"Is this even plausible…?"
Hoshino snapped a picture of the plate on the table.
It had started as a simple request from the kid—uploading food photos two or three times a week—but somewhere along the line, it became her habit. Now, she sent the photos first.
After all, penalty points were a pain to deal with.
Not that they ever actually did anything when they piled up, but still… she couldn't stand seeing that kid pull a face at her.
Lately, though, she'd been thinking maybe it was time to change things up. The same meal, on the same day, week after week—she was starting to wonder if she'd been recycling old photos just to keep up appearances.
…Which, technically, she was. But it was exhausting either way.
With a sigh, Hoshino opened Momotalk and attached the photo.
[So, this is this old man's morning?]
[Photo: Egg sandwich and coffee]
A reply came soon after.
[Are you eating properly Praline?]
[Photo: Empty convenience store shelves]
She typed back lazily:
[I decided to skip breakfast. The convenience store's shelves were empty.]
[…Why at a convenience store?]
[I don't know either.]
[Then… should you have lunch with this old man?]
[Yes. I'll contact you after I finish my work with the leadership team.]
The person who should've been in the manager's office was nowhere to be found.
At this hour, she was always the first one to arrive—already sitting on the sofa, patting Hoshino's head with that sleepy, habitual gesture before quietly sorting through paperwork. But today, Hina's hands were empty.
"I'm going in," Hoshino called out as she stepped through the door.
"Uh," came the half-asleep reply.
Hoshino blinked. "Huh? Praline's not here?"
Hina nodded faintly at Iori's words.
"Let me send her a message. Should I do it for you?"
"…No, I'll contact her."
Pulling out her phone, Hina typed out a message a bit too quickly—her usually steady hands showing a rare hint of impatience.
[Praline. Why didn't you come to the leadership meeting today? Is something wrong? If you had something to do, you should have called ahead.]
The reply came not long after.
[I couldn't get on the train because some people wouldn't let me. I'm sorry.]
Hina frowned slightly.
[Who is taking the subway…?]
[I don't know either.]
[I'll find out.]
Just as she sent the last message, a sudden commotion echoed from the multipurpose room set up for lodging inside Pandemonium —a jumble of voices, footsteps, and what sounded suspiciously like an overturned chair.
Hina exhaled quietly, setting her phone down with a soft click.
"…So that's where she is."
"Kikiki~! Look, look! Behold the pudding made by Makoto-sama herself!"
"It's way bigger than Ibuki's…" Ibuki muttered, puffing her cheeks a little.
"Oh, that's because I made it for Praline~!" Makoto announced proudly, chest puffed up like she'd just won a culinary award.
Ibuki blinked, then grinned. "Ibuki wants to make something special for Senior Praline too!"
The door creaked open, and Iroha stepped into the utility room, her expression halfway between fondness and fatigue. She gave Ibuki a quick pat on the head, then turned to Makoto with a sigh.
"Haah… Did you at least bother to find out what Miss Praline actually likes before making that?"
Makoto froze for a moment, then quickly looked away.
"You're not planning to cause another incident, are you?" Iroha added, arching an eyebrow.
"…What about the Kaiser Group's withdrawal plan?" Makoto deflected.
"Don't change the subject." Iroha pinched the bridge of her nose. "But yes—since you asked—it's proceeding smoothly."
"I see…" Makoto murmured, setting down the pudding cup carefully.
"At a time like this," Iroha said, folding her arms, "why don't you try contacting Miss Praline instead of plotting whatever this is?"
Makoto sighed softly, then picked up her phone.
[Praline. Are you coming to Pandemonium today? I made pudding with Ibuki.]
A few seconds later, a reply arrived.
[I'm sorry. I asked Hina, and she said the Kaiser PMC was blocking the road.]
[I'll come next time.]
Makoto stared at the screen for a moment, lips curling into a tiny frown.
"…Kaiser again, huh."
Ibuki tilted her head. "So… Ibuki can eat the pudding?"
Makoto groaned. "…No. We save it. For next time."
"It's cold."
"Cold."
"…Use your hand."
"Leo, do it for me," Amy muttered, glaring as if that would make someone obey.
Rio ignored her stinging look and simply reached over to crank up the heater.
"Mm. Warm now… but still not enough."
Himari, sitting cross-legged on the floor, stroked the air beside her as if petting something invisible.
"Himari," Rio said, narrowing his eyes, "aren't you relying on that too much? You could easily build a device to do it for you."
"That's because Rio doesn't know," Himari replied, voice lilting with amusement. "Ghost-chan is so small and cozy. If you get the chance, I really recommend holding her."
"…I'm giving you advice because I know you well. What if you suddenly popped out of that keyboard and disappeared like a ghost?"
"Oh my, such awful words," Himari teased, lips curling.
—Tilong.
The familiar Momotalk notification chimed, soft and insistent. Himari's eyes flicked to her screen; a new message had arrived from that kid.
