Chapter 51: The Call of Sister Suou

"Ugh… in the end, it’s a swimsuit…!"

"Ah, ahaha…"

Asiri, who had finally begun to calm down, was promptly changed into a swimsuit—much to everyone’s relief.

Considering she might have caught a cold otherwise, it couldn’t really be helped.

"Haa… seriously, everyone’s got so much energy… I’m already so sleepy I can barely stand…"

"W-Well, I am an elite member of the Justice Realization Committee, you know!? Something like this is nothing!"

Koharu puffed out her modest chest proudly at Asiri’s weary mutter.

"…I see. You’re amazing, Koharu. I’m getting a little sleepy."

"No, Azusa-chan, really—you should be sleeping properly at night, okay?"

Hanako chimed in right on cue in response to Shirasu Azusa’s calm remark.

"…Yeah. I overslept this morning and ended up troubling everyone. I almost never oversleep, even in unfamiliar places…"

A hint of self-deprecation colored Azusa’s voice as she thought to herself.

Up until now, she’d rarely ever overslept during long-term assignments—like infiltration missions. In fact, she’d hardly slept at all during those.

Saori and Misaki would always worry about her, but things had always worked out fine, and she’d never minded much.

But this time, she had overslept—and it wasn’t due to exhaustion. That alone couldn’t explain it.

Ah, so that’s it—

"…Maybe it’s because this place doesn’t feel ‘unfamiliar’ anymore."

Because in some small way, this place had become one of her homes. That must’ve been the reason.

"In any case, you really should sleep more. Let’s cut down your midnight patrols."

"Patrols…? What’s that?"

"Ah, I mean, every night I’ve been doing a bit of late-night watch—"

"‘Hanako was really worried about you, Azusa,’ you know?"

"She was…?"

Azusa turned toward Hanako, looking slightly surprised.

Hanako smiled awkwardly.

She’d known Azusa had been patrolling late at night, but hadn’t realized Hanako had actually been worried about it.

"…Sorry. The truth is, those patrols were just an excuse. I was actually setting up booby traps."

"Booby traps…?"

Even that, honestly, was only half an excuse—but it was still true enough.

"Why would you do something like that…?"

"Don’t worry. I didn’t place them anywhere people would normally walk through."

"Ah—was that because of Miss Mari’s incident…?"

"…That was unexpected. I hadn’t accounted for someone getting lost."

"That was really pitiful, huh…"

Azusa averted her eyes, visibly uncomfortable.

She truly had been startled at the time—it had been far too unexpected.

"I see… but if that’s the case, I’d appreciate it if you told us next time. Otherwise, we can’t help but worry."

"…You’re right. I’ll be more careful from now on."

Reflecting on how much worry she’d caused, Azusa answered quietly.

"I don’t want the teacher or anyone else getting hurt because of me."

And then—she surprised even herself with those words.

She hadn’t realized just how much she’d come to care about the Supplementary Lessons Department and her teacher.

"‘You’re really kind, Azusa.’"

"Wha—d-don’t treat me like a child, sensei."

This must’ve been what Suou meant.

That among her friends, she would find people precious to her. And indeed—right now, the people around her had become just that.

"I’m not… like that or anything."

Yet at the same time, a faint fear flickered inside her.

"This world is meaningless and hollow… Even so, I’ll do what I can. But still…"

If someday—

"I might end up betraying everyone… their trust, their hearts…"

After all, she was a student of the Arius Branch—here for the purpose of gathering intelligence on Trinity.

If that ever came to light… what would happen to her?

And it wasn’t just that. The people at Arius were precious to her too.

If one day she had to weigh both sides on a scale… what would she do?

"…"

"Azusa-chan…?"

"…?"

"…"

No answer came.

---

Time passed.

"Asiri, how do you do this part?"

"Ah! Right, for that one—!"

"Um, what about this question…?"

"Ah, that one’s a little trickier. Hang on a sec—"

"Hey, this passage here—"

"That one’s tough, but there’s a hint somewhere…"

"…"

"…So, why’d you even join the Supplementary Lessons Department?"

The study session was going unbelievably smoothly.

At first, Asiri had struggled to find the right pace, but as things went on, she gradually learned how to guide everyone naturally.

