Asakura walked in the direction of the teaching building as Yukino had said.
On the way from the playground to the teaching building, there were still many stalls that hadn't closed yet. Additionally, there were some scattered tourists who likely didn't want to squeeze into the crowd at the playground, so they chose to stroll around other parts of Sobu High School's campus.
"Big brother?" Suddenly, a crisp voice rang out.
Asakura shuddered, nearly having a PTSD flare-up, but then immediately realized that he seemed to have heard this voice somewhere before.
He turned his head and saw Gokou Hinata with two small braids.
The little girl was wearing a simple yet somewhat elegant old-fashioned dress, looking as beautiful and lovely as a night-blooming cereus in the night.
She was holding a small plastic bag filled with water, with two small goldfish swimming inside.
"Hinata? Why are you here alone? Where are Ruri and Tamaki?" Asakura asked curiously.
"I'm waiting for them here..." the little girl said boldly. "Ruri-nee and Tamaki got lost and got separated from me!"
"..."
No, no matter how you look at it, you were the one who got lost and separated, right?
Leaving the child Tamaki aside, Gokou Ruri often came to Sobu High to play, so it was impossible for her to get lost.
Asakura, with a forehead full of black lines, took out his phone. Considering that Gokou Ruri should be very anxious right now and certainly wouldn't have the heart to look at social groups, he didn't leave a message in the group but instead called her directly.
Before long, Gokou Ruri hurried over with Tamaki.
"I'm truly grateful to Takuma-senpai."
Looking at her sister who was currently licking the candied apple Asakura had bought, the girl visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps because she was visiting the school festival with her sisters, Gokou Ruri was not wearing her usual, somewhat inappropriate black Gothic Lolita dress, but a simple-colored kimono. It looked like the kind of style a girl would wear for an elementary school graduation.
However, this thought only flashed through Asakura's mind—surely this girl's figure and height haven't remained unchanged since her elementary school graduation, right?
Interestingly, although the kimono itself didn't look like a very expensive type, there were some rather exquisite embroideries on the edges. Considering that those embroideries lacked a formal theme—ranging from Lycoris flowers to the Kabbalah Tree of Life symbols—it was likely that Gokou Ruri had embroidered them herself.
Truly skillful and ingenious.
The night breeze gently stroked the girl's hair, as if a gentle hand was lightly moving. Her waist-length black hair was as smooth as silk, swaying softly with the blowing of the night breeze, like flowing clouds in the night sky, elegant and agile. The faint expression of happiness and joy on the girl's face further set off the charm of her mole, making her look as beautiful and ethereal as a spirit in the night.
"Hinata, what should you say at a time like this?" The girl asked her bold sister.
Gokou Hinata thought for a moment, then waved her hand at Asakura.
"No need for thanks."
Then she was knocked on the head by her sister. "The one who should be saying thank you is you!"
"Ugh, I'm just enjoying big brother's school festival in my own way!" Gokou Hinata clutched her head and said aggrievedly. "Besides, this way, Sister can't achieve her main purpose for coming here this time, and doesn't have to keep a straight face as if someone owes her a lot of money."
"You, you, what nonsense are you talking about!"
"It's not nonsense at all. Just now, the low pressure on Ruri-nee's body almost made Tamaki cry from fear."
"Hinata, if you don't restrain yourself a bit more..." Gokou Ruri stared at her sister, trying to put some pressure on her.
"What's wrong?" Gokou Hinata was completely fearless; she wasn't like her sister who had so many dark history handles.
"There's no portion of today's chocolate for you." Gokou Ruri pointed at the Chocolate Holy Grail in Tamaki's hand and said mercilessly to Gokou Hinata.
"No way! Tasting this chocolate cup that looks delicious is my second most important wish today!" Gokou Hinata surrendered immediately.
It seemed that candied apples were still not as important to her as chocolate.
Gokou Ruri took a deep breath and said to Asakura, "Let you see something embarrassing."
"It's nothing, Hinata's personality is quite cute." Asakura said politely.
"It's over, big brother has taken a fancy to Hinata, Ruri-nee you have no chance." Gokou Hinata said boldly, and then was hit on the forehead by her sister's expressionless elbow, leaving her to clutch her forehead and shout about unfairness.
Asakura noticed that Gokou Ruri showed a somewhat hesitant expression.
"Does Ruri have something she wants to say?" So he took the initiative to ask.
"There are some things." Gokou Ruri nodded generously upon hearing this.
"Is it about this side (reality) or that side (supernatural)?" Asakura asked vaguely.
Gokou Ruri obviously understood his meaning and followed up by saying, "It's about 'that side'."
"Is there a problem with the magic?" Asakura asked with concern.
After all, Gokou Ruri had previously turned into a cat because the magic went out of control. Although she has him now, the girl shouldn't reach the point where the magic goes out of control again, but necessary concern is still important.
"It's a good thing."
Gokou Ruri's eyes flickered with a light of unclear meaning because it wasn't as clear as a fan-shaped graph, so Asakura worked hard to distinguish it for a moment, and only felt the part of excitement from the other party's complex emotions. "However, it's not very convenient to chat now, let's wait until next time to tell Takuma-senpai the specific situation."
"As long as it's not a bad thing..."
Before Asakura could finish, the girl had already spoken.
"If I must describe it..." she said, "I feel like I'm already invincible in the world."
"...Huh?"
Asakura looked at Gokou Ruri, his expression stunned.
The girl met his gaze. Although the small expression on her face looked a bit indifferent, Asakura felt that the girl was inexplicably feeling triumphant.
"Ah, of course, because of the shackles of magic power, there are certainly limits, but—" The girl rolled up her sleeves and made a robust gesture. "The current me is terrifyingly strong! Maybe even Takuma-senpai is no longer my opponent!"
Asakura thought about it and then realized that Gokou Ruri had not participated in the previous great battle at Chiba Port Tower, nor had she sensed the confrontation between himself and the Evil God in the cracks of time. In the girl's impression, he seemed to have never truly displayed his real power...
"...As long as you're happy." So Asakura could only laugh it off.
"Aha."
Gokou Hinata looked at Asakura and then at Gokou Ruri, revealing an 'adulterous' mischievous smile, but ended up being elbowed by her sister again.
"Right, Ruri, did you see Asagumo?" Asakura suddenly remembered something and asked Gokou Ruri while performing the punishment of twisting both fists against Hinata's temples.