Surprise Gift

A few seconds passed already, yet he received no answers. The only reaction he received was a long stare from his blushing students.

And so he wondered... and discovered the source of this mess.

"Oh!... Sorry about that. Ei couldn't cook so I had to... you know what I mean..." Lu apologized as he clothed himself formally.

"How lucky..." "Haahhhh..." The deity heard some muffled noises from the girls, yet ignored it. Naturally, he didn't find out who said what...

"What are you ladies waiting for? Don't be shy and dig in. I'll be doing the same myself." He gestured for them to follow along, and they did.

Two people even hurriedly made their way to the seats next to him...

"I knew that Ei couldn't cook. But I doubt Makoto doesn't have the ability to do so. Why didn't you just ask her since you're busy teaching us?" The girl on his right side, Lumine, questioned before she took the first bite.

"Cmon now~. Makoto is busy being the Kanjou Commissioner. Especially since Inazuma is once again open to the world." Lu replied, then chowed down, himself.

"She's the only one I can trust to handle international trades." He added with a satisfied gulp.

(I already have someone in mind who can help her, though... and we'll meet her soon...) The deity thought.

"I know someone there! The daughter of the Hiiragi Head seems like a good person. How about her, Ziya?" The blonde suggested with a smile. I guess the food is good enough for her pallete.

"Hiiragi Chisato was decisive enough to support Lady Makoto, so there's no need to worry about her." Someone interjected.

"As one of the representatives of the Yashiro Commission, I am well acquainted with both of them." Ayaka showed off with a victorious smirk.

Pleased not just by the food, but also by the sour look of the deity who lost his chance to explain... or boast smugly about Makoto's achievements.

"By the way... The food is great, Ziya! I wish I could have this everyday..." Kokomi complimented with a bright smile. Her assertive words weren't liked by a certain someone, though...

"I'll be stocking a few for later... Ziya. I hope you don't mind. Paimon would annoy me about this if I didn't save some for her." Lumine said with a strained smile. She seems a bit mad... just a bit.

"Your cooking is magnificent, Lu. It's the best thing I've ever eaten. I'm sure my seniors would be jealous if I told them about this..." Sara helped lower down the tension. Her words even gained a chuckle from the deity.

"Thank you, Sara. They definitely will so be prepared to be bullied a bit for some time." The tengu groaned, remembering how much of a fanatic those two were.

"Hey! Since for some reason no one is bringing this topic up. I will do so!" Kuki is back with her newly gained vigor.

"Can you tell us the results of the exercises already? That's the reason of this rendezvous in the first place, right?" The shinobi brought up a good point and they all went silent. It didn't stop their eating spree, however...

"Results? Oh, right... right... Let me see... Hmm?..." Their teacher narrowed his eyes, causing the students to be slightly nervous.

"I see..." He said with slit eyes.

"Unfortunately, I have to announce that all of you..." The suspense was torture for them, but his usual smile was more annoying.

"Passed with flying colors! Congratulations!" Lu applauded slowly with a smirk.

(Kokomi's results were higher than I predicted it to be. Strange...)

"Thank goodness..." Kokomi sighed, and the others related. Except Lumine... She was smug the whole time, and was confident in her skills.

"That's good and all... But it doesn't reveal anything! Give us a more detailed one, please..." Kuki ended in a meek voice as the deity stared at her with a grin.

"What's wrong, Kuki~? Worried that what happened earlier might've affected your performance? How cute~..." The flustered shinobi tried her best to lessen her presence, and averted her eyes.

"Stop playing around, Lu. I'm also really curious about my results." Ayaka stared at him in disdain. Be that as it may, it wasn't completely targeted at him, but at his actions.

"Easy there, it's the first day. The results will be distributed once we are done with the preparations." He stated vaguely.

"I'll say... around the third week of the month, so two weeks more. I'm expecting you ladies, to go up at least a tier in all parts of your statuses." Lu gave them a seemingly hard deadline.

"We will! But answer me something, Lu." Kokomi's smile never failed to raise morale. No wonder the Sangonomiya Army is like that.

"Between me, and the traveler... Who won the intelligence test?" Who won? Not who did better?... The divine priestess is feisty right now.

"Isn't that unfair, genius strategist Kokomi~? We should compete using the average of all the exercises. Unless you're scared of losing...?" The blonde responded back with a provocation.

The atmosphere was tense... until a certain man interrupted their competition.

"Delivery! Anyone expecting a delivery?!" Another Raiden Lu appeared, and the two stared at each other with a smirk.

" "I'm the real one!" " They both pointed at themselves.

"Stop this at once, Ziya. Or I'll castrate both of you..." Lumine threatened.

"Let me help you, Lumine. This feels a bit nostalgic..." Kokomi said, as she teamed up with the blonde.

"Don't forget about me. I call dibs on one of them~." Ayaka joined in with a sadistic grin.

"Guys, I don't think its a good idea-"

"I'M IN!!!" Sara tried to deescalate the situation but was interrupted by a furious Shinobu.

"Sorry, but it won't happen..." The Lu on the table said as the new one turned into dust after his delivery.

"Take your clothes off and change into this." His grin was returned by a flying cryo sword.

"Whoa! Just kidding... You don't have a choice." Lu snapped his fingers and the outfits of the five ladies changed instantly.

"A uniform?! But why is mine a shrine maiden's clothing?!!!" Kuki felt dread, before her mask flew straight into the deity's hands.

"You'll be wearing this on many occasions as my disciples... So get used to it, alright~?" Raiden Lu chuckled as he left the bewildered ladies, and a mad shinobi.