Chapter 264: Ayaka's Decision and Schemes
Outside the Uyuu Restaurant in Inazuma City, Ayaka held her fan and waited for Su Bai and Lumine to arrive. In order to spend some time alone with Su Bai, she had already instructed Thoma to find an excuse to distract Lumine at the festival.
That night, Kujou Sara had given her a slight sense of crisis. Coupled with Guuji Yae's intentional or unintentional guidance over the past few days, Ayaka finally made up her mind to turn her passivity into initiative. She was going to take the lead for her own love and catch Kujou Sara off guard.
I am sorry, Traveler. I will definitely accompany you properly to stroll around the festival next time. It is just that this opportunity is truly rare, and I must seize it.
As she murmured, Ayaka's eyes became firm. As a friend who had grown up playing with Su Bai, she understood him extremely well. She had once asked her own heart whether her feelings for him were just friendship or a love that yearned for a response. The answer she got had never changed.
"Young Lady, Mr. Su Bai has already left his house. The Traveler you are paying attention to did not have any overly intimate contact with him. However, the Shuumatsuban ninja Sayu walked out of the house together with Mr. Su Bai."
"Is it that little one, Sayu? There is no problem if it is her. Is there anything else?"
"Um, Young Lady... Mr. Su Bai was called away by Miss Yoimiya to help out halfway here. Based on the time, he might not be able to meet you here."
The Shuumatsuban ninja, dressed as an ordinary person, lowered his head with a bit of guilt. As one of Ayato's trusted aides, he could naturally see the Young Lady's feelings for that fox immortal. Precisely because of this, he, who was in charge of gathering intelligence, felt guilty for not handling the matter well.
"Just helping out? If it is Miss Yoimiya, then there is no major problem."
Thinking about Yoimiya's usual behavior, Ayaka did not consider her a romantic rival. Seeing her subordinate feeling so guilty, she comforted him with a few words before dismissing him. Judging by the time, the Traveler should be arriving soon.
...
"Ayaka, we are over here! I did not expect you to arrive so early."
"Traveler, Paimon, you are here. I just arrived myself. Did Su Bai not come with you?"
"He was called away by Yoimiya to carry fireworks halfway here. Yoimiya said she has a fantastic firework for today and told us to wait and see."
Paimon looked extremely excited. She had just seen the fireworks that would be set off tonight at Yoimiya's place. Not to mention anything else, just the massive firework tube was enough to fill Paimon with anticipation.
Ayaka used her fan to cover the lower half of her face, hiding her curled lips. It seemed things were just as she had imagined. Miss Yoimiya was indeed just asking her friend Su Bai for a favor.
"Then let us go to the festival grounds and have some fun first. Su Bai should be here soon."
"Yeah, yeah, let us go! I wonder what delicious food there is at the Inazuman festival. I am really looking forward to it. Speaking of which, Lumine and I were able to catch this festival thanks to you, Ayaka."
"It is just a small matter. Since we are all friends now, there is no need to be so polite, Paimon."
...
At a relatively high elevation somewhere in Inazuma City, Yoimiya looked around before beckoning Su Bai, who was behind her, to hurry up. Su Bai walked slowly behind Yoimiya with an apple in his mouth. He had to admit, the apples Yoimiya picked were quite sweet.
"Su Bai, let us just put the fireworks here. If we set them off from this spot, everyone in Inazuma City should be able to see them."
"This place is indeed pretty good. Just be careful not to set the nearby haystacks on fire, Yoimiya."
Su Bai looked around. After confirming that only a few haystacks were flammable, he took the fireworks out of his pocket dimension. He definitely had to pay attention to the large-scale fireworks Yoimiya had prepared. After all, when they were kids, he and Yoimiya had been lectured by a passing Yae Miko for setting nearby flammable objects on fire while playing with fireworks.
"Su Bai, this pocket dimension of yours is so convenient. I wish I could have one too. Then I could bring a lot of small toys to play with the kids."
Yoimiya looked at Su Bai's Vision with some envy. Su Bai rubbed his chin. This thing was all set up by Madame Ping. If he remembered correctly, he seemed to have another small pouch that had been enchanted with the Adeptus Art of Sub-Space.
"Here, Yoimiya. I will give you this small pouch."
"Although the space inside is a bit small, it is more than enough for carrying toys and things like that on a regular basis."
"Wow~ Are you really giving it to me? You are so nice, Su Bai."
Excited, Yoimiya took the small pouch from Su Bai's hands and gave him a big hug. Feeling the softness against his chest, Su Bai's face turned red. Fortunately, Yoimiya was completely focused on the small pouch and did not notice anything unusual about him.
"Phew~"
Letting out a long breath to calm his restless heart, Su Bai watched Yoimiya happily playing with the pouch as she stored and retrieved the fireworks. He took out his phone, silently snapped a picture, and sent it to the group chat.
[Su Bai: Tonight at nine o'clock, Yoimiya is going to set off all these fireworks. Everyone can find a spot with a good view in advance.]
[Su Bai: I heard from Yoimiya that she has been preparing these fireworks for several days. It is definitely worth looking forward to.]
[Yae Miko, Embodiment of Wisdom and Beauty: Oh my, oh my. Is little Su Bai on a date with Yoimiya? When will there be a little fox for me to hold?]
[Su Bai: ??? Miko, do you not have anything of your own to do? I feel like you are just spamming the chat all day.]
[Kuki Shinobu: Guuji Yae, the Arataki Gang has finished dealing with the thugs harassing the shrine maidens near the Grand Narukami Shrine, and we have already handed them over to the Tenryou Commission.]
[Yae Miko, Embodiment of Wisdom and Beauty: Little Shinobu is truly serious when it comes to work. Compared to your older sister, you are also quite outstanding, little Shinobu.]
[Kuki Shinobu: ... If there is nothing else, I will take my leave first. The boss went to join the fun at the festival, and I am worried he might cause some trouble.]
[Kujou Sara: What? Arataki Itto went to the festival? Shinobu, you must keep a close eye on him. Many noble families are attending this festival. If Itto gets into trouble, I am afraid only Su Bai will be able to bail him out.]
[Su Bai: Although Itto is an idiot, he is not a fool. He can still tell who he can and cannot provoke, right?]
[Kuki Shinobu: I better go find the boss quickly. Now that he does not have his Vision, he might run into danger if he gets into a conflict with others.]
...
At the festival, Ayaka bit her lip as she looked at the messages on her phone. Su Bai had never taken a photo for her before. Moreover, she did not know if it was just her imagination, but she had a lingering feeling that her plan today was going to fail.
Ayaka looked at Thoma, who had been waiting by her side for who knows how long, and felt a bit guilty.
I have really put you in a tough spot, Thoma.
Su Bai's delayed arrival made it difficult for Thoma to make his move. Poor Thoma, in order to avoid being discovered by Lumine, had disguised himself as a diner and already eaten three bowls of udon noodles. He probably would not want to see udon noodles again for a long time.