Vol-07 Ch 4 – Unparalleled (Temporary) Boyfriend

Part 1

"Pii! Piii!"

"Haha. Are you enjoying your walk?"

"Pi!"

I'm taking the newborn Ciel for a walk around on Earth. I wanted Ciel to get to know Earth as well.

Actually, I would have liked to take Night and Akatsuki for a walk with me, but since Ouma-san would be staying at home, as usual, Night and Akatsuki decided to stay home with Ouma-san.

Hmm… I wanted to show Ouma-san around Earth somehow, but in order to do so, I have to make sure that nobody would find out that he was a dragon. If someone were to find out, it would be a big problem.

That's why, unfortunately, I have no choice but to ask Ouma-san to stay at home for now.

"Pi, pi, piii♪!"

"Looks like you're having fun."

"Pii!"

Ciel was perched on my right shoulder, rubbing his body against my cheek as she sang happily.

"Oh, what is it?"

"Pipi. Piii!"

"You're so cute."

Ciel looked at me as if to say, "I love you!" Maybe he has been emotionally attached to me. Perhaps he's recognized me as his parent since I hatched him from an egg.

[T/n: I don't know about Ciel's gender yet, so I just used "him" for now.]

It's not strange for a bird like Ciel to be here on Earth, but with his beautiful blue feathers and the fact that he was perched quietly on my shoulder, he caught the attention of many people on the street. Well, I guess it couldn't be helped. Akatsuki was also unusual, so people often look at him too.

As I walked along thinking about this, I came close to the Ousei Academy. Suddenly, someone called out to me from behind.

"Ara? Yuuya-san?"

"Hmm? Oh, Kaori!"

When I turned my head toward the voice, I saw Kaori's figure there. Even though it's summer vacation, Kaori was wearing her school uniform, which meant she probably had something to do at school.

"What a coincidence! Are you taking a walk? Eh… who is this little one?"

"Ah, he's my new family member; his name is Ciel."

"Pi!"

When I introduced him, Ciel raised his little wings and greeted Kaori. He's so cute. Kaori seemed to have the same impression as me, and her eyes sparkled at the sight.

"Ciel-chan, is it? Um, could it be that Ciel is like Night and the others?"

"Yes, he's a creature from the other world."

Kaori knew about the door's existence in my house and had been to the other world. Hence, she immediately realized that Ciel was not a creature from Earth.

As we talked, I remembered my promise to Miu-san, so I decided to ask Kaori for advice. Since I would meet Miu-san's father as her boyfriend, I needed to prepare a suit and other formal wear. However, I had no idea where to buy a suit.

However, since this was an issue that involved Miu-san's family situation, I couldn't tell Kaori the details, so I consulted Kaori with a very vague explanation, and she told me…

"Hmm… first of all, Yuuya-san needs formal wear, and you don't know where to buy it, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Then let's ask my father!"

"Eh, Tsukasa-san?"

Kaori nodded; I was a little surprised to hear that name come out of nowhere.

"Yes! Actually, I had some business to attend to with my father, so this is why I was heading to school in my uniform. Today, my father is at school, so…"

"I see… But I'm not wearing my uniform right now, is that okay?"

"It's fine! Then let's go!"

Thanks to Kaori, I was able to meet with Tsukasa-san, the school's chairman, and after delivering Ciel home with teleport magic, we arrived quickly at the office of the chairman of Ousei Academy.

Then, Tsukasa-san seemed to have just finished his work and spoke to us.

"I'm sorry, I kept you waiting."

"N-no! I apologize too for barging in so suddenly…"

"No, it's fine. I haven't had many opportunities to see you lately, and I wanted to hear what you've been up to."

When I saw Tsukasa-san smiling cheerfully, I really felt that he was a good person.

…Actually, I would have talked to my parents about this kind of thing, but my situation is rather complicated. Even so, considering the fact that I met Tsukasa-san, the best person to consult with this time, I'm glad I raised my luck stats.

"By the way, I heard that you and other friends went with Kaori to visit our vacation house. How was it?"

"Ah, yes! It was very enjoyable. Once again, thank you for inviting me."

"Hahaha. Don't be so formal."

"That's right! I really enjoyed spending time with everyone, too."

I can't stop thanking Tsukasa-san and Kaori, who are smiling so cheerfully. They're really nice people, aren't they? I really respect Tsukasa-san, and when I grow up, I want to be just like him.

Then, Tsukasa-san smiled gently, looking somewhat pleased.

"Kaori had never been able to make friends on an equal footing, partly because of me. Even in junior high school, I feel like she was lonely. But since you came, she has made other friends and is always happy to talk about school. Thank you so much."

"Father…"

Then Tsukasa-san bowed his head, and I couldn't help but panic.

"N-no. Me too! I've been helped many times by Kaori-san! …On the contrary, I never thought that I would be able to play with friends as I did during this summer vacation. That's why I'm delighted I was able to transfer to this school."

I bowed my head as well, and Tsukasa-san smiled bitterly.

"Haha. If we continue like this, we'll end up bowing to each other."

"T-that's right."

"Oh, yes. So it seems you had some business with me, what is it?"

"Ah, yes. Actually…"

I quickly summarized what I wanted to discuss with Tsukasa-san and told him about Miu-san's story vaguely. It was a problem that involved Miu-san's family situation, so that I couldn't go into too much detail.

When I managed to summarize and explain the main points, Tsukasa-san looked at me with great interest.

"Fumu… you've helped Kaori a lot. If you want a suit as formal wear, I can prepare it for you."

"N-no! It's okay! I'll buy it myself!"

"Is that so? Well, I guess it's more convenient to buy it yourself than to have someone else buy it for you. First of all, you want clothes that you won't be embarrassed to wear in any public place, is that correct?"

"Y-yes. I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't really know where to get such things, how much they cost, or what kind of things I should prepare…"

"I see… Then, let's go to my favorite store now."

"Eh?"

