Chapter 39: Formation of the Supplementary Lessons Department

Hissss… hissss…

“Uwaaahhh…! How did it come to this…!?”

“……”

“‘……’”

Standing before the captured Azusa and Asiri were Ajitani Hifumi and Sensei from SCHALE.

“…What a shame. Escaping with gunpowder wasn’t a bad plan… I didn’t think you two were always up to things like that.”

After pulling off an escape and acceleration maneuver inspired by Suou’s tactics, the recoil damage left their bodies battered, forcing them into a battle of endurance. Asiri had joined reluctantly, but she ended up being no help at all—and was promptly captured by the Justice Realization Committee.

“If you’re going to interrogate me, do as you please. I was trained to endure torture long ago. I won’t break easily. Also—”

“…?”

“Please let this person go. I’m the one who dragged her into this.”

“Eh!? N-no, that’s not true! I did this of my own will—it’s not your fault at all…!”

“‘U-uhm…?’”

As Asiri tried to explain herself, Sensei and Hifumi exchanged confused looks, clearly not following what was going on.

And then Asiri suddenly realized—
Wait, was there even an adult like this at Trinity?

“A-are you, uh… perhaps a guest? N-nice to meet you! I’m Asiri Amakawa, president of the Volunteer Activities Club!”

“…Azusa Shirasu.”

“‘Nice to meet you, Azusa, Asiri. I’m the advisor from SCHALE—The Sensei.’”

“S-Sensei…!?”

Sensei.
In Kivotos, there were faculty members, sure—but someone referred to simply as “Sensei” was a rare figure.

And yet, the name sounded familiar.
She’d heard it recently—

『We’ve established a partnership with SCHALE’s Sensei!! This’ll make our search missions so much easier!!』

『Wha—hey!? Who told you to do that!?』

『It’s fine, Sensei’s a responsible adult. I’m sure he’ll help us out.』

『Were you even listening to me!?』

Ah, right. That idiot Mayumi had said that. Asiri dredged up the memory.

“……”

Still visibly irritated, a vein twitching on her forehead, Asiri glared at the person in front of her.

“S-so this is Sensei…!? You might’ve fooled Mayumi-chan, but you can’t fool me…!”

“‘…?’”

She thought she was muttering to herself, but in such a small room, of course Sensei heard her perfectly.

“‘Uh… I wasn’t really trying to fool anyone…’”

“Wha—!? Y-you heard that!? No way, are you reading my mind!?”

“No, I think you just said it out loud…”

“S-she’s doing it too…!?”

“Anyway—”

A pervert, a criminal, and now an overly imaginative eccentric—this conversation was going nowhere fast.
Hasumi made the call to steer things back on track.

“…So, if I may ask, why exactly are you here, Sensei?”

“‘Ah, that’s because…’”

“We’re here to pick up the members of the Supplementary Lessons Department!”

…The Supplementary Lessons Department. Now that she thought about it, wasn’t her junior, Shimoe Koharu, assigned there too?
Hasumi began to piece things together.

“I see. So in other words, Sensei, you’ll be serving as the homeroom instructor for the Supplementary Lessons Department?”

“‘That’s right. I came to pick up Hanako, Azusa, and one more member.’”

“I understand. What a shame—I would’ve liked to assist if possible.”

“‘Would it be alright if I take them with me?’”

“Huh!? Of course not! Absolutely not! She’s a dangerous criminal!”

“Guhf!!?”

The words dangerous criminal hit Asiri hard enough to make her cough up imaginary blood.
She frantically tried to figure out how to explain this to her club members later.

“Koharu. Sensei is here on behalf of SCHALE, under request from the Tea Party. There’s no issue according to regulations. After all, he will be the advisor and homeroom instructor for the Supplementary Lessons Department.”

“Uh, well… if you say so, senpai…”

“S-so… does that mean I’ll just stay detained like this…?”

“……”

“Say something alreadyyy!!”

Asiri clung desperately to Hasumi, who only turned her face away.

At this point, Asiri accepted that being detained by the Justice Realization Committee—and possibly sent to the Correction Bureau—was inevitable. She’d just have to take it in stride.

But even so… that would mean trouble for the Volunteer Activities Club.

Suspension… or even disbandment.
With the club barely maintaining the minimum member count, losing her would be disastrous.

“That’s it, Azusa-chan! Why don’t you join the Volunteer Activities Club!?”

“Eh, um—”

“I-I’m probably gonna be sent to the Correction Bureau anyway…! Please! The club’s in danger! H-hey, I’ll even give you my personal stuff if you join…!”

“Um… while you’re in the Supplementary Lessons Department, all other club activities are suspended, so… joining another club might not be possible…”

“D-don’t say that…!”

Now pitifully clinging to Azusa, Asiri’s desperation reached new depths.
Azusa, thoroughly disturbed, instinctively leaned away.
The scene—complete with a swimsuit-clad weirdo—had descended fully into chaos.

“S-so that’s the situation…? I mean, if you really need me to, I could… maybe lend my name as a member…”

“R-really!? Please, Koharu-chan…! You’re my only hope…!!”

“D-don’t come closer! You’re still technically a dangerous criminal, you know!?”

“Th-that’s fine! Please, I beg you—save the Volunteer Service Club…!”

“……sigh... Koharu.”

Just as Asiri tried to push through with her usual momentum to convince Koharu, Hasumi suddenly stopped her.

