In the pale morning light, I let out a silent yawn.
I tucked the blanket around the blonde girl who had only just fallen asleep and got out of bed.
After changing into a clean set of clothes and picking up the still-charging Shittim Chest, I carefully navigated through the mess in my bedroom, pondering how long it would take to clean up, and made my way to the bathroom.
The cold water gradually woke me up, letting me reflect on everything that happened yesterday...
The space inside the tank wasn't exactly spacious, it was school property, and combined with the warm afternoon temperature, I couldn't really move freely.
But Hifumi was completely unaffected.
I almost reached the final step back then, and it was only thanks to my high moral standards and firm will that I resisted the temptation.
Incidentally, the airdropped supplies arrived at just the right moment and played their part.
After that, we simply went into the sea to play, giving me a chance to test my swimming ability. I could swim, but my skill level was nothing exceptional for nationals.
Still, with Kayoko's ring dangling on my neck, I could at least enjoy myself in the water.
We played until evening, then drove the tank to another beachside house, borrowed freshwater to rinse off the stickiness from the seawater, and planned to try the local seaside delicacies we had missed last time.
However, the plan was canceled when we spotted from afar a familiar figure, a gray-haired twin-horned girl.
No Izumi, no meal.
So, dinner was moved to another suitable location....
A high-end restaurant with a view of the night scenery, where I almost became a regular because we could always get a table.
Here, I had to once again thank Aru as her innocent imagination wasn't the optimal choice, but as long as the date partner wasn't afraid of heights, it was a solid pick.
After finishing the outing and returning to Schale for a short rest, the real "battle" began…
While showering, I clicked my tongue and looked down, noticing my weapon's durability had fully restored.
I had underestimated Serina, I should have prepared more.
I didn't know how much preparation Hifumi had done for today. Though her stamina wasn't exceptional among students. Actually, somewhat on the weaker side. She excelled in creativity and determination in every aspect.
I strongly suspected she borrowed more than one book from Koharu.
If it were purely by talent, it would be a bit frightening. Yet thinking along that line also made me realize....
No wonder she and Nagisa became friends, they're actually the same type of women.
Honestly, among the two cutest students at Trinity, which of Hifumi or Nagisa was bolder was a question worth pondering.
Either way, both were certainly braver than the flirtatious Hanako.
After showering, I arrived early at schale's office to handle the day's backlog.
Naturally, this was to prepare for when Faust-sama woke up, her thirst for knowledge returning to full strength, expecting me to continue instructing.
But plans never survive contact with reality. A few hours later, I received an urgent Momotalk message.
After a brief pause, I left a note for Hifumi in the bedroom and left Schale alone.
The weather was good again today, though by mid-July noon, clear skies also meant heat.
By the time I arrived at the Gehenna Prefect Team, I was sweating and couldn't help but long for the seaside…
"Let's go on vacation!"
That was the first sentence I heard upon arriving at the meeting point, from Ako, who had spotted me.
Opposite her stood two mid-level prefect members. Iori, the field captain, and Chinatsu, the health officer.
"…What?"
"Vacation…? So suddenly…?"
Judging by their confused reactions, it wasn't that I arrived at the wrong time, it was that the statement itself seemed to come out of nowhere.
Hina clearly had good judgment. Usually, Ako was rather strange.
Ako herself looked puzzled. "Huh…? Why are you reacting like that? I'm not joking, you know?"
Iori was speechless. "What else could we do but react…"
"I was called here urgently, so I thought something must have happened…" Chinatsu sighed, "Going on vacation is fine… but should we say this doesn't concern us, or that it's inconvenient for us…?"
I approached them, nodding in agreement, feeling they had voiced my thoughts, and added.
"So, where are you planning to go on vacation?"
"Uwa!?" Iori exclaimed in surprise. "You startled me! Sensei, when did you get here?"
Chinatsu rubbed her forehead. "All this fuss just to ask about that… Or is it that Ako, you want sensei to help manage prefect team affairs while you're on vacation?"
Also creating a chance for me to interact with Hina? Iori and Chinatsu were the support?
I guessed this in my mind but felt it wasn't quite right.
No matter how much Ako admired me or was loyal to Hina, she wouldn't go so far as to act so selflessly… right?
If that were the case, we'd have to wonder if Ako had some awakened fetish.
"…What?"
The blue-haired girl blinked, quickly rebutting. "What are you saying? I wasn't talking about my vacation! Could it be you think I called you here just to show off and dump all the work on you?"
Her mood sank. "Do I really seem like that kind of person…!?"
So it wasn't that? I hoped Ako would first look at herself for the reason.
"I'm so sad… Well, never mind that. When I said vacation, I meant for our Prefect Team…" Ako paused, shaking her head. "No, to be precise, for the President to go on vacation!"
"President…?"
"Why does the topic suddenly shift here…?"
Since this concerned Hina, I started to get an idea.
