That's so like her!
This pink-haired girl, always so precise at stepping on landmines, made one wonders if she did it on purpose.
After all, the underlying motives of all these new female classmates, whether they transferred classes or schools, were pretty transparent to each other.
They were all teenage vixens, and no one was fooling anyone.
Asuna slightly suspected Chika might be using this method to assert dominance over the newcomers.
But whether Chika did it unintentionally or on purpose, it definitely struck a nerve with the Nakiri Sisters.
It was especially effective on Erina, with her tsundere + queen attributes.
Right now, Erina's slender body, barely concealed by her black school uniform, trembled violently.
Even without her saying a word, her slightly shaking form and wide, violet eyes made it clear she was probably cursing Chika out internally.
Alice, on the other hand, seemed much calmer. From the moment she entered the classroom, she had been curiously observing Lott with her deep crimson eyes, which is even brighter than Utaha's.
"Cough! These two students have transferred from Totsuki Academy. Please look after them. Furthermore, they will be serving as our school's head chefs in the cafeteria. Come on, let's give them a round of applause~"
Shizuka took the lead in clapping to lighten the atmosphere.
The girls in the class, like Chika and Asuna, had relatively easy-going personalities and played along, clapping politely.
"Nakiri... I remember they're one of the Four Great Conglomerates... To think it could be done this way, Hayama."
In another corner of the classroom, Tobe Kakeru whispered to Hayama Hayato.
Seeing the two Nakiri young ladies transfer from so far away, they more or less guessed the reason.
No, to be precise, even those like Asuna and Kaguya who transferred classes probably had the same goal, right?
"So enviable..."
Tobe Kakeru stole an envious glance at Lott.
Their 'Popular Kids' group had also wanted to apply for a class transfer to get further away from Lott.
But because there had been so many transfer requests recently, commoners like them from the mixed houses were put on the waiting list.
So, they hadn't managed to leave yet.
Who knew they'd get to witness such an interesting scene.
Hayama Hayato responded with an awkward smile, his gaze falling on the back of Yukino sitting in the front row.
'She... had probably been given a similar order too, right?'
However, having known Yukino since childhood, Hayama Hayato truly couldn't imagine her groveling before someone.
…
Lunch break.
The 'Popular Kids' group, led by Miura Yumiko and Hayama Hayato, were heading to the cafeteria.
[D City Attacked by Demon-level Monster Senior Centipede, New S-Class Hero Nail Arrives in Time and Successfully Defeats It]
[X City Sees Appearance of Demon-level Monster Awakened Cockroach, Three A-Class Heroes Join Forces for a Narrow Victory, But Monster Escapes at the Last Moment by Exploiting an Opening]
[Suspected Dragon-level Monster Appears in C City, Heavily Injures Metal Bat and Escapes After Silver Fang Arrives for Reinforcements, Metal Bat Currently Receiving Treatment from Namekians]
Tobe Kakeru, who had scrolled through several monster-related trending topics, shivered and muttered:
"So scary. Don't you guys think monsters are appearing more and more frequently lately? And it hasn't even been that long since that huge commotion... If this continues, I won't even dare to come to school."
"Kakeru, I actually think school is the safest place right now."
Hayama Hayato disagreed.
"Huh? Why? Hayama, you think the Blizzard Group is reliable?"
Just after class, the school announced via broadcast that the Blizzard Group would be taking over Shuchi'in Academy's security.
But the vast majority of students, including Tobe Kakeru, didn't hold much expectation for them.
After all, they were just a small group composed of B-Class heroes.
If it were Fubuki's sister, Tatsumaki, that would be another story.
Hayama Hayato didn't elaborate, simply raising his index finger and pointing ahead.
Tobe Kakeru, Miura Yumiko, and the others looked in the direction he pointed.
They saw that man striding ahead purposefully.
The campus belle of the third year, Saeko, followed three steps behind him like a Yamato Nadeshiko from the Edo Period.
Chika, with an innocent smile on her face, hopped and skipped alongside him, holding onto Lott's left arm.
Lott's other hand held the blushing Miku, who didn't dare look up.
The other four Nakano Sisters chirped and chattered around them, chatting with smiles.
The former [Demon Cyborg] Genos walked slightly ahead, clearing the way.
But honestly, Genos didn't really need to clear the way.
Even though it was the cafeteria's peak hour, the moment people saw Lott, they parted like parting the Red Sea, making way as if they'd seen a ghost.
"His side is the safest place on Planet Terra."
Hayama Hayato explained.
Yuigahama Yui blinked, feeling Hayama's words made some sense, but not entirely.
Because it felt like Lott played favorites.
If a monster charged at Miku, there was no question how Lott would react.
But if the target were Tobe Kakeru or Hayama Hayato-
That would be a different story.
The other boys looked at Lott with varied expressions, but they all couldn't help feeling a sense of 'A true man should be like this'.
The girls, however, cast jealous, even hateful, glances at Saeko, Miku, and Chika.
Eternal youth... The temptation was simply too great for any woman.
…
By the time Lott's group entered the cafeteria-
The Nakiri Sisters were indeed stationed on the other side.
"One set meal, pork cutlet, please."
A brown-haired boy who had been waiting in line before Lott arrived forced himself not to let his gaze linger on the sisters' stunningly beautiful faces, trying to sound calm.
As he spoke, he reached up to adjust his bangs.
However, Erina remained like a proud canary, not even glancing at him.
Alice, meanwhile, sat on a chair to the side, smiling brightly as she scrolled through her phone.
This left the boy utterly embarrassed.
"Hahaha! Tanuma, failed, didn't you? So embarrassing!"
"Looks like the Tanuma Group isn't worthy of the Nakiri Family's attention!"
When the brown-haired boy returned, his group of 'friends' mocked and teased him.
"Damn it! If they aren't going to cook, why come to Shuchi'in Academy to be chefs?"
Tanuma Tsubasa, having lost his honor in front of his classmates, gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Because their service target simply isn't you."
Ishigami Yu, sitting in a slightly secluded corner, explained like a ghost.
"Huh?"
Tanuma Tsubasa didn't understand Ishigami's meaning at first.
But two minutes later, reality gave him the answer.
They saw Genos walk up to the counter where the Nakiri Sisters were. His attitude was completely different from Tanuma Tsubasa's earlier attempt to be charming and attract the girls' attention, his face was utterly cold.
"Whatever you're best at is fine. Start with 30 main dishes, 50 meat dishes, and 20 desserts. Quickly."
The previously queenly Erina, who had been standing with her arms crossed, and Alice, who had been on her phone, immediately started taking high-end ingredients air-freighted from Totsuki Culinary Academy out of the fridge and began operating molecular gastronomy machines that ordinary people couldn't possibly understand.
Tanuma Tsubasa and the others, who had just been snubbed by the Nakiri Sisters, stared wide-eyed.
'Damn, the difference in treatment was way too obvious!'
Then they understood what Ishigami meant by 'they aren't here to serve you'.
"So cool..."
Ishigami, sitting in the corner of the cafeteria with his gloomy aura, looked towards that man's back in the distance and muttered softly.
Unlike the other boys who envied Lott for being surrounded by so many beauties-
Ishigami admired Lott mainly for his 'willfulness'… the ability to do whatever he wanted.
He also hoped to become a man like that one day.
A man who could live truly as himself, not caring about others' opinions and judgments, without needing to hide his true thoughts.