Raiden Makoto’s gaze made Asta feel like she wanted to die on the spot.
I’m not being mistaken for so kind of pervert, am I?!
"Please let explain, Miss Raiden Makoto!
It’s not what you think at all!"
Asta hurriedly explained everything that had just happened, from beginning to end, as clearly as she could.
Otherwise, she was genuinely worried that she’d leave so very strange impression in Makoto’s mind.
She had already socially died once in front of Su Ran— she absolutely did not want to die a second ti in front of Raiden Makoto.
"So that’s what happened..."
After listening to Asta’s pitiful explanation, Makoto finally understood why the girl looked so full of resentnt.
But... weren’t they just a few photos?
Was there really a need to panic this much?
Although the misunderstanding was cleared up, Makoto seed to form another misunderstanding instead.
She felt that this girl might be a little too conservative.
After all, Raiden Makoto— an old relic who had only recently revived— didn’t even fully understand what "swimsuit photos" ant yet.
If she did understand, she’d probably be even more conservative than Asta.
"If you like them that much," Makoto said calmly, "then next ti, I can wear one and let you take photos too.
You don’t need to bully a young girl like this."
Over the past few days, Makoto’s impression of Asta had been quite positive, so she didn’t mind stepping in to help.
A swimsuit?
What was there to be afraid of?
At this mont, Raiden Makoto looked incredibly heroic and resolute.
"Are you sure?" Su Ran asked.
Swimsuits weren’t exactly popular in Inazuma.
Most people didn’t even swim at the beach, since Inazuma was a relatively conservative nation.
Even if light novels tended to exaggerate things, the mainstream Inazuman aesthetic was still very much the Yamato Nadeshiko type.
Su Ran pulled up Asta’s swimsuit photos and showed them to Raiden Makoto.
"Didn’t you promise not to show them to anyone?!"
Seeing her photos being displayed so casually, Asta completely broke down.
"This isn’t what we agreed on!"
You said you wouldn’t show them to anyone!
It hadn’t even been a full cup of tea’s ti yet— and they were already shown to soone else?!
"Makoto’s one of us," Su Ran replied casually.
"She doesn’t count as ’soone else.’"
Sure, this was a bit questionable, but Makoto was also a girl.
And besides, Asta had already explained things to her herself.
So Su Ran simply showed the photos openly.
"..."
After seeing Asta’s photos, Raiden Makoto fell silent.
She finally understood why Asta had been so frantic earlier.
If it were her, she’d probably have attacked Su Ran on the spot.
Photos like these— how could they possibly be kept by soone else?!
"It’s fine," Su Ran said calmly.
"I already know your asurents.
I can place the order right now."
The phone in Su Ran’s hand wasn’t his own.
It was Herta’s.
Herta had equipped every puppet with a phone, so that particular puppet’s phone had naturally ended up in his possession.
The data hadn’t even been wiped— it still had Herta’s account logged in.
Spending Herta’s money— wasn’t that only natural?
"I think it would be inappropriate for to step in here."
Raiden Makoto pressed down Su Ran’s restless hand.
She’d rather let Asta suffer through this one herself.
This was not a burden she could handle.
Makoto retreated decisively.
"Weren’t you just talking big about standing up for Asta?"
Su Ran teased.
"Why are you scared now?"
Makoto felt a bit embarrassed by her sudden change of heart.
"That was... because I didn’t know any better..."
If she’d known, she never would’ve volunteered in the first place.
Good thing things hadn’t gone too far yet.
"What are you three whispering about over here?"
A thoroughly frustrated Herta walked over, her face full of resentnt.
She’d completely failed at studying.
Totally failed.
That knowledge was still too far beyond her reach.
Even if she did understand it eventually, there was no way she could apply it imdiately.
And now, before she’d even fully grasped it, all this chatter was preventing her from focusing.
Herta stord over angrily.
"Adult matters," Su Ran waved dismissively.
"Kids shouldn’t interrupt."
Here stood a young girl and a mature beauty— where did a little loli like Herta get the right to speak?
Herta: "..."
Since when did she beco a kid?!
"This is just one of my puppets!" she protested.
"Don’t judge by appearances!"
Among everyone present, who was actually older than her besides Raiden Makoto?!
Was it her fault that her puppet body was a bit small?
"Then why do you think you made your puppet so small?"
Su Ran scoffed.
"To save materials, obviously."
Herta imdiately protested loudly.
"You think I need to save materials?!
With Asta as my patron?!"
Su Ran sneered.
If he had a rich benefactor like Asta, saving money wouldn’t even cross his mind.
Every al would be top-tier luxury.
If she could afford building space stations, how could she not afford a few puppets’ worth of materials?
"Asta’s money doesn’t grow on trees!"
Herta shot back stubbornly.
"Of course I can’t waste it casually!"
Even Asta herself couldn’t stand listening anymore.
"...."
She covered her face awkwardly.
In fact, Asta had always maintained a good relationship with Topaz.
They interacted fairly often.
But Topaz, as a Non-Performing Assets Liquidation Specialist, was usually extrely busy.
She rarely had ti to just sit and chat.
So how did Asta manage to et Topaz so frequently?
The answer was simple.
Herta kept maxing out her credit cards.
Topaz ca to liquidate the debt.
Asta paid it off.
That was how the two beca familiar with each other.
Which... completely contradicted what Herta had just said.
"You’ve got all confused!" Herta snapped.
"What were you even talking about just now?"
"We were talking about—"
"Nothing! Nothing at all!"
Asta imdiately covered Su Ran’s mouth.
This was already sothing three people knew.
If Miss Herta found out too, that would an yet another person knew her dark history.
Who knew— maybe there’d be a fifth, a sixth...
"Mr. Su Ran, you promised you wouldn’t tell anyone!"
Asta looked at him pleadingly.
She knew Herta couldn’t help her solve this.
"All right," Su Ran said after a mont.
"Since it’s your request, Asta, I’ll at least give you that much face."
Asta:
Thanks... but I think I’ve already lost all my dignity in front of you anyway.
—------------------------------
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