From the Warlord's Empire Read Online Free PDF Page B

on his face. “What do you mean?”
    For some reason, Rin looked pitiably at Kojou as she shook her head. “There’s no need to force yourself. I heard from Yaze about Akatsuki back in middle school.”
    “Eh?”
    “That due to repeated perverted stalking incidents involving female basketball club members, you were ordered to stay clear of the basketball court, yes?”
    “Huh?!” Rin’s rather outlandish declaration made Kojou’s mental circuits short out for a moment.
    Certainly Kojou had some bad experiences related to basketball back in middle school, but he had no recollection of anything borderline criminal like that.
    “The heck’s that?! What stalking are you talking about?”
    “But don’t worry, it’s all right. Even if you are a twisted pervert addicted to the scent of girls’ basketball shoes and jerseys, our class will not forsake you, Akatsuki.”
    “Now hold on…! Don’t believe garbage like that! That’s a fabrication any way you slice it!” Kojou shouted insistently, but without saying a word, his classmates only sent lukewarm gazes tinged with pity back at him. “So that’s how it is,” said Asagi, her eyes narrowed as she made a great sigh.
    “I get it now. This is all
your
doing, isn’t it, Motoki?”
    “Nice assist, right?”
    As his childhood female friend glared at him, Yaze made what was, for whatever reason, his trademark thumbs-up. Apparently he was the mastermind behind pairing Kojou and Asagi together.
    Kojou didn’t know what he was up to, but it was probably some rotten scheme of his.
    “There you go sticking your nose where it’s not needed again…! And Rin’s in on it, huh?”
    Asagi had a pouty expression on her face as she cross-examined the serene-faced class rep.
    Rin made a rather mischievous smile as she spoke in the same cool tone as always. “You have permission to use the court. Have fun practicing today after classes.”
4
    “Asagi? You’re still in the classroom?”
    That day, after classes—
    Asagi Aiba, having taken her eyes off Kojou Akatsuki for a short time only to hear her name called out of the blue from a blind spot, froze for a moment. Suppressing the yelp that threatened to escape her lips, she turned around, maintaining her composure.
    Unaware of Asagi’s hard work, Kojou had his usual languid expression on his face.
    Apparently, even though they’d been picked for a doubles pair, Kojou thought of it as just a sports festival team-up, with nothing special about it at all.
    Though his indifferent expression threatened to turn her tension to spontaneous bloodlust, Asagi somehow limited herself to clearing her throat. She was self-aware enough to know she had no good cause for resentment.
    Faced with Asagi’s attitude of obvious displeasure, Kojou hesitated for a moment and raised an eyebrow.
    “If we’re gonna practice for this sports festival, we should get it out of the way as soon as we can.”
    “Ah… R-right. I’ll change clothes, so go to the gym ahead of me, okay?” Asagi’s smile twitched as she spoke.
    Kojou meekly nodded. “Well, see you later. I’ll borrow a racket.”
    “Ah, right, right.”
    Asagi saw off the departing Kojou with a wave before making a long sigh.
    As she did so, she suddenly heard a voice.
    “Hmmm.”
    It was the cool, composed adult voice of Rin Tsukishima. Rin, wearing blue gym clothing over her tall figure, had an expression that seemed pleased somehow as she watched and compared Kojou’s leaving with Asagi’s remaining seated.
    “What?”
    “Akatsuki left quite easily, didn’t he? I would have thought he wouldn’t have liked the trouble of practicing for the sports festival.”
    “When it comes down to it, he likes winning. He’s a little boy that way.”
    Asagi made a large shrug of her shoulders as she spoke. Rin, for her part, tilted her neck slightly with a serious look on her face.
    “I wonder. Perhaps it’s the fact he’s paired with you that has him pumped up?”
    “Now hold