“We wouldn't really mind, right Ruth?”
“Yes. Her highness and I are always doing similar things with Satomi-sama”
“I don't mind either. Earning a favor wouldn't be bad”
Shizuka trusted Koutarou based on how he behaved, and she loved martial arts.
And the other three had no reason to turn him down. If anything, they'd prefer to actively help.
It was because the four of them were so positive about it that Koutarou couldn't ask them, but those feelings didn't reach Yurika.
“See, that's what everyone is saying!! So why did you pick me!?”
“That's because you're... how do I put it?”
It was because he couldn't chose the other four that Koutarou had ended up choosing Yurika. But like she said herself, she was also a girl. So there should be a reason for why he had chosen her specifically.
“I demand a detailed explanation!”
“That's because, you're... uh...”
However, Koutarou couldn't think of a reason.
On the surface, she did look like a useless girl, but Koutarou knew that she could be trusted in an emergency. She had been reliable when Maki had gone missing in the snowy mountains. That's why he thought she treasured her friends and worked hard for them.
And from what Koutarou could tell, Yurika had become able to freely use Encyclopedia's magic. As expected, she was serious about magic and she was learning fast. As a result, in terms of Yurika's power, she was starting to catch up to Theia and Kiriha. Right now, she was far from incapable.
On top of that, as Harumi's friend, Yurika had been a great help. She would give advice and go out to play with her. Harumi would always smile when she mentioned Yurika. There was no doubt that Harumi really treasured Yurika.
Knowing that, Koutarou most definitely cared about Yurika. If he hadn't, he wouldn't look after her.
So Koutarou did properly see Yurika as a girl, and he shouldn't really be able to use wrestling techniques on her because he felt like it. Despite that, he had chosen her. As Koutarou thought of this, he realized that not even he understood why.
“...What are you?”
“Please don't ask meee!!”
He couldn't reach a conclusion, but Koutarou did indeed think that he could ask Yurika. That's why he began realizing that the girl called Yurika, was apparently a special existence for him.
I wonder what this means...?
Koutarou tilted his head. But he couldn't understand his own intentions, and the solution to it wouldn't appear for a while longer.