"In short, the Eden Treaty is a promise to end hatred," a voice echoed under the night sky.
On a terrace overlooking Trinity General Academy, the heart of Trinity's Tea Party student council, a girl and a boy sat across a long table. Instead of teacups, the table was piled with… cream puffs.
"Why… why do my teacups keep turning into cream puffs?" the girl asked, bewildered. Every time she reached for tea, it transformed, the pile growing larger.
"Why are your dreams always about cream puffs or gym equipment?" the girl sighed. "There's got to be more—hey, stop bringing more cream puffs!"
Ignoring the growing stack, she continued. "Back to the point. The Eden Treaty aims to end the deep-seated rivalry between Trinity and Gehenna. It's about dissolving accumulated hatred and building trust. Stop trying to zone out!"
Mash, the boy, was mid-attempt to start lifting weights. "Sorry," he said, lowering his head.
"The treaty lost meaning when the Federal Student Council President vanished," she went on. "Without her mediation, it's just words. And stop trying to work out—this is serious!"
"Eden, named after the paradise in ancient scriptures," she said. "Probably the president's bad taste. You know Kivotos' Seven Mysteries? No? Well, the fifth is about paradise: Can the truth of one who reaches paradise be proven? It's a paradox. If paradise exists, those who reach it are so fulfilled they'd never leave. If someone leaves, it wasn't true paradise."
She leaned forward. "If you observe someone who reached paradise, it proves paradise exists but isn't perfect. If you can't observe them, paradise might or might not exist. So, can you prove the truth of something that doesn't exist?"
Mash stared, a sea of question marks in his eyes.
"It's an unanswerable question," she said. "But is an unprovable truth worthless? Doesn't this cynical text hint at something deeper? Eden—a paradise that doesn't exist, a sweet illusion dreamt by idealists. Doesn't the treaty feel like that?"
She paused, noticing Mash foaming at the mouth, eyes rolled back. "What!? Did my explanation knock you out… in a dream!?" Panicking, she debated waking him. "No, that might be bad…"
Mash snapped upright, startling her. "Sorry," he said, as she sighed in relief.
"This story might not suit you," she said. "Or maybe you're perfect for it. It's grim, unpleasant, full of doubt—doubting others, assumptions, truths. It's sad, bitter, and heavy, yet undeniably true."
Her eyes burned with resolve. "Don't turn away. Don't look away. See it through to the end. That's your duty, having chosen this path."
Mash, puzzled but earnest, met her gaze. "I don't know what's ahead or what 'the end' means, but I swear—I won't run. I'll stay until the last moment."
She smiled softly. "Reliable as ever. One more thing, then…" She leaned closer. "Sensei, please… take care of Mika."
In a classroom:
"Enough!" SLAM! Koharu Shimoe, a petite girl with pink hair, stood, slamming her desk. Throwing her pen, she clutched her head. "This is pointless! I don't get it! It's boring! Annoying! And it's all your fault, Sensei!"
"Me?" Mash blinked.
"Koharu-chan, don't be unreasonable. Sensei's here to help," said Hanako Urawa, rising from the seat behind.
"It's not Sensei's fault you don't understand or failed the exam," Hanako added, landing a brutal truth punch.
"Ugh!" Koharu faltered. "I'm with the Justice Task Force! I miss classes for duties. That's why!"
"Everyone in the Task Force has the same duties, yet you're the only one here," said Azusa Shirasu, a white-haired girl with small wings, delivering another truth punch.
"Er, there, there," Mash said, patting Koharu's head.
"Don't touch me!" she shrieked. "Touching the opposite sex is lewd! Death penalty!"
"I just patted you," Mash said.
"So, Azusa-chan's saying Koharu-chan's just… not bright?" Hanako teased.
"Life is often vain, but that's not entirely wrong," Azusa said.
"You two know what piling on is?" Mash asked.
"Piling on? Oh, I love it," Hanako giggled.
"Lewd! Death penalty!" Koharu yelled.
"Where's the lewd part!?" Hanako protested.
"Shut up!" Koharu screamed, overwhelmed. "If I'm dumb, so are all of you! We're all here because we're failing, right!?"
"Uh, well…" stammered Hifumi Ajitani, a studious, ordinary girl who'd been quietly working.
"Nothing wrong with that!" Koharu pointed. "You, you, you—all dumb!"
"Ouch," Mash said.
"Koharu-chan, calm down," Hanako urged.
"How can I!? We're all facing expulsion! If I get kicked out, I won't be in the Justice Task Force anymore… ugh!" Koharu wailed.
"I won't let myself get expelled, no matter how humiliating it is," Azusa said.
"Expulsion isn't the end. Let's take it easy," Hanako said. "Or rather—"
"Wait!" Hifumi interrupted, drawing all eyes. "We're here to avoid expulsion. Let's pool our ideas and find a solution. Otherwise, in a week, we'll all be expelled!"
"Pooling ideas? Not bad, but it needs… flair," Hanako said. "How about pooling our weak, sensitive parts?"
"Huh?" Azusa tilted her head.
"…" Mash blinked.
Koharu flushed red. "What!? No dirty talk! Forbidden! Death penalty! Sensitive parts? What are you pooling!?"
"Hard to follow? Let's try it," Hanako said, stepping closer. "Spread your legs a bit…"
"No! Stay back! I don't wanna know! It's too soon!" Koharu squirmed.
"Gotcha!" Hanako pounced, pinning Koharu and tickling her mercilessly. It looked… questionable.
"Interesting technique," Azusa mused. "Useful in close combat, but too many wasted movements. I'd lock the joints sooner. What about you, Sensei?"
"Muscles," Mash said.
"Of course. Overwhelm with strength, go straight for a chokehold. Impressive," Azusa nodded.
"Muscles, muscles," Mash continued.
"You'll teach me? Let's do it now," Azusa said.
"Muscles."
"Yup, muscles."
Azusa, ignoring studying, began deciphering Mash's muscle-speak, ready to train.
While Hifumi studied diligently, the others derailed. Frustrated, she snapped.
CRASH! Hifumi flipped the table, startling everyone.
"Study! Or we'll all get expelled!" she shouted.
This is the start of an epic tale.
It begins in the Supplementary Lessons Club, sparked by Mash's involvement.
A story of peace.
A story for everyone.
A story until everyone finds happiness.
Next Chapter Preview:
"Nice to meet you, Sensei… Can you put away those cream puffs? Ignoring me? That's mean! Waaah, Sensei, Nagi-chan's bullying me!"
"Stuff a roll cake in that mouth!"
"Will you be the Supplementary Lessons Club's advisor?"
"Teach… study?"
"Stop calling me Shoo-chan!"
"You'll probably do all sorts of things to me, like in those doujins!"
Vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas… All is vanity.
"With cream puffs, friends, and muscles, I'm not empty."
"If you had to choose between one person or everyone, who would you save?"
"Both. I'll save both."
"Why don't you give up? Why go so far!?"
"I don't want my friends to cry. I want them smiling."
"Gehenna's students are mine too. I won't forgive anyone who tries to erase them."
"Wow, Sensei, you can make that face?"
"Even if my bones break, even if I'm half-dead, I'll stop you."
"I won't let you be alone."
One fist in a translucent world. Eden Treaty Prologue: It begins with supplementary lessons.
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