Only after I actually talked with Yasumori Minori did I realize just how many prejudices I'd had against her.
Once I explained why I was contacting her, she replied after a while that she was busy working and would need to discuss it later.
Just as I was beginning to wonder if Minori was brushing me off, she actually sent me a selfie to prove she was telling the truth.
How could I not feel fondness for such a respectful student?
However, I'd only just saved this proof of Minori's sincerity and was about to reply that there was no rush when I immediately received another message.
Minori: All right, Sensei. I'm free now.
Me: That was fast.
Minori: Mm. Actually, something came up.
Minori: Those evil Millennium capitalists failed to distribute the promised pudding to every worker on time today.
Minori: You might think, "What's the big deal?" But this is exactly the kind of trick the bourgeoisie always uses!
Minori: Today they dare violate the contract by failing to hand out the pudding on time. Tomorrow they'll be exploiting us workers down to the bone.
Minori: As for what they'll do the day after that, I don't even dare imagine!
...I don't think it's really going to escalate that far.
Minori: So, in order to protect our legitimate rights and resist oppression by those in power, we're going on strike.
Immediately afterward, she sent a bewildered me a video.
Half the screen was filled with Minori's indignant face. Behind her stood a sea of mercenary students, raising their fists as they surrounded a platform, loudly protesting.
Standing atop the platform was a blue-haired girl I knew all too well, looking completely at a loss. In the background, I could vaguely hear people chanting, "Down with Cherino's tyranny! The world belongs to the people!"
It seemed I should keep at least a little of my prejudice after all.
I just hoped Cherino could make it through this ordeal.
Putting that aside, my conversation with Minori was actually quite pleasant overall. We settled everything in just a few exchanges.
All I needed to do was pay wages in full and on time, ensure a steady supply of pudding and other treats, and sign a proper contract.
Perhaps because she thought the order was too small, Minori even politely asked whether I had any plans to expand Schale or build a monument, requests that somehow sounded oddly tempting.
But considering Kivotos' unique construction speed, I regretfully declined her kind offer.
After arranging a time to meet and sign the contract, I put away my phone while resting on a bench outside Millennium's campus store.
Taking another sip of the energy drink I'd just bought and naturally ignoring the sound of an explosion coming from somewhere nearby, I thought that since I hadn't visited Millennium in quite some time, maybe I should go see some familiar students or take a walk and see if I could stumble into some new encounters.
Stopping by the Game Development Department to chat with Arisu about Kei sounded like a good choice too.
Just then, my phone chimed.
After reading the message, I raised an eyebrow as an idea came to mind.
I finished off the energy drink, tossed the empty can into a trash bin, then turned and walked into the campus store.
"Ah, thank you for buying this for me, Sensei."
The white-haired, green-eyed girl accepted the chilled energy drink from my hand, popped the tab, and gulped down several mouthfuls before sticking out her tongue.
"Blegh... If it isn't passion fruit flavor, there's always that distinctive artificial sweetener aftertaste..."
"Sorry. I don't think they sell the passion fruit flavor in the campus store."
"It's okay. I asked you to get it for me even though I already knew they don't sell Monster MAX in passion fruit flavor on campus."
Omagari Hare, a second-year student from Veritas, smiled as she said,
"Thanks to you, I got it just as I was starting to have trouble concentrating. Now I can keep working on my experiment... Please wait just a little longer, okay? I'll be done soon."
Seeing that she was busy, I found an empty seat nearby and quietly watched her focused figure as she alternated between writing code and debugging drones.
About fifteen minutes later, Hare stretched lazily as if she'd finally finished, then spun her chair around to face me.
"Sorry for making you wait, Sensei. I asked you to buy me an energy drink, then complained about how bad it tastes. Thinking about it now, I was acting like a spoiled child... I'm really embarrassed."
I waved it off.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it."
Among the eccentrics gathered in Veritas, Hare had always seemed relatively normal to me.
Both her appearance and personality were gentle and well-behaved. She had a pleasant voice, was gifted yet humble and easygoing, and talking with her always felt refreshing.
She formed a striking contrast to another upperclassman in the same club who happened to share her hair color.
At least, that was what I'd always thought.
Now, however, the wind had quietly changed direction.
"By the way, Hare."
Looking straight at her, I slowly asked,
"How did you know I was coming to Millennium today?"
After all, she'd been so busy she didn't even have time to buy an energy drink herself.
