"Hmm, hmm, hmm!"
"My true name is [Fallen Saint Black Cat], the one who commands both heaven and hell!"
With her left hand placed diagonally over her crimson eye, Ruri Gokou swung her right hand forward with a flourish. Her palm began to glow red.
"This magic eye, bestowed upon me by a friend from another world, shall now shine with the light of condemnation! Great Phantasm: Forest of Dreams, Arise! Judgemental Eye!"
Snap, snap, snap!
"Yes! Ruri, that's the look!" Hiroshi exclaimed, quickly taking pictures with his camera as he recorded the precious moment.
Looking through the captured photos on the camera, Hiroshi nodded in satisfaction and gave Ruri a thumbs up as she walked over.
"You really nailed the Amy vibe. As expected of you, Ruri."
"Of course," Ruri flicked her hair back, a smug smile on her face. "This is the perspective shared by my closest friends and me."
"Ruri-chan, you were amazing!" Chika Fujiwara exclaimed, suddenly hugging Ruri tightly to her chest. "I never knew you had this side to you. Though you say some chunibyo lines every now and then in the student council, this is the coolest I've ever seen you! I'm so moved!"
"Mmph! Mmph!" Ruri struggled to escape Chika's embrace, eventually managing to pull her head free. Glaring at Chika, she gave her chest a playful smack. "Chika, were you trying to suffocate me in there?!"
"Hehe, sorry," Chika chuckled sheepishly. "I just got a bit too emotional. I never thought I'd see such a new side of you at Summer Comiket. This trip is totally worth it. Hehe."
Hiroshi was busy flipping through the photos on his camera when Yuu Ishigami approached him, speaking softly as he observed Ruri from a distance. "Senpai, does Gokou act like this at home too?"
"Hmm? Sometimes," Hiroshi replied, hanging the camera around his neck and pulling out his phone. "Look at this. We had a gathering at my place not long ago—Megumin, Ruri, and Amy all together. It was quite a sight."
Ishigami stared at the picture on the phone, his expression one of disbelief. Hiroshi couldn't help but smile mischievously as he explained, "Their titles are [The Strongest Mage of the Crimson Demon Clan], [Fallen Saint Black Cat], and [Prinzessin der Verurteilung Fischl]."
"Oh, by the way," Hiroshi continued, turning to Ishigami, "Ruri invited me to your school festival. I figured I'd bring everyone along. Should be fun, right?"
"Hehehe," Chika had somehow snuck over to take a peek at the photos. With a gleeful smile, she patted Hiroshi on the shoulder. "Then, Hiroshi-senpai, we'll be counting on you for that! I'm super excited to meet Ruri's friends—they all look so interesting!"
"No, no, no!" Ishigami protested, shaking his head furiously as he looked at the nearly overflowing chunibyo vibe of the photos. He turned to Ruri and asked anxiously, "Gokou-san, is this really alright? Letting everyone at school know about this?!"
"Why not?" Ruri blinked and took Hiroshi's hand calmly. "The [Fallen Saint Black Cat] is an inseparable part of me. I have no plans to hide this side of myself at school anymore."
"But you weren't like this at school before!" Ishigami retorted.
"Well," Ruri smiled gently, tilting her head, "during that time, I was training myself to be a bride. Besides, I don't do this all the time. Only in special circumstances or when I'm around specific people do I fully embrace it."
"I think the first-year students who call you 'Onee-sama' might have their dreams shattered if they see you like this during the festival..." Ishigami sighed, nudging the still-frozen Miyuki Shirogane next to him. "President, say something, please?"
"Ah! Uh..." Shirogane looked like a malfunctioning robot as he glanced at Kaguya Shinomiya, who was standing beside him, her hand in his. His mind was running so hot it seemed to overheat. "I think it's great. As the president of Shuchiin Academy and Gokou-san's friend, I wholeheartedly welcome Gokou-san's friends to visit the academy."
He lowered his head mechanically, his face flushed. "Right, Kaguya? You think so too, don't you?"
Boom.
Shinomiya's face, already a rosy shade, turned completely scarlet. She looked up at Shirogane. In her eyes, he appeared to be glowing with a rose-like brilliance, gently calling her name.
