Chapter 7: Interview

The holidays ended, and classes finally began. The first day wrapped up with a broad overview of the coursework, and from the next day onward we started the actual lessons. Most of them involved BD-based video learning, where we listened to lectures given by robot instructors while taking notes.

…Though honestly, it was pretty boring. I may have been reincarnated, but in my previous life I still completed higher education. Listening to this material again, I couldn’t help thinking, We’re really covering stuff at this level…?

Not that this was new—ever since realizing I’d reincarnated, I had already gone through elementary and middle school all over again. If I let my guard down, I’d end up losing points on tests to silly mistakes or blank moments, so I still made sure to do my homework and review my notes.

After settling into this routine, I returned to the dorms after class and checked the mailbox outside my room. Usually it was empty, or maybe held a flyer from a nearby shop. But today was different. Inside was a white envelope made of unusually high-quality paper with a gold trim—and, surprisingly, sealed with a wax emblem. And the design on the seal was…

"Tea Party…"

A white feather and a teacup, along with the words Tea Party. Yes—this was the emblem of the Tea Party, the student council of Trinity General School.

"D-Did I… do something wrong!?"

Had I offended someone important? Ah—could it be because of that commotion at the shopping mall the other day? Am I… getting expelled!?

"F-For now, let’s go back to my room and see what it says."

I muttered to myself, trying to stay calm, then hurried back to my room.

Carefully, I opened the letter on my study desk. Summarized, this is what it said:

"Gion Aika-sama has been recognized as possessing the abilities befitting a member of the Tea Party and is therefore eligible to attend an interview with the Tea Party Host. The interview will be held at the date and time listed below. If you do not intend to participate, please report this to the designated office before the specified deadline."

At the end was what appeared to be a handwritten signature: Kirifuji Nagisa.

The moment I finished reading, I stared blankly into space for several seconds.

Wait—recruited by the Tea Party? An interview? Seriously?

"This isn’t… forged, right? The seal and the signature both look genuine, and no one would go out of their way to send a prank like this to a first-year like me…"

More than that—abilities befitting the Tea Party? I don’t think I’m that capable. Was this put in my mailbox by mistake?

"But it definitely says Gion Aika-sama, so it really is addressed to me… right?"

What should I do? Well… since they actually invited me, I guess I should go. Besides, I haven’t joined any committees or clubs yet, so my schedule is free.

"…I suppose… I should go."

There was no point agonizing over it. If something goes wrong, I’ll deal with it then.

The day of the interview arrived. Nervous, I walked to the designated location—one of the large rooms with an attached terrace that the Tea Party often used for tea gatherings.

"Here for the interview? Your name, please."

"Gion Aika."

"Gion Aika… Yes, confirmed. This way, please."

Entering from the hallway, I was greeted by a receptionist wearing the white sailor uniform with a cape—the signature attire of Tea Party members—and had my name checked.

When the door to the terrace opened and I stepped outside, the person waiting there was—

"Good day to you, Gion Aika-san."

"Y-Yes…! Kirifuji… Nagisa-sama."

A young woman with flaxen hair—the one I’d seen at the entrance ceremony. She was the leader of the Filius faction and the current Host* of the Tea Party.

"Please, no need to be so tense. Have a seat."

"Y-Yes, pardon me…"

I sat in the chair set across from her.

"First, as mentioned in the letter—I would like to congratulate you on your enrollment into Trinity General School’s High Division."

"Thank you very much, Kirifuji-sama."

"Just call me Nagisa. Now, Aika-san—I understand you entered Trinity not through internal promotion but as an external applicant. What inspired you to choose Trinity?"

Oh—so we’re moving naturally into the interview questions. My nerves tightened again.

"Yes, I lived in a rural area on the outskirts, but when it came time to enter high school, I wanted to learn more about the world beyond my hometown. Of the three major schools, Trinity General School was the closest, so I chose to apply here."

Good—said it properly. As an external applicant, I knew I’d definitely be asked why I chose Trinity, so I’d prepared my answer beforehand. It wasn’t a lie—the preparation was just mental rehearsal.

"I see. Trinity has many historical buildings, such as the Antiquarian Hall and the Old Cathedral, and also houses what is said to be the largest library in all of Kivotos. I, too, believe there is no better place for someone seeking to broaden their knowledge."

With that, Nagisa delicately picked up her teacup and brought it to her lips, taking a refined, graceful sip. As I quietly watched her—

"Aika-san, won’t you have some tea as well?"

"I—oh, no, I just wasn’t sure if I was allowed to drink it on my own… but if you’re offering, then I’ll gladly have some."

I reached for the teacup set before me and took a cautious sip. In my previous life, I’d hardly ever drunk tea, so I wasn’t familiar with it. But this blend had no strong quirks—just a gentle, pleasant fragrance.

"How is it?"

"Yes, it’s very delicious. I’m not very good with flowery descriptions, so this may sound ordinary, but…"

"I’m glad to hear that. I brewed it myself. Collecting high-quality tea leaves, preparing tea snacks… the arrangements for tea gatherings are my hobby."

"I see…"

In the game from my previous life, it had also been stated that her hobbies included collecting tea leaves, making sweets, and tending gardens. A tea party must be, for her, a place where she can fully indulge in what she loves—at least when politics aren’t involved.

