Chapter 198: Showing Off! She Actually Dared to Act Cute!

Asuka was completely taking this opportunity to claim credit.

Astartes’ heart of steel was utterly immune to mere sweet talk; Shinji’s choice was simply a rare moment of self-will, following his intuition. Granted, he could have used excuses to demonstrate his loyalty—such as better time management to handle both responsibilities, or claiming his “Instrumentality” was beneficial to the Emperor, as Mother had said. But Shinji was ultimately not Asuka; he only needed to ask his “True Self” to know that this was the deepest desire of his heart.

It was fortunate that he had been to the Negative Universe; otherwise, Shinji would already be wondering if this was the erosion of Slaanesh’s filth, especially since all desires were under the control of those abominations, making them impossible to guard against. What? You think pretty girls are the corruption of Slaanesh? Then you underestimate that Evil God too much; any intense emotion or beautiful longing for something is one of its tentacles.

Fortunately, there was no need for self-doubt here.

Shinji sat on a bench across from the footbridge, watching Asuka dangling her legs beside him, while Rei Ayanami squatted in the distance, feeding wild cats. The morning sunlight spilled over them, and one could not see a hint of the heaviness that an Evangelion pilot should have.

This was the result of his encouragement; otherwise, given the current state of affairs, these two would not be living so carefree—they should have become mentally ill long ago. But conversely, these two were influencing him, making the pace of time seem slower.

Several kittens raised their tails high, circling Rei, gently rubbing their heads against her legs. Amidst the “meow, meow, meow” sounds, the girl petted them back and forth, soon finding herself overwhelmed.

“How nice.” Asuka rested her chin on her hand, looking on with envy.

“Rei has a natural affinity for animals.” Shinji knew the reason, then asked: “Why don’t you go over?”

“I, I’m allergic to cat hair!”

“Don’t tell me you’re just hated by wild cats and afraid of getting scratched.”

“How could that be? Besides, I prefer dogs. Only an idiot like Rei would like cold, aloof cats.” Asuka said with disdain, though she stared blankly at the girl in the morning sun again. Her slightly curly, ice-blue long hair cascaded down, giving her an air of maternity. Those kittens rubbing against her legs were like children acting spoiled to their mother, which actually corresponded to the legendary ‘Goddess’ Smile’.

“Rei, will Rei be okay?” Asuka asked abruptly.

“Why? Are you interested in her affairs?”

“Not at all. It’s just that we’ve been together for so long; if this blockhead disappeared one day, how bored I would be.” Asuka hugged her knees, looking forward in a trance. “I read a novel recently, it said that those who should go back, will return eventually.”

“Afraid that Rei Ayanami and I will leave?”

“Not afraid.” Asuka shook her head vigorously and jumped up, claws bared. “When that time comes, I’ll find her first, then settle the score with you!”

The girl had a unique charm—a bravery that would not stop until her goal was reached. Perhaps she did not have Rei Ayanami’s sense of “Greater Justice,” but she could charge head-first into creating her own path.

“Stupidly naive.”

“Huh? What did you call me?”

Asuka immediately flushed red and lunged at him. She had always been one to love and hate openly; she would never act like a bullied young wife like Rei Ayanami. But before her hands could grab Shinji’s neck, she felt herself flying, then being caught by a hand under her back and gently placed on the ground.

That’s right—when a pretty girl pounced over and hit him with her little fists, Shinji’s first reaction was a side-shoulder throw. Fortunately, his reaction was fast, and he placed Asuka down gently.

The sky was so blue—no, that’s not it, this idiot threw me again!

Asuka lay on the ground in an ‘X’ shape, her chest heaving violently. Hearing a “meow,” she turned her head and saw a white cat sitting nearby, its emerald eyes full of confusion, as if it couldn’t understand what the stupid human was doing.

“I’ve told you many times, don’t try to ambush me; it triggers my conditioned reflexes.” Shinji looked at her with pity. Before Asuka could explode, he shifted his gaze downwards. “By the way, if you want to engage in close-quarters combat with me, you’d better not wear a skirt; it’s not very decent.”

Asuka was stunned. She quickly braced herself up and saw her upturned skirt; her entire face turned beet red in an instant.

“Stupid Shinji, you just wait!”