I was surprised at the sudden turn of events, but Tsukasa-san invited me to go to a suit store, and we headed there.

＊＊＊

"U-umu… in this way, it's very troubling…"

"That's right…"

I was taken by Tsukasa-san and arrived at a high-class suit store, but as soon as I arrived at the store, I was made to wear various suits. Kaori also followed us and gave me some advice on how to choose a suit. I guess a woman's opinion and a man's opinion are two different things.

As I was thinking about this, Tsukasa-san let out a sigh.

"This is troubling…"

"Eh? I-is this really not suitable for me?"

If it doesn't look that good on me and it's terrible no matter which one I choose, then I'm completely out of luck…

I thought so, but apparently not, and Tsukasa-san shook his head.

"No, it's the opposite."

"The opposite?"

"You look too good in every suit, Yuuya-san."

"Eeh?"

I was taken aback by Kaori's words, but I wondered if it was true.

"There are various patterns of suits. Because of the difference in fabric, the number of buttons, the collar, etc… it is possible to decide on a good combination of all of them, but no matter which one you wear, it will look good on you."

I was embarrassed when Tsukasa-san said this to me with a smile. I don't really know what makes a good suit, but when someone says it like that…

However, it was still difficult to decide, and Tsukasa-san and Kaori couldn't help but groan when a new customer walked into the store.

"──Ara? You are… Yuuya-kun?"

"Eh? Ah, Hikari-san?"

He was the photographer who had worked with Miu-san when we did a model shoot for a magazine.

"What a coincidence. I never thought I'd met you here…"

"That's right. By the way, did you go shopping for a suit?"

"Yes. I'm thinking of using a suit for an upcoming photoshoot… Ara? You are…"

When Hikari-san noticed Tsukasa-san and Kaori, it seemed that Tsukasa-san knew Hikari-san, and they greeted each other. In the meantime, Tsukasa-san seemed to have come up with a great idea and asked Hikari-san about me.

When he heard what Tsukasa-san had said, Hikari-san's eyes lit up.

"I see, you came here to buy a suit for Yuuya-kun, but you can't seem to decide…"

"That's right."

"Then leave it to me!"

"Eh?"

"It's just a coincidence that we met here. I'm a professional in this field, and I'll help find the perfect suit for you!"

With Hikari-san's words, my suit selection process began again… As expected of a professional. Hikari-san immediately decided on my suit, which Tsukasa-san and Kaori had struggled with so much.

"Indeed, Yuuya-kun looks good in any suit, but from what I've heard, it's better to be seen as earnest as possible, so I think an English-type suit is good for you. An Italian-type suit is also sexy and perfect for you, but I want to show that I've made a good decision here. Also, a three-piece suit looks better on you──."

The words related to suits kept popping up one after another, but unfortunately, I couldn't understand any of them.

However, thanks to Hikari-san's help, I managed to decide on the suit I would buy.

"What do you think?"

"Yes, it's good, I think?"

"It suits you very well!"

The suit was well-received not only by Hikari-san but also by Tsukasa-san and Kaori, so I bought a set of formal wear coordinated by Hikari-san.

After I finished buying, I thanked him again.

"Thank you, Hikari-san!"

"It's okay, don't worry about it! I had a lot to choose from, and most importantly, it was fun."

"R-really?"

"Yes! It would be best if you had more confidence in yourself, Yuuya-kun. I don't know the details, but if you don't have confidence in yourself, you'll lose out wearing that suit."

"…Yes!"

Hikari-san was right.

I've had a lot of trouble choosing the right clothes. In order not to be embarrassed by the suit, at least for the time I'm wearing it, I should be proud of it. With that thought in mind, I purchased the first suit of my life.

＊＊＊

"──If it's a bunch of Evil Beasts of that level, you can easily get rid of them, huh…"

A few days after Yuuya and Mai Kagurazaka worked together to defeat the Evil Beasts, Avis, who had returned to the World's Disposal Ground, muttered with some admiration.

He looked at his own hand, moved it a few times, and then held it up to the World's Disposal Ground.

From his palm, a ray of ultra-fine black light shot out. That light ran through the World's Disposal Ground and then quietly disappeared.

──Then, the space where the black light ran was torn apart by the black flash, and… exploded. With a tremendous crashing sound, the space exploded, and black flames enveloped everything in the World's Disposal Ground.

Originally, there was already nothing in the World's Disposal ground, but everything was completely obliterated with a single blow from Avis. As if a part of the world had been hollowed out and nothing was left, there was no barren land spreading but a pitch-black space of nothingness.

"──Haha. It's wonderful. Wonderful…!"

In front of that scene, Avis laughed like a madman and looked at his hands again.

"This is… the true power of Evil…! Look! This is a blow that gives nothingness! Everything was literally obliterated! Hahahahaha!"

It's not just the power to clear the surface of the other world, as Avis said, but the terrifying power to literally reduce the very existence of something to nothingness.

"Fuh… It's good that my body is finally familiar with my full power… I see… That's why I couldn't find that outsider until now."

After confirming his own power, Avis muttered as he stared into the void. At the end of his gaze, he could clearly see the figure of Yuuya.

"──The Great Devil's Nest. I didn't expect a human to live in a place like that…"

His eyes glittered with madness, and Avis smiled ferociously.

"Now that I'm accustomed to the power… it's time to finally kill you, outsider…!"

As Avis laughed loudly, he dissolved into a black mist and disappeared.

Part 2

It's been a few days since I bought the suit. The suit that Hikari-san chose for me was of a perfect size, and the material was very high quality.

Moreover, I am now wearing the [Royal Silk Shirt] and [Dragon God's Leather Shoes] that I received from Sage-san. These are probably of a much higher quality than anything that could be bought on Earth.

"I'm nervous…"

I arrived early at the meeting place arranged with Miu-san. The place was also lined with high-class stores, and I did not usually come here.

"Or rather… what kind of person is Miu-san's father?"

