The cool evening breeze drifted gently through the shopping district.
The lively sounds of the city surrounded the four of them as cars passed by the nearby road and pedestrians continued along the illuminated sidewalks. The supermarket behind them remained busy, its automatic doors opening and closing every few seconds as more customers entered for their evening shopping.
For a brief moment, none of them spoke.
Principal Rikka shifted the leather handbag resting over her shoulder before looking toward her daughter.
"Risa."
Her voice remained calm, carrying the same composed authority every student at Seishin Academy knew all too well.
"It's getting late."
She glanced toward the darkening sky before smiling gently.
"We should head home."
Risa nodded once without hesitation.
"...Understood."
Unlike the intimidating principal that students whispered about behind her back, the woman standing before them looked more like an ordinary mother waiting to pick up her daughter after school.
The contrast was almost unbelievable.
Principal Rikka looked toward Kazuha.
"You must be Shirogane."
Kazuha immediately straightened her posture.
"Y-Yes, Principal."
"I heard you've been working hard in the Student Council."
Kazuha forced an awkward smile.
"...Thank you."
"I also heard you stayed behind for today's committee meeting."
"...Yes."
Principal Rikka's expression softened ever so slightly.
"Don't overwork yourself."
"The Student Council functions because everyone shares responsibility."
Kazuha instinctively glanced away.
"...I'll keep that in mind."
Risa quietly observed the interaction.
"...Mother."
"Hm?"
"You assigned approximately seventy-three percent of today's paperwork to Kazuha."
"...That statistic is confidential."
Kazuha covered her face.
"So it really was intentional..."
Principal Rikka cleared her throat.
"The Student Council President needs experience."
"Experience..."
Kazuha whispered weakly.
"...I nearly experienced death."
Even Principal Rikka couldn't suppress a small laugh.
"I'll reduce tomorrow's workload."
"...Really?"
"...By ten percent."
Kazuha's shoulders immediately slumped again.
"...That's barely anything..."
Risa nodded thoughtfully.
"...It is technically a reduction."
"It isn't enough of one."
Their conversation caused even Ruko to quietly chuckle.
For someone who commanded the respect—and fear—of an entire academy...
Principal Rikka became surprisingly approachable whenever she spoke with Risa.
Eventually, Principal Rikka glanced toward the nearby parking area.
"Our driver has already been waiting."
A sleek black sedan slowly pulled toward the curb.
The driver quickly stepped out and respectfully opened the rear passenger door.
Risa looked toward Kazuha first.
"...Goodbye."
Kazuha smiled warmly.
"See you tomorrow."
Then Risa turned toward Ruko.
For a brief moment, they simply looked at each other.
"...Goodbye, 2D."
Ruko blinked before smiling.
"...Later, Calculator."
Risa tilted her head.
"...I shall assume that is a nickname."
"It is."
"...Acceptable."
She gave a tiny nod before walking toward the waiting car.
Principal Rikka followed beside her.
Before entering, she looked back toward Ruko.
"You've brought quite a change to the Gaming Research Club."
Ruko looked surprised.
"...Me?"
She smiled knowingly.
"The students smile more."
"...Take care of them."
Without waiting for an answer, she entered the vehicle.
The door quietly closed.
Moments later, the sedan pulled away from the curb, disappearing into the evening traffic.
Silence settled between the two remaining students.
Kazuha watched the car disappear.
"...Risa never really talks about her family."
"I noticed."
"I actually forgot you didn't know."
Ruko let out a tired laugh.
"...That explains a lot."
"...Like what?"
"...Why she talks about the principal like she knows exactly how impossible her expectations are."
Kazuha giggled.
"...Well..."
"...She does."
The two continued walking toward the residential district beneath the glow of the streetlights.
Somehow—
After everything that had happened today...
It felt strangely peaceful.
The next morning—
Sunlight streamed through the windows of the Gaming Research Club.
The familiar sound of keyboards echoed quietly throughout the room.
As expected—
Someone had arrived before everyone else.
Click.
The clubroom door opened.
Ruko stepped inside carrying his backpack over one shoulder.
The room smelled faintly of fresh coffee and newly cleaned equipment.
He wasn't surprised by what he saw.
"...Morning."
Risa sat at the computer nearest the window.
Her posture remained perfectly straight.
Both hands rested upon the keyboard and mouse.
On the monitor—
Melodious danced across the practice map.
Musical notes surrounded the heroine as combinations of H and M stacks rapidly appeared above her skill icons.
"H..."
"M..."
"H..."
The third skill activated.
A burst of musical energy erupted outward.
"...Wrong timing."
Risa calmly reset the training dummy.
Again.
"H."
"M."
"M."
Another different third skill.
"...Incorrect sequence."
Again.
Again.
Again.
Unlike before—
She no longer looked completely overwhelmed.
Her movements had become smoother.
The hesitation between skills had decreased.
She still made mistakes.
Many mistakes.
But each mistake looked smaller than the last.
She wasn't randomly pressing buttons anymore.
She was learning.
Slowly.
Methodically.
Ruko quietly placed his bag beside one of the desks before casually walking toward her station.
He stood beside her for a moment, watching another failed rhythm input.
Melodious' passive expired.
The music marks disappeared.
"...Missed the beat again."
"...By zero point nineteen seconds."
Risa answered without taking her eyes off the monitor.
"I know."
Ruko crossed his arms.
For a few more seconds, he simply watched.
Then—
"...So."
Risa continued practicing.
"Hm?"
"...You're the principal's daughter, huh?"
Her mouse stopped moving.
The training dummy stood motionless.
Risa slowly turned her chair toward him.
"...Yes."
She answered so casually that it almost sounded like he had asked whether she liked tea.
"...I am."
Before Ruko could say anything else—
The clubroom door burst open.
"Good morning everyone!"
Kana entered carrying two convenience store breads.
Behind her—
Hikari lazily walked into the room while yawning.
"...Morning..."
Neither of them paid much attention at first.
Until Kana heard Ruko's last sentence.
"...Wait."
Kana froze.
"...Principal's daughter?"
Hikari stopped walking.
"...What?"
Ruko looked toward both of them.
"...You didn't know either?"
"...Know what?"
He pointed toward Risa.
"...She's Principal Rikka's daughter."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Kana blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
"...EH?!"
The shout echoed throughout the clubroom.
Even Hikari's sleepy expression vanished instantly.
"...You're joking."
Ruko shook his head.
"Nope."
Kana slowly turned toward Risa.
"...You're..."
"...The principal's daughter?"
Risa nodded.
"...Correct."
Kana stood completely frozen.
Her bread slipped from her hand onto the floor.
She didn't even notice.
"...No way..."
"...No way..."
"...NO WAY!"
In an instant—
Kana rushed across the room.
She grabbed both of Risa's shoulders.
"B-But..."
"W-Why..."
"You never told us?!"
She began vigorously shaking her.
"YOU'RE THE PRINCIPAL'S DAUGHTER?!"
Back and forth.
Left.
Right.
Left.
Right.
Risa's head gently swayed with every shake.
Yet her expression barely changed.
"...Yes."
Shake.
"I receive that reaction often."
Shake.
"...Please reduce rotational force."
Shake.
"It is becoming mildly uncomfortable."
Kana ignored the request entirely.
"YOU LIVE WITH THE PRINCIPAL?!"
"...Correct."
"YOU EAT DINNER WITH THE PRINCIPAL?!"
"...Correct."
"YOU CALL THE PRINCIPