During the break, Raize prepared to go to the activity room with Mashiro to discuss manga-related matters.
With his help, Mashiro's manga, which she titled My Pet Girl, had officially debuted. When Mashiro received the news, she immediately shared the good news with him at school.
Mashiro cherished this manga deeply. After all, it was her official debut work, brought into the world with Raize's help, and it was becoming increasingly popular.
Raize and Yukino had both congratulated Mashiro back then. Her manga now had quite a few fans. Since it was based on real-life figures, some manga readers had even recognized that the character "Mashiro" actually existed in reality.
In other words, their beloved—
Ahem. The fact that Mashiro truly existed in real life made manga fans extremely excited. However, when they realized that My Pet Girl also featured a male protagonist who served as Mashiro's "owner," also based on a real person, their emotions turned into envy, jealousy, and resentment.
Did that bastard really do those things described in the manga? Brushing Mashiro's teeth, helping her get dressed, and occasionally sparking some intimate moments?
Unforgivable! What a tooth-achingly enviable guy!!
Even Yukino, after reading Mashiro's manga, looked at Raize with a wolf-guarding expression. She occasionally pulled Mashiro aside to whisper questions to her. Only after asking did she learn that the story was pure fiction.
Even so, Yukino still could not completely put her mind at ease regarding Mashiro, who was as pure as a kitten. After all, after spending so much time together, she understood very well that Mashiro's innocent and adorable personality was not much different from her manga counterpart.
And since the story itself had been conceived with Raize's help, did that not mean that such thoughts existed in his heart?
Raize found Yukino's worries rather amusing and had no objections to her overthinking. He had his own principles and would not do what the original Sorata did.
He could not bring himself to do such things to a girl whose mind was not yet mature. He could be unscrupulous, but he could not be base.
Moreover, Mashiro had a bit of her own will. She rarely listened to others' opinions. As for the events in the manga, Mashiro genuinely hoped they could happen. As the story progressed, she also wished that Raize would take care of her with the same meticulous attention as depicted in the manga.
Thus, in reality, Mashiro would occasionally act in ways similar to the manga. Raize had noticed that she was gradually developing in the direction of Dark Mashiro.
The last time Mashiro was beside him on the phone with Rita from the UK, she openly talked about him right in front of him.
Things like "Aize is the first boy I met here" and "My first partner being Aize is really great"—words that easily caused misunderstandings—were all spoken while Raize wore a blackened expression.
Fortunately, Rita on the other end of the call understood Mashiro's words and expressed strong interest, saying she would come to Japan to take a look.
After the call ended, Mashiro tilted her head and carefully examined Raize's expression, then asked in her airy voice:
"Aize, why didn't you react like in the manga? That's not right."
Not right my ass!! You're not even trying to hide your scheming side anymore, are you!?
Don't mix up manga and reality!
Mashiro's shift in mindset was obvious to Raize. Though he felt somewhat mentally exhausted, he could not bring himself to blame her.
To some extent, although he and Mashiro were not as intimately close as the manga portrayed, Mashiro herself now showed an intention to move toward that direction. As for Raize, he currently had little interest in romantic relationships.
His wishes were to grow stronger, revive his family, help the system Nep return to her peak state, repay the care shown by the Biblical God, and contribute his strength to protecting the world she loved…
Therefore, toward Mashiro, his actions were limited to caring for her at school. He truly had no intention of advancing toward a romantic relationship.
As for romance, he did not hide the fact that he harbored some feelings for Sei—but they were buried deep within his heart.
He clearly understood the gap between himself and her. Setting aside social standing, even their levels of strength were worlds apart. If he ever intended to advance that relationship, it would only be after he became stronger than Sei.
It was not a matter of male chauvinism. At the very least, one needed the power to protect those they cherished. He did not want to be the one who was always protected.
If he wished to have something beyond friendship with the Biblical God, then he had to reach a level equal to hers—worthy of standing beside her.
Not like those weak-willed male protagonists who simply wait for a beautiful girl to fall from the sky and fall in love with them.
"Raize, may I have a moment of your time?"
A certain sapphire of the Natsukawa family, the beautiful girl named Masuzu Natsukawa, called out to Raize as he was about to leave with Mashiro.
Everyone remaining in the classroom turned their curious gazes over. The class idol, who seemingly had no interaction with Raize, had suddenly called out to him—why?
