"..."
"..."
The two of them stayed in silence for a full minute until Reisou finally broke it to ask a question.
"You're not joking, right?"
His expression remained surprisingly calm, but his tone of voice revealed his astonishment.
"No, Master," 2B replied firmly.
Reisou had already endured enough surprises for one day and chose to go along with everything from now on.
As he took a deep breath, 2B retrieved two keycards from her skirt pocket and handed one to him.
She then used her own keycard to open the digital lock, and the two of them entered the house together.
Inside the house, Reisou scanned the living room and saw that it was adorned with lavish decorations.
Moreover, the living room alone was twice the size of his old dormitory room.
2B saw the dazed expression on his face and quietly slipped her hand around his arm, leading him toward his new bedroom with calm determination.
When they arrived, she asked Reisou to open the door. He complied, and upon entering, he noticed several sealed boxes neatly arranged in the corner of the room.
"These boxes... my things are inside them, aren't they?" he asked 2B, gesturing toward the boxes with a curious expression.
Reisou had a feeling that 2B had already moved his things while they were at school that morning.
"Yes," she responded, nodding her head.
"I see."
Upon confirming that the boxes were indeed his, he walked over to the large bed. The moment he lay down, Reisou was enveloped by a deep sense of comfort.
The new bed was much more comfortable than the one he had back at the dorm.
In front of the bed, a large TV was mounted on the wall. Nearby, a cozy space was furnished with a grand armchair, and a few bookshelves were stacked with novels and mangas, completing the peaceful atmosphere of his new room.
There was even a private bathroom in the room, making Reisou feel like a rich man being spoiled by a wealthy lady.
'At this rate, can I say I have a sugar mom? Or should I say sugar droid?' he thought, rising from the bed.
Together with 2B, he continued exploring the house and as he had suspected, it was indeed a mansion. It featured seven rooms, five bathrooms, a balcony, a pool, a garden, and a cozy area in the backyard perfect for hosting gatherings.
This house his android had "bought" was undoubtedly very expensive. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed, remembering he promised her their lives would change.
It had certainly changed, but he wasn't the one responsible for it.
"Sigh... An A-rank summon is really something else," Reisou muttered, heading toward the kitchen alongside 2B.
Once they arrived, 2B grabbed an apron from a drawer and told him to go take a bath while she prepared something for them to eat.
Reisou followed her instructions, and when he returned, dressed in more casual clothes, he sat down at the elegant square table.
Watching 2B cook in the kitchen while he relaxed gave him the odd impression of being in the middle of a newlywed life.
An indecent and inappropriate thought briefly crossed his mind.
'Do androids have genitalia?' he thought, his gaze involuntarily drifting to 2B's backside.
2B, as if sensing his gaze, turned to face him. Reisou, caught off guard, quickly averted his eyes.
The white-haired android only gave a slight smile before continuing her cooking.
As night fell and they finished their meal, Reisou shared his plan with 2B. He intended to enter the Gates the next day to level up and acquire more System Points or World Points.
Although 2B strongly disliked the idea of him going to such a dangerous place, she knew it would be difficult to sway his determination.
She already knew that once Reisou had made up his mind, there was no convincing him otherwise. In her research, she had learned that people referred to this behavior as "stubbornness."
But 2B didn't mind. She found Reisou's stubbornness endearing, thinking it suited his personality perfectly.
When Reisou finished explaining how they would need to sneak past the academy's security, 2B calmly took her phone from between her two peaks and made a call.
In an instant, the person on the other end of the line picked up.
"I need two permissions to leave the school tomorrow, one for me and one for my Master. Be quick," 2B said indifferently, her voice carrying the authority of someone accustomed to giving commands.
Reisou opened his mouth to speak, however a sudden notification on his phone stopped him.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and noticed a message from the academy's official committee, whose authority was superior to even the student council.
The moment he finished reading the message confirming his permission to leave the academy, his gaze shifted to 2B.
"You... nevermind," Reisou muttered, choosing not to press the issue any further. He'd rather just enjoy the benefits of having such a highly capable android by his side.
"I'm going to my room to sleep. Tomorrow, we leave at eleven in the morning," he said, standing up from his seat and stretching his arms. "Good night, 2B."
