sharp as they may be, don't compare to one filled with the light of God."
With that, Xenovia picked up her gravity belt from the ground and went deeper into the woods, leaving everyone present stunned. Irina was the first to recover, and the first thing she did was speak to Akane.
"Don't mind her; she's autistic."
Akane looked at her in shock, caught off guard at Irina's claim.
"What?!"
"She's medically diagnosed." Irina quickly clarified. "I didn't mean to say that in a weird way. I just felt like telling you since you seemed a little weirded out by her quirks."
At that, she relaxed.
"R-right. I was about to say…" She muttered. "That kinda came out of nowhere."
"She's hyperfixated on swords," Irina added. "Ever since she was little."
"Oh." Akane's eyes widened in realization. "Yeah, that makes sense."
"Right?"
"Hey, everyone." Another voice joined them. "Sorry, I'm late."
The two girls looked at the approaching Issei, stepping over a bush. As he met Irina's gaze, though, he suddenly blushed, making her tilt her head in confusion. He then glanced at Akane, then back at her.
"Well, I'm gonna see what Xenovia's doing," Akane said. "With how enthusiastic she looked just now, a part of me feels like she's gonna do something stupid with the gravity belt."
She then flew away after conjuring her ice wings, leaving Issei and Irina alone.
"So, I guess it's you and me again, eh, Issei?" Irina grinned. She then paused as she saw him all nervous and fidgeting. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Ah, yeah, it's uh… How do I say this…" After stammering a little, Issei then took a deep breath and spoke again. "So uh, after we're done, do you wanna maybe go out with me?"
Irina flinched in shock before her face went red. She looked away as her heart skipped a beat, not having expected him to be so direct. Regardless, the request made her feel giddy, but she hid her urge to squeal in joy behind a small smile.
"T-that sounds lovely!" She said.
"Wait, really?!"
"Yeah! I mean, we were already hanging out anyway, so…" She shuffled awkwardly.
"I-I guess you're right…" He agreed before whispering something to himself. "Holy crap, it worked…"
"Hm?"
"Er, it's nothing." He shook his head. "Let's just get this training out of the way first. Then maybe we can go to a cafe or the movies."
"Maybe a batting cage? Or the arcade!"
Irina felt a wave of relief as they continued to banter together. Just as she was convinced that he was after Akane, too…
Maybe the Lord was answering her prayers.