Ryuji reached for Arisu's hand, pulling her closer.

  "Ah!"

  Arisu let out a surprised gasp, her voice tinged with a mixture of shod delight.

  No matter how calm and posed she usually appeared, the ers of her lips betrayed a hint of satisfa. It seemed her charm had worked, after all.

  However, just as Ryuji leaned in slightly, as if about to proceed, Arisu suddenly raised her hand to stop him.

  "Before anything else, could you heal my heart dition first?" she asked, her expression turning serious.

  Her tone wasn't accusatory, nor did it suggest a ck of trust. Instead, it carried a sense of practicality, as though she knew her body's limitations all too well.

  "Otherwise, I'm afraid my heart won't be able to handle... well, everything."

  Her genital dition made any signifit physiotional stress potentially dangerous.

  Ryuji chuckled softly, his usual calm smile spreading across his face. "Of course."

  Without hesitation, he reached out toward her, a faint glow emanating from his palm. "Idle Transfiguration," he said calmly.

  This was a ueique that worked by modifying the soul to heal the body, making it faster and more effit thaandard Reverse Cursed Teique. It was a gift derived from one of the most infamous cursed spirits ever created by humanity's fears—Mahito.

  Though it wasn't often needed, when it came to precision healing, this method was unmatched.

  As the glow faded and Ryuji withdrew his hand, Arisu blinked in surprise. "It's done," he said simply, his tone light and fident.

  "That's it?" Arisu's voice carried disbelief as she touched her chest lightly, as though to firm her heart's newfound steadiness.

  For the first time in her life, the ever-present tightness and irregur beats were pletely gone. Her heart felt light normal, even.

  It took her a moment to process the realization. "It's really… over?"

  "It's over," Ryuji firmed, his calm smile never faltering.

  For a long moment, Arisu stood still, her eyes wide with awe. She had lived her whole life with the shadow of her dition looming over her, always cautious, always careful. Yet, with just a few moments and a sieique, Ryuji had erased the problem that had pgued her for years.

  "So, this is the power of a sorcerer…" she murmured, her voice tinged with amazement.

  She couldn't help but refle the disparity between ordinary people and sorcerers. The gap was staggering, it was no wonder people believed that the future beloo them.

  Ryuji watched her quietly, notig the flicker of disbelief in her expression. "You look like you're having trouble believing it," he teased, his voice light.

  Arisu chuckled softly and nodded. "I suppose I am. But what surprises me even more is…"

  Her voice trailed off, her gaze turning pyful as her lips curved into a small smile. "We finally… tinue."

  She leaned in slightly, her tone brimming with anticipation. Now that her heart dition was no longer an obstacle, nothing was holding her back.

  Ryuji's lips twitched into a small smirk, but before the atmosphere could grow any heavier, the car came to a sudden stop.

  "We're here," Masumi announced from the driver's seat, her tone indifferent as she looked back at the two of them.

  Arisu blinked, her pyful smile fading for a moment as she realized they had already arrived.

  Her residence wasn't far from where they'd started, but she had been so caught up in the moment that she had fotten to tell the driver to take a longer route.

  For a brief sed, Arisu sidered asking the driver to circle the area a few more times, but she quickly dismissed the idea.

  "It doesn't matter," she murmured softly to herself. "It's better at home anyway."

  Turning to Ryuji, she smiled coyly. "My house has plenty of space. Would you like to e in, Ryuji?"

  Her words weren't subtle in the least. It was a direvitation, leaving little room for misinterpretation.

  Ryuji raised an eyebrow, his expression calm but slightly amused. "Then it's better to accept than dee," he replied, stepping out of the car alongside her.

  Masumi, who had been sitting in the passenger seat, instinctively reached for the door hao follow them.

  "Wait a minute," Arisu said suddenly, turning to face her.

  "Hm?" Masumi blinked, l the car window with a fused look.

  Arisu's tone remained calm and polite, but her words carried a decisive firmness. "I have some personal matters to attend to tonight. Why don't you find a hotel ahere instead?"

  "..."

  Masumi's sleepiness evaporated in an instant as the meaning behind Arisu's words dawned on her.

  She gnced between Arisu and Ryuji, her gaze narrowing slightly.

  Seriously? She thought, her forehead twitg slightly in frustration. You're sendio a hotel for this?

  "But there are plenty of rooms in the house," Masumi began tue, her tone b on exasperation. "I wouldn't disturb you, you know…"

  Arisu remained unfazed, her expression as posed as ever. "It's not about disturbing us. Just having another person in the house feels unnecessary."

  Masumi's jaw dropped slightly at the btant hoy of the statement.

  "...I see how it is." She sighed heavily, waving her hand i. "Fine, fine. I get it."

  Her gaze flickered between Ryuji and Arisu o time before she stepped bato the car. "Enjoy yourselves," she muttered under her breath, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

  The car pulled away, leaving Ryuji and Arisu standing at the frorance of her home.

  The air grew quiet for a moment as Arisu turo him with a teasing smile.

  "You know," she began lightly, "if you'd like, I still call Masumi back. I wouldn't mind sharing, you know."

  Her tone yful, but her words carried a surprising level of siy. ing from a wealthy family, she had grown up with a more open-minded perspective about such matters.

  Ryuji's expression didn't ge, though his reply was straightforward. "No need. Don't worry."

  He didn't ht refuse, but his calm response suggested that he wasertaining the idea, at least not for now.

  Arisu chuckled softly, her teasing grin widening. "Fet it this time," she said with a light ugh, "but there will always be a ime."