Yuuka, who had lifted her teacup, frowned.
She felt someone talking about her.
She let it go, since it was probably some useless thing gossiping behind her back.
It was not worth her attention.
"Shameimaru said she would publish my interview in the newspaper. Can I take a look at it?" Yuto asked.
The smile on Yukari's lips grew stronger. "She got injured from the fall, so she didn't have time to publish the newspaper."
"I see. That's too bad." Yuto nodded.
He muttered to himself, "She wouldn't write anything strange, right?"
When the others heard this, their hearts stirred. As for Yuuka— She made a decision.
She would visit Aya again later!
More guests arrived and the spacious hall became noisy.
When another group entered, Yukari's face showed surprise. However, it returned to calm in the next instant.
Yuto noticed Yukari's expression.
Following her gaze, he looked toward the newly arrived group. When he saw the person leading them, his heart trembled.
Even after seeing so many beautiful girls, he found it difficult to remain calm.
A noble robe draped over her body, and her face was like the moon in the sky.
Distant, perfect, and unreachable.
Her aura mirrored the legendary goddess of the moon!
If Alice leaned toward the ultimate beauty of the West, then this girl was the ultimate beauty of Eastern aesthetics.
Two people followed her.
They were Yagokoro Eirin and Reisen.
The three walked straight toward Yuto, ignoring the noisy chaos.
Only Mokou's eyes burned with intensity. If Keine had not held her back, she would have rushed over.
"I didn't expect Remi to invite you too." Yukari looked at Eirin.
The two shared similar auras.
Both possessed wisdom and depth, and neither lost to the other in appearance.
"That little vampire is bold." Eirin smiled.
Her gaze settled on Yuto.
Those eyes, like stars in the heavens, filled with curiosity and doubt.
Yuto smiled and nodded to Eirin. "It seems the rumors were true after all."
Eirin glanced at Yuuka with interest.
Yuuka responded with a warning look. Just as Yuto prepared to ask what rumors she meant, the girl leading the group spoke.
"Did you come here from outside Gensokyo?"
"Yes," Yuto nodded. His answer made the girl look more curious.
She and Eirin sat beside Yuto.
Reisen lacked the courage to join them and chose another seat.
"I am going to call Yuyuko over now, so please excuse me. Kamisaka-kun, don't miss me too much, all right?" Yukari's teasing tone left Yuto feeling helpless.
"Has old age made you spout nonsense?" Yuuka's calm remark made Yukari's expression stiffen.
"Tch. Yuuka cares about Kamisaka-kun, doesn't she? She won't let me make a joke." Finishing her sentence, she slipped into a gap and fled.
Yuuka's aura stirred.
Yuto glanced at her. A faint blush touched the edge of her cheek.
It was almost invisible, like a transparent veil of red.
"What are you looking at?" Yuuka's question startled Yuto.
"Nothing," Yuto answered. Nervousness rose in his heart.
He had not expected to be caught sneaking a look!
Yuuka said nothing more, though the way the others looked at her became interesting.
Reimu curled her lips in amusement, while Eirin shook her head.
Only the fox shikigami, whose master had run away after causing trouble, looked panicked.
Her master had stirred things up and escaped, leaving her to endure the pressure alone.
Meanwhile, the girl Eirin called princess kept her attention fixed on Yuto.
Yuto turned his gaze toward her.
"What is it?" he asked.
The girl smiled. "I was curious about how you came to Gensokyo."
Her manner of speaking carried an old-fashioned elegance.
Yuto nodded and told her about the restaurant.
There was no need to hide its existence.
As he explained, the expressions in the girl's and Eirin's eyes shifted.
Eirin was surprised.
Having stayed in the Bamboo Forest isolated from the outside world, she lacked knowledge of many things.
Yuto and the girl continued talking. Seeing her curiosity, he explained a few things about the restaurant. In passing, he mentioned some customers were fond of playing games.
It was an offhand comment, but the moment he said it, the girl's eyes changed.
"Oh? Games? What kind of games?" The aura she carried earlier faded.
"Lately, they've been obsessed with VR games," Yuto smiled.
"VR games?! You mean the kind where your mind enters a game world?" The mention of VR games made the girl excited.
Yuto nodded. "Yes. You put on a headset. I have one, though I haven't played it yet."
The girl's expression became restless, and her eyes filled with envy and longing.
Watching her expression change, Yuto felt surprised and found it odd.
He sensed a specific "vibe" coming from her.
It was the worn-down aura of someone who spent too much time indoors, playing games and drinking cola like a shut-in.
'No way... I must be overthinking it.' Yuto denied the thought in his heart.
"Princess, please maintain your composure." Eirin glanced at her princess, feeling helpless.
She had spent time emphasizing proper etiquette back at Eientei, yet it seemed wasted.
"Come on, Eirin, you don't understand! This is VR gaming! VR! I've never played a VR game before!" the girl spoke to Eirin with excitement.
Every trace of her noble posture shattered with that outburst.