"They say even a tiger shows up when called," she murmured. "And here it is."
With a flick of her fingers she projected Momotalk's interface into the air so Rio could read along:
[Hima-ri. Can you help me?]
[Did something happen to our Ghost-chan?]
[I was arrested for looking at my phone while crossing the street…]
[What?]
[They said my student ID wasn't enough to prove my identity, so they detained me…]
[Don't worry. I'll get you out soon.]
"Are you eating ready-made food like this nowadays?"
"It's not mine."
"Hm… so, you're saying it's a symbol, then? For that existence?"
Nagisa set her teacup down with a quiet clink and gave Seia a pointed look.
"Ms. Seia, do you still insist on calling Ms. Praline by that strange title?"
"Strange? Well, of course it's strange," Seia replied, her tone smooth, almost teasing. "Its very existence is strange. A being that shouldn't exist. Even its name feels… off, doesn't it?"
Nagisa's expression hardened slightly. "I can't agree with your opinion on this, not even a little."
"I suppose expecting understanding was too much to ask," Seia murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face, unbothered.
Nagisa exhaled softly and turned her gaze away, unwilling to meet that smug, knowing smile. From the small handbag hanging off her chair, she quietly pulled out her phone.
There it was—
[Mr. Praline, when will you stop by for another tea party?]
[We've got some wonderful new tea—and, of course, a special drink prepared just for your taste.]
[Ms. Praline…?]
[I'm sorry. I was detained for a while.]
[Detained?! What on earth did you get yourself into?!]
[It's fine now. Don't worry.]
[Thank goodness…]
Nehru slipped her phone back into her pocket and kept walking, her steps steady against the rhythm of the city.
She didn't usually hang around with the other members of C&C—solitude suited her better. Wandering the streets like this, without a destination, had become a quiet routine.
A few Kaiser robots clanked by in the distance, their mechanical eyes scanning the road ahead. Nehru's gaze brushed past them before turning away.
Not her business. Not today.
For once, she just wanted a moment of peace—time to breathe, to feel the world slow down before it inevitably picked up again.
At some point, she stopped walking.
The bright glow of an arcade sign flickered just ahead, pulling her attention.
"We're neck and neck!"
"Not for long—today's my victory!"
"Heeey, don't fight~!"
Laughter spilled out from inside.
"Is this Ghost's strategy again?"
"Ah! Alice learned a new move!"
—Pateuk.
A sharp crack echoed as someone clenched their fist hard enough for the veins to stand out. The air inside the arcade practically buzzed with competition.
Nehru's lips curved into a faint smile as she pulled out her phone.
[Hey, little two.]
[Day off today?]
[If you see this, come to the arcade. I called the little one too.]
[For every five minutes you're late, I get one life advantage.]
[Ten minutes late—two.]
[Twenty minutes… ten.]
She hit send, sliding the phone back into her pocket with practiced ease. The hum of machines and laughter swelled around her as the neon lights reflected in her eyes.
"…Let's see who shows up first."
[Are you chewing?]
[It's been an hour. Did something happen…?]
[Crying Wavecat emoticon.]
[Okay.]
Without warning, Mika shoved a roll cake straight into Seia's mouth mid-sentence.
"Ugh—uh!?"
"Seia-chan~ You wouldn't do something like that, right? Right?"
"Ugh?! Ugh, ugh!"
"Yeah, yeah. You're not going to do that, okay? You wouldn't, right? Even if you're just a childhood friend, there's a line, right? Right?"
Mika leaned forward with that deceptively sweet smile, the kind that could probably end wars or start them depending on how she used it.
Across the table, Nagisa calmly sipped her tea, her expression unchanged—as if this sort of chaos was just another Tuesday.
"Mika, that's enough," she said gently. "Though… I do completely agree with everything you just said."
"Okay! Thanks for the roll cake, Nagi-chan."
"You didn't borrow it," Nagisa sighed. "You took it."
Mika just grinned, crumbs on her cheeks, and reached for another slice.
"That's it, Nagi-chan," Mika said at last, her shoulders dropping as relief softened her face. With that, she excused herself from the tea party.
Indescribable being? she thought with a quiet sigh. What's that supposed to mean…?
Lately Seia had been acting even stranger than usual, throwing out cryptic words and knowing smiles. Mika shook her head. When it got like this, there was only one way she knew to blow off steam:
…chatting with that kid for hours.
"Where's my Praline~?" she sang under her breath as she made her way to the cathedral.
But the great hall was empty. Not a single trace of Praline anywhere.
"Hey, you," she asked one of the students nearby. "Did you see Praline?"
"Oh, uh, no. She didn't come today."
"Really…? Okay. Go on."
Mika pulled out her phone, fingers hovering over the screen.
[Praline. Why didn't you come to the cathedral today? You said you'd be here, didn't you? Or am I misremembering?]
