"Sorry, senpai, but we don't have such plans."
Aoyama Nanami apologized with a polite tone.
Hearing that, Misaki Kamiigusa's previously excited mood instantly dimmed, and she sighed in disappointment.
"I see… that's such a shame."
Still, Misaki didn't try to force them to consider moving into Sakurasou. After all, its reputation at Suimei High wasn't exactly a secret. However, that didn't mean she was about to give up her chance to get acquainted with a girl as stunning as Eriri.
With a bright, almost fawning smile, she continued, "Then how about coming in to hang out for a bit? I have tons of fun games in my room~"
As she spoke, her gaze stayed fixed entirely on Eriri.
Eriri, however, remained silent. She had no particular fondness for Misaki and no intention of chatting with her.
Of course, if Nanami accepted the invitation, Eriri wouldn't mind accompanying her to look around Sakurasou for a bit.
Fortunately, Nanami didn't disappoint her.
"Thank you for the invitation, senpai, but we still have other plans today, so we'll have to decline."
Aoyama bowed slightly, her expression sincere and apologetic.
As a first-year student, she still showed proper respect to Misaki as her senior—it was a normal part of Japanese school etiquette.
After politely refusing, Nanami didn't linger any longer. She simply took Eriri's left hand and turned to leave.
Watching the two walk away from Sakurasou, Misaki's expression turned wistful. Still, she wasn't one to give up easily.
In her mind, since Eriri was likely also a Suimei student, there would surely be another opportunity to meet her again in the future.
Though her heart still belonged to Mitaka Jin, that didn't stop her from wanting to befriend such a dazzling and mysterious girl.
...
Once they left the street where Sakurasou stood, Aoyama and Eriri continued strolling around the area near the school.
Nanami still hadn't let go of Eriri's hand, seemingly having forgotten—or perhaps pretending not to notice—that they were walking hand in hand.
Judging from the faint blush on her ears, however, she was clearly aware of it. She was just acting as though she wasn't.
Eriri didn't mention it either, letting Nanami hold on as they walked together.
During their casual stroll, Nanami ran into a few classmates. Normally, they might exchange a few words or at least greet her in passing.
But now, with Eriri walking beside her, none of them dared to speak up. Instead, they could only stare in awe, their faces a mixture of surprise and amazement.
It wouldn't be long before rumors spread across Suimei High—about Aoyama Nanami walking hand in hand with a mysterious, beautiful girl.
Before they knew it, it was already around eleven in the morning.
"Eriri, what would you like for lunch?"
Standing on a bustling street, Nanami looked toward Eriri with a gentle smile.
After hours of walking hand in hand, Nanami had grown used to the contact, and most of her earlier nervousness had faded away.
"Didn't I say my schedule's in your hands today? Just pick something you like and take me there~" Eriri replied, gently squeezing Nanami's hand, her lips curling into a soft smile.
True to her word, Eriri hadn't made a single suggestion all morning—she'd simply gone along with whatever Nanami wanted to do.
"Um… I don't really know which restaurants are good around here…" Nanami admitted awkwardly.
After all, she had always lived frugally. Near the end of the month, she sometimes couldn't even afford lunch, and when she did eat, it was usually the cheapest meal available at the school cafeteria.
Naturally, she had no idea which nearby restaurants served good food.
Seeing the embarrassed look on Nanami's face, Eriri couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"Oh my, our little Nanami really is a poor, pitiful girl~"
Eriri raised her free right hand and gently patted Aoyama Nanami's head. The gesture—gentle and comforting, as if soothing a child—immediately made Nanami feel embarrassed beyond words.
She quickly brushed Eriri's hand away, her pretty face flushing bright red. "I'm not pitiful! And don't treat me like a kid!"
Nanami turned her face aside in protest—but the next moment, she froze, her blush deepening rapidly until her entire face was crimson.
Because they were holding hands, the two girls stood quite close to each other. And since their heights were nearly identical, when Nanami turned to face Eriri, their faces nearly touched.
At that distance, Nanami could see every delicate detail of Eriri's flawless face. The sweet scent of her breath filled the air between them, making Nanami's mind spin until she forgot to pull away.
There they stood, in the middle of a busy street, facing each other with barely ten centimeters between them—two beautiful girls locked in an intimate gaze.
One's face was red with shyness, while the other's carried a calm, teasing smile.
The dynamic between them—who was the dominant and who was the flustered one—was obvious at a glance.
The sight drew the attention of several onlookers, and a few even pulled out their phones to secretly take pictures.
But before anyone could capture the moment, the scene changed.
"Are you trying to kiss me? If it's you, Nanami, I wouldn't mind~" Eriri whispered playfully, leaning in slightly. The ten-centimeter gap vanished, and their noses brushed against each other.
Hearing Eriri's teasing words and feeling the soft touch at the tip of her nose, Nanami snapped out of her daze and stumbled back two steps in a panic.
"N-No! That was just an accident! I didn't mean it like that!" she stammered.
