The Absolute Speed of a Certain Comic'

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At the school gate.

"…Why are you here again?"

Stella had changed her clothes.

Gone was her crimson tracksuit from the morning; now she wore a neatly tailored white blouse with a bright, spring-colored knitted cardigan draped over her shoulders.

Beside her, Kurogane Ikki was dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, exuding a casual and relaxed vibe.

However, as Stella looked at the ikemen standing across from her, her face turned visibly exhausted. Her lively, ruby-red eyes dimmed into lifeless fish-like ones.

"Haha, but didn't you come too, Stella San?"

Ryoji greeted the two with a warm smile.

He was similarly dressed in a simple T-shirt and casual pants, but his tall and well-proportioned figure made him look even more striking than a professional model. Heads turned to stare wherever he went.

Ryoji had expected to spend the entire day being relentlessly worked to the bone by the legal loli, but upon arriving at the school gate, he spotted Kurogane Ikki and Stella waiting for someone.

His previously gloomy mood lifted instantly.

When you're down on your luck, you've got to find ways to amuse yourself—like making someone else's day even worse.

"Your gaze feels... off somehow!"

"What do you mean? My eyes are the picture of purity! A rare trait in someone as pure-hearted as me nowadays."

Ryoji's gaze indeed seemed innocent, but Stella couldn't shake her unease as she stared into it.

She vividly recalled the same "friendly" expression Ryoji had worn when he reminded her to twist off the filter of a shared drink. For the next ten days, she had been unable to manage even an indirect kiss with Ikki.

Every time there was the slightest sign of intimacy, Ryoji would nonchalantly destroy the moment with a seemingly kind gesture.

"Can we go now?"

Saikyou Nene yawned beside them, her tone dripping with boredom.

"Is that... the Yaksha Princess?"

Kurogane Ikki, who had been quietly observing the old loli since earlier, couldn't hold back his question any longer.

"No way! The third-ranked Yaksha Princess from the League?"

Stella's attention was instantly drawn to the legal loli, and she let out a gasp of surprise upon seeing her.

"The strongest in the new generation of the Eastern Pacific Rim, Saikyou Nene? What is a powerhouse like her doing here?"

The legal loli's reputation preceded her.

In a world dominated by Blazers, notable figures like her were as celebrated as pop stars. Fans adored them, especially someone like Saikyou Nene, whose petite and cute appearance had garnered her a global following of lolicons. 

With her fame, she could summon millions with a mere wave of her hand, and being recognized on the street was a guarantee.

To avoid this, she had swapped out her signature loose kimono and large ribbon for a black Gothic Lolita dress, her glossy black hair cascading down like a waterfall.

The outfit was ridiculously cute, perfectly matching her youthful features and porcelain skin.

"Pfft!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Ryoji caught sight of the legal loli and couldn't stop himself from snorting with laughter.

An almost thirty-year-old woman, parading around in a little girl's dress— was she not ashamed?

Ryoji: (...)

"Photos."

The faint threat in the legal loli's voice made Ryoji immediately swallow the rest of his laughter.

"Wow, Senior Sister, that outfit really suits you! Where did you buy it?"

"Of course it looks good! I don't need your approval!"

Saikyou Nene glanced down at her flat chest, her face darkening as she clicked her tongue in annoyance.

What else can I do?

Unlike Toudou Touka, who had an enviable figure, she could only rely on her loli-like build. That's why she had bought this Gothic Lolita dress. But this little bastard didn't appreciate it— worse, he kept mocking her!

Who does he think I bought this dress for?

You just wait, brat.

"Shizuku and the others are here!"

Kurogane Ikki's sudden exclamation interrupted their banter.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Elder Brother."

A soft, bell-like voice floated over.

Turning to look, they saw a girl as delicate as a porcelain doll approaching. She appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen, slightly taller than the legal loli, with a petite and doll-like figure.

Her silver hair shimmered like moonlight, carefully styled, and her jade-green eyes sparkled with joy. Her makeup was light and meticulous, and she exuded an ethereal beauty.

'Friend's Brocon Younger Sister.'

Her smile was radiant yet reserved as she walked toward Ikki and the group.

Her features bore a clear resemblance to Kurogane Ikki's, making it obvious she was his younger sister, Kurogane Shizuku.

As she drew closer, Shizuku's cheerful expression froze.

Her gaze landed on the legal loli standing beside Ryoji. At the same time, the legal loli's face stiffened, her expression darkening.

No wonder.

Kurogane Shizuku was also wearing a black Gothic Lolita dress.

With her petite frame and doll-like face, her outfit had been carefully chosen to highlight her charm and showcase her as more than just a "little sister" in her brother's eyes.

But now, she had coincidentally run into someone wearing the exact same dress.

The two loli-esque girls stared at each other, their eye twitches betraying their awkwardness.

Seeing the legal loli's discomfort, Ryoji could barely contain his laughter again, his cheeks puffing up from the effort.

"Alice! This wasn't part of the plan!"

The silver-haired loli turned to her friend with a puffed face, her expression full of grievance.

"Ara, my bad! I didn't expect Ikki-kun to bring so many people…"

Beside her stood a tall, slender young man with feminine mannerisms, tapping his cheek in thought. His confused gaze flickered between the legal loli and Shizuku.

This outing had been Shizuku's idea, intended to apologize for her boldness on the first day of school. She'd even told Ikki he could bring friends.

But she had never expected him to bring not only Stella but also two unrelated individuals— one of whom was a loli-esque beauty wearing the exact same dress.

The atmosphere became excruciatingly awkward.

(End of Chapter)