"A mixer?"
A big question mark popped up over Asta's head. He had no idea what that meant.
Finral fully emerged from the portal, a smile on his face that he clearly thought was charmingly handsome.
"That's right. A mixer. A wonderful activity to deepen our relationships with cute girls."
As he spoke, he winked frantically at Asta, the implication obvious.
"How about it? You just went through a big battle, so you must be mentally and physically exhausted, right? At times like these, you need cute girls to heal you."
"Oh! That sounds amazing."
Asta's eyes instantly lit up, though he probably didn't grasp the true meaning of a mixer.
Seeing that he had successfully piqued Asta's interest, Finral nodded in satisfaction.
His gaze then swept across the base.
Magna, kneeling on the ground, questioning his life... No, he looked too pathetic to take out.
Gordon, emanating an ominous aura and muttering to himself... Absolutely not, he'd scare the girls away.
As for Gauche... Finral didn't even want to look at him, fearing he might be infected by his 'Marie-above-all' mindset.
Finally, his gaze fell on Ryoma, the only person in the room who looked normal and handsome.
Found him!
"Ryoma!"
Finral's smile grew even brighter. "In this mixer, the other side has three cute girls, you know. Even with Asta and me, that's only two people, so we're still missing one spot."
He leaned closer to Ryoma and lowered his voice. "Please, Ryoma. You're one of the few normal people in our squad. The success of this hinges on you."
Finral clasped his hands together, adopting a pleading posture.
However, Ryoma simply looked at him calmly, then shook his head decisively. "I refuse."
"Huh?" Finral's smile froze on his face.
"Why?! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Aren't you interested in cute girls?"
"It's troublesome." Ryoma replied concisely.
He did find it troublesome. He had more important things to do than attend a mixer and deal with unfamiliar girls.
Ryoma's gaze unconsciously drifted out the window.
Yuno had already mastered the power of the Wind Spirit Sylph, achieving a qualitative leap in his strength.
Asta had gained the demon-dweller sword and was constantly growing.
The three of them, almost at the same time, had obtained their own new powers in the dungeon.
Now, Yuno and Asta were charging ahead on their respective paths, while he himself was still only halfway to understanding the new magic that had appeared in his Space-Time grimoire.
That silver-white grimoire, though containing magic power completely different from ice magic, had been difficult to fully grasp.
This couldn't go on. His own strength was the foundation of his standing. He didn't want to be left far behind by those two guys one day in the future.
There was no time to waste on something like a mixer.
"But... but..." Finral still tried to argue.
Ryoma cut him off. "I need time to study magic."
His tone was calm, but the determination it held was unmistakable.
Finral looked at Ryoma's serious expression, opened his mouth, and finally could only sigh helplessly.
"Alright..."
He couldn't be persuaded.
Once this guy got serious, no one could persuade him.
Finral's gaze swept desperately around the room again.
Was there really no one else?
Just then, a figure flickering with electricity suddenly approached.
"What's a mixer? Can we fight?"
Luck tilted his head, a naive yet belligerent smile on his face.
Finral's lips twitched.
Take Luck?
This... this would be a disaster.
He could almost imagine the horrifying scene of Luck shouting, "Let's fight!" at the girls at the mixer.
But...
Finral glanced at Magna, who had turned ash-grey on the floor, and then at Gordon, who was emitting a strange aura in the corner.
He gritted his teeth and stomped his foot.
Fine!
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
At least Luck was handsome enough. As long as he didn't speak, he should... probably... maybe... be able to get by?
"Luck! You're the one!"
Finral grabbed Luck's shoulder, as if grasping a lifeline.
"A mixer is... a party where you can meet many strong people. That's right! That's how it is!"
"Oh! Strong people!" Luck's eyes instantly burst with light brighter than lightning.
"Okay! I'll go!"
Seeing Luck take the bait so easily, Finral finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the process was a bit convoluted, the numbers were finally complete.
"Good. Then, without further ado, let's go now."
Finral opened a portal and waved to Asta and Luck.
"Let's go! Asta! Luck! The cute girls are waiting for us!"
"Oh!"
Asta and Luck, one after another, excitedly jumped into the space portal.
Finral turned back, waved to everyone, and then slipped inside.
Buzz—
The portal slowly closed, and the base instantly became much quieter.
Ryoma watched the three disappear, shaking his head helplessly.
He hoped those girls would be alright.
However, just as the portal was about to close completely, a figure silently followed at an extremely fast speed.
It was Noelle.
Her face was tinged with a blush, and she was still muttering softly.
"I... I'm not worried about that little shrimp Asta. I'm just... just going to supervise him to make sure he doesn't do anything that would tarnish the Black Bulls' reputation. Yes. That's it."
With that, she darted in at the last second before the portal closed.
The entire process was smooth and went unnoticed by anyone.
Except for Ryoma.
He saw everything, and the corners of his lips couldn't help but curve slightly upward.
This tsundere royal girl had fallen for Asta after all.
Though she spoke with disdain, her body was more honest than anyone else's.
But then again, that idiot Asta only had Lily on his mind. He probably wouldn't even notice Noelle's feelings.
Constantly saying, "Please marry me," only to be sent flying by Lily's magic again and again.
Was this the so-called protagonist's aura?
Always unknowingly attracting all sorts of beautiful girls.
Ryoma was reflecting when he suddenly felt hurried footsteps and a low murmur behind him.
"Friend... I'll go too... I won't bother you..."
He turned around to see Gordon taking small, quick steps towards the disappearing portal. However, he was ultimately a step too late.
Bang!
Gordon's face solidly hit the wall that had just returned to its original state.
He remained in his forward-charging posture, plastered against the wall, motionless, the background indescribably desolate.
"..."
Ryoma silently averted his gaze.
As expected of the Black Bulls.
Even going to a mixer was so full of twists and turns.
He sighed, no longer paying attention to the farce, and turned to walk towards his room.
It was better to focus on studying Space-Time Magic.