Chapter 25: Preparation

As expected, the Make-Up Work Club failed to break through the second exam, overwhelmed by one obstruction after another. And when they returned from the test, they looked completely defeated.

"Ugh, I’m done! I can’t do this anymore! I don’t get it! It’s boring! And it’s so annoying!!"

"Um, well… first, let’s just calm down, okay?"

"How am I supposed to calm down!? And aren’t you guys part of the Tea Party too!? Couldn’t you have done something!?"

Pressed by Koharu, I completely froze. Of course, if I had the authority, I would’ve stopped Nagisa from making sudden changes on a whim.

"We wanted to help too. Really… but we couldn’t do anything."

When Maiha lowered her gaze to the floor, unusually gloomy, Hanako gently tried to reason with Koharu.

"Koharu-chan, Aika-chan and the others are part of the Tea Party’s combat division. I don’t think they were allowed to interfere with our test at all…"

"I know that, but…"

Seeing Koharu slump, frustration built inside me. Seriously, what was Nagisa thinking? No—fine, I know what she was thinking, but still.

"E-Everyone! For now, we need to put our heads together and find some kind of solution! Otherwise, in a week, we’ll really all be expelled together…"

Hearing Hihumi’s words, Hanako’s expression suddenly brightened with an idea. And—ah, no, that look is definitely a bad sign. She started smiling at Koharu and Azusa.

"'Put our heads together'… I see. Not bad, but it doesn’t really strike me. Something more like… hmm… for example, ‘sharing our weak and sensitive spots’? How about that?"

"W-Why would you say something like that out of nowhere!? No dirty jokes allowed! Forbidden! Executed!! And what are you even planning to have us ‘share’!?"

Yep, she really was thinking something indecent. Though maybe she was also trying to blow away Koharu’s negativity. Hard to say.

Masa didn’t seem to understand what the two were talking about at all. Maiha, however, had arrived at the same conclusion I had, watching the exchange with an amused smile.

"Oh? Was that a bit confusing? Then let me demonstrate. Just spread your legs a little and—"

As Hanako slowly stepped toward her, Koharu backed away, trying desperately to maintain distance, but she quickly found herself cornered against the wall with nowhere to escape.

"Eh? N-No—stop! I don’t know what you mean and I don’t want to know and I’m definitely not ready for this!!"

"Here I go ♡"

With a soft thump, Koharu was pushed to the floor, landing on her butt. She twisted desperately, trying to pry off the clinging Hanako.

"S-Stop! Sensei, help!! I’m sorry for speaking casually to my upperclassman! I’ll apologize!! But not this—noooo!!"

Well, Hanako wasn’t actually trying to assault her, so I decided to leave them alone. Meanwhile, Azusa, who had simply been observing the entire chaotic scene, finally spoke.

"I see. So that’s one way of subduing someone. Looks usable in close-quarters combat… but there are too many wasted movements. I would’ve locked the joint two beats earlier."

"Hahaha… Azusa-senpai, I really don’t think that’s what she was going for~"

Maiha corrected her gently, though still smiling wryly. Azusa really was a bit off, but considering the environment she grew up in, I guess it couldn’t be helped. Better not comment further.

"Is that so? Well, it was still useful as reference. Whatever."

"S-Sensei…"

Watching Hihumi glance over helplessly, Sensei replied with a sympathetic, awkward smile.

"…Yeah, I’ll do my best too. And it sounds like Aika and the others will continue helping as well."

"P-Please… We really will all be expelled at this rate…"

And so, once again, we ended up joining the Make-Up Work Club as support for their studies.

That night, Nagisa contacted me, telling me to come to the usual balcony. Wondering what she wanted this time, I went there—only to find one Tea Party administrator, along with Maiha and Masa.

There were only four chairs, including one for me, and no seat at all for Nagisa. Calling us here and then not showing up—what kind of attitude was that…?

"Everyone is here. Then I’ll connect the call."

The administrator started up a tablet and set it on a stand, angling it toward the three of us. After a moment, the screen lit up, and—

〈Good evening, everyone. It has been a while, hasn’t it?〉

"Nagisa-sama…!"

