Kamisato Ayaka felt conflicted.
Just a moment ago, she had only slightly lost her balance. As a swordsman of Kei Den level, there was no way she would have actually fallen.
Yet, just as she was about to regain her footing, Luo Qing's hand had reached out and wrapped around her waist, holding her steady and preventing her from turning.
He had held her quite firmly—so much so that she could feel his strength through her clothes.
Could it be... Mr. Luo Qing did it on purpose?
Ugh...
"No harm done."
Luo Qing pretended as if nothing had happened, turning to address the onlookers.
"What I demonstrated just now was the first form of the Breath of Thunder technique—'Thunderclap and Flash.' This is what you'll all be learning over the next month. I hope you'll all be able to master it and make it your own."
Aside from Teresa and Kujou Sara, everyone in the crowd looked stunned.
The faint golden lightning that had crackled around Luo Qing as he drew his sword, the sheer power of that single strike—it left them all speechless.
If they could master that technique, their sword skills would improve dramatically.
Excitement spread across their faces.
Luo Qing then turned back to Kamisato Ayaka with a look of approval.
"Miss Kamisato Ayaka, your swordsmanship is quite impressive. From today onward, you'll be our class representative. Do your best, alright?"
"Huh...?"
"M-Master, what does 'class representative' mean...?"
"It means you're the senior student of the class~."
"Oh... um..."
Ayaka bowed her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Meanwhile, the other young swordsmen present had caught on.
It was obvious that Master Luo Qing had a thing for the Kamisato heiress, which was why he kept focusing on her!
But the Kamisato heiress didn't seem to mind. In fact, she looked a bit shy...
Could it be that the two of them were actually...?
Curiosity was in human nature, and as the crowd speculated on their relationship, Luo Qing made a grand gesture, signaling Teresa to bring up the large case.
Under everyone's gaze, Teresa reluctantly opened the case, assembling the giant phonograph and placing it on the platform.
"Alright, everyone! Line up in four rows!"
Luo Qing's command had the crowd quickly falling into formation, mirroring their earlier positions.
"As the ancients say, 'A healthy body is the foundation of revolution.'"
Standing tall on the stage, Luo Qing declared seriously, "Before we begin formal training, it's crucial to start with some daily warm-up exercises. Miss Teresa, my assistant, will now lead you in a warm-up routine!"
He gave Teresa a meaningful look.
[+1 Frustration Value from Teresa]
Understanding his command, Teresa stepped forward, her face troubled, and spoke loudly to the crowd.
"Everyone, follow along with me. I'll demonstrate each move one by one."
With the crowd's eyes on her, Teresa hit the play button on the phonograph.
Suddenly, the Tenryou Commission's courtyard was filled with an upbeat, catchy tune.
"Thump~ thump-thump-thump~ thump-thump-thump-thump, the vast horizon is my love~ the flowers bloom at the foot of the endless green mountains~ what's the rhythm that's the most groovy~?"
"..."
Except for Teresa and Luo Qing, everyone—including Kamisato Ayaka—looked utterly bewildered as they stared at Teresa.
Kujou Sara, who stood in the corner, furrowed her brow and shot a questioning, bewildered look at Luo Qing.
In response, Luo Qing merely smiled, his expression saying, Everything's under control, before stepping forward with a warm smile.
"Don't just stand there, everyone! Move along with Miss Teresa~."
He raised his voice.
"Oh, and by the way, Kujou Sara just said that if you don't follow my instructions, you'll be in trouble~."
The crowd froze, turning their gaze to Kujou Sara.
She remained silent, pretending not to notice, effectively confirming Luo Qing's statement.
"..."
[+1 Frustration Value from Kamisato Ayaka]
[+1 Frustration Value from Umekawa Koko]
[+1 Frustration Value from Shibizai Oji]
[+1 Frustration Value from Zaou Keiko]
...
[Total Frustration Value Earned: 40]
...
Seeing the notification from his system, Luo Qing smiled.
The group had forty students, and he had a full month. If he kept them busy with enough activities—like leading them out to perform group dances in Hanamizaka—he would have no trouble squeezing out more frustration points.
Adding these to his current thirty pulls, a month's time should be enough to get that resurrection armor.
Though it would be a bit tough on Miss Kamisato Ayaka...
Now that he had the Shogunate's tacit approval, the students had no choice but to follow along.
They had no other option but to mimic Teresa's movements and begin the dance.
Standing at the center of the first row, as the heiress of the Kamisato Clan and a prominent figure in the Yashiro Commission, Ayaka had no choice but to comply. She followed Teresa's lead, her movements a bit clumsy.
Ayaka was not much of a dancer. Even with something as simple as a group dance, her moves were a bit stiff compared to the others.
Meanwhile...
Luo Qing stood on the platform, pretending to scan the crowd. In reality, his eyes kept drifting back to Kamisato Ayaka.
Seeing her trying so hard to keep up—her serious yet adorably awkward attempts to follow along—made his heart melt.
If it weren't for the public setting, he would've pulled out a camera and snapped dozens of pictures of her.
But after watching for a while, Luo Qing felt like something was missing.
Observing the enthusiastic but awkwardly clad dancers, he finally realized what was off.
He approached Kujou Sara, speaking quietly.
"Miss Kujou Sara, didn't the Shogun order you to fulfill my reasonable requests?"
"Hmm?"
Kujou Sara looked him up and down, feeling a sense of foreboding at the intense look in his eyes.
"Yes, the Shogun did say that—as long as it's reasonable."
"Well, you see..."
Luo Qing pointed to the crowd on the training ground, who were still dancing awkwardly. He spoke with all seriousness.
"Don't you think they're missing something?"
"Missing... what?"
Kujou Sara was confused.
"A proper set of workout clothes!"
"...?"
"Look at them. Their kimonos are way too loose. It's not practical for dancing at all."
Luo Qing explained earnestly, "I heard there's a tailor shop in Hanamizaka called Ogura Textiles that can make custom outfits. How about you go order some for me?"
"..."
Kujou Sara's expression darkened. She had a million complaints running through her mind, but she didn't know where to start.
Was the Shogun's order for him to teach them group dancing? And now he wanted custom workout clothes?
Could he be any more outrageous?
"It's only reasonable to get them proper attire for training, right?"
Luo Qing added.
"..."
He had a point, and Kujou Sara found herself at a loss for words.
---
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