"President~~"
A sharp pang shot through her chest, and it felt as if a herd of deer was running amok inside her. Her knees weakened, and Kaguya fell forward, clutching her head.
"Kaguya!" Shirogane quickly caught her, lifting her into his arms. Seeing her dazed and on the verge of fainting, sweat beaded on his forehead.
Frantically scanning for the closest exit, Shirogane shouted in panic, "Hang in there, Kaguya! I'll take you to the infirmary right away!"
"President, my chest hurts..."
Nestled against him, Kaguya gazed up at his worried face, her vision becoming blurrier.
"Hold on, Kaguya! I'll get you treated!"
"President..."
"Stop!"
Suddenly, a cute blonde girl appeared out of nowhere, rushing in and taking Kaguya from Shirogane's arms. She gave everyone a smile before disappearing around the corner.
"Hayasaka... san?" Shirogane mumbled, stunned as he stared at Ai Hayasaka, who had vanished with Kaguya.
"Hmm, that was Shinomiya's maid, right?" Chika tapped her chin, nodding. "Yep, that was definitely her. But what is she doing here?"
In a nearby corner, Hayasaka helped Kaguya onto a bench, pulling out a fan decorated with a girl supposedly named Junri. Fanning Kaguya, she sighed, seeing her mistress still dazed.
"Milady, please, wake up."
"President..."
"I'm not your president. I'm Ai Hayasaka."
"Hayasaka?"
Kaguya blinked, sitting up slowly. After glancing around and taking in her surroundings, she looked at Hayasaka and asked urgently, "Hayasaka, where's the president?!"
"Over there," Hayasaka pointed behind her. She held Kaguya back when she tried to get up. "Milady, you did well today. But please calm down for now. Otherwise, you might faint again."
"Did well?" Kaguya frowned, confused. "What did I do?"
"You were holding hands with Shirogane, and he even carried you."
"Ah!" Kaguya's face turned beet red as she stammered, "He... he called my name, and then he held me! Hayasaka! Analyze this for me! Why did the president act so boldly?! I need to find a way to make him mine forever!"
"Milady, that was your inner thought just now..." Hayasaka shook her head, exhaling as she looked at Kaguya, who now resembled an excited kitten. "Anyway, milady, just keep doing what you're doing. Shirogane won't escape your grasp. Next time, try to kiss him."
"K-kiss?!" Kaguya looked as though she might faint again, clinging to the bench as her mind whirled. "That's far too shameless! Such things should only happen in holy matrimony! How could I do something so indecent while we're only dating?!"
"Also..." she shyly tapped her fingers together. "What if we ended up having a child? I wouldn't be able to see the president every day at the student council anymore."
"???"
Hayasaka stared blankly at Kaguya, wanting to knock some sense into her. "Milady, what era do you think this is?! It looks like you need some lessons. From now on, I'll teach you everything you need to know about being a girlfriend. And I'll come up with a way for you to get used to kissing, too. Otherwise, you'll scare Shirogane into the hospital by fainting."
Grabbing Kaguya's arm, Hayasaka pulled her towards where Shirogane was waiting. "I'll leave you to your date now, milady. But please, try not to faint just because your boyfriend says your name. I might burst out laughing if that happens again."
"Okay..."
Kaguya obediently replied, her face turning crimson as she saw Shirogane rushing over. She went to meet him with flushed cheeks.
Taking his hand, she smiled as she answered his worried questions. With her eyes narrowed, she watched Hayasaka walk away and smiled to herself.
'A practice partner for kissing? It seems I've got a perfect candidate.'
A chill ran through Ishigami's body as he saw the red glint in Kaguya's eyes. He instinctively hugged himself tighter.
'Why does Shinomiya-senpai seem even scarier now that she's back?!'
"Well, President," Kaguya said, holding Shirogane's hand, smiling. "Let's go. There are still many places we haven't seen."
"Oh... Oh!" Shirogane nodded, holding her hand more tightly. "Then let's go, Kaguya."
"Mmm... President." Kaguya's attempt to maintain her composure crumbled again. Her carefully constructed defenses were shattered by the mere sound of Shirogane calling her name.
Her expression shifted from calm to shy in seconds. She whispered, blushing, "Yes."
Today's battle: Kaguya's defeat.