From what I've heard, he seemed to be very rich, but…

Although I was curious about what kind of person Miu-san's father was, I was more concerned about myself at the moment.

"Heh, isn't it weird… I hope it's okay…"

In addition, this time, I had my hair appropriately styled so that I would not embarrass Miu-san as I would act as her boyfriend. I've only had my hair cut lightly at a barbershop in the past, so it was refreshing to have my hair styled professionally.

Despite my appearance, I was uncomfortable because I felt like I was being watched by people on the street more than usual. There were even people who took the trouble to stop and stare at me. Well… I guess it's not as dangerous as walking while staring, but…

It made me so nervous that I thought I might look a bit unattractive, so I used my skills [Mind-Body Unification] and [Mental Enhancement] as I continued to wait naturally.

And then──.

"Yuuya-san! I'm sorry… I'm late…"

"Miu-san?"

Miu-san, who was wearing a beautiful dress, found me and waved, but her words were getting smaller and smaller.

When I looked closely, I could see someone behind her who looked like her father. I hurried over to Miu-san and her father.

"Excuse me. Are you okay?"

"Wha? I-I'm fine! It's just that…"

Miu-san glanced at me and blushed. H-huh? Do I look strange? Please be honest with me. Is it possible that I'm wearing something extremely embarrassing?

I wanted to rush off to reevaluate my outfit, but I couldn't act strangely in front of Miu-san's father.

I suppressed my panic and asked Miu-san.

"Um, Miu-san. The one over there…?"

"Ah! I'm sorry. This is my father──."

"──Hideyuki Mido. It looks like my daughter is in your care, correct?"

Miu-san's father… Hideyuki-san, gave me a sharp look.

"It's not a big deal at all. …My name is Yuuya Tenjou. I'm very much indebted to Miu-san for her help."

"Hou?"

Hideyuki-san opened his eyes slightly as I replied naturally and without any tension.

Normally, I would be extremely nervous at this point, but… I was able to greet him in a much more relaxed way than I expected.

This was probably due to the fact that I had recently met some of the most important people in the other world, such as the King of Arcelia and the King of Regal. Thanks to this, even though I had been very nervous until just a moment ago, now I was calm.

Hideyuki-san turned his back on me as if to show me the way.

"I've reserved a table for us today. Follow me."

As I followed Hideyuki-san, I secretly let out a sigh. It looks like I've passed the first barrier. I was wondering what I would do if I were turned away at the start.

I was taken to a restaurant that looked like a high-class place. Oh, no. I don't know anything about table manners!

Suppressing my desperately impatient feelings, I was led to a table for four. Seeing this, Miu-san curiously asked Hideyuki-san.

"Father. It's just the three of us today, isn't it…?"

"──No. There will be one more person here with us, the man that is coming is the candidate for Miu's marriage proposal."

"Eh!?"

"….."

Miu-san was surprised by Hideyuki-san's words. Of course, I was surprised too, but it seems that Miu-san hadn't been told about it either…

Despite Miu-san's surprise, Hideyuki-san continued without hesitation.

"Since we're here. I'm thinking of letting the boyfriend that Miu brought with her and the marriage partner that I introduced to you meet."

"Y-you didn't say anything about it…!"

"What? Do you have a problem with my decision?"

"Ugh!"

In front of Hideyuki-san's sharp gaze, Miu-san became silent.

Wow… Hideyuki-san, you are completely unwilling to listen to Miu-san's words…

As for me, I never thought that Miu-san's arranged marriage partner would come. But now that it has come to this, I have no choice but to behave honorably as Miu-san's boyfriend.

More than that… table manners, seriously, what should I do…

As soon as I took a seat, a person who seemed to be Miu-san arranged marriage partner came over to our table.

"I'm sorry, Hideyuki-san. I was a little overwhelmed with work…"

The man who showed up was in his mid-twenties, dressed stylishly in a good quality suit. He had short brown hair and a neat face that gave him the look of a successful young boss.

Oh no, am I already losing? As for me. Look at me — my appearance. I look like someone who just put on a suit. On the other hand, the man in front of me is perfectly dressed in a suit.

He looked like he's older than me… B-but what should I do now?

Then, when Hideyuki-san saw the man who appeared, he smiled for the first time today and stood up.

"No, it's no problem. I'm sorry I bothered you."

"Oh no! It was Hideyuki-san's invitation, and more than anything, I wanted to talk to Miu-san too!"

"Hahaha. I'm glad if you say that."

His communication skills are amazing. I was a bullied child, so no matter how I tried, I couldn't compete with him, right?

…From my perspective, he seems like a great guy, and I think he'd be a good match for Miu-san, but Miu-san herself doesn't like this marriage arrangement…

A-although I've already been defeated; I'm going to keep fighting until the end…!

The man suddenly turned his gaze on me just as I made up my mind to fight on.

"And, this is…?"

"?"

When the man looked at me, his eyes widened in surprise. W-what's going on? I'm the one who's in the lowest position right now, you know…

I stood up and bowed to the man.

"I'm the one who's been dating Miu-san. My name is Yuuya Tenjou."

"Dating Miu-san…?"

The man showed a disturbing vibe to my introduction. T-that's right! He might not expect that the person he was looking for in a marriage proposal had a boyfriend.

B-but don't be discouraged, me! It's for Miu-san's sake!

"I'm Yuma Yamano. Well, it's nice to meet you."

Oh, no matter how I look at it, I've been labeled as an enemy. What should I do? I'm starting to get a stomachache.

The dinner finally started, with a sudden unsettling feeling in the air. I have absolutely no idea about table manners, but now that I'm here, I'll get through it following the mood…!

I can make it through, can't I? While being conscious of how unsettled I was, I ate my meal paying attention to make sure I ate elegantly.

I don't know if it was good or not, but it didn't seem like anyone was particularly pointing it out to me. Am I doing okay? I'm going to do my best! I'm just sorry that I'm so overzealous that I can't taste the food!

