"I'm sorry, bro, the signal here is blocked, so making a call is impossible."

The man looked embarrassed as he spoke.

Oh no...

They even block the signal here? Do they need to be this ruthless?

"Oh... I see now."

"Well, I feel really sorry that I couldn't let you make a phone call, but the circumstances didn't allow it."

Ryuto quickly waved his hand.

"No, it's alright, don't worry, I can call later."

"Is that so? It's really good to hear that you're so understanding."

"Yeah, no problem..."

Although his face was all smiles, cold sweat broke out on his back.

Oh no, even though I managed to hide it temporarily, but...

Now they won't be able to find this place at all, I was planning to give them at least a clue, but the tracking failed, and they don't even know the location. How will they find it now?

"Well, let's go inside."

"Okay..."

While smiling on the surface, he was crying inside, is this what they call putting on a brave face?

Well...

This is really bad!

Later, because there was a man guiding them, everything went relatively smoothly. A few minutes later, Ryuto followed the man to an underground space.

As soon as they entered, it was pitch black, and in the front was a stage of sorts, probably used for speeches.

Alright, let's try to stall for time as much as possible.

So Ryuto tried to head to the corner, but...

"Bro, where are you going?"

He was stopped just after a few steps.

"Huh? Uh... I'll just stand aside and watch, you can decide and then call me, it's fine."

It would be better if they could just ignore me, with so many people here, at least I could come and go without drawing attention.

Ryuto calculated in his mind.

But at the next moment, his arm was grabbed.

"No, brother, you are the biggest contributor, how can I leave you aside?"

"Huh? No, it's really not necessary, I mean it."

Ryuto still didn't want to give up and was making a final struggle. Please, can't you let me just be a bystander?

But the man remained adamant.

"This is absolutely not acceptable. In theory, I should understand and respect your wishes, but my dignity does not allow me to do so."

"... "

Dang, what a strange sense of dignity, why can't you overlook it and have a moment with me, strange sense of dignity?

Please, I beg you, I'll even kneel for you.

"But..."

"Don't say anymore, brother, come with me."

Ryuto wanted to say something, but before he could, the man forcefully dragged him up.

And not just up, but onto the very top of the stage.

Oh no...

Isn't this too upfront? Even if the back rows were not available, making me sit in the front row would have been enough, but this is too much, I'm already on the stage. I'm not a teacher after all.

Being watched by everyone, of course, Anna and the man too.

...

Anyway, it's best to stay on the sidelines. Here I activate my long-practiced invisibility skill developed over the years, which is to reduce my presence and blend into the background.

With the man speaking at the moment, just as Ryuto hoped, almost everyone's attention was on him, and nobody noticed Ryuto.

Ah, being unpopular is truly a blessing, being inconspicuous is truly a blessing. I never thought being unpopular could have such a use.