Night fell again, and the girls, having studied hard all day, were finally ready to rest.
"Great work today, everyone!"
In the classroom, Hifumi beamed, speaking with both nervousness and anticipation: "Tomorrow is finally the second Special Academic Exam! After this week-long training camp, we should have developed the skills to pass smoothly!"
The other three girls nodded confidently in agreement.
Watching them, I couldn't help but think: "Everyone's worked really hard. I've seen it all, you know."
Being praised and acknowledged by someone they secretly admired, the girls' morale surely swelled even if they tried to appear calm on the surface.
"Next, we just need to pass the exam… and graduate from the Make-Up Work Club properly."
Hifumi took a deep breath and exclaimed: "Let's prove that all our efforts so far haven't been in vain!"
To prove that, mere effort wouldn't be enough.
No matter what remained, I could handle myself.
"Finally," Hifumi added, "I hope everyone can say goodbye with a smile…!"
At these words, the white-haired girl suddenly froze, her expression tinged with melancholy as she murmured:
"…I see… If we pass, we'll have to part ways…"
"W-wait, Azusa!?" Koharu panicked. "Why did you go quiet halfway through talking?"
Hanako, however, immediately grasped the reason: "I see… I suppose all the things, including the camp, were really fun, right?"
From her expression, I sensed a trace of shared sentiment.
"…Mm." Azusa closed her eyes and nodded gently. After a pause, she shook her head. "No. Even so, all good things must come to an end. Everything is but an illusion."
For some reason, the students I've met under Arius' guidance always seem to say things like this.
It's surely connected to Beatrice in some way.
"…I don't think you need to think like that," Hanako said reassuringly. "Everyone, including Azusa, isn't going to fly off far away just because the exams are over, right? Even if the Make-Up Work Club disbands, we're still students of the same school. If you want to meet, you can anytime."
Upon hearing this, Koharu hurriedly added: "Y-you see! I'll always be in the Justice Task Force's classroom! If you have time, you can come over…?"
I nodded in agreement from the side: "If you don't mind, you can all come help with task at Schale too. Schale is quite big, so you're welcome to come and have fun."
And if you get tired, it's fine to sleep in the guest rooms.
"Oh∼?" Hanako said mischievously, smiling. "So sensei actually wants to gather everyone for something fun? Hehe∼ Just thinking about it makes me happy∼"
Hah. A little teasing like this, for me who's gradually accustomed, is just like a gentle breeze.
The key is that I anticipated Hanako's reaction beforehand, so my mind was unusually clear when speaking.
But Hanako wasn't really trying to tease me this time.
Koharu blushed instantly and pointed at Hanako: "W-what are you saying!? I absolutely won't allow that! Pervert! Death penalty!"
I rather think Koharu might secretly be the one who most wants such things to happen among those present.
The other three are probably indifferent types.
Hanako, looking a little sad, asked back: "Doesn't Koharu-chan think it's a happy thing that everyone can gather together again?"
"Eh? Th-that… I also didn't…"
"Or maybe Koharu-chan was thinking about something strange?"
Just a simple line sank Koharu, leaving her stammering and unable to speak properly, while the classroom's atmosphere became lively again.
Having worked through her worries, Azusa smiled softly and gave a quiet "Mm."
Even so, because parting was mentioned, the mood in the classroom remained inevitably a little heavy and melancholic.
Hifumi couldn't help reminding them: "Well, our feelings are the same, but we still need to pass the exam first. Why does it suddenly feel like the ending of a Seishun (youth) drama… Anyway, let's get some rest tonight and prepare for tomorrow's exam."
"By the way, is the exam location the same as last time?"
At this, Koharu belatedly asked.
"Ah, now that you mention it, I don't think I've checked the announcement yet."
Hearing Hifumi say that and seeing Azusa and Hanako's expressions, I realized something was wrong.
Could it be that, because they studied so hard today, none of them had checked this yet?
…Coincidentally, I assumed they would check it, so I didn't.
"Let me see the Trinity bulletin board…" Hifumi swiped her phone, then suddenly froze, her mouth slightly open. After a brief moment of stunned hesitation, she made a shocked, uncertain noise, her expression trembling as if she'd seen something unbelievable.