However, my efforts were meaningless once the conversation started. It's basically because Hideyuki-san and Yuma-san were chatting smilingly; even Miu-san and I were left out of the conversation.

When it came to this point, it was pretty refreshing. As I continued to eat in silence, Miu-san spoke to me covertly.

"…I'm sorry, Yuuya-san. I'm sorry that I involved you in this kind of situation and that you were treated like this…"

"No, it's okay. I'm just trying not to embarrass Miu-san by being her boyfriend. Well, not being able to participate in the conversation between the two of them may be a demerit as Miu-san's boyfriend…"

"Yuuya-san…"

Miu-san's cheeks reddened at my sincere words.

Then, it seemed that Yuma-san saw what was going on with us and asked us a question.

"You two seem to be getting along pretty well, don't you?"

"Yes, well. We have been dating for a while now."

"…I hadn't heard, but where did you and Miu-san meet?"

"We met when we worked together as models for a photoshoot for a fashion magazine."

As soon as I said that, I saw a hint of contempt in Hideyuki-san and Yuma-san's eyes.

"I see, so you're a model too?"

"That's right."

Actually, I'm not.

But it would still be a better advertisement for me as a boyfriend than if I told them I was just a student right now. And it's not a lie that I've been photographed with her.

However, Hideyuki-san cut it off mercilessly.

"I can't leave Miu in your hands if you're doing a job that has no future."

"Eh?"

"The entertainment industry is an industry where the future can become uncertain at the slightest hint. I'm saying that I can't entrust my daughter to you in such a place."

"Father!"

"Miu, shut up."

I see. Well, as a parent, I understand that he wants his daughter to be with someone who is secure in the future.

However, I wonder how much he was thinking about Miu-san's feelings. In the first place, Miu-san said she didn't want to go on an arranged marriage, so she must not be thinking about marriage.

"I can't have a young man with no future like you approaching us Mido family members…"

Hmm, he disliked me surprisingly. Even though we've never met before. But I'm used to people hating me. I'm sad, but I'm not going to let that put a dent in me now.

As I stared straight into Hideyuki-san's eyes, Yuma-san intervened.

"Well, well, Hideyuki-san, please calm down. He's young, too. It's no wonder he's reckless because of his youth."

"No, no, you're young, too."

"Hahaha, that's true… That's right! Well, how about this?"

Yuma-san, who seemed to have suddenly come up with a good idea, suggested.

"I've been telling Hideyuki-san and others about this for a while now, but how about inviting Yuuya-kun to one of my affiliated stores? That way, you can understand the difference in our rank."

"Yuuma-san's store?"

When I was tilting my head in confusion, Hideyuki-san told me with a somewhat ridiculous look.

"Yuma-san runs several entertainment facilities overseas, including a large casino. You are invited to one of his affiliated establishments."

"Yes. And I'd like you to visit my store, too."

"Hah…"

So he owns a lot of stores. Does that mean he's rich? Not sure.

"I would like to invite you all to the biggest amusement center in my company to play some coin-operated games, how about it?"

Not seeming to care about my confusion at the sudden turn of events, Yuma-san and Hideyuki-san continued their conversation.

"I see. If we go to your store, we'll see how much we know about our social position. Isn't that good?"

"Well, well. But if Miu-san is to marry me, it will prove that she has a secure future?"

Ugh… He's crazy hostile to me… From Yuma-san's point of view, I'm a hindrance, so it can't be helped…

When I couldn't say anything, Miu-san stood up as if she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Father! Why are you talking so badly about Yuuya-san…!"

"I told you to keep quiet, didn't I?"

"Uh!"

"…Hah. This is why it is so difficult to have a poorly behaved daughter."

"No way! Isn't Miu-san a wonderful person?"

"Oh, is that what you say?"

"Of course I do. …So, Yuuya-kun? What will you do?"

"Yuuya-san… You can refuse if you want."

Miu-san gave me a worried yet apologetic look.

"I understand. I'm going to visit Yuma-san's store."

"Eh?"

"….."

It seemed that they didn't expect me to say I would be visiting, and not only Miu-san, but also Yuma-san and the others widened their eyes.

Yuma-san looked unhappy for a moment but quickly made up for it.

"Well, that's fine. If that's the case, please do come to the designated place at a later date. I'm sure you understand, but you'll be heading overseas, okay?"

"Yes."

I nodded straightforwardly at Yuma-san's words.

Oh, I need to get my passport made. I wish I could talk to Kaori about it again…

As I was thinking about this, we ended up having the dinner of the day, and it ended without any problems.

＊＊＊

On the way home from dinner with Yuuya and the others, Miu was riding in the car with her father, Hideyuki.

"How about Yuma? Wasn't he a wonderful young man? He's nothing compared to the young man you brought with you."

"That's not true! Yuuya-san is a much more wonderful man!"

"Hah. No matter what you say, once he sees the scale of the facility Yuma runs, he'll see the difference in status as a man and give up on you."

"….."

Miu turns her face down in frustration. After this, Miu did not exchange a glance or a word with Hideyuki until the end.

＊＊＊

"Come on, this way."

Under Yuma-san's guidance, we were being led to the plane that would take us overseas. After that dinner, with the help of Kaori, Tsukasa-san, and the others, I got my passport without any problems and came to the airport that Yuma-san had designated for us.

I'm still dressed casually today, but since Yuma-san's affiliated store is said to be a magnificent facility, I don't know what the correct attire is, so I brought the three-piece suit I wore for dinner the other day.

As I hadn't had much experience going abroad, let alone going on a long trip, I tried not to look around too much. I-I just have to be graceful and have a relaxed attitude…!

As if mocking me, Yuma-san led us to a certain plane.

"Well, this is my private jet."

"Oh."

"….."

Hideyuki-san seemed impressed by Yuma-san's words, but Miu-san didn't seem to be interested at all. Miu-san said that she actually had a modeling job today, but Hideyuki-san forced her to cancel it to accompany him.

