Guho-rappi ( Guho= rescue, rappi= a cute sound )
The terrace-style office, located on a high floor of the Tea Party building. This was a place Nagisa primarily used for her work, but I, too, would use it when I, as a Host of the Tea Party, had to deal with students of a certain rank, such as the heads of other factions.
Today was, for all intents and purposes, one of those days. The only difference was that the people I had to deal with were not the heads of ordinary factions, but some of the biggest names in all of Trinity. And there wasn't just one of them, but two.
For that reason, four people, including myself, occupied seats at the table in the office, with the exception of Seia, who had gone to rest due to her poor health.
"So, what you're saying, Mika-sama, is that you wish to welcome back the Arius faction—who were persecuted by the Tea Party and the Justina Council of old and then vanished—as members of Trinity once more?"
"Yup yup, that's the short version!"
One of them was the head of the Johann Faction and the Captain of the Relief Knights, Aomori Mine. She was the star of the slanderous, yet not-so-slanderous, saying: 'Mine breaks it, and the Knights fix it.'
"If what you say is true, Mika-san… then this matter is a process of atoning for the karma built up by the Tea Party and the Council of the past. For you, as a leader of the current generation's Tea Party, to have the resolve to right those wrongs now… I think it is truly splendid. It's a story that makes me personally want to lend you my strength… or something, lol."
"Sakurako-sama, this may not be such a simple story. I am, in many ways, ignorant when it comes to politics, but is it not self-evident that countless troubles will arise from simply adding one more faction to the academy?"
"Hmm… that is certainly true."
"And that is not all, Sakurako-sama. Having lived for so long in a place beyond our reach, it is possible their perspective on interpreting the scriptures has changed as well. Can you imagine the consequences that friction would cause? And what of the resentment they have harbored and nurtured over these long years after being cast out of their home? To agree to this with a light heart will only invite unmanageable chaos into our academy."
And the other was the Mother Superior of the Sisterhood, Utazumi Sakurako. Her defining characteristic… hmm, it's quite difficult to express simply.
I guess you could describe her as a person who is seen as strict and scary by those around her, but is a normal high school girl on the inside, and is trying to change that perception but failing? Add to that a natural airhead attribute that makes her seem unaware when something is amiss…
Ah, right. She's also the star of that famous 'resolve.' The resolve of the high-leg leotard… I'd really like to see that someday. Any chance of that, Sakurako-sama?
"What Captain Mine said is not wrong, but I do not believe that extending a hand of reconciliation is wrong either. Rather, for a later generation to not forget the mistakes of their predecessors and to ask for forgiveness for them is a sublime and noble mindset… Do you not think so? …Or something, lol."
"…Excuse me, Sakurako-san. That 'or something, lol' you've been saying since earlier…?"
"Ah, my apologies… It seems I was not using it correctly. When I visited the D.U. the other day, a certain student would add '…or something, lol' to the end of every sentence, and it felt strangely friendly… Yes, for that reason, I have been using it often lately. It seems I must have been mistaken about something…"
No, but what does it mean? Why are you the only one who knows what you're talking about!
And why is this Mine girl's brain working so well? At this point, she seems like a talent optimized for politics. She talks about the value of relief, but could it be that she chose that path because she's even better at creating patients through politics than she is at healing them? If so, I'd have to give her credit.
"My apologies, please forget what I just said. However, my opinion remains unchanged. When you think about it, the Justina Council was the forerunner of the Sisterhood, so we have more than enough reason to follow your will, Mika-sama."
Right, I figured Sakurako would side with me here. Now I have to persuade Mine, but I'm not sure if this will go well.
"Pardon my rudeness for asking, Mika-sama. Setting aside the matter of finding the Arius faction's location, what will happen after they accept your proposal? Do you have a proper countermeasure to resolve those issues?"
"To resolve them, I need to make as many allies as possible, Mine-chan. Yes, that's why I called the two of you here today, isn't it? Knowing my personality, if this were something I could handle on my own… you two probably would have only found out after I had already forced it through, right? Yes, that's what I think!"
"…There is some logic to that. However, the Mika-sama I know would not have thought so seriously about this matter from the beginning."
"Ah, that's hard to deny☆"
"That reaction is certainly one that Mika-sama would show. I do not know by what means you have come to grasp Mika-sama so well, but…"
"Uh, hmm? H-Hey, Mine-chan…? Why are you suddenly loading your gun?"
No, Mine. Why are you trying to administer 'relief' so suddenly? And to me, who has done nothing wrong!
"Where is the real Mika-sama! The Mika-sama I know does not use a way of speaking that appeals to reason, nor does she think one step ahead. Furthermore, she was not someone who worked as diligently as you do now… and she was absolutely not the kind of person who would speak of harmony with Gehenna Academy! So reveal your true identity at once, you fake!"
"Ah, um… Captain Mine, don't you think that's going a bit too far…?"
"Ahaha, even if you say that, Mine-chan…"
I decided to send a rescue request to Nagisa with a sidelong glance. In this situation, a single word from Nagisa carried more weight than a hundred from me.
Please, save me before I get relieved…!
"Haaah… Mine-san, the person here is, without a doubt, the real Mika-san. So please, lower your gun. In the first place, do you not think it impossible that I, of all people, would be unable to tell if Mika-san were real or fake?"
"…Certainly, that is a point I cannot dare to refute. I apologize for doubting you, Mika-sama."
Uh, hmm. Nagisa, when you put it like that, my conscience starts to sting quite a bit. But it worked, so it doesn't matter, right…?
"More importantly… surely you are not unaware that if the two of you were to fight here, it could lead to the very unmanageable chaos you spoke of?"