She scrambled up, grabbed her school bag, and fled without a trace. Only then did Rei Ayanami walk over, seeing the pleased smile on Shinji’s face.

“Is Asuka’s underwear cute?”

“No, she’s just still so energetic; she never learns her lesson.” Shinji didn’t care about Rei’s question at all, pointing in the direction the girl had fled. “Actually, she cares about you.”

“I know. Asuka is one of my best friends.”

“Then why did you scare her?”

“If her personality isn’t suppressed occasionally, she will inflate too quickly. Actually, I don’t care at all.” Rei Ayanami practically had the word ‘manipulation’ written on her face. She walked to the bench and picked up the lunch box Asuka had left behind, her red eyes filled with light.

“By the end of this month, I will have a winner between her and me.”

“Oh? You’re ready for an honorable duel with her?”

“A duel doesn’t necessarily mean using force; it can also be a battle of wits. It’s the same as competing with the Blood Ravens in lockpicking. I had intended to do that anyway, I just suddenly realized I need to accelerate things.”

Seeing Shinji fall into contemplation, she didn’t reveal the answer. During the school festival, Rei Ayanami had already decided.

She would be the first to confess to Ikari-kun with the most sacred ceremony. She wouldn’t let Asuka have it, let alone Ritsuko Akagi.

“Ikari-kun, do you like cats?”

“I don’t have much interest in animals. Why do you ask?” Shinji shook his head. He rarely pondered things regarding emotions; with this distraction, he was too lazy to think about it.

“I want to make Ikari-kun like cats.”

“Ha, then we’d have to teach these cats to wear explosive vests first, for some kind of tactical purpose… What are you doing?”

Turning his head, he saw Rei set her things down, cough lightly, and place a white cat on her head. The cat perched steadily in her hair, as if Rei had sprouted a pair of cat ears. In the face of Shinji’s bewildered expression, she clenched her hands into fists, curled them slightly, and opened her mouth.

“Meow~”

“…”

So that was it. Was this what Kensuke called “Moe”?

Shinji sat in the classroom, his eyes couldn’t help but drift towards the girl by the window. The scene from that morning kept playing in his mind, and he couldn’t stop reflecting on it. The expressionless, stoic girl had worn cat ears and made a soft, sweet cat-like sound. He should have reprimanded her for such a nonsensical act, but for that moment, Shinji felt his

heartbeat accelerate. There was no specific reason for it—much like eating food at the New Year Festival, he instinctively felt a sense of joy.

Is this proof that I am still “human,” or does it, like food, stem from a resonance deep within the soul? It seems Ritsuko Akagi’s hypothesis is indeed problematic—the Emperor himself not only invites me to eat fried rice noodles at the Terra Palace but also likes “cat-ear girls,” right?

Well, it seems I can understand “moe”; at least, my state of mind can be disturbed.

“Showing off! Why is stupid Shinji staring at that stoic girl so much? (German)”

Just as Shinji was wondering whether he should let Rei act cute more often, he heard the faint curses from behind. Not thinking too much, he simply turned around.

“Discipline Committee Member, don’t curse during class.”

“You were whispering during class too! By the way, after I left, what happened between you two? It couldn’t have been much in that short time.”

Shinji didn’t hide it and described the scene roughly. With a ‘bang,’ the whole class’s gaze converged on Asuka, who had stood up and slammed the table. Her face flushed red instantly, and she quickly sat back down.

“Shameless! She, she, she, she actually dared to act cute! This must have been taught by the class monitor again!”

“Rei has the assets for it; honestly, that look of hers was quite interesting.” Shinji paused for a moment, weighing his words. “The contrast—yes, the contrast was quite sharp. According to Kensuke’s terminology, Rei should have Kuudere attribute, which theoretically shouldn’t be associated with acting cute. It made me realize again that humans have infinite possibilities.”

Asuka listened while gnashing her teeth. She was truly seething with hatred. She had merely left a step early, and Rei Ayanami had dared to use such a high-end technique. Wasn’t she embarrassed at all?

“Hey, where did the Astartes’ iron will go? Stupid Shinji, you need to pull yourself together! How could you like something so weak? What about your golden motto on evaluating swimsuits?”

“Are you sure you want me to evaluate you guys with the Astartes’ aesthetic standards?” Shinji’s expression turned stern, the look in his eyes making Asuka’s scalp tingle.