To be honest, I had no idea how great Hideyuki-san was, so when I talked to Tsukasa-san about the passport, I asked him if he knew who Hideyuki Mido was, and he told me that he was the president of the Mido Group, one of the largest corporations in Japan.

Although I have seen the name Mido in many places, including in electrical appliances, I had no idea that he was the president of such a large company.

I was also surprised to find out that Miu-san is the daughter of the president of such a company. Well, from my perspective, everyone is an amazing person, so it's not like I'm going to change how I treat Miu-san and her father…

Anyway, if he is the head of such a large company, it must be easy for him to cancel Miu-san's job. However, since Miu-san takes pride in her work as a model, I can understand why she doesn't like Hideyuki-san's methods.

More importantly… private jets really existed, didn't they? I thought it was something that only existed in fiction.

When I boarded the plane thinking about this, Yuma-san approached me with a smile on his face.

"I hadn't told Yuuya-kun about this, but… I work overseas, so all the attendants are foreigners. I don't usually use Japanese either, so please use English if you need to ask for something. Well, if you don't speak English, I suggest you keep a low profile."

"Yes, I understand."

It's so elitist to communicate in English. No, I'm pretty sure they're actually elite. And then, what went wrong? Yuma-san clicked his tongue when he heard my words.

"Tsk… how long can you afford to keep that up?"

"Eh?"

I could hear the clicking tongue, but I couldn't hear the words that followed it. What did he say? Probably not a very good one…

Then, eventually, the plane started moving.

Miu-san was sitting next to me, and Hideyuki-san and Yuma-san were sitting across the way from us.

"Miu-san, are you okay?"

When I called out to Miu-san, who looked somewhat depressed, she gave me an apologetic look.

"Oh… I'm sorry. I'm fine. How about you, Yuuya-san, are you okay? I'm sorry that I suddenly dragged you into something like this…"

"I'm fine. I've never been abroad before, so I'm looking forward to it."

Although this is the first time I've ever been on a plane, I'm not too nervous or scared. Rather, I was excited to be flying.

If I could, I would have brought Night and the others with me, but I played the role of Miu-san's boyfriend this time, so they were all staying at home. Ciel was a newborn, and I wanted to stay close to him, but I had to be patient. Once I'm settled in the hotel over there, I'll use teleportation magic to get home.

A short time after the plane took off, Yuma-san called the attendant and spoke to her in English.

"Coffee, please."

"Very well, sir."

"Yes, would Yuuya-kun and the others like to order something too?"

"Huh? Oh, yes…"

I was momentarily surprised to be suddenly spoken to in Japanese by Yuma-san, and so I asked the attendant.

"Do you have any kind of menu?"

"Yes, we do. Would you like me to bring it to you?"

"Yes, please."

"""?"""

When I was using my [Language Comprehension] skills to converse with the attendant in English, Miu-san and Yuma-san and the others looked at me with surprise. Hey, what's going on?

Then the attendant brought me a menu, and I thanked her.

"Excuse me, thank you."

"No problem."

"Oh, how about you, Miu-san?"

"Eh? Oh, c-can I have some of this… please?"

"It's okay."

While confirming Miu-san's choice, I also decided what I wanted and told the attendant immediately.

"I'm sorry. I would like this one and this one, please."

"Very well. …Your English is very good, isn't it?"

"Eh?"

"No, you speak very fluently without any Japanese accent… Have you been abroad before?"

"No, this is my first time… Hahaha, it's nice to be praised for my English by an English speaker."

"Fufufu… Oh, I'm sorry. Ah, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I'll have it ready in a moment."

"Please."

The attendant smiled at my words and went back.

As I watched her go, Miu-san spoke to me with a somewhat excited look on her face.

"Yu-Yuuya-san, you speak English too?"

"Y-yes. Sometimes…"

It's all thanks to my [Language Comprehension] skill, so it's a bit of a cheat, but please forgive me this time. I can't show my embarrassing side as Miu-san's boyfriend.

After that, the drinks we ordered arrived, and after chatting with Miu-san and taking a nap, we arrived at our destination.

"Tch… what the hell is that guy… he's getting carried away…!"

Part 3

When the plane arrived at the airport, a car from Yuma-san's company was already there. I got in the car and drove to the hotel, where I changed into formal wear and went to the amusement center that Yuma-san ran.

"Wow…"

There was a super huge space there. There were glittering neon signs, huge fountains, and a gorgeous atmosphere. As I was stunned by the sight, Miu-san and the others who had also changed into dresses arrived.

"Now, let me show you the inside. We've reserved the place for today…"

"I see. Thanks for that."

Hideyuki-san nodded lightly at Yuma-san's words… A huge facility like this was rented out for a day! Normally, there would be a lot of customers… It's really outrageous that they would rent it out just for us. The scale was so different.

Inside the facility, there was a casino game space that I've only seen in movies and manga. Well, apparently, it's a coin-operated game.

I wore a proper suit, but I couldn't help but feel out of place. Rather, I'm glad I brought my suit… and that I prepared it just in case.

When I was thinking about that, Yuma-san called out to me.

"Right, Yuuya-kun."

"Yes?"

"I'd like you to play with me first… Do you have any money with you?"

"It's, well…"

"That's good. The games we have here are coin-operated games, so you'll need to convert your money into coins first."

Well, that's true. But how many coins do I need to have?

"Um, would one million yen be enough?"

"…..Huh?"

I pulled out a wad of cash from my item box as if I were pulling it out of my pocket.

"T-that money is…"

"I'm sorry, I have cash…"

But if I can use the money, that's just fine.

If possible, it would be better to return the large amount of money that I obtained from defeating monsters in the other world to the Earth. I've never had the opportunity to spend a lot of money before, so it would be great if I could use this opportunity.

As I was thinking about this, I noticed that everyone was staring at me.

"H-huh? Is it not enough? Then…"

Since Yuma-san and the others didn't react well, I put down two, three, four, and five wads of cash for the time being, and…

"W-wait a minute!"

