Sometimes, I reflect on myself and ask a question:
How far do I have to go before I can truly feel satisfied?
When I first arrived, I lacked a clear idea, but after living in Kivotos for so long, I had come to understand an undeniable fact.
With my abilities, my position, and Arona's protection, even if I stayed entirely within my comfort zone, avoiding all trouble and the risks that come with it, I could still gain stable results.
To put it brutally in this context:
Kivotos is never short of students.
Tens of thousands of academies mean millions of potential sources of power for me.
Do I really need to cling to a few replaceable individuals, even at the risk of my own life?
Whether rescuing Hoshino from Kaiser PMC or protecting Arisu while ignoring the constant risk of betrayal, these actions seemed contrary to my original intentions.
Am I choosing these paths solely because of Seia's prophecy?
I must admit, although that factor exists, it's neither the entirety nor the main reason. Contradictions abound everywhere.
At this point, I can't even understand my own thoughts and maybe I don't need to, maybe my subconscious doesn't want me to.
To deceive a girl's emotions, you must first deceive yourself.
To earn her trust, you must first trust yourself.
That's roughly the feeling.
In short, what I'm about to do next may be unwise, but if I don't, I might regret it in the future. It's too troublesome to justify this time, I simply must act.
Sitting alone on a bench by the roadside, I conducted one final scan, then deactivated my Divine Name. I wiped the sweat from my palms, took a deep breath, and activated the Wings of Resistance, hoping it would calm me and maintain composure.
I was about to face a problem I had foolishly chosen to provoke myself.
Before long, heavy footsteps echoed down the quiet street. I put away my handkerchief and offered a faint smile.
After a few more seconds, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a figure.
It was a girl carrying a massive, rectangular metal box that looked heavy, making her petite frame seem even smaller.
She had delicate features but a gloomy aura, giving her a pitiful charm. Her long, emerald hair was tied in a single ponytail on the left side; her bangs almost covered her eyes, but a hairpin held back the right side, revealing her equally green, hollow eyes.
This was the person I had been waiting for.
The Arius student I had met with Azusa in the abandoned building, Hiyori.
However, unlike I had imagined, she seemed completely oblivious to my presence, staring down at her phone screen.
Though slightly off from my expectations, I thought this was even better.
In a calm, unhurried tone, I called out to the girl who was about to walk past:
"Watching your phone while walking at night? Be careful not to fall."
"Waaah!"
Startled, Hiyori let out a shriek, nearly dropping her phone.
She caught it just in time, patted her chest in relief, and then noticed me. Shrinking back, she cautiously looked up:
"Um… exc-excuse me… who are you…?"
I didn't answer directly, continuing instead:
"Also, walking at night while looking at your phone isn't good for your eyes."
"Ah! I-I think I've read that in a magazine… Wh-what should I do? If my eyesight gets worse, I'll surely be abandoned… But if I can't read web novels when walking at night anymore… even if life is nothing but suffering, that's just too painful…"
Such pessimism was probably a side effect of Beatrice's guidance.
I refrained from comforting her.
After a while, she finally noticed me again, bowing hurriedly:
"Th-thank you… and sorry for causing trouble…"
"It's fine, Hiyori," I said softly. "It's my duty."
"…Eh?"
Her pupils constricted, her expression froze, and she stammered for a while before finally managing:
"Y-you… how… how do you… know… about me…"
So far, events had unfolded mostly according to my plan.
Maintaining my smile, I said calmly to the tense Hiyori:
"By the way, I haven't introduced myself properly. My apologies."
"Ah, that's fine…" Hiyori replied reflexively, then grew cautious again. "N-no! S-so who exactly are you…? Don't change the subject!"
…I wasn't changing the subject, was I?
Relying on Arona's protection, I stood up. Hiyori instinctively stepped back, reaching for the metal box behind her.
Even though I had expected it, I couldn't help but think how timid she was.
Of course, it could also be that she had never seen someone as poised and handsome as me before, which left her flustered.
If she hadn't already shown signs of timidity when talking to Azusa, I probably wouldn't have come alone to meet her.
Thinking this, my smile remained unchanged:
"Don't be nervous, Hiyori. I'm not your enemy… at least, not yet. Of course, words alone aren't enough. After you hear my introduction, you can judge for yourself."
Hiyori hesitated, nodded slightly, but her eyes never left mine.
Why did she seem even cuter to me now?
I smiled a little more, extending my right hand:
"Nice to meet you, Hiyori. I'm Schale's sensei. You've probably heard of me, but besides that, I have another role connected to you."
Pausing slightly, I smiled at the green-haired girl whose expression had shifted:
"Saori's… hehe… should I say, master? Either way, I hope to conduct our next conversation under that role."
As I spoke, I realized my carefully cultivated composure was starting to crack.
The reason was simple.
The next moment, Hiyori's lips trembled... and she burst into tears.