Chapter 68: Song for Her

"...Well, for now, have a seat."

Mika motioned toward the back of the room and dropped into her chair with a soft thud. Her movements were rough, yet faint traces of elegance lingered in them.

"……"

Following her lead, Sensei and Hanako also took their seats.

"This is…"

Thinking it would be rude not to, Sensei reached for the tea. The rich aroma surprised him; his eyes softened in quiet appreciation. It carried a deep, mellow sweetness—an unfamiliar flavor, but unmistakably of high quality.

"It’s straight Dimbula. Nagi-chan gave it to me."

Mika had completely forgotten Nagisa’s suggestion that it was best served iced and happily drank it warm. Still, the refined taste and fragrance remained—perhaps thanks to her touch.

"So then, what brings you here—ah, that’s not the best way to ask. Did something happen?"

"Miss Mika… about the recent attack on Arius Branch School. Are your injuries all right now?"

Hanako placed her cup back on its saucer, her tone heavy.

"Yeah, see? All healed. Wait, don’t tell me—you two came all the way here just to check on me? Even you, Sensei?"

"That’s part of it, but… not the only reason."

"I see."

Part of it, huh? She hadn’t expected that. Still, a faint, fuzzy warmth spread through her at the thought that it was also a get-well visit.

At the same time, Mika’s mind stayed sharp. Their tone, their demeanor, the way they approached her—if her guess about their real reason for coming was right, things would go smoothly.

"Come to think of it, Sensei, I don’t think we’ve really talked properly before, have we? Sorry about that. You know how it is—I’m part of the Tea Party, so I’ve been kinda busy…"

"Don’t worry about it."

They exchanged light small talk, but Hanako’s eyes still held suspicion.

Mika understood perfectly well—why Hanako had come, and what she was about to ask.

But Mika couldn’t bring it up herself. Because of the contract.

So she simply waited, leisurely sipping her tea and nibbling on sweets until the moment came.

"…Miss Mika, did you know why the Supplementary Lessons Department was founded?"

"Ah… yeah, Nagi-chan told me the gist. I was against it, but since she’s the host, I couldn’t really oppose her. Sorry about that?"

"No, it’s fine."

At last, Hanako brought it up.

"…It’s unfortunate what happened with Azusa-chan."

"…Yeah."

The air between them tightened—like blades glinting just out of sight.

"Miss Mika. On the day of the attack—what were you doing there? Why were you… at that place?"

"Ah, that. Well…"

They had reached the heart of the matter.

"I was heading back to my room when I saw some shady people hanging around, so I beat them up before they could notice me."

She chuckled lightly, meeting Hanako’s gaze as if testing for an opening.

"Then that explosion was…"

"The leader-type girl—Kirihana Suou, was it? It happened when she counterattacked."

"No, not that… I mean the room that exploded."

"…!"

Mika froze for a second, caught off guard, then resumed thinking quickly.

So even that was known—the trapped room that had detonated.

True, a proper inspection of the blast site would show the trap had been set from the inside, but there was no way Hanako could’ve verified that herself.

A bluff based on conjecture? Or maybe the Sisterhood had done some digging.

That seemed likely. Mika decided on her answer immediately.

"Yeah, that was my trap. First time trying something like that, but it went pretty well, huh?"

"…I see."

Hanako flinched slightly at how casually Mika said it, but kept her composure as she pulled a set of documents from her bag.

"These are Azusa-chan’s transfer papers."

"Heh, you stole them? You’ll be in big trouble if you get caught."

Mika didn’t seem fazed at all, even as Hanako produced the files. She must’ve coordinated with the Sisterhood over the last few days.

"Transfer forms, certificates, ID verification… they’re all forged so well there’s almost nothing off about them. But after what happened the other day, we confirmed they’re fakes."

"Hmm, yeah… I didn’t notice that at first either."

"That’s the point."

Hanako pointed to a specific section of the documents.

"Final confirmation of a transfer requires approval from at least one member of the Tea Party. And in Azusa-chan’s case, that person was you, wasn’t it, Miss Mika?"

"…Yeah, that’s right."

"Looking over the entire set, there are small inconsistencies—tiny errors in birthplace, slight variations in handwriting. If it were Seia or Nagisa, they would’ve caught it."

If it were Seia or Nagisa. In other words, Mika wouldn’t have noticed.

