บท 112: Megumi Kato's Inner Thoughts

Until the bell for the second period rang, Eriri and Shea finally separated, while the students in the classroom, who had been in a daze, had long since come back to their senses. They all gathered with their friends to discuss the scene, though they kept their voices low, afraid that Eriri and the others might overhear.

When Kanoko Hasumi re-entered the classroom, she noticed the strange atmosphere and couldn't help but show a puzzled expression.

Shaking her head to dismiss the strange feeling, she slowly walked to the podium. As soon as she looked out at the students, she noticed Shea sitting in her seat, smiling foolishly.

"Shea, you seem so happy. Did something good happen? But it's time to start the lesson now," Kanoko Hasumi said with a gentle tone.

"Ah, sorry, Hasumi-sensei!" Shea immediately snapped out of her pleasant reverie, her smile fading as she looked apologetically at Kanoko Hasumi.

Seeing that the students had all settled down, Kanoko Hasumi began the second lesson of the day.

The second period passed quickly, and the girls who had been bursting with curiosity for an entire period hurriedly gathered around Eriri and the others, bombarding them with questions.

...

The events in the classroom spread faster than expected. Soon, all of the first-year students had heard that two incredibly beautiful transfer students had joined Class 1-E.

As a result, during breaks, many people would deliberately pass by Class 1-E's door, sneaking glances inside as they did. Most of these curious onlookers were boys.

Some girls, who thought of themselves as quite attractive, also came by to inspect their potential rivals. Since entering school, these girls had been overshadowed by Megumi Kato. They certainly didn't want more people stealing their spotlight.

However, after their inspection, they left with a sense of defeat.

At lunchtime, Aoi Kujo arrived at the school on time with a steaming hot meal. Eriri, noticing her arrival, called out to her as she was about to leave after dropping off the bento. Eriri invited her to join them on the rooftop, and she also invited Kiyo Ishimaki and Azusa Satomi to come along.

Although there were two ordinary people present, Eriri didn't hide anything. She directly led everyone through a teleportation spell to the rooftop.

The rooftop was empty, with flowers and plants that had become even more vibrant and lush.

Kiyo Ishimaki and Azusa Satomi, experiencing teleportation for the first time, looked at Eriri and the others in disbelief, their faces full of confusion.

"Eriri, how did we get here so suddenly?" Although they were shocked by what had just happened, Kiyo Ishimaki and Azusa Satomi recognized that they were indeed on the rooftop.

It was clear from the surrounding wire mesh and nearby buildings, even though the rooftop now looked more like a garden.

Seeing Aoi Kujo laying out a tablecloth and Arifureta and Shea setting out the food from the containers, Eriri turned to Kiyo Ishimaki and Azusa Satomi with a mysterious smile. "Kiyo, Azusa, have you ever heard of spiritual energy revival?"

Kiyo Ishimaki and Azusa Satomi exchanged a shocked glance, unable to hide their astonishment.

"I've heard a classmate from middle school talk about it. Doesn't that mean there will be all kinds of monsters and demons appearing?" Kiyo Ishimaki asked with a bit of fear in her voice. She wasn't good with unknown things. Thinking about what had just happened, she quickly added, "Was what you did earlier a superpower?"

"You could say that," Eriri nodded. Seeing their worried expressions, she reassured them, "So you don't need to worry. With the revival of spiritual energy, there will also be people with special abilities to handle it."

Hearing Eriri's answer, Kiyo Ishimaki and Azusa Satomi breathed a sigh of relief. It made sense—if Eriri could use superpowers, there must be others who could too.

With their initial worries dispelled, their curiosity grew, and they were eager to learn more about this new world.

Just as they were about to ask more questions, Aoi Kujo's voice called out from nearby.

"Miss Eriri, lunch is ready. You can come and eat now."

"Coming," Eriri responded and turned to Kiyo Ishimaki and Azusa Satomi. "Let's go eat. We can talk more while we eat."

With that, she led them to where the others were seated, in the center of the rooftop. The early April sunlight wasn't as hot as in summer; instead, it brought a warm and comfortable feeling.

A large, square tablecloth, about four meters across, was spread on the ground. It was pink with various floral patterns, and in the center were numerous dishes, still steaming hot.

Aoi Kujo and Megumi Kato were seated properly on the tablecloth, while Arifureta and Shea were sitting cross-legged, clearly uncomfortable with the traditional kneeling posture.

Eriri sat between Arifureta and Megumi Kato, choosing a duck-legged sitting posture instead of kneeling or cross-legged.

Kiyo Ishimaki, feeling a bit reserved, sat beside Megumi Kato. Despite there being seven people around the meal, the setup still seemed a bit spacious, with one side left unoccupied.

Seeing the luxurious spread of food on the tablecloth, Kiyo Ishimaki and Azusa Satomi couldn't help but gulp. Suddenly, their bento didn't seem as appealing.

"Kiyo, Azusa, why don't you open your bento and place it with the rest of the food? We can all share, so don't be shy," Eriri said with a smile.

"Okay!" Kiyo Ishimaki and Azusa Satomi nodded eagerly, quickly opening their bento boxes. Inside were the usual items: octopus-shaped sausages, egg rolls, fried chicken, some vegetables, and rice.

