Free Web NovelChapter 320: Chapter 320: Love Detective, Deciding to Strike
Chapter 320: Love Detective, Deciding to Strike
Kaguya Shinomiya stood on the podium. When she saw the figure appearing at the auditorium doors, she froze for a brief moment before speaking into the microphone.
"No, you are just in time, Vice President."
Asagiri nodded and walked toward the podium, his hand still firmly holding Kato Megumi’s.
"Who is that with Utsunomiya-san?"
"Looking at her uniform, she’s a student from Toyosaki Private Academy."
"Huh? A student from our school? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her before."
Hearing the whispers spreading through the auditorium and feeling the gaze of the entire hall fall upon her, even Kato Megumi, with her extraordinary composure, could not stop a blush from creeping onto her face.
Yet, as she looked at Asagiri’s back while he led her forward half a step ahead, her eyes softened with emotion.
For as long as Kato Megumi could remember, she had never once become the focus of everyone’s attention like this.
Because she did not attend the same school as Asagiri and the others, even after becoming a Player and entering a romantic relationship with him, she had never stood under such widespread attention with Asagiri the way Iwanaga Kotoko and Yuuki Asuna had.
Did Kato Megumi enjoy being the center of attention?
She could not say she liked it, but she did not hate it either.
However, she knew one thing very clearly.
Because Asagiri was beside her, and because she was holding his hand, she absolutely loved this moment. She could even say it was one of the top three most wonderful moments of her life.
As for first and second?
First was the moment she became Asagiri’s lover.
Second was the moment she first met him and got to know him.
"Alright..."
When they reached the first few rows, Kato Megumi gently scratched Asagiri’s palm with her thumb. Her voice was soft and cute, tinged with a little shyness and awkwardness.
"This is where our class is sitting. Are you still not going to let go? Do you plan to drag me up there and make me give the speech with you?"
Asagiri nodded without hesitation and smiled.
"I think that could work."
"Forget it."
Kato Megumi smiled gently, her tone soft.
"I’m not socially anxious, but I’m also not a social terrorist like you. Besides, this stage wasn’t prepared for me. I’ll just sit with Yamauchi Sakura and quietly enjoy your performance from the audience."
"That works too. I have no objection."
After Kato Megumi stepped into her class’s designated area, Asagiri walked toward the podium.
Then, with an incredibly elegant and handsome movement that drew gasps of admiration from both teachers and students, he leaped directly onto the wooden stage nearly 1.2 meters high.
"You really never forget to show off, no matter the time or place."
Kaguya Shinomiya stepped back, voluntarily yielding the main position at the microphone to Asagiri, and whispered as she passed by him.
"It’s in your hands, Vice President."
Asagiri was brimming with confidence.
"Don’t worry. Just warm a pot of wine, and I’ll return after cutting down this brat."
Kaguya Shinomiya sighed when she heard that and could not help but retort.
"You are the Vice President of the Shuchiin Academy Student Council, not some mounted archer about to ride into battle. You’re being abstract again."
After Kaguya Shinomiya retreated behind the curtain at the side of the stage, she noticed that Fujiwara Chika was not looking at her. Instead, Chika was gazing at Asagiri in front of the podium.
Kaguya did not think too much of it. She assumed Chika was simply worried about whether the plan would go smoothly, so she softly reassured her.
"Don’t worry. Our Vice President is very strong."
"Yeah..."
Fujiwara Chika’s smile was not as sweet as usual. It looked somewhat forced.
In her eyes, reflected by Asagiri’s figure, there was a complicated emotion she could not quite hide.
However, while Kaguya Shinomiya had an extremely high IQ, her emotional intelligence was below average. Her ability to perceive the subtle emotional changes of those around her could not compare to Kato Megumi, the ceiling of emotional intelligence, so she did not notice Fujiwara Chika’s unusual behavior.
"Hey, Kaguya."
"What is it, Chika?"
"I remember... you’ve never given away something that belonged to you to anyone else, right?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing Fujiwara Chika’s words, which seemed to vaguely contain some deeper meaning, Kaguya Shinomiya hesitated for a moment before replying indifferently.
"What are you talking about? Weren’t you there in junior high? To fit in better with the group, I would sometimes deliberately avoid taking first place..."
"No, that’s not what I mean."
Fujiwara Chika shook her head. Her tone was no longer abstract or playful, but carried an inexplicable seriousness.
"Back then, you were only thinking about intentionally giving up first place. You weren’t giving it to any specific person. As long as the first place wasn’t you, that was enough. That doesn’t count as giving your things to someone else. In my memory, you’ve only given your things to someone else three times."
"Chika? What’s with you today..."
Fujiwara Chika ignored Kaguya Shinomiya’s question and continued on her own.