Gasp, for her to counter with a 'Looking at your actions, I don't think you're in a position to criticize Mika,' that's actually a little moving. See, Nagisa is the only one for me! Nagisa is the best!
"Ahem… Yes, on that point as well, my thinking was shortsighted. Rather, it was I who committed a great rudeness toward Mika-sama. I offer my repeated apologies."
"Yup, well. As long as you understand, Mine-chan! I admit I've changed quite a bit, so it's not entirely impossible for you to have such a misunderstanding. Yes, I understand that feeling."
To be honest, I didn't know much about the extent of the original Mika's social circle. Not everyone saved in her Momotalk was a named student, after all.
Still, as she was not only the head of a faction but also a current Host of the Tea Party, I assumed she was acquainted with most of the Trinity elites. That, of course, would include Mine and Sakurako.
I had no intention of revealing my amnesia concept to them. Isn't it true that the fewer avenues a secret has to leak, the better? Amnesia is a weakness that other factions could use to attack me, so it's not something I can reveal carelessly. It's best to hide it, no matter what.
In that case, would Mine, who said of the original Mika, 'Mika has covered up many problems and mistakes for the sake of the Tea Party,' not find my change strange? I thought not.
So, I had coordinated with Nagisa beforehand. For those who didn't know about my amnesia, we would use the so-called 'The Ruffian of the Tea Party Reforms' cliché. In other words, I told her I would show them a classic redemption arc where the troublemaking protagonist gradually changes, overturning the perceptions and evaluations of those around her.
"Ahaha, I've had some realizations of my own over time, you know! So this is just to say that I've had a change of heart. As for the reason… let's just say it's because I felt sorry for troubling and causing hardship for our cute Nagi-chan☆"
"Wh-What are you talking about! Stop saying strange things in front of others. If you keep this up, you'll cause a strange misunderstanding."
"Ahaha, but it's not a lie. It's not like I'm making things up, so isn't it fine?"
"It is not fine at all, so please just shut that mouth of yours…!"
"W-Wait a minute… Mmph!!"
Ah…
If it's this kind of gentle roll cake punishment, I think I could handle it anytime…
As I chewed on the piece of roll cake that had entered my mouth, I decided to keep my mouth shut for a while. To have Nagisa, who had cut the roll cake into bite-sized pieces herself, feed it to me directly… this is truly the definition of delectable. Uhe~
"Oh my… It seems you two have gotten even closer than before. Yes, it's a lovely sight in many ways. As a Sister, I shouldn't harbor such worldly thoughts, but it makes me a little envious… or something, lol."
Oh. Sakurako, I think that was the first time you used that phrase with its intended meaning. But didn't you just say to forget about it? I guess that didn't mean you were going to stop using it…?
"D-Do you really think so?"
"Of course. As Mika-san has changed for the better, your relationship with her has visibly developed in a better direction as well."
Hmm… if she had said that a few days ago, it would have been a major landmine. I'm truly glad this meeting happened only after Nagisa had confessed her inner thoughts to me.
"…Heehee, hearing you say that, Sakurako-san, puts my mind at ease. Thank you."
But why do you act so repulsed when I try to be friendly, yet you so happily accept praise from others? Nagisa, when you act like that, it hurts my feelings a little, you know…
Separate from my wounded heart, all sorts of political talk continued to be exchanged. I can't tell you how fortunate it was that the direction of it was quite favorable to me.
As time passed, the atmosphere among the four of us gradually became more relaxed. Though that was only when Mine wasn't having a sudden outburst.
Still, when the conclusion was finally reached, Nagisa and I were able to smile in satisfaction at the outcome.
"Mika-sama, our Sisterhood will cooperate fully in this matter. Not only that, but we will also support your decision to reveal yourself as the Tea Party Host with all our hearts. If the Tea Party sets this kind of precedent, perhaps the day will not be far when our Sisterhood, too, will stand on the official stage… Heehee, the thought that many things might change in our generation makes my heart pound a little."
"The Johann Faction I represent, as well as the Relief Knights, will also support you, Mika-sama, on this matter alone. However, if I see any sign of you straying onto the wrong path… I will be sure to stop you. I most certainly will."
Excluding the Justice Task Force, an affiliated organization of the Tea Party, the declarations of support from the Sisterhood and the Relief Knights—arguably the largest independent forces in Trinity—were like gaining a heavenly army. At this rate, as long as I don't do anything strange during my term as Host, I would be able to enjoy an untouchable status.
Well… to be honest, that would all end if the Pater faction disowned me, but I have the confidence to handle that part somehow.
Now, all that's left is to officially announce the festival, a joint venture between two of the Big Three academies—the Kivotos version of the Yon-Ko Games or Ko-Yon Games—and make it happen without any problems.
As this is Kivotos, I don't expect the process to be smooth, but I believe that with a sufficient budget, nothing is impossible. If the Big Three academies have one thing in common, it's that they are literally overflowing with money.
Gehenna, where the academy somehow stays afloat despite students causing trouble day in and day out. Trinity, where most of the students are young ladies from wealthy families. And even Millennium, where the student council president was able to secretly build an entire city just by embezzling some funds.
None of the three academies has a shortage of financial power, and this is a festival hosted jointly by two of them. Not enough money? Then just pour in more money.
Isn't that a national budget, not personal property you can use as you please?
Whatever I do will be more productive than how Gehenna uses its budget anyway. In that sense…
First, let's hire instructors for the various water sports events on a long-term basis. The moment the summer festival is announced, we'll recruit participants for the competition and begin intensive training.
I was determined to win this festival, even if I had to go that far. The next festival wouldn't be my problem. I just had to win this one.
In that sense, are you ready to become my footrest, Makoto?
I hope for your sake that you are. If not, well, it can't be helped!