Chapter 12: Into Hell

Ah, greetings, everyone. It’s me.

Where am I now? …Even I wouldn’t break a promise. After all, I’ve already put the grilled meat bento in my stomach. That’s why, reluctantly, I’ve come to Trinity General Academy. It’s not like I’m afraid of punishment.

I walked down the hallway, following the scenery I had stored in my memory. Apparently, the view I passed through two years ago hasn’t changed much since those days I had tried so hard to shove into the farthest corner of my mind.

"Eh… wh-what’s that?"

"Some cleaning staff? But… that can’t be…"

"I heard someone important was coming today—maybe it’s them?"

"A big Boston bag… Should I inform the vice president just in case…?"

During break, the hallway was filled with groups of students chatting—people completely unrelated to me. As I approached, they cleared a path as if Moses himself had parted the sea.

After I passed, quiet whispers followed behind me. They were surely talking about me—but it didn’t matter.

In the past, every single whisper would have kept me awake at night, spiraling with thoughts like “Maybe they’re talking badly about me?”, until the discomfort made me run away. But I don’t do that anymore.

I, too, evolve, my friends.

"Here you go."

Once the crowd thinned out, I stopped before a large, ornate door and knocked four times. After receiving acknowledgment from inside, I opened it.

"…! Amari, you’re Komori-san, right?"

"That’s right. And you… the one who summoned me here… Kirifuji Nagisa, yes?"

Beyond the grand doors was a sunlit room, light streaming in from an open balcony. At a large table, set with a full tea service, sat a woman with angelic wings, elegantly sipping tea.

From what I’d heard beforehand… yes, this must be the person Sensei said wanted to speak with me. A total pain in the ass, no doubt.

Fine. I’ll give you what you want—a conversation. But not with my body language. I’m not that emotional. I can endure this… for now.

"I apologize for summoning you out of the blue. But I’ve long wanted to speak with you. You were once called the Lady of Silence. Even though you were considered for tea parties, your solitary nature meant no one dared approach you. After the high school entrance ceremony, you suddenly vanished—"

"Cut the long-winded preamble. Get to the point."

…What is this woman even talking about? I rushed her because I didn’t understand, but seriously—Lady of Silence? I just didn’t talk. Solitary nature? I didn’t choose it. Suddenly vanished? I hid in my room!

Is she mocking me? She dragged me to this hellish place and that’s her opening line? Can I go home already?

"Yes, about the main topic… but first, may I see you?"

"Hm? You’re looking at me right now."

"N-no, that’s not what I mean…"

"Then what do you mean?"

"You’re not… as mechanical as you look, Komori-san!?"

She pointed at me—through the screen.

"...I got into an accident while skipping school. This body… see, even the Halo…"

"Shall I just throw that roll cake into your Boston bag?"

"Eek…"

…Uh… what is this young lady?

Well, it can’t be helped. If she throws something like that into my room, it’ll damage the delicate machinery of my game systems and controllers.

"…Hah… gloomy, depressing…"

Manipulating the controller, I had the Cleaner—dressed beneath their usual black coat in a Trinity uniform—unzip the Boston bag, reach inside, and lift my real body out.

Position-wise, it looked exactly like a princess carry. Or, given the size difference… more like cradling a baby sideways. Let’s not linger on that.

"…It’s been a while, Komori-san."

‘Sorry, but I don’t recall. Have we met somewhere before?’

"We were in the same middle school, right!? …Or are you not going to speak directly…?"

‘Actually, while skipping school, I damaged my throat…’

"But you just spoke a moment ago, didn’t you?"

‘…It’s easier and faster to type in chat.’

"…So that’s the kind of person you are…"

In reality, voice input would’ve been faster, but expecting me to speak normally in front of others is about as reasonable as ordering Sensei to mass-produce the OOPArt, SITTEM’s box.

"…Well, whatever. Let’s get to the main point. Komori-san, I assume that’s fine with you?"

‘Much appreciated.’

"…Then, Komori-san, do you know the term Eden Treaty?"

‘Ah, I’ve heard of it. If I recall correctly, it’s a non-aggression treaty between Trinity and Gehenna… right?’

