ShareWho, who wants to date him!"
Jenni Ortega's face suddenly turned red as she pointed at Butler and shouted loudly.
"I'm just repaying this guy's favor, don't get me wrong!"
Hearing this, Erend raised his eyebrows.
"Favor?"
He looked at Butler, expecting an explanation.
"Actually..."
Butler smiled bitterly and explained.
It turned out that after the last duel in the girls' dormitory, Jenni Ortega was attacked again.
That time, Butler was there once more and helped Jenni Ortega.
Naturally, Jenni Ortega, who had been helped, couldn't continue giving Butler a cold shoulder. She had to put aside the previous matter and insist that she would repay him.
But how could Butler care?
Seeing that Jenni Ortega was stubborn and kept insisting on repaying him, Butler, distressed, suddenly had an idea.
Since she was determined to return the favor, why not have her take him around and help him get familiar with the layout of Asterisk?
After all, he had just arrived and was unfamiliar with the place. What if he got lost and wandered into the wrong area again?
So, he needed a guide to take him out for a proper tour.
This was reasonable, wasn't it?
Very reasonable!
…It was completely unreasonable! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
What kind of harem-like behavior was this?
She just wanted to repay a favor, but he turned it into a sightseeing trip?
And he still claimed this wasn't a date?
If this were the real world, everyone would see through this excuse immediately. No one would believe it wasn't intentional.
But… this was a fantasy world.
Adhering to the usual style of a male protagonist in English light novels, this behavior was not intentional but purely accidental.
Unintentional flirting is the most dangerous type, and this was a perfect example of normal plot progression, wasn't it?
Erend couldn't stop himself from complaining internally. Unfortunately, he could only keep his thoughts to himself.
Of course, at least one thing was certain.
"Asking us out is really just an afterthought."
Since she wanted to repay a favor, she might as well include everyone.
That was probably why Jenni Ortega had extended the invitation to both Erend and Kane, right?
She had unintentionally ruined what could have been a private moment for a man and a woman. If Butler had any ulterior motives, he would have been crying inside while pretending to be happy on the outside. But as the typical oblivious male lead, he just stood there grinning foolishly.
"Where is Ferguson?" Erend shifted the topic, uninterested in the melodrama. "Didn't she accept your invitation?"
Erend vaguely recalled that Ferguson's uncle had instructed her to maintain distance from the top twelve fighters to avoid attracting attention.
So, if Ferguson had refused Jenni Ortega's invitation, Erend wouldn't have been surprised.
However…
"At first, she did decline politely and seemed to be in a dilemma," Jenni Ortega admitted, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "I didn't want to pressure her too much, but I heard she wasn't in good condition after saving me last time, so I insisted a little more."
Jenni Ortega didn't know that Ferguson had an uncle who was extremely controlling and ambitious.
But she could tell that Ferguson had been affected by someone after saving her.
With that in mind, Jenni Ortega couldn't just ignore it.
Understanding Jenni Ortega's true intentions, Erend had a realization.
"Maybe the real reason she invited us was because of Ferguson?"
Ferguson had not been in good shape since saving Jenni Ortega. The matter had even been reported online.
If Erend could see it, so could Jenni Ortega.
That was why the usually aloof princess was going out of her way to be social. With Butler's help, she extended an invitation to both Erend and Ferguson for a meal.
She may have said it was to repay a favor, but a simple meal wasn't enough to settle that debt.
At least, Jenni Ortega wouldn't think so.
So, the biggest reason for this invitation was Ferguson.
In other words, Erend and Butler were just extras…
"It looks like she's here."
As Erend pieced things together, Jenni Ortega noticed something, turned toward the school gate, and spoke.
"Yes, sorry! I'm late!"
A crisp voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention to the entrance.
The next second, everyone saw a girl rushing toward them in a panic.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long."
Kane ran up to the group, bowing deeply to apologize.
But at that moment, neither Erend nor Butler, not even Jenni Ortega, paid attention to her words.
They were all staring at Kane's outfit.
Today, Kane wasn't wearing her usual school uniform. Instead, she was dressed in casual clothes.
She wore a white, long-sleeved top with lace edges, the type with buttons on the chest. The hem was tucked into a blue pleated skirt that sat high on her waist. The skirt was shorter than Jenni Ortega's dress, barely reaching her knees. Her thighs were left bare, and she wore medium-length boots on her feet.
The outfit wasn't extravagant, but it was youthful—perfect for a girl her age.
But…
"Stare... (￢_￢)"
Everyone's eyes seemed to be drawn toward her with magnetic force. They couldn't help but focus on her clothes, which looked like they might burst at any moment.
"W-What's wrong?"
Feeling the subtle gazes and odd expressions, Kane panicked even more.
Why were they looking at her like that?
Was there something wrong with her outfit?
But… but this was the only thing she had that still fit!
It had only been a little over two months since she started school, and the clothes she had brought with her no longer fit properly. She had no choice… o(╥﹏╥)o
"I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
Kane's eyes filled with tears as she bowed repeatedly in apology.
Little did she know, her flustered movements only emphasized her assets even more. Even Butler, the so-called pure-hearted warrior, had to turn his head away, his face turning red.
"N-No, it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. You don't need to apologize," Jenni Ortega finally reacted and tried to reassure her. However, her voice sounded stiff, her smile forced, and even the corners of her eyes looked teary, as if she had just suffered an unknown emotional blow.
"Yes, Kane," Erend coughed twice, forcing himself to stay composed. "You arrived a few minutes before the agreed time. You're not late, so there's no need to apologize."
"R-Really?" Kane hesitantly glanced at her seniors. Although she still found their expressions strange, she let out a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and said, "That's good..."
Erend resisted the urge to react to her movements and turned to Jenni Ortega instead.
"Now that everyone's here, Your Highness, where are we going to eat?"
If he remembered correctly, Jenni Ortega didn't go out much herself.
Did she really know a good place to eat?
Erend had strong doubts.
"What's with that look?" Jenni Ortega frowned at him, visibly dissatisfied. "Of course, I know where to eat!"
…Though, in reality, she had only picked the restaurant from an online guide recommended by Claudia.
After all, Claudia had good taste… right?
"Let's go," Jenni Ortega said, holding up her parasol confidently. "I'll take you to the commercial district."
With that, she began walking enthusiastically.
Butler and Kane followed quickly behind her.
Only Erend stood still, expressionless.
"According to the map, the commercial district is in the opposite direction."
Silence.
A group of students who had rarely left campus, let alone explored Asterisk, froze on the spot.
"Ah..."
Erend sighed like an exhausted father.
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