With someone they could ask questions to at any time, the others’ understanding improved rapidly.

And finally, the day came—the last mock test within the Supplementary Lessons Department.

"‘Alright everyone, here are your results.’"

Urawa Hanako — 69 points.

"My, my, that’s better than I expected."

Why 69 points? Probably intentional. Koharu hadn’t noticed, but Asiri’s face had turned bright red.

Next: Shirasu Azusa — 90 points.

"That’s an incredible score. Even better than I expected."

Azusa’s drive and capacity to absorb information had always been remarkable. With the right environment, she could improve at astonishing speed—no matter the effort required.

Then, Shimoe Koharu — 86 points.

"T-This isn’t a dream, right…? Just one week ago, I was nowhere near this level…"

Koharu, like Azusa, had plenty of motivation—but her learning speed was slower. Still, with a proper instructor guiding her, she’d blossomed beautifully.

Finally, Ajitani Hifumi — 92 points.

"I-I’ve never scored this high before!"

She’d never been bad at studying to begin with, so after a full week of focused effort, this result wasn’t surprising at all.

"E-Everyone… you did so well…!"

Asiri, on the other hand, looked like a dried leaf in the back.

Days of constant monitoring and caffeine overdoses had finally caught up with her.

Tears streamed down her wrinkled cheeks as she trembled with emotion. At last, everyone would be able to pass their exams safely.

Hanako was still a little concerning, but once she’d realized that failure meant everyone would be expelled, she’d started trying much harder. So that explained it.

If the passing line went up, she’d raise her score too—no need to worry.

"‘Everyone, you truly did great. Congratulations.’"

"N-No! It was thanks to you, sensei, and the Volunteer Club too! This was everyone’s effort! Thank you so much!"

Smiling brightly, Hifumi thanked everyone, then turned to face the group.

"But we still have one day left before the exam! Let’s keep working hard!"

And with that warm atmosphere, the Supplementary Lessons Department’s final study session began.

---

"…I’ve been waiting for you. It’s been a while, Sensei."

And so, on the morning before the Second Special Academic Examination, Sensei had been summoned by Kirifuji Nagisa.

"Have you been well since then? How has the training camp been? You haven’t run into any trouble, I hope?"

"Mm, somehow I’ve managed, thanks. So—what did you need from me today?"

Exchanging formal greetings, Sensei got straight to the point and asked what this was about.

"Hehe… you could say this camp was originally designed so we could better observe the students. Though lately, a few unnecessary elements seem to have crept in…"

Nagisa’s eyes briefly turned cold before she quickly masked it with a smile.

"That’s the gist of it. So—what have you found? Anything conclusive? No… let’s get to the point. Who do you believe is the ‘traitor within Trinity’?"

Dropping all indirect phrasing, Nagisa asked bluntly. She no longer had the luxury of dancing around the issue.

"…My answer’s the same as before. I’ll handle this in my own way."

Sensei’s reply hadn’t changed since the last time. Though irritation flickered within her, Nagisa spoke with deliberate calm.

"…Yes, of course. I only wanted to reconfirm that. That’s why I asked you to come."

Then, changing the topic, she turned to the heart of the matter.

"…I assume Mika has already made contact with you, hasn’t she?"

Misono Mika. Nagisa’s childhood friend—an idiot, to put it bluntly.

Not that she’s stupid. Just impulsive. Reckless. Overly optimistic.

Lately, she’s begun to change, bit by bit… but still. It’s easy to imagine her thinking something like, “Nagisa’s planning something bad again!” and rushing to see Sensei without the slightest caution.

Of course, Nagisa truly was preparing something underhanded—but that was beside the point.

"…Huh?"

Sensei’s response wasn’t confirmation or denial—just confusion.

Nagisa briefly suspected an act, but it seemed genuine. That puzzled, unguarded sound was far too raw to be rehearsed.

"…Perhaps I was overthinking it."

No—that couldn’t be. The Mika she knew would absolutely have gone to Sensei. To stop her.

So why?

Suppressing her doubts, Nagisa pressed on as if nothing had happened.

"Never mind that. If you don’t know, then allow me to explain. Why they are the ones under suspicion."