"That’s roughly correct. The neutral organization attended by key members from both Gehenna and Trinity, called the ‘Eden Treaty Organization’ or ‘ETO,’ was formed to prevent conflicts—"

‘Fine. You don’t need to explain further.’

"Really?"

‘Yes. Just tell me what you want me to do.’

"…Very well. I’ll be blunt. I want you to serve as my bodyguard and deal with any troublemakers, traitors, or third parties attempting to obstruct the Eden Treaty."

‘I see…’

Troublemakers, sure… but traitors? That’s a different matter.

‘…If you’re talking about troublemakers, isn’t it obvious to entrust me with it?’

"Obvious?"

‘Yes. You’re aware that I’m “someone,” right? A cleaner who’ll do anything for money… hardly someone trustworthy.’

"True enough… But the Eden Treaty, which maintains peace between Gehenna and Trinity, should benefit you as well, shouldn’t it? You, the engineer of Problem Solver 68?"

‘…So you knew that much.’

I should have scrambled the information better, but… once the Cleaner lost to Problem Solver 68, and a new “employee” appeared—as a robot—the conclusion was predictable.

…Fine. I don’t mind taking the job. Reducing friction between Trinity and Gehenna helps everyone. Plus, it improves the situation with Problem Solver 68, and prevents repeats of what happened with that senior.

‘Hah… Fine. It’s irritating how everything seems to be under your control… but I’ll accept.’

"Thank you."

‘…Then, what will you pay in return? A cleaner’s fee isn’t cheap.’

"Isn’t it already settled by exempting you from repeating a year?"

‘…Tch. Fine.’

…Damn it, this is the worst. This is why I hate upbeat people. There’s no way I can beat someone so socially capable. Enough already.

"…Hah… You already have predictions about the traitors…?"

"Oh, so you do speak?"

"…I’m used to it… or rather, I have to get used to it… since I’ll be talking anyway as a bodyguard… So? The predictions…?"

"Yes. Down to about four people."

"Wow… impressive… seriously, my least favorite type…"

"I don’t dislike them, you know? They’re like little animals."

"Ugh…"

Stop calling people small animals… Still, narrowing thousands of Trinity students down to four suspects is inhuman.

…But if you flip that around, it means those four are very suspicious. Either someone manipulated information, or maybe…

No—Trinity simply has too many “dangerous elements.”

There are the three main factions—Pater, Filius, and Sanctus—but outside the Tea Party she belongs to, there are groups like the Justice Task Force, the Remedial Knights, and the Sisterhood. Too many organizations to count. And I doubt all of them want the Eden Treaty—peace between Gehenna and Trinity.

That’s how deep the divide runs.

"…Anyway, if you’ve narrowed the suspects down, why not… eliminate them already…?"

"That’s only a last resort. Besides, we’ve gathered them under the name of the Make-Up Work Club and entrusted them to Sensei from SCHALE."

"…I see. I suppose even you wouldn’t… execute innocent people… along with the guilty… You’re not that heartless… huh…? Sensei…?"

"Yes. …What’s wrong? Your face is red."

"N-no… it’s… nothing…"

…If Sensei is involved, he can’t exactly take extreme measures.

"Let me confirm something: I’m not required to stay on campus the entire time, correct?"

"Oh, you’re heading back? Yes, that’s right. But I’d like you by my side for the week leading up to the Eden Treaty."

"So you can monitor me to make sure I don’t try anything suspicious, correct?"

"……"

"…Whatever. I’ll return for now. I need to report to my boss anyway. Also, for the week before the Eden Treaty, allow only this unit to act as your escort. Even if I were physically present, I wouldn’t be much of a fighting asset."

"Understood."

"One more thing… may I meet those four members of the Make-Up Work Club? I want to confirm the potential traitors in person."

"…That’s fine."

"Then I’ll take my leave."

After saying that, I tucked myself back into the duffel bag and had the Cleaner carry me toward the door. I was done here. There’s no way I’m staying in a place like this. I’m going home.

That’s when it happened.

"Ah!?"

A sudden jolt ran through the unit—something had bumped into it.

"Huh? Komori-chan?"

Through the screen—no, not even through the screen. Through a small gap in the zipper I forgot to close, a pair of dull yellow eyes met mine, and for some reason, a chill shot down my spine.

"Eep…"

I almost cried a little.