Masuzu's popularity in school was no joke. Since transferring in, she had received so many confession letters and in-person confessions that neither she nor those paying attention to her could keep count.
There had once been a fearless boy in the class who confessed to Masuzu under Hikigaya's pitying gaze toward a doomed man, only to be mercilessly rejected and utterly crushed.
Students from other classes were no different. Masuzu herself, a self-proclaimed "anti-romance faction," found such situations extremely tiresome.
Mashiro, who was also very popular, had never once been confessed to. Why?
Some knew her background and backed off. A larger portion retreated the moment they saw Raize's expressionless face. Seeing Mashiro sticking close to him every day, if they dared confess and she truly had an intimate relationship with him, would that not be like plucking the whiskers of a ferocious tiger?
Masuzu was quite envious of Mashiro's situation. Aside from Raize and her cousin Chihiro, her surroundings were so peaceful.
Thus, Masuzu's reasons for targeting Raize were complicated, and they only became more so after learning about him.
Raize looked at the blue-eyed beauty with some puzzlement and asked calmly, "Natsukawa, is there something you need?"
Aside from school, his only interaction with her had been when he saved her once from a ghoul.
Focused entirely on making games and growing stronger, he had no interest in this beautiful girl.
Faced with Raize's indifferent question, Masuzu appeared slightly bashful. Her delicate, fair face showed what might have been feigned shyness along with a radiant smile as she spoke somewhat awkwardly:
"Do you really want me, a girl, to say this out loud? You're quite mean, Yotsuki-kun."
Those words were suggestive. Masuzu seemed to be brewing something dangerous.
Mashiro, watching Masuzu and hearing her words, began to feel uncomfortable for reasons she herself did not understand. They were merely talking to Raize, after all.
Raize narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced at Masuzu. He roughly understood what this ill-tempered, prank-loving schemer was thinking, but he had no intention of playing along.
"If you have something to say, then say it. We don't have any particular relationship or close friendship, and there's nothing between us that requires avoiding others."
Raize's words were cold and blunt. They clearly conveyed one thing: we have no relationship or friendship, and there is no need for secrecy.
Everyone in the classroom heard the indifference in his tone. The atmosphere Masuzu had painstakingly built suddenly became awkward.
Even Masuzu herself twitched at the corner of her mouth. She knew Raize was aloof and cold, but he was nothing like this toward Mashiro.
She could tell that he was not interested in her. Having investigated his background, she understood his excellence and knew he was a man focused on his career.
But having already set her sights on Raize, Masuzu had no intention of backing down. With flushed cheeks, she shyly said to him:
"Actually… I like you…"
There was some acting involved, but saying it in front of so many people genuinely made her feel embarrassed.
Her words immediately caused an uproar in the class.
Within seconds, not only this class, but students from other classes rushed over upon hearing the commotion. When they saw it was Masuzu at the center, the shocking news spread even further.
As if overcome with shyness, Masuzu closed her eyes, placed a delicate hand over her chest, and spoke words that pushed the situation completely out of control.
"I've fallen for you. I'm into you… in a naughty way…"
These extremely misleading, wolfish words instantly stunned everyone in the classroom. Faces drained of color as if the world itself had gone monochrome.
Mashiro, standing beside Raize, felt increasingly uneasy after hearing Masuzu's confession. Her slender body instinctively leaned closer to him as she raised her pale fingers and tugged lightly at the corner of his clothes.
To be honest, Mashiro felt an inexplicable fear at that moment—fear of how Raize would respond.
Raize turned his head slightly and saw the pitiful expression in Mashiro's eyes, as if she were about to be abandoned. He sighed inwardly and gave her a reassuring look.
Meanwhile, everyone else finally snapped out of it and chaos erupted.
"No way… Natsukawa actually confessed!?"
"Why does it have to be like this!"
"And the target is Yotsuki… damn it, this is so unfair!"
"Doesn't he already have Shiina? Why is he still going after Natsukawa? Do you want us all to die!?"
The classroom was in uproar, students from outside crowded around to watch, and Masuzu stood before him wearing a shy, girlish expression, clearly waiting for his response.
However, sensing Mashiro's emotional turbulence beside him, Raize felt a hint of displeasure toward Masuzu's actions. Using him as a shield?
"Annoying."
He did not raise his voice. It was spoken plainly, yet everyone in the noisy classroom heard it clearly.