That subtle jab irked her, though she kept her polite smile intact.

"Can’t help it if I didn’t notice, right? Sorry about that."

"In other words, you didn’t pass these papers through Nagisa. Is that correct?"

"…"

Step by step, Hanako pressed forward.

"And then, a few months ago—Nagisa, who was trying to identify the ‘traitor within Trinity,’ found these papers and sensed something was wrong. That’s why Azusa-chan was placed in the Supplementary Lessons Department, wasn’t she?"

"…Who knows. I didn’t hear much about the details."

Hanako no longer hid her suspicion, staring straight at Mika.

"…Azusa-chan’s uniform was unusually luxurious. And the decorations—especially the feathers—were ornate."

"Yeah, they were."

"For someone like Azusa-chan, who loves cute things, it didn’t seem strange at first. But after what happened at the Arius Branch, I started thinking differently."

Hanako drew a slow breath, collecting her thoughts.

"That outfit reflected someone deeply familiar with fashion—someone who knew current trends. Would Azusa-chan really have had the time or knowledge for that at the Arius Branch?"

"…Who knows?"

"More importantly… that design, those decorations…"

The uniform had been adorned just enough to avoid gaudiness—fine embroidery, slightly glossy thread, and high-quality fabric. The feather ornament had been thematically consistent, carefully arranged, with subtle floral motifs woven throughout.

"…It fits your taste more than hers, Miss Mika."

"…Hmm."

Mika exhaled softly. She couldn’t bluff her way out of that one. She hadn’t intended to hide it, but she hadn’t expected Hanako to trace it all back this quickly.

Still, she chose to play it through.

"I don’t really get what you’re implying. What exactly are you saying?"

"…Miss Mika. The one who arranged for Azusa-chan’s transfer—in other words, the one who accepted her as a spy… was you, wasn’t it?"

"…"

Good. That’s just fine.

The third clause of the contract: When your life is in danger—physically or socially—prioritize your own safety above all else.

"…And what if I said I didn’t know?"

"……"

"Would you go snitch to Nagisa or something?"

With that, the conditions were fulfilled.

"…Just kidding. You got it right, Hanako-chan. I’m Trinity’s real traitor."

“—!!”

The sharp, breathless gasp—something barely resembling a voice—came from Sensei. Hanako, surprisingly, stayed calm. She didn’t try to say anything.

"So? What now?"

"……"

"You planning to arrest me or something?"

Jokingly, Mika reached for her tea, took a sip, then set the cup back down with a sharp clatter.

"Heh… you two are such idiots."

"…!!"

Her eyes narrowed slightly. That alone was enough to freeze everything—breath, heartbeat, thought.
A suffocating pressure filled the air, sheer and overwhelming.

"Didn’t it ever occur to you you’d just get beaten to a pulp if you tried?"

"We’re not here to do that, Mika."

Breaking through the stillness, Sensei spoke quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Mika. That story you mentioned earlier—it’s not finished yet."

"I’ll hear you out. For now."

The pressure eased—not completely, but enough that breathing became possible again.

"If you were the one who brought Azusa-chan in as a spy… then why did you oppose the Arius Branch back then?"

"Hmm, go on…"

"Mika-san… you must have had your own reasons too, didn’t you? If that’s true, then why—"

Mika suddenly stood up.

"Hey, Sensei."

"……"

Ignoring Hanako’s question, she turned her gaze toward him.

"Why are you here, anyway? You’ve been quiet this whole time."

"Hanako asked me to come. And also…"

Sensei paused for a few beats.

"If Mika’s doing something dangerous, I have to stop her."

"I see."

The answer caught Mika off guard—but in a way, it was exactly what she’d expected.

"Even if I’m a traitor to Trinity?"

"All the more reason to stop you."

"How strange. So if I told you I had circumstances—or that I was being forced, blackmailed, whatever—you’d side with me then?"

"……"

"That’d make you a traitor to the Trinity kids instead."

Even when she pointed that out, Sensei didn’t avert his eyes.

"So… whose side are you on, Sensei?"

"I’m on the students’ side."

"…Wow. Do you even realize how bold that sounds, Sensei?"

Maybe it was because of that answer—so pure it bordered on naïve—but for a fleeting instant, Mika’s intimidating presence faded.

