I'm in a crossover anime world, and I've been transported to Hogwarts twice.

Yukino's voice echoed clearly in the suddenly quiet observation hall: "Let's talk about how to properly coax back those girls who almost turned the world upside down to find you."

The gentle expression on his face froze instantly!

For the first time, a clear trace of panic, a sense of utter despair, flashed across those deep eyes!

He suddenly looked at Shinobu Kocho.

Shinobu Kocho slowly raised her head, her face still bearing that gentle, harmless smile, but the warmth of that smile was so low it could freeze one's soul.

The small silver spoon in her hand had somehow become deeply embedded in the porcelain of the coffee cup, making a subtle but jarring "creaking" sound.

"Oh my, so Lord Genichi has finally remembered us little guys?"

Shinobu Kocho's voice was sickeningly sweet, yet it was like honey laced with poison.

"We heard you had a tough time during your disappearance? Would you like us to help you recover and calm your nerves?"

She had somehow picked up a silver needle, as thin as a cow's hair, shimmering with a ghostly blue light, which reflected a dangerous gleam under the lamplight.

He stiffly turned to the other side.

Kaguya Shinomiya remained expressionless, but her eyes, which were as bright as rubies, now stared at him like two cold, lifeless glass beads.

She slowly put down her champagne glass, the stem striking the table with a crisp, resolute clink.

"Hanyu-kun."

Her voice was calm and even, yet more suffocating than any hysterical interrogation.

"Are you having fun with the disappearance game? Do you need me, the Shinomiya family, to go to great lengths to arrange a grander and longer disappearance ceremony for you, to express our deepest concern?"

A chilling killing intent, like a tangible cold current, emanated from the two girls and instantly swept through the entire observation hall!

The previous relaxed atmosphere vanished, replaced by a sense of crisis that sent chills down Genichi Hanyu's spine and ran deep in his soul, even more so than when facing Galactron!

Finished!

Genichi Hanyu felt like his whole body was about to split open!

He had been so focused on fishing and netting, and was so upset that the squid giant hadn't taken the bait, that he completely ignored or deliberately avoided the problem of trouble at home!

Shinobu Kocho's persistent search and Kaguya Shinomiya's frantic search using the vast resources of the Shinomiya Zaibatsu—unaware of the truth, they genuinely believed he had met with an accident and were doing everything in their power to find him!

That worry and anxiety were real! That selfless dedication was heavy!

He, however, hid in the shadows, watching them anxious, worried, and perhaps even exhausted, but for the sake of his so-called plan, he revealed not a single bit of the truth!

Now, the truth is revealed.

He wasn't missing or in danger at all; it was all a staged performance he wrote, directed, and acted out!

He took advantage of their concern and strength!

This is worse than deception!

Looking at the poison needles flashing with cold light at Shinobu's fingertips, feeling Kaguya Shinomiya's icy gaze that could freeze one's soul, and thinking of Yukino Yukinoshita and Cassandra's silent accusations, Genichi Hanyu felt a chill run down his spine and a cold shiver run down his spine!

How the hell do I coax him?!

Yukino's casual remark was like an emotional bomb exploding beneath his feet, even more powerful than the Galactron's main cannon!

Its destructive power far exceeds the sum of all previous open and covert attacks!

Genichi Hanyu froze on the spot, his expression completely frozen, his eyes filled with unprecedented bewilderment and a sense of unease.

He felt as if he were standing on the crater of a volcano about to erupt, with scalding lava beneath his feet and several death stares overhead that could obliterate him.

Inside the observation deck, the atmosphere plummeted to freezing point.

Only Yukino's light, gloating laughter, like background music, echoed faintly in the deathly silence.

Before even beginning his relaxing vacation, Genichi Hanyu seemed to be greeted with the ultimate, hellish challenge of a thousand trials.

Shinobu Kocho, who shoots straight at 159cm, and Kaguya Shinomiya, who explodes.

Genichi Hanyu felt as if his brain had been stuffed into a high-speed shredder, with all sorts of fragments called embarrassment, guilt, and confusion churning wildly inside.