"Hifumi-chan, what's wrong?"
"Eh… No way!?" Hifumi wailed. "It can't be!?"
Hanako, seeing the minister in turmoil and unable to respond, leaned over: "Let me see… About the Make-Up Work Club's second Special Academic Ability Exam changes…? The exam scope has tripled…?"
Koharu exclaimed: "Huh!? What does that mean!?"
"And the passing score has been raised from 60 to 90…?"
"Even I've never scored above 90…" Hifumi, finally recovering a little, cried.
"Wh-what is going on…?"
"It seems it was suddenly announced yesterday… right before the exam…"
Yesterday…
It seems Nagisa never intended to let them pass the second retake.
Honestly, I didn't expect her method to be this rough from the start.
That scolding of hers seems somewhat wasted.
Hanako's expression darkened: "…I see. Looks like Nagisa must have obtained the results of our mock exam by some means. Such a blatant move… Does this mean she really wants us expelled?"
Catching the keywords, Azusa's expression turned confused: "…Expelled?"
Koharu froze, then shouted: "Eh? E-expelled!? What's going on!?"
At this point, it was time to inform the two girls who had been kept in the dark.
"Although I think it's about time to tell you everything…"
Hanako paused: "But before that, there are other changes in this announcement."
Hearing this, Hifumi noticed: "Ah, the exam location and time have also changed… The exam will be at the ruins on Street 77, District 15 of the Gehenna Zone… Gehenna?"
Rubbing her eyes, Hifumi confirmed she wasn't seeing things: "W-what? We're taking the exam in Gehenna!?"
"W-why!?" Koharu shouted. "When did Trinity hold exams in Gehenna!?"
Now I really feel that my earlier scolding still wasn't harsh enough.
Hanako said softly: "If we don't go, it counts as absent and we fail, right…"
During this special period before the Eden Treaty, students are forced to go to the Gehenna Zone. Any issues along the way to the exam location are entirely up to the Make-Up Work Club to handle, no help from the tea party…
Nagisa's side moves are so cruelly far-reaching that it proves her madness is even beyond what I expected.
Even using more extreme methods to correct it would not be an exaggeration.
Meanwhile, Koharu's focus was elsewhere:
"Y-yes, that's true, but what did you just mean by expelled!? I've never heard of this before!"
"This actually…"
I cut off Hanako, who was about to explain: "I'll explain this one."
Then, I concisely explained to the still-unaware Azusa and Koharu the truth about the Make-Up Work Club:
All members of the Make-Up Work Club were deemed by Nagisa as potential threats to the Eden Treaty. Using Schale's authority, Nagisa simplified the original procedures, turning the Make-Up Work Club into a tool where failing all three retakes would automatically expel the student.
"Just because of the Eden treaty…!? Eh… Is that for real?"
Koharu was dumbfounded, muttering, her expression complex.
Azusa's reaction was comparatively calm, only murmuring: "…I see."
"I'm really sorry for keeping this from you…" Hifumi apologized, "I never expected things to develop like this…"
"Th-then what do we do…!? If I get expelled, I can't return to the Justice Task Force…!" Koharu panicked, nearly in tears.
Hanako pressed her lips together, unable to bear it: "This…"
"…I understand the situation."
Azusa finished thinking: "Anyway, let's go. The exam starts at 3 a.m. If we don't leave immediately, we won't make it. Shock, anger, despair… we can deal with that after the exam."
Facing everyone's gaze, Azusa said firmly: "No matter how difficult the road ahead, the present situation won't change. What's important is to struggle with all our strength until the end."
Her words inspired the girls.
"…Yes," Hanako said. "Azusa-chan is right. For now, we have to act immediately. And… hehe… this feels exciting. It's my first time taking an exam in Gehenna!"
With that, Hanako even smiled.
"Ah, I really don't understand what's going on!"
Koharu couldn't make sense of it: "A-anyway, we just have to go, right!"
In conversation, the girls quickly regained their fighting spirit. Though anxious about the unknown, they gathered their equipment and set off toward Gehenna.
I, accompanying them, also reaffirmed my determination.