The members of Problem Solver 68 accepted the necklaces with the Magic Passes and stared at me with strange expressions. It must have been hard for them to understand why a complete stranger would casually drop a sum in the hundreds of thousands of yen on them.
Little do they know, the numbers in my bank account only go up each month, so if I don't spend it like this, it never goes down. This is the kind of extravagant spending that's only possible when you're the student council president of an academy for rich young ladies. In fact, I think I'm getting paid more than my workload justifies. I'm able to afford luxuries like this even while using a large portion of my personal funds to support Abydos.
"…Hey, are you sure we should be accepting this? No matter how I think about it, this isn't the kind of price you just casually pay for people you've just met."
"Hmm~? What does it matter! Our angel-chan wants to do it for us, so isn't it rude to keep refusing?"
"Ugh, 400,000 yen, gone in an instant… We haven't even gotten an office yet. What is this! It doesn't feel real at all!"
"Th-There's no way someone like me deserves this… Y-Yes, it's too much for a useless person like me to use, so maybe if I just die, this will all be undone…?"
"Hey, what's the point of having fun if you're worrying about the cost? I can't just give people money directly, but… aside from that, I get paid more than enough to spend on others. In other words, I can play the role of a sponsor as much as I want."
I took the pass from Haruka's hand, which was trembling so hard she looked like she was about to faint, and put the necklace around her neck myself. I had a feeling that if I didn't, she'd just sit there wallowing in self-pity.
"So don't worry about it so much! If you think about it, I'm just showing off with someone else's money anyway. And you shouldn't talk so carelessly about dying. I think you need to cherish yourself a little more, Haruka-chan☆"
By the way, for a game that presents itself as bright and wholesome, why are there so many kids in Blue Archive who are struggling mentally? Every time I see one, it tugs at my heartstrings and makes me want to meddle. Not that I'm not already a meddler.
"Hmph, hmph hmph. If you put it that way, I won't refuse. Yes, people who are just needlessly kind are meant to be taken advantage of by outlaws like us! It's the only way they learn that the world isn't so easy!"
"Hey, President. For a woman like this, the whole world is easy. And she's not the kind of person whose friends would just stand by and watch if someone tried to take advantage of her."
"Th-Those minor details don't matter! In any case, she's just being used by us right now…!"
"Kya-hat, we can ride whatever we want without waiting in line. This job is the best♪"
"I-It's too much… Aru-sama, what should I do…?"
"Hm? What did you say, Employee Haruka?"
"It was nothing…! My words aren't even worth the time it would take to listen to them…!"
I feel this every time, but it's always fun to meet a new named student. Sometimes it feels strange to see the kids I've only ever interacted with through a screen, living and breathing right in front of me. The children I knew only through illustrations and a few lines of dialogue become more three-dimensional.
For example, Mutsuki's small act of consideration in placing Haruka between herself and Aru as they walked, or the sight of Kayoko meticulously checking the information on the Magic Pass when I offered to buy them. Every time I see these small details, I realize that these children are not just characters on a screen, but real, existing beings called 'people.' And I'm reminded that I, too, am now a part of the world they live in.
It's… not a bad feeling. To be honest, it's actually a good feeling.
The fact that I became my favorite character but also changed gender is still not a change I'm thrilled about, but being able to befriend these kids as a fellow student, not as Sensei, turned out to be a bigger blessing than I thought.
"Angel-chan, let's go~♪ I want to ride the rollercoaster first!"
"Ugh, of all things… Can't we do something a little more stationary?"
"Hmph, a rollercoaster is the perfect way for the great Aru-sama to show you how to enjoy a thrill! I like it!"
"Eh, but Aru-chan~. The last time we came here, you were crying and screaming your head off, weren't you?"
"…W-Whaaaaaat?! Chief Clerk Mutsuki, you promised you wouldn't tell anyone about that!!!"
"Did I? Kufufu♡"
For me, at least, there was no greater blessing to be found anywhere in the world.
It's probably obvious, but it would be greedy to expect a harmonious atmosphere when students from two academies with so many conflicting aspects meet for the first time. If you apply the existing relationship between Gehenna and Trinity, and an incident were to break out, most people would think, 'It was bound to happen,' rather than finding it strange.
But this group of eight students, including myself, was truly unique.