"In that case…"

And in the very next heartbeat, an even greater wave of killing intent burst forth.

"Try protecting them, then!!!"

She kicked the table aside and lunged straight at Hanako.

"!?—"

A sudden attack. Hanako, never particularly strong to begin with, couldn’t react—let alone defend herself. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact.

"…Huh?"

But the blow that came was weak—almost gentle, as though something had caught her instead of striking her. Regaining her balance, she realized—

"Sensei!?"

—she’d been shielded by Sensei.

"No way…!"

But what filled her wasn’t relief—it was dread. Compared to the students, Sensei’s body was fragile. So frail that even a child could overpower him.

And if Sensei had taken a direct hit from Mika—Trinity’s top-class combatant—the result was obvious.

"Mika…san…!!"

Just as anger began to surge—

"…Alright. Got it."

Mika’s voice came out light—almost teasing. That tone alone eased the tension little by little.

"Mika…"

"So you really are on the students’ side, huh? Doesn’t look like a lie. At the very least, you’re willing to throw yourself in the way for them."

Seeing that her fist had only reached Sensei, Mika finally felt a wave of relief.

"Sorry, Sensei. I was just testing something."

Normally, it would’ve been impossible for Sensei to react to Mika’s movements—but she had deliberately angled her fist in a way only he could see. On top of that, she’d made sure Hanako could see it too.

If he hadn’t noticed—or hadn’t moved—she was prepared to strike for real. Fortunately, that hadn’t been necessary.

"Sorry, Sensei… this is all my fault…"

"It’s alright. Don’t worry about it."

"Ah, Sensei, your hair’s all messed up… there, that should do it."

Stretching slightly to make up for the height difference, she ruffled and tidied his hair. Somehow, she ended up back in front of the desk afterward.

"But you know, Sensei… trying to be on the side of all the students? That’s impossible. You shouldn’t push yourself like that."

"……"

"It was good that you protected Hanako just now. But… think about it."

Without meeting his eyes, she poured some tea from a plastic bottle she’d pulled from somewhere into an empty teacup.

"Being on someone’s side means standing against someone else. You can’t please everyone."

"……That’s true…"

"Think carefully. You have to choose. Decide who you’re going to help."

Sensei tried to speak, reaching out to the shadowed figure before him—but Mika cut him off deliberately.

"Ah, and about my own situation…"

He couldn’t get a word out.

"As Hanako said… I’m the one who brought Azusa-chan in. And yes, it’s true I had connections with the Arius Branch."

"I suspected as much…"

"Yeah."

She picked up one of the cookies scattered across the sofa and bit into it. The warm, nutty aroma filled her nose, balanced with just a hint of sweetness.
She wondered if Suou had eaten one—eat it, she told herself silently.

"But… it’s not like I had some grand plan to destroy Trinity or anything…"

Her thoughts drifted back a year, to that fateful encounter.

“—What a beautiful day today!! So peaceful and calm!”

That bright, lively cheerfulness… back then, she hadn’t noticed the darkness hidden behind it.

Since that day, her wishes had multiplied—but the one she’d originally held hadn’t changed.

"I wanted to make peace with the Arius Branch. That’s why I reached out… to the people from Arius."

"……"

"Yeah, I realize now that was reckless. It wasn’t a good idea back then…"

She smiled wryly—almost self-deprecating—and continued, her voice a little subdued.

"But what I realized then… the Arius kids didn’t hate Trinity. On the contrary…"

She almost said they’d welcomed her, but paused, recalling the details. Shiou had treated her with a strange hostility, and Suou as though she were wandering through some idyllic flower garden… Had they really welcomed her? Maybe not as warmly as she thought.

"They welcomed me… yeah, they welcomed me, right?"

"And that awkward pause just now…?"

"Well, there are a lot of… peculiar kids there…"

"…Indeed…"

Her words rang true for both Sensei and Hanako. One was the eccentric Azusa, the other the odd Suou who claimed to be her sister. Definitely a cast of unique personalities.

"So I asked them, ‘Why are you all holed up in the Arius District? If you don’t bear a grudge against Trinity, why not ask for help?’"

"That’s…"

Hanako bit back her words. She could tell it wasn’t that simple—and that interrupting now wouldn’t help.

