Chapter 604: A hidden battle with a strong foe
Suddenly, the large tent fell silent as they all stopped talking.
They stopped and they exchanged a look with each other, sensing something was off, they mechanically turned their heads around. They pointed their lips over at a certain corner of this place, specifically, the center of this large tent.
Two ravishing ladies stood there while examining each other. They had very elegant smiles on their faces and they both looked like they had a very good upbringing. Compared to the rest of the tent that was making noises like no tomorrow, they looked like two Ojou-samas who entered a supermarket to buy stuff.
Shokuhou Misaki and Tokisaki Kurumi are facing off against each other.
They weren’t exchanging words, they just stood there smiling at each other. The others recognized that the weird mood enveloping them was coming from the both of them.
“Those two…”
Wu Yan who was playing the role of a crying baby stopped at this moment, although he didn’t stop hugging Yukari’s leg because of reasons. His sniveling look was gone, replaced with a look belonging to that of one who walked on thin ice.
“Are you talking about the two of them?”
Yukari smacked Wu Yan’s head with her fan. She wanted this bugger to let go of her leg. She continued.
“Yeah, when the spirits arrived, these two immediately located each other and they started a staring contest, I believe they haven’t exchanged a single word up until now…”
“Hah?”
Wu Yan stood up and he scratched his cheek in confusion. He could vaguely sense invisible forces clashing against each other in the air, his body started trembling in response to this invisible pressure.
“Something’s not right here, what are they doing?…”
Yukari gave him a mysterious smile and she shrugged him off.
“Well, I don’t know about that…”
After everyone quieted down, they started moving away from the two of them. They also made sure to shut their traps lest they attract unwanted attention and become casualties in what appeared to be an imminent battle of wits. Mikoto who would jump at any opportunity to get back at Shokuhou Misaki also chose to watch from the sidelines just like the two air-headed bottomless pit combo.
It’s like both of them aren’t aware that they are currently the focal point of everyone’s attention. Everyone’s legs started getting tired but these two are still staring at each other.
Wu Yan’s lips twitched and he experienced a mix of joy and sadness. He’s glad that his prediction somewhat came true with this pseudo-shuraba-esque scene. Now, he’s worried that if the two of them really fought, he would get dragged in and die as a result. That would be a major pain in the butt.
“I feel like…”
Wu Yan laughed awkwardly.
“This won’t end well…”
Shokuhou Misaki and Tokisaki Kurumi finally stopped “longingly gazing” at each other. They both extended a hand to exchange handshakes.
“Nice to meet you, Tokisaki-san, I presume?”
Shokuhou Misaki greeted her with a perfectly radiant smile, her smile lit up the whole tent.
“I have heard Yan-kun talking about you and I had always wanted to meet you. I am so blessed to have my little wish come true today, yours truly, Shokuhou is very glad to make an acquaintance with you.”
“Shokuhou-san…”
Tokisaki Kurumi replied with a charming smile as well. Her red eyes narrowed into crescent-moon like slits. She looked very mature and womanly, her brilliance was on par with Shokuhou Misaki. She easily raised the temperature in the tent. Her sweet voice also raised the body temperature of the other ladies in here.
“Likewise, I have heard great exploits done by you…”
Kurumi tilted her head with a slight blush on her cheeks.
“From my hubby-sama’s words, I can tell that he loves you very, very much. After meeting you, I feel inferior in comparison…”
Her words sounded modest, sure, but her tone carried a sarcastic tone of disdain. Also, her words shook the other ladies.
“Hubby-sama?!”
They all gasped.
“Hubby…sama…”
Wu Yan’s jaw hit the floor.
“Ara ara…”
Yukari hid her raised lips with her fan.
“Looks like a good show is about to start…”
Shokuhou Misaki’s smile froze up for a second there but he quickly recovered. However, all of them could see her aura being mitigated by the new player’s words.
Shokuhou Misaki’s inner persona turned grim as she raised the alarm inside herself. This girl who is still blushing like a newly-wed wife isn’t as simple as she looked.
Shokuhou Misaki was going to use her maxed out elegance skill on this foe but she never expected her to play a reverse card on her. Not only that, she decided to change the game from comparing elegance to one of charm, asserting her advanced familiarity with Wu Yan by calling him hubby-sama.
She used the “sama” suffix to express her supportive role behind Wu Yan with eloquence knowing full-well that this spot was very coveted in his still-expanding harem so she basically told everyone she was the one who is closest to Wu Yan while Shokuhou Misaki is only the side-mistress.
She pulled one over Shokuhou Misaki with her “modest-but-firm” words. In this manner, she also showed her grandiosity and adultness. In this battle of the words and wits, she is the one with the leading advantage.
She’s good.
Shokuhou Misaki immediately raised her assessment of this newcomer.
“Oh, pish-posh, Tokisaki Kurumi-san…”
Shokuhou Misaki gave her a smile that was brimming with grace. She retrieved some of her noble air and she exerted more of her Queen’s aura.
“Tokisaki-san’s appearance eclipses most any other, no doubt about that…”
Shokuhou Misaki’s starry eyes brightened up and she transformed into the most regal person here, using her royal aura to outshine worldly matters, including that which involved using fake modesty to increase her charm. She proved that she was too majestic to go that low.
“Shokuhou is satisfied with being by our beloved’s side just like my other kind sisters. I dare not lust for more love than I have already received…”
Shokuhou Misaki covered her mouth while giggling.
“If Yan-kun would spare me a few glances now and then, Shokuhou will be very satisfied already…”
The audience is all slack-jawed with her enlightened mode of speech. They started flipping tables out of outrage inside their hearts.
Shokuhou Misaki, are you even listening to yourself?!
Kurumi changed her look.
Shokuhou Misaki used her “taking-the-high-road” to give her a good verbal spanking. She’s indirectly calling her basic for using something like charm and sexiness to monopolize her loved one. Instead, she chose to use her moral high-ground to throw stones named “Love is to be shared and not monopolized” down on her. Tokisaki was the first one to bring up the subject of love.
Also, her Queen’s aura wasn’t a fabrication. It’s something that she earned for herself after spending a long enough time lording over everyone else. She showed them the difference between a noble and a pleb. She showed her who is the one who had a higher standing here.
With an excellent riposte from Shokuhou Misaki, Kurumi was curbed. It would be weird if she didn’t experience a change of facial expression.
She’s good.
Tokisaki Kurumi raised her assessment of Shokuhou Misaki just like the latter did at the start of this debacle.