A young woman was rinsing herself in the hotel bathroom, while in the same room, there was a male peer for whom she held deep affection.
At any other time, the mere thought of Leo Ash being just outside might have made Mei feel a bit shy.
But now, as the cold stream of water flowed from above, Mei's mind gradually grew calmer.
And with her mood calmed, Mei certainly knew—Leo had no such intentions or plans.
If Leo were truly lusting after her, he could have chosen a much gentler approach just now.
Whether it was sincere or deceitful, Mei, in her terrible state of mind at the time, wouldn't have paid any attention to such details.
But his words made Raiden Mei understand one thing very clearly.
This man didn't see her as a woman he could toy with at will.
Perhaps in Leo's eyes, she was just an incompetent little girl who crumbled under the weight of trivial matters.
At this thought, a helpless, bitter smile appeared on the corners of Mei's lips.
Although she was by nature a reserved young lady, to have her charm negated by a peer in such a direct manner...
Honestly, while the feeling was a bit frustrating, it was also quite novel.
In the past, Mei had experienced the adulation of her classmates and felt the love of her father.
And after Raiden Ryoma was imprisoned, she had also tasted the full spectrum of human warmth and coldness.
Some had bared their fangs at her the moment she lost her status.
But there were also people like Kiana, who showed Mei the tenderness and kindness she needed most.
Yet no one, not a single person, had ever treated her the way Leo Ash did.
Leo's words seemed as biting as a winter wind, but if she savored them carefully, Mei could always feel the concern hidden within those frigid phrases.
Leo is right. I can't have the mindset of relying on others right now.
Even he can only help me get back on my feet at critical moments.
From now on, I must abandon those weak thoughts.
Only then can I...
At this moment, the image of the young man outside flashed through the girl's mind.
But she quickly turned the shower to its maximum setting, letting more cold water pour directly over her head.
Now is not the time to think about these things.
He told me what I need to do. Only after I've done it well will I have the right to think about anything else.
......
One hour later. A certain dojo.
After Mei finished her shower, Leo immediately had her, now in her new clothes, tell him where she usually practiced her swordsmanship.
Upon driving to the dojo and opening the main doors, Leo saw that the floor inside was already covered in a layer of dust.
"This is..."
Looking at the layer of dust in the dojo, Mei said embarrassedly.
"I'm sorry, I... it's been too long since I was last here."
"I'll just clean..."
Under Leo's cold gaze, Mei immediately realized she had said the wrong thing.
"There's no need for that. In the end, I don't want to waste time on such things."
[Yes, just like that.]
[With just a cold glance, you can successfully PUA this naive little girl.]
[As long as you use the right methods to tame her, in the future, even if you're actually thinking nothing at all, a single cold look will be enough to make the successfully PUA'd Raiden Mei start to actively reflect on her own mistakes.]
[Hmph, she has already stepped into the trap you've woven for her, step by step. It won't be long now before you can boil the frog in lukewarm water and conquer her...]
[No, it should be said, completely dominate her body and soul!]
Thanks a lot for the compliment.
How did I not know I was this amazing?
Seeing that not only had Leo's gaze turned cold, but the expression on his face had also become a bit scary, Mei's body froze on the spot.
Um, although I seem to have said something wrong, but...
Isn't Leo's reaction a bit too much?
[Oh, look, look at that expression of hers, a mixture of guilt and confusion. You know your plan has been a complete success.]
Wow, I can't be bothered to waste my breath on you anymore.
Getting down to business is what matters. After all, right now, I really don't have much time.
After shifting her mindset a little, I still have to go out tomorrow and find that white-haired paramecium.
After all, two life-threatening crises are waiting for me, and one of them is definitely related to her.
Walking over to a cabinet, Leo took out two bamboo swords and tossed one to Raiden Mei.
Upon seeing the stance Leo took, Raiden Mei, who had caught the bamboo sword, frowned slightly.
Raiden Mei's mental state had been poor recently, but that didn't mean she had become completely rusty in the swordsmanship she had practiced for so long.
Menkyo Kaiden is the certificate of permission for reaching the highest level in a sword art, and Mei, who had already achieved it, could certainly tell that the Leo Ash before her was...
—a complete and utter amateur, by any measure.
From the way he held the sword and the stance he took, Mei could see a multitude of openings.
And for this very reason, Mei couldn't understand what Leo was trying to do right now.
"Between swordsmen, sometimes communicating with weapons is simpler than with words."
At that moment, Leo stared at the somewhat dazed Raiden Mei and said with great indifference.
"Now, attack me directly."
"Um, but..."
Seeing the look on Leo's face about to change again, Raiden Mei swallowed the latter half of her sentence, 'that doesn't seem appropriate.'
"I'll say it again. Towards me, charge."
"O... okay!"
At Leo's repeated request, Mei finally began to try and adjust her mindset, making herself a little more serious.
Although I might hurt Leo, but—this is what he asked for.
In that case—
"Hokushin Ittō-ryū, Raiden Mei—at your service!"
At that moment, having taken her stance, Mei held her bamboo sword and charged directly at Leo.
But at the same time, looking at the girl before him, Leo, who had already activated his Mind Like Still Water ability, swung the bamboo sword in his hand.
In an instant, Mei, who had just launched her attack, discovered a very awkward situation.
The bamboo sword in her hand, at some unknown point...
—had been knocked away by her opponent, falling from the air to the ground with a crisp clatter.
.