Rei was dashing as always; her outfit had that mature, high-class vibe: a fitted cream blazer over a silk blouse tucked into wide-legged trousers.

She looked like the type of woman who could walk into a corporate boardroom or a runway without missing a beat. Every flick of her hair, every subtle tilt of her chin screamed confidence.

Benimaru, on the other hand, was irritatingly good at this. He wore a tailored charcoal suit with a narrow tie, and it fit him like it was sewn onto his body.

When he smirked for the camera, he didn’t look like he was trying; he just was an idol.

Even when the photographer asked him to relax and try a casual pose, he somehow managed to look like he was born for the spotlight.

"Angle your shoulder a bit more, Rei-san," the photographer called out.

Rei adjusted effortlessly, tossing a glance at Benimaru. "Do you see me, brother? Even when they’re not aiming for me, I still have to carry the scene."

Benimaru praised, not breaking his pose. "You’re as beautiful as ever, sister; the camera loves you."

"Nothing of the sort. Please, brother. You’re the beautiful one here; the camera just tolerates me because I’m standing beside you."

“No, you’re more beautiful.”

“No, you!”

The two exchanged smiles, their professional banter both playful and effortless.

And me? I’m so envious, I think I'm getting dizzy...

I was standing there, clenching my fists in silent agony.

Kh! Why am I so unpopular now?!

Gods of popularity, why have you forsaken me?!

Ah! I know!

Maybe I should just suck up to them and get them to introduce me to the Jōnin they’re working under.

I mean, it’s not like I’m not adorable as hell; this could totally work.

Hehehe. I can already see myself gracing the magazine covers...

The shoot wrapped up earlier than expected, so we all went for lunch nearby.

Shizuka—who I'm really starting to suspect had planned all this—suddenly produced a picnic mat and casually ordered a few, I don’t know, NPCs to bring out trays of food.

Wait... I hope she’s not abusing her authority as someone subservient only to the Chief’s council.

***

"Hey, you’re not abusing your authority, right?" I asked her suspiciously.

"Hah?! What do you mean? These guys are my fans, so they worship me as a god. Got a problem with that?" Shizuka pouted like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"What?!" I gasped, slamming my hand on the mat. "I want a loyal fan club too!"

“You want one? You really want one? Should I give you a surefire way of getting one?”

“Hai! Shizuka-sensei! Teach me the way!”

"Fufufu! It’s easy! Just satisfy their sexua—"

"How was the photoshoot, Rei?" I cut her off instantly, turning away before she could finish her depraved advice.

The supposed devoted fans—or more like Shizuka’s victims—were already laying out trays of food on the picnic mat, all of them trembling under the weight of my bloodlust.

Good. At least they knew their place.

Serve me, not that succubus!

"It was most wonderful, as always," Rei answered, smiling with her usual refined air. "My brother looked every bit like the god he is."

"Okay...?" I gave a wry smile. "You and your brother complex thing never gets old… and honestly, it’s kind of shocking."

Rei’s expression suddenly shifted; she narrowed her eyes at me like she had just noticed something unusual.

Yelp!

Did I touch a nerve?

But someone has to call her out for idolizing Benimaru too much.

"It might be my imagination,” Rei murmured, her tone serious as she studied me, “but… does Nagisa-chan seem different than yesterday…?"

"Hm?" I raised a brow, "You think so? I don’t think there’s anything particularly diff—"

GASP! How sharp is her perception?!

Don’t tell me she noticed something way deeper.

Can Rei...actually sense my absence of purity and innocence?!

"It was Shizuka!" I cried, throwing myself into Rei’s arms. "She pounced on me and deflowered me against my will! I swear, I never enjoyed it or wanted her to go harder, or anything of the sort!"

The men serving us all turned red in the face immediately, their hands trembling as they poured drinks.

"Heavens!" Rei’s eyes blazed, her deep red irises wide in outrage as she rubbed my back gently. "I-was-referring-to-your-slutty-dress-today, but this is an even bigger revelation! Shizuka, you’ve gone too far this time!"

Eh?! Wait, so she didn’t notice my deflowerment at all?!

I confessed for nothing?!

Rei crawled over to Shizuka, ready to scold her, but it quickly devolved into a ridiculous back-and-forth.

Shizuka shut Rei up with a forceful kiss, Rei retaliated by yanking her hair, and before long it turned into some chaotic lovers’ quarrel.

Naturally, the debauched servants started cheering them on like this was some live drama.

Scum. Every last one of them.

Ah, but now’s my chance!

Benimaru was quietly munching on rice balls at the edge of the mat, looking completely unbothered by the circus act unfolding beside him.

I scooted over and nudged his shoulder with mine. "Uh, hey, Benimaru-chan!" I said, testing the waters.

"Hmm. I sense ill intent from you," he muttered casually between bites.

Tsk. He’s sharp.

If I ask outright, he’ll sniff out my nefarious plan immediately. Time to soften the approach.

"Of course not, silly!" I laughed nervously and slapped his back like the best pals we were. "Aren’t we friends anymore?"

"Friends?" He finally turned his gaze toward me, his deep crimson eyes boring into mine.

And damn…

No wonder the camera loved him… just one look from this guy and you’d think he was crafted for magazine covers.

"Hm? Aren’t we friends?" I asked again, my irritation bubbling up.

His aloof attitude was not sitting right with me.

"No, it’s just…" He took a sip from the soup bowl, pausing like he wanted to phrase it carefully. " I thought we were more like family or something."

Eh… Somehow, he managed to make me feel like the guilty one.

"Oh, ah, yeah," I stumbled, my eyes darting away, "we are family! So, uh, how did you awaken to your flame ability again?"

"Ah, the awakening…" he said slowly, placing his bowl aside. "It was quite the ordeal. Felt like being skinned alive."

"So you already knew how it felt being skinned alive before?!" I cringed hard, hugging my knees.