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The next day after school, having affirmed 5th floor was the sweet spot for us in terms of levelling, we jumped straight to the dungeon.
"Dealing with monsters is now such a breeze~. It’s great to have you, Senpai.”
"You're being humble, I barely did much. Anyway, I should begin pulling my weight to not come off as a leech. ......Hmm? Someone's here."
Having just sorted a group of goblins, Takamiya-san and I were bantering when I noticed someone walking into our direction.
From the silhouette, it didn't appear to be a goblin, but another adventurer.
Wait. At another look, the silhouette sported fox ear and a tail, both of them twitching. Shiranami-san, I presume?
In a few moments, we're at just the right distance to capture each other's face. Sure enough, it was Shiranami-san. I mean, there weren't really that many people with animal ears and tail, so I was entirely sure of my guess.
The other side too seemed to have taken notice of us. She glanced at me, then at Takamiya-san, and then settled her gaze back to me, her face scrunching as if she'd eaten some bitter bug. Why again?
I remember she'd the same expression back when she rescued me from Monster House. There should be no reason for her to.
"I knew it. You're really gunning for harem, just like that harem bloke, even sinking your poisonous fang on this girl."
And the first thing she uttered was an accusation.
"I think you got it wrong."
"Wrong, you say? Hmph, really all the boys are cut from the same cloth. Never satisfied with one woman, and try to cheap out on other even after marriage. Truly the lowest."
Brutal, and not a listener, eh?
"Just what's even in the harem, huh? And an advice to you, girl, there's nothing but distraught to follow a guy who can't keep himself to one woman."
"......What's wrong with harem?"
Takamiya-san remarked, her tone uncharacteristically deep. It was the first time I was seeing that side of her.
"Do you even need to ask? Harem's just these boy’s sleazy fantasy to bask into the attention, and get the girls to serve him. You might as well say it's the selfish desire of man taking the shape of rotten culture when they can't satisfy themselves with one woman."
"........."
"Maybe there used to be a time where it was absolutely necessary, but in today's world where the balance of population had long been achieved, the government is long due to abolish that bigamy law."
Takamiya-san's head was tilted downward, so I was unable to read her expression, but I could see her faintly quivering. Shiranami-san didn't seem to have realised it, and kept going on with her unilateral speech.
"Love is an emotion that should bud between boy and a girl. We're not some animal who jumps from one to anothe—"
"......mouth it."
At long last, a response came out of Takamiya-san, but her whispering tone reached neither me nor Shiranami-sam. The latter stopped her long-winded speech, and glanced at her.
"What?"
"Someone who knows nothing about harem has no right to badmouth it!"
Her expression was steep, an obvious expression of anger that left no doubt. It was such a stark contrast to her usual cheery attitude that I had to double-take.
"Wha—where did it come all of a sudden? I am saying this for your own sake."
"I appreciate your concern, but I do not need a stranger to tell me how I should lead my love life."
"Ugh. B-but, you should know there's no respect for woman in har—"
"Please, you're only exposing your prejudice without any actual substance, Shiranami-senpai. Let me ask you this—have you ever met anyone with harem?"
"Huh, well... no."
"Then you really ought to stop with the baseless speculations. It's truly appalling to hear about harem from you when you know not even a fraction of it. Let's go, Senpai."
"Ah, uh, alright."
After saying her piece, declaring as if she didn't want to stay in the same air as her, Takamiya-san grabbed my hand and pulled me away, leaving behind Shiranami-san in her silence. She only stopped when Shiranami-san was no longer in sight.
"......Senpai, you met my family yesterday. What did you think of them?"
She spun on her heels and inquired, a faint trepidation hidden in her eyes.
Her family, huh. At her mention, I recalled yesterday's scene. There was indeed one thing that left a profound impression on me.
"Your parents are crazy young."
"That’s what got you?! What about, like, harem?"
"Harem, huh. Well, it's nice to see them getting along."
"Huh?"
"It's not something that I can say about my parents. How to put it... it gives off fuzzy feelings, and it's not bad to have them."
"Thank..... m... uch, Senpai."
Though her voice was faint, I think she said thank you?
Hmm, I didn’t think I said anything that beget appreciation? But oh well, at least it dispelled the gloomy vibe from her.
"Senpai."
"Yeah, Takamiya-san?"
"Noa."
"Yes?"
"It's my name. I don't like how you act like we're still some strangers with these formalities, so please call me Noa from now on."
"But we're actually strangers who only met two days ago though?!"
"I don't see a problem. We're two people from the same party. ...Well, unless you don't want to call me by my name, do you?"
That's foul play!
"Fine, Noa-san."
"Please, no formalities."
"I don't think it's a good idea......"
"I don't mind. If anything, that's what I prefer."
"I see. Alright then, Noa. I will be counting on you."
"Anytime, Senpai! It's my pleasure!"
"Since we’re on it, shouldn't you stop with 'Senpai' as well?"
"It's not formality. You're the only one I call Senpai, so it's alright."
Really, just what kind of logic was this? Well, whatever. If she was content, that's all it mattered.