When we arrived at our destination, I checked the time and was shocked to see it was lunchtime. A little before 12 PM. I remembered being kidnapped a little after 4 PM, which meant I had been asleep for nearly twenty hours straight.
I'm being completely serious when I say this: that poison Haruna fed me, which felt like an insult to even call bizarre food, is something that must never be allowed to exist in this world again. I feel like if a legendary poison clan from a wuxia novel ever found out about it, they'd get on their knees and beg her to teach them the recipe.
"Fufufu."
Holding my wrist and leading me a few steps ahead, Haruna showed no trace of the complex emotions she'd displayed in the car. Had she come to some sort of conclusion? Or was the thrill of an impending gastronomic hunt simply flooding her with dopamine?
Still, her bright expression was much better than seeing her down. She may have some issues with her values, but she's not a fundamentally bad person. Even if she does blow up substandard restaurants and feed her friends something that would make a normal person sick for a week. Our Haruna is a good kid at heart. I am definitely not just saying this because I'm mesmerized by the way she keeps glancing back at me with a charming little smile.
I'd borrowed Haruna's phone and managed to send a MomoTalk to Nagisa, telling her not to worry and that I'd be back by tonight at the latest, so I was feeling a bit more at ease myself. I didn't actually know Nagisa's MomoTalk ID, but combining her name and birthday brought it right up.
First Hina, now Nagisa. They make their IDs so simple. Thanks to that, I was able to get a message out even in this ridiculous situation.
"Mika-san, what kind of burger do you like most~? For your reference, the place we're visiting today sells forty-seven different kinds. Oofufu, I'm so excited!"
…Coming from Akari, that sounds less like a fact and more like a declaration that she's going to eat one of every single item on the menu. And it's probably true. For me, who hasn't been able to finish a whole chicken by myself since I got here, that's the stuff of dreams.
"Hmm, if I had to pick one, I guess it'd be a chicken burger. But if I'm only having one once in a while, a cheeseburger is the most tempting. Yeah, one that's absolutely loaded with gooey cheese."
A burger so decadent you can feel your lifespan shortening just by imagining it. Yes, that's what I need. If the restaurant doesn't have a signature recommendation, I'm definitely getting a burger smothered in cheese.
"Me, me, I like the Deluxe Choco Burger best! But I heard this place doesn't serve them. How can such an uncultured establishment even exist! Hmph, now what kind of burger should I get…?"
"Haha, with so many options, I'm sure there'll be at least one you like."
"You're right! Of course, Vice Chief! And if I just add some mint-choco paste to it, it won't be so disappointing!"
"…"
This is tough. I really don't think I have it in me to hang around these girls on a daily basis. And I feel like I probably shouldn't.
A food fighter, a queen of bizarre cuisine, and a pyromaniac. Adding Junko to the mix wouldn't improve things one bit, so where would I even fit in? It's a horrifying thought. Hina would probably be incredibly disappointed in me. And she'd have to suffer for it even more. So, Gourmet Research Society Vice Chief Misono Mika… that is a future possibility that must never exist. Absolutely not.
"Mika-san, I've been thinking a little…"
"Hm?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing. I'll tell you a bit later."
"Haha! You're being silly, Haruna-chan."
Her beauty is so overwhelming that I can forgive her for the crime of starting a sentence and not finishing it. I'm starting to suspect I may have fallen for Haruna at first sight.
"Ah, there it is!"
Haruna pointed to a restaurant in the distance. When I saw the sign glowing brightly above it, I couldn't help but be impressed.
[BURGER EMPEROR]
Whoa, how can a place be named Burger Emperor? A name that speaks of ultimate arrogance. It does remind me of a certain other franchise, which is a little concerning.
"Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be a line."
"Oofufu, that's because it's not lunchtime for the students here yet~. If we were any later, we would have been in trouble☆"
She's right. This place is popular enough that word has spread all the way from Millenium to Gehenna. If we'd been just twenty… maybe even ten minutes later, there would have been a massive queue. The thought only strengthened my resolve to protect this restaurant from Haruna's clutches.
