[He shakes his head, both to Kasque's remark and the question.]

Never. While the rapidity of our match doesn't escape me, I believe we've been progressing at a pace that suits us best.

If anything, I worried that I was being too obtuse. Fortunately, Aoko is a most patient teacher. If I'm wrong about something, she corrects me. And if there's something she wants to know, I tell her. In doing so, we've successfully navigated the difficulties that have not been absent in our relationship.