After the meeting concluded, Asagiri reached a consensus with Yuuki Asuna's father.

On Sunday, Kayaba Akihiko would arrive in Tokyo under Ashikaga Miwa's arrangement. At that time, Yuki Shozo, the CEO of the electronic device manufacturer, would meet with him for a detailed discussion, and the terms offered would be extremely generous.

Ashikaga Miwa would provide unconditional financial support. Regardless of whether the device developed by Kayaba Akihiko could eventually be put into commercial use, she would fully support his research and act only as a fund provider. She would not interfere with the research process, nor would she interfere with Kayaba Akihiko in any way.

Of course, after the research succeeded, she would make certain requests. She hoped that the electronic device developed by Kayaba Akihiko, along with the virtual environments created through it, could be used to provide Dungeon clearing experience for "Players."

As for whether or not Kayaba Akihiko would be told about Players and the game, that would be decided after the research was completed.

With such generous sponsorship terms, almost requiring no return, Yuuki Shozo felt that even Kayaba Akihiko would definitely be unable to refuse.

"Utsunomiya, would you like to join us for a meal?"

Faced with Yuuki Kyoko's invitation, Asagiri simply waved his hand and replied with a smile.

"I won't disturb your family's rare reunion time."

Yuuki Kyoko covered her mouth and chuckled. She looked completely different from the serious, rigid mother Yuuki Asuna remembered. When she looked at Asagiri, her eyes held only the appreciation and affection of a mother toward her future son-in-law.

"Oh dear, listen to you. You're not an outsider. After you graduate from high school and marry Asuna, we'll be family. Hmm… Utsunomiya Asuna. That's a very nice name…"

Hearing her mother already thinking about her changing surnames after marrying Asagiri, Yuuki Asuna's pretty face turned red. She reached out and tugged at Yuuki Kyoko's sleeve, speaking coyly.

"Mom, we're still at the school gate. Keep your voice down…"

"Asuna, you're still not mature enough."

Yuuki Kyoko leaned close to Yuuki Asuna's ear, lowering her voice as she spoke earnestly.

"Didn't you notice? We've been standing here for less than two minutes, and at least dozens of passing girls have been staring at Utsunomiya. Such an excellent boyfriend must be held firmly in your hands. You must never let any girl with ill intentions steal him away. Love is war!"

Hearing her mother's words, Yuuki Asuna could not help showing a helpless expression.

"Why is there also a middle-aged version of the Love Detective… Seriously…"

"Asuna~"

Hearing that energetic voice, Yuuki Asuna turned around and saw Iwanaga Kotoko, Fujiwara Chika, and Kaguya Shinomiya walking toward them.

"Are they your friends?"

Faced with her mother's curious question, Yuuki Asuna was about to answer when Asagiri spoke bluntly.

"They are girls with ill intentions."

"Uh…"

Yuuki Kyoko's expression froze for a moment before she chuckled awkwardly.

"Utsunomiya… you really do like joking…"

"Mom."

Yuuki Asuna shot Asagiri an annoyed look, then introduced them to her mother.

"This is Iwanaga Kotoko from Class A. She's my friend. This is Fujiwara Chika, who is in the same class as me and also my friend. This is… Kaguya Shinomiya, who is in the same class as Asagiri and is the current Student Council President of Private Shuchiin."

"Shinomiya…"

Yuuki Kyoko's eyes showed a hint of surprise when she heard Kaguya Shinomiya's surname. After nodding to Kaguya Shinomiya, Fujiwara Chika, and Iwanaga Kotoko, she turned to Yuuki Asuna beside her and smiled.

"Since your friends came to see you, you don't need to stay with us two middle-aged people. Go have fun with them and Utsunomiya."

With that, Yuuki Kyoko and Yuuki Shozo turned and left.

After Yuuki Asuna's parents departed, the group returned to the Shuchiin Academy Student Council office.

Only then did Kaguya Shinomiya finally look at Yuuki Asuna, who was sitting opposite her. She seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she said nothing. Instead, she turned her gaze toward Asagiri, who stood by the window. Brushing back her long black hair, she spoke in a calm tone.

"Vice President, I heard from Ashikaga-sensei that you usually follow her for 'special training.' The three of us, including myself, would also like to participate. Is that acceptable?"

"You want to participate in special training too?"

Asagiri smiled slightly, his tone carrying interest.

"Are you sure?"

"Uh…"

Fujiwara Chika saw Asagiri's meaningful expression and could not help hesitating. She looked at Yuuki Asuna and asked tentatively,

"Asuna… your special training isn't the kind of special training we imagine, but that kind of special training, right?"

Yuuki Asuna's delicate eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What kind of this and that? What are you talking about?"