First, there were three of us who were suspiciously good at making friends: Hifumi, myself, and Mutsuki. When a group has even one person who can change the atmosphere, having three of them naturally means fewer people will be left out.
Next, there were two who were highly cautious and protective of their own groups: Nagisa and Kayoko. Kayoko might have a slight edge in terms of intelligence, but Nagisa, tempered by politics, is skilled at hiding her true intentions. The moment these two open up to each other is the moment the two groups will truly begin to merge.
Azusa and Haruka were the 'sore thumbs' of their respective groups. As such, both tend to receive a lot of care and attention. In Azusa's case, the hatred for Gehenna that was instilled in her in Arius has faded, so she's less of a problem.
The real problem is Haruka. But since it's a problem I'm well aware of, I felt I could cover for it with a little extra care. As for Problem Solver… let's not even go there. Haruka was the one who was always causing trouble when she was with them. There are some people you just can't trust.
Finally, Aru… she is, in a sense, the essential supporting character of this group.
If the atmosphere gets awkward, talk to Aru. The awkward air will dissipate, and the mood will lighten. If you want to liven things up, tease Aru. You will get a delicious reaction, and the atmosphere will instantly brighten.
Even without all that, Aru is surprisingly not a bad person to talk to, so in a way, you could see her as being near the center of this 8-person group.
To summarize, this group is structured with three social butterflies—one who is genuinely friendly, one who is playful, and one who is a normal person wearing the mask of a social butterfly—acting as the links, connecting the other four around a single punching bag. This means that while the atmosphere might not be friendly from the start, it's a group that is bound to become friendlier over time.
Hmm, at least, that's how it should have been according to my calculations. I never thought Nagisa's declaration that the seat next to me was hers would throw a wrench in the works.
After meeting up and having a round of simple introductions, we resumed our quest to conquer all the rides. We had plenty of time, so even if it was a ride we'd already been on, if one of the four from Problem Solver was interested, we could ride it again.
After enjoying four or five rides like that, we found ourselves at a rollercoaster that, unlike the one we'd ridden before which was focused on 360-degree loops, featured three massive drops. We sat in pairs, filling the front four rows.
Aru and Haruka. Hifumi and Mutsuki. Kayoko and Azusa. And me and Nagisa.
Nagisa, who had vowed to defend her spot next to me, had done just that, and this time was no different. This was despite the fact that Azusa was obviously displeased, and, surprisingly, Mutsuki had been actively campaigning to sit next to me.
By the way, I was more surprised that Nagisa had even agreed to ride this rollercoaster. The fact that she was willing to face the predictable auditory terrorism just to stay by my side made her feelings all the more clear.
As we were waiting for the rollercoaster to start, I heard Kayoko and Azusa, who were sitting together for the first time today, having a casual conversation.
"I've been feeling eyes on me since this morning, and it was getting on my nerves. Was that you guys?"
"…That's right. Our job was to watch you. But then the monster lady caught us, and here we are."
"Mika is the strongest person I know. You'll regret making an enemy of her."
"Hah… I don't know if I have a choice in the matter, but I'll keep that in mind."
Hearing their conversation, Nagisa lightly pinched the back of my hand, then leaned her head against my shoulder and whispered.
"You really are fearless, aren't you?"
"Ahaha, who knows? Maybe it's because I always try to see the good in people~?"
"Phew, and what about all the new stray cats you've picked up in that short time? Why are you so popular with the Gehenna students?"
"Huh? Stray cats, who? If you mean Mutsuki-chan, she just wants to be friends. You don't have to call her a stray cat…"
"…O, Primordial Divinity, please grant this foolish person even a speck of your wisdom. Please, I am begging you… How can a person be this dense…?"
"Hey, that's mean."
No, what did I even do to Mutsuki to make her treat her like a rival? Am I the only one who's not following the conversation?
Clank—
As we were talking, the rollercoaster began to move. It started off at a high speed, immediately entering the lift hill, and began to climb an endlessly long track.
"…Whoa, this is really high."
I felt like we had already climbed about 50 meters, but we were still going up. I knew it was high, but to think it was this high. I glanced to the side and saw that Nagisa had already squeezed her eyes shut. I gently took her hand, which was gripping the safety bar tightly. She opened her eyes for a moment and gave me a weak smile.
That would be the last smile Nagisa would be able to show before the ride was over.
