-Late at night, Millennium's Self-Reflection Room-
"So boooored waaa~"
Momoi dragged out her voice as she complained, rolling around on the floor.
Midori, leaning against a cushion, spoke helplessly. "Onee-chan, if you're bored, why not just go to sleep?"
"How could I possibly fall asleep that easily?"
"Then…" Yuzu suggested, "should we play another round of a board game?"
In the reflection room where misbehaving students were confined, there was supposed to be no entertainment of any kind. This board game had been something Arisu found by accident under a cushion while exploring the room, enough to pass the time.
Momoi shook her head. "Nope. This kind of game where I can't show off my gaming skills and can only rely on luck to win just reminds me of unpleasant things."
The atmosphere in the reflection room instantly sank.
Midori sighed. "…Onee-chan, when you say it like that, we all end up thinking about it too."
Arisu looked apologetic. "I'm sorry. If Arisu's level had been higher, enough to defeat the short maid, it wouldn't have turned out like this."
"Don't say that, Arisu… you already tried very hard, we all know that… Neru-senpai was an enemy we couldn't handle to begin with, basically a boss with plot armor, right?"
"So annoying waaa~" Momoi continued rolling around. "So frustrating… I really want Sensei to hold me and pat my head to comfort me."
"Who doesn't..." Midori sighed again. "Onee-chan, just endure it for now. Yuuka said we won't be released until tomorrow evening. You can act spoiled toward Sensei then."
This was the severe punishment faced by students who caused massive problems to the school through the club's shenanigans and were captured after failing, being locked in the self-reflection room for a full day and night and submitting a self-criticism essay of no less than three thousand characters.
Even so, Momoi still muttered, "If Sensei were here right now…"
Before she could finish, the sound of a password being entered came from outside the reflection room door. Immediately after, the door opened, and a familiar figure came into the girls' view.
After fooling around with the maids outside and finishing discussions with Rio and Himari, I walked in with a smile.
"Kids, I'm here!"
Momoi was startled. "Sensei, did you get caught and thrown in here too!?"
…What kind of thing is that to say.
"Don't overthink it. I'm here to take you out."
"Huh?"
"That's how it is." Yuuka, wearing a sour expression, walked up beside me. "Be grateful. Thanks to Sensei's bail, you can go back early."
It was mainly thanks to Rio's approval. Although the reason Rio gave Yuuka was that, considering the relationship with Schale, the Game Development Department was being granted parole.
Momoi rubbed her eyes, then immediately cheered. "Yay! This is the victory of privilege!"
"Don't get happy too soon! You still have to submit your self-reflection papers, and you're banned from the club room until tomorrow evening! Consider it for Sensei's sake and don't cause any more trouble during this time."
I spoke gently. "Thank you for your hard work, Yuuka."
Yuuka looked over, her expression and tone instantly softening. "It's fine. Sensei, you too. Please don't spoil those girls too much."
I nodded knowingly. So Yuuka wanted to be spoiled too. A jealous Yuuka is really cute.
Seeing this scene, Momoi covered her mouth and began trembling, while Midori and Yuzu's expressions also turned strange.
Only Arisu watched curiously, then suddenly realized something.
"Ah! I get it, Yuuka has been charmed by Sensei!"
This kid really just blurted out the truth.
I gave Arisu a pleased look.
"Huh? Hah!? Th-that's not true!" Yuuka's face flushed red as she shouted in rebuttal. "Do you want to be locked up again!?"
"Wah! Someone's abusing their authority!"
Momoi cried out, then ran over with Arisu to tug at my clothes. "Sensei, Sensei, let's hurry back."
Good thing Yuuka was charmed by me, otherwise someone might not have survived today.
After saying goodbye to Yuuka, I led the Game Development Department away from the top floor of the Millennium Tower and back to their club room.
However, not long after Momoi sat down on the sofa, she suddenly froze, her expression turning heavy with sorrow.
I guessed she was probably recalling what happened during the day again and falling into confusion about the future. Just as I was about to speak to comfort her, I heard her say,
"We're doomed, I still haven't done my dailies…"
The corner of my mouth twitched. Still sticking to my original plan, I spoke. "About G.Bible, even though we failed this time…"
I had only gotten halfway through when Arisu puffed out her cheeks and opened her arms toward me.
"Sensei, please hold Arisu and pat Arisu's head to improve Arisu's mood."
Not just me, the other three girls were stunned as well.
Momoi was shocked. "Arisu, you actually cut in line too? No, those are supposed to be my lines!?"
"What do you mean too?" Midori became alert.
Anyway, after having everyone line up in proper order, I held Arisu, who had signed up first, and continued.
"Everyone, relax first. Even if we didn't get the [Mirror] back from the storage, it's not like there's no solution. The [Mirror] was originally a tool developed by Himari, so we can just go ask her to take a look directly."
"That could work." Midori said with difficulty. "But if we do that, then the fact that Maki and the others lost the [Mirror] will also be known by Himari-senpai…"
Quite loyal, but Himari had been aware and involved from the very beginning anyway, just pretending not to know.
"There's another method too, but the success rate is lower." I held out my hand. "Momoi, give me the console that has G.Bible on it first. I'll go try."
Momoi suddenly grew nervous. "Sensei, you're not planning to sell your looks to Yuuka, sneak into the confiscated items storage with the Veritas Department, and then complete the copy inside, are you?"
"No."
Of course, I was going to ask my dear Koyuki for help, and also see firsthand how far her superpower in cracking passwords could go.
"Then could it be President Rio!?"
"…Momoi, stop imagining things. I have my own plan." I paused. "Of course, whether we get G.Bible or not, you all have to prepare for the worst and make the game seriously."
"R-rest assured!" After exchanging looks with her companions, Yuzu, as the club president, spoke solemnly. "We will give it our all and absolutely not disappoint your expectations, Sensei."
The Saiba twins and Arisu, who was looking up at me, all wore extremely serious expressions, making me feel a bit guilty for having used them in a sense.
There was no helping it. I would just have to support them with everything I had afterward, to make up for it.
"Mm, I believe in you. Do your best."
After soothing and encouraging the girls, and giving each of them the hugs and head pats they wanted in turn, I took my leave.