"Huh?"

"The first million yen will be enough!"

Apparently, the first million yen was enough, and I retrieved the additional money.

"So, which game do you want to play?"

"Let's see… then the slots over there? Please."

I don't know much about slots, but I imagine they are common in Japanese arcades. Therefore, I'm sure I can do it.

When I was thinking about it, Yuma-san smiled at me.

"Slots, huh? That's good, isn't it? …It's easy to operate over here, so it's a big help."

"Eh?"

"It's nothing. It's easy to do. You just insert the coins and press the button. First, you have to exchange the money for coins."

As he said that, I exchanged my one million yen for the coins Yuma-san had brought with him.

I sat down without being prompted, and while Miu-san and Hideyuki-san watched, I put in the coins, but…

"…Um, where should I press?"

"Pfft… you really don't know anything about this thing, do you…?"

Then, Yuma-san laughed at me. No, that is how it is with beginners…

I pressed the button he told me to press, and the machine began to rotate. I didn't know what to do to win, so I pressed the three buttons at the right time, and the slot machine stopped.

At that moment, the word "Jackpot" appeared on the screen with a flashy sound and effect.

"Jack… pot?"

"Wha?"

"No way!"

"Hou…"

I don't know what's going on, but it seems I've won.

"I-impossible! I'm sure I gave them the proper instructions. Why…?"

Yuma-san was muttering something in a somewhat troubled manner, so I couldn't ask him what a jackpot was. However, a lot of coins came out of the machine, so I guessed I had won.

I continued to play and saw the word "Jackpot" again.

Again, a lot of coins were coming out of the machine. I pressed the button again and again, but each time the results were the same – jackpot.

"Yuuya-san, you're amazing!"

"Maybe he's just a guy with a little more luck than we thought…"

Miu-san and Hideyuki-san are standing behind me admiringly.

"Um, is this machine broken? I've only been getting the same results since a while ago…"

I was grateful that I was apparently winning, but as I continued to win so much, I began to worry that something was wrong with the machine at this place.

"T-that's right; it might be so…"

Yuma-san said with a somewhat tense look on his face.

I don't know if the machine was really malfunctioning or not… but even if it wasn't, I guess my luck stats just worked well…

"Damn it! What the hell is going on? Did you maintain it properly?"

"O-of course!"

"Then how come he's always winning?"

…Is it really okay? While watching Yuma-san arguing with the clerk about something, I could not help but feel that way.

"….."

Miu-san was listening to the conversation between the clerk and Yuma-san with a somewhat suspicious look on her face. I wondered what was going on.

Then Yuma-san, who had been talking with the clerk, recommended that I play the next game.

"W-well then, how about roulette next?"

"Roulette, huh?"

"Yes! It's a traditional game, too. As expected, I don't like it when people stick to just one game. You can also play games that you can't normally experience with the coins here."

"That's…"

As for me, I think I've also had enough, but it can't be helped.

"Okay. Well, I'd like to try out some of the other games, so can you tell me the rules as we go?"

So, I was taught the roulette rules for a while, but then Yuma-san came up with a suggestion.

"That's right! It's a rare experience. Why don't you try something that you don't usually do?"

"Something I don't normally do?"

"Yes! If you're a man, why don't you try putting all your coins on a single number?"

"Eh?"

Putting all my coins on a single number means… I only have one chance to win?

As I was confused by the risky suggestion, Miu-san, who was standing beside me and could not stand by watching and opened her mouth.

"Yuma-san, that would be──."

"Can you keep quiet for a moment? I'm having a conversation with Yuuya-kun right now."

Yuma-san interrupted her words without looking at Miu-san, and smiled.

"How about it? Yuuya-kun. It's not like anyone can keep playing with you. I'd like you to show me how extraordinary you are."

It's not like this roulette game is going to show you how extraordinary I am, but… it's hard to refuse. I'm sure Yuma-san has no intention of letting me refuse.

Well, in any case, it's a chance for me to return the money to Earth, so I'll accept it…

"…Very well."

"Yuuya-san!"

Miu-san shouted in surprise, while Yuma-san deepened his smile.

"I see! I was hoping you would say that! So, what do you want to do? What number do you want to put it on?"

"…Then black number six."

The reason I chose that number was because I suddenly thought of Kuro in my mind. "Kuro" and "Roku."

[T/n: Kuro means Black, and Roku means six in Japanese.]

In other words, I didn't think too much about it. I think it's a matter of luck, just like slots, so there's no point in thinking too much about it. Even if it may not be true, I felt that way as an amateur.

"I see, the black six…"

Yuma-san, who had a meaningful expression on his face, let the dealer start the roulette.

"Fuh… It's almost impossible to guess with only one number… Moreover, if I instruct the dealer to block it, he will certainly lose… This is what happens when you embarrass me."

Yuma-san was staring at the roulette wheel with a smile on his face while muttering to himself.

But──.

"Oh, I won."

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaattttt!?"

What a surprise, the result of the roulette was black six.

No, no… I didn't think that the 100 points that I gave to my luck status when I leveled up by defeating the Kaiser Ogre and the others would have this much of an effect.

"I-impossible! There's no chance for him to win! Why?"

"Yuma-san?"

"Yuma-kun, what's wrong?"

"Huh? N-next! There's still another game!"

Yuma-san said angrily, and I decided to experience all the games…

"Um…"

"Amazing…"

"N-no way… There's been a mistake…"

"….."

Wow, I've won every game I've played. For example, if I played poker, I would get a royal straight flush on my first hand. If I played blackjack, I would get a blackjack over and over again.

"B-boss? What should I do?"

"A-all right! The next one is…!"

"Oh, I won again."

"W-whaaaaaaaaattt?"

I felt Yuma-san and the clerk talking behind my back, but I continued to play the game, but I still ended up winning all of them.

"What the hell is going on? You guys! Are you following my instructions properly?"

