(Note: From this point on, Black Rabbit will be Kurousagi. I feel that using the literal name "Black Rabbit" sounds a bit awkward, even though that's how she's listed on the wiki and in the anime subtitles.)
(Kurousagi is Black Rabbit's real name. In Japanese, Kuro Usagi literally means "Black Rabbit," just as Shiroyasha literally means "White Demon." Sorry for this late edit, I should have made this decision long ago.)
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"Ahem...."
"Good afternoon, miss." Ryo walked up to the Asura with a perfectly practiced smile, "May I have the honor of knowing your name?"
The white-haired girl reined in some of her impatience. She even let out a soft snort of laughter, then replied with clear interest, "Asura."
"And honestly," she added, tilting her head, "do human men always talk like nobles?"
She clearly found Ryo's choice of words amusing. There was a teasing glint in her eyes.
Hearing that, Ryo calmly picked up a glass of champagne from a nearby table and smiled, "Generally speaking, at banquets like this, there are only two kinds of people who talk that way."
"One type is a man with an excessive interest in women. The other is someone trying to show off their status."
"So which one are you?" Asura asked, curious.
"Both," Ryo replied with a smile. "And neither."
"Oh?" Asura's eyes widened slightly. "How does that work?"
Ryo's lips curved upward, "When I'm facing a beautiful woman, I'm both. When I'm facing an enemy, I'm neither."
Asura froze for a moment, then burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.
"Hahahaha!"
Her laughter rang out bright and loud, carrying a strangely innocent charm.
"So you came over here to threaten me, huh?"
She wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with a finger and grinned, "Just because I looked annoyed earlier?"
She couldn't help laughing again, "Well, I can't help it. You were standing with all those weird people the whole time. I didn't even dare get close."
Weird people… meaning Athena, huh. Ryo's expression turned subtle.
"Technically, I should be mad," Asura said cheerfully, "but since I threatened you first, let's call it even."
She patted the sofa beside her, "Hey, human. Want to sit down and chat?"
Ryo studied her carefully. After confirming she didn't seem openly hostile, he walked over and sat beside her.
"I've got a rude question," Asura said, glancing toward Athena, who was chatting with Garol nearby. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
"Umm... What's your relationship with that weird auntie?"
"Weird auntie…" Ryo twitched at the corner of his mouth and sighed. "Calling her that is going to make the goddess very angry. Why do you describe Athena that way?"
"Hey, I asked first."
Asura frowned, thought for a bit, then explained, "Because her authority is full of contradictions. Order and war. Creation and destruction. Justice and conspiracy. She controls opposing, clashing domains, yet keeps a high level of rationality. Don't you think she's a very contradictory god?"
"And as for why I call her auntie, it's simple. She's older than me."
A contradictory god… Ryo narrowed his eyes and looked at Athena. She noticed his gaze and smiled back.
"All right," Asura said. "I answered your question. Now it's your turn."
She turned to face him, "What's your relationship with that auntie?"
'Dammit! I don't even know how to explain it…' Ryo complained inwardly.
At the beginning, Athena's attitude toward him was basically that of a sharp weapon, something to stab Zeus with. Because of that, she was willing to cooperate with Thousand Eyes, hide Ryo's existence, and even offer help proactively.
The title of proxy and the blessing of authority were given with that intention. They were early investments meant to rope him in.
But later on, Ryo observed the Campione world.
In a sense, he did meet Athena's expectations. He disrupted the Cross religion's faith, and even went above and beyond by throwing multiple pantheons' plans into chaos.
Of course, Athena herself didn't escape unscathed either. Her spirit rank was forcibly altered, and she paid a heavy price.
Overall, Athena came out at a loss. That was why she didn't help him hide back then. Instead, Omega, and of course Shiroyasha, stepped in and helped him weather the storm.
Then came today's event, after Ryo clearly refused to pick a side, Athena, who could have withdrawn entirely, instead handed Loki's spirit rank. Then again, at this very banquet, she used her status to suppress the fallout from his killing of Hermes.
Thinking it through, Athena's investment in Ryo was a terrible deal.
There were hardly any returns. If anything, the returns were negative. And there was still no sign of payoff.
A normal investor would have cut their losses long ago. Athena's current situation felt more like she had gotten stuck with him, Ryo Yagami, a total "junk stock."
Meanwhile, Ryo had reaped quite a few benefits.
With that in mind, his expression turned a little strange.
"If I had to describe our relationship…" he said slowly, "it's probably something like a freeloader and the poor soul footing the bill."
"Ooh!" Asura opened her mouth wide in sudden realization. "...I don't get it at all."
'If you don't get it, why are you reacting like that…' Ryo twitched again. Before he could respond, Asura continued, "But it doesn't matter. No matter how close you are to Athena, it has nothing to do with me."
She narrowed her eyes, her tone turning serious, "How about we make a deal?"
"A deal?" Ryo raised an eyebrow, sounding almost casual.
"Let Kurousagi stay with me for a few days. In exchange, I'll hold back the Ouroboros members I can control, so they won't come looking for trouble with you."
Ryo's face darkened instantly.
"Hard to agree to?" Asura noticed the change and frowned, "That's bad. I really do have reasons I can't avoid taking her with me."
"Then how about this," she suggested. "While I have Kurousagi, you can send someone to follow her?"
Before she could finish, Ryo cut her off, "There's nothing to discuss."
He emphasized it again, "I don't care what your intentions are, good or bad. It doesn't matter to me, because this was never negotiable in the first place."
"Arcadia is not a community that treats its members as bargaining chips. I'll say that once, and only once."
He stared directly at Asura, "As for Ouroboros, I welcome them to come find trouble with me."
Ryo bared his teeth in a wild grin, "Asura, for you, I'll do my best to hold back, so I don't crush them by mistake."
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