Nearly half an hour passed as Kei Karuizawa remained lost in a whirlwind of confused thoughts.
Meanwhile, Honami Ichinose had finished preparing her signature dish. When she reentered her bedroom, she was met with a rather unexpected sight.
Eriri and Yukino were lying intimately entwined on her bed, while Kei Karuizawa sat at the bedside, wearing a bewildered expression as if questioning reality itself.
However, Honami Ichinose wasn't surprised by the relationship between Eriri and Yukino.
Having spent a good amount of time in the chat group, she had learned quite a bit about the interpersonal dynamics within it.
At the very least, she knew that the chat group's owner, Arifureta, along with several other members, shared an extremely close relationship with Eriri.
Although Yukino wasn't part of the chat group, the mere fact that she lived alongside Eriri spoke volumes.
"Eriri, Yukinoshita, Karuizawa, lunch is ready."
Honami Ichinose's voice snapped Kei Karuizawa out of her chaotic thoughts, prompting her to quickly avert her gaze from the two on the bed.
Meanwhile, Eriri and Yukino, who had been lying there with their eyes closed, slowly opened them in response.
"Is the food ready? Then let's see how it tastes," Eriri said, sitting up with a look of mild anticipation.
"Hehe, don't worry! This is my specialty—I promise it won't disappoint you," Honami Ichinose replied with a confident smile.
Without any further comments, Eriri motioned for Yukino and Kei Karuizawa to follow her as they exited the bedroom and trailed behind Honami Ichinose.
In the living room, a square dining table had already been set up. At the center of the table was a large pot, which was being heated by an alcohol burner underneath.
Various ingredients simmered inside, and the fragrant aroma mixed with the rising steam, spreading throughout the room.
"So your specialty dish is sukiyaki?" Eriri remarked in surprise. "It does smell pretty good. I wonder how it tastes."
"You'll know once you try it!" Honami Ichinose chuckled. "Come on, everyone, take a seat."
Following her lead, Eriri and the others each took a seat around the table.
Under Honami Ichinose's expectant gaze, Eriri picked up a slice of beef from the sukiyaki with her chopsticks and elegantly took a bite.
...
Another half hour passed, and the meal had come to an end.
Eriri wasn't disappointed with Honami Ichinose's cooking. While it couldn't compare to the exquisite dishes made by Aoi Kujo, as a simple homemade meal, it was well-prepared and enjoyable.
It wasn't anything particularly outstanding, but it certainly wasn't bad either—just a solid, well-balanced flavor.
Receiving this assessment left Honami Ichinose feeling pleased. While it wasn't the highest praise, knowing that her cooking had earned Eriri's approval was enough for her.
After finishing lunch, Eriri and Yukino didn't immediately return home. Instead, guided by Kei Karuizawa and Honami Ichinose, they wandered through areas of the school they hadn't visited that morning.
The appearance of Eriri and her companions caused quite a stir.
Students who had heard the rumors about Eriri and Yukino earlier that day finally got the chance to see them in person—and they were utterly stunned by their beauty.
Although Eriri and Yukino were incredibly captivating, no one dared to approach them for conversation.
While the students didn't recognize Eriri and Yukino, they were all very familiar with Kei Karuizawa, who stood beside them.
Kei Karuizawa's notoriety wasn't due to her beauty—it was something she had forged with her fists. Nearly every overly arrogant student in the school had been personally disciplined by her.
No one wanted to risk provoking Kei Karuizawa over something as trivial as a casual greeting.
The Advanced Nurturing High School campus was quite expansive, and by the time Eriri and the others finished their tour, more than two hours had passed.
It was already past 3:00 PM.
By this point, Eriri felt there was no reason to linger in this world any longer.
So, after saying her reluctant goodbyes to Kei Karuizawa, Eriri took Yukino and returned to the Saekano world.
...
Upon learning that Eriri had left the world of Classroom of the Elite, various chat group members began inviting her to visit their respective worlds.
However, Eriri didn't immediately accept any of their offers. Instead, she chose to maintain control over when and where she would go, deciding to visit whenever she felt like it.
The following days were peaceful for Eriri. Aside from attending school as usual, she spent her time at home playing games with Reina and Illya, illustrating the second volume of Utaha Kasumigaoka's new novel, and occasionally going out for shopping dates with Arifureta and Megumi Kato.
She also periodically checked in on Sword Art Online in this world.
Since she had never seriously played what was essentially a second-world simulation game, her level remained relatively low compared to other players.
Unlike Gabriel, who, despite spending over four months in the One Piece world, still maintained a mid-tier ranking in the game.
After some dedicated effort in the past few days, Gabriel had once again climbed to the top rankings. At this pace, it wouldn't be long before she reclaimed her position as the highest-level player in this world.
...
A little over a week later, Eriri was lounging comfortably with Reina in her arms, holding a game controller, when she suddenly received a chat message from Mine.
[Mine (Tier 7, Level 1): @Eriri (Tier 8, Level 9), Eriri-nee, we've successfully reclaimed the entire Empire, but now we have a new problem.]
[Eriri (Tier 8, Level 9): What problem?]
[Mine (Tier 7, Level 1): A massive 'Gate' suddenly appeared in one of the streets in the Imperial Capital not long ago.]
[Eriri (Tier 8, Level 9): Gate?]
Reading Mine's message, Eriri's expression turned contemplative. Mysterious gates that appeared out of nowhere were usually connected to some form of passageway.
