Rei Ao certainly remembered the kiss he had shared with Shizue Izawa.
Rei Ao: "It was when the Fire Spirit Ifrit went berserk. I granted Shizue a protective blessing through a kiss to stabilize her body, which was on the verge of shattering."
Frieren: "Ah, that was during the last unexpected exchange, wasn't it?"
Mai Sakurajima: "Does the blessing have to be granted through a kiss?"
Rei Ao: "Of course not. I just happen to prefer the ceremonial feel of it."
Stella: "Huh? Are you sure that's not just an excuse to take advantage?"
Rei Ao: "You could see it that way, but only if we're talking about beautiful women."
Frieren: "Rei Ao, you're as blunt as ever. By the way, is there a way for me to get a blessing?"
Rei Ao: "Of course. The specifics... well, you understand."
Frieren: "A trade... Sigh. Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer but my body."
Shizue Izawa: "Actually, that was my f-first kiss. Sister Velgrynd told me that having Rei Ao's blessing meant I was his woman, so..."
This statement essentially clarified the topic.
Rei Ao: "You don't need to think too much about it."
Rei Ao: "A blessing doesn't mean anything beyond its purpose. At that moment, it was simply the only way I could repair your broken body."
Rei Ao: "So there's no need for you to regard yourself as my woman just because of the blessing."
Shizue Izawa: "I-Is that so…"
Shizue's expression suddenly became a bit downcast.
In truth, she had a favorable impression of Rei Ao, who had saved her life.
Moreover, Velgrynd and Velzard's earlier whispers had already led her to accept the idea.
But Rei Ao's words now made her feel unworthy.
"Sigh."
Velzard let out a soft sigh at the sight.
"Shizue, you're just too honest."
She couldn't bear to watch anymore. Shizue was overly considerate of others and a bit self-deprecating.
"You can't let your happiness slip away. I guess I'll have to step in for you."
Without hesitation, Velzard tagged Rei Ao in the group chat.
Velgrynd: "@Rei Ao, you're mistaken. Shizue likes you and wants to mate with you. You wouldn't refuse that, would you?"
Shizue Izawa: "Eh?!"
"S-Sister Velgrynd!"
Shizue's face turned beet red.
"M-Mate? That sounds like something a wild animal would do!"
Velzard chuckled from the side.
"I think Velgrynd is absolutely right. Happiness is something you need to chase for yourself."
Both Velzard and Velgrynd genuinely cared for Shizue. In their eyes, she was truly "one of their own."
Velzard: "Rei Ao, I can vouch for her—it's true!"
Velzard: "Just now, when you rejected her, Shizue was really down. She probably thinks she's not good enough for you and that you dislike her."
Rei Ao: "What?"
That really surprised him.
Rei Ao: "I'm sorry, Shizue. You might have misunderstood my intentions."
Rei Ao: "I didn't mean to make you feel disliked or unworthy. I just hoped that if you liked me, it wouldn't be because of something like a blessing that forces your hand."
Shizue Izawa: "So... Rei Ao, you don't dislike me?"
Rei Ao: "Of course not."
Rei Ao: "On the contrary, even if you hadn't confessed to me, I would have found an opportunity to pursue you myself."
Rei Ao: "After all, when I first met you, I realized one thing: I had to have you."
Shizue Izawa: "Wha—!"
Shizue hadn't expected such an intense confession to be turned back on her so suddenly.
She could barely control her racing heartbeat.
Rei Ao: "Are you sure this is truly what you want?"
Rei Ao confirmed once more.
Shizue Izawa: "Yes!"
Shizue answered without the slightest hesitation.
Rei Ao: "Alright. From now on, Shizue, you're my woman. Let's head over to Stella's later to watch the match together."
He had no reason to refuse someone who willingly came to him.
Shizue Izawa: "Okay."
…
Main Chatroom:
Shinoa Hiragi: "Even though I couldn't chime in on your earlier conversation, the gossip was quite entertaining."
Hijiri Kasuga: "Mm, romantic gossip is definitely intriguing, but… harems and all that—don't you think it's a bit too unrealistic?"
Rei Ao: "If crossing worlds is possible, what can't be considered realistic?"
Hijiri Kasuga: "That's… true, I suppose…"
Tohru: "Haha, that was a decisive comeback!"
Never mind crossing worlds—
Tohru's own world had its share of magic. Some mages indeed had more than one romantic partner, though nothing as exaggerated as what the chat group suggested.
Shinoa Hiragi: "So, can anyone tell me what being chosen by this chat group actually means?"
Ayame Yomogawa: "Maybe it means the chance for salvation?"
Saeko Busujima: "It could also be an opportunity to embark on a new path."
Rei Ao: "What being chosen represents depends on your own needs."
Rei Ao: "But at its core, it's still about trade and interaction."
Shinoa Hiragi: "I see. Thank you for the clarification."
Stella: "@Rei Ao, my match is about to start. Hurry up and get over here!"
Rei Ao: "Eager, are we?"
Stella: "Who's eager?! I just want to show you how strong I am!"
Rei Ao: "Alright, alright."
Shinoa Hiragi: "And what are you two talking about now?"
Saeko Busujima: "To put it simply, Stella's academy is holding an internal ranking match, and she's invited Rei Ao to watch."
Shinoa Hiragi: "Aren't they from different worlds? Are they really traveling across worlds to do this?"
Mai Sakurajima: "That's right."
Hijiri Kasuga: "Is that actually possible?!"
Rei Ao: "If you want to experience it yourself, just accept the world-travel prompt when it appears."
As soon as he said this, a prompt popped up in the chat group.
He had already informed Kuro beforehand.
[Ding! Trade Initiated!]
[Trade Partner]: Kurono Shinguji
[Trade Details]: Watching the Hagun Academy internal matches
[Trade Condition]: 'One-time body usage rights'
[Duration]: 3 hours
But three hours clearly wouldn't be enough, so a second trade immediately followed:
…
[Ding! Trade Initiated!]
[Trade Partner]: Kurono Shinguji
[Trade Details]: Bang Her
[Trade Condition]: 'One-time body usage rights'
[Duration]: 3 hours
With these two trades, they now had six hours.
"So annoying," Rei Ao muttered. "Isn't there a way to get longer stays in a single trade?"
As if on cue, a new prompt appeared:
[Ding! Your special request has been detected. The chat group's trade system will undergo an upgrade to address extended-stay trades. Estimated time: 24 hours. Please look forward to it!]
"..."
Rei Ao had just been about to leave a bad review, but now he had to give five stars.
"24 hours? I'll be looking forward to it."
Hopefully, the chat group would deliver something worthwhile.