Yuto's mind went blank.
Eirin fell silent before letting out a helpless sigh. She knew this would happen.
Her princess had fallen so far there was no saving her. In that case, she could only resort to threats!
"Princess, you still want your 'games', don't you?" Eirin smiled.
Hearing that sentence, Yuto wondered if he had misheard.
'Games? Was she talking about the same thing Ainz and Rimuru obsessed over?'
"Nani?! Eirin! I can't believe you would stoop so low!" The girl was shocked.
She raised a trembling finger toward Eirin, her face turning pale.
"Please maintain your etiquette." Eirin smiled.
The girl gave a muffled groan, as if suffering an internal injury, and her expression became gloomy.
Yuto stared at the change in disbelief.
Where did that noble princess go?
"Eirin, this time, I must stand firm. If it means I can try a VR game once, then throw those games away!" The gloomy girl raised her head, and a fierce aura burned around her.
At that moment, she looked like a warrior who had made up her mind.
Eirin watched her, then let out a long sigh.
There was no saving her.
Her princess was beyond saving!
As for Yuto, he no longer knew what to say. He never expected this beautiful girl's real personality to be like this.
The awe he felt when he first saw her vanished. Wasn't this just a female version of a shut-in otaku?
Judging from how far gone she was, she was a severe case.
He felt disappointed.
A princess who had seemed so noble a moment ago turned into a full-blown NEET.
"Sigh..."
When Yukari returned with Yuyuko, Kaguya was still being educated by Eirin, though it was not having much effect.
The scene made Yukari laugh.
She knew this girl would not keep up her act for long.
More girls gathered in the hall, and when Remi walked in, it meant all the guests had arrived.
Yuto swept his gaze across the room, and his feelings became complicated.
There were no men here.
He was the only one.
'Ah... This...'
...
This was the most chaotic banquet Kamisaka Yuto had ever seen.
It was like someone had unleashed a pack of Huskies into the hall.
Alcohol spilled across the floor, mingling with scattered trash.
Laughter, shouting, arguments, and chases filled every corner of the room.
The girls had cast aside any concern for their image, letting loose to their hearts' content.
Flushed red from the drink, their words and actions grew bold, open, and shocking enough to make people wonder what they were watching.
Faces that belonged on goddesses now performed one ridiculous comedy act after another.
An oni loli skilled at pushing drinks wandered through the banquet.
Wherever she went, the girls had to drink a great deal of alcohol.
Even the children could not escape Suika's pressure. In her understanding, drinking had nothing to do with body size or age.
No matter who it was, just drink!
Besides, she barely counted as a child herself.
Plied with alcohol, the girls grew rowdier. They chattered over the noise, slapping tables or stomping the floor to emphasize their words.
Even the gentle and refined Keine sported flushed cheeks and unfocused eyes.
Shouts, laughter, slaps, reprimands, and uninhibited cackles tangled in the air.
The hall grew louder than a group of aunties blasting music for a square dance.
The atmosphere blazed with energy, like a grand festival at its peak.
"Waaah! Don't pull my tail!"
"Cirno! Don't bite! Don't! Don't!"
"Awoo~~"
"I am... hic! The master of the Scarlet Devil Mansion... hic! You all... hic!... Urgh—"
"Remi-sama!"
"Uwaaaah~~ Sakuya-sama~~ Please don't deduct my salary anymore~~~ Hic~~ Huh? Wait, isn't this Sakuya-sama's leg?"
"You idiot Hong Meiling! You're hugging Keine's leg!"
"Mokou, don't get so angry."
"Reisen, stop right there! Let me pull your ears!"
"Waaah! Noooo!"
"Hahahaha! Drink, drink, drink!"
"Eek—nooo~~~"
"Hehehe..."
"Alice, I'm going to make you collapse! Then I'll hang you up! Hic! DA☆ZE!"
"Just a mere mouse..."
The girls had entered a state of muddled consciousness.
For the only man present, the scene might have counted as a blessing.
But if Yuto was honest, he felt helpless!
It offered a feast for the eyes, but the scene was too chaotic, and Yuuka sat beside him.
For some reason, the air around Yuuka seemed to grow colder.
The calmest place in the hall was the area around Yuto.
Several of Gensokyo's strongest figures sat in this section, and Yuuka's mood was poor.
What girl would dare come over and cause trouble?
"This is... lively." Looking at the scene, Yuto forced a dry laugh.
"Since it's a banquet, it should be lively." Yakumo Yukari offered a small smile.
Yuto agreed with her.
Although noisy, sitting in the middle of it all gave him a subtle sense of peace and satisfaction.
It was hard to describe the feeling with simple words. It could only be touched with the heart.
"Good thing this is at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. If this were at the shrine, I'd be annoyed to death." Reimu clicked her tongue, a look of relief on her face.
Every time a banquet happened at the shrine, no one helped her clean up the chaos.
She had to tidy everything herself.
For a lazy shrine maiden, that was unbearable!
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