"O-of course!"

Yuma-san was getting rougher and rougher as he kicked things nearby.

As I continued winning, Yuma-san's tone of voice became rougher and rougher, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Impossible, impossible, impossible!"

Yuma-san was already mumbling something, and I wondered where his initial composure had disappeared to. I'm really sorry…

Anyway, I won and won again, and as a result, the number of coins I had was outrageous. There's a big pile of coins behind me.

"Yuuya-san, you're too good!"

"U-um… you seem to have some kind of special power… perhaps I should reevaluate a bit."

Miu-san was greatly pleased whenever I won. I'm glad that I was able to show my good side as a boyfriend because Hideyuki-san was also surprised and impressed by my great victory.

Then Yuma-san shouted, seemingly at the end of his patience.

"I-it's cheating! You must be cheating!"

"Eeehh?"

E-even if you say it's cheating… No, my luck stats are more than just cheating…

It's not something that was visible, and there was no way to confirm this. Even I, who actually benefited from it, couldn't say anything about luck because it's invisible to the eye.

As Yuma-san glared at me, Miu-san finally opened her mouth.

"You're the one who's cheating, aren't you? I know you've been doing something dirty behind our backs!"

"W-what did you say…!"

"I have a recording of the conversation between you and the staff here!"

"Guh!"

Surprisingly, Miu-san was doing that while I was playing the game.

I had the feeling that Yuma-san often talked with the clerk in the back, but I was too focused on the game to grasp the content. If what Miu-san says is true, then the recorded content is probably a way to manipulate the outcome of the games…

Hideyuki-san, who was watching them arguing, called out to Yuma-san with a somewhat confused look.

"Yu-Yuma-kun? Is it true? I don't believe you would do such a thing──."

"──Shut up."

"Eh? Buh!?"

"Father!?"

Suddenly, Yuma-san punched Hideyuki-san, who called out to him!

"W-what are you doing?"

When I hurriedly tried to help Hideyuki-san stand up, a group of men dressed in black showed up around us, with the appearance of those who specialize in violent activities.

"This is…"

"Yu-Yuuya-san…"

For the sake of Miu-san, who has an anxious expression, I quickly stood in front of her to distance her from the men, and Yuma-san let out a big sigh.

"Haaahhh. Everything, everything is ruined, isn't it… Hah?"

"Yuma-san?"

"Don't you dare to call me casually like that, you little brat?"

Yuma-san glared at me with a murderous glare.

I, Miu-san, and most especially Hideyuki-san, who was at the feet of Yuma-san looking up at him dumbfounded, could not hide our surprise at the sudden change in his atmosphere.

Ignoring our gazes, Yuma-san continued languidly.

"I was so close to getting the Mido Group peacefully…"

The one who was most surprised by what Yuma-san said was Hideyuki-san, who was pushing for the marriage proposal.

"W-what? What is this all about, Yuma-kun──."

"You still don't get it, do you? I was only thinking of marrying your daughter and using her to take over the Mido Group!"

"Wha…"

Hideyuki-san is in a state of shock at Yuma-san's words.

"W-what do you…"

"Hey, hey, can't you see that after all this? Did you really not see that? I'm not just making money by doing things properly, you know. Look, that's the proof…!"

As Yuma-san spread out his hands, the men in black clothes surrounding us… pulled out a gun from their pockets! S-seriously?

"As you can see, I'm from the underground world, you know? I'm earning a lot of money from these kinds of cheating entertainment facilities as well as others."

Yuma-san made a wicked smile as he said this.

"So, I thought of expanding from overseas to Japan, but… these days, Japan has become a troublesome place for people from the underground business like us to operate. So, I decided to use the Mido Group, which has a lot of power in Japan and use them as a cover to move freely in Japan. But that bastard blew the whole plan out of the water."

"No way…"

Hideyuki-san was stunned, apparently not expecting that the person he had been pushing for a marriage with Miu-san out of concern for her future was a person from the underground business world.

Miu-san trembled in fear as a gun was pointed at her head.

"Yu-Yuuya-san…"

"Miu-san. Please rest assured. I will definitely protect you."

"Eh?"

Miu-san asked back in a daze. As if to reassure her, I turned back to Miu-san and smiled.

"Because I'm your boyfriend, right?"

"Eh?"

Miu-san's face flushed red at my words. Thank goodness, she seemed to have calmed down.

Then, seemingly unhappy with our exchange, Yuma-san shouted.

"Damn it! Enough, get rid of that little brat first!"

"Yuuya-san!"

As soon as Yuma-san gave the order, one of the men dressed in black shot a gun at me.

I was trying to be strong in front of Miu-san, but of course, I've never dealt with a gun before or even seen one. I've fought many battles against monsters in the other world, but I don't know if my powers would really work against a gun.

I had been thinking about how to fight against a gun…

"H-huh?"

The moment a bullet was fired from the gun, the speed of the surroundings suddenly slowed down. And the bullet that flew towards me was clearly visible as if in slow motion.

So I grabbed Miu-san in my arms and pulled her close to me, avoiding the bullet. Then, the speed of the surroundings returned to normal, and the bullet passed through the position where Miu-san and I were just now and made a hole in the wall behind us.

"Wha!? You avoided the bullet?"

Yuma-san was surprised, as he didn't think that the bullet would miss the target. When I thought about it, once a bullet was fired from the gun, as long as there were no interference from the outside, the direction it traveled could be easily predicted.

It's easier to deal with a bullet since it wouldn't suddenly change direction like Yuti's arrow or split into countless branches like the spear of the "Spear Saint."

In addition, the speed of the bullet was surprisingly slow… which I did not realize until I was actually shot at. I know this was abnormal, but I didn't expect the power I acquired in the other world to be so great.

Nevertheless, for this occasion, I am very grateful. I didn't want the experience of being shot at if possible, but that's what happened. I mean, if the bullet was this slow, I don't think I'd even get a scratch if I actually got hit by the bullet… I'm too scared to try such an experiment though.