"It's just…"

Fujiwara Chika glanced at Asagiri, seemingly imagining some scene. Her cute face flushed as she asked,

"When you're doing special training, you wear clothes, right?"

"What are you thinking?"

Hearing Fujiwara Chika's words, Iwanaga Kotoko could not help rolling her eyes.

"If it were the kind where you don't need to wear clothes, do you think it would be your turn? You sure dream big."

Just as Fujiwara Chika and Iwanaga Kotoko began speaking in riddles, the true heavyweight God of Abstraction, Utsunomiya Asagiri, made his heroic entrance and slowly spoke four devastating words.

"I have no objection."

"You have no objection again?"

Iwanaga Kotoko walked to Asagiri's side, pouting as she hummed softly.

"You spent the whole day with Asuna yesterday, and you haven't spent any time with me today~ Special training? No special training."

"Wait a minute…"

Hearing Iwanaga Kotoko's words, Fujiwara Chika was stunned at first. Then a look of shock appeared on her face. Her lips parted slightly, forming an exaggeratedly cute expression of disbelief.

"Could it be… you three are that kind of…"

"You misunderstood."

Seeing Asagiri wave his hand and deny it outright, Fujiwara Chika had just breathed a sigh of relief when she heard him chuckle and add,

"There are four of us. One isn't here right now."

"What!? What!?"

Fujiwara Chika's vague suspicion was finally confirmed by Asagiri himself. At that moment, she was completely dumbfounded, her expression too shocked to describe.

"Asuna… you… you know about this?"

Yuuki Asuna pursed her lips. Although she seemed a little embarrassed, she still nodded slightly and replied in a low voice,

"Yes… we tell each other everything."

"This… how is this possible…"

At that moment, Fujiwara Chika, the Love Detective who had always believed in the motto "Love is war, either you die or I die," suffered an enormous shock.

"What's so surprising about this?"

Iwanaga Kotoko, who usually appeared extremely jealous and could be called Tokyo's number one vinegar jar, displayed the attitude of the main wife, or at least what she considered to be the main wife, in front of Fujiwara Chika and Kaguya Shinomiya, who were outsiders.

"Trusting each other, surpassing everything in the world, a relationship where you can entrust your life and death to one another. This is called a bond!"

Hearing Iwanaga Kotoko's words, Asagiri could not help chuckling.

"Are you copying me?"

"Hmph. There's no need to distinguish between us. What's yours is mine~"

"Okay."

Seeing that Asagiri, Iwanaga Kotoko, and Yuuki Asuna all looked completely unconcerned, Fujiwara Chika and Kaguya Shinomiya were greatly shaken.

So, without them knowing, the relationship between those four had already progressed to this extent?

"It's fine if you want to join us for special training, but…"

Asagiri looked at Fujiwara Chika and Kaguya Shinomiya before him and asked,

"Your families need to agree, right? Fujiwara should be fine, but the main issue is Shinomiya. Can you move freely outside Shuchiin Academy?"

"Don't worry about that."

Kaguya Shinomiya nodded and replied calmly.

"Because of that incident, there are far fewer spies around me than before. As for the main family, as long as I say I'm going to Chika's house to play, there won't be any problems."

"I see…"

Asagiri nodded noncommittally, then suddenly became serious.

"But if we take you along for special training, although it does bring us some benefits, you should also pay something in exchange. That would make it a fair trade, right?"

Fujiwara Chika seemed to have expected Asagiri to say something like this. In a half-joking, half-serious tone, she said,

"How about letting Kaguya offer herself to you?"

Kaguya Shinomiya did not expect her friend Chika to suddenly say such a thing. Her face flushed first, then she immediately raised her hand and lightly touched her cheek.

"Chika, don't talk nonsense here…"

"Exactly."

Asagiri nodded in agreement, speaking in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Taking you for special training is already our contribution, and then I have to throw myself in too? Wouldn't that be a huge loss?"

Kaguya Shinomiya: "…"

She did not know how to respond.

The key point was that Asagiri's words sounded extremely abstract, but when Kaguya Shinomiya thought about it carefully, it really did seem like he would be losing out.

When a proud girl who thinks highly of herself is no longer arrogant, and her heart begins to waver, it proves that…

She has been completely defeated.

"Then… equipment or items?"

"No need."

Asagiri shook his head, his tone flat.

"In my opinion, compared to equipment or items, the three of you are more valuable…"

As he spoke, Asagiri suddenly noticed that Fujiwara Chika and Kaguya Shinomiya were both staring at him with slightly surprised looks. He could not help showing a speechless expression.

"Although I don't know what you're thinking, I have a feeling you misunderstood what I meant. I mean that if there is any action in the real world that requires your help, you should come and help. That's what I meant. Understand?"

.....

[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]

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