At that moment, so many thoughts rushed through my mind.
Why was Hoshino pointing a gun at me? Why was she calling me a liar? Why now, of all times?
There were too many questions I couldn't answer.
In the end, all of them condensed into one frail, powerless question.
"Hoshino, what are you talking about?"
"How long are you planning to keep fooling us? You really think everyone's dumb enough to fall for your terrible acting? Hah, keep dreaming."
Her tone was nothing like the lazy tone she usually spoke with. Every word was sharp, forceful, and filled with an almost overflowing disgust.
"Hoshino-senpai! What are you doing?!"
Serika was the first to react, trying to stop her, but Hoshino shoved her aside roughly.
"Don't get in my way! All of you, you've been tricked by this adult standing right in front of you!"
She spoke to her juniors, but her eyes stayed fixed on me, burning with furious intensity.
"I'm the only one who's seen his true face! He's not some trustworthy good guy! Everything, absolutely everything, has been part of his scheme!"
"Wait, what scheme? What are you even talking about?!"
I felt completely wronged, ready to argue, but Hoshino's cold laughter cut me off.
"Ha! Still trying to deny it? Fine, let me tear apart your lies, one by one.
"Serika, you remember, right? Long before he came to Abydos, you'd already met him somewhere else. More than once."
Serika blinked in surprise. "I did run into him a few times… When I was working part-time elsewhere, Sensei just came as a regular customer…"
"That's not coincidence," Hoshino snapped. "That's proof this man was watching us long before he ever came to Abydos!"
…Huh?
I froze. Honestly, if she hadn't brought it up, I would've forgotten about that completely.
But it really was just coincidence!
Why would she think that?
"On your first day in Abydos, you just happened to find Shiba Seki Ramen, where Serika was working. Don't tell me that's luck. You must've gathered plenty of intel beforehand, using Serika... the easiest one to trust people, as your entry point. And that's how you infiltrated the Foreclosure Task Force so easily."
"I went to Shiba Seki Ramen," I explained, "because there were barely any shops still open in the whole Abydos District.
"It was one of the oldest and best-rated ones left. I couldn't find the school, so I figured I'd try my luck."
That seemed perfectly reasonable to me.
But Hoshino just sneered. "Of course. Otherwise, how could a place like that afford to hire Serika? Any store that's still paying wages in Abydos fits your story perfectly, doesn't it? A convenient excuse."
My head was starting to buzz.
"That's not it at all!"
Over the comms, Ayane's voice broke in, firm with objection. "Sensei came to Abydos because he got our distress call!"
"Right," Hoshino replied. "You say that now. But what if he's the one who pushed us to desperation in the first place, forcing us to seek outside help? Then rumors about 'Schale' conveniently spread online, and desperate as we were, we fell right into his trap."
You can twist it that far?!
Hoshino went on. "And then, on your very first day here, that transport helicopter you said was carrying supplies just happened to bring a dozen Helmet Gang soldiers along."
"Hoshino-senpai, that was a Kaiser Corporation helicopter! I even confirmed it at the time, the Helmet Gang was hired by the Kaiser Corporation!"
Exactly, that misunderstanding had already been cleared up, hadn't it?
But Hoshino had her own logic.
"Why Kaiser Industries specifically?"
"Because they have a good reputation online…"
"There aren't other companies with good reputations? Don't tell me that wasn't your plan. You lowered our expectations, cleared yourself of suspicion, and earned our trust. A dozen nobodies showing up without even launching an external attack, obviously they never meant to beat us."
I stayed quiet for a while, then said cautiously, "Couldn't it be that someone's trying to drive a wedge between us?"
After all, if someone found a shipment addressed to Abydos but ordered by someone outside, using such a simple trick wouldn't be strange at all.
"And right after you conveniently 'delivered' that supply of ammunition, we were hit by the fiercest attack we'd ever seen. To me, that just looks like they were cooperating with your little show."
"…Hoshino, maybe it's because of the timed bomb we planted on Kaiser's helicopter. It caused massive damage to the company, and the chairman was furious."
"Wow, what a touching coincidence," Hoshino said mockingly. "You're still clinging to your lies, huh? I'm almost moved to tears."
Her reasoning was seamless, airtight. For a moment, I was speechless.
"Hoshino-senpai…" Serika's voice trembled with confusion and helplessness. "Sensei saved me when the Helmet Gang kidnapped me… How could he possibly be working with them…"
Hoshino sighed softly and said in a low voice,
"Serika, you know that truck that kidnapped you? It had already driven a hundred kilometers away."
"...Eh?"
Something clicked in my mind.
"This guy here," Hoshino continued, "caught up to you on a road bike in less than two hours. Shiroko, you're familiar with cycling... what does that tell you?"
"…That's a professional-level speed," Shiroko replied.
"And as far as you know, does he have that kind of skill?"
Shiroko fell silent.
Of course she did. When we'd ridden together, I was nothing but a beginner.
"Sure, people have different physical limits. But here's the more important question."
Hoshino narrowed her eyes. "I've studied a bit of ballistics, you know. So tell me, Mr. Liar ... why didn't those two expert marksmen hit you even once?"
"…Because the bike's speed was enhanced. I modified it."
"In a single day, right after Shiroko gave it to you?"
"That's right."
"And where is that bike now?"
"When I went back to D.U. a few days ago, I asked Millennium's Engineering Department to make a second round of modifications."
"How clever of you."
I ignored her sarcasm and continued. "As for why the bullets didn't hit me, it's because I was carrying a device that can deflect them. Otherwise, how would I dare go into battle with you all?"
Hoshino gave an exaggerated look of realization, then smiled. "Ah, I see. So it's all a misunderstanding. Is that what you expect me to say?
"Your lies have way more holes than that."
Hoshino's true nature, after all, was far more volatile than Serika's, and far more reckless than Shiroko's.