As expected, facing their doubts, Ako's expression turned worried.
"That's because… recently, the President hasn't been acting normally… I don't know if it's from stress, but seeing her like that naturally makes me worry…"
Iori asked, "What do you mean?"
"For example, this morning, when I went to the President's office…"
Ako gave an example. Basically, while she was reporting work, Hina, usually absorbed in her duties, accidentally took the coffee Ako had drunk.
"Wait," Iori interrupted, "you mean the President isn't acting normally just because of that…? Anyone could make such a mistake. It's not worth worrying about."
"I don't see a problem either," Chinatsu agreed.
However, I noticed a suspicious detail but held my judgment for now.
"Not done yet! There's more!"
Ako looked around solemnly.
"The President… actually smiled and said, 'The coffee Ako made really is good!'"
After this, there was a silence so intense it seemed both fleeting and eternal.
Iori hesitated. "…Are we hearing Ako's delusion…?"
Chinatsu panicked. "The President actually commented on the taste… Ako, if you're tired enough to hallucinate, I suggest you rest…"
"No way! I heard it clearly this time, it's definitely not an illusion!"
Ako defended herself loudly, yet her choice of words revealed something.
As her friends, Iori and Chinatsu clearly had a firm understanding of her.
Thinking carefully… maybe… blue…
Anyway, seeing Ako so confident, the other two exchanged a worried glance.
Iori muttered. "If that's true… the President really is exhausted…"
Meticulous Chinatsu sought confirmation. "Although the President has expressed opinions before, are you sure she said 'really good'? Not 'pretty good', 'not bad', or 'needs caffeine.' Perhaps you misheard, Ako…?"
Ako couldn't help asking. "Are you picking on me…? Even though I'm in this position…?"
Better to reflect on why I gave everyone that impression.
I, on the other hand, could act contrary to my upright persona, and the students would find excuses for me, even deceiving themselves.
Depending on the situation, they might secretly enjoy it too.
But now, I decided to speak to ease Ako's embarrassment.
"Ako, you said Hina asked about some document before taking the wrong coffee?"
"Hmm? It was the 'Proposal for Joint Patrolling with Schale in Kivotos.'" The administrator Ako explained. "Since it's still a proposal, I haven't mentioned it to you yet. Next time during regular patrols, I'd like Schale's help. You wouldn't refuse, right?"
"Of course not. I'd be glad to help."
I suspected Hina complimented the coffee not because it tasted good, nor because she was overly tired.
Perhaps she was simply happy to have a legitimate reason to spend time with me, whom she secretly liked.
After all, even the fiercely disciplined and intimidating Prefect Team President, without all her aura, in front of a compatible, understanding adult, was just a maiden experiencing first love.
Though this seemed reasonable, I didn't say it, to avoid worry.
Mainly to save Ako integrity, also to maintain Hina's image, and even if I said it, they probably wouldn't believe me.
"Mm, anyway," Iori said, "let's just assume what Ako said is true."
"…That is indeed a serious problem," Chinatsu added.
Finally acknowledged, Ako's spirit lifted. "Right!? It's strange even for everyone! This is an emergency! If this continues, it could endanger the Prefect Team!"
To that extent?
No, according to Ako's logic…
Iori, the competent straight man, asked again. "Huh, what do you mean?"
"If President Hina collapses from overwork… it wouldn't be surprising if the Prefect Team were destroyed that day!"
Ako seemed lost in her own world, getting more animated. "Without the President, the D.C., the Pandemonium Society won't stand by. To seize control of Gehenna, they would crush us! If it escalates, Gehenna Academy… no, all of Kivotos would fall into unprecedented chaos!"
She concluded loudly. "In other words, this affects the fate of all Kivotos!"
Haha, old habits die hard.
Ako had always been paranoid.
[To the gatekeeper. if they refuse to open the door, smash the door, break the lock, splinter the doorframe, and overturn the door.]
Indeed, she had always been this unreasonable.
Even at first meeting, for completely illogical reasons, she tried to lock me up from Hina…
Perhaps at that time, she was already craving my body, planning to take advantage of the situation.
But on reflection, this concern of Ako's was somewhat reasonable.
Mainly, the person she was guarding against just happened to have comparable intelligence.
Moreover…
"In short!" the blue-haired girl said firmly, "For the current President Hina, rest is most important…! Therefore, as Gehenna Prefect Team Administrator, I, Amau Ako, declare. everything is for the President, the Prefect Team… and the future of Kivotos!"
Ako took a deep breath. "As administrator, I issue this emergency order! No matter what, we must let the busy President Hina rest!"
In the end, that goal wasn't bad at all.
Even without this incident, I would have wanted Hina to rest. Now it seems our views align in many ways.
But that brings up another urgent problem...
How to persuade Hina to actually go on vacation?
Regarding this, as the proposal initiator, Ako probably already had a plan.