A trace of killing intent leaked from his body, deliberately avoiding Mashiro. The previously lively and heated atmosphere instantly plunged into an icy, polar chill. Everyone who had been talking felt as though their throats had been seized.
"Is the spectacle that entertaining?"
He asked coldly, sweeping his emotionless gaze over the students watching from outside the classroom—especially those who glared at him viciously after failing to confess to Masuzu. That single look was enough to scare an entire row of students into retreating.
After scrambling to their feet, everyone—boys and girls alike—scattered and vanished. The current Raize looked as though he might strike at any second, and if innocent bystanders were caught up in it, the loss would outweigh the gain.
Masuzu, who had also been frightened, felt her body and smile stiffen for a moment. Fear surged in her heart, but it quickly transformed into an inexplicable sense of excitement.
As expected of the author of JOJO—this hard-boiled aura was filled with traces of Jotaro…
"Natsukawa, we are not familiar with each other at all. A sudden confession of liking is impossible to take seriously, and I cannot believe you have much sincerity in it. Therefore, I reject your confession. I have no interest in you whatsoever."
Raize did not give her any face at all and rejected her outright.
Of all people to use as a shield, she chose him?
After saying this, he glanced at Mashiro beside him, gently took her slender wrist, and left the classroom.
Before leaving, Mashiro glanced at Masuzu, whose face had flushed red. After hearing Raize's blunt and unyielding words, the discomfort in her heart completely disappeared.
The corner of her lips lifted slightly as she lowered her head to look at the large hand holding her wrist. Her mood instantly improved.
Once the two of them left, the atmosphere gradually warmed again. Everyone let out a sigh of relief. That guy was as difficult to deal with as ever—standing there like a yakuza boss, his presence impossible to ignore.
Raize's merciless rejection of Masuzu, along with the way he took Mashiro and left, sparked another wave of chatter.
"So Natsukawa actually got rejected without mercy… but that really does suit Yotsuki's style."
"As expected of Yotsuki—absolutely ruthless when rejecting someone."
"She failed… and somehow that makes me happy. I still have a chance…"
"Am I the only one who feels Natsukawa is the third unfortunate party? Yotsuki and Shiina are clearly a pair. He even dragged her away just now—obviously afraid she might misunderstand."
"Shh! If you know, don't say it out loud. Natsukawa is still here!"
Even Masuzu herself had not expected Raize to reject her so decisively. His decisiveness and lack of mercy left her momentarily stunned.
Her first confession in life had been rejected.
Her face was flushed—not from shyness, nor pretense, but genuine anger.
Didn't this guy consider a girl's feelings at all? Rejecting her mercilessly in public was truly hurtful.
Although most of the boys liked Masuzu, and many girls envied her outstanding looks, there were also plenty who felt jealous and resentful toward her.
Now that Masuzu, who was constantly being confessed to, had been rejected, those people felt a sense of satisfaction. By the next day, the story of her being mercilessly rejected was exaggerated and spread throughout the school.
---
"Aize, can you keep holding my hand?"
After distancing themselves from the crowd, Raize released Mashiro's wrist, preparing to head with her to the Service Club activity room to continue working on manga.
But once Mashiro felt him let go, an emptiness formed in her heart. She wanted to keep being led along, like a small pet guided by its owner.
Raize turned his head in surprise and looked at Mashiro, who was as calm as ever. In her pure eyes was a faint trace of anticipation, her small hand still slightly raised.
Like a little pet signaling to its owner.
Raize lowered his head and stared at the hand she extended. After hesitating for a second or two, he reached out again and gently took hold of it.
Like leading his own little pet, Raize walked ahead with Mashiro following behind. Mashiro gazed blankly at his back. This feeling of being led was different from when Rita held her hand.
Carrying a strange, unnameable emotion in her heart, Mashiro wanted to draw everything she was feeling now into her manga. It would surely become a work unlike anything she had drawn before.
Unaware of Mashiro's inner feelings, Raize simply led her forward. Together, they arrived at the Service Club room.
Letting go of Mashiro's hand, he opened the door and saw one man and two women inside. Hikigaya sat alone, looking at his phone.
Yukino and the recently joined Yui stood by the desk where Raize and Mashiro usually worked, teasing a small crimson-furred kitten—Scarlet.
Scarlet came to school only because she followed Raize. Recently, she often went on walks with Eu, becoming accustomed to environments beyond home.
