Chapter 025: An Interesting Little Girl

In the end, the matter of the ambush was left unresolved.

The assailant's identity remained unknown, and their methods were unremarkable. Even if Claudia had called in the disciplinary committee to investigate, they likely wouldn't have found anything.

In Asterisk, such incidents weren't particularly unusual. Popular Festa participants often became targets of scheming rivals or individuals with ulterior motives. Even Julis herself didn't dwell on it for long. She merely stated she would remember the assistance of Aizen and Kirin, then moved on from the incident.

The matter of Ayato barging into her room also seemed to be temporarily swept under the rug, leaving Ayato feeling as though he had narrowly escaped disaster.

With the commotion subsiding and nothing more to see, the spectators began dispersing.

Some lingered, hoping for more entertainment, given that Rank One The Keen-Edged Tempest, Rank Two The Commander of a Thousand Visions, Rank Five Witch of Resplendent Flames, and Rank Thirteen The Blazing Star Swordsman were all present. Such a gathering was rare, and the chance to witness something interesting was tempting.

However, none of those involved were interested in being the center of attention for long. Under Claudia's direction, the group disbanded.

"I-I'll take my leave now!"

Kirin was the first to depart, almost fleeing as though she couldn't stand to stay a moment longer.

Julis shot one last glare at Ayato before storming back into the girls' dormitory, clearly still annoyed.

"Thanks for helping me out earlier, President," Ayato said with a sheepish smile, bowing slightly toward Claudia.

"It was nothing," Claudia replied with a light laugh, covering her mouth gracefully. "I've already spoken to your roommate, so he'll come to guide you shortly. This way, you won't end up wandering into strange places again."

"…Thank you," Ayato replied awkwardly, his embarrassment palpable.

Seeing that the drama had concluded, Aizen prepared to leave.

"I'm heading off. See you around," he said, waving casually before turning to leave.

As he walked away, he felt a strong gaze on his back.

Frowning slightly, Aizen glanced over his shoulder.

"Is something wrong, Aizen?"

Claudia stood there, looking as poised and composed as ever, her expression one of mild curiosity.

"…No, it's nothing," Aizen replied, scratching his cheek. After confirming that Claudia seemed entirely normal, he walked away, though a strange feeling lingered.

Unbeknownst to him, as soon as he left, Claudia's polite smile faded into a more complex expression.

"President?"

Ayato noticed the subtle shift and called out hesitantly.

"Ah, my apologies," Claudia said, quickly snapping back to her usual demeanor. With a serene smile, she added, "You must have something important to discuss with me, correct?"

"…Yes," Ayato admitted after a moment of hesitation. "It's about my sister."

"I see." Claudia's lack of surprise was evident as she nodded. "This isn't the right place to discuss such matters. Let's go to the student council office."

Relenting, Ayato nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, having left the area near the girls' dormitory, Aizen walked along the path until he noticed someone waiting for him ahead.

"Senpai!"

Kirin Toudou stood in the middle of the road, her expression one of relief as Aizen approached.

"Were you waiting for me?"

Aizen found her transparent emotions amusing. Everything she felt was written on her face, making it hard not to find her endearing. Smiling faintly, he walked over to her.

"Y-yes," Kirin stammered, flustered by Aizen's warm smile. She fidgeted slightly as she spoke softly, "I wanted to thank you in person for saving me earlier."

"You're quite the earnest one," Aizen remarked with a chuckle. "But I already told you, didn't I? That kind of attack was nothing for someone like you. Even without my help, you could've handled it just fine."

"…Even so, I'm still very grateful to you, senpai." Kirin looked up at him briefly before quickly averting her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. "If you had ignored the situation, it would've been more advantageous for you, right?"

For a moment, Aizen was confused by her words. Then it clicked.

"You mean to say that if I hadn't intervened, you might've been injured, which would've given me an advantage in my challenge against you, correct?"

Kirin's silence spoke volumes.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted out, bowing deeply. Her tone was filled with guilt. "I know it's an awful way to think…"

"It's not that bad," Aizen said, shaking his head dismissively. "I'm your challenger, aiming to take your spot. It's only natural to consider these things."

He continued, his voice steady.

"In this city, nearly everyone is a competitor. There's no shortage of people willing to resort to underhanded methods to climb higher. The ambush on Julis earlier is proof of that."

"You're still young. It's good to be cautious. If you were too naive and trusting, that'd be far more dangerous."

As he said the words, Aizen couldn't help but glance at Kirin's figure—particularly the parts that defied all reason.

"Still hard to believe…" he muttered inwardly, suppressing his thoughts.

Unaware of Aizen's wandering mind, Kirin finally smiled—a shy, genuine expression that lit up her delicate features.

"Senpai really is a kind person," she said softly.

Kirin's straightforward praise felt like a good-person card handed directly to him.

Aizen wanted to refute it.

Whether he was kind was debatable, but Kirin's pure heart was beyond doubt.

He didn't need the context of the original story to know this; her actions earlier had already made it clear.

Despite living in a city full of rivals, where everyone was a potential enemy, Kirin had risked herself to save Julis—a top-ranking competitor who could someday threaten her position.

In the same situation, standing by and doing nothing would've been the smarter choice.

Yet Kirin, who had no obligation to intervene, had acted without hesitation.

This spoke volumes about her character.

Compared to her, Aizen didn't see himself as particularly noble.

But as he watched Kirin's bashful smile, he suddenly felt none of that mattered.

"You have a really cute smile," he said sincerely. "You should smile more often."

Kirin blinked, caught off guard by the compliment. Then her face flushed bright red.

"C-cute? That's not true!" she stammered, her voice rising in pitch. "S-senpai is the one who's so kind and cool—saving me twice and being so nice…"

Her words became more incoherent as embarrassment overwhelmed her.

"I-I'll take my leave now!"

Bowing deeply, Kirin turned and dashed off before Aizen could respond.

Her hurried movements caused her uniform to flutter, nearly making Aizen lose his composure.

Stunned, Aizen stood there for a moment before chuckling to himself.

"What an interesting little girl…" he mused.

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Author's Note: She's thirteen.....