Sure enough, having all kinds of wonderful things with your childhood sweetheart is something that only happens in harem light novels.
"I think there's a bit of a misunderstanding here." Logan was restrained in place and said with difficulty. While he could easily break free from the class monitor's grip on his arm, that might only make things messier. Judging by the serious expressions on her and Diane's faces, something was definitely up, or they wouldn't have come all this way. After all, they were usually well-behaved, model students.
Getting 'told to the teacher' didn't actually bother Logan much, but the reason he was here…that was a headache.
He glanced at the girl standing silently beside him with her arms crossed. He didn't recognize her, but she was strikingly attractive. Dressed in the same school uniform as the others, he knew she must have been a part of this autumn field trip. Her aura, though, was on a different level altogether.
Olivia watched with concealed amusement as Logan looked like a kid caught misbehaving. She let the moment linger, counting it as a minor punishment for this troublemaker underclassman.
Seeing that the atmosphere was getting tense and noting there were no other suspicious students around, she spoke up.
"This must be 'Logan,' right?" she said evenly. "Since we've found someone, let's move somewhere less crowded. It's not convenient to talk here."
Olivia's words carried weight. The class monitor gradually calmed down, glancing around and flushing slightly before nodding in agreement with Olivia's suggestion. Still, she didn't loosen her grip, dragging Logan along firmly.
Once they reached a quieter corner, Logan let out a breath, finally able to understand what was happening.
They had all snuck out without telling the teachers, and the class monitor quickly explained the situation, her tone sharp and impatient. Thankfully, Diane was there to clarify, preventing any misunderstandings.
The explanation was short and wrapped up in under a minute. And after hearing this, Logan fell into a moment of silent contemplation.
"So that's what's going on, huh? Look, Class Monitor, about me being here at the casino…" Logan said with an innocent smile, his tone friendly.
"Don't give me that! And don't even think about making excuses! Just being here means you've broken the rules and ignored the potential dangers."
The smile on Yu Logan's face froze, and then he clenched his fists, feeling a sudden urge to strangle David, 'I'm minding my own business, then this falls on me out of nowhere! Those guys really know how to throw me under the bus. Sneaking out was bad enough, but dragging me into it? And somehow, I'm the first one they catch? Who'd be dumb enough to sneak out to a casino just to look around at night...'
He glanced up, catching sight of the neon-lit building glowing in golden hues, and swallowed down the urge to complain further.
'In any case, I was now unavoidably grouped with those bastards, and escaping suspicion was impossible.' Thinking of the task he had come here to do, Logan felt a surge of frustration at being saddled with such unreliable friends, 'I had come here to conduct some business, and it was supposed to be impressive...'
"Logan, what's that letter in your hand?" Olivia suddenly asked, with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
The female class monitor and Diane turned to look as well, especially the class monitor, who, already suspicious of the sneaky boys, eyed him warily.
"Oh, it's nothing, nothing at all," Logan said quickly, shoving the letter, which could easily stir up all the shady figures in the building, back into his pocket with an awkward smile, "Just something I, uh… found on the ground."
If Damian from the Blue Gang had been present, he would have fainted in frustration when he heard these words. A piece of tradition preserved by his predecessors, although lacking the grandiose flair of the past, still represented a sense of pride and respect. But now, Logan speaks of it so casually, which was outrageous!
Olivia glanced briefly at the letter, which seemed to carry some significance, but she didn't press further. Instead, she gestured toward the entrance, "Alright, there are five more to find. Let's hurry and track them down."
The class monitor and Diane naturally had no objections to following Olivia's lead. Meanwhile, Logan watched her tall figure walking ahead with a hint of displeasure.
After hearing about Olivia's identity from their conversation, he knew she was responsible for this impromptu 'inspection' that had blown his evening off-course.
As he glanced at the casino's ornate doorway, a complicated expression crossed his face, 'This isn't how the script was supposed to go.'
Urged forward by the impatient class monitor, Logan sighed and fell in line as they all entered one by one.
…
The casino took up only part of the first floor, its modest size limiting the grandeur one might expect. Unlike Las Vegas's opulent casinos, this space was elegantly yet tastefully designed.
As they entered the main hall, rich wooden doors opened, releasing the muffled hum of voices. The crowd clustered thickly around the gaming tables, and Logan caught sight of the sort of dealers and attendants he remembered from old films.
Dice whirled within glass casings, and an occasional loud cheer or groan rose from the gaming tables, punctuated by the rattling of chips, pulling the students' attention.
Most of the people here were men, aside from a few polite female dealers and smiling attendants. Logan and Olivia were relatively unbothered, but Diane and the class monitor found the atmosphere jarring, their clean school uniforms contrasting sharply with the adults' world of high stakes and indulgence.
Luckily, their purpose was simple: find their missing classmates. Olivia led the group, her calm determination evident as they wove through the tables. Their conspicuous uniforms attracted curious glances, and with Olivia's cold elegance and Diane's gentle beauty, occasional murmurs or flirtatious comments drifted their way.
At this time, the female class monitor no longer radiated the same authority she had outside. However, she still insisted on blocking the far left side. On the right side was Logan, who many people automatically ignored.
Logan scanned the casino, taking in the atmosphere while marking points of interest. The chandelier above shone brightly, casting no shadows where one might slip by unnoticed.
Surveillance cameras covered the room comprehensively, making things a bit tricky for his purposes. He silently resigned himself to using a shadow clone to handle his business here instead of conserving Chakra.
They passed a few tables when Olivia slowed, glancing around the noisy space. With the room's divided layout and background music, it wouldn't be hard to miss someone, especially since she wasn't familiar with the boys on the 'escapee list'. She'd have to rely on her three younger classmates to identify them.
Olivia looked back at the three classmates who were one year below her. If things didn't go smoothly... David and the others discovered them first, and then they might even deliberately avoid them, which would be even more troublesome.
Turning back to the trio, she noticed the class monitor and Diane scanning attentively. Logan, on the other hand… was staring at the ceiling?
Olivia followed his gaze to find nothing, her expression darkening slightly, 'No use relying on him.'
After about half a minute, Olivia began to consider quicker options. Just then, a stranger in a casual suit rose from a nearby table, his self-assured smile aimed right at her as he approached, his companions watching with amused anticipation from behind.
'Right. I'd also have to handle the inevitable flirtations.' Olivia frowned slightly, all too familiar with such scenarios.
Suddenly, the heavy mahogany doors slammed open.