The one eager to pet the kitten was Yui. Yukino, despite loving the adorable fire-red kitten, could not openly show her fondness in front of others.
She watched as Yui tried desperately to touch the kitten, only to be dodged repeatedly with a look of disdain. Yukino grew anxious—did Yui really not know how to soothe a kitten? Couldn't she see the kitten clearly despised her?
Scarlet indeed disliked being touched by strangers. If not for Raize's training, flames might have already erupted in self-defense.
This human wants to touch fur that I meticulously groomed? Don't even think about it.
Scarlet gracefully avoided Yui's hands. Her ears twitched as she heard the door open. Turning her head and spotting her master, she leapt down and quickly ran over.
She nimbly climbed up Raize's leg and settled lazily on his shoulder, rubbing her small head affectionately against his cheek.
Mashiro also liked Scarlet very much. With Raize's permission, Scarlet allowed this pure-feeling human to touch her.
Yukino and Yui immediately noticed their arrival. Seeing the kitten that had arrogantly refused their touch now cuddling Raize's shoulder filled them with envy.
Especially Yukino, who loved cats—she nearly wished she could trade places with him.
At first glance, she had fallen for Scarlet's fiery red fur, thinking it was dyed. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was completely natural.
A cat whose breed even Yukino the cat encyclopedia could not identify—was naturally intriguing.
"Good afternoon, everyone in the Service Club. Thank you for looking after Scarlet."
Raize stroked the kitten's head as he and Mashiro walked in, greeting everyone naturally.
He led Mashiro to the desk, preparing to begin today's manga guidance.
"Ahem… it's nothing. Scarlet still looks young, so it's only natural to take care of her."
Yukino coughed awkwardly and returned to her seat, embarrassed that Raize had seen her and Yui playing with the cat.
Yui, with her pink hair tied into a bun that suited her lively personality, was not afraid of Raize at all—Yumiko had already paved the way.
"Eh~ Scarlet won't let me or Yukinon touch her at all. She wouldn't even eat the cat biscuits we prepared. But she's so close to Yotsuki and Shiina—I'm so jealous."
She remained familiarly close to Raize and Mashiro, eyes sparkling as she watched Raize lift the kitten and gently place her beside Mashiro.
The kitten stretched luxuriously on Mashiro's long, pale legs, rubbed against her thigh, then lay down, treating her lap like a temporary bed.
Mashiro gently stroked Scarlet's excellent crimson fur, the sensation so pleasant it made her eyes narrow slightly.
Yukino, pretending to read nearby, was even more envious than Yui. She had prepared cat food and toys in her desk just to entice the kitten.
Yet Scarlet paid her no attention, completely dismissive of her offerings.
Do you even know what gourmet food I eat at home? That stuff you brought smells awful—why would I eat it?
At home, aside from Raize, Scarlet only allowed Eu and Sei to pet her. As for Haruna's rough, careless manner, the kitten usually avoided her entirely.
Haruna, disliked by cute creatures, could only sulk and go play with the yellow chicks instead.
"Scarlet is just shy. And she doesn't like cat biscuits—her palate has already been spoiled by me."
Raize began helping Mashiro color her manuscript, glancing at Scarlet sleeping blissfully on her lap. What he said was absolutely true.
"Cat biscuits are 'ordinary food'? These are the best and most expensive ones."
"And by the way, Yotsuki-kun, what breed is your fire-red kitten? I checked countless references and couldn't find any naturally red-furred cats."
Yukino took cat matters seriously. Her carefully purchased treats were genuinely rare.
Just how spoiled could a palate be?
If she knew Scarlet's breed, perhaps she could grow closer to her.
"Scarlet's breed?"
Raize looked down at the lazy kitten. A cat that would become a cat-eared girl in the future—did that count?
No one would believe him anyway.
He took a biscuit from Yui and held it to Scarlet's mouth.
"I can't tell you her breed. But it's true she doesn't like your biscuits. Isn't that right, Scarlet?"
"Meow~"
Scarlet pushed the biscuit away with her paw, turned around as if searching for a pillow, lightly licked Mashiro's smooth thigh, rubbed against her again, and continued sleeping.
"Mm…"
Mashiro's face flushed slightly. She was unaccustomed to the strange sensation of a kitten's tongue, though the fluffy warmth was extremely comforting.
