["Felt, a notorious thief from the slums, blessed with the Divine Protection of Wind. She has a close bond with a Giant named Old Man Rom. Most of her thefts are commissions for hire... essentially a two-man operation. At least two enemies to account for."]
[Having synthesized the available intel, Hachiman laid out the board with surgical clarity. Puck patted his chest confidently. "A Giant and a Wind Blessing? They might give an average mage a hard time, but against Lia and me, they're just chasing shadows."]
["Is that so? Then I'll leave the heavy lifting to you two. I'm just an ordinary shut-in; I'll be staying out of the crossfire."]
"An ordinary shut-in?!"
At a loud karaoke party across the city, a group of students erupted in disbelief. Tobe, standing beside Hayato, Miura, and Iroha, looked pale. "Hey, hey... Hachiman is actually this smart? Did I ever piss him off? Hayato, you gotta save me if he comes back!"
Yui Yuigahama's eyes shimmered with a mix of pride and growing insecurity. She pumped a fist in the air. "Hehe, I always knew Hikki was incredible!"
"You're up against Yukinoshita-senpai on one side and now this Emilia on the other," Iroha Isshiki remarked dryly, leaning against the wall. "Do you really think you can compete with that kind of charm, Yuigahama-senpai?"
"Ugh..." Yui froze, unable to find a retort. She quickly busied herself with her phone. "A-Anyway, we need to find out where Hikki is right now and check on him!"
["The only reason we can even fight is because of your intelligence. I should be the one saying it—thank you for your hard work, Hachiman."]
[The moment the words left Emilia's lips, her eyes widened in surprise. She watched as Hachiman stiffened, his face erupting into a deep, violent crimson. Fearing he had suddenly fallen ill, she took a small step forward, reaching out to touch his burning cheek.]
[Whoosh—]
[Like a startled bird, Hachiman moved with a speed he hadn't shown even during the fight. He stumbled back several paces, his mouth hanging open as he struggled to find his voice. His heart thundered so loudly he could hear it in his ears; he was too overwhelmed to even look her in the eye.]
["Eh? ...Ah!" Emilia retracted her hand as if she had been shocked. Though bewildered, she apologized immediately. "Did I do something offensive? I'm so sorry... Puck, did I break some sort of cultural taboo?"]
["Heh, who knows?" Puck teased. "For a guy who sees the world with such ruthless cynicism, your heart is surprisingly sheltered, kid."]
"He's clever and decisive, but he has a glaring weakness. He's too easy to manipulate," Kiyotaka Ayanokouji murmured to himself, his voice a flat line of disappointment. He had expected a more formidable peer.
Beside him, Suzune Horikita caught the faint critique. She nodded, a small, mocking smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. Her disdain for Hachiman's social incompetence momentarily outweighed her respect for his earlier tactics.
In the Lawson, the real Hachiman wanted the earth to swallow him whole. Just kill me now! A high schooler looking like he's ready to die happy just because a girl said his name... people are going to mock me for the rest of my life!
"Pfft... hahaha..."
Even the worried Yukino couldn't help herself. She leaned over, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she stole a glance at the boy beside her. A soft, melodic giggle escaped her lips.
Hachiman's skin crawled. He wanted to bolt out the door and sprint toward the nearest dimensional rift. Fortunately, despite her laughter, Yukino's left hand remained firmly clamped onto his sleeve, a silent declaration that she wasn't letting go, no matter how embarrassing he was.
Dammit, wake up, Hachiman! Don't let your imagination run wild!
[On the trek toward the slums, Hachiman walked with his usual slouch. However, every time he noticed Emilia glancing at him with curiosity, he would reflexively straighten his back, his bad habits momentarily corrected by the sheer pressure of her presence.]
[They walked side by side. Emilia showed no discomfort or disdain for his status, but Hachiman kept drifting away, trying to maintain a 'safe' social distance.]
["...?" Confused, Emilia tilted her head and quickened her pace, closing the gap instantly. "This area shelters thieves, robbers, and worse. You should stay close to me. If an accident happens, I won't be able to protect you if you're too far away."]
["A-Ah... uh..."]
[Hachiman's breathing became shallow. His eyes stared straight ahead with terrifying intensity, and his limbs began to move out of sync. He had forgotten how to walk like a normal human being.]
["Lia, I think he might actually be safer if you give him some space."]
["What are you saying, Puck? That makes no sense." Emilia refused to budge. If he was entering this dangerous place to help her, she would guard him with her life.]
[The stubborn girl was simply too pure. She seemed entirely unaware of her own staggering beauty, or the magnetic effect her proximity had on a boy his age. Puck merely waved a paw in a 'well, I tried' gesture toward Hachiman's pleading gaze.]
["Could you... tell me about this world—I mean, the kingdom? Just the basics, Emilia?" Hachiman finally managed to wheeze out, desperately using business to distract his overstimulated brain.]
["So Hachiman really isn't from Lugnica? You must be a traveler from very far away."]
[With every smile and gesture, the girl exuded a natural, quiet nobility, yet she spoke without a shred of arrogance. She spent the walk detailing the kingdom's foundations: the Peerless Sword Saint, the Council of Sages, the Knight Orders, and the upcoming Royal Selection.]
[She wasn't stupid or overly trusting; she simply understood that this was common knowledge anyone could find by asking a passerby. It cost her nothing to be kind.]
[Doing his best to treat every melodic mention of his name as a hallucination, Hachiman memorized every scrap of intel. Finally, he had a complete, if basic, understanding of the world he had been dropped into.]