Yukinoshita Haruno's words, which seemed to enjoy the drama, were like a precisely dropped bomb, shattering his self-perceived image as a "controller."

Faced with the icy killing intent hidden beneath Shinobu Kocho's gentle smile, and Kaguya Shinomiya's gaze that seemed to freeze one's soul, he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

excuse?

Shifting blame?

Making excuses?

It might work in the face of absolute power, but in this arena of judgment rooted in emotion, such behavior only appears more hypocritical and shameful.

He chose the most clumsy, but perhaps the only feasible, way at that moment: to tell the truth.

"terribly sorry."

Genichi Hanyu's voice broke the almost frozen atmosphere in the observation deck. His gaze was honest as he looked at Shinobu Kocho and Kaguya Shinomiya, "Regarding this matter..."

He paused for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts or confirming his true feelings.

"The reason I didn't inform you of my plans or reveal my whereabouts beforehand is simply because I didn't know that '157' would trigger such a vigorous and dedicated search operation from you."

He glanced around at the girls, his eyes almost overflowing with confusion.

"Or rather, I didn't know that you would care so much about my safety, to the point of using all your resources and overdrawing your own abilities."

This statement was like pouring cold water into boiling oil, instantly triggering an even more violent reaction!

"Who, who cares about you?!"

A scream with a distinct tremor suddenly rang out!

It's Kaguya Shinomiya!

The eldest daughter of the Shinomiya family, who was always calm, proud, and controlled her emotions like a precision instrument, now had her delicate face flushed red, like a ripe apple.

Like a cat whose tail has been stepped on, she suddenly stood up from her seat, her slender fingers gripping the edge of the table tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Those ruby-like eyes were now burning with shame, panic, and a tremendous anger at having their secrets exposed; the cold, doll-like mask they had worn before had shattered completely!

"Genichi Hanyu, stop being so self-absorbed!"

Kaguya Shinomiya's voice was somewhat shrill with excitement, her words flowing rapidly as if trying to conceal something, "I... I'm just worried! Worried that if something really happens to you, it will... it will seriously affect our Shinomiya family's cooperation with Chaldea! It will affect my personal interests and plans! This is entirely out of consideration for business partners and risk aversion! It's... it's not that I care about you! How could I, Kaguya Shinomiya, possibly... how could I possibly feel this way about you..."

She seemed to be trying to find a sufficiently derogatory word, but for a moment she was stuck there, her chest heaving violently, clearly she was extremely angry.

Her vehement rebuttal, which was utterly illogical, convoluted, and reeked of trying to cover up her blunder, instantly drew everyone's attention.

With her puffed-up cheeks, flushed face, and vehement denial, where was even a trace of the majesty of Princess Kaguya of Ice?

She's exactly like a little girl who's been hit where it hurts and is furious with embarrassment.

"Pfft..."

An untimely, mocking laugh rang out.

Yuki Suo, who had been sitting quietly to the side like an elegant backdrop, was now smiling and gently nudging Erina Nakiri, who was also watching the show, with her elbow.

"Hey, Erina."

Yuki Suoh's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone in the observation hall to hear clearly. Her fox-like eyes gleamed with a mischievous light as she deliberately imitated Kaguya Shinomiya's tone.

"Look at Kaguya-chan right now, doesn't she look like a certain Queen of Totsuki Temple who gets so angry at someone that she jumps up and down, but refuses to admit that she actually cares a lot?"

Yuki Suoh glanced meaningfully at Genichi Hanyu.

Erina Nakiri was initially just watching the show with a slightly impatient and indifferent expression, but when she heard Yuki Suo's precise, surgical-like backstab, her face instantly turned from white to red and then to black!

She turned her head sharply, her violet eyes like fire-breathing dragons, glaring fiercely at Suoh Yuki, as if she wanted to burn this troublemaker to ashes with her gaze!

"Su! Fang! Yu! Xi!"

Erina Nakiri practically gritted her teeth as she squeezed out the name, each word uttered slowly and deliberately, as if a tangible black aura emanated from her body.

"Are you looking for death?! Who's like that arrogant idiot?"