Unable to obtain information about the kitten, Yukino felt discouraged but had no choice.
She liked Scarlet even more now and believed one day the kitten would accept her.
Yui quietly watched Raize and Mashiro work together, refraining from interrupting. As a fan of Mashiro's manga, seeing early content was already a treat.
Whether it was Raize himself or his shadow clones, he always accompanied Mashiro drawing manga at school.
The memories from dispelled clones deeply etched those shared moments into his mind.
Back then… was his merciless rejection of Masuzu because he sensed Mashiro's emotional shift?
Time passed slowly in the activity room. The two clubs grew accustomed to each other's presence.
Knock knock.
Slide—
Two knocks, followed by the door sliding open, accompanied by a familiar bright female voice.
"Excuse me."
Masuzu entered with a smile. Her presence resembled Yukino's—one cool, one radiant—both captivating.
The three from the Service Club looked over. Hikigaya was surprised—why was she here?
Mashiro remained immersed in her world, only hearing Raize's voice.
When Raize heard that familiar voice, the warmth on his face instantly froze. He looked at Masuzu as if she were sticky gum stuck to his hand.
"I'm looking for Yotsuki Raize from the Game Development Club."
Masuzu greeted the Service Club politely. She knew the two clubs shared the room.
Despite Raize's cold stare, she maintained her gentle smile, though irritation simmered inside.
To the observant eyes in the room, her smile felt jarringly out of place.
Raize knew her true nature. Hikigaya, keenly perceptive, could see the malice beneath her beauty. Yukino, reminded of her sister's false smiles, instantly disliked her.
Thus, in this activity room, her beautiful smile had the opposite effect.
"Yotsuki-kun, may I join the Game Development Club?"
Standing in front of Raize, Masuzu did not mention what had happened earlier, as if she had already forgotten about it.
However, knowing Masuzu's personality, Raize did not believe that was possible. This woman was probably planning to achieve her goal by taking a more roundabout approach.
He did not know Masuzu's exact objective, but confessing that she liked him was absolutely nonsense. Her real purpose was most likely to use him as a shield.
"Sure."
Raize did not say anything cold or cutting this time. He raised his head and calmly looked at Masuzu before directly agreeing. This straightforward response left Masuzu momentarily stunned.
Based on the aloof and unapproachable image she had of Raize, she had thought it far more likely that he would reject her. She had never regarded Raize as the kind of person who was easy to manipulate either. Someone capable of building a game company from the ground up could not possibly be simple-minded.
Sure enough, Raize had a follow-up. He spoke again:
"Please explain what areas of game development you are skilled in. My Game Development Club welcomes people with genuine ability."
If you truly have real skills, then there might still be a chance. But as a pampered young lady, do you really have any?
"Uh… does being good at playing games count?"
Masuzu learned quickly, but she did not have any strengths in game development. As a young lady, she was perfectly qualified. She could play games, yes, but making them was something she did not understand in the slightest.
Facing Raize's look as if he were staring at an idiot, cracks began to appear in Masuzu Natsukawa's smile. What Raize said next truly angered her.
"Who doesn't know how to play games? If you mean testing finished products, I don't need you for that. The Service Club members under the same roof wouldn't mind helping me."
"And don't even think about being a ghost member. We're already full. As for what Shiina is good at, I don't think I need to introduce that to you. If you don't have any relevant expertise in game development, then I can't let you join."
If she wanted to join his Game Club, she would have to show real ability, and Raize did not believe Masuzu possessed any game-development expertise.
With just a few sentences, Raize blocked her path into the Game Development Club completely. Faced with his unyielding attitude, Masuzu felt frustration for the first time.
The smile faded from her face. She took a deep breath, stared at Raize, and spoke:
"Yotsuki-kun, I won't beat around the bush. I believe you already understand my intention. Could you be my fake boyfriend? I'm truly sick of being constantly pestered at school."
Such blunt words surprised Raize slightly. The Service Club members nearby also widened their eyes and looked over.
Did they hear that right? Was Masuzu confessing to Raize?
No, no, she said fake boyfriend.
Hikigaya understood clearly. She intended to use Raize as a shield to fend off the endless stream of confessions.
Yui had not been in the classroom earlier and had not heard Masuzu's confession, so she was completely stunned now.
"It would've been better if you'd stopped pretending and acting from the start…"
"Then, Yotsuki-kun, will you agree—" Masuzu said with some delight.