Maiha stared at Nagisa on the tablet with a flat, unamused look. Masa let out a sigh and subtly hid her hands under the table, opening a strategy guide she’d brought. She hadn’t known all the details until Maiha and I explained them earlier, but clearly she still had her own feelings about the situation.

〈My, I don’t seem very welcome. Then again, you two tend to value human emotion more than most. I doubt my methods sit well with you.〉

"…What is your reason for calling us? I assume it wasn’t to start an argument."

〈Quite right, Aika. I intend to assign all of you an important mission as officer cadets.〉

I threw in a small jab, but she ignored it completely and continued.

〈I trust there’s no need to explain the Make-Up Work Club. From what I’ve observed, you’ve already taken independent action and grasped the situation yourselves.〉

"So you’re planning to have us sabotage them next~?"

Maiha responded with a smile. She didn’t state it outright, but her tone made it clear: We don’t want to. We aren’t doing that.

〈No, that’s not it. About one week from now, during the Make-Up Work Club’s final opportunity—the Third Special Academic Examination—we’ve arranged for the Justice Task Force to handle security at the venue. We are short on personnel, so I’d like you to serve as my escort.〉

"Haa… I don’t mind escorting you, but why bring the Justice Task Force to the venue? And saying you’re short on personnel… The number of Task Force members the Tea Party can mobilize isn’t small. Is there truly some reason you can’t even spare enough to guard you, Nagisa-sama?"

Masa voiced her doubts, and Nagisa paused for a moment before replying.

〈That is classified. Top secret. You only need to focus on guarding me on the day.〉

"Wait a moment. That explanation isn’t sufficie—"

Masa was cut off as Nagisa abruptly ended the call.

"…That is all from Nagisa-sama. I am not fully informed of the details myself, so I cannot answer any questions."

The administrator said this curtly, then stood and excused herself, leaving the three of us behind. With the host gone, the tea party ended just like that.

On the way back to our rooms, Masa murmured quietly:

"Honestly… calling such an important meeting and then not even appearing in person… Where is Nagisa-sama, anyway?"

"Hmm, probably a safe house~"

Maiha answered casually, but Masa still looked puzzled.

"A… what is that supposed to mean?"

"A safe house—meaning a hideout, correct?"

I’d heard rumors that Nagisa had dozens of places like that prepared. Both in the game from my previous life and in this world now.

"Yep, exactly~. She’s the leader of the Filius Faction and currently holds the highest authority in Trinity, after all. If she were ever caught in some political crisis, it wouldn’t be strange at all for her to have places ready to disappear to~."

"I see. But… why is she hiding right now?"

Why indeed. Considering everything we’ve learned so far… it’s reasonable to assume she believes the Make-Up Work Club will reveal their true nature as traitors to Trinity and come after her, so she’s hiding until the signing ceremony for the Eden Treaty.

When I said that, Maiha nodded, saying something like, yeah, that’s probably it.

"But still, I just can’t imagine the four members of the Make-Up Work Club doing something like that~."

"I agree. They’re a little… unusual, but they all seem like good people."

A little…? Just a little? Well, I’ll let that slide for now. While reviewing her notes, Maiha continued.

"So, you know, I looked into a bunch of things on my own, and I’ve narrowed down several potential safe houses Nagisa-sama might be using~. I think there were around eighty of them?"

Seeing Maiha casually say that, then mention that once she finishes mapping out the rotation schedule for which safe house Nagisa uses when, Nagisa-sama will be practically exposed… I couldn’t help thinking she’s a terrifying human being. She’s reassuring as an ally, but she’d be incredibly troublesome as an enemy.

"So, once you figure out where Nagisa-sama is staying, what exactly are you planning to do? Charge in?"

Masa, falling back into her habit of trying to solve things by force when they get troublesome, posed the question. But Maiha shook her head.

"Nope. Even if we charged in, we wouldn’t get any real answers, and we’d just end up putting her on pointless alert. So… I think I’ll just wait until the day of the Third Examination~."

"That makes sense, I suppose. I only hope nothing happens on the day of the exam."

The two of them nodded at my words, and we each returned to our respective dorm rooms.