The General Student Council, General Affairs Office Director's Office.
Although she was currently serving as Acting General Student Council President, Administrator Nanagami Rin still handled her day-to-day work in this office.
"Honestly, Rin-chan is especially serious when it comes to things like this."
Arona sighed beside my ear.
She was even calling Rin "Rin-chan." Had she picked that up from me? It felt a bit too familiar.
Then again, the Shittim Chest was an ancient OParts, and Arona, its operating system, was probably far older than her appearance suggested.
"Are your days like the days of mayflies? Are your years like the years of mankind?"
That muttering wasn't entirely without reason. An AI's age really couldn't be measured by human standards.
As for my own days, they certainly didn't resemble a human's either.
Staring at the General Student Council emblem on the wall, I let my thoughts wander, idly feeling that this one looked larger and rounder than the one in the Finance Office.
Perhaps that was because, during the FOX Squad's attack on the Sanctum Tower last month, the General Affairs Office, second only to the President's office in status, had emerged completely untouched.
Just then, a cool yet authoritative voice rang out.
"Sensei, please sit properly and look straight ahead."
I immediately straightened my back and fixed my gaze forward.
I had to admit, when Rin-chan was angry, she was much scarier than Aoi-chan.
I honestly hadn't expected Aoi-chan, after seeing that I showed no sign of remorse, to go straight to Rin-chan and report me.
Was that really necessary!?
At the moment, Rin-chan had left me sitting to one side while she continued writing some documents.
Separated by the desk, all I could do was admire her cool, beautiful face, along with her slender, upright figure, particularly the rather impressive upper half.
Not that I minded, but something still felt off.
That faint sense of incongruity grew stronger in the room, where the only sound was the steady scratching of her pen across the paper, making my already uneasy wait even more unbearable.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the writing stopped.
A crisp click followed as she capped her pen, instantly lifting my spirits.
Letting out a long breath, the gloomy-looking girl adjusted her glasses.
"Sensei, do you know what you've done wrong?"
An oddly familiar sense of dread welled up inside me, followed by a wave of self-doubt.
W-wait... This isn't right, is it?
I'm supposed to be the Sensei here.
I cleared my throat, feigning composure.
"Rin-chan, what exactly have I done wrong?"
"Who are you calling Rin-chan?"
The notoriously difficult-to-please Administrator Nanagami frowned even more deeply.
"Sensei, since you're asking me to explain, then please prepare yourself. What I'm about to say won't be pleasant. Simply put, you should really have become aware of how undisciplined your behavior has been lately."
She looked at me sternly.
"This isn't the first time you've submitted personal expenses for reimbursement using public funds. Previously, Director Aoi simply chose to overlook it. But now you've reached the point where you won't even bother making up a halfway convincing excuse. Are you looking down on the General Student Council?"
"...Nothing like that."
I answered quietly.
Deep down, I knew Rin was right.
Of course, I held goodwill toward most of the directors and administrators, and I understood the difficulties of their work.
But that didn't stop me from looking down more and more on the General Student Council as a whole.
When I resolved the Eden Treaty incident, dealt with a crisis that threatened all of Kivotos, united the academies, and reclaimed the Arius School from Beatrice, what accomplishment worthy of praise had the General Student Council achieved?
All they did was send verbal encouragement, then wait for Schale to solve every problem, and finally enjoy the peace and stability that followed.
Without the General Student Council President, the General Student Council was nothing more than a disorganized mob.
A disorganized mob that still found the time to form factions and fight among themselves behind the scenes.
I'd hinted to Rin long ago that Kaya was a problem, yet she hadn't taken it seriously, allowing Kaya's scheme to succeed.
Though, knowing the entire course of events in advance and doing nothing to stop them, I wasn't really in a position to blame anyone.
Still, I believed that despite how flawed Kaya's ideals and methods were, there was one thing she might actually have been right about.
The General Student Council, and indeed all of Kivotos, needed a "superman" to lead them before order and stability could be restored, allowing everyone to move toward a brighter future.
"I'm sorry."
I apologized sincerely.
"If I caused you to misunderstand me, Rin-chan, then I'm truly sorry. But I've already explained my reasoning to Aoi-chan."
"...You call Aoi 'Aoi-chan' too?"
Rin's attention was focused on something rather strange.
Then again... perhaps not that strange.
I immediately explained,
"It's because when I look at Aoi-chan, I see your reflection in her, Rin-chan. I couldn't help myself..."
"Stop."
Pressing a hand against her forehead, Rin raised the other to silence me.
"Let's get back to the point. Sensei, you know perfectly well that your explanation is nothing more than sophistry that avoids the real issue. Even if you truly believe what you're saying, the other directors and administrators won't accept it."
Why would I need their approval?
Besides, was all this really worth making such a fuss over?
"If you don't start exercising some restraint, both Director Aoi and I are going to have a very difficult time."
Her tone softened slightly.
"In fact, several of your previous non-compliant reimbursement requests were already challenged. Director Aoi argued your case on reasonable grounds, and because your achievements have been so outstanding, she managed to suppress the opposition."
It was the first I'd heard of this.
I was somewhat surprised.
Yet more than gratitude, what welled up inside me was dissatisfaction toward the people who had opposed me.
"I understand."
That was all I said.
"I'll be more careful. I'll do my best not to cause you any more trouble."
"Mm. Sensei, I believe you."
A smile finally bloomed across Rin's cool face.
Though it lasted only an instant, it was enough to stay with me.
Unfortunately, even after Rin said something like that, the card still showed no reaction whatsoever.
It really had no sense of timing.
I was just about to seize the opportunity and deepen my relationship with Rin a little further when hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the office.
A black-winged girl with long wavy blonde hair hurried inside.
It was Iwabitsu Ayumu, Director of the Mediation Office.
"Um... Rin-senpai..."
Ayumu noticed me.
"Ah, Sensei's here too... S-Sorry. Um... P... no, Administrator Rin, I'd like to discuss something with you for a moment..."
Apparently it was something urgent.
She gave me only a restrained smile in greeting before immediately turning back to Rin.
"What is it?"
"Um... There's an emergency..."
As she spoke, Ayumu stepped to Rin's side and lowered her voice.
"It's... about the abolition of SRT Special Academy..."
Hearing those words faintly, my brows rose.
I immediately activated my authority.