“T-that’s not what I meant.”

“Then my learning of these things is a form of ‘Instrumentality’ (complementing myself). Do you have any objections?”

Cough, cough.

The agent on the podium coughed lightly.

‘At least I’m a teacher, you guys should show a little respect.’

Hearing this, Shinji immediately prioritized discipline, sat up straight, and listened to the lecture. Asuka held her chest, feeling like she was choking on blood, deeply experiencing what it meant to be caught in a dilemma.

After struggling until the end of class, as Shinji (the sports committee member) organized the boys to head to the field, Asuka stomped into the locker room. Looking up, she saw Rei Ayanami chatting with the class monitor and others while taking off her clothes. The group saw her and, noticing her aggressive demeanor, immediately went quiet.

“Asuka, did Shinji-kun upset you again?” Horaki Hikari greeted her, but Asuka just marched over and glared at them fiercely.

She didn’t speak; in a few swift motions, she threw the gym clothes onto Rei, forcibly pushed her out, and then marched back, leaving the three girls looking at each other in confusion.

“Asuka?”

“You guys are too biased! Always acting as her advisors! Tell me, did you teach her that garbage trick this morning?”

“Er, that should have been Rei realizing it herself from watching new anime, right? We’re about to be third-years, we really can’t bring ourselves to act cute,” Ibuki Yu whispered, as she had only just heard about the incident.

“Then I want to realize it too! We’re all friends, why only give her pointers!”

The three of them looked at each other again, finally realizing that Asuka was jealous. They couldn’t help but find it funny. Indeed, as Rei had said, Asuka had changed—she used to be too concerned with her pride to ever bow her head.

“We aren’t targeting you; it’s just that Rei is too blockheaded and doesn’t understand common sense. You know everything, so you don’t need us to teach you.”

“Yeah, yeah, Rei said you often consult Misato-san; she’s more reliable than us.”

“Asuka is a genius after all. And you’re so proud; who would dare tell you what to do?”

They were friends who spent every day together, so they knew exactly how to deal with Asuka. Sure enough, she turned from rage to joy, hands on her hips, nodding incessantly, her chin lifting higher and higher, until a while later when she realized something was off.

“Don’t try to sweet-talk me! You taught that blockhead too well, isn’t this ruining my chances? Don’t overthink it, I’m not afraid of you guys—it’s just that as friends, this isn’t fair!”

‘Alright, still stubborn. You’re practically crying, ready to kneel and say you don’t want to be the ‘loser’ in this love game.’

‘Sigh, it’s so hard to choose when both sides are precious.’

The three exchanged glances again, and finally, Hikari Horaki spoke up: “Do you really want us to help you?”

‘Of course! You guys are true experts, the effect would be explosive.’

Asuka thought this in her heart, but she still had to maintain her pride, so she muttered: “Listening to your opinions isn’t bad. But, at least, don’t help that blockhead.”

‘What to do? Should we tease her?’

‘Forget it, Asuka is already on the verge of exploding.’

‘Shinji-kun won’t blame us in the end, will he?’

The three communicated with their eyes, and a plan was quickly formed.

“Actually, we aren’t just helping Rei; we are also helping you.”

“Oh? How so?”

“You and Rei are at least opponents of the same caliber, and you’re our friend. I can’t stand seeing you two fighting each other, only for someone else to benefit in the end.” Ibuki Yu said loudly; as Ibuki Maya’s younger sister, she clearly had special sources of information.

“Dr. Akagi?” Asuka immediately snapped to attention, suddenly realizing that Shinji had been spending a lot of time with Ritsuko Akagi lately, missing classes repeatedly. But she said confidently, “My status in that idiot’s heart is far heavier than Dr. Akagi’s, so there shouldn’t be any problem.”

“You can’t be so careless. Although Shinji-kun doesn’t seem like an Earthling, he is still a man after all.” Ibuki Yu wiggled her finger, looking very serious. “Let me ask you, is Shinji-kun very powerful?”

“Barely, I suppose.”

“Then is Dr. Akagi also powerful? Specifically, in terms of body and intelligence.”

Asuka pursed her lips and nodded slightly; no matter how confident she was, she had to admit this. She felt a sense of urgency, recalling how she had been heavily outmaneuvered just a few days ago.