“Eh? Wh-what is it…? Wait, does the Justice Realization Committee forbid being in multiple clubs…?”

“No, that’s not the issue here…”

“Awh…”

“‘Um… about the last member…’”

“Yes, well, this is rather hard to say… but the last member is Shimoe Koharu.”

“……”

The air froze.
The sheer awkwardness silenced everyone.

“Uuh…! Uwaaaaahhhhhh! It’s over! It’s all over!! The Volunteer Service Club is finished! I’m so sorry, Mayumi-chan, everyone…! And you too, gas-mask person…! I’m sorryyy…!”

“‘…Mayumi?’”

“No, um… you won’t be sent to the Correction Bureau over something like this…”

“Eh?”

Those words instantly stopped Asiri’s tears.

“This time, considering the circumstances… while you two were resisting, we conducted a situation check with nearby witnesses. So at worst, this will end with an official warning.”

“W-we did it! Thank goodness…! I thought it was all over…!!”

Overcome with relief, Asiri collapsed to the ground in tears.
The tense air finally began to soften. It seemed the situation was settled—or so it seemed.

“W-wait a second! I still haven’t agreed to join the Supplementary Lessons Department!”

One student, however, was still far from convinced.

“…Haa… Koharu. How many times in a row have you failed your exams?”

“U-uh, um… three… times… maybe…?”

“You’re practically on the verge of repeating the year, aren’t you?”

“T-that’s…!”

“Until the Supplementary Lessons Department’s activities are complete, you’ll have to suspend your duties with the Justice Realization Committee. Focus on your studies.”

“U-ugh…!”

“D-do your best, Koharu-chan…! If anything happens, you can count on the Volunteer Service Club, okay? We’ll always be there for you.”

Now the situation was reversed—Asiri was the one offering sympathy to Koharu.
After all, she herself had nearly faced suspension for her own club.

“T-thanks…”

“‘Alright then, shall we go?’”

“…Oh? So that’s everyone? From how things were going, I thought Asiri-san might be coming along too.”

“I-I’m not that dumb, you know!?”

“Ugh…!”

Asiri quickly and vehemently denied the idea of joining the Supplementary Lessons Department.
But then she noticed a familiar face speaking to her.

“…Wait, Hanako-chan…? I-it’s been a while…”

“Yes, it has. It’s good to see you again.”

Hanako Urawa—second year, Supplementary Lessons Department.
To be precise, Asiri didn’t know much about Hanako’s situation, but they had worked together once during a Volunteer Service Club event, so they were at least somewhat acquainted.

“Um, have you been doing alright? I haven’t seen you around lately—wait, why are you only wearing a swimsuit…?”

“That’s because this is school property. The pool is within the school grounds, correct? And when students are at the pool, they wear swimsuits. Therefore, being in a swimsuit on school grounds is perfectly logical. Or are you suggesting—”

“Think about time, place, and occasion, please!!”

“…Fufu. She cut me off before I could finish.”

The same logic Hanako had used earlier to trap Koharu didn’t work at all on Asiri.
Feeling a twinge of frustration, Hanako turned toward Sensei instead.

“Then, shall we head out?”

As the members of the Supplementary Lessons Department began to leave the area—

“…Huh?”

A thought suddenly crossed Asiri’s mind.

“But wait, Hanako-chan, weren’t you—”

Before she could finish, Hanako’s eyes sharpened dangerously.
Unaware, Asiri continued.

“Hey, you!! How did you escape again this time!?”

“Oh, I came back quite a while ago.”

Asiri never got to finish her thought—Koharu’s sharp outburst cut in before she could.

“Then at least put some clothes on already!! Are you insane!? You pervert!!!”

“I feel like I could really get along with you, Koharu-chan…”

Unable to get her question out, Asiri just let the whole matter slide as the conversation descended into chaos once again.

“Th-Then, Azusa-chan… do your best in the Supplementary Lessons Department, okay? If anything ever comes up, you can always count on the Volunteer Club! Also, um… thanks for protecting me.”

“…It wasn’t a big deal. More importantly, aren’t you going to be late for your club activities?”

“...Ah!”

Now that she mentioned it—she hadn’t even contacted her club members yet.

Panicking at the realization, Asiri suddenly remembered there was one last thing she needed to say.

“Ah—I forgot! I have to go now! And, Sensei!!”

“...?”

“I’m Mayumi-chan’s ally—her friend! So if anything comes up about that matter, please let me know too!”

“...!”

Mayumi’s that matter…
Could it be that one?

The words stirred a distant memory.

『“Thanks for helping out again, Mayumi.”』

『It’s fine. Don’t mention it.』

『“If anything happens, tell me anytime. I’ll always be there to help.”』

『...You really don’t have to… but, well… if that’s the case…』

For someone usually cheerful and full of smiles, her expression back then had been unusually serious.
It left a deep impression on Sensei’s mind.

『“...?”』

『...Arius Branch School. Anything related to those words—no matter how small. If you ever hear something, tell us. And if possible, try to gather information yourself. If there’s a lead, it’ll probably come from Trinity. Can I count on you?”』

『...Yeah. Leave it to me.』

『...Thank you. I appreciate it.』

Arius Branch School.
Even now, those words had yet to reach his ears.
Did they know something he didn’t?

“And for the record, it’s not like I trust you or anything yet! Anyway, I’m off!!”

“Ah—”

Before he could even voice his question, Asiri dashed away.