"The first time, you gave the campaign speech opportunity to Utsunomiya-san. The second time, you gave the Ring of Conversion, equipment that perfectly suited your abilities, something extremely important to you at the time and could even be considered a matter of life and death, to Utsunomiya-san. And this time, for this important speech that will determine Shuchiin Academy’s future Chairman, you once again gave it to Utsunomiya-san."
After saying this, Fujiwara Chika turned her head and stared intently into Kaguya Shinomiya’s eyes, speaking word by word.
"Kaguya, you like Utsunomiya-san. Not as a friend, but in the way where you want to become his lover, right?"
Kaguya Shinomiya froze when she heard that. Then a hint of shyness appeared on her face.
"You... what are you suddenly saying...?" fгeewebnovёl.com
Fujiwara Chika did not let Kaguya Shinomiya slip away. Instead, she pressed forward with an attitude uncharacteristic of her, even seeming somewhat aggressive.
"Do you like him, or do you not like him?"
Kaguya Shinomiya turned her face away. Her fair index finger twirled a strand of her beautiful long black hair.
As a tsundere, she naturally could not admit such a thing in front of Fujiwara Chika, so she subconsciously changed the subject.
"Didn’t I already say? I only think he is a very capable Player. We have also established a foundation for cooperation. It is just cooperation. Don’t overthink it..."
Hearing Kaguya Shinomiya’s answer, Fujiwara Chika first showed a complicated expression. Then she returned to her usual sweet and cute smile.
"Alright then. Since you gave a negative answer, I’ll believe you."
"You’re really strange today, Chika."
"Hehe, I’m a strange person to begin with."
Fujiwara Chika replied with a carefree laugh, then looked at Asagiri, who was standing there giving his speech.
Sorry, Kaguya.
But since you gave a negative answer, I’ll believe the answer you gave me.
If I express my feelings to Utsunomiya-san later... that shouldn’t count as betrayal.
That afternoon, at the entrance of Asagiri’s house.
"Excuse me~"
After Yamauchi Sakura entered, she first greeted them energetically. Then she looked at the extremely spacious living room before her and could not help but part her lips slightly in amazement.
"Utsunomiya-san, your house..."
"My house is big. I know, I know."
After changing his shoes, Asagiri walked to the refrigerator, took out a can of ice-cold Coca-Cola, then sat directly on the soft sofa and waved his hand dismissively.
"Asuna exclaimed once when she came, and Megumi exclaimed once when she came. As the saying goes, things shouldn’t happen more than three times, so you don’t need to exclaim about it again. Besides, if I remember correctly, your family is quite wealthy too."
"Hmm... I guess it’s okay~"
After taking off her shoes, Yamauchi Sakura was about to change into slippers, but Yuuki Asuna smiled at her.
"No need to change shoes. I just cleaned the house yesterday, so you can walk around barefoot. Of course, if you want to wear slippers, I can get you a pair."
"Eh? No need to wear shoes? That’s great~"
Yamauchi Sakura did not stand on ceremony at all. She jumped directly onto the soft sofa and lay down completely.
Her beautifully curved feet, wrapped in black calf-high socks, gently tapped the sofa armrest. She cupped her cheeks with both hands, stared at Asagiri, and asked with a very curious expression,
"Hey, hey, Utsunomiya-san, can I ask you a question?"
"What is it, my subject? Feel free to speak."
"Is your family very rich?"
"No need to specifically mention my family."
Asagiri replied casually while enjoying his ice-cold Coca-Cola.
"I’m the only one in my family, so saying my family is very rich and saying I’m very rich are basically the same thing."
Yamauchi Sakura had already heard about Asagiri’s family background from Kato Megumi, so she was not surprised by his status as an orphan.
Instead, she stared at Asagiri’s profile and continued asking curiously,
"Then let me ask one more thing. Even if you didn’t become a Player, with your grades and abilities, you could still live comfortably in the future, right? Why are you working so hard?"
"Oh? You really want to know?"
"Mm-hmm."
Yamauchi Sakura nodded vigorously, looking extremely curious and cute.
"I want to know."
"Alright. Since you’ve asked with such sincerity, I shall answer your question."
Asagiri replied, then adjusted his sitting posture, turned his head to look directly into Yamauchi Sakura’s eyes, and spoke slowly.
"Because I am the captain of the clearing group, the lead singer of the band, the strongest Player in this world, the protagonist of the Game, the Persona user who awakened the power of rebellion, the Shadow whom Black Watch fears, the person who destroyed the ultimate boss of the demi-human world, Sato, the partner of the Flashy Swordsman Asuna, the lover of the God of Wisdom, the proof of existence of the Saintess heroine, the Demon King of Shuchiin Academy, and most importantly..."
At this point, Asagiri deliberately drew out his tone.
Seeing his serious expression, Yamauchi Sakura’s curiosity was completely hooked.
Unexpectedly, the answer Asagiri gave next made her, Yuuki Asuna, Iwanaga Kotoko, and Kato Megumi all show helpless expressions at the same time.
"Tokyo’s Number One Eroge Shooter."
.....
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