A reply blinked onto the screen.
[Praline?]
[I wonder if Praline is trying to make me wait alone like some ill-fated princess.]
Another message followed almost immediately:
[I'm sorry. I'm in custody again right now.]
Mika stopped mid-step, her stomach tightening.
Detention? Or… something else?
[Disobeying orders…? I was just trying to catch the bus…]
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, the cathedral's vast silence pressing in around her.
"…Praline…" she whispered.
[Wait. I'll go.]
Saori climbed the ladder, giving instructions to Azusa as she went. They were in the middle of setting up the posts for the assembly hanger—a job requiring steady hands and sharp focus.
"Azusa. Move a little further to the side," Saori called.
"Leader, do you have a cutter knife?" Azusa asked.
From above, Saori glanced down to see Misaki looking around, her expression curious.
"A cutter knife…? What do you need it for?"
"To cut the box tape," Misaki said plainly.
Saori felt a rush of relief as she noticed Misaki's neck and wrists were clean—no scars, no marks.
If Misaki keeps doing this, I'll… I'll do the same! Saori thought, a tight knot of worry loosening slightly in her chest.
"Why are you smiling…?" Azusa asked quietly, glancing up at her.
"I guess… I laughed," Saori murmured, the tension melting just enough to let a small, fragile smile appear.
"Leader, from now on, let's speak a little more casually," Misaki said softly, glancing up.
"How long are you going to keep calling Saori-nee your leader?" Atsuko interjected, instantly sparking a playful argument.
"Th-That's… anyway, don't you have a cutter knife?" Misaki stammered, cheeks pink as the fight carried on around her.
"Here."
Atsuko handed her the box cutter, leaving Misaki to quietly, nervously, cut the box tape. Saori climbed down the ladder, her eyes softening as she pulled out her phone and opened Momotalk.
She poured her heart into a long message:
[Can we meet today? We decorated the house you bought for me last time with the kids. I don't know if you'll like it…but Misaki and I really do. Hiyori had so much fun filling the bookshelf you gave her with magazines. Atsuko, in particular, has been tending her flower bed so much that she always comes home with her hands and feet covered in dirt. She planted potatoes yesterday—she really wants to feed them to you.]
A reply appeared quickly.
[I really want to go. But I can't today because of… circumstances.]
[Did something happen?]
[Saori, it's a personal matter—you don't need to worry.]
Saori's thumb hovered over the keyboard, her heart tugging.
[There's nothing between us that I don't need to worry about. Just speak freely, please…]
The next message made her pause:
[…Well, I'm currently being held by Kaiser Security.]
Saori exhaled, the weight of it settling in her chest. Her fingers tightened around the phone.
"…Kaiser again," she murmured.
[W-what?!]
"Don't worry. Mika said she'd come to get you out. So, Saori, just relax. Got it?"
[Saori?]
[Saori…?]
A small sigh escaped as he thought about breakfast.
"So… Mr. Praline skipped breakfast too, huh."
"…I see."
—Growl.
"Ugh…"
"Teacher… would you like to eat my lunch box…?"
"No… it's fine," he muttered, gripping his stomach. Memories of yesterday's conversation with Kaya flickered in his mind, but there was no time to dwell.
Just then, his tablet buzzed insistently.
"Teacher, a message has arrived from Praline…"
"…To me…?"
He stared at the screen, heart pounding slightly as his thumb hovered over the notification.
"I took a quick look, and… it doesn't look normal at all! You have to come check it out!"
The teacher pulled out the tablet at Prana and Arona's insistent urging.
[Teacher.]
[Can you pick me up when I'm released from detention? I can't use public transportation. Oh, by the way, the Kaiser Security headquarters is in Shiratori Ward. Just wait in front of the main gate.]
[Teacher…?]
[Don't read it and just ignore it…!]
He exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose.
[Sigh. Okay… I'll go alone.]
[Sorry, I couldn't reply sooner—I was in a hurry.]
A quiet pause hung in the air.
Then, almost casually, Praline's status message updated:
The tablet felt suddenly heavier in his hands.
"…Homeless?" he muttered. His stomach tightened, and he realized this wasn't going to be a simple pickup.
The kids who saw Praline's updated status all had the same stunned question.
[Homeless?]
Praline sent the same message to everyone individually.
[The student council and Kaiser are threatening to take away the house I'm living in. So… I'm thinking about finding a new place.]
Then came a voice message:
[Today is really tough. I haven't eaten all day, and I've been detained twice… If I leave here, I'll have to stay in Kousagi Park until I find somewhere to live…]
Another followed:
[Ah… That weird message you just saw? That wasn't from me. And I won't be able to reply for a while.]
The weight of it settled over everyone like a heavy fog.
That night, Kaya was dismissed, leaving the group with nothing but their worry and the echo of Praline's quiet struggle.