What exactly do I want to do?
That's a good question.
Ever since talking with Mika, I've been thinking about how I could protect everyone.
The secrets each member of the Make-Up Work Club hid, Nagisa's distrust of them, Mika's distrust of Nagisa, then Seia, who remained uninvolved, and the still-unknown mastermind behind the scenes…
So many problems, intertwined and complex, impossible to unravel. But as I gathered more information, the surface contradictions became even sharper, the undercurrents even stronger, until finally all the knots concentrated on a single person.
Nagisa, the current host of the Tea Party, wielding the highest authority in Trinity.
Now that I knew Azusa's true identity and mission, what I had to do had already become clear.
Of course, my original plan was crude. While it could work in the short term, its simplicity carried many hidden risks.
Thanks to brainstorming with everyone in the Make-Up Work Club, and some inspirations that came from recent experiences, the plan we have now was formed.
"Don't be so guarded. Honestly, I also want the Eden Treaty to succeed."
I paused, smiling lightly:
"But… Nagisa, why did you decide to push for this treaty in the first place?"
Nagisa's voice was icy:
"Do you want me to repeat the answer I gave you?"
"Hehe, of course I remember your reason. To resolve the conflict between Trinity and Gehenna, reduce unnecessary losses caused by historical disputes, and maintain peace in Kivotos… But," I shifted the conversation, "Is that really all there is to it?"
"…What do you mean by that?"
"The Eden Treaty… a pact for two massive schools to coexist peacefully from now on. But at its core, it will be enforced by ETO, a new armed organization formed from the combined military forces of Gehenna and Trinity. A group with overwhelming power, emerging during this chaotic period when the GSC president is missing, what might such a group do once it has that strength?"
Thanks to Mika's brilliant insight and her unbreakable bond with her childhood friend, I could even come up with this angle to challenge Nagisa.
Nagisa froze for a moment, then her anger flared:
"Ridiculous! Are you implying I want to use this treaty for some secret purpose?"
Of course not. I knew better than anyone how wrongly she was being accused.
But to overcome the closed-loop logic she had fully justified for herself, there was only one way:
Step outside her self-evidence trap, attack her using her own methods, and in the most irrefutable way, destroy her theory at the source.
"Preposterous, Sensei," Nagisa seethed, trembling with anger. "The Eden Treaty is a military alliance? This baseless, unrealistic malicious assumption… Haha! Anyone who would say such a thing is either a fool beyond measure or a malicious schemer!"
And I had to admit, she was right.
Still, I remained calm on the surface:
"Is there something wrong with that idea?"
"The Eden Treaty organization... Despite the conflicts between Gehenna and Trinity, even if the treaty succeeds, it could never be a tool for anyone to dominate!" Nagisa ground her teeth. "And how could I ever do such a thing… You really think I'm capable of that!?"
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
I felt a pang of guilt for hurting her, but I wouldn't stop.
"How will you prove it to me?" I asked again. "Your heart, your original intentions, your true voice... how do you prove them?"
These were her own words.
A long silence followed.
Finally, as if all her strength had been drained, Nagisa said bleakly:
"…Do as you wish. But after all that, what exactly do you want to do? You're not planning to claim that you only conspired with those traitors because you suspected I intended to… hehe, use the treaty for some secret purpose, as some pretense of justice, are you?"
"On the contrary, Nagisa. I never said the person planning to use the treaty was you."
That single, casually spoken sentence made the sharp-minded Tea Party host's pupils shrink, cold sweat streaming down her face as she leapt upright:
"You… you've been colluding with the Pandemonium Society all along…!?"
This was the hidden leverage Makoto had planted long ago, using her astonishing intelligence, finally coming into play now.
I dropped my smile, calmly staring at the girl whose expression had completely changed:
"Nagisa, you're in my way."
"You…!"
Rage clouding her judgment, Nagisa drew her gun and aimed it at me.
But I didn't flinch; I raised my hand slowly:
"Not so fast. Did you hear that?"
Her expression changed again:
"What… sound is that…?"
I knew what she heard.
It was a sound, not coming from me, with an unknown source, like a hallucination… the rushing of water.
Not the strongest power, just the most fitting. Kasumi's power seemed useless on the surface, but in someone else's domain, facing someone who no longer trusts anyone, it was perfect for bluffing.
Though taxing, it lasted only a few seconds, which was effortless for me.
I leaned back in my chair:
"You think I would come here unprepared and reveal all this to you?"
Nagisa's face twisted violently, ultimately turning pale as she slumped back into her seat.
"What exactly are you doing…" she murmured. "What have you done… from frequent trips to the Grand Cathedral, maintaining close ties with the Remedial Knights, taking Koharu to the Justice Task Force during training camp for no reason, meeting someone late at night… now even the Tea Party…"
She had already realized everything, just unwilling to suspect it.
Nagisa has always been that kind of person.
"Could it be… even Seia… ah, I see... Now it's finally my turn…"
Tears slid down her face, yet unexpectedly, she bowed her head and pleaded:
"Do whatever you want to me, but at least… please don't involve Mika. She's so clumsy, she can't interfere with you, so don't drag her into this…"
…So this is the true root of Nagisa's obsession.
I stood silently, walked beside her, and wiped her tears with a handkerchief, only to see more fall.
Nagisa instinctively tried to dodge but didn't dare, trembling violently.
I sighed quietly, but there was nothing I could do except follow the plan.
"My dear, infuriating, pitiable princess," I murmured, gently caressing her face with a tone of unnerving tenderness, "Come, make a deal with me."
All of this… is to protect her and everyone else.