NOVEL NEXT “Ugh, it’s not here either.”
I close the ancient tome that I’ve been awkwardly reading. I’m skimming through it, focusing mainly on the keywords that I absolutely can’t miss, as I haven’t fully gotten used to this archaic Latin yet…
Yet, I still can’t find any clues about the location of the Arius Autonomous District.
I know it’s connected to the Catacombs of Trinity, but realistically, venturing there to find the Arius Autonomous District would be a hassle. I could easily get stuck there, and even if I manage to find the district, running into Beatrice would spell disaster.
If my memory serves me right, the group that erased Arius’s traces was Justina Temple Association, who spearheaded the oppression of Arius while acting as the paws of T-party. In the end, Justina Temple Association even helped Arius rise again, which could be seen as their way of atoning for their actions.
But thanks to your atonement for Arius, I feel like my head might just crack open…
Is it really the only option left to directly go into the Catacombs like this?
I could leave codes scattered around the Catacombs and wait for Arius to pick them up before we make contact. After all, they’d certainly send their underlings to handle this matter, and Beatrice, who sees all of Arius as tools, wouldn’t hesitate to make contact.
The problem is that anyway, I have to go in and out of the Catacombs.
…How did Mika manage to contact Arius in the original work?
Given that T-party should definitely know of Arius’s existence, the whereabouts of Arius likely weren’t even shared with Sisterhood, the immediate successor to Justina Temple Association. Maybe Arius reached out first? That’s something I can’t know.
“The Student Council President’s proposal for the Eden Treaty isn’t far off timing-wise.”
After possessing Mika’s body, I had just finished my second exam at Trinity. With the time for discussions about the Eden Treaty approaching, I must also prepare for contact with Arius.
If Seiya becomes the host, I can’t predict the extent of the changes. Ideally, for my knowledge to be useful, Seiya should step down, and Nagisa should take the host position.
That’s probably the best course of action…
But is following the original work truly the right move?
In the original narrative, Seiya shares some words with Shirase Azusa, one of the members of the Arius Squad who comes to kill her, and pretends to die.
But if a different squad member, rather than Azusa, approaches Seiya because I’ve taken a different route than original Mika…
And if by some chance that squad member happens to be Jomae Saori herself, I can’t absolutely guarantee that Saori won’t destroy Seiya’s Halo.
If that happens, Seiya’s death would be my fault, and similarly, if Saori gets blood on her hands, that too would be my responsibility. All of this because I stubbornly wanted to follow the original work half-heartedly.
Can Seiya’s prophetic dreams protect her from potential accidents?
I recall what she once told me, that when the most important moment arrives, I must not hesitate. Perhaps that means right now.
So, is this choice for myself or for you all? I can’t be sure.
It’s tough. A headache-inducing conundrum. I think it might be better to be open with Seiya.
…But I should think this through a bit more. After all, it seems like I’ll end up revealing my identity sooner or later, so even if it happens a bit earlier, it shouldn’t make a huge difference, yet I still hesitate.
“At least I’m relieved that my exam scores are stable.”
Living through school days twice feels quite strange.
However, daily work stresses and the need to carve out time for personal training make the situation somewhat different from high school days.
Anyway, there’s no need to stress out over studying anymore. As long as I focus during class, maintaining my grades is sufficient. There’s no reason to aim for the highest grades, nor do I have the luxury to do so, so that seems just about right.
Knock, knock—
“Come in☆”
The one who walks through the office door is Nagisa. It’s not particularly surprising. While I have no clue what Seiya does when she’s not working on T-party affairs, Nagisa rather frequently shows up.
That’s fine by me! I get to feast my eyes every time she visits.
“Nice to see you, Mika! I was supposed to meet a student today, but you didn’t forget, did you?”
Did I? I think that rings a bell.
“Ahaha! Sorry, Nagisa-chan! I’ve had a lot on my mind lately… sadly, I forgot☆ So, who were we supposed to meet today?”
“I was just told to meet a student. I thought it would be best to approach it as naturally as possible.”
“Ah…”
Oh, this is definitely about Hanako. No doubt about it.
The exam scores have come out, and it wouldn’t be strange if Hanako’s outrageous results captured some attention. So, has Hanako started to go off the rails around this time?
“So what’s the student’s name? What grade are they in? Oh, if they’re a senior, I’m sorry for calling them a kid!”
“Her name is Urawa Hanako, a first-year in the Glee Club. Well-behaved and neat-looking, she’s a genius who scored full marks on all the third-year advanced course exams, despite still being a first-year. Personally, I think she’s perfect to take over the host position after we graduate.”
