The Bet

Although VIP members are often referred to as a special group of Council leaders, in reality, they're not actually a team. They almost don't have any common activities at all and just often disappear doing their own things. So it's very rare to see them together.

For example, Hana is always busy taking care of actual council activities with other division leaders. And Ruri even barely goes to the council building and always spends most of her time in the garden. While Fio… Well, only god knows where he goes everyday.

So even though they have the entire 5th floor for them, most of the time Rei wouldn't see anyone when he got there.

Hence… The fact that all of them were there today was worth being suspected.

From the look of it, Hana and Fio must be fighting--where Hana glared angrily at him and Fio just smiled annoyingly at her. Ruri also watched from the side cautiously, maybe in case they really start punching each other.

"What are you guys doing…?" Rei asked.

"No, um, we just…" Hana tried to answer, but she couldn't come up with anything.

"Will you tell him?" Fio whispered loudly to Hana. "Or should I?"

"Tell me what?" Asked Rei while walking closer.

Hana went silent again, so Fio just decided to open his mouth. "About the new member in Hazel's division."

But it turned out Rei didn't look surprised hearing that. "Yeah, I noticed that." He said coldly. "Nobody sent me the new recruits list, so I just checked it by myself earlier."

Satisfied by the heavy atmosphere, Fio finally shoved Hana to the side and walked closer to Rei. "I know! You must be upset." He said. "As a vice, even though she could do everything as she wanted with other divisions, she shouldn't have meddled with that one without telling you, right?"

"That division is under your direct supervision after all." He continued while bringing his head closer again to whisper. "Guess why she did it."

"..." Rei was silent for some time. But after shoving Fio upsetly, he was back glaring at Hana with his sharp eyes. "You want her to join Vip. Right?" He guessed immediately.

"..."

After all, that's not the first time Hana came up with that idea. And there is no other reason why Hana needed to put Alisa in Hazel's division when she never actually cared for it.

If Rei and the other Vip agree to it, they can actually invite anyone and any time to Vip. But if they want things to go smoothly, they'll need to make the other council members acknowledge their abilities first.

And magic control division is the best option for that, especially because it's supervised by the president himself.

But other than Hana, the other three were never interested in bringing a new member, so it never happened. Yet this time…

Slowly, Rei turned to look at Ruri. "You're on her side this time, aren't you?"

Letting out a sigh, Ruri walked closer to Hana to answer it. "Wasn't going to, but yeah--Although I can't believe you just believe everything Fio says just like that." She said upsetly. "He's not on your side too, you know."

"I know." Rei answered shortly. "But why? I thought you're not interested in getting a new member."

Ruri looked at Hana first, looking doubtful. But then she decided to just keep going. "Well, because I thought she might be a good assistant to me."

Didn't expect that answer, Rei widened his eyes. "You want her to be a gardener??" He exclaimed in surprise. Because unlike anyone, Ruri was soo picky about that. Rather than choosing a bad gardener, she even said that she would rather see the garden burn.

"She's good, okay? Maybe." Ruri said. "Smart too, maybe. I quite like her." She continued. "I admit it." She weirdly added again while glancing at Hana."

Rei was not convinced. But hearing Ruri go so far as to praise her like that, even he couldn't immediately rebut it. So he just looked annoyed at Hana who was able to tempt Ruri like that.

The atmosphere was also getting really heavy at that point, so Fio couldn't help grinning. "So what are we gonna do now?" He said while embracing Rei's shoulder. "Should we start choking each other? Boys vs girls?"

Rei shoved Fio again, and he went back looking àt Hana. "But why this girl?" He asked again. "The rules definitely said that to join the magic controlling division, they must be someone who is at least a beta. And in case you forget, you're the one who came up with that rule."

Not only Rei, this time Ruri and Fio also looked at her--as they were as curious as him.

So with a nervous voice, Hana finally answered it. "I... Uh, I like her aura."

"..."

"Pfft." Fio started laughing hearing that. Even Ruri who already decided to support her idea seemed disappointed by that answer.

While on the other hand, Rei found that answer quite worth something--as if it was a threatening reason. Seemed like he kinda thought that it might actually mean something coming from Hana.

Though of cource he didn't show it.

Rei sighed and went silent for a while. He almost considered Fio's advice, but then he tried to think of another way.

And fortunately, he got one. "Fine, if you really insist on it."

"Really??" Hana replied, already feeling happy.

"But, there is a prerequisite."

"Ooh! What's this? Are we going to make a bet?" Interrupted Fio who became even more excited. "Wait, let me record it first." He added while starting to look for anyone's handphone lying on the table.

It's just that the bet with Rei doesn't sound like something that's easy to win. That's why Hana and Ruri scowled a little worried when Rei instead wanted to put forward certain conditions.

"I read your messages." Rei started while looking at Ruri. "The girl with smoky vision, have you healed her already?"

Ruri and Hana looked a little confused, but then Ruri answered, "Well, not yet. Why?"

"Since you said that she's quite smart, why don't you ask her to make potion for that girl." Rei started. "If she succeeds, then I'll agree to your annoying proposal."

"..."

"And of course, you can help her as much as you want." Rei added.

"Oh? Can I too?" Blurted Fio. As everyone's expected, he really is not on anyone's side.

Rei was almost hesitant to say yes, since it'll be more risky letting a genius like him to help them. But he couldn't look doubtful right now. So he lightly replied, "Sure."

Ruri and Hana looked at each other, and both of them nodded. "But how can she make it? Don't tell me you're allowing me to take her to the garden?" Ruri asked.

"If you really need it, I think you can temporarily take some of your potions and tools over to Hazel's place. Though he probably wouldn't like it." He said. "But only the potions, not the plants."

Silent again, Ruri started to weigh all Rei's words from the start. And suspiciously, everything sounds okay and reasonable.

Although there seems to be one more problem. "But I need additional references too." Ruri said.

But again, without showing any doubts, Rei immediately turned around slightly and flew a thick file from his desk and gave it to Ruri. "After reading your message, I've actually searched some files about it on the 6th floor."

"And there are still a few more recipes as well as other notes related to magical energy and all topics similar to it." He explained. "And if it's still not enough, I'll try to look for it again."

Ruri quickly skimmed through the contents of the files and it seemed that Rei really didn't just give her scribbled papers.

But Fio, who was also suspicious, finally blurted out while laughing softly. "Rei… Are you sure you didn't plan all of this?" He said sarcastically.

"If I was, I'd choose a better way." He said.

"..." The girls couldn't doubt that, so Rei talked again. "So if it's settled, then we just need the time limit."

"Wait, there is a time limit?" Complained Hana.

"Of course. I can't listen to this all year long." He replied immediately. "So if you lose this time, you have to promise not to bother me again about that girl and have to move her to another division."

"…Or I swear, we're going to have a real war." He added in a threatening voice. "What about a week?"

"A week? Isn't that too short?" Hana complained again, though she has no idea how much time Ruri actually needs.

"Ruri usually makes dozens of potions a day, so a week should be long enough." Rei replied. And indeed, Ruri doesn't seem to think the time given was that short.

But having the urge to be more evil, Rei decided to lengthen it. "Then 9 days."

"Lol." But Fio ended up laughing again. "Rei, you don't think they can finish the potion despite having lots of time, do you? You're so mean."

"...I didn't throw you guys out of the window. So I think I'm being nice."