"They said the people above them… are ‘that kind of person.’ A terrible situation. Even if they didn’t want to, they were forced to do things."

"……"

It matched closely with what Kirihana Suou had explained earlier.

"And then, after all that… I slipped up about Seia-chan’s situation. Because of that, Seia-chan almost had her Halo destroyed. But someone took a risk to cover it up for me."

"……I see."

Mika had never said she’d met Kirihana Suou. Yet what Suou had revealed in that place was something even Nagisa hadn’t known. Gradually, the credibility of Mika’s words grew.

"Then the signing ceremony came up… under orders from above, Azusa-chan infiltrated Trinity as a spy to gather information. That’s how it all began."

"…!"

At that, Hanako and the others finally connected the dots to someone they knew well.

"So… she ended up assigned to the Supplementary Lessons Department. And now, it’s Nagisa’s turn."

"…I see… so, Mika-san, you’re trying to stop that?"

"No."

Mika shook her head slightly, lowering her gaze as she began to speak slowly—carefully choosing her words.

"…Suou-chan… the Arius kids… they were going to fake Nagisa’s death again… for my sake."

"…Mika… you… know Suou too?"

"Yeah. She’s a friend. That’s why I’ve been fighting with Arius."

She lifted her eyes, meeting Sensei’s gaze as she spoke.

"Please, Sensei. Choose Suou-chan. Help Suou-chan… please."

Finally, she voiced the purpose she’d been holding back.

"…Suou? You mean… she won’t be able to see the others from Arius again?"

"…I think that’s not quite it. Sensei, Hanako… have you heard about Suou-chan’s escape plan?"

Sensei gave a slight nod to Mika’s question and explained what he’d heard.

"…At the time of the signing ceremony, they’d first head to Shanhaijing. They’d leave the kids there and… go to the Abydos District, aiming to reconcile with Trinity."

"And?"

"According to that plan, that Kirihana-san… she’d remain imprisoned in Trinity for a while. Maybe that’s what you mean?"

"…I see."

A quiet realization dawned on Mika. Suou hadn’t mentioned the Eden Treaty assault. Her and Suou’s shared goal was the same—the escape of the Arius Branch students and reconciliation with Trinity.

According to Suou, the Eden Treaty assault was necessary for that escape. Mika didn’t know the details, but there had to be a plan.

That made it dangerous to mention the assault here and now.

After all, Sensei had said he stood on the side of all students.

"…What Suou-chan is trying to do isn’t something half-hearted."

"…Eh…?"

Now Mika had to make him understand—just how dangerous Kirihana Suou really was.

"Suou-chan… might, in the worst case, be willing to take on the people controlling the Arius Branch… even if it means risking herself."

"…!? What do you mean?"

"Calm down, Sensei. I’ll explain properly."

She gently stopped Sensei as he leaned forward in alarm. His reaction was only natural—it was hard to believe. Mika herself wished it weren’t true.

"The Arius Branch is probably being targeted by Valkyrie too. They’ve raided shops in the Trinity District for supplies and other reasons."

"…!"

"And the Arius Branch will definitely send pursuers… Sensei, have you heard about the halo-destroying bomb?"

Sensei hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should answer, then slowly nodded.

"Then that makes it simple. If the pursuers use it… someone will have to be sacrificed."

Mika continued explaining the harsh reality no one wanted to face.

"If it comes to that, Suou-chan will try to stop them, even if it means sacrificing herself. That’s the kind of person I’ve seen Kirihana Suou to be."

"……"

Mika recalled Suou’s expression that day—when she’d parted ways with the girl who called her “sister.” She’d thought that sadness was just about the separation. But if it had been a final farewell…

"Mika-san… that’s…"

"Yeah. It’s only my guess. But the truth is, if she decided to, she could do it. She’s as strong as I am… and she even has the halo-destroying bomb."

Mika spoke, knowing full well Hanako might protest.

"…At the signing ceremony, I won’t attend—I’ll watch over Suou-chan. Sensei, I want you to protect the Arius kids from their pursuers. When I say I want you to save Suou-chan, that’s what I mean. And… if possible, I want you to talk with Suou-chan properly again."

Then, standing before Sensei, she bowed deeply.

"…Please, Sensei. Help Suou-chan."

Her words carried weight—heavy, deliberate—as though she were steadying herself with each breath.