With everything ready, they all clapped their hands in a brief prayer before starting the meal.

As Kiyo Ishimaki picked up a piece of flavorful beef and ate it, she set down her chopsticks and turned to Eriri. "Eriri, can I ask you more about the revival of spiritual energy?"

"Of course! Ask whatever you like," Eriri said casually, opening her mouth to accept a shrimp tail Arifureta offered her. After chewing it slowly, she swallowed with a satisfied expression.

Just as Kiyo Ishimaki was about to ask her first question, the sound of the rooftop door opening interrupted her. A voluptuous girl with a pair of stunning legs perfectly set off by black stockings and a white headband on her head walked in, holding a bento in her hand. It was Utaha Kasumigaoka.

Seeing the group seemingly having a picnic, Utaha paused in surprise. But when she spotted Eriri, whom she hadn't seen in seven days, a wave of excitement and joy welled up inside her.

Upon hearing from her classmates that Eriri had come to school today, Utaha brought her bento to Class 1-E to invite Eriri and Megumi Kato to lunch. However, when she arrived, neither was there, and she couldn't get a clear answer from the other students. Feeling dejected, she headed to the rooftop, intending to eat her lunch alone.

Although she had met Eriri for the first time on this rooftop, she hadn't thought Eriri and Megumi would be there today, especially since the door had been locked.

So when she saw Eriri, she felt both joy and confusion. She had unlocked the door herself, so how had Eriri and the others gotten in?

Just as her mind began to entertain wild theories, a clear and pleasant voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Good afternoon, Utaha-senpai. Are you here for lunch?" Eriri greeted her with a smile, her eyes meeting Utaha's.

Utaha, flustered by the sudden attention, quickly composed herself and responded with a soft smile. "Yes, I am. I didn't expect to find you here, Eriri. But I'm curious—how did you get in? The door was locked."

"We have our ways," Eriri replied with a sweet smile, avoiding a direct answer. She then extended an invitation. "Senpai, since you're here, why not join us? We have plenty of food."

"Is that so? Then I won't hold back," Utaha said with a playful smile as she gracefully walked over to join the group, sitting down between Aoi Kujo and Azusa Satomi.

She was taken aback by the striking beauty of everyone present. Besides Azusa Satomi and Kiyo Ishimaki, everyone else was far more attractive, and even her own figure couldn't compare to the maid-outfitted Aoi Kujo or the black-stockinged Shea.

Noticing the change in Utaha's expression, Eriri guessed what she was thinking and simply smiled without explaining. She knew that if Utaha also experienced the transformation that others had, her appearance would likely rival that of Arifureta and the others.

Eriri then introduced everyone at the gathering, except for Megumi Kato, allowing them to get to know each other better.

Seated to Eriri's right, Arifureta, who had been quietly observing Utaha, gave her a deep, thoughtful look that made Utaha feel uneasy.

"Um, Arifureta, why are you staring at me like that?" Utaha frowned slightly, feeling uncomfortable under the gaze of the petite blonde girl who looked around thirteen.

She then glanced at Megumi Kato, who was seated on Eriri's left, feeling increasingly puzzled about the relationship between the three.

"Oh, it's nothing, Utaha-senpai. I've just heard about you before, so I'm curious. Don't mind me," Arifureta replied with a gentle smile.

"You've heard about me? Could it be that Eriri mentioned me to her?" Utaha wondered, her heart swelling with joy at the thought of Eriri bringing her up in conversations.

"Is that so?" Utaha nodded, but didn't press further. However, she couldn't help but let her gaze occasionally drift between Eriri, Arifureta, and Megumi Kato. But what she saw next shattered her composure.

Arifureta and Megumi were taking turns feeding Eriri, who wasn't even picking up her chopsticks. She accepted each bite from them, clearly enjoying their attention.

"What are you…?" Utaha could no longer contain her shock. She looked at the four of them with wide eyes, utterly bewildered.

"What do you mean?" Eriri asked innocently, her expression mirrored by Arifureta and Megumi, who looked just as puzzled.

Seeing how natural their actions seemed, Utaha suddenly recalled the rumors she had overheard in the classroom about Eriri. What she had dismissed as gossip now seemed disturbingly plausible.

"Could it be that the rumors at school are true? Are you four really… in that kind of relationship?"

"Yes, we are," Eriri answered without hesitation, and Arifureta and the others nodded in agreement.

Utaha's thoughts spiraled into chaos. "Megumi, does this really not bother you?"

"I was a bit bothered at first, but I came to accept it. After all, we all love Eriri," Megumi replied sincerely.

This was indeed how Megumi felt. When she first learned that Eriri had feelings for others, she did feel a pang of jealousy. But she knew she could never leave Eriri.

Moreover, they were no longer ordinary people. Eriri had no limits to her lifespan, and as long as Megumi, Arifureta, and the others continued to grow stronger, they too would achieve immortality. So the idea of Eriri loving other girls didn't seem so troubling anymore. In fact, the thought of having more sisters to share their endless days with was rather comforting.

Megumi's words left Utaha in deep thought, her emotions swirling in turmoil.