"Oh, it really is! And Madoka, Misa, and Sakurako too! What are y'all doing here?"
Standing there was the grandson of the man who ruled the mages of Mahora, alongside the granddaughter of the Headmaster.
In other words: Negi and Konoka.
"Wait, Konoka? Why are you with Negi-kun... Gasp! Could it be?! Is that what's going on?" Kakizaki blurted out, her imagination immediately jumping to conclusions.
"Misa, calm down," Kugimiya sighed. "If you just think about it logically... logically... wait. Seriously? Are you two...?"
Even Kugimiya was starting to spiral into a rose-colored delusion.
"Eh? Um, what's wrong?" Negi asked, completely bewildered.
"You two are overthinking it," Shiina chimed in, surprisingly being the one to rein them in. "There's no way Negi-kun and Konoka are 'like 그that.'"
I had always pegged Shiina as the resident airhead, but I guess she had her moments of clarity. As I was thinking that, Shiina craned her neck at a sharp angle to peer into my face.
"Hmm? Axel-kun, were you just thinking something rude about me~?"
She's sharp. Her nickname, "The Great Oracle Sakurako," wasn't just for show.
"Not at all," I lied. "More importantly, what are you two doing here? Shopping for the school trip?"
When in doubt, change the subject.
"Um, Konoka-san?" Negi turned to her, seeking permission. She thought for a second and nodded.
"Sure. I don't mind telling them. It might be better to get some more opinions anyway!"
"Right. Actually, tomorrow is Asuna-san's birthday. Konoka-san and I were picking out a present for her. If you guys don't mind, could we get your advice?"
Kagurazaka's birthday?
"...Ah, I see."
"Axel-kun?" Kugimiya looked at me curiously.
"No, it's just... Ayaka has been acting suspiciously for the last few days. I was wondering what she was up to, but it was probably a gift for Kagurazaka."
"Ah, the Class Rep is such a tsundere. She's all over Axel-kun and Negi-kun, but she tries so hard to act tough with Asuna."
"Hehe, they really are close, even if they look like they're always fighting," Konoka said with a gentle smile. But for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a shadow of loneliness in her eyes. Or maybe I was just imagining it.
"So, will you help us pick something out?" Negi asked.
"Of course! Right, girls? Axel?"
I nodded in agreement with Kakizaki. Class 3-A was a collection of troublemakers, but their teamwork was inexplicably high-performance when it counted.
"Okay! So, when you think of Asuna... you think of... hmm, what do you think of?" Shiina mused.
...Then again, "teamwork" didn't necessarily translate to "high IQ."
"She has a paper route, right? How about some high-end athletic shoes?" I suggested.
"Ah, Axel-kun, you're a bit late on that one," Kakizaki replied.
"Late?"
"Yeah, Asuna just bought herself a brand-new pair the other day."
Bad timing.
"How about a dress?" Kakizaki suggested. "Something to wear for Takahata-sensei?"
It was common knowledge in class that Kagurazaka had a crush on Taka-michi. We moved to a clothing store to scout some options, but couldn't find anything that felt "right."
"Mmm... how about... dumbbells?" Shiina offered.
"Sakurako, that's just a prank, not a gift," Kugimiya snapped.
"True, true... Oh! How about that?"
Konoka was pointing at a music box displayed in the window of a small boutique. When we opened it, a nostalgic, familiar melody played.
"See? I'm pretty sure this is one of Asuna's favorite songs."
"A music box, huh? That actually sounds like something she'd love. I'm in," Kakizaki agreed.
Kugimiya and Shiina followed suit. I had no objections either, so the music box became the official group gift. While we were at it, we all picked out small individual gifts as well.
Shiina briefly lost her mind and tried to buy a "Fully Automatic Sushi-Rolling Machine," but we managed to talk her out of it. I mean, what kind of middle school girl wants that? (Well, it is convenient, but the price tag was a bit much for a student's wallet anyway.)
I ended up buying a small crystal dog figurine. I was worried about the price of crystal, but since it was only about three centimeters tall, it was surprisingly easy on the wallet.
The following day, we threw a surprise party for Kagurazaka, inviting everyone who was available. It was a massive hit... though, knowing the personalities in Class 3-A, it got so rowdy that I ended up more exhausted than I was after training.
Character Status
Name: Axel Almar
Level: 38
PP: 625
Stats: Melee: 262 | Ranged: 282 | Skill: 272 | Defense: 272 | Evasion: 302 | Accuracy: 322
SP: 462
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consumes SP to enhance Slime performance)
Growth Type: All-Rounder / Special
Terrain Ratings: Air: S | Land: S | Sea: S | Space: S
Spirit Commands:
Accel (SP 4)
Effort (SP 8)
Focus (SP 16)
Direct Hit (SP 30)
Awaken (SP 32)
Love (SP 48)
Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9, SP Regen, Concentration)
Telekinesis Lv.10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv.9
In-fight Lv.9
Morale Limit Break
Geass (Gray)
Magic (Fire)
Magic (Shadow)
Magic (Summoning)
Dark Magic
???
Kills: 376
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