If Sensei truly didn’t understand the reason, then perhaps there was still room to persuade him.

"First—Koharu. She exists to keep Hasumi under control. Hasumi harbors resentment toward Gehenna. She’s unpredictable. Dangerous."

Sensei silently rejected that reasoning.

They’d recently gone out together one evening with Hifumi and the others, purely by coincidence. Hasumi’s so-called “hatred” of Gehenna was personal at best—not deep enough to be called malice. In fact, she’d followed proper procedure in sending back the Gourmet Research Society when they’d violated rules. Hardly the behavior of someone unhinged.

"Then there’s Hanako. Despite her outstanding potential, she’s been deliberately holding back on tests. We have no idea what she’s planning, or why she’s doing it."

"…"

"Azusa is a suspicious case altogether. Her very existence raises questions, and she’s been involved in multiple violent incidents with other students—completely beyond control. And as for Hifumi…"

Nagisa’s words faltered.

Sensei didn’t miss that fleeting hesitation.

"Nagisa… about Hifumi, you…"

Nagisa hesitated, then took a breath and spoke with resolve.

"…Yes. That’s right. My feelings for Hifumi are… quite special."

For the first time in this conversation, Nagisa spoke not as an administrator—but as a person.

"I care deeply for Hifumi. I truly do. I… love her. There’s no doubt about that."

Then why?

Sensing the question in Sensei’s silence, Nagisa continued.

"However… I’ve received information that her true identity is that of a leader of a terrifying criminal organization."

"…"

Sensei felt a bead of cold sweat slide down his cheek. He subtly wiped it away with his sleeve so it wouldn’t be noticed. It was a topic that absolutely couldn’t be revealed.

"That kind of revelation is what frightens me most. When you trust someone completely, you stop seeing them clearly."

Her eyes cast downward, Nagisa continued in a trembling voice.

"I keep wondering… do I really understand Hifumi at all? Or is there still a truth I don’t know? I just… don’t know anymore."

It was the first time Nagisa had shown genuine vulnerability.

Seeing that, Sensei could no longer remain passive. Taking a deep breath, he finally spoke.

"It’s a misunderstanding… there’s a reason for all this, and if you’ll just let me explain—"

"How?"

The sharpness in Nagisa’s voice cut through the air like a whip. With just that one word, she had dismissed him completely.

"Can you prove it? Hifumi-san’s heart—her true feelings, her sincerity—how do you plan to prove such a thing? …One cannot prove what lies inside the heart."

"…"

"Even if we know Hifumi-san’s kindness, her manners, her decency so well it hurts… we still cannot know her true feelings. In the end, we are merely ‘strangers’."

At those words, the teacher finally realized it—Nagisa’s emotions, and the pain she carried.

"…I think I understand now."

"Huh?"

"Nagisa. Right now, you’re trapped in the darkness of doubt and suspicion."

Choosing his words carefully, he slowly revealed his thoughts to her.

"…The darkness of doubt and suspicion?"

"I’ll bring you out of it. And I swear, I’ll make sure everyone in the Supplementary Lessons Department passes the exam."

"…"

A clear confrontation had formed between them.

Nagisa’s hope for the teacher’s cooperation faded away, giving rise to resignation.

"Heh… I see. Well then, I suppose that makes things simpler. Understood. Please do your best, Sensei."

If that was how it would be, then she would respond in kind.

Thinking that inwardly, she smiled politely and took her leave.

---

"Tomorrow’s finally the second academic test! Over this past week, I believe we’ve gained enough skill to pass with flying colors!"

After school, at Trinity’s annex building.

Hifumi stood at the center, trying to rally everyone and close their session on a high note.

"Guys—!! Big news!! It’s terrible!!"

Bursting through the door, Asiri returned from her brief absence, her face pale and panicked.

"A-Asiri-san!? What’s wrong!?"

"T-this!! Look at this!!"

Panting heavily, she thrust her smartphone screen toward them.

"…Eh? What!?"
"W-what is it?"
"N-no way! That can’t be true!"

Unable to process the shock, Hifumi froze. In her place, Hanako took the phone and read aloud.

