Before me stood a girl from the Prefect Team. I had met her by chance a little over a week ago, in one of D.U.'s parks.
She didn't seem hostile, and clearly wasn't familiar with the situation here. Curious, I asked, "You don't know?"
"I just got back from a business trip and happened to pass by... From your tone, are you saying one of the sides fighting nearby is our Prefect Team?"
The white-haired, violet-eyed girl frowned slightly. "This area borders another academy's autonomous zone."
That word, "borders," caught my attention, and I couldn't help feeling a bit odd about it.
So even other academies knew about the change in Abydos' land ownership, yet Abydos itself didn't?
While secretly sending a rescue message through Momotalk, I tried to keep my tone calm. "Come to think of it, we haven't introduced ourselves yet. I'm the Sensei from Schale."
"…My apologies. I'm Sorasaki Hina, Chairwoman of the Prefect Team. Pleased to meet you."
That was an unexpected answer.
Looking at Hina, I thought of Hoshino, then of Saya, and suddenly a strange idea came to mind, could it be that the true leaders of every academy in Kivotos all happened to be so… petite?
Pandemonium Society? Please, don't try to pick a fight with the Prefect Team.
Still, for the Chairwoman to not know me, nor be aware of this operation, it had to be that scheming Ako acting on her own again.
Why would she go so far as to keep this whole operation secret from her own Chairwoman?
Wait, could it be she was afraid Hina would disapprove?
Since the administrative officer made that judgment without consulting her superior, then obviously… I had every reason to report her.
Heh heh heh. You're finished. I'm going straight to your boss to snitch on you!
I sighed and glanced toward the battlefield. "Maybe it's because I accepted the Tea Party's invitation but turned down the Prefect Team's. Your administrative officer might think my presence threatens the political balance."
"…I see. My apologies."
"The one who should apologize is me. I actually intended to visit the Prefect Team first, but…"
I sighed and brought up an email for Hina to see.
It was from the Chairwoman of the Pandemonium Society, inviting me to conquer Kivotos, starting with the downfall of the Prefect Team's Chairwoman.
Hina read it in silence, her expression darkening by the second.
And then...
"Sensei! I came to save... Hi-hi-hi-Hina?!"
Aru burst out from behind cover, having received my SOS, but froze instantly like she had seen a ghost.
Right… I forgot to message her that she didn't need to come anymore.
But surely Aru wouldn't hold that against me! Not if she still wanted to live in my house for free, sleep on my big soft bed, and use my bathtub.
Hina's cold gaze swept over the trembling Aru before she turned to me.
"…Miss Rikuhachima Aru, and Problem Solver 68. So that's the pretext Ako used to mobilize her troops?"
"That's right."
"In every sense, it seems we've troubled you. Please wait a moment."
After apologizing, Hina opened a comm line to Ako.
Aru edged behind me, tugging gently at my sleeve, eyes glistening with tears.
Oh no. Seeing such a cute face made me want to tease her. I was starting to understand Mutsuki now.
"I'm, um, in… the outskirts of Gehenna! J-just doing routine patrols with the team!"
On the other end, confronted by Hina's questioning, Ako was frantically trying to lie her way out.
Hina sighed, stepped forward a couple of paces, and adjusted the camera so I'd appear in frame.
Smiling brightly, I waved to the dumbstruck Ako. "Heeey, Ako-chan! It's the Sensei from Schale! Everything good over there~?"
"You… the Chairwoman… both of you… how…"
Hina nodded to me, stepped out from cover, and I naturally followed behind, idly wondering what Hina's wings might feel like to the touch.
With Hina's arrival, the battle ceased almost immediately.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Kayoko frown before pulling Haruka and Mutsuki with her, quietly slipping out through the crowd.
When I turned around again, Aru was already gone too.
Now that was an impressively practiced escape.
But I figured Hina must have noticed all of it; she just didn't care to intervene.
I faintly remembered a conversation that followed.
"Ako, I already know everything."
"Wha... wait, Chairwoman! You can't believe the slander that shameless adult is spreading about me!"
"You're the one slandering me!"
Hina sighed. "Ako, leave the job of identifying and removing destabilizing elements to the Pandemonium Society. We'll discuss the details once we're back. After you end this call, stay in the school building and reflect on your actions."
"…Understood."
Before cutting the connection, Ako shot me a sharp glare. Guess she's holding a grudge.
All the more reason… I should get on Hina's good side as soon as possible.
Once she finished dealing with Ako, Hina turned her attention toward the Abydos group.
"We're the Abydos Foreclosure Task Force. You must be the Chairwoman of Gehenna's Prefect Team, right? Nice to meet you. Have you been briefed on the current situation?" Ayane asked.
"Of course." Hina glanced at me, then called, "Iori, Chinatsu."
Under the Chairwoman's lead, the two senior members of the Prefect Team both bowed deeply.
"Without prior notice, we mobilized troops on our own and caused unrest within another academy's autonomous zone. I, Sorasaki Hina, Chairwoman of Gehenna's Prefect Team, formally apologize to the Abydos Foreclosure Task Force.
"From now on, the Prefect Team of Gehenna will not invade this area without authorization. Please accept our apologies."
After saying that, Hina lifted her head. Her eyes opened for a moment, then narrowed again, sharp as blades.
Her gaze locked on someone. "Takanashi Hoshino?"
"Uhehe∼ What's up~? Did I miss something again, old man∼?"
Arriving fashionably late, Hoshino stumbled right into the middle of the apology scene. "Sorry, sorry~ I was planning to nap for a bit at noon, but I overslept. Looks like everything's been resolved already? Thanks to Sensei again?"
"…Takanashi Hoshino. Compared to how you were in your first year, you're like a completely different person. I thought you'd left Abydos after that incident."
What kind of person had Hoshino been back in her first year?
Her usual lazy smile was gone, replaced by a cold, expressionless face. She said nothing.
Hina didn't press further and simply turned away. "Iori, Chinatsu, we're leaving."
The girl named Iori looked reluctant, but one stern glance from Hina was enough to make her comply.
As Hina passed by me, she paused for a moment. "Sensei, have you heard of the Kaiser Corporation?"
"They're my enemies."
"…"
Hina seemed momentarily thrown off by my blunt reply before continuing quietly. "This is information neither the Pandemonium Society nor the Tea Party knows, but I thought you should hear it.
"In the abandoned desert of Abydos… the Kaiser Corporation seems to be scheming something there.
"Technically, I have no obligation to share this with a school that's on the verge of closure, but… consider it a courtesy.
"Until next time, Sensei."
"Wait."
I stopped her and pulled out my phone. "Can I add you on Momotalk first?"
"…Huh? I suppose… there's no reason not to."
Contact with Hina: acquired da☆ze!
Seizing the moment, I pressed on. "Can I come visit the Prefect Team tomorrow?"
"…Is this about work?"
Maybe it was my imagination, but she seemed a little flustered.
"Yeah. I've already visited the Tea Party and the Seminar, so I really should visit the Prefect Team too."
"The Pandemonium Society is… never mind. Fine, I understand."
Remembering how unreliable the Pandemonium Society was, Hina agreed.
"Then I'll be expecting your visit tomorrow."
After setting our appointment, Hina and her subordinates swiftly withdrew.
All prerequisites met. A most delightful development awaits.