Stepping inside, I could see it was definitely packed. Despite being quite spacious, there was only one… no, two empty tables. Any later and we wouldn't have even gotten a seat.
"Oofufu, well then. I hope everyone enjoys their meal."
With only those words, Akari walked over to a table that had just been cleared. She immediately claimed her territory by placing her weapon on it, then approached an employee at the counter instead of using the kiosk.
"Ma'am, please use the kiosk for your ord—"
"I heard that you sell a total of forty-seven different types of handmade burgers here. Is that true~?"
"…Forty-nine, to be exact, ma'am."
"Oofufu."
Smiling sweetly, Akari pulled a card from her pocket and, without a moment's hesitation, placed a truly terrifying order. An order that made my breath catch in my throat.
"Every item on the menu, including sides, two of each. Please bring them out as they're ready~☆"
"Ma'am, we don't accept prank ord—"
Hmm…
From what I remember, Akari usually frequents all-you-can-eat restaurants to manage her appetite. How can she so confidently place an order like that here?
A strange feeling came over me. I glanced over and, sure enough, Haruna, who had been looking over the menu, wore a troubled smile as she listened to Akari's order.
"Hey, that card… is it yours, Haruna-chan?"
"Umm… Yes, it somehow ended up that way."
"Haha! How did it end up that way?"
"…"
"…Hey, this isn't because of me, is it? Right? It's not?"
At my question, Haruna simply closed her eyes and nodded. That serene smile on her face might not have been a smile at all.
"Ahaha, ahahaha…"
Oh, man. I'm so sorry, Haruna. A quick glance at the prices told me that order would cost nearly 150,000 yen…
Could it be that this all started when I sold her out to Hina? That's the only thing I can think of that would be my fault. I know Haruna is quite wealthy, but that was a while ago. For her to not say a single word to me about it until now… is she some kind of saint?
"I've been waiting eagerly for this day~! My patience finally ran out when I couldn't seem to schedule a time to meet with our Vice Chief!"
"Haruna-chan. Um, I'm sorry…?"
No, wait. Is this really something I should be sorry for? Then again, the thought that I'm the one who let this drag on for so long made me apologize instinctively. After all, if I had just set a date for our stupid promise, Haruna wouldn't have had to resort to such extreme measures.
"…Fufu. It's alright. The truly important thing is that you are here by my side now, Mika-san. For me, that is all that matters."
The moment Haruna's words, flowing as naturally as breath, registered in my mind, I hurriedly covered my face with both hands. I couldn't handle the wave of embarrassment that washed over me.
…Ah. I've fallen for that sly devil's games again.
Seriously, how does this keep happening? I think I might be way more of a sucker than I thought. Just before I was kidnapped, too. Getting played seems to be my new daily routine.
No, I can't just keep letting her walk all over me. During our first meeting, even if she won on points, we at least had a back-and-forth. But now I'm just getting completely steamrolled. This is a regression. I'm sure I prepared for a situation like this…
That's right.
Haruna is weak to compliments. I'd carved that into my memory for our next meeting, but it seems my brain froze up the moment I saw her face again. But what kind of compliment should I give? If it doesn't fit the situation, it'll just lose its effect.
I can't think of a single thing.
Right. So that's it. I'm a blockhead…!
My brain finally gave up on thinking. And yet, as if it had a mind of its own, my mouth started moving.
"…Hearing you say that makes me happy, too."
Ah, I'm doomed.
To only manage that one line before my lips sealed themselves shut as if glued together. This is why people with no dating experience are hopeless. A wave of self-loathing washed over me. But then…
"…"
"Hmm~? Aren't you two going to order, Prez, Vice Chief? Why are you just standing there! I'm starving, let's hurry up and order!"
…Wait, what?
It was a line so pathetic that anyone would have thought it was a complete failure, so why was Haruna blushing and looking away? The moment our eyes met, she immediately averted her gaze. I was so baffled I felt my common sense starting to abandon me.
Only then did I realize a blind spot. A profound concept was at play here: 'narrative power.'
The narrative power of Mika, who had somehow managed to redeem her less-than-stellar past actions, though not just for being pretty. It was that very power that was backing me up now. Enough to cover for my own awkwardness…!
But even with that advantage, it was impossible for me to sweep Haruna off her feet with a smooth line. It's partly an innate problem, but also because Haruna possesses a formidable narrative power of her own. Faced with Haruna, who has captivated countless Blue Archive players with her beauty alone, one can't help but be drawn into her pace.
"Um, Mika-san."
"…Y-Yes?!"
"Shall we order first…?"
Haruna gestured with her eyes toward the outside of the restaurant. I glanced over and saw students, now on their lunch break, starting to wander the streets. If we dallied any longer, we'd be waiting forever for our food.
"Ahaha… Yeah, let's do that☆"
I'd already decided on a cheeseburger, so it shouldn't take long to choose. Less than a minute after I started looking at the menu, one item caught my eye.
Deep in Cheeseburger. I didn't know if it was Deep or Dip, but one look at the picture gave me the feeling I was about to dive headfirst into a swamp of cheese.
Alright, you're my lunch for today…!
…I decided to think about getting one over on Haruna later. It was painfully obvious that for the me of right now, that was an impossibly high hurdle to clear. A truly regrettable state of affairs.
"Hello, Nagisa-san."
"It's been a while, Atsuko-san. And… members of the Arius Squad."
Looking at the girl before her, Saori seriously considered whether she should correct her. Calling them the Arius Squad wasn't exactly accurate anymore; they were now, for all intents and purposes, Mika's direct subordinates.
But Saori quickly dismissed the thought. The name itself wasn't what was important, but Arius was a part of their identity. The name 'Arius' had been tarnished in many ways by the Madam's actions, but with the active help of Mika and the Sisterhood, they were slowly regaining their true selves. From now on, they could be proud of the name Arius.
"I have a mission for the Arius Squad. I don't know if you are aware, but about twelve hours ago, Miss Mika was abducted by a certain faction and is currently en route to Millenium."
"…What did you say?"
"M-Mika-chan was kidnapped?! Who could possibly succeed at something so reckless…? I can't even imagine Mika-chan losing to anyone…!"
Nagisa's eyebrow twitched at the name 'Mika-chan' that came from Hiyori's lips. She quickly recalled that Sakurako also called her that, and that this girl Atsuko, who had been twirling her hair beside her and was now frozen in shock, even called her 'Onee-chan.'
Nagisa nearly ground her teeth before letting out a small sigh to regain her composure. She never thought she'd realize just how much she had been missing in a moment like this. The urge to open Mika's phone, which she had in her possession, and check her MomoTalk was immense, but she restrained herself with superhuman patience. She wasn't so lost as to violate Mika's privacy more than necessary.
"The culprits are a malicious club from Gehenna called the Gourmet Research Society. According to the Head Prefect of Gehenna, they are a group of terrorists who have blown up countless restaurants since their founding, and not even the school's own cafeteria has been safe from their crimes."
"Nagisa-san, why did this Gourmet Research Society kidnap Mika-oneechan? And how?"
"It seems Miss Mika had been on personal terms with the head of that club. As for the method, we can only assume they took advantage of Miss Mika's lowered guard due to their friendship, but nothing else is certain. Their objective is… to carry out a terrorist attack with Miss Mika on a popular restaurant in the Millenium district."
"Huh? What the hell is that…"
Misaki started to ask in disbelief, but Saori raised a hand to silence her.
"In that case, the mission you want to entrust to us is to infiltrate the Millenium district, secure Mika, and return. Is that correct?"
"Similar, but slightly different. The Head Prefect of Gehenna has also agreed to participate in this operation personally. We have sent a formal request for cooperation to Millenium, but… even if they refuse to cooperate, we will enter Millenium, risking any and all friction. The objective of the operation is to capture that despicable group of terrorists."
The members of the Squad exchanged glances. Their answer to this proposal had been decided from the very beginning.
"Let's accept, Leader."
"…Yeah. Right."
"Ah, and for the record, I will be accompanying you on this mission. I'm tired of just waiting around."
"…?"
"So I'll be in your care, members of the Arius Squad."
The Arius Squad + Kirifuji Nagisa. A total of 6 people.
9 hours until they enter Millenium.