“Whoa, what’s that! Amazing! I wonder if she’d help me out with studying if I asked?”
“Mika-san, is it really necessary to rely on your juniors for help…? And that’s not what I meant, does that imply you weren’t satisfied with my help previously?”
Oh? Is this a hint of jealousy I detect? That could be a bit troublesome. I always appreciate Nagisa, after all. I don’t want to create any misunderstandings like this.
“Ahaha, but Nagisa-chan is always busy with work! Besides, I’m only grateful for you, you know? If you hadn’t helped me back then, I might’ve been expelled by now, or maybe I’d have turned into a terrorist that turned Trinity upside down☆”
“Please don’t use those kinds of jokes? There are certain things a host of T-party can say, and joking about being a terrorist is too far.”
“Ahaha☆”
Is it really just a joke? I’m not so sure~
Maybe my inner thoughts were clear on my face, as Nagisa shook her head.
Well, I’m used to this by now. Right, Nagisa?
“Ahem… Anyway, what truly matters is bringing that girl into our T-party. Other factions have their eyes on her, but I believe the best place for her is the host position that will follow us.”
“Well… If she’s that capable, it makes sense everyone would be trying to recruit her. But has anyone thought that she might not want the hassle?”
“…Huh?”
“Nagisa-chan, let’s be a bit more honest! Being involved deeply with the upper echelons of Trinity isn’t always great. Right? I mean, I personally wish Seiya-chan would take the host position as soon as possible. Political dealings with other factions in the academy… Honestly, it’s more frustrating than anything. Would that girl really want a position filled with such troubles? I can’t imagine!”
“Even so, if it’s not her, another student will—
“Nagisa-chan, if we wait, someone will stand out eventually. Capable individuals deserve personal freedom, and she has the right to choose her path! I don’t think we need to overburden her. So try not to rush it☆”
“Sigh… I get your point, but if she suddenly ends up joining Sisterhood or the Rescue Knights, it would really sting.”
“Listen, Nagisa-chan! Everyone is yelling for her to come over to our side, and if they’re all deep into underhanded politics, doesn’t that sound a bit scary? Besides, she’s still just a first-year; I hope she can enjoy her academy life a little more. Don’t you have any regrets about joining T-party in your first year?”
“…The current host of T-party is Mika-san. While I don’t completely agree with what you said, I respect your opinion. I believe Seiya-chan, though not here, would likely agree with you too.”
“Oh, I just got ignored on my question. Not that it matters, but… Aww, now I’m a little sad! Nagisa-chan, you’re too much~”
Just as I was about to say that, I automatically shot up when I saw the roll cake that appeared in front of me. It hasn’t been recent that Nagisa’s tried to shove a roll cake into my mouth, but my body seems to remember the cruelty of roll cake.
“…What are you doing?”
“Oh, ahaha! That just happened unconsciously.”
“You don’t have to go to such lengths just to do something you know I dislike. So please, sit back down.”
With a gentle tone, Nagisa began slicing the roll cake into a bite-sized portion. Just around then, I heard a knock on the door.
Knock, knock—
“Come on in☆”
Moving around Trinity and handling T-party duties, I’ve seen quite a few prominent students. However, every time I meet a new student, I can’t help but feel excited.
With so many cute girls in a male-oriented collection game, it’s really not my fault!
“Nice to meet you all, T-party members. I’m Urawa Hanako, a first-year. How are you all doing?”
“Wow☆”
“…?”
She had quite an elegant vibe as a first-year! This is the kind of Hanako who ended up being shoved into a situation that left her no choice but to turn into a maiden! Perhaps closing down the academy is the answer.
Thinking of her having to wear such a mask like other Trinity students, I feel a strange sense of pity. It’s a bit odd that wearing such a façade has become the norm, isn’t it?
“Wonderful to meet you, Hanako-chan! Now, don’t just stand there, come over here and take a seat. I’ll even pull out a chair for you!”
As her aristocratic persona crumbled, a look of bewilderment filled with question marks emerged. Hanako would never have imagined the current host of Trinity would be this kind of person.
“Oh, by the way, I’m Misono Mika! And this busy lady right here is Kirihouji Nagisa, someone who I cherish highly. I sometimes worry she might collapse from working too hard!”
“…Ah, yes… I see…?”
Absolutely caught up in my pace, Hanako fell into utter confusion. Urawa Hanako, prior to awakening as a maiden, you’re nothing but an underwhelming punching bag…!
“…If I collapse, it’ll be all Mika-san’s fault.”
Oh? Where did that sense of disaster come from? Is it just my imagination?