At Trinity Academy, in the Great Cathedral, a secluded meeting room.
"…With this, Shirasu Azusa officially becomes a student of Trinity."
The silver-haired nun paused. "There are still many issues remaining, especially regarding the Arius branch… but given the urgency of the situation, perhaps for now these problems can be considered resolved. Thank you for your efforts, Hanako, and Sensei."
I replied sincerely, "You're the one who's worked hard, Sakurako."
Without her and the backing of the Sisterhood, this matter in which some might have considered trivial, could have taken an indefinite time to settle.
The same applied before, if the Sisterhood hadn't aided us on the night of the coup, the outcome might have taken a completely different turn.
Even the price they paid for their intervention was just a favor that Hanako and I shared, a small thing compared to the rigid, suspicious nature of some hosts of the tea parties. Their generosity was astonishing.
Sakurako simply smiled faintly at me and stood. "I have other matters to attend to. Mari, let's go."
"Yes… yes." Mari, the gentle orange-haired, beast-eared nun, followed her senior obediently for a few steps, then turned back to us. "Hanako… Sensei… once things have stabilized, we'll talk properly."
"Hehe, of course. I'll be waiting, Mari-chan."
Perhaps it was my imagination, but Hanako's tone sounded a little… peculiar.
With Sakurako and Mari gone, only Hanako and I remained in the Sisterhood's meeting room.
"Phew…" the pink-haired, green-eyed girl exhaled deeply. "Azusa-chan's records are finally completely resolved."
It was as if a heavy stone pressing on her chest had finally been lifted.
I nodded in agreement. "I didn't expect it to take this long."
Since the Game Development Club crisis was resolved, several quiet days had passed.
By now, it had been nearly half a month since all members of the Make-Up Work Club had passed the third make-up exam with full or near-full marks.
"Can't be helped, this is normal administrative efficiency at Trinity. And, given the importance of the matter, repeated verification of the information was necessary. Still, there are many issues left to resolve… like the matter of Nagisa-san, and Mika-san…"
Hanako suddenly recalled something. "Ah, speaking of which, Nagisa-san apparently met with Hifumi-chan recently."
"Yes, I know. Besides Hifumi, it was also you, Koharu, and Hasumi, right?"
"Sensei heard about it? How do you know exactly who met?"
Rather, I had encouraged Nagisa to do so and even helped plan it.
Hanako studied me with interest. "I see. It seems Sensei and Nagisa-san have also reconciled, maybe even grown closer."
Even if that were true, was this really a topic to say so casually?
I chuckled awkwardly. "I just know a little. I don't know exactly what she said."
The girl nodded ambiguously. "I see. Simply put, Nagisa-san apologized to everyone and admitted she had done some excessive things… something like that. She's probably out of the darkness of paranoia now. She seems a little dependent on others, but at least she's heading in the right direction."
"Mm." I replied casually. "Hanako, you could try depending on adults a bit too, you know?"
Hanako gave a seemingly surprised, but actually teasing, expression. "Oh my∼ Thank you for the kindness. Is this… some special invitation? Hehe∼ What should I do?"
I suspected that she was eager to become part of my harem, yet restrained by her girlly modesty, so she expressed her desire in this roundabout, teasing way…
Ultimately, this was just my fault for being too charming.
I silently sighed, gave her some leeway, and changed the topic. "Then there's Mika's matter."
"Mika-san…" Hanako's expression showed recollection. "Her actions back then… even startled me."
Indeed, kissing your opponent in public, regardless of intent, was audacious. Among all the pink-haired in Kivotos, Mika's presence was certainly heavy-hitting.
"By the way, Sensei… what do you think motivated Mika-san?"
That question went straight to the heart of the matter.
I answered solemnly: "At the very least, it wasn't a self-deceiving reason like 'I hate Gehenna.'"
Hanako smiled. "Sensei thinks the same. Just that reason alone… it couldn't have caused that incident. With the Sisterhood's help, I met Mika-san once. And someone was already there."
"Nagisa, right?"
"Yes. I hadn't intended it, but I overheard part of their conversation. The prison was so secure even a large bomb wouldn't break it, yet the aesthetics were poor."
Hanako paused. "In short, Nagisa-san still can't believe Mika-san did those things out of mere hatred for Gehenna… Even though Mika repeated that she hated Gehenna, that she wanted to destroy Seia-chan and Nagisa-san's halo to become a tea party host herself, it was clearly a lie."
I nodded. "She said she didn't intend to kill Seia. And to control the tea party, there was no need to go that far, soft confinement was enough."
