"Aha, then I'll just be a moment while I clean up the bombs I planted~!"
That was the response I got when I told the members of Problem Solver that we couldn't stay in the restricted area and suggested we talk after we left.
She planted bombs…?
So, if the first ambush hadn't worked, their plan was to lure me there. Wow, that's ruthless. If we had gone that far, regardless of my desire to avoid a commotion, we would have inevitably drawn a ton of attention. A single gunshot could probably be covered up, and trespassing in a restricted area, while difficult, could probably be smoothed over with… well, with the power of money.
In any case, I was relieved that my encounter with Problem Solver was ending without any major friction. My recent clash with C&C had escalated into a massive incident that I, as a mediator between the two academies, had to handle. I was just glad this one ended on a relatively peaceful note.
After waiting for Mutsuki to return, I vaulted over the wooden gate first. It was only after I was airborne that I realized I could have just opened the gate from the inside, but by then it was too late. I was still holding Haruka's shotgun, so I trusted that they wouldn't try to run away.
The only problem was that my worries were completely misplaced.
"Lady Mika…! Are you alright? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
"Huh…?"
The moment I came out of the restricted area, I was greeted by the Tea Party Royal Guard, who had disguised themselves in various outfits. They were all holding their own guns—not standard-issue rifles, but a hodgepodge of personal weapons to maintain their cover.
…How in the world did Problem Solver evade these kids? They were only caught after they made a blatant move on me. Does that mean Problem Solver is just that good at managing their movements and staying hidden? For a moment, I was genuinely impressed by their competence.
My dilemma of how to handle this awkward situation—with a group of four wanted-delinquents-in-training from Gehenna on one side of a wooden gate and the Tea Party's Royal Guard on the other—didn't last long.
"Whoops… Uwah?!"
Mutsuki, who had vaulted over the gate with nimble movements, saw the crowd of guards, missed her landing, and came tumbling right toward me.
Catching her or dodging her were both easy options. However, considering the Tea Party kids, catching her would be the safer choice to prevent any further conflict. It would also make it easier to explain the other three who were about to come over.
I tentatively held out my arms, and I saw Mutsuki's eyes widen in surprise. Then she grinned and twisted her body mid-air into a position that would be easier for me to catch her, paying special attention to the position of her bag and gun. What a pro.
I could have pretended to catch her and then let her fall as petty revenge for her earlier antics… but that would be a little too childish, wouldn't it?
"Kya-hat~! Thanks for the catch, Angel-chan♪"
And just as I expected.
Clank—
"Wh-What?! You horned wretch from Gehenna… Get away from Lady Mika…!"
One of the guards, who was clearly from the Pater faction, raised his gun and aimed it at Mutsuki. The other guards followed suit a moment later. Was his reaction just faster because he was worried about me?
"Umm… hey, everyone? I'd appreciate it if you lowered those guns."
"…Yes, Lady Mika."
Whoa, what's this? To see the Pater student who was the first to draw his gun be the first to lower it… that's a rare sight. The fact that he did so even after identifying the target as a Gehenna student was very encouraging. It meant my words were taking precedence.
But if you're going to listen to me, you could at least be more thorough.
"Hey, I appreciate you all coming because you were worried, but… didn't I specifically ask you to use the energy you would spend on me to properly escort Nagi-chan?"
"…Yes, we are well aware of that, ma'am. Even now, our unit members are monitoring the area near the performance hall entrance for any suspicious movements. However, we determined that Shirasu of the Arius Squad was sufficient for close protection and assigned her that duty, which allowed us to divert some personnel to handle any potential aftermath."
Hmm, so they rated Azusa's skills highly enough to spare some people. That's a convincing argument. And the fact that they were able to immediately detect and report Problem Solver tailing me meant they hadn't been slacking on their watch.
"I see. In that case, I think your judgment was correct. If you had just told me you came because you were worried about me, I would have been a little disappointed, but that's not the case."
