Chapter 13: The Darkness of a Schoolgirl

"Komori-chan? Komori-chan, right!?"

"…!?"

『Stop!』

A pair of yellow eyes suddenly leaned in, closing the distance in an instant. Her highlightless gaze fixed on the zipper of the Boston bag and tugged at it.

No way. Absolutely not. If she opened it, I’d probably die. That instinct kicked in and I grabbed my controller to stop her— but…

"Don’t get in the way, okay?"

Her voice carried zero warmth, and the cold stare she shot through the screen made me drop the controller on reflex.

"Komori-chaaaan…? Hm?"

"…!"

No way I’m letting you! I grabbed the zipper from the inside as it began sliding down and resisted with every ounce of strength I had.

All right, contested roll time. My STR as the defender: 10. Meanwhile Miss Yellow-Eyes-No-Highlights: STR 180*1. Yep, thanks for playing. Automatic failure.

My resistance ended immediately as the zipper—my last line of defense—was pulled open. Sunlight streamed in, and—

Two arms reached inside.

"!?！？！？！？！?"

"I knew it! It is you! Long time no see!"

My eyes burned from the sudden light, and my whole body felt weightless. It took several seconds just to process anything.

But as my vision adjusted, the situation became clearer.

Hands gripping me around the waist. A living person’s gaze staring down from way above. And then— a soft, white wall filling my entire view.

…Nope. Still didn’t understand what was happening.

But one thing I did understand:

"I… ca… can’t… breathe…"

If this continued, I was genuinely going to suffocate.

"Oh! S-Sorry! Are you okay?"

"Uh… wh-who…?"

"What!? You don’t remember!? It’s me!"

"I don’t… know any… hyper extroverts… So let go. I’m melting…"

"Melting!?"

Right. Excessive contact with an introvert is forbidden. When pushed past their limit, introverts melt. Their fluids seep into the earth and turn it into a barren wasteland.

…Okay, jokes aside—me knowing this girl? Impossible. In this academy, I shouldn’t have any acquaintances. I shut myself in right after the entrance ceremony. And as for middle school… my memories say I ate lunch alone every day.

A mental search returns zero hits— …hm? Wait. This hair… I’ve definitely seen it before. Oh! I remember now! That one! The blindingly radiant extrovert who was the only one to talk to me during the entrance ceremony!

"…You’re… the pink one… from back then…?"

"Wow, I didn’t expect to be remembered like that, but I’m glad you remember me."

"Even though you forgot about me…"

The pink one from that time. The saint who spoke to me when no one else did. I’m still grateful— and guilty— toward her.

"Um… I-I’m sorry…"

"Huh? What’s wrong all of a sudden?"

"…I… ran away from you… back then…"

Yes. I ran. Even though I was the one wishing to talk to someone, to join everyone— when she reached out her hand, I bolted. It was unbelievably rude. Thinking back, something similar happened in middle school too. She spoke to me many times, and each time I hurried away… apparently. My pre-memory introvert self was committed. Not that current me is much better.

"It’s okay. You were nervous, right? It happens."

An angel. Literal wings. She must be an angel.

"Th… thank… you…"

"Why does your attitude change so much with me…?"

Of course it does, you damn extrovert-cream-roll princess. You dragged me into this hell, threatened me, forced me into an unfair contract? Compared to her— the pink saint who reached out again and again to guide a hopeless introvert like me toward the sun— how could you even compare, idiot!

"But anyway… sorry, okay?"

"Huh…?"

"You stopped coming to school because the Gehenna girls bullied you, right?"

"Y… yes…"

"So I keep thinking… if I’d helped you back then, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out like this."

"Th-that’s not true…"

It really isn’t. She was a first-year like me back then— there’s no way she could’ve beaten those upperclassmen. Besides, even if I had kept attending, according to that roll-cake princess, I might’ve been forced into the Tea Party. And if that happened, the stress alone would’ve made me quit anyway.

Did anyone really think I could survive in a gloomy, aristocratic-looking girls' academy like this? The environment is entirely different from my natural habitat. It’s like tossing a kakapo*2 into the savannah.

"But it’s okay now! From now on, I’ll protect you properly! I’ll beat up every bad person for you!"

"Eh… um… th-that’s…"

Hmm? The atmosphere just shifted.

"For example… the person who locked you up in here."

"Wait— hold on!?"

I couldn’t stop her. Still holding me against her chest, the pink-haired girl grabbed the Cleaner—who had been standing completely still—by the neck with lightning speed.

