Tomorrow marks the commencement of the competition for collecting ruin stones, set amidst a medium-large forest where monsters roam freely, obstructing the retrieval of these valuable artifacts.

It's been rumored that the ruin stones will be scattered randomly throughout the forest. However, one can't help but speculate: if the most powerful monsters are said to inhabit certain areas, does that imply that the High-Rank Ruin Stone might be located there? What a foolish oversight.

Today, instead of lectures, they've granted us free time to prepare ourselves for the challenge ahead. And prepare we shall.

Princess Ingrassia has called for a meeting in our dorm room. The others will be arriving shortly.

Knock* knock* knock*

"We're here, open the door," Princess Ingrassia's voice rang out.

As Scarlett stood up from the bed and swung the door open, Princess Ingrassia swept into the room, flanked by two more individuals: Prince Richard and Elminia Houseburge.

Prince Richard burst in with excitement, "Wohoo! Is this your room, Nova-san? I was expecting something more girlish, but it's surprisingly simple, almost like a boys' room. Is it because Aoto also lives here?"

'Ugh! Why does this guy have to be on my team?' Nova thought to herself. 'Well, at least he's calling me Nova instead of Darling. That means he's learned from the last time I shut him down.'

Once inside, they all gathered in a circle on the bed. Princess took the lead, "You all know why I've called this meeting, right?"

Elminia spoke calmly, "Yes, because we're all in the same group for tomorrow's competition."

"Exactly, and that's why we need to prepare," Princess explained. "We'll be facing not only monsters but also other students. We need to buy armor, swords, and other equipment that suits us best. So, we'll go to the city together and purchase everything we need."

"But the main reason for this meeting is to discuss becoming an official team," Princess continued.

Prince Richard looked puzzled, "What do you mean by an official team?"

Princess calmly explained, "My proposal is that we become an official hero's team to defeat the demon king. We have Aoto as a short-range swordsman, Nova-san as a berserker, Elminia and myself as mages, and Prince Richard as a wide-range swordsman. In short, we're a perfect team. What do you guys think?"

Aoto responded calmly, "I'll think about it after seeing how we perform in the competition."

After hearing his response, everyone agreed to wait and see how they performed before making a decision.

Princess again said "Okay then let's go to City and buy Armour and other things.

But Suddenly, Prince Richard interjected, cutting the discussion short. "Wait a minute, first I have to ask something," he said, lowering his head and folding his hands.

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"Nova-san, I'm really sorry for what happened that day. I was just acting tough. Please forgive me and give me a proper answer to the love letters I've been sending you every day. Isn't it going too far that you haven't even said no?"

He gathered his courage and asked again, "I like you. Will you go out with me, please?" Scarlett met his gaze with cool indifference. "Nope! I don't like you at all."

Richard's heart shattered, his face contorted into a half-dead look.

The princess chimed in, "You shouldn't have said that, Nova-san. At least reject him politely."

Scarlett shrugged without guilt. "Huh? If I said that politely, he wouldn't take it seriously and would ask me again later. Besides, I don't even like men, I like girls."

Embarrassment flooded everyone's senses as a flush crept up their cheeks. "W-what? You like girls? Aren't you a succubus?" they exclaimed, turning to Aoto for an explanation.

Aoto, feeling the weight of their gazes, hesitated before revealing, "Since we're now a team, I'll tell you, but it's a secret, okay?" Everyone nodded in agreement. "The thing is, Nova isn't even a girl. He was a boy who turned into a girl."

Shock rippled through the group as they all exclaimed, "What?"

Aoto proceeded to recount the entire story, from the start to end how this all things happened and he turned into a girl and monster but he didn't tell them that she got tortured for 7 months or true dragon blood.

Elmina stepped forward, taking the lead. "That means Nova-san isn't a Succubus, nor is she your slave," she stated.

Scarlett nodded in agreement.

Richard, curious, chimed in, "So, that means you didn't know her since birth. When did you two meet and become friends?"

Aoto, deep in thought, rolled his head as he pondered the question. Suddenly, a memory sparked, and he burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! Asta, do you remember what happened when we first met? Hahaha!"

Asta shifted uncomfortably, his gaze darting away as embarrassment flooded his cheeks. "Damn! That was so embarrassing."

MANY YEARS EARLIER

ASTA KUGARASI : 10 YEAR OLD.

AOTO TAKAHASHI : 11 YEAR OLD.

JAPAN, TAKAHASHI MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

It was around 9:00 AM in the morning, and the teacher hadn't arrived yet, leaving the class in a state of free lecture.

The sudden hush fell over the class as someone entered the room, murmurs rippling through the students.

"Hey, Saika, that boy is so handsome. Who is he? I think I've fallen in love at this young age."

"Shh! Don't speak too loudly. He's Aoto Takahashi, one grade ahead of us. His dad owns this school. If he gets angry with you, he could ruin your whole life."

"Really? But he's so handsome. I wouldn't mind being ruined by him."

Aoto entered the room, intending only to take a stroll, but his attention was drawn to someone interesting: a beautiful girl sound asleep at her desk.

Her sleeping face was too adorable for him to resist. He approached her, gently lifted her head, and kissed her without her consent.

As the girl felt something touching her lips and opened her eyes, she saw a boy kissing her. She immediately pushed him away, her face burning with anger.

"Son of a bitch, why the hell did you kiss me?" she demanded.

Aoto, undeterred, replied boldly, "So what? I just kissed you. My mom said I can kiss any girl that I find beautiful."

Enraged, the girl punched him in the face and shoved him against the wall.

"Why the hell did you punch me? Do you know who I am? I'm Aoto Takahashi. My father owns this school," Aoto said, his voice tinged with aggression and pain.

But the girl remained indifferent. "I don't give a shit. Do you know who I am?"

"I'm a boy, you idiot."

(Yep!, it was Asta, his first kiss stolen by his best friend.)

Aoto's eyes widened in astonishment, his mouth hanging agape. "Ehhhhhh? What the hell?"

Both of them vomited, overwhelmed by the shocking revelation.

Aoto, with a hint of aggression, accused, "You did this on purpose, didn't you? Trying to humiliate me in front of everyone."

But Asta replied with cool indifference, "What? I was just sleeping. I should be the one angry at you for kissing me out of nowhere."

Aoto didn't even listen to a single word and charged at Asta, but Asta proved to be too powerful for him to defeat. He beat Aoto so much that the latter started crying.

"Sob...sob...sob... I'll tell my father about this. Sob...sob...sob," Aoto sobbed.

Concerned, Asta said, "Hey, why are you crying? A man shouldn't cry over small things like this. And if you become a mama's boy like this, you'll be forever weak and crying in front of everyone."

"Do you know, you were so weak that I think almost everyone in class could defeat you, but they didn't. Do you know why?" Asta continued.

Aoto stopped crying for a moment, his face red from taking punches. His words were just above a whisper, "Because they fear me?"

Asta replied, "No! The reality is they fear your father, not you. You don't have a damn value of your own. It's all because of your father."

"If you want to make your own value, then go and train and learn some fighting skills. You're rich anyway."

It was the first time someone had given him a reality check, and Asta's simple speech motivated him so much that it marked the last time Asta defeated him.

Genuinely moved, he asked Asta to become his friend, and Asta, in turn, accepted. He found in Asta a friend who didn't value him for his wealth, but for who he was as a person.

BACK TO THE PRESENT

As everyone laughed at Scarlett upon hearing the laughter, his face burned with embarrassment.Aoto was laughing the most and goes out if the room to calm himself down and take a fresh air while Scarlett remained thier with embarrassment palpable on her face.