"T-this is…"
"Ahaha! Hachiman-kun looks like some kind of young aristocrat!"
"Oh my god, it's so obviously a costume, and yet he pulls it off so well…"
Agil laughed. "Right? The reaction from the female players back then was exactly the same. They sold like hotcakes. We moved three hundred copies. That means he had at least three hundred dedicated fans. See? I told you he was popular."
"Three hundred?" Ryotaro blinked. "Isn't that, like, almost every female player left in SAO by that point?"
"Pretty much. I don't know the exact demographics, but it was a huge percentage."
Miyu looked at Agil, her eyes wide with sudden panic. "Wait, does that mean the Leader is constantly getting hit on in real life?"
"No, not really," Agil replied. "Back then, Asuna was always by his side. There wasn't a soul brave enough to pick a fight with Asuna head-on."
Miyu looked down, her shoulders trembling. Agil, thinking the news had shocked her, was about to offer some words of comfort when she suddenly snapped her head up and pumped her fist in the air.
"ALRIGHT!"
"Whoa! What the—? I thought you were depressed!"
"Depressed? Me? Fuka-chan? Why?"
"Didn't you listen to anything I just said?"
Miyu gave Agil a look of supreme confidence. "Are you kidding? This is the ultimate opportunity!"
"...Huh?"
"Think about it! Back then, it was practically impossible to even get near the Leader. But now? I can get close! Heck, the atmosphere is so relaxed that even a little 'lucky lewd' moment might be forgiven! This is a total victory for Fuka-chan!"
"'Lucky lewd'... are you serious?"
"It's fine! Back in Hokkaido, I underwent rigorous training to seduce the man of my dreams!"
Miyu began spouting her usual nonsense.
"What the hell is 'lucky lewd training'? You're the same in the real world as you are in the game, aren't you?"
"Hachiman has a high tolerance for that kind of stuff, though," Ryotaro warned. "Whether it's an accident or not, he probably won't even bat an eye."
"Yeah, you're right…"
"What? Really?" Miyu pouted.
"Well, he has Haruno-san to deal with, after all."
"Haruno? Who's that?"
"Soleil-san."
"Ah! Big Sis Soleil!"
Ryotaro pulled up another photo and showed it to Miyu. "Look at this. Haruno-san ordered me to take this the other day."
The photo showed Hachiman sitting on a sofa, looking utterly bored, while Haruno leaned over him from behind, resting her chest directly on top of his head. Miyu looked like she'd been struck by lightning.
"Wh-why does this photo even exist?! Wait—is this the Leader's real face?! Oh man, I can see why Kohi fell for him…"
"I-I didn't say that!" Karen stammered.
"Yeah, yeah, save it. You're transparent," Miyu dismissed her before turning back to Ryotaro. "So… explain this impossible situation to me."
"We were at an offline meet-up. Haruno-san showed up late, walked straight up to Hachiman, plopped her chest on his head, and yelled, 'Ryotaro-kun, take a picture for the road!' Hachiman just sat there looking like he'd accepted his fate. He knew protesting was useless."
"He didn't even change color… This is a formidable opponent," Miyu muttered.
"Exactly. 'Lucky lewd' won't work on him. He's used to unlucky lewdness, too."
"I see…"
Shizuka, clearly feeling the effects of her drinks, leaned in with some advice. "With a guy like him, you have to be aggressive—enough to make him recoil. He's surprisingly weak against a woman who pushes hard."
"Aggressive… aggressive…" Miyu's eyes gleamed. "The Leader goes to that school for SAO survivors, right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Alright, Kohi! You're with me tomorrow. We're storming the school!"
"Ehhhh?! Miyu, are you serious?!"
"Of course I am! Love is a battlefield, and the best defense is a good offense!"
"In that case," Shizuka chirped, "I'll call Haruno. Her mother is the chairperson of that school's board."
"Please do!"
Caught up in the spirit of the moment, Shizuka called Haruno. After a brief, lively conversation, Haruno managed to secure permission from her mother for Miyu and Karen to visit the school the following day at a specific time.
"They really are a law unto themselves," Agil sighed, watching the chaos.
"That mother and daughter… yeah, that sounds about right."
"Alright, Kohi! We need to go home and get ready! Everyone, thank you so much for today! It was great talking to you!"
"Sure thing. See you in ALO."
"Take care, you two!"
The two girls headed home, chatting excitedly under the covers about the day's revelations and their plan for tomorrow, before finally drifting off to sleep side-by-side.
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