At the entrance of Toyogasaki High School.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
Luo Shu looked across the street at Kisara with a complicated expression.
Delicate yet stunning features, long pink hair, and the form-fitting private school uniform of Toyogasaki that accentuated her curves and legs.
If there were ever a girl who could be called a campus goddess, it would undoubtedly be someone like Kisara.
Yet this very Kisara, who had been dubbed one of the "Four Unattainable Flowers of Toyogasaki" by gossipers upon her enrollment, was now staring blankly with dull, lifeless eyes at Utaha's hand wrapped around Luo Shu's arm.
Even across the street, Kisara's gaze was sharp as a blade, as if she might slice off Utaha's hand at any moment.
Noticing this, Utaha smiled and rested her head on Luo Shu's shoulder.
The provocation in this gesture was so blatant that even Luo Shu couldn't think of an excuse to give her an out.
He half-expected Kisara to draw a knife and attack Utaha the next second.
But Luo Shu's imagination didn't come to pass.
Although Kisara continued to glare at Utaha, it was Eriri Spencer Sawamura who reacted most violently.
"U! Ta! Ha!!"
The furious blonde girl dashed across the street, grabbed Utaha by the arm, and yanked her away with all her might:
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Whether it was due to Eriri's strength or Utaha's lack of resistance, the latter was easily pulled aside. Eriri then hissed in a low, angry voice:
"You deliberately used the internal forum to make me guide Kisara and Yukino around the school this morning—just for this?!"
Though Eriri kept her voice down, it was loud enough for the three of them to hear.
For Luo Shu, it was like lifting the fog of war.
'Damn, so this whole scene was orchestrated by Utaha?'
She had not only dragged him to the school gate but also arranged for Eriri to bring Kisara and Yukino here to witness it. Was she trying to start a war?
Meanwhile, Eriri was fuming.
Though she hated to admit it, Utaha was the only person at Toyogasaki she could confide in.
And Eriri wasn't a complete idiot—she quickly realised Utaha had used her this time.
That was why she was so angry at being manipulated by a friend.
Even Luo Shu assumed Utaha had timed this perfectly to create a scene that could spark conflict within the Familia.
But then, Utaha maintained a slightly stiff smile and said:
"Sawamura-kun, if I recall correctly, there are less than ten minutes left before class starts."
Eriri blinked, momentarily confused.
Utaha narrowed her eyes and murmured ominously:
"The message I sent you was yesterday, wasn't it?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu immediately sensed something was off.
He went to Utaha's place in the middle of the night and went to school with her in the morning—this was an unexpected incident, and the timing didn't quite match up.
Just then, Utaha said with a hollow smile:
"Moreover, I believe I reminded you to take our juniors to familiarise themselves with the school a bit earlier..."
"This 'earlier' should mean at least 30 minutes in advance, no?"
"Surely you didn't plan to show Kisara and Yukinoshita around the entire school in just 10 minutes?"
Eriri's expression instantly stiffened.
At that moment, Utaha Kasumigaoka said with a profound gaze:
"You... didn't oversleep, did you?"
Utaha Kasumigaoka might as well have slapped the words "Eriri, are you deliberately screwing me over?" right across Eriri's face.
Though she had issues with Kisara, she wasn't foolish enough to confront her directly. But now, it seemed she'd been backed into a corner.
"...I," Eriri opened her mouth, her face flushing red. "I did oversleep, but that's because yesterday... yesterday... I was rushing to finish the light novel draft for you..."
By the end, Eriri still sounded utterly guilty.
She froze in place, and before long, her defences crumbled as she bowed deeply in apology:
"I'm sorry!!"
Then she turned and fled at breakneck speed.
Watching Eriri run away in tears, Luo Shu was at a loss for words.
Just then, Utaha sighed beside him and stated bluntly:
"I just wanted to use these students to indirectly spread news about us to Kisara, as payback for her making the first move on you."
"Even I'm not stupid enough to think a weak human with only supportive abilities should directly provoke a Pureblood demon. There's being reckless, and then there's suicide."
Utaha muttered under her breath:
"I'm just annoyed that Kisara beat me to taking your first time, not that I've gone completely mad."
Hearing Utaha's frank admission, Luo Shu was surprised:
"So... you messed up?"