Holy crap, she’s strong!? That machine is actually heavy, right!? And she’s… lifting it? With one hand!? Terrifying. And is that… creaking? Did something just crunch inward? Did it dent? Scary…

No— focus!

"W-Wait…!"

"It’s okay, Komori-chan. This time, I’ll protect you for sure."

"That’s… not… what I meant…!"

"Please stop, Mika-san. Actually listen to what Komori-san is trying to say."

"Nagi-chan…?"

"…!"

Nagisa, you absolute champion!! No— allow me to call you Lady Nagisa! Please! We’re best friends now! I love you! Mwah mwah mwah! (terribly performed air kisses)

"Ah, Komori-cha—"

"S-Sorry!"

Okay! I’m running away now! I screamed internally as I took advantage of the surprise on Mika-san’s face. Slipping free from her grip with a practiced motion, I snatched my controller and dove back into the safety of the Boston bag.

It all happened within seconds. My movements were so practiced I slid back into my mobile home with professional-level speed.

『Kirifuji Nagisa. Your request has been accepted. You have my deepest gratitude. In the name of Problem Solver 68, I shall protect you to the very end. And with that, I take my leave.』

Seizing the moment while attention shifted toward me, I commanded the Cleaner to slap Mika’s hand away and break free. Then, reciting the above line at lightning speed, it sprinted through the doors and vanished.

"Hey! Stop!"

Mika shouted in a shockingly fierce voice, about to run after me— until someone stopped her.

"The one who needs to stop is you, Mika-san. …Honestly, did you forget whose turn it was to come today?"

Lady Nagisa. Truly, I love her. I leave the rest to you.

"Eh!? Um… it was the Cleaner… right? The one who carried Komori-chan away just now…"

"Correct. And I explained what kind of person controls that Cleaner, didn’t I?"

"A… a member of Gehenna’s Problem Solver 6-8, who operates robots… Wait. So that means that was… Komori-chan…?"

"…You finally realized?"

Nagisa let out a long sigh—part exasperation, part relief. At least Mika finally understood the robot was Komori herself, and things weren’t unfolding the way she imagined.

"But… then, that means Komori-chan is still…"

But she overlooked something. No—she simply had no way to notice. Mika’s true nature. And where her anger was about to be directed.

"Mika-san? Did you say something?"

"Nope☆ Nothing at all."

Mika smiled sweetly. Like an angel.

My sanity plummeted in an instant, and I was on the verge of temporary madness.
Yes—me. The resident gloomy introvert.

God, that was terrifying. This academy truly is a den of monsters. There’s no way a creature of darkness like me can survive here.

Also… I ran away from her again, but isn’t that reasonable? I apologized, so honestly I think I did well, right? Please agree with me, my guilt is chewing on my soul.

…Okay, yeah. I do feel bad. But can I explain? I was genuinely scared. Like standing in front of a predator so far above you that fighting back isn’t a concept. She had a full-on predator face. If that went on even a second longer, I’d have been eaten.

"…A-and… that’s what… happened… yes."

"…Huh?"

Oh right, I hadn’t checked on the suspects earlier. Well, I’ll do it tomorrow—survival comes first. I can look while doing escort duty.

"W-wait. Hold on a moment, okay?"

"Yes…?"

"E-Eden Treaty’s…? Nagisa from the Tea Party?"

"Ah… and also… I met someone named Mika…"

Aru-sama, listening to my report, stared at me with an absolutely wild expression…

"…You… you didn’t do anything disrespectful, did you?"

"She almost shoved a roll cake into my mouth."

"A-and that Mika person?"

"She strangled the Cleaner."

"WAAAAAAAAAAAH!?"

Whoa!? Please don’t scream like that!

"What do I do, what do I do, what do I do!? They’ve absolutely set their sights on you now!! Actually—Komori, are YOU okay!?"

"I-I’m f-fine… but… what’s wrong, Aru-sama…?"

"Komori!"

"Hya— y-yes!?"

Too close!! Don’t bring your face that close! It’s bad for my heart! What if I ascend on the spot from your cool, handsome face!? Is this a reward!?

"Listen carefully, okay? You must succeed in this mission! Understand!?"

"I-I know. I’ll complete any request I accept… I won’t disgrace the name of Problem Solver 68…!"

"A-absolutely, okay!?"

"Absolutely… yes…!"

And just like that, at point-blank romantic-comedy distance, I swore my oath to Aru-sama.

Completely unaware that it was already far too late.