Chapter 12: Butterfly

Saeko Busujima: "Rei Ao-kun probably isn't serious about doing anything."

Rei Ao: "Mm, this is Sakurajima Mai from the group."

Akame: "She went to your house."

Rei Ao: "I don't know why she came in the rain, but I figured she needed a bath or she'd get sick. However, she was afraid I'd make a move on her, so I started a livestream to reassure her."

Stella: "I'd be scared too!"

Saeko Busujima: "I don't think Rei Ao-kun is someone who would do anything rash."

Stella: "What? Why are you defending him?"

She wanted to shout: *You're the one he took advantage of!*

Frieren: "Could this be what humans refer to as Stockholm Syndrome?"

Saeko Busujima: "No, Rei Ao-kun follows the rules of the trade."

Saeko Busujima: "The trade terms were for body usage rights once, and although he clearly had more energy left, he stopped after just one time."

It was she who initiated things afterward, which was why Saeko held this view.

But this explanation might be hard for some to accept.

Stella: "Ahhh, this group has been tainted!"

Frieren: "I think it's fine. It shows integrity in following a contract, which I appreciate."

Akame: "Yeah, a mutual trade is better than one side forcing the other."

Sakurajima Mai: "..."

Seeing the conversation veering further off track, Mai quickly said:

"I'm going to take a bath now. Thanks."

Clutching her towel, Sakurajima Mai hurried to the bathroom.

...

With the livestream on, Sakurajima Mai could be sure Rei Ao wasn't making any moves.

*Gurgle, gurgle...*

She blew bubbles into the bathwater with her mouth submerged.

She never imagined she'd one day be bathing in the home of a man who lived alone.

Especially one she considered a pervert.

Then, in the livestream, she saw Rei Ao get up.

"!!!"

She tensed up, but he wasn't heading toward the bathroom. Instead, he seemed to be grabbing something from a drawer.

Watching him pick up cold medicine and boil water specifically for her, she realized those things were prepared for her.

Her impression of him improved slightly.

...

A little while later.

*Whoosh!*

The bathroom door opened, and steam billowed out.

Rei Ao glanced over, his expression growing a bit strange.

But what was even stranger were the reactions in the chat group.

Akame: "Is that… clothing?"

Stella: "What kind of outfit is that?!"

Frieren: "It looks like an imitation of a black rabbit, possibly for camouflaging as weak prey. I wonder if it would work on demons?"

Frieren: "I conceal my magic power to trick demons with sharp senses into thinking I'm weak, then I kill them."

Frieren: "Maybe a rabbit outfit like that could be useful."

Rei Ao smirked.

He already guessed what Frieren was thinking.

Rei Ao: "@Frieren, don't bother. This is called a 'bunny girl outfit,' a type of lingerie."

Stella: "..."

*Just as I thought! That outfit was way too suggestive!*

Frieren: "Oh, so it's used for human courtship."

Frieren: "The combination of silk and leather, the tight fit showing off the body, and the exposed skin—it must be considered very appealing by human standards, right?"

Rei Ao: "Yes, it's very sexy."

Sakurajima Mai blushed furiously after seeing those comments, her face turning as red as an apple.

But then Rei Ao said something that made her expression darken.

Rei Ao: "Too bad her chest isn't as big as Saeko Busujima's."

He was joking, of course.

Saeko's world seemed to have its own unique charm, where almost everyone was extraordinarily well-endowed.

Mai's figure wasn't quite as voluptuous, but it was still more than enough.

Saeko Busujima: "Thank you for the compliment, Rei Ao-kun."

Sakurajima Mai: "??? Turn off the livestream!!!"

Frieren: "Wait, I was hoping to study human mating behavior."

*Mating?*

Sakurajima Mai wanted to dig a hole and hide in it!

Luckily, Rei Ao turned off the livestream.

He asked curiously, "Why didn't you use the bath towel I gave you?"

"…"

Holding the towel, Sakurajima Mai sat down across from him on the sofa, feeling the weight of his gaze.

She couldn't exactly tell him it was because she didn't have a change of underwear and was worried the towel wasn't secure enough.

TV dramas often had accidents in such situations.

So instead, she put on her bunny girl outfit, forgetting how provocative it was, especially without any undergarments.

The moment she sat down, Rei Ao glanced at her discreetly, but Mai noticed.

"!!!"

Realizing the problem, she quickly wrapped herself in the bath towel.

The view was gone, but Rei Ao wasn't disappointed.

At least he'd gotten a glimpse of the delicate "butterfly in flight" and considered it a win.

He pointed to the medicine and water on the table.

"Take some medicine and drink hot water, then we can talk."

Seeing her sitting there silently, he added, "Don't worry, it's not a drug, just cold medicine."

"…"

Of course, Sakurajima Mai knew it was cold medicine. She'd seen it during the livestream.

She had just been distracted by thoughts of the "butterfly"... so embarrassing!

"Okay."

Feeling a mix of shame and reluctance, she nodded and obediently took the medicine and water.