Could it be that even someone as well-behaved as Hare had let her feelings for me grow so uncontrollable that she'd gone down the same dark path as Kotama...?
"Oh, right!"
Hare pressed her hands together with an apologetic smile.
"I'm so sorry! I was so busy that I forgot to tell you. Chihiro told me you were at Millennium and said she'd be looking for you later, so she asked me to keep you company first... She's probably gone back to sleep again."
So it was that celebrity student again.
Everything suddenly made sense, and I couldn't help smiling wryly at my own baseless worries.
Hare continued,
"And yet I ended up asking you to run an errand for me, then left you sitting here while I focused on my own work... Umm, when I'm low on sugar, I really can't think properly."
The troubled expression on her face made it impossible not to comfort her, and I kept reassuring her until her smile returned.
Satisfied by that smile, I curiously asked,
"Is it just you from Veritas here today?"
"Hehe, Sensei, you wouldn't know this, but hackers are creatures that operate under the cover of darkness. We sleep during the day and come out at night."
Then again, it wasn't just hackers. Most of the Millennium students I knew seemed to have a habit of staying up all night.
At that moment, Hare grinned proudly and held up her energy drink.
"This is how I've managed to stay awake from yesterday until now."
So she'd pulled an all-nighter.
Looking more carefully, I could indeed make out faint dark circles beneath her pale cheeks.
"...Are you really okay?"
"Completely!"
Hare declared confidently.
"Monster MAX doesn't just contain caffeine to keep you awake. It's also packed with the sugar and vitamins your body needs, so it's more than enough to keep me going through an all-night work session!"
There wasn't a single part of that statement that didn't sound problematic.
Glancing around, I estimated there were over a dozen empty cans scattered across and beneath the desk.
"How many have you had so far?"
"Not that many. Just four or five cans..."
Following my gaze, Hare glanced to the side, blushed, and awkwardly explained,
"Those have been piling up over several days... I was planning to throw them all away at once..."
"Isn't four or five cans already a lot?"
"Compared to normal, not really. The most I've ever had was ten cans in a single day."
I took a deep breath.
I already knew that Millennium students generally had a caffeine dependency, but Hare's case was a little too severe.
An adult like me was one thing, but how could a student be so careless with her own health?
If not for her own sake, then at least for mine!
"Hare, listen to me."
I spoke in a serious tone.
"Drinking this many energy drinks is genuinely bad for your health."
Hare looked troubled.
"Huh? But... without energy drinks, I'll get sleepy if I work through the night. And without sweet carbonated drinks, I just won't have any motivation to work..."
Just as I was about to continue persuading her, Hare fell silent for a moment before saying,
"If Sensei says so, then I guess there's no helping it. All right, I'll use this opportunity to quit."
She agreed so readily that it actually surprised me.
I knew Hare was one of the more obedient members of Veritas, but this was almost too obedient.
"Well, I still have vitamin tablets and mint gum to help keep me awake. But if I do that, I won't be able to work late into the night by myself anymore. So instead..."
Hare looked at me pleadingly with her emerald-green eyes.
"Sensei, will you help me?"
So that was it.
It was her desire to be with me, her feelings for me, that had rescued her from her caffeine addiction.
Oh, card! Have you fallen asleep or something!?
Grumbling inwardly, I replied,
"Of course. Since I'm the one asking you to quit energy drinks, I have to take responsibility too."
A delighted smile spread across Hare's face.
"Hehe, I knew it. Sensei really is looking out for me... I won't ask you to do anything too difficult. First, could you help me carry this toolbox..."
"No."
I interrupted her.
"Before that, Hare, you should go to sleep."
"Huh?"
"You've been up all night. Keeping a normal sleep schedule is the foundation of good health."
"But a hacker's inspiration only comes in the quiet of the night..."
Hare tried to argue.
"Besides, I just drank an energy drink. My nerves are still all excited, so even if I forced myself to lie down, I wouldn't be able to sleep..."
I answered in a firmer tone.
"That's still better than continuing to work."
"B-but..."
"Be good."
"...All right, if you insist, Sensei."
With her gentle personality, she could only let out a sigh.
"But afterward, you'll really stay with me, right?"
Having finally won, I smiled. Before I could say "Of course," the door suddenly opened.
"My, my. Taking advantage of my absence to bully my child like this?"
A white-haired girl with pointed elf ears rolled into the server room in her wheelchair, looking at me with an amused smile.
"Don't you think that's just a little sadistic, Sensei?"