“College girls can be pretty scheming, you know. I just saw a news story a few days ago about a female college student getting a naive young guy drunk and dragging him off.”
Xia Xi muttered to himself.
Even the system had hinted that the two of them had ulterior motives for being exchange students, and since he hadn’t received any mission completion notifications, it was clear that the little shrine maiden in front of him wasn’t being entirely truthful. Or rather, while they might genuinely be here as exchange students, there was definitely a hidden agenda they weren’t revealing.
“Huh? What did you say, Master Wizard?”
Natsukawa Mirai noticed Xia Xi’s lips moving and thought he was speaking to her.
“Nothing.”
Xia Xi waved his hand, returned the small jar of chewed sake to Natsukawa Mirai, then stood up and stretched comfortably.
His legs, which had just been massaged and relaxed, felt incredibly pleasant now that he was on his feet.
As he stretched, the lines of his abdominal muscles became even more defined, and his handsome, striking face took on a touch of lazy charm.
“Go ahead and tell me. I know you two aren’t here just to be exchange students.”
Since she wanted to hide her true purpose, he figured he might as well stop beating around the bush and just get straight to the point.
“What are you talking about? Master Wizard, we’re simply here as exchange students under our school’s arrangement.”
Natsukawa Mirai tilted her head and blinked her big eyes, looking utterly adorable.
“Stop! Don’t think you can cute your way out of this with a tilted-head act. I’m immune to that trick.”
A mere cute act? Xia Xi, battle-hardened as he was, had long since built up resistance. There was no way Natsukawa Mirai could shake him!
Based on what Xia Xi had said, Natsukawa Mirai could already tell that he was just an ordinary person with some special ability, not the great wizard he claimed to be.
After all, what kind of grand wizard would pay attention to gossip news? Or bother caring about why they came to the mainland?
“Oh? Master Wizard, am I not cute?”
Natsukawa Mirai placed an index finger at the corner of her lips, putting her feminine charm on full display.
“You’re cute, but—”
“As long as I’m cute, that’s all that matters.”
Our little shrine maiden had completely forgotten her earlier fear about her friend being possessed.
With light, graceful steps, she moved forward, one step at a time, until she was right beside Xia Xi.
“Master Wizard~ Could you please leave Little Rin’s body?~ Please~”
A girl’s pleading can be devastatingly effective, especially coming from someone like Natsukawa Mirai, who looked so pure and innocent. Her natural, effortless charm was completely different from the forced, cutesy acts you’d see from certain types of girls.
Normally, just a plea like this wouldn’t stir anything in Xia Xi—at most, he’d think she was cute, but he wouldn’t lose his composure.
But for some reason, when Natsukawa Mirai’s warm breath brushed against his earlobe, this body belonging to Tachibana Rin suddenly felt a strange sensation.
It was like… like the feeling when he’d locked eyes with Luo Xinyu back in that room.
His heart was pounding noticeably faster, and his legs instinctively pressed together.
“Little wizard! Why are you getting feelings for Natsukawa?!”
Since they shared the same body, Tachibana Rin could naturally feel everything too.
“It’s your body that’s reacting on its own—don’t blame me!”
Xia Xi muttered quietly to Tachibana Rin in his mind.
He could swear that this situation wasn’t his fault. Xia Xi had always been devoted to one person at a time! There’s no way he’d get stirred up just by seeing a pretty, cute girl!
This had to be something weird about Tachibana Rin’s body. Maybe she’d had a crush on this little shrine maiden all along!
“Okay, I admit I do kind of like Mirai, but there’s no way just one cute act and a sweet plea would do this.”
Tachibana Rin’s body had never had such a strong urge before.
“Anyway, how did you know we came here for other reasons?”
She didn’t want to dwell on the topic of bodily sensations, so she steered the conversation back to the question Xia Xi had raised earlier.
“What? Are you going to tell me?”
Xia Xi couldn’t exactly say it was a mission from the system. He had no intention of revealing its existence—even Luo Xinyu and the others thought his abilities were innate, unaware that he constantly received “temporary missions” to complete.
“Sure, why not? It’s not like it’s anything shameful.”
Tachibana Rin’s tone was casual and unconcerned.
It was a stark contrast to Natsukawa Mirai’s obvious desire to keep things hidden.
Natsukawa Mirai was standing close enough to Xia Xi that she naturally heard his “muttering.”
“Master Wizard, are you talking with Little Rin?”
She’d caught the words “your body,” so she guessed he was conversing with the body’s original owner.
Did that mean Tachibana Rin could hear what she was saying too?
If so… then everything she’d done earlier, like offering him chewed sake, had been seen clear as day!
Knowing her best friend’s personality, there was no way she’d let that slide without some payback!
Still, the fact that Tachibana Rin was still conscious was good news. It meant that this self-proclaimed wizard wasn’t like the possession-and-soul-devouring types in novels—not some particularly evil character.
“Yeah, I am talking to her. And she’s already sold you out—she’s decided to tell me your hidden purpose. How about that? Feel betrayed?”
Looking at the little shrine maiden who’d been trying to charm him, Xia Xi’s lips curled into a slight smile.
Hehe, being betrayed by a best friend must feel pretty bad, right? Would the little shrine maiden start crying soon?
However, upon hearing Xia Xi’s words, Natsukawa Mirai simply let out a calm “Oh” without any other dramatic reaction.
“She betrayed you! Don’t you feel even a tiny bit hurt?”
Damn it, why was she so calm after being sold out by her best friend?
“I’m used to it. Little Rin betraying me is pretty normal~”
The little shrine maiden spread her hands and shrugged.
“I can’t believe this is how you see me!!!”
Tachibana Rin’s voice in his mind was filled with indignation.
“So… what exactly is your purpose?”
Xia Xi didn’t want to get caught up in the squabble between these two besties. He just wanted to finish the mission quickly so he could return to his own body and get a good night’s sleep.
Then he could lie on the young lady’s soft big bed, snuggle under the fragrant blanket, hug her little bear plushie, and drift off comfortably.
Wouldn’t that be way more pleasant than playing mind games with a little shrine maiden here?
Of course, if the adorable shrine maiden was willing to give him another foot rub, he wouldn’t mind sticking around a little longer~
The moment Xia Xi finished speaking, both Tachibana Rin in his mind and Natsukawa Mirai in reality spoke in unison.
“It’s nothing, really… actually…”
