"Since Yukinoshita‐senpai and Yuigahama‐senpai both agree, let's discuss how we'll proceed."
Paying no mind to Yumiko's strange expression after hearing Yui's words, Iroha Isshiki clapped her hands together and swiftly decided, "Then we'll start tomorrow with Step One."
"Step One?"
"That's right—an 'accidental encounter'!"
Iroha raised the corners of her mouth.
"All beautiful romances begin with a memorable chance meeting. Everyone, please help me plan a romantic encounter to start me getting to know Rei Ao‐senpai!"
"Fine…"
Keeping her face cold, Yukino said, "Tell us your own ideas."
"Heh heh, I was thinking…"
Iroha began vividly describing the romantic scene she had in mind for their 'chance meeting.'
"…"
Watching the three gradually get into the spirit, Yumiko found the situation eerie.
Miura Yumiko: "Hey, Yui, what are you doing?"
Blinking innocently, Yui responded.
Yuigahama Yui: "Nothing at all."
Yumiko fumed inside.
"That's 'nothing'? Really?"
Miura Yumiko: "You tell me, how could you not feel guilty about helping someone else chase after Rei Ao?"
Yuigahama Yui: "Ahem, I—I just think Rei Ao‐kun probably wouldn't be mad. After all, this Isshiki underclassman is really cute, right?"
Miura Yumiko: "??? …"
Yuigahama Yui: "That's all there is to it."
"…"
Yumiko's eyelids twitched. She was almost convinced Yui had been brainwashed by Rei Ao.
Should she leave or not?
Grinding her teeth, Miura Yumiko finally decided to stay and see exactly what sort of plan they intended to concoct.
…
Unaware that someone had set their sights on him, Rei Ao parted ways with Rio after their intimate moment, then headed home. As soon as he walked into the house—
"Rei Ao!!!"
Hearing the commotion, Emilia came straight for him.
"Oh? Missing me so much you ran over to greet me at the door?"
Seeing her hurried appearance, Rei Ao teased her.
"S‐shut up!!!"
Blushing, Emilia denied it, "I just have something very important to discuss with you!"
"If it's only to talk, can I come in first? We can't just stand here talking in the foyer, right?"
"Uh… oh…"
Realizing she'd overlooked that, Emilia awkwardly stepped aside to let him in.
After a moment, still remembering her manners somewhat, Emilia brought him some tea. Rei Ao sipped it, remarking, "So it's just plain water, huh? I recall we had some iced tea in the house."
"Ahem, I'm not very good at making tea," Emilia coughed lightly, then switched the topic to the main point.
"Anyway, that's not important. Let's talk about the main thing."
"What's so important? I'm all ears."
Rei Ao set down his cup, ready to listen.
"Rei Ao, you're really strong, right?"
"You're asking something obvious."
"No, what I'm really asking is: You can travel between worlds, right? I heard it from Tohru."
Emilia's eyes turned serious. As soon as she brought this up, Rei Ao could guess what she was going to say. He simply nodded:
"That's right. I'm able to go to other worlds."
"That's great!!!"
Emilia's eyes lit up in excitement. She was already picturing her homecoming scene in her mind. Rei Ao eyed her askance.
"I suppose you think I can send you back to the Holy Cross Continent, right?"
"Yes, yes, that's exactly it!"
Emilia nodded repeatedly. Unfortunately, Rei Ao threw cold water on her hopes.
"You're getting ahead of yourself."
"Huh?"
Emilia was stunned. "What do you mean? You can't do it?"
"If your world had a node connecting it to this one, I could just go there directly. But there's nothing—so I can't go to your world."
When he'd found the Demon King, Emilia, and the others, he carefully checked around them for any spatial anomalies. He found no special space ripples, no nodes, not even dimensional rifts.
"How can that be…"
Hearing this, Emilia's excitement died abruptly.
"And besides, the way I cross between worlds isn't how you might imagine," he continued.
"Meaning what?"
"It's a bit abstract to explain, so just look for yourself."
[Ding! You have chosen to add Emilia to the sub‐group!]
"???"
Emilia's face changed in an instant, her posture taut as if ready to draw her sword. Rei Ao quickly soothed her:
"Calm down. It's something I'm giving you to see. No danger."
"Take your time and absorb that knowledge, and you'll understand what I'm talking about."
"… …"
His reassurance worked. Emilia let her guard down, beginning to comprehend the information that suddenly poured into her head.
At that moment, Tohru came over, sniffing Rei Ao.
"So many scents, tsk, you've been out catting around."
"Heh, no need to say that. I love all of you equally."
Rei Ao stroked her tail, and Tohru immediately caved in happily.
"All right, all right~"
After a little affection, Tohru said, "Rei Ao, tonight do you plan to drop by Kanna's place?"
"Did something happen with Kanna?"
Tohru shook her head.
"No, it's just I'm not entirely comfortable with her living in the human world, especially since she's only looked after by a human."
Because of the vast difference between humans and dragons, even a little dragon could effortlessly crush an ordinary adult. Though that "Michiru" was Rei Ao's friend, Tohru was worried Kanna might accidentally hurt her severely.
"So I was planning to go teach Kanna how to live in the human world so she doesn't cause any trouble."
"Looks like you really care about Kanna," Rei Ao remarked.
"Yes, because in the dragon realm, Kanna is one of my few good friends, and I am one of her few as well," Tohru sighed. "Kanna is actually quite lonely. She has no peers her age whatsoever."
It was also why she often played pranks, trying to draw attention.
"Lonely, huh?" Rei Ao mused, then suggested, "Tohru, maybe ask if Kanna wants to go to school?"
"School?" Tohru's eyes shone.
"Yep, this world has elementary schools!"
Though Kanna was a dragon over ten thousand years old, her mental state was more or less at a grade‐schooler's level. If she entered elementary school and made friends of a similar mindset, that would be ideal.
Rei Ao added, "If she does want to attend, I'll arrange it."
"Rei Ao, thank you. Mua!"
Thrilled, Tohru gave Rei Ao a hard kiss on the lips.
"I'll head out right now!"
She spread her wings and flew off the balcony.
~~~
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