"Exactly. According to the Sisterhood, Mika-san's initial plan was just that. But the Arius squad tasked with executing it had a different goal, they intended to disrupt Seia-chan's halo from the start…"
"Probably after learning that Seia's halo was threatened, she went to extremes," I said bitterly. "Mika was likely crushed by guilt, giving up on herself."
Even a child who believed she had committed unforgivable crimes began blaming me, who had a close relation with Seia.
Looking back, Mika's drastic actions were likely influenced by my treatment of Nagisa and Azusa...
Why could others be forgiven while she could not?
Though only a guess, my experience dealing with Kivotos pink-haired girls suggested that was her thought process:
"The deed is done, I've effectively become a criminal… the die is cast, so I must see it through. No matter the cost, the original goal must be completed…"
Hanako continued: "Mika-san also said Seia-chan's condition was the trigger that led to all this."
I nodded slightly, though another thought emerged, pointing to another party:
Seia, who had anticipated the attack, temporarily turned Azusa and left instructions to Mine, executing everything with near-perfect poise in my dream, did she truly not perceive Mika's role in this incident?
She probably had some motive beyond my understanding.
I wondered if things would have turned out differently had I not strictly followed Seia's instructions and informed Mika earlier that Seia wasn't dead.
But that was all water under the bridge.
"Several other unnatural points exist," Hanako said. "We suspected there was a real traitor in Trinity, devised a plan based on that, had Sensei use some ambiguous information to provoke Nagisa… yet Mika-san revealed her true identity at that moment. She completely abandoned her greatest advantage... Strategically, she shouldn't have done that."
"I agree. Even if Mika wasn't politically savvy, she had overwhelming advantage at that moment; she wouldn't have done something like that otherwise."
"Yes. Though Mika claimed she wasn't smart, the real reason she was there that night… was fear."
"She was afraid," I sighed, "Afraid that Arius would destroy Nagisa's halo as they did with Seia. And the Arius squad's absence? Likely under Mika's orders, or to pacify her."
Hanako added: "Mika-san is very, very strong. Her combat ability alone could rival Tsurugi from the Justice Task Force. Her strength goes beyond that. When she appeared, I appeared composed, but I knew the situation was extremely dangerous."
"…Rival Tsurugi?"
I was momentarily stunned. But then I recalled rumors of Aru rivaling Hina, so Mika vs. Tsurugi seemed plausible.
Hanako's expression turned serious. "Yes. Even with the Sisterhood's support, I thought in the worst case, the entire council might fall. Yet Mika surrendered. Fired only a few warning shots, didn't resist. The moment she heard Seia wasn't dead, she surrendered."
I said: "There's only one reason, I guess."
Mika never had the will to fight.
She was simply a child who, after doing wrong, drifted helplessly toward the unknown darkness, both pitiful and blameworthy.
Fortunately, it didn't reach the worst outcome…
Hanako sighed. "When I told Mika-san this, her emotions suddenly flared, probably hitting a sore spot."
"…Wait," I frowned and raised my hand to stop her, recalling Hanako's words. "So you… performed a psychological analysis on her, right then and there?"
Old habits die hard, huh?
"Ahaha," Hanako laughed awkwardly. "I just meant to tease a bit… maybe I went too far. I should apologize next time… but this is also something I learned from you, right…?"
Starting to shift blame now, huh?
I took a deep breath and sincerely said: "Hanako, your hair color is really beautiful."
"Ah? Thanks… why say that all of a sudden?"
"Nothing. I just know you…"
"Ahem ahem ahem!"
Interrupting me, Hanako shouted: "Anyway! I promised Mika-san I wouldn't tell Nagisa or Sensei, so she should be fine!"
"…Then what were you just telling me!?"
"It's fine. Mika-san won't know. Or… Sensei, are you planning to betray me instead of using this as leverage?"
True to form, Hanako steered the topic back to a familiar field in just a few words.
I suspected she might be trying to take advantage of me.
Focusing on the matter at hand, I mentally noted: "Back to the main topic."
Hanako, thinking she had uncovered my weak spot, briefly smiled with pride before speaking seriously:
"No matter the truth, the incident can only be defined like this. Mika-san, hating Gehenna, attempted to attack the tea party to become the host. Mika gave the orders; the Arius squad executed them; Azusa blew up the room where Seia-chan was. Each had different motives… the actions intertwined with misunderstandings and suspicion, resulting in the current situation…"
After summarizing, she concluded: "The conclusion can only be this, right?"
"…Not entirely," I replied.
Hanako nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. To those unaware, it just looks like internal jealousy in the tea party over Sensei. To cover up the scandal, the tea party may have even encouraged the rumors."
"That's true, but that's not what I'm focusing on."
As I met Hanako's puzzled gaze, memories long buried resurfaced.
Hina's words echoed in my mind:
"Does she really hate Gehenna as she claims? Or is it just influence and being dragged along by her faction?"
