After Ren finished explaining everything to ensure Hinagiku fully understood her current situation, the two of them left the residential area.
Upon returning to the hall, Ren brought Hinagiku over to Kaguya and the others and reintroduced her with a formal tone.
"Everyone, let me reintroduce her. Sequence 9, Lawyer, Katsura Hinagiku."
Those who understood what the Sequence meant immediately turned their attention to Hinagiku.
Especially those who were familiar with her, they all looked at her with an expression that seemed to say, "Of course it's you."
Nagi silently walked over to Hinagiku's side.
"I knew you'd end up here."
"As expected… Nagi-chan, were you really that sure I'd join?"
"Yeah, I was pretty sure. That's just your nature. When you see someone in trouble, you always get involved. When you saw Isumi and me in that circle, plus Ren's little flair for mystery, there's no way your curiosity and concern wouldn't pull you in."
After saying this with a knowing look, Nagi let out a small sigh.
"Even though Ren tried to stop you from digging deeper, you still came charging in on your own."
"So, was this the student council trio's idea? Those three idiots were too scared to come themselves, so they sent you, the brave one, to scout it out?"
"…"
Bullseye. A flicker of embarrassment crossed Hinagiku's face.
Seeing her reaction, Nagi confirmed her guess.
"That settles it. Now that those three saw you walk over, they probably figured you joined too. They'll be heading my way next."
"Oh no…"
Hinagiku was genuinely concerned now.
"Don't worry."
Ren waved it off casually.
"I knew your sister and those three were watching. I put up an illusion around us. They didn't see us come back together, so they're not focused on us."
He had predicted this situation and prepared accordingly.
Hinagiku and Nagi glanced toward the trio, only to see Katsura Yukiji and the three idiots staring at an exit on the other side of the hall.
Confirmed. No risk of exposure—for now.
"Miss Katsura, it's up to you to make them drop the idea of coming over. Treat this as your first chance to practice your abilities."
Hinagiku understood that this was her opportunity to put her newly obtained Lawyer power to use.
Still, her first targets being her own friends made her feel a bit complicated.
But she didn't reject the responsibility. After all, some things had to be handled personally.
If those three idiots got involved, things would definitely become chaotic. Especially considering how loud and careless they were.
Just imagining it gave Hinagiku a headache.
If she could keep things quiet, she would.
Once she had calmed her thoughts, she turned her focus to Nagi.
"So, what ability did you get, Nagi-chan?"
Nagi didn't answer with words. Instead, she raised the necklace hanging around her neck.
Only when lifted could one see the special gem attached. Inside the blue gem was a faint silhouette of wings.
Then, she held out both hands. An invisible wind began to swirl between them.
"Wind…"
Hinagiku instantly understood the nature of Nagi's power.
It came from a different system than her own. Unlike her more abstract ability, Nagi's was far more direct and tangible.
"I control elemental force. It's not as complex as the Sequences Ren uses, but through proper training, I can reach a respectable level."
Nagi didn't go into detail about just how far she could push that power.
Hinagiku had only just become a believer, and it would be too much for her to digest everything at once. If she wanted to know more, she'd have to spend time learning.
"Not just me, though. Maria too."
Maria, who had been standing quietly behind Nagi, also lifted her necklace, revealing an orange gem lined with golden patterns forming the shape of rock.
So, their growth could literally be seen.
And as for their "clear goal"...
After seeing the power Nagi possessed, Hinagiku finally understood where her newfound determination came from.
As for the deeper reason behind that motivation—she didn't say it, but Hinagiku could guess it was something extremely personal.
She didn't pry. Some things had to be discovered gradually.
"…No wonder you transferred schools."
"Transferring, huh… yeah, that's a whole other story."
But Hinagiku noticed how Nagi immediately shut down the topic. It was obvious this wasn't something to be discussed here.
Hinagiku didn't press. Instead, she glanced toward her sister and the trio of fools.
"We'll talk more later. For now, I need to go handle those three."
Nagi also looked over at them, exasperated.
"There's nothing really wrong with Asakaze and Hanabishi. But Segawa? She's a full-on idiot. If she finds out, the whole world will know by morning."
Hinagiku nodded in agreement.
"That's exactly it. Those three aren't suited to know. At least, not yet."
Nagi nodded slightly, then shifted her gaze to Yukiji.
"Yukiji might already be suspecting something. You've known each other for years."
"Yeah…"
Hinagiku knew that lying to her sister wouldn't be easy. Ability aside, it was more of a gut feeling—Yukiji would see through her lies instantly.
"Yukiji can be loud at times, but when it comes to you, she's surprisingly cautious."
Nagi's comment was blunt, but not wrong.
"…Yeah. I'll talk to my sister later."
There was no other option. To maintain secrecy for now, she had to get her sister to hold back.
Hinagiku didn't want to deal with her like this, but knowing her personality, if she didn't take this step, Yukiji might blurt something out drunk one night.
(To be continued.)
***
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