...You do know that you can have more than one friend at a time, right?

[ Maybe he doesn't! Maybe this is another one of those flaws about mage society, which Ritsuka only barely understands. For all she knows, they do sincerely believe you can only have one person to be friends with, ever. ]

Asterios isn't stupid. If he's decided to follow you, then that's because he's decided you're worth listening to. And just because he might defer to me doesn't mean he'll never listen to you again.