"Hmm?"
Mai, who was both scared and expectant but outwardly resisting, suddenly noticed that Rei Ao had stopped moving. Her hazy eyes now carried a trace of confusion.
"What's wrong?"
Rei Ao let go of her and sighed. "There's a trade request."
"..."
Hearing the word "trade," Mai's expression darkened, and she spoke coldly, filled with jealousy. "Is it Saeko or Ayame?"
However, Rei Ao shook his head.
"Neither. It's Stella. And this time, it's a proper trade."
Surprised as she was, Mai couldn't help but laugh in irritation.
"Oh, so you *do* know that some of those aren't proper trades."
"Am I not good enough for you? Isn't one of me enough?"
Her jealousy flared as she shot him a sharp look.
Without a word, Rei Ao kissed her on the lips.
Moments later.
Holding the now-blushing Mai in his arms, he softly whispered, "I'm sorry, Mai."
"This heart of mine is destined not to love only one person, but I can give all of myself to you."
"..."
Mai's jealousy had mostly dissipated during the long kiss. She also knew she couldn't tie Rei Ao down. He was the leader of this chat group, and she couldn't even begin to imagine how powerful he would become or how large the gap between them might grow in the future.
"I understand… but when you look at me, I want your eyes to only be on me. Never forget me."
This was the smallest request Mai could make.
"Of course, I promise."
After reassuring Mai, Rei Ao turned his attention to Stella's trade.
Kurono Shinguuji.
The principal of Hagun Academy.
A former KOK alliance competitor.
She was once ranked third in the world.
Her ability involved causality interference with time manipulation.
It seemed she retired after getting married.
However, little was known about her reasons for marriage—there was no mention of who her husband was or whether she had children.
This was his impression of her.
But how strong she actually was remained unclear.
The people from that world generally relied on individual strength, and their performance hadn't been overwhelmingly powerful.
Stella's information appeared before his eyes.
[Name]: Stella Vermillion
[Level]: 18
[Abilities]: "Dragon God's Possession (Unawakened State)", "Royal Swordsmanship", "Inherent Device: Lævateinn"
The famed Crimson Princess was only at level 18.
So he estimated that Kurono Shinguuji might not be that strong either.
"Maybe it's worth a visit."
After some thought, Rei Ao made his choice.
He chose "Dragon God's Possession" as the condition for the trade.
Not long after, Stella confirmed the trade.
[Ding! The trade has begun!]
[Trade Partner]: Stella
[Trade Content]: Convince Principal Kurono Shinguuji to approve her request for a single dorm room.
[Trade Condition]: Dragon God's Possession
[Duration]: 3 hours
Seeing the prompt from the chat group, Mai's expression became worried.
"Rei Ao-kun, will it be dangerous?"
Rei Ao shook his head. "I'm not sure yet."
"..."
Mai bit her lip, mustering her courage as she spoke. "Please be safe and come back."
"And when you return, I... I'll let you cuddle..."
"!!!"
Rei Ao's eyes lit up instantly.
Yesterday, she had pushed him away forcefully when he even tried to snuggle, flat-out rejecting any further advances. Now, Mai was offering this voluntarily, making him excited.
"If I can cuddle, then does that mean…"
But Mai's face turned stern. "No!"
Then, worried that Rei Ao might get upset, her voice softened as she pleaded, "Rei Ao-kun, please give me some time. I promise to give you my best self."
Seeing her so humble, Rei Ao affectionately caressed her face.
"I'll wait for you."
With that, he disappeared from Mai's sight.
For a moment, she felt a sense of loss.
But then she thought about when Rei Ao would return…
Her whole body began to flush.
"I-I should take a bath first."
Mai was so nervous that she didn't even realize she was walking awkwardly.
...
"Why?"
Stella slammed her hands down on the office desk.
Across from her sat a calm, composed woman dressed formally with neatly tied hair.
Kurono Shinguuji.
Principal of Hagun Academy.
Stella glared at her with fury in her eyes.
"Why do I have to share a dorm room with a man? And not just any man, but that peeping tom!"
"Do you know that I am a princess of the Vermillion Kingdom? What are you trying to do to my royal reputation?"
Kurono Shinguuji looked up and replied calmly, "You burned down an entire dormitory."
"Huh?"
Stella was so furious that her inner flames surged.
The temperature in the office began to rise.
"Just because I burned down one dorm, I have to share a room with a man? Is this a joke?"
"Do you think my kingdom can't afford to compensate for one dormitory?"
Kurono Shinguuji ignored the rising flames and responded indifferently, "Those are the rules of Hagun Academy."
"What a ridiculous rule. I refuse to follow it!"
"Well said."
Suddenly, Rei Ao appeared in the tense moment, clapping his hands.
Kurono Shinguuji's sharp eyes focused on him.
"And who might you be? How did you appear in Hagun Academy without making a sound?"
Her tone was cautious.
From the beginning, she hadn't sensed Rei Ao's presence at all, nor could she gauge his strength.
But Rei Ao could see right through her.
[Name]: Kurono Shinguuji
[Level]: 23
[Abilities]: "Causality Time Manipulation", "Inherent Device: Propater", "Inherent Device: Ennoia"
~~~
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