──I didn't know about it until now, but the training with Yuti, Master Usagi, and Iris-san, as well as the fighting with the monsters in the Great Devil's Nest, were all done at a speed that exceeded the speed of sound. I'm not aware of this, and I was also so busy keeping up with the daily training that I don't really care if I'm really going faster than the speed of sound now. Even so, I still couldn't keep up with the speed of Master Usagi or Iris-san unless I used the power of the [Magic Attire] or Evil. I have to work harder…

More importantly, I slowly lowered Miu-san, who was frozen in my arms with a red face, to the ground and looked over at the men dressed in black.

"For the time being, I'm going to neutralize them."

"Huh!? Y-you, guys! Just shoot all of them!"

Then the men dressed in black all fired their guns at once. But I caught the bullets that were about to hit us with my bare hands and dealt with them.

Then, I scattered the bullets I had just caught on the floor around my feet.

When Yuma-san saw this, he opened his mouth so wide that I thought his jaw would come off. It was the same for the men dressed in black, who were all looking at me in amazement.

Yeah, I'm really far from human, aren't I? Even so, I still can't catch up with Master Usagi and the others, so the world is a big place.

"Well then… it's my turn now, right?"

"Hyiii!?"

As I sneaked into the bosom of one of the men dressed in black, I used a technique that I had learned from my previous fight with the Fist Saint.

"[Tearing Sky Pierce]!"

This technique was a profound technique that unleashed an impact from a very close distance, and if used normally, the men dressed in black would be unable to withstand it. So, I withheld my strength and unleashed the technique with the image of letting the impact penetrate through.

This technique of "penetrating the impact" was actually something that I had been aware of when using the Spear Saint technique during my training with Master Usagi and Iris-san.

As the name implied, the technique of the Spear Saint used a spear, so basically, everything was based on the premise of "piercing." I was able to make use of that technique in this battle.

"Kahahh──."

The man dressed in black, who had been hit by my attack, was knocked unconscious by the blow and collapsed.

"Okay, that went well…!"

In the same way, I stunned the men dressed in black one after another. Then, at last, Yuma-san was the only one left.

Yuma-san looked at me as I slowly approached him and shook his head.

"…A-avoiding and catching bullets, I don't understand it at all… what are you… what are yoouuuuuuuuuu!"

"──You're not worthy of Miu-san."

After saying that, I activate [Tearing Sky Pierce] on Yuma-san. Yuma-san then collapsed and fainted.

＊＊＊

After that, Yuma-san was caught by the local police.

Incidentally, the police told me that the number of coins I had acquired in the game had swelled to the point where I could exchange them for about 500 million yen. M-my stats luck was really outrageous…

At the airport on the way back to Japan, I ended up sitting in on the discussion between Miu-san and Hideyuki-san.

"Miu…"

"….."

Miu-san didn't respond to Hideyuki-san's voice. From what I could see, their impressions of each other were completely reversed from when I first met them.

Then Hideyuki-san made a very pathetic and confused expression.

"I-I was…"

"──Up until now, father has denied me of everything, of anything."

"Uh…"

"I want you to tell me what I should do from now on, and I want to hear it from father's mouth."

Because of what has happened up until now, Miu-san's words must have resonated strongly in Hideyuki-san's heart. I couldn't interfere in any way in this matter. After all, it was a family matter. It would be strange for me, an outsider, to interfere.

In response to Miu-san's words, Hideyuki-san tried to say something but eventually dropped his voice.

"…I'm sorry. I thought I knew everything, but I actually didn't know a thing."

"….."

"I thought that if you married him, your future… and the future of the Mido Group… would be safe. But I was wrong about everything. I'm sorry that I didn't see through his true nature, and I'm sorry that I didn't consider your feelings… I'm sorry for everything."

"….."

Hideyuki-san lowered his head sincerely. Seeing that, Miu-san quietly opened her mouth.

"…I understand that father was making the decisions for my sake. Even if it is for the Mido Group, I think it is true that father wanted to do so to help me as much as possible."

"….."

"But I like what I do now. I love it. I decide what makes me happy…! That's what I wanted to tell you, father.

"…I see."

Hideyuki-san nodded slightly and unexpectedly turned his head towards me.

"Yuuya-kun."

"Y-yes."

"…I've said a lot of horrible things to you. I'm really… sorry."

"N-no, that's…"

Hideyuki-san suddenly bowed to me, and I was at a loss for words. I was just fulfilling my role as Miu-san's boyfriend.

"Please take care of Miu."

"…..Huh?"

"Fa-father?"

I was stunned by Hideyuki-san's words. Then Miu-san became flustered, her face turning red.

"What are you panicking about? You and Yuuya-kun are dating, aren't you? You can get married anytime you want."

"W-well, that's not the case… no, if that happens…"

Hideyuki-san laughed amusingly at Miu-san, who tried to say something back. When I saw Hideyuki-san, I realized that Miu-san was also being teased, and for the first time, I smiled with Hideyuki-san.

I'm glad. There may still be some awkwardness, but I hope the two of them can get along from now on.

At any rate, I guess my mission is complete, huh? I hope I was able to play the role of a boyfriend without causing any embarrassment for Miu-san…

Then Hideyuki-san turned to face me again and winked.

"Whenever you decide to get married, let me know. I'll spare no effort to help you."

"Father!"

…T-this means that I've done well as a boyfriend, right?

In the end, I finally relaxed my shoulders.

＊＊＊

(──I had no idea it was on such a remote planet…)

While Yuuya was getting into trouble overseas, Earth was being observed from a planet in the distant universe.

A girl was staring at the holographic image of the Earth.

She was humanoid like the people on Earth, but her hair and other body parts emit phosphorescence.

The girl muttered.

(Once more, let's bring that blueprint to our planet──.)

──The wish of the girl on a certain planet in the distant universe… Yuuya still has no way of knowing it…