The question was whether this gate led to another world within the same universe—or an entirely different dimension.
A worst-case scenario would be if the gate connected to a world filled with high-level monsters. If left unchecked, it could bring catastrophe to the Akame ga Kill world.
Of course, that was merely speculation.
With Eriri present, there was no way the Akame ga Kill world would face total destruction—unless a Level 9 entity decided to target it.
But such an event was highly unlikely. Setting aside the question of whether Level 9 beings even existed across the multiverse, even if they did, they wouldn't waste their efforts on a small planet in a minor universe.
Moreover, even if Eriri wasn't yet a match for a Tier 9 being, it was absolutely impossible for such an entity to kill her outright.
If a Level 9 entity truly did take action, by the time Eriri's evolution was complete, it would be that Level 9 existence paying the price.
Because of this causal relationship, a Level 9 being would never recklessly target Eriri's people or worlds.
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Mine, give me a detailed explanation of the situation.]
[Mine (Level 7, Stage 1): This 'Gate' is super weird!]
[Mine (Level 7, Stage 1): It's completely black inside, and I can't see anything. I originally tried to fly in to check it out, but no matter how fast I flew, I couldn't enter. It's like I was stuck in place!]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 1): Oh? From what you're describing, this 'Gate' must be utilizing spatial manipulation. It likely expands a seemingly short distance into an immeasurable one. So, what appears to be just a few kilometers might actually stretch thousands of times farther, making it feel like you're never moving forward.]
[Mine (Level 7, Stage 1): Yes, yes! That's exactly what it felt like!]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): That's one possibility, but I won't know for sure until I see it myself.]
[Mine (Level 7, Stage 1): Eriri-nee, you're coming over? That's great!]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): Ooh, this sounds like an interesting situation. Mine-chan, what does the 'Gate' look like?]
[Mine (Level 7, Stage 1): It's like a massive palace gate, surrounded by tree root-covered stone pillars. Those pillars are insanely tough—I went all out attacking them, but I couldn't leave a scratch.]
[Adel (Level 5, Stage 7): Sounds like a typical interdimensional portal! If this were a manga, this would be the part where two worlds collide. At first, there'd be war, but eventually, a peace treaty would be signed, leading to trade and shared prosperity!]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): Now that you mention it, this 'Gate' could really lead to another world. But if Mine and the others can't get through, that means the people on the other side probably can't come here either, right?]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 1 / Group Leader)]: Not necessarily. What if this 'Gate' was created by the beings on the other side? That would allow them to invade freely while preventing counterattacks. It would be a perfect war machine.
[Miko Yotsuya (Level 3, Stage 5): That sounds terrifying…]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): Yeah, it really does.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Alright, no need to speculate. I'll start a livestream soon so everyone can see what's really going on.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 1): Great idea! Hurry up, I can't wait to see it.]
[Ruri Gokou (Level 7, Stage 1): +1]
[Elaina (Level 7, Stage 1): +1]
[…]
...
Since Eriri had already decided to head to the Akame ga Kill world, she didn't delay. She put down her game controller, explained the situation to Reina and the others, reassured them, and immediately opened a world portal to leave.
"Eriri-nee!"
The moment Eriri stepped out of the portal, she was met with the sight of Mine, along with the Akame and Kurome sisters, rushing toward her. Having not seen her for nearly five months, they tightly clung to her legs, their faces filled with joy.
Even Esdeath, standing nearby, seemed tempted to join in, but after seeing how tightly Mine and the others had surrounded Eriri, she momentarily held back.
"Long time no see, Mine, Akame, Kurome." Eriri chuckled as she ruffled their heads affectionately.
Compared to Mine, who could frequently chat with Eriri in the group, Akame and Kurome hadn't spoken to her in nearly five months. Their excitement far surpassed Mine's.
"Mm, long time no see, Eriri-nee," Akame said happily, tilting her head up to look at her.
At that moment, Saeko Busujima, still dressed in her Fujimi Academy uniform, approached them. A faint smile graced her beautiful face as she greeted Eriri in a soft voice.
"Long time no see, Lady Eriri."
"Mm, long time no see!" Eriri replied with a light smile, nodding at Saeko. "Saeko, how have you been these past few months?"
"It's been wonderful—I feel like I've finally been able to let loose. But now that the Empire is at peace, there aren't many chances to fight anymore," Saeko said with a contented expression.
However, when she mentioned the Empire's newfound peace, a fleeting look of regret crossed her face.
She wasn't lamenting the peace itself but rather the loss of opportunities to engage in unrestrained combat against her enemies.
Of course, if given a choice between endless battles and lasting peace for the Empire, she wouldn't hesitate to choose the latter.
Over the past six months, she had witnessed countless tragedies caused by the corruption of the old Empire. She had no desire to see such suffering again.
Despite her love for bloodshed and her strong urge to kill, she was, at heart, a good girl.
"Mm, since the Empire is peaceful now, you should leave with me when I return to my world."
"Understood!" Saeko agreed without hesitation, nodding firmly.
Behind Saeko, aside from Esdeath, Sheele, Leone, and Cornelia, there were also two other young girls who looked extremely familiar to Eriri.
One was a petite girl with flowing orange hair, wearing headphones and a maid outfit.
The other was a beautiful girl with long silver hair tied into a braid, dressed in a black skirt.
At that moment, both of them were staring intently at Eriri and the others, their faces filled with curiosity.
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