"Good night, Master," she replied softly, her smile as gentle as ever.
Entering his room, Reisou collapsed onto the bed, reflecting on the countless surprises of the day until he closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
He was so mentally exhausted that he didn't notice the door silently opening or the figure that slipped in to lay beside him.
- - -
The next day, Reisou woke up at 8 a.m. to make a few preparations before venturing inside the Gate.
After taking a bath and getting dressed, Reisou made his way down the staircase. As he passed by the kitchen door, the enticing aroma of food filled the air, and he instantly knew 2B was already up.
Reisou entered the kitchen and found the white-haired android, wearing a white apron with a pink flower pattern, fully focused on preparing the meal.
2B, almost as if she had a sensor that could detect his presence, stopped what she was doing and turned to greet him.
"Good morning, Master," she said, offering a slight smile.
"Morning, 2B," he replied. "After breakfast, I'll go out and buy a few supplies. Want to go together?"
Upon hearing his invitation, her smile widened a little as she answered, "Yes."
A few minutes later, breakfast was ready. They sat down to eat, exchanging a few words. As they talked, Reisou provided more detailed instructions about the Gates, but he also remembered that, as an android, 2B could be affected by the high interference inside.
This made him worry, and for a brief moment, he considered not bringing her along. But then, he remembered that she was a summon from the system, and perhaps that made her immune to such interference.
Still, to be sure, he said with a serious tone, "2B, if you feel anything unusual when we enter the Gate, let me know, alright?"
Seeing the concern in his eyes, 2B nodded firmly and responded, "Okay, Master. I'll let you know."
The moment Reisou heard her confirmation, he felt more relieved and finished eating his breakfast.
Some time later, the duo left the house and walked side by side through the commercial zone.
Many people, both men and women, stopped in their tracks, captivated by the sight of the beautiful white-haired girl elegantly strolling in jeans and a light yellow sweater.
Her clothes, though simple, drew plenty of attention. With her perfectly sculpted face and captivating figure, 2B effortlessly caught the eyes of nearly everyone around her.
It seemed this was one of the advantages of being artificially created.
When the boys saw the girl, capable of putting models to shame walking casually alongside a not-so-handsome guy, their world seemed to crumble.
Even those accompanied by their girlfriends couldn't help but feel a quiet sense of disappointment.
Reisou had already anticipated this kind of reaction. In the anime world, people's responses were often exaggerated, so he simply put on a confident, proud expression and ignored the stares.
To his surprise, he was adjusting to it much quicker than he expected.
The duo entered the nearby supermarket and started gathering supplies. Food was essential inside the Gates. Eating monster meat was nearly impossible due to the infected blood, which could cause Hunters to contract a deadly disease if consumed.
While 2B was checking the expiration dates on some snacks, Reisou pulled out his phone to check something. But just as he was focused on the screen, someone accidentally bumped into him.
"Sorry," the person who bumped into him said, quickly apologizing.
"No prob—" Reisou was about to say, then stopped when he recognized the familiar face.
The other person recognized him as well and said, "Ah! you're Aragaki-san from 2E, right?"
"Yeah, it's me," he confirmed, staring at the pretty blonde girl with her hair tied in a ponytail and the academy blazer wrapped around her waist, giving off a casual, outgoing vibe.
The girl smiled, having begun to admire his strength ever since he fought against her team and nearly won.
"What a coincidence meeting you here..." she said, placing her hands on her hips. "Are you okay? That day you fought against us, the teacher mentioned your Nano energy was practically empty."
"Yes, I'm fine. My Nano energy has recovered, and my body is feeling better. Thanks for asking, Karuizawa-san."
Upon hearing that he didn't have any permanent damage, she let out a genuine sigh of relief. Reisou noticed this and thought that Kei wasn't such a bad person after all.
They started talking casually, and surprisingly, Reisou kept the conversation flowing smoothly. However, for some reason, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Kei also felt an intense gaze in her direction, and as both turned, they saw 2B staring at them with her head slightly tilted.
A silence fell between them, creating a strange scene, almost like a girlfriend catching her boyfriend flirting with another girl.
'This is awkward...'
Reisou and Kei thought at the same time, staring at 2B awkwardly.