After all, genital heart disease is indeed a serious problem for most people.

  But for Ryuji, who had mastered the reverse cursed teique and Idle Transfiguration, it would be nothing more than a simple gesture.

  Ryuji didn't mention any of this.

  Whether or not to help Arisu with her treatment was simply a matter of choice for him.

  For now, Arisu's dition was stable enough.

  There was o rush into things; he would deal with it when she sought him out herself.

  "Are we just leaving like this?"

  Masumi, who had already exited the club, looked at Arisu walking ahead with a hint of fusion.

  She khat the entire purpose of ing here was for Ryuji.

  But now, they were leaving without eveing his taformation. Wasn't that a failure?

  "Patience is key!"

  In respoo Masumi's question, Arisu smiled.

  She didn't see this first meeting as a failure at all.

  "When dealing with someone as powerful as him, you o tread carefully. One wrong word and you could ruihing!"

  "What a hassle."

  Masumi wasn't as strategic as Arisu.

  To her, it just seemed unnecessarily plicated.

  If you want to be friends with someone, why not just say it directly?

  Fet it, sihis was Arisu's pn, Masumi wouldn't argue.

  "Oh, by the way!"

  Arisu seemed to remember something and stopped, turning to look at Masumi beside her.

  "That million I just handed over, have you thought about when yoing to pay me back?"

  Arisu said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

  "???"

  Masumi's family wasn't poor, but they definitely weren't riough to throw around a million yen casually.

  "Me?"

  Masumi had assumed Arisu was footing the bill; why was she suddenly being asked to pay it back?

  "That money was used to solve your problem, so of course, you're the one who should cover it!"

  Arisu said, tapping her e on the ground as though emphasizing a simple fact.

  The best part was,

  Masumi found herself at a loss for words. The logic made sense!

  "Alright, I'll pay it back!"

  Masumi wasn't the type to dodge her responsibilities. It was just disheartening. She hadn't even started w, and she already owed a million yen. Life suddenly felt bleak.

  "Don't worry! Just work under me, and I won't treat you unfairly."

  Arisu's iion wasn't to actually make Masumi pay back the money.

  Due to her heart dition, there were many things Arisu could strategize but not execute herself.

  So, she relied on Masumi.

  Thinking about it, Arisu felt more fident that transferring Masumi to her school had been the right choice.

  Who could be better suited for this tharusty assistant?

  "Tch."

  Masumi clicked her to said nothing more.

  She had a bit of a prideful streak.

  Even if she had already resolved to stay by Arisu's side, her expression remained one of slight annoyance.

  "So, what's ? Should we just focus on our studies at Sobu High?"

  pared to other schools, Sobu High academiviro wasn't overly intense.

  There lenty of downtime.

  "Don't worry, I already have a pn."

  Arisu's smile hi the beginnings of a strategy involving Ryuji.

  "Alright!"

  Since Arisu said so, what else could Masumi do?

  With a shrug, she obediently followed Arisu's lead.

  Soon, night fell.

  At that moment, ihe Shinomiya mansion,

  Kaguya was clutg her phone, an anxious look on her face.

  "Hayasaka!"

  "Yes, ma'am?"

  Ai, dressed in her maid uniform, turned around at Kaguya's call with a puzzled expression.

  Even though the Hayasaka family had regained some status due to Ai's newfound abilities as a sorcerer, she chose to stay with Kaguya.

  Not because she particurly enjoyed being a maid, but because she couldn't bear to leave Kaguya.

  "Tell me, is my phone broken?"

  Kaguya looked at Ai with a face full of despair, holding up her phone.

  "???"

  Ai was baffled.

  She took the phone, exami for a moment, and ha back to Kaguya.

  "There's nothing wrong with this phone."

  "Then why hasn't Ryuji sent me any messages? His phone must be broken!"

  She sounded so sure of herself.

  "…"

  Ai remained silent. Was it possible that Ryuji simply hadn't sent a message at all?

  But looking at Kaguya's hopeful eyes, Hayasaka couldn't bring herself to say it. She opted for a more tactful answer.

  "Maybe there's some teical issue with your phone!"

  "Yes, that must be it!"

  Kaguya's expressihtened.

  "I knew something had to be wrong with the phone. Let's get a new one!"

  "…"

  Fet it.

  With the Shinomiya family's wealth, buying a new phone was nothing.

  Not one, a thousand or evehousand phones would be no issue at all.

  "Hayasaka, when do you think Ryuji will send me a message?"

  Kaguya asked expetly as she fiddled with her newly acquired phone.

  Ai didn't know what to say for a moment.

  You're putting me on the spot here!

  "As for Ryuji-San, he's probably just busy. As the stro sorcerer, he must have tless responsibilities every day!"

  Thinking of Ryuji, Ai couldn't help but recall what happened in the car that day.

  Her face grew a little warm.