"I still refuse. Please find someone else to be your shield. I don't have the time or the interest."
Raize lowered his head and did not even look at Masuzu, continuing to focus on coloring the draft for the intently drawing Mashiro.
Masuzu's mouth twitched. Facing someone like Raize, who was impervious to both softness and force, she felt that all the social skills she had learned were completely useless against him.
"Could you at least listen to my situation?"
"…"
Raize did not stop working. He simply extended one hand in a gesture for her to continue, clearly showing he was unwilling to engage any further.
Unknowingly, Masuzu found herself unable to control the rhythm of the conversation.
Aside from a still somewhat bewildered Yui, Yukino also understood Masuzu's meaning.
So the confession was fake, and using Raize as a shield was the real goal. She must have been driven to desperation by the endless confessions.
Sure enough, Masuzu's next words confirmed it.
"Since transferring here, I've been confessed to almost every day."
"Congratulations," Raize said flatly, as if reading from a script. "That's recognition of your charm. Being popular isn't a bad thing, is it?"
His indifferent tone sounded almost like schadenfreude, as if he were watching a show. He was completely uninterested in Masuzu's troubles. This attitude made her grit her teeth. She could tell that Raize truly had no interest in her, and there was no tactic of feigned indifference at play.
Still, that was precisely what she needed. Raize was different from others, which made him ideal.
"To be honest, I'm already extremely fed up. Being stared at by curious gazes every day, being the subject of baseless rumors—there's not a single good thing about it!"
Masuzu complained rapidly, making the Service Club members feel as though they were listening to an exaggerated humblebrag.
Yukino, however, felt a strange sense of resonance. When she was younger, she had often been troubled by similar unfounded issues at school.
Raize also glanced at Yukino subconsciously. She noticed, and immediately understood the meaning in his eyes.
This is basically the same as you, isn't it?
Yukino's mouth twitched, but she remained silent and continued listening.
"Even so, you don't need to use me. Just find any boy to deal with it. With how skilled you are at pretending and socializing, you should be able to toy with a bunch of guys easily, right?"
"That's so rude, Yotsuki-kun. You're saying I'm the kind of morally corrupt woman who maliciously strings people along to achieve her goals."
Masuzu glared angrily at Raize, who still did not look at her. Wasn't that basically calling her a manipulative green-tea woman?
She might have a sharp tongue and enjoy teasing people, but she would never play with men's feelings. That kind of behavior was exactly like the villainous women she had seen in manga.
Masuzu was a genuine master of venomous speech. Back in middle school, she had once become obsessed with a seductive, sharp-tongued beauty from a manga and began imitating her personality and manner of speaking. Once she started, she could not stop, and those habits remained to this day.
Her abrasive personality was something she had consciously learned. She knew very well what lines could and could not be crossed.
"And besides, why would I want to become the same as those dust-like people? Should I accept offerings on Christmas and Valentine's Day, treat romance as an absolute value, and giggle stupidly like an idiot?"
"Is romance really such a wonderful thing?"
The resentment in her words left the three Service Club members astonished, especially Yui.
It sounded like something quite nice, yet when it came out of Masuzu's mouth, it turned into something utterly unpleasant.
In Yui's mind, youth without sweet romance was incomplete.
Yukino, on the other hand, became interested in Masuzu. That line of reasoning resonated with her to some extent.
Masuzu was not hostile toward a romantic partner, but toward the act of romance itself.
In a typical light novel or drama, this kind of character background would usually be tied to family or past experiences.
In the original light novel formula, such a setup would be extremely convenient. The male protagonist would easily step in, resolve her twisted mindset, gain favor, and eventually add her to the harem.
However, Raize had no intention of entering a youthful romantic storyline, nor did he want to be a typical light-novel protagonist. Masuzu was not his heroine.
Listening to her resentful tirade, Raize sighed lightly, raised his head, and looked directly at her.
"You shouldn't be telling me about your experiences and troubles. Go to the Service Club over there. That's a place dedicated to helping others. Yukinoshita might be able to understand you."
"And even if you want a fake boyfriend, don't come to me. I have no interest in helping you."
Hearing this, Masuzu stared intently at both Raize and Mashiro and said:
"Only you can help me. Shiina is also popular, but because you're always by her side, almost no annoying people dare to approach her."
