"Ph... Classmate Hōōin..."
"Hmm?"
"You... must have been very popular at school... right? Did you... receive many love letters?"
Shido finished his stuttering question, feeling like he had used up all the courage in his life, his cheeks burning.
Hearing this, Chinatsu sneered inwardly.
(It came, just as expected! A probing question!)
On the surface, however, she suddenly looked as if some strange switch had been flipped. She unconsciously puffed out her (already extremely eye-catching) chest, placed one hand on her hip, and revealed a slight look of smugness and reminiscence—this was a habitual gesture she used when bragging and joking with friends in her previous life.
"Hmph hmph~ Of course!"
Her tone became much lighter (and more boastful).
"Classmate Itsuka, don't underestimate me! Back then, I captivated countless young maidens... ah, ptooey, I captivated countless people! You wouldn't believe how many people liked me! Love letters? Those were weighed by the pound!"
The moment she finished speaking—
[— —!]
Deep inside Shido's right ear, an extremely faint alert tone suddenly sounded from the miniature earpiece!
"!!" Shido suddenly jolted, instinctively turning his head and covering his right ear with his hand, as if earnestly listening to a distant sound. His expression instantly became focused (perhaps even a little vacant), and his steps slowed down.
(Options! The options are here! Miss Reine, quickly analyze her words!)
...Just then, Shido's stuttering voice came through the screen: "...Did you... receive many love letters?" The bridge instantly fell silent, and everyone perked up their ears.
Then, they heard Chinatsu's smug declaration: "Back then, I captivated countless people..."
"!!!!" Kotori suddenly sat up straight: "Love letters? Weighed by the pound? Reine!"
Reine quickly operated the controls: "...Retrieving target's past settings... No relevant data. This statement cannot be verified, leaning towards classifying it as... Boastful Statement."
"Boastful Statement?" Kotori narrowed her eyes, "In other words, she's bragging? What kind of reaction is this?"
[— — Option Triggered — —!]
Just then, Phoenix-in Chinatsu's data fluctuated violently, and the option menu popped up on the side of the main screen.
"The options have appeared!" a crew member shouted.
[One: "Really? That's amazing! (Praise immediately, increase favorability)"]
[Two: "Oh? Are you still in contact with them now? (Inquire further, probe for truth)"]
[Three: "In my heart, Younger Sister Chinatsu is the cutest. (Cheesy pickup line, direct attack)"]
"All hands! Quick selection!"
Kotori gave the order.
"Recommend Option One! Praise immediately is the safest!"
"Option Two! Only by pressing further can we gather intelligence!"
Kannazuki (who had just crawled up from the floor): "Option Three! It must be Option Three! Use a passionate direct approach to melt the iceberg's facade! Commander! Now that's romance!"
(The backend statistics scrolled rapidly)
"Reine, analysis results!"
"...Based on the target's current 'prideful' state, Option One has the highest probability of increasing favorability. Option Two risks triggering her vigilance. Option Three... will most likely result in him being taken for a pervert."
"Alright! We'll choose 1." Kotori had just decided. However, Chinatsu on the screen did not give Shido a chance to choose! She suddenly moved closer and began her performance!
— — — — — — — —
Shido's abrupt and obvious action, along with his instantly changing expression, completely confirmed Chinatsu's suspicion.
(Heh, they're online, alright. The channel connected quite quickly.)
A hint of understanding and mischief flashed in Chinatsu's eyes.
(Trying to trick information out of me? Let's see who gets whom first.)
Watching Shido covering his ear, looking nervous and awaiting "instructions," a brilliant idea—one that would infuriate Kotori—came to her mind.
When Shido seemed to have "heard" the options and turned back with a conflicted expression, just about to speak, Chinatsu acted a step ahead.
She suddenly stopped walking, turned around, and faced Shido directly.
The setting sun gilded her with a golden edge, and her icy blue eyes appeared even deeper in the light.
She tilted her head slightly, bent down, and leaned closer, looking up at Shido who was covering his ear and looking down. The cold lines on her face seemed to soften slightly, and the corner of her mouth curled into an extremely faint curve, yet one enough to make Shido's heart stop.
"Classmate Itsuka has asked so many questions." Her voice was no longer so cool, but instead carried a subtle, soft undertone, "Classmate Itsuka... do you like me?"
As she spoke, she even unconsciously used a slightly charming and naive gesture, gently twirling a strand of hair that fell over her shoulder with her finger.
This action further accentuated the curve of her chest. Coupled with those eyes that seemed to speak volumes, she exuded a natural yet fatal allure.
"Ah—?"
Shido's brain completely crashed!
His face instantly turned red like a ripe tomato, and steam practically rose from his head!
He could clearly hear Kannazuki's strange cry of "Ooh ooh ooh! Excellent reaction!" and Kotori's roar of "idiot! That's not what you were supposed to say!" coming through the headset.
She suddenly took a small step forward, closing the distance between them.
Her icy blue eyes lifted slightly, gazing at Shido. They seemed to be misted over, appearing exceptionally sincere, and even carrying a hint of admiration.
She spoke softly, her voice becoming tender and sweet:
"But... those people were all superficial; they only liked my appearance." She pouted slightly, making a somewhat cute little expression.
"But Classmate Itsuka, you are different..." she continued, her tone growing softer, "My older brother... Koushi, he often used to talk about you to me."
Shido was stunned: "...Koushi talked about me?"
"Mm!" Chinatsu nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling.
"He said, 'Itsuka Shido, that guy, even though he's a nice-guy idiot, he's great at housework, his cooking is superb, and he has a gentle personality. He's a super rare good man! Much better than a shut-in like me who only plays games!'"
(Koushi actually praised me like that?) Shido was a little bewildered by what he heard, feeling inexplicably happy and embarrassed.
Chinatsu watched his reaction, chuckling inwardly, and decided to fan the flames.
A perfect amount of blush appeared on her face, and her voice became lower, carrying a greater sense of dependence:
"And... I feel today that Classmate Itsuka, you really are just like my older brother said, maybe even better... Walking with you, I feel very safe and warm... Completely different from those boys who only stare at me."
As she spoke, she performed an action that completely wiped Shido's mind blank—she very naturally reached out and gently hugged Shido's arm.
She vaguely pressed one of her "slimes" against him, then looked up, and delivered the final blow in a tone bordering on pouting:
"Classmate Itsuka~"
"Uh... Huh??"
Shido's entire body stiffened. The soft sensation on his arm and the breathtakingly beautiful face so close to him made his blood boil and his CPU overload.
"From now on... can I treat you like an older brother too?"
She blinked her large eyes, filled with expectation, "I promise! I will definitely be better behaved and more like a good younger sister than Sister Kotori! Brother Shido~"