The next day, in the classroom.
"How was yesterday?"
Because he had to get up occasionally last night to check on the potion, Asakura, with slightly heavy eyelids, yawned and poked Yanami Anna, who also looked a bit tired, asking.
"It was terrible."
The girl scratched her head, giving Asakura a slightly resentful look: "The method you taught simply didn't work. That Togawa said the scholarship was already her goal and she didn't need us to remind her… Yukinoshita even tried to reason with her, but ended up being lectured by Togawa instead."
Perhaps because she was talking about gossip, Yanami Anna's spirits visibly improved, and she began to speak animatedly: "You didn't see it, when that Togawa said to Yukinoshita, who wanted to persuade her to give up her night job, 'You're not even willing to understand others' pain, you just want to change the world with generalities,' 'Naive kindness is often no different from foolishness,' 'The second young lady of the Yukinoshita family is truly high and mighty'—Yukinoshita's expression was really…"
"I don't think that's good—" Before Yanami Anna could finish speaking, Yuigahama Yui, who had appeared beside them at some point, interrupted their conversation: "Talking bad about others behind their backs!"
"That's not talking bad, I'm just telling Asakura what I saw!"
Yanami Anna said with a righteous expression: "Please call me Ms. Camera!"
"Alright, Ms. Traveler."
Asakura also replied earnestly.
"You two…"
Yuigahama Yui sighed helplessly.
"So, is the situation really bad?"
Asakura asked Yuigahama Yui again.
The girl hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded.
"I think Togawa-san probably has some unspeakable difficulties… That's why her words came across as… well, a little aggressive."
Yuigahama Yui carefully chose her words, trying to convey to Asakura a situation that wasn't so bad: "But I don't think she's a bad person… Her part-time job isn't anything improper, it's just a night shift at a customer service company…"
"Ho, if even Yuigahama, who can sweetly endure Yukino's sharp tongue, finds it 'aggressive,' then I'm starting to get curious about that Togawa Sakiko."
Asakura stroked his chin, regretting that he hadn't gone to the scene yesterday to see Yukinoshita Yukino being verbally attacked.
He loved watching girls bicker, just like his favorite episode of Digimon in his previous life was when Angewomon and LadyDevimon slapped each other.
"But even so, you can't be sure that the other party isn't a bad person, right?"
Asakura said with interest.
"Although this might sound unpleasant, Togawa-san is actually quite beautiful. For a girl with her looks, if she wanted to earn money quickly, there are actually some not-so-good but easier ways…"
It was clear that Yuigahama Yui was a bit shy when saying this, but to make sure Asakura understood she was serious, she tried to make her tone sound more solemn.
And Asakura, after listening to her narration, nodded. After pondering for a long while, he finally spoke, asking in a deep voice.
"Is she really that beautiful?"
"That's not the point, is it? Takuma-kun, you thought for so long just now, and that's all you cared about!"
Yuigahama Yui said, both annoyed and amused.
"Really."
Yanami Anna, who was standing beside him, nodded vigorously: "Although they are beauties of different styles, and comparisons are inevitably influenced by personal subjectivity, in terms of appearance alone, I don't think Togawa is inferior to Yukino."
Asakura was a little surprised.
Although he himself was somewhat at odds with Yukinoshita Yukino—even after the Founders' Festival play, their relationship had softened a bit, but compared to the other members of the Magic Club, there was still a clear sense of distance—even so, Asakura could criticize Yukino in various aspects, such as her awkward personality, her grades not being as good as his own, and her lack of friends and large chest, but he could never say that Yukinoshita Yukino was not beautiful.
Even among all the people Asakura knew, Yukinoshita Yukino, in terms of appearance alone, was undoubtedly T0-tier; not counting the idols on TV, perhaps only the 'Insider Girl' he had met in the internet cafe could compare.
"Someone so beautiful is still studying at Soubu High School, I shouldn't have absolutely no impression of her…"
Asakura rubbed his chin in confusion, but still had no memory of the name 'Togawa Sakiko'.
Never mind, Yukinoshita Yukino had already failed anyway. According to the normal procedure, she could only report the situation to Hiratsuka Shizuka, so that the latter, as a teacher, could pressure Togawa Sakiko to give up her night job. So, this matter should be over.
Although it was a bit regrettable that he couldn't personally witness Yukinoshita Yukino's Waterloo, at least Asakura was able to confirm that Togawa Sakiko did not occupy Kawasaki's ecological niche; it was just a simple accident.
After all, he had confirmed it thoroughly this morning: the student named Kawasaki was indeed present at school—specifically, in his own class.
Judging by her somewhat poor complexion, she should indeed be working a night job. If the plot hadn't been affected by the butterfly effect, after some time, she would be reported by her younger brother, and then the Service Club would resolve the situation—
No, wait a minute!
A thought suddenly flashed through Asakura's mind: if Togawa Sakiko had already set her sights on the scholarship and was confident enough to get it, then wouldn't Kawasaki have no hope of getting the scholarship?
In that case, if the Service Club triggered Kawasaki's plot and then told her to strive for the scholarship, would that count as false advertising?
Asakura subtly sounded out Yanami Anna and Yuigahama Yui for their opinions on this matter.
As a result, he learned that Togawa Sakiko was a first-year student and not in the same grade as them.
So that was it, no problem then. No wonder he had no impression of her; after all, he wasn't a pervert who would just run off to the lower grades to look at junior girls for no reason.
Next, he just needed to continue focusing on brewing the Essence of Dittany, and then follow Chihaya Anon to find the Magic Mirror, and everything would be fine.
"Of course not."
As a result, in the Service Club activity room, Yukinoshita Yukino said with an unusually firm expression: "This is the Service Club's work, and I will not give up halfway and push everything to Hiratsuka-sensei! No matter how many times it takes, I will pull that person back on track!"
You just can't swallow that anger, can you?
Looking at the girl's indignant expression, Asakura couldn't help but inwardly grumble.