"So, it's finally happening..."
Seeing the system notification, Souta picked up the Apple phone he had created and started searching for "Akame ga Kill" information online.
He had already gone through it once before, but to avoid any potential oversights, he decided to go over it again.
Not long after, Kurumi returned from outside and went straight to the kitchen to prepare a meal.
She had learned to cook during her time living in the real world.
Since she couldn't stand how Souta constantly ordered takeout, she had self-taught herself through online tutorials.
By the time the meal was ready, Souta had finished reviewing the background information.
"Souta, the food is ready."
Souta sat down at the dining table, picking up his chopsticks while saying:
"Chelsea has sent the invitation. Let's head over once we finish eating."
"Mhm." Kurumi nodded.
She elegantly sipped her tea, her gentle gaze fixed on Souta, watching him eat with an affectionate smile.
Her expression was full of warmth and contentment, as if she could never get enough of watching him.
This actually made Souta feel a little self-conscious while eating.
"Aren't you eating, Kurumi?" he asked.
Kurumi smiled softly. "I already had enough while tasting the food. You just enjoy your meal."
Then, as if something suddenly crossed her mind, she gave him a teasing look and suggested:
"Souta, do you want me to feed you?"
"No need, you already fed me yesterday at your place."
Back in the Date A Live world, Kurumi had done exactly that—right in front of her father.
It resulted in Souta getting death-stared by the old man, who then proceeded to find various ways to make things difficult for him.
Souta still wasn't sure if Kurumi had done it on purpose.
"Oh? Souta-kun, you're already getting tired of me? Since that's the case, how about we try something new instead—"
Kurumi suddenly leaned forward, pressing her hands on the table and bringing her face close to Souta's.
Souta watched as her delicate tongue licked her lips before she slightly parted her mouth and softly uttered:
It was as if she was waiting for him to feed her...
Wait, wasn't she supposed to be the one feeding him?!
"Aaah~" Kurumi gently hummed again, as if urging him on.
Souta had no idea what she was trying to do, so he picked up some food and placed it into her mouth.
Kurumi chewed a few times, then brushed her hair back behind her ear with her right hand.
She didn't swallow the food immediately. Instead, she slowly leaned even closer, her lips inching toward his.
"!?" Souta's heart skipped a beat—
Was she really about to do this?!
The distance between their lips grew shorter and shorter...
Just as they were about to touch, Kurumi suddenly stopped, swallowed the food, and smirked mischievously at him.
"Did that... make your heart race?"
"..." Souta scratched his head, feeling a mix of amusement and frustration.
"Should I have just leaned in?"
"Ara~, Souta-kun, if you had done that, the consequences would've been very serious~."
"Serious enough that... you wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight~."
Kurumi giggled playfully, her tone half-joking, half-serious.
Souta suddenly felt a strong urge to test it out.
But just then, his phone vibrated.
Chelsea: @Souta. @Tokisaki Kurumi. When are you guys coming over?
Chelsea: I just finished my mission and have some free time. After this, I can't guarantee my schedule.
Kurumi saw the message as well and sighed softly in disappointment.
"Such a shame..." she murmured, making Souta feel a little restless.
Was she just teasing him, or was she actually serious?
Should he just push her down right now and find out?
Souta shook off the thought and quickly replied to Chelsea.
Souta: We'll be there soon. Wait a moment.
Turning back to Kurumi, he asked:
"By the way, have you read up on Akame ga Kill?"
"Not yet," she replied. "I was busy going through Rin and Illya's background information."
"Then I'll download the necessary info to your phone before we leave. The Akame ga Kill world is pretty dangerous, so we need to be careful."
One particular name came to Souta's mind—
Though Esdeath wasn't a direct threat to him, thanks to his immortal regeneration, he still didn't want to get caught up in unnecessary fights.
Even if she froze him solid, he could easily thaw himself out thanks to his Half-Cold Half-Hot constitution.
And her time-freezing ability lasted only a few seconds—utterly useless against someone like him.
In short: "I can't beat you, but I can annoy you to death."
However, what worried Souta the most was Kurumi's safety if they encountered Esdeath.
After all, Kurumi wasn't immortal like him.
Thinking about this, he quickly searched for Esdeath's information on his Apple phone and placed it in front of Kurumi.
"The biggest threat in the Akame ga Kill world is this woman. Take a look at her profile and be on guard."
"Yeah. Our main goal is just to gather faith, so we might not run into her. But just in case, be careful of her abilities and avoid getting caught up in a direct fight."
While Kurumi studied Esdeath's profile, Souta quickly finished his meal.
Once both of them were ready, he held Kurumi in his arms and accepted Chelsea's invitation.
In a modest hideout provided by the Revolutionary Army, Chelsea cleaned her bloodstained poison needle with a special solution and stored it inside her beast-skin pouch.
Then, the long-haired beauty in a British-style uniform pulled a lollipop from her pocket, placed it in her mouth, and smiled in satisfaction.
She always ate candy after an assassination—it helped calm her nerves and wash away the lingering bloodlust.
Outside, Imperial guards patrolled the streets, searching for an intruder.
From the second-floor window, Chelsea could see their frantic expressions.
They were probably terrified that their failure to protect their master would lead to execution by the Empire.
Moments ago, Chelsea had assassinated a pig-like noble and escaped in the form of a cat.
Once she found a safe hideout, she finally had time to examine the strange "phone" stuck to her body.
She had no idea what it was, but somehow, knowledge of its functions had been implanted in her mind.
To be honest, it scared the hell out of her.
Back when she transformed into a cat, the phone had stuck to her fur—no matter how hard she tried to shake it off, it wouldn't budge.
And yet, no one else could see it.
Just then, her phone vibrated again.
"So... they're coming."
Chelsea tensed slightly before glancing at the cup noodles on the wooden table.
As curiosity overtook her apprehension, a bright light suddenly filled the room.