"Yes, I messed up." Utaha nodded, then said with a wry smile: "Especially since the reason for the mess-up was me - I was the one who told Eriri to hurry up with the illustrations for that book I wrote."
"I never expected she'd pull all-nighters for it, oversleep, then show up here at this exact time with Kisara... This is really..."
Utaha's expression turned complicated:
"What is this? The whims of fate?"
Luo Shu's expression was equally complex.
If he didn't know Eriri had no romantic interest in him, he'd suspect this was deliberate.
This unexpected turn had caused Utaha and Kisara to fall out, while Yukino, who witnessed it, now held grievances against Luo Shu. A single peach killing three warriors - making Utaha, Kisara and Yukino all withdraw from the game...
Only someone as clueless as Eriri could pull this off without arousing Luo Shu's suspicion. Anyone else, and he'd be deeply suspicious.
But with Eriri, it was genuinely just bad luck...
Thinking this, Luo Shu's expression became profoundly odd:
"Should I go explain to Kisara?"
"Given Kisara's personality, she'd definitely forgive you, and by extension, forgive me because of you. But that doesn't mean she wouldn't still be upset."
Utaha shook her head, then said calmly:
"Let me talk to her."
Her petty revenge had failed spectacularly thanks to Eriri's interference, so now she had to resort to plan B - joining forces with Kisara to suppress other dangerous rivals. And if things developed that way...
At this thought, Utaha couldn't help shooting Luo Shu a glance, muttering:
"Eighty per cent chance you'll benefit from this."
Her willingness to compromise, combined with Kisara's soft nature, would probably end with both of them in Luo Shu's bed.
Damn it, how did Eriri's blunder end up benefiting Luo Shu?
Was that girl her jinx and Luo Shu's lucky star?
"Benefit me how?" The confused Luo Shu was getting a headache. Though Utaha said she'd handle it, Kisara was still glaring daggers at them from afar.
What a bloody mess!
As Luo Shu wallowed in frustration, snippets of conversation reached his ears.
"He's two-timing them! Definitely!"
"Sawamura-kun came crying, left crying - it's obvious what's going on!"
"I thought so too, but I never expected first-year Sawamura to be competing with second-year Senior Kasumigaoka over a third-year senior... This is just too amusing, isn't it?"
"Looking at this situation, Sawamura-kun seems to have withdrawn from the competition. I thought there would be a big showdown!"
"Speaking of which, the guy hasn't shown any reaction at all. I wonder what Senior Kasumigaoka said to Sawamura-kun that made her give up so quickly? Her fighting spirit is really lacking..."
Hearing these murmurs, Luo Shu and Utaha Kasumigaoka's expressions changed simultaneously.
They glanced at each other, both seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes.
Thinking carefully about it—Eriri seeing him arm-in-arm with Utaha Kasumigaoka, shouting Utaha's name as she charged over, then whispering a few words to Utaha before tearfully apologising and running away...
This misunderstanding...
Yikes!!!
Damn, this misunderstanding is absolutely wild.
"You two!!"
"Yes, I mean you two!!"
Hearing the voice, Luo Shu and Utaha turned towards the school entrance, where they saw Natsuki Minamiya looking thoroughly displeased, tapping a folding fan against her palm as she glared at them.
"Pulling these kinds of stunts at the school gates... You two really outdid yourselves..."
Natsuki Minamiya smiled without warmth, especially as she fixed her gaze on Luo Shu:
"Especially you. After half a month of skipping school, you come back and drop this bombshell? Quite the talent, aren't you?"
"Should I award you a medal or something?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu awkwardly raised his hand in greeting:
"Natsuki-chan..."
Natsuki Minamiya snorted coldly:
"Don't try to act familiar. Come with me to the office!"
"Puppy love, truancy, poor discipline... Hmph..."
Natsuki Minamiya sneered before turning to leave.
Seeing this, Luo Shu scratched his head and tried to find humour in the situation:
"Does this mean I can finally get expelled?"
"Don't say that. If you get expelled, wouldn't I also have to..."
Utaha trailed off, suddenly realising that might not be such a bad thing—she could just drop out and focus on her publishing work.
But if her parents found out she got expelled over something like this...
At that thought, Utaha covered her face and groaned:
"Please spare me..."