"Do you have any hobbies as well, Aika-san?"

"Hobbies, you say? Let me think… I play piano, and I also enjoy handcrafts. I’m fond of dolls, too."

"Dolls… for example, characters like the Momo Friends?"

"Yes. Among the Momo Friends, I especially like Angry Adélie. Do you know her as well, Nagisa-sama?"

When I asked that, Nagisa’s expression softened ever so slightly.

"A friend of mine is a huge Momo Friends fan, so I’ve been learning a bit about them."

A friend who was a massive Momo Friends fan… that was almost certainly Ajitani Hifumi.

"And… come to think of it, Aika-san, your personal weapon—is that a muzzle-loading gun? It’s quite retro."

"Um… this is more of a sub-weapon. The one registered as my primary firearm is different."

I hadn’t expected her to ask about my gun, so my reply came a beat late. Honestly, anyone would be curious if I walked around with an artifact from a bygone era.

"This one is a spare we used back home for driving off wild boars, but my primary firearm can’t be brought into tight spaces."

"I see—so that’s the reason. However, a musket would put you at a disadvantage in combat… If you decide to join the Tea Party, you’ll be issued a minimum set of equipment, so please feel free to try it."

"Yes, of course."

Wait… judging by her wording, is my joining the Tea Party already halfway decided?

"Well then… that concludes the interview. Thank you for your time, Aika-san. You may leave now."

"Y-Yes… then, please excuse me. Pardon me."

I stood up, bowed to Nagisa, and stepped out onto the terrace. Wondering what the result of the interview would be, I headed back to the dormitory.

When Kirifuji Nagisa first learned of Gion Aika’s existence, her initial impression could be summed up in a single word—suspicious. A girl who had entered not through internal advancement but from outside, who posted high academic performance, and who produced outstanding results on the tactical test given immediately after enrollment. And as if that weren’t enough, the Justice Task Force had reported that she was confronted at a commercial facility in Trinity’s central district by a group of delinquent students—and single-handedly defeated all five using nothing but an old-style musket.

With the Eden Treaty approaching, it wasn’t unreasonable for Nagisa—already driven to paranoia by Seia’s collapse—to wonder whether this exceptional first-year, Gion Aika, had been planted in Trinity as a spy.

In a normal year, participants for the Tea Party and its subordinate organizations would be chosen from submitted applications through a document screening process. But this year, the Tea Party was selecting potential candidates in advance, sending them letters, and determining acceptance through personal interviews. This system was part of Nagisa’s strategy to identify any suspicious individuals who might interfere with the Eden Treaty—or worse, target her or her closest friend and lifelong companion, Misono Mika. Adding Aika’s name to the candidate list and calling her in for an interview was part of that plan.

However, once she actually met Gion Aika, the girl appeared visibly nervous during their conversation and came across, throughout the interview, as an unsophisticated country noble’s daughter who had simply admired Trinity and enrolled out of that admiration. Nothing about her behavior stood out as suspicious. As for the musket she had used during the brawl, it seemed to be nothing more than a spare hunting gun. Odd in its own way, but not impossible—especially considering someone like Mika existed. Nagisa accepted that explanation, if somewhat forcefully.

To be fair, if it weren’t right before the Eden Treaty, and if Seia hadn’t fallen, Nagisa probably wouldn’t have paid Aika any special attention at all. But even after conducting the interview, she still couldn’t entirely dispel her doubts.

"The Make-Up Work Club… is probably out of the question. Her grades aren’t bad enough."

The Make-Up Work Club. Officially, it existed to provide intensive lectures for underperforming students to raise their grades, though it wasn’t a permanent organization and was established only as needed.

But Nagisa intended to impose upon this club a new condition: Students who fail to achieve a certain academic standard will be expelled from Trinity. Her plan was to gather those who seemed likely to cause trouble during the Eden Treaty negotiations—potential traitors to Trinity—and force them out en masse through expulsion.

She had already selected several candidates, but she needed to continue observing Aika. Aika was a new student with no influence or connections, but even if she had no intention of interfering with the Eden Treaty, a first-year with her level of combat ability could easily be manipulated by an actual “traitor” and pushed into taking action against Gehenna.

Yes—someone like the Justice Task Force, for example, an organization that tended toward hawkish attitudes, especially now that its vice-chairwoman held an openly negative view of Gehenna.

"Come to think of it, Tsurugi-san mentioned being curious about her. …I’m sorry for her, but it would be best to place Aika-san under the Tea Party’s authority, not the Justice Task Force."

If radicals within JTF attempted to attack Gehenna during the Eden Treaty discussions, their available combat strength needed to be reduced as much as possible. At the same time, the Tea Party needed as much strength as it could gather to stop such an incident.

Of course, Nagisa intended to apply “adjustments” to prevent such things from happening in the first place. But to eliminate even the smallest potential threat to the Eden Treaty, she decided that Gion Aika would be placed under the Tea Party—and therefore under her direct supervision.

"Even if it means earning some resentment, this is something I must accomplish. All of it is for…"

She lifted her teacup and quietly swallowed the rest of her sentence along with the tea. Even she didn’t know what the next words would have been.