During the Abydos Desert mission to rescue Hoshino, Mika, who claimed to be extremely clear-cut in her likes and dislikes, temporarily allied with the Forclosure Club just to do me a favor... Did she truly hate Gehenna to the point of being oil and water?
By the Trinity annex pool, Mika had confessed to me with a pure, angelic smile. Her imagined future of reconciliation with Arius, was it truly just a cover for ambition and hatred?
If so, why didn't she disguise her dislike toward me?
In fact, she had already sketched her inner blueprint when we first met.
Thus, my recollection reached its end.
I remembered the tea party I first encountered... A harmony with subtle friction.
"Is it possible…" I murmured, "That initially, Mika only wanted to reconcile with Arius… not to leverage outside force to become tea party host or eliminate Gehenna, but simply… reconcile?"
Hanako was stunned, reflexively replying: "But Mika-san did command Arius to attack Seia-chan, that's undeniable."
"…Really an attack?" I asked. "Could even that have been an accident caused by differing intentions?"
"Giving the Arius squad Seia-chan's room location, letting them into the academy… and saying it wasn't to attack… that—"
Hanako was about to argue, then paused, face serious. "Wait… could it be…"
"…Just to teach Seia, who always spoke cryptically, a lesson?"
"Even hypothetically, that's extreme… hmm… let me think…"
Hanako closed her eyes, muttering: "Considering Mika-san's personality… regardless of the exact truth, she's action-before-thought, impatient with Seia-chan…? Well, Seia-chan isn't exactly easygoing… Mika-san wanted to bully her, so she used Arius…"
By the time she reached this speculation, even Hanako was flustered: "This is too chaotic, too reckless…"
"Well, she is a princess, after all."
"Sensei, may I ask… how many princesses do you have?"
I remained calm. "I think Hanako is also my princess."
Hanako twitched her lips. "…I see. Let's get back on topic."
I nodded. "In any case, this is only a possibility… Mika's true heart, we as outsiders, can never truly prove."
"…Do you mean the fifth Koan?"
[ "Can you prove the truth of those who have reached paradise?" ]
-Kivotos Seven Koans, Fifth Koan
After a moment of thought, Hanako lowered her gaze. "Similarly, if we could reach another's true heart, they would no longer be 'other.' Paradise and true hearts… things we can never prove. We cannot directly access each other's hearts, nor prove the truth of them…"
She looked up, a hint of sadness in her eyes, at me, now frozen by her words, and asked with a strange, pleading tone: "There's no way to know another's true heart…?"
"…Perhaps there really isn't," I said, also looking at the strangely saddened girl. "If so, we can only choose to believe."
Hanako was surprised, then fell into deep thought. "Thinking back, Sensei… from the start, you've always been like this. In this story full of suspicion and doubt, from beginning to end—"
She pressed further: "Including Mika-san and Nagisa-san… Sensei doesn't doubt a single student… right?"
"Not entirely," I shrugged. "I do have doubts, but I act as little as possible and don't show them."
"What difference does that make?" Hanako hesitated. "…Even if someone betrays you in the end?"
I thought for a moment. "Hm… it depends. If there's reason, if I can understand, if it's a student…"
Even this half-baked answer seemed shocking enough to her.
"Why… why, Sensei, are you so…"
She asked, unable to find the right word.
I thoughtfully offered one: "Indecisive?"
"Please don't belittle yourself," Hanako said, a little irritated. "Even if I don't understand now, I know your thoughts and actions are remarkable."
I realized my charm had left a perfect impression on her.
She's probably close to hopelessly in love with me now.
I cleared my throat. "Don't think too highly of me…"
But before I finished, Hanako interrupted: "Yes, you're right. At least in narcissism, probably no one in Kivotos can rival you."
I was instantly embarrassed. "Don't slander me! I just have clear self-awareness!"
"But it doesn't matter," Hanako smiled, "it makes you even cuter."
"That's love in the eyes of the beloved!"
"Oh my∼ Sensei is contradicting yourself now∼ hehe∼"
I was at a loss, noticing the topic had drifted: "Hanako, we were talking about belief."
"…Mm. Sorry, I guess my attempt to lighten the mood failed."
I smiled wryly and gathered my thoughts:
"Hanako, you know? Humans cannot live peacefully without believing."
The Fifth Koan's meaning had long been within my reach.
Although I only clarified it just now thanks to Hanako's inadvertent prompt, I had already begun my own practice.
"So… believe." I lightly placed my hand on my chest, feeling its firmness. "Believe with all your might. There exists Paradise there, and there, exists a true heart."
Only then could I gain more. Only then could I truly live.
This is my will to survive.