Although Raize was infuriating, he was the most suitable. And Masuzu did not dislike him. In fact, knowing that he was the author of JOJO gave her a favorable impression.
With Raize's fierce presence alone, just standing there was enough to scare off any riffraff. What she wanted was exactly that kind of intimidating, Jotaro-like aura.
Moreover, because she knew his little secret, he would not dare betray her. Although the JOJO author had more than one work and had drawn in different styles, he had never shown his face.
He had never attended any fan events, and no photos of him existed online. Believing that Raize preferred quiet and disliked fame, Masuzu thought she had a bargaining chip to threaten him.
In Raize's eyes, she was naïve. If necessary, he could simply erase her memories. If she truly angered him, he could easily turn a sheltered young lady into someone untouchable.
"Raize, I'm done."
Suddenly, a calm, ethereal voice sounded. Mashiro, who had been quietly focused on drawing, finished her work and handed all her completed drafts to Raize.
She then looked at him with bright eyes full of expectation.
Ignoring Masuzu, who was waiting for his response, Raize took a specially wrapped Baumkuchen from his pocket and handed it to Mashiro. It was one he had made himself.
After tasting it once, Mashiro had fallen in love with Raize's Baumkuchen. Compared to store-bought ones, it was several times more delicious.
She unwrapped it, held the fragrant cake, and began eating in small bites like a little animal.
As Raize checked Mashiro's finished drafts, his other hand automatically took a handkerchief and gently wiped her mouth without even looking.
Watching the intimate interaction between the two, like they were firing off flashbangs of affection, Masuzu could not help but think that although they looked like a couple, their dynamic felt more like that of a master and a small pet.
Everyone in the Service Club, except the newly joined Yui, was already used to this. They all knew what Mashiro was like.
To put it bluntly, just like her name, Mashiro was a girl unbelievably pure and spotless. Raize looked more like an older brother taking care of a child.
There had never been any inappropriate behavior. Although Yukino was slightly uneasy at times, Raize had never crossed any lines, despite Mashiro's innocence. Mashiro might be naïve, but she was not foolish.
Yukino believed that Mashiro, who was strangely perceptive in certain ways, could tell who truly treated her well. Aside from Raize, Mashiro also had a good relationship with Yukino at school. Although Yukino never said it aloud, she already regarded Mashiro as a friend.
"All right, Mashiro, I should take you to see Chihiro-sensei now. There are no issues with today's drafts and plot. Just keep developing the story according to the outline."
Raize stood up and began packing Mashiro's drafts. After finishing the Baumkuchen, Mashiro tried to lick the remaining crumbs from her fingers.
"Don't lick your fingers. You just finished drawing."
Noticing it immediately, Raize grabbed the handkerchief and wiped Mashiro's pale fingers clean.
"I want more…"
Mashiro looked at Raize with pleading eyes, hoping for another Baumkuchen.
"I'll prepare five different flavors for you tomorrow. Let's go for now."
After settling Mashiro, Raize picked up the drafts and prepared to leave. Mashiro followed closely behind, as did Scarlet after jumping down.
Scarlet glanced at Masuzu, who shared the same hair and eye color as Eu, who often petted her. Finding nothing special, she climbed onto Raize.
"Hey, hey, Yotsuki-kun, you still haven't given me an answer… hey, don't leave!"
Masuzu stared in shock as the two walked past her. Then Raize cast her a cold, emotionless sideways glance, freezing her in place.
Taking advantage of that moment, Raize and Mashiro left, leaving only his final words behind.
"Go to the Service Club that helps people. I'm not interested in your problems. Don't bring up the fake boyfriend idea again. It's not happening."
Hearing his words, all three Service Club members turned their gaze to Masuzu.
After coming back to her senses and relaxing her stiff body, Masuzu realized she had been brushed off again. She stomped her foot in frustration.
She wanted to chase after them, but recalling Raize's warning, merciless gaze, she had no choice but to give up. If she continued pestering him, she would completely ruin their relationship.
With a sigh full of unwillingness, Masuzu turned around and directed her gaze toward the Service Club members in the activity room.
She had already inquired about the other party's club beforehand. If it truly could solve her current problems, it would at least fulfill part of her objective.
In the end, did she really want to use Raize as a shield, or was there something deeper beneath it all?
Raize did not possess mind-reading abilities. Naturally, he neither knew nor intended to probe into this woman's thoughts.