The rollercoaster finally stopped climbing and entered a brief flat section. The vague fear of the impending drop multiplied in that short time. Amidst the tension and anticipation, the descent finally began.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
As expected, Nagisa screamed at the top of her lungs right next to me. But this time, even I was having a hard time holding back a scream. The drop was so high that it felt like it would never end, and I was getting dizzy.
"ARU-SAMAAAAAAAA!!!"
From the front, I could faintly hear Haruka crying out for Aru. I couldn't hear Aru's voice at all.
"YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO♪"
Mutsuki shouted with both arms in the air. That girl really is a different breed. And Hifumi, who was raising her arms just like her, was obviously enjoying it just as much as Mutsuki, even if she wasn't screaming.
The hellish slope finally ended, but after a few turns, the coaster began to climb again. It wasn't as high as the first one, but it was high enough for Nagisa to continue her auditory assault on my eardrums.
From the first drop to the third, Nagisa squeezed my hand with all her might. Since her physical strength is average, it didn't really hurt.
The moment the rollercoaster, which had been heaven for some and hell for others, returned to the starting point, I let out a sigh of relief.
Surprisingly, this rollercoaster's photo zone was at the first drop. According to the explanation, they use a high-speed camera attached to a drone to take a bunch of pictures, and then an AI selects the clearest ones… but that didn't really matter.
"Kya-hat~! Aru-chan, your soul has left your body! Don't tell me you were passed out?!"
"Hah…?! As if! Can't you see this expression of utter boredom? I was so bored I was about to fall asleep! For the great Aru-sama, a ride like this is something I could do all day—"
"Whoa! You're amazing, Aru-chan~! Then should we go again? Kufufu♡"
"Th-Thaaat is…!!!"
In the photo, I could see Aru with her eyes rolled back, looking like her soul had literally left her body as she was being held up by Haruka. However, whether Haruka was calling for Aru because she herself was scared or because she was worried about Aru remained an unsolved mystery.
As expected, Hifumi was quiet but had her hands in the air, enjoying the 70-plus-meter drop right alongside Mutsuki. What are you, Ajitani Hifumi…!
Amazingly, Kayoko and Azusa were captured in the exact same pose, gripping the safety bar with wide eyes. The two of them silently turned away from each other, ignoring the fact.
"Hmm, Nagi-chan is really going through a lot today…"
"…"
Finally, Nagisa and I, who had taken off our headbands and accessories, were captured with our hair flying everywhere. Unlike me, who was caught in what looked like a smile, Nagisa was captured with her mouth wide open, completely focused on screaming. The sight made me chuckle. She seemed so embarrassed by the photo that she covered her face and hung her head, but to me, she just looked cute.
"I keep showing you my embarrassing sides today…"
"Hm? I think it's admirable that you keep taking on these challenges even though you're scared. I think it's the coolest thing ever☆"
"Is that so…?"
"Ahaha, of course! You know I don't just say things, right, Nagi-chan? This is why I can't help but love you!"
"Mika-san…"
Swept up in the mood, Nagisa leaned against me. Her face drew closer, making me imagine what would happen next, but…
"Ahem! You two, get a room! This sweet and cozy atmosphere makes us all soft! It's the worst!"
"What's this, what's this! If you're going to be so openly lovey-dovey, Mutsuki-chan is going to get a little jealous~♪"
"Mika, you're terrible."
…our moment was easily thwarted by the others. Nagisa clicked her tongue in annoyance and pulled away.
Hey, why doesn't my opinion get a say in this…? I was kind of looking forward to it, too.
In life, the shameless who act when they need to get more than those who silently swallow their disappointment. I, in turn, moved closer to Nagisa, and the conversations around us stopped. The moment my lips lightly touched her cheek, the conversations that had stopped all burst forth at once.
Watching the scene, I realized my karma. I don't know what I did, but it seemed Mutsuki had definitely developed feelings for me. I had only just found out that there were more than a few girls who liked me, so why did the number keep increasing?
It seems the time has come for me to make my position clear. To protect the happy face of Nagisa, who is currently basking in bliss by my side, I have to do it, no matter how sorry I feel for the others.
…Until that moment, I hadn't realized how overly optimistic I was being about this problem, and that my own words and actions were a disaster that created problems on their own.