Her sudden nervousness caused her to revert to her Kansai dialect.
As a native of Osaka, Nanami had always spoken in Kansai dialect, but after entering high school, she had consciously suppressed it to train her standard pronunciation for her future as a voice actress.
"Eh? Really? You didn't have that kind of thought at all?" Eriri asked with a teasing grin as she stepped closer again.
Unable to bear the embarrassment, Nanami immediately grabbed Eriri's hand and dragged her toward the nearest restaurant without another word.
...
The place they entered was a small, family-run eatery rather than a fancy restaurant. Establishments like this were common on the streets—usually passed down through generations, some with histories stretching back decades or even a century.
As soon as the two lifted the noren curtains and stepped inside, a young waitress carrying a tray called out cheerfully, "Welcome!"
However, the moment she got a clear look at Eriri's face, the sixteen- or seventeen-year-old froze on the spot, clearly stunned by her beauty.
After a few seconds, she regained her composure and smiled politely. "This way, please. There's an open table for two."
Under her guidance, Eriri and Nanami passed through the narrow front area into a more spacious inner room and sat down at a small table against the wall.
"You can look over the menu and call me anytime if you need anything," the waitress said before hurrying off again. Though she wanted to stay near Eriri longer just to admire her up close, it was lunchtime, and the restaurant was busy.
Still, Eriri's arrival had an immediate effect—the once lively and noisy eatery suddenly grew quieter, as both men and women secretly stole glances at her, captivated by her presence.
It took quite some time before the atmosphere in the restaurant gradually returned to normal. The other diners, who had been distracted by Eriri's beauty, finally resumed their conversations.
"Eriri, haven't you ever thought about disguising your appearance a little?" Nanami asked curiously, her tone now calm after regaining her composure. "That should be easy for you, right?"
"It would be," Eriri replied casually, setting down her chopsticks. "But why would I ever want to hide it?"
Nanami blinked. "Don't you think you're too eye-catching? Having everyone stare at you everywhere you go must feel awkward!"
She had wanted to ask this question for a while now. Ever since they'd left the dorm, Eriri had drawn attention everywhere they went. People couldn't help but stare, and Nanami herself had been dragged into the spotlight because of it.
The constant gazes made her feel uncomfortable, so she couldn't understand why Eriri didn't try to avoid such unnecessary trouble.
Eriri's response, however, was calm and unwavering. "Not at all. The attention of irrelevant people means nothing to me. Besides, I'm not someone who hides—whether it's my strength or my looks."
She raised her head, meeting Nanami's gaze with a quiet but unmistakable confidence.
There was one thing Eriri didn't say aloud: anyone who dared to look at her with lustful thoughts would simply cease to exist. It was entirely possible that during their morning walk, a few such individuals had already vanished from the world without a trace.
Looking into Eriri's bright, confident eyes, Nanami felt momentarily dazed. She opened her mouth to respond but couldn't find any words.
Noticing Nanami's unbroken stare, Eriri's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "What is it, Nanami? You're staring awfully hard. I'll say it again—if you want to kiss me, I won't mind~"
Her teasing words instantly jolted Nanami back to reality. She tore her gaze away in a fluster, her previously calm emotions once again thrown into chaos. The blush that had faded from her cheeks returned in full force.
Rather than respond, she grabbed the menu Eriri had set down and quickly changed the subject. "Eriri, have you decided what to eat yet?"
Seeing that, Eriri didn't tease her any further and simply played along. "Hmm, I think I'll have grilled eel rice and some yakitori~"
"I'll… have the same, then," Nanami said with a nod. She didn't bother looking at the rest of the menu and raised her hand to call the waitress over.
...
After a simple lunch, it was already past noon.
As expected, Nanami insisted on paying for their meal.
Although she had received a kilogram of gold from her trade with Kaguya the day before, she hadn't yet had the chance to exchange it for cash. As a result, she didn't have much money on hand, and after paying for lunch, her wallet felt noticeably lighter.
Still, it was only temporary—once she converted the gold, she would enjoy a brief period of financial freedom.
After lunch, Eriri remembered the purpose of her visit and decided to take the lead for the rest of the day.
She brought Nanami to a gold exchange, where she traded her own conjured gold for a large amount of cash and helped Nanami exchange her one kilogram of gold as well.
By the end of it, Nanami had gained nearly ten million yen in cash, while Eriri secured enough funds to purchase property and prepare a financial reserve for group members' activities in this world.
However, such a conspicuous exchange of cash naturally drew the attention of some unsavory individuals.
As soon as they left the exchange, Eriri sensed they were being followed.
She was used to this sort of thing—almost every world where she exchanged gold drew similar attention. After all, she made no effort to hide her actions.
The aura of nobility surrounding her made most criminals hesitate, but greed often outweighed caution. The sheer amount of money involved was more than enough to drive them to recklessness.
As for the outcome of those who dared target Eriri—there was no need to wonder.
Before they could even approach her, she quietly erased not only them but also the organizations behind them, wiping them from existence without leaving a trace.
—
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