“That’s exactly it. Shinji-kun is attracted to you because of your strength, but Dr. Akagi has her own charms. Besides, those mature adults aren’t as pure-hearted as you two; if they catch an opportunity, they will truly strike. I’ve been researching a theory of love lately.”

“What theory?” Asuka subconsciously gripped the girl’s hand.

“The ‘Get on the bus first, buy the ticket later’ theory.” Ibuki Yu adjusted her non-existent glasses, her face slightly red. “Boys are just like that; even if Shinji-kun is a bit more determined, he can’t escape his instincts. Let me tell you, Kensuke he…”

She lowered her voice and began to educate Asuka, like staining cloth, causing the latter’s face to flush red rapidly. Don’t look at her acting like she’s brave enough for anything; she was actually quite pure—she hadn’t even watched educational documentaries.

“Low-level! Vulgar! As a member of the Disciplinary Committee, I absolutely will not allow this!” Asuka reacted fiercely, but realized that she was at a complete disadvantage in this regard.

It was unscientific; she could have launched intense offensives against Kaji-senpai in the past, but when she thought about Shinji in this way, she would blush. Finally, she understood what Ryoji Kaji meant by: ‘Asuka, you don’t love me at all; you’re just using me as a prop to demonstrate your value. When you meet someone you truly love, you won’t say these things.’

‘So pure. Even more pure than Rei. Rei doesn’t understand anything, and what she learns is a bit skewed.’

The three girls, Ibuki Yu and the others, also felt this pureness unique to a young girl and immediately became serious.

“Do you understand now? Mature adults like Misato-san and Dr. Akagi won’t be as pure as you. Their bodies are their best weapons. Such adults are even less afraid of failure; the thickness of their skin is not something you two can compare with.”

Asuka’s cheek twitched, gnashing her teeth. She had also fantasized about putting on the ‘victory lingerie’ and directly making a move (Type-A), but she couldn’t gauge Shinji’s thoughts.

If this non-Earthling said something like, ‘Why is this clothing so poorly defended? It only protects your chest,’ how long would it take for her to retreat to Unit-02 for psychological counseling? That’s right—she had the courage to make the move, but that was it; she didn’t possess the ability and posture to continue the battle like Misato and Ritsuko.

“You’re right. Their skin is thicker than mine, they know more than me, just like… wait, why is Misato involved in this?”

Amidst Asuka’s scream, Ibuki Yu, who had just been acting like a love master, shrank her head and quickly covered her mouth.

‘Oh no, I let it slip.’

“I was just giving an example! Anyway, the person you should keep an eye on isn’t Rei, but Dr. Akagi. With Rei’s blockheaded nature, she isn’t a threat in the short term. She is someone who values a sense of ritual.”

“Hmm, what you say makes sense. I’ll pay more attention to that woman in the future; I can’t let her scheme succeed.” Asuka clenched her little fists, feeling her thoughts clear up. She waved her hand heroically: “Let’s go to the cake shop after school; my treat today.”

“Is it really okay to dupe Asuka like this?”

Watching the person leave with light steps, Hikari Horaki felt a bit guilty.

“We are helping her. Asuka is locked in a rivalry with Rei, insisting on competing for that ‘number one’ spot. What’s the point of that? Face and substance—substance is more important, right? If those two (Misato and Ritsuko) snatch the lead, what if Rei turns ‘dark’?”

“Don’t you dare talk—it’s all your fault! I asked you to tutor Rei, and you taught her all sorts of messy things.”

Horaki Hikari stuck out her tongue. Who would have known that what she considered just casual leisure would become a ‘textbook’ for Rei Ayanami? Fortunately, she discovered it in time and managed to twist her thinking back.

Under the current scorching battlefield conditions, a ‘harem’ was the only ending. Therefore, they had to ensure their ‘good student’ won. In the eyes of others, things might be against reason, but for a bizarre person like Rei Ayanami, it wasn’t a problem at all.

“The war is heading towards its finale. I somehow feel we’ve been infected by Shinji-kun, too; treating a relationship like a war—plans, strategies… this flavor feels wrong.”

The three fell silent, subconsciously glancing at the playground, where a boy standing like a steel tower was leading the boys in a sprint.

Who could say it wasn’t?