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The group rested for a bit inside the shop, and Asakura took out snacks and drinks made by the house elves for everyone to enjoy.
Several of the desserts, full of authentic European traditional flavors, made Chihaya Anon's eyes redden, feeling as if she had returned to England.
Of course, it was also possible she was simply overwhelmed by the sweetness.
After eating and drinking their fill, Asakura had Chihaya Anon take out the Mirror pendant again, allowing Gokou Ruri to experiment with it.
As it turned out, Gokou Ruri's compatibility with the Curse [Mirror] was even worse than Asakura's; she couldn't even forcibly activate it. For her, this thing was truly just a pendant.
"Then, if there's nothing else, let's disband here today."
After telling the others how to return to the Clubroom from here, Asakura said contentedly.
The others had no objections.
Yuigahama Yui and Chihaya Anon both returned to the Round Table Hall through the back door of the storage room (Asakura could hear Chihaya Anon shouting, "Why does this time's text say 'You are not qualified'?"), because their school bags were still in the Clubroom.
Asakura, on the other hand, planned to go straight home from the shop.
"Takuma, I still have something I want to talk to you about."
At this moment, Gokou Ruri quickly caught up to him, walking with Asakura into the Toyama Shopping District.
The Toyama Shopping District was a typical Japanese shopping street.
This was the busiest time of day.
Shops lined both sides, with signs everywhere.
Perhaps it was a coincidence, but just as Asakura and Gokou Ruri arrived on the street, they happened to catch the moment the lights came on.
First, the streetlights on both sides of the street lit up in sequence, like a starlit avenue, and then the surrounding signs gradually illuminated, adding other colors to the original road.
Colorful lights intertwined, decorating the entire street with dazzling brilliance.
To cater to the empty stomachs of high school students who had just left school, the shopping street had its own business logic.
The air was filled with the aroma of various foods: the savory scent of takoyaki, the smoky aroma of grilled meat, the rich fragrance of ramen, the creamy scent of desserts, and the rice aroma of traditional rice cakes. Various scents intermingled, tempting the taste buds of Soubu High School students passing by.
Perhaps only the Magic Club, constantly supplied with snacks, and the Light Music Club, who for some reason always drank afternoon tea, could be exempt from this food trap aimed at students.
Unlike inside the school where they were always scrutinized by the dean and disciplinary committee, once they arrived at the shopping street, young couples, fueled by hormones, began to let loose a bit, holding hands, sweetly leaning against each other, stopping at various shops to choose their favorite food.
—Of course, there were also those choosing accessories and such, but considering high school students' wallets and appetites, a croquette was clearly more attractive to them than a not-very-practical brooch.
Elderly people from the shopping street walked slowly, leisurely strolling the street, enjoying the lively atmosphere, their faces beaming with satisfied smiles.
And Gokou Ruri's Gothic Lolita dress, so different from this scene, added a wonderful touch to this urban painting, making the whole picture much more vivid.
Many boys couldn't help but secretly glance at the girl.
They showed appreciative eyes when they saw that Gothic dress; they showed an expression of being charmed when they saw those fluffy, cute cat ears; and when they saw the girl's cat tail, which extended from a specially left opening in the skirt and occasionally swayed, they all cast their gaze at Asakura and showed a knowing 'my brother is so playful' smile.
As a gentleman (confirmed), Asakura naturally wouldn't have a tacit understanding with them; he just assumed these guys were charmed by Gokou Ruri's cuteness.
Although he couldn't be sure if it was due to Curse, compared to when he first met Gokou Ruri, the girl's appearance hadn't changed, but she always gave off a radiant feeling, and even her temperament had greatly improved, as if she were a completely different person from the dry, scrawny little girl she originally was.
"So, Ruri, what do you want to say?"
Asakura asked curiously.
"Does Takuma still remember the previous offline gathering?"
The girl asked.
"Hmm, that was too impactful. How could I ever forget it...?"
Asakura replied naturally.
"Saori... the big girl said she hopes we can gather again this weekend. Everyone can play something together."
The girl whispered, "She said you could come too. Kirino will also bring her brother."
"Hmm, this week..."
Asakura couldn't help but hesitate upon hearing this.
It wasn't that he was dissatisfied with the shut-in girls' offline gathering; it was just that he hadn't had time to verify any of the urban legends Saori had collected for him last time. He had been a bit lax recently and felt subtly apologetic to the other party who had painstakingly collected these things.
"No?"
Gokou Ruri stared at Asakura with wet, puppy-like eyes.
"It's not that I can't..."
Asakura immediately gave in.
"Thank you, Takuma."
Upon hearing this, Gokou Ruri's lips curved slightly, revealing a gentle smile.
Asakura scratched his head, just about to continue walking, but his steps suddenly paused.
"Oh, by the way, regarding the rumor you mentioned earlier, Ruri, about 'many strange foreigners,' what specific countries were those foreigners from?"
He asked.
"Hmm... Russia, Europe, Southeast Asia, something like that?"
The girl tilted her head, confused, and asked.
"That's too broad a range..."
Asakura complained.
"Why is Takuma suddenly asking this?"
Gokou Ruri asked back curiously.
"That's because..." Asakura's expression didn't change at all, as if he were telling some boring cold joke, and he quietly replied in an almost self-muttering voice, "Not far behind us, there's a 'foreigner' who fits the description of the rumor you mentioned earlier."
The girl instinctively wanted to turn her head but was stopped by Asakura.
"Don't look back; that guy seems to be secretly following us."
He said, "Use the cat."
The girl immediately showed an expression of sudden realization.
She just glanced at the roadside, her lips imperceptibly muttering. On the eaves, unnoticed by everyone, a loose plastic board transformed into a light and agile kitten.
Its body size was like a kitten, but its body proportions were similar to an adult cat. It ran wildly and freely on the rooftop, silently heading behind Asakura and Gokou Ruri, and at the girl's instruction, it turned around and kept an eye on that strange 'foreigner.'
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