After that day, everyone's morale remained high, and studying continued in a productive, positive atmosphere.
However, when Koharu returned from the bathroom, her behavior was a bit strange at first. Her cheeks were flushed, she avoided eye contact with me, and she looked as though she had done something she shouldn't have.
Curious, I suddenly found myself hoping, with some urgency, that I could gain an ability to enhance my sense of smell to compensate for my current shortcoming in that area.
Come to think of it, the head of the Public Safety bureau, whom I hadn't seen for some time and missed dearly, happened to have canine ears (Kanna). As a down-to-earth Public Safety Bureau chief, she naturally possessed sharp observational skills. Perhaps…?
In any case, suspicion aside, I couldn't just ask recklessly. Koharu's oddness soon disappeared, and she, like the others, threw herself fully into studying.
Thus passed a day that felt somewhat special because the mock exam had resulted in full passes for all, but was objectively calm.
At night, I escorted Hifumi and Hanako, who had come for what was called a "date" but was actually a private meeting to exchange information. In my room of course, though I'm hoping we could end early.
The official second retest was the day after tomorrow, so I expected Nagisa to arrange another meeting with me tomorrow.
Considering Nagisa's thinking, the fact that she spent a high cost to reopen the abandoned annex and lend it to the Make-Up Work Club suggested she wanted either me or Hifumi to use this relatively enclosed environment to identify the so-called "traitor of Trinity" she had in mind.
To be honest, I felt uneasy about whether I could persuade Nagisa using normal methods.
With the information I had gathered, information that didn't invade the privacy of other students, this attempt would likely end in discord again…
Even if I spoke, the result might be the same.
After all, as with my previous conversation with Mika, what I said would always be just my perspective. Lacking solid evidence, Nagisa's current condition made her unable to tolerate any "uncertainty."
Even though I anticipated the outcome, I still wanted to make a final attempt, partly to put to rest my own faint hope.
During the second retest, would Nagisa, as she threatened in the discussion, arbitrarily change the exam's time, location, scope, or even the passing score, trampling the efforts of innocent students? I wanted to personally verify it and record it.
Besides, I still needed some time to fully prepare myself.
In any case, I had to conserve energy tonight to engage in tomorrow's trivial scheming with the current Tea Party host, that unmanageable young lady.
After finishing my nightly routine, I lay down on the soft bed and closed my eyes in the darkness.
But the next moment, I opened my eyes, sat up abruptly, frowned, and looked down, then toward the door.
Even with my abilities, I couldn't see through the building materials, but I could hear clearly.
In the room across the hall, there were only three steady breaths. Meanwhile, on the first floor of the annex, a familiar set of footsteps appeared.
It was the sound of Azusa's usual small leather shoes tapping against the floor.
I hadn't expected that my tentative pre-sleep action would lead to such an unexpected discovery.
It was already late, and the day after tomorrow… No, essentially tomorrow, was the retest. Yet she had chosen to go out alone instead of sleeping?
This was a perfect opportunity I couldn't afford to miss. Even if she was only setting traps or patrolling the area, I couldn't just ignore it.
I made up my mind immediately, got dressed, and, using the reconnaissance-type abilities I had acquired from Serina and Nodoka, I followed Azusa from a distance. She left the annex, heading neither to the shopping district nor Trinity's main school.
(TL/N: Serika= Enhanced Hearing, Nodoka= Enhance eyesight.)
As expected, Azusa had hidden this from everyone. Almost every night, she went to some other location.
Since I kept enough distance, she didn't notice my tailing. But to keep from losing track, I had to use my ability at intervals, which gradually accumulated mental strain.
Eventually, a dull pain developed in my skull, and I even considered temporarily freeing my divine name to cope.
Just as I debated whether to risk part of my lifespan to uncover a trustworthy student's secret, Azusa reached her destination.
An abandoned building in a remote area.
Why would Azusa come here alone, in the dead of night?
Holding my doubts and worries, I stopped a short distance away, watching her enter the building.
While contemplating, I gently touched the Shittim Chest I kept in my inner pocket, through the fabric of my coat.
"What secret is Azusa hiding? I'm so curious," Arona murmured, then said to me, "Sensei, if you're worried, go take a look. Whatever happens, I'll protect you!"
Her confident words made me chuckle quietly.
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not scared to that extent," I murmured, rubbing my temple. "But you're right, if I want to do this, I should do it. Even if it intrudes on her privacy, I can apologize afterward."
So, I stepped forward.
Using knowledge granted by Yukino's ability, I found a sufficiently concealed spot near the abandoned building, sat cross-legged with my back against the wall.
There was no way I could enter the building directly. As expected, there was no reason to hesitate anymore.
Then, I decisively freed my divine name. A corona-like halo rose, casting light around me, and my previously fatigued mind instantly reached peak clarity, I feel good as new.
Since I had already followed her this far, a small cost was acceptable.
From experience, activating a single ability and sitting here for several hours would consume only a few or a dozen weeks of life at most, no real harm.
Meanwhile, Azusa's footsteps finally stopped.
Then I heard the rapid flipping of book pages, and another voice. A somewhat flustered girl spoke:
"Ah! Azusa, Azusa, you finally came… you scared me!"
"Mm." Azusa's tone was calm. "I'm here."