Those muscles didn't look like they were just for show. Eriri had personally witnessed how he crushed Tomoya's glasses into fine dust.
So those were definitely not "dead muscles" built just for aesthetics—more like muscles meant for… combat?
That was the only exaggerated conclusion Eriri could come to.
Aside from that, the silver-haired girl by his side was equally eye-catching. Other than her figure, she surpassed every woman present in beauty, and her temperament carried a noble, princess-like air.
In terms of aura alone, even Eriri—a girl with some family background—felt inferior. Even if her figure wasn't as curvaceous as Utaha's, her overall quality completely overwhelmed any of them.
"Holding hands like that… she must be that guy's girlfriend."
Utaha's gaze was somewhat complicated, but the hostility she once felt toward Raize was gone. She lightly pressed her lips together, showing strong interest in the girl beside him.
What kind of girl could be so close to that aloof, unapproachable guy at school?
As a novelist, Utaha was very interested in the story of how the two got together.
Although she still lacked fondness for Raize due to the previous incident, she had already let go a bit. Under Eriri's blunt words, she had also come to terms with Raize's threatening behavior toward Tomoya back then.
She knew she should actually be grateful to Raize for cutting off Tomoya's actions in that regard. Mashiro was different from them.
If Raize hadn't stopped him, and Tomoya had continued pestering Mashiro, someone might truly have ended up dead.
"Shiina at school relies on that guy a lot. He even personally makes her bento. I thought the two of them…"
Eriri glanced at the now-relieved Tomoya and sighed as well. That guy was still as willful as ever. Running into Raize back then had really been bad luck—serving him right.
However, based on school rumors and Mashiro's astonishing achievements in the art world—achievements Eriri deeply admired—she paid close attention to her.
Could it be that Raize hadn't made any breakthrough with Mashiro emotionally? Despite having been confessed to by Masuzu, and despite Mashiro sticking so closely to him at school?
"Don't tell me this guy is two-timing?"
Eriri suddenly thought of that possibility. The girl beside Raize clearly wasn't ordinary either.
An ordinary person couldn't cultivate such a noble, elegant temperament. Even the young lady of the Natsukawa family seemed to fall short by comparison.
If Raize really were doing that, Eriri might actually do something reckless for her idol—but that was just speculation. She couldn't interfere in others' affairs based on mere guesswork.
Yes. Absolutely not because she was afraid of getting beaten up by Raize. Absolutely not!
Her father had talked to her since she was young about Mashiro's existence. After learning about Mashiro's past and astonishing achievements, and after personally seeing Mashiro's artwork under her father's guidance, Eriri had grown deeply envious and admiring.
Mashiro's accomplishments were so overwhelming that Eriri couldn't even feel jealousy—the gap was simply too great.
Mashiro was a world-class painter, while she, Eriri, was merely a relatively well-known doujin artist in the adult manga scene under the name Kashiwagi Eri.
Could they even be compared? Did she have the right to compare herself?
Even though she hadn't left a good impression on Mashiro last time, Eriri still harbored a one-sided admiration and longing for her.
"That handsome guy's body was amazing, and his partner was so cute."
Michiru, someone who appreciated handsome men and beautiful women, spoke with genuine admiration. Although Raize looked hard to approach, his sense of security was absolutely off the charts.
If her future boyfriend were like that, Michiru would be grinning from ear to ear.
But that was just idle thinking. After glancing at Tomoya, she sighed again at his earlier display of fear and retreat. His image and favorability in her heart dropped a notch.
Putting aside Tomoya's failed efforts, ever since Raize and Eu had opened up and shared their feelings last time, the warmth of their relationship had steadily increased.
Raize had previously been somewhat puzzled by Eu's words, "So it was you."
He had wanted to ask her about it, but seeing her smile—free of any burden or hesitation—he ultimately didn't say something so ill-timed.
He quietly pulled the girl into his arms, and the anxiety in his heart eased a little because of her response.
Although he didn't know whether Eu stayed because of his vow, Raize could already feel that she had opened most of her heart to him.
Like now—holding Eu's hand intimately and accompanying her through the sea of people at the convention—both of them cherished every relaxed second and moment.
Raize accompanied Eu as she browsed booths she found interesting. He himself had nothing he wanted to buy; he was only there to buy things for her. As they walked, he unexpectedly ran into a friend…
"Eh? Raize, is that you? And this person with you…"
"Hello, Miyuki."
Raize looked somewhat subtle as he faced the slightly blushing, embarrassed Shirogane. Standing beside Shirogane was a black-haired, straight-haired beauty whom Raize vaguely recognized.
She was the student council president at school—Kuroba Sayuki—an exquisite girl revered by her classmates as "Princess Snow Black" or "Black Lotus."
Seeing a fellow student, Kuroyukihime's fair face flushed slightly as she forced down her shyness and politely greeted Raize.
As for why she was shy—
The slightly embarrassed, blushing Shirogane and the subtly expressive Raize both glanced at the fair hands they were each holding.
That's right—today, the formally dressed Shirogane was intimately holding Kuroyukihime's hand, just like a couple.
It seemed the two of them had gotten together.
What made Raize feel both subtle and compelled to complain internally was this: Shirogane, do you have some inexplicable attraction to girls who hold the position of "student council president"?
You didn't manage to win over the Shinomiya family's young lady at Shuchiin, but when you came to Sobu High's student council, you captured Kuroyukihime instead. Raize really didn't know what to say.
Are you two playing some kind of "make the other confess first" romance war inside the student council?
Raize's thoughts were subtle and full of complaints, and Shirogane wasn't doing much better. He knew this childhood friend far too well.
Cold, aloof, and unapproachable—after everything he'd been through, that tendency should have become even stronger.
Yet somehow, this guy had found such a beautiful girlfriend.
And another thing—Raize, when did you get such a ferocious physique? I almost didn't recognize you!
Looking at Raize's Saiyan-like, powerhouse style and those terrifying muscles that made everyone around swallow unconsciously, Shirogane couldn't help but complain internally about the drastic change in his friend's aesthetic.
Though their inner thoughts differed, after glancing at the items each other was carrying, they realized both were just here to browse the convention.
"Is she your girlfriend?" ×2
The question was asked simultaneously. The two girls holding their hands both blushed slightly.
Eu, with her exceptional emotional control, quickly suppressed her shyness.
Kuroyukihime—once a young lady, now living away from home—also possessed good emotional control. She politely smiled at Eu and nodded.
Seeing Eu's delicacy and cuteness, Kuroyukihime was also very interested in her boyfriend's friend's lover.
However, Kuroyukihime didn't quite dare look at Raize too much. His wild outfit was eye-catching and easily made innocent girls blush.
"Ahem." ×2
Hearing the same question, both men wore slightly awkward yet polite smiles, tightening their grip on their partners' hands just a bit.
Raize was the first to lift the shopping bag in his hand and smile at Shirogane.
"Buying things for your sister, or for her?"
"Both. Some for Kei, and some for Sayuki."
Hearing Shirogane casually call Kuroyukihime by her given name, Raize understood that the two had likely been together for quite some time.