"Also, don't associate me with that nasty guy!"

She glanced at Genichi Hanyu subconsciously, then quickly looked away as if she had been burned, her expression turning even more unpleasant.

Suoh Yuki's move dragged her into the mess and hit her sore spot perfectly!

What does it mean to get so angry at someone that you jump up and down every time?

What does it mean to stubbornly deny caring?

Erina felt that her noble dignity had been challenged like never before!

The atmosphere inside the observation deck became even more subtle and chaotic due to Yuki Suo's divine intervention and Erina Nakiri's rage.

Yukino Yukinoshita's smile was almost impossible to maintain, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

Shiina Mahiru couldn't help but cover her mouth.

Yukino's gaze sharpened even more.

At the heart of this chaos, just as Kaguya Shinomiya was mortified and on the verge of exploding with humiliation after being precisely targeted by Yuki Suo in relation to Erina Nakiri, and Erina Nakiri was also consumed by rage for being innocently implicated—

A calm, gentle voice, yet with a strange, penetrating power, rang out clearly, instantly drowning out all the noise.

"Mr. Hanyu."

It was Shinobu Kocho who spoke.

She didn't stand up agitated like Kaguya Shinomiya, nor did she angrily rebuke like Erina.

She remained sitting there quietly, her gentle smile unchanged.

She simply put down the cup of coffee pierced by the silver spoon and put away the poisoned needle that gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light from her fingertip.

Her movements were gentle and composed, as if she were merely adjusting her sleeves.

She raised her head, and her eyes, as beautiful as wisteria blossoms, no longer held a cold killing intent; instead, they were filled with a clear, almost devout seriousness.

Her gaze, like invisible threads, gently yet unwaveringly entwined around Genichi Hanyu, locking him firmly in place.

As everyone looked at her with a variety of complex emotions, Shinobu Kocho spoke clearly, word by word. Her voice was not loud, but it was like a piece of jade thrown into a deep pool, stirring clear ripples in everyone's hearts: "You're right."

She paused slightly, as if to confirm the weight of her words.

"I care about you very much."

"Or rather, I like you."

Her voice did not tremble at all; instead, it carried a sense of calm and composure, as if the dust had settled.

Finally, a genuine smile, tinged with shyness yet incredibly brave, bloomed on her lips—a smile unlike any of her previous formulaic ones.

If Kaguya Shinomiya's fierce rebuttal was a bombshell, Yuki Suo's teasing was a catalyst, then Erina Nakiri's fury was adding fuel to the fire.

Shinobu Kocho's calm, clear, unadorned, and heartfelt confession was like a mental hydrogen bomb detonating above everyone's heads!

The observation deck fell into absolute silence instantly!

The air seemed to freeze! Even the sound of breathing disappeared!

Yukino's mischievous smile froze completely, and for the first time, undisguised astonishment appeared in her eyes.

Shiina Mahiru's hand, which was covering her mouth, froze in mid-air, her beautiful eyes wide open.

Yukino's sharp gaze was replaced by immense astonishment.

Erina Nakiri, who was on the verge of exploding in rage, froze as if a pause button had been pressed, forgetting even to let her anger continue to burn.

Kaguya Shinomiya, who had just been filled with shame and indignation and vehemently denied it, was struck as if by an invisible lightning bolt. Her body trembled violently, and the color drained from her face instantly, leaving only an unbelievable paleness and a huge shock of being completely knocked out!

She looked at Shinobu Kocho, at that girl who always smiled gently, like a Yamato Nadeshiko, yet now so calmly and bravely spoke her deepest, most unspoken thoughts in public—though she would never dare admit them even in death. Kaguya Shinomiya felt her mind go completely blank; the whole world had fallen silent!

And at the very center of this emotional explosion was Genichi Hanyu...

He was completely dumbfounded!

Those eyes, as deep as the night sky

"Do you...like me?"

He repeated the word unconsciously, as if he were seeing it for the first time.

His gaze fell on Shinobu Kocho's clear, bright purple eyes, which were filled with seriousness and frankness.

There was no scheming, no testing, only the purest and most direct expression of emotion.