"Let’s see… ‘Notice regarding changes to the Supplementary Lessons Department’s Second Special Academic Test’…?"

"Y-yeah!! It says the exam range has tripled! And the passing score’s been raised to ninety points!!"

"What the heck!? That’s insane!"

"This is…"

"I see… So this is Nagisa-san’s doing, isn’t it? Still, her plan seems a bit naive. She probably couldn’t get hold of our mock test results."

"Ahaha… maybe so…"

In truth, it was Mayumi who had instructed Asiri to fabricate those mock results, but Asiri just laughed it off.

The hidden microphones and cameras they’d installed also paid off—they could detect anyone from the Tea Party’s faction approaching the annex immediately.

All thanks to Millennium’s advanced tech.

"Besides, if the range expanded only this much, we’ve already studied extra material anyway… My, my, this almost works out too conveniently for us, doesn’t it?"

"Eep!?"

"…We’ll have a little talk later, all right?"

"Uu… yes ma’am…"

Realizing Hanako had probably figured everything out, Asiri deflated slightly—but this wasn’t the time to wallow.

"T-that’s not all!! Look at the test location!!"

"Huh, there’s a change here too… ‘Geheena Autonomous District, Area 15, Street 77, First Floor of the Ruins’… Gehena? We’re taking the test in Geheena!?"

"Y-yeah, it’s bad! Totally outside anything we planned for!!"

At this rate, all their hard work would go to waste—and they might not pass at all.

"What—why!? Why are we taking Trinity’s exam in Gehena!?"

"…Complaining about obstacles won’t help. If we leave right away, we might still make it. Let’s move."

"W-we, the Volunteer Club, are coming too! Let’s hurry!!"

The state of law and order in Gehena was abysmal at best. Clearly, the exam site had been chosen precisely so the students wouldn’t even be able to reach it.

If that was the case, then perhaps even the Volunteer Activities Club could offer some support.

"Thank you. Everyone, don’t forget your firearms… I’ll go prepare as well."

---

"Huh? Don’t think I’ve seen your faces around here before."

A few hours later, the group arrived at the Gehena Autonomous District—only to be greeted, unsurprisingly, by a pack of delinquents looking for trouble.

"Hey, ignoring us? That’s cold. What’s the rush?"

"Wow, this is such a classic ‘lawless zone’ vibe. It’s almost nostalgic, really," Hanako said, her sweet smile carrying a sharp edge.

Trying not to provoke them further, Hifumi and Asiri quickly spoke up.

"Uh, we’re, um, on our way to take an exam…"

"Y-yeah! That’s right! So, um—"

"…Hah? An exam? You people okay in the head?"

The perfectly reasonable jab from the delinquent made the two slump their shoulders in defeat.

"…This is a waste of time. We’ll just push through!"

"The hell did you just say? Don’t mess with us!! We’ve been itching for a fight all day thanks to all these turf wars! Everyone, get out here!!"

At his shout, a swarm of students poured out from the shadows.

"T-that’s… a lot of them…!"

"Yeah… this could get ugly."

"Sensei, command us!"

"Right!"

The tension snapped taut—moments away from an all-out brawl.

Then, in the very next instant—

"Ugh—!?"

"…!?"

One of the delinquents was suddenly struck down by a distant sniper shot.

—!

"…!"

And in that same moment, a familiar voice echoed in Shirasu Azusa’s ears.

It had been months since she last heard that voice in person.

"…You got here faster than I thought. Everyone, this way!"

"Eh—what!?"

Feeling an inexplicable sense of relief wash over her, Azusa led everyone in the direction of that voice.

---

"…Oh, there you are. It’s me, Azusa. Long time no see—"

It really had been months since they’d last met in person. Truly, it felt like ages.

…Her complexion looked a bit better than before, didn’t it?

"Well, I’d love to catch up, but now’s clearly not the time."

Aiming her mystic-powered hand cannon at the delinquent rushing toward Azusa, she fired. With a single hit, he dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"Good. Still accurate even from this range."

…Some unfamiliar faces among them, just like I’d heard. Seriously, who are these people? Though, I have a decent guess.

Anyway, Azusa and the others have a test coming up. Can’t have them overexerted before that.

"All right then, everyone—move out!"