Squeak—
By the way, I was wondering why the others weren't coming over. It turns out they had opened the gate and were quietly observing the situation.
"Hey, you guys. We're not going to eat you, so come on over! And just so we're clear, from now on, you're all my… hmm, let's just say guests for now. That sounds about right."
I was about to say companions, but I changed my mind. It was still a bit too soon for that.
"…I knew a Trinity student council president would have an escort, but I didn't think their level of disguise would be this high. I'm sorry, President. It was my mistake."
"Fufu. No need to blame yourself, Section Chief Kayoko. We just let them have this one… By the way, Chief Clerk Mutsuki? How long are you going to stay like that?"
"Hm…? Aha, right! Hey, Angel-chan~ you can put me down now! Thanks for catching me!"
"Ahaha, it was nothing! You're so light, Mutsuki-chan, I feel like I could hold you like this all day and not get tired!"
"…Eh?"
My response, which I gave after confirming Aru's expression was failing over my shoulder, got a strange reaction from Mutsuki. She glanced at the bag she was holding…
Hey, Mutsuki…? What in the world is in that bag that you'd get so flustered when I called you light?
Whether I was having these useless thoughts or not, after I put Mutsuki down, I couldn't help but notice Aru's bewildered expression.
"'Mutsuki-chan'…?"
It seemed she was surprised by my complete lack of personal boundaries. But Mutsuki was just as surprised; her eyes went wide as she looked at me, then she suddenly broke into a mischievous grin. For some reason, I was already feeling sorry for Aru…
"Kufufu… Aru-chan, can I have a word~?"
"…A word? What is it?"
"I'm quitting Problem Solver as of today! I've completely fallen for this angel-chan's warm and kind heart♡"
As expected, it was the expected. Mutsuki, who had just launched a psychic attack on Aru, dropped her bag and submachine gun and suddenly threw her arms around me. The bag hit the ground with a heavy thud, so it must have been pretty heavy. What was really in there?
…Don't tell me the reason there were no staff in the staff-only area was because…!!!
For a moment, a ridiculous thought flashed through my mind. I'll blame it on the familiar melody that had started playing on its own in my head.
By the way, she had rested her head on my shoulder, so she must have been on her tiptoes… It was obvious she was tormenting Aru with a bright smile on her face. Not that she needed to; her words alone seemed to have been a critical hit.
"Wh-Wha? Mutsuki-chan, what are you talking about…?"
"Oh~? Aru-chan, we're still on the clock, so you should call me Chief Clerk… oh, wait! I quit, so it doesn't matter♪"
"N-No! Mutsuki-chan, our agency needs you! Don't abandon us…!"
"No, President… Mutsuki is just joking, so calm down."
Hmm, this is chaos. Utter chaos. As expected of Mutsuki, she created a level of chaos with just a few words that even the students I had met so far would have had to concede to.
"Kufufu, that was fu— Hm? Angel-chan, you can let go now."
In that case, shouldn't I, on this golden day, play a little prank on Aru, who had come to torment me, and Mutsuki, who had been so annoying earlier? It might be a little petty and childish, but I'm really stressed out, too. Especially because of you Gehenna kids. So I think it's perfectly legal for me to relieve my stress and directionless anger in a wholesome way like this.
"Hey, Mutsuki-chan, the sin of playing with a kind angel's heart is a deep one. You even tried to run away earlier, didn't you? So… I'm not letting go. It might not be a bad idea to just take you back to Trinity like this☆"
But after I said that, for some reason, there was no reaction. Or more accurately…
"Wh-What did you saaaaaay—?!"
Only Mutsuki had no reaction.
Leaving Aru, who looked like her eyes were about to roll back into her head as lightning crashed in the background, I gently pushed Mutsuki away and looked at her…
What is this? I never thought I'd see the day that Mutsugaki… no, Mutsuki, would be blushing bright red and unable to think straight. More importantly, what is this indescribable cuteness? The way she looked down, fidgeting, exuded a non-demonic cuteness that genuinely made me want to take her home and raise her. Which, of course, I can't do.
"Ahaha☆ Just kidding, just kidding! So you two can relax!"
Even in the middle of all this, I checked to make sure Haruka wouldn't do anything strange, but thankfully, she was next to Aru, helping with her mental care.
"Shall I… kill them, Aru-sama?"
…I'm pretty sure she's the one who needs mental care.
No, and also. Why, even after I explained it was a joke, does Aru still look like her soul has left her body, and why did Mutsuki cover her face with her hands and collapse to the ground? It was a mystery.
While I was waiting for the two of them to come to their senses, I sent a message to Nagisa. I asked if it was okay if our group got a little bigger. After a moment of thought, Nagisa asked how many.
[Four people…? Hmm, one moment. I'll ask Azusa-san and Hifumi-san. But… you're sure they're not trouble, right?]
"Yeah, well. But they're Gehenna kids, so if even one of the three of you is against it, I'll have to call it off."
[Gehenna…? Just to be sure, Sorasaki-san and Kurodate-san aren't among them, are they?]
"Ahaha, I know what you're worried about… but I just met these kids today, and there are some circumstances. But they're fun, so I thought it might be nice to hang out with them for a bit, so I figured I'd ask!"
After telling Nagisa that much, I added in a whisper that no one else could hear,
"…And, if I can show that we can get along with Gehenna kids without any trouble, I thought it might have a good influence on our Pater kids, too."
[Hmm… I see. Your compassion surprises me sometimes, Mika-san. I'll ask the two of them and get back to you.]
"Yep, yep, thanks☆"
By the time I finished my call with Nagisa, Mutsuki and Aru had more or less recovered. Mutsuki was avoiding my gaze for some reason, while Aru…
"Hey, I said I'm not going to steal her."
"Mutsuki-chan… no, Chief Clerk Mutsuki, I will never hand her over. I will not back down, even if it costs me my life!"
"I just said I'm not going to steal her."
How did I even come up with the idea of bringing these kids along?
Ah, right. There was the reason I told Nagisa, and also, since the Problem Solver kids are softies at heart, they'll be easier to deal with if we get to know them. I thought it might also help when it comes to catching the person I'm half-convinced is their client. In other words, I was approaching this with a thoroughly Trinity-like mindset.
[The two of them said it's fine. I don't particularly mind either, but…]
[The seat next to Mika-san is mine.]
Thankfully, the other three all agreed, so it was time to share the good news with the Problem Solver kids.
"Alright, everyone, relax. We're going to be hanging out and getting to know each other, so you can't be acting like this."
"Wh-What? Hanging out? Getting to know each other! That's not why we're here! We're the villains who came to kidnap you on a job!"
"…Oh. Aru-chan, should you be saying that here?"
"President… this is a bit…"
Aru's bombshell announcement instantly froze the atmosphere. Because I was just smiling nonchalantly, I could see the Tea Party guards hesitating, wondering if they should aim their guns or not.
"…Hah?! W-Wait! This is, I mean—"
"Well, I knew from the start your intentions weren't exactly pure. And I was planning on asking you about the job anyway… so you saying it like that actually makes things easier."
"…?"
"It might sound like I'm looking down on you, but it's a job you were going to fail anyway, so does it really matter? So let's just relax and have fun for now, and we can talk properly later! I have my own reasons for being so lenient with you."
No matter what you do, you won't be able to harm me.
Aru, and even Mutsuki, looked displeased at my words, which were laden with that unspoken meaning. I couldn't really tell if Kayoko's expression had changed, and Haruka looked like she might explode if I pushed the wrong button, so it seemed best to continue before it was too late.
"So, let's go to the ticket booth first!"
"…?"
What, if we're going to hang out, we need to buy passes. The time it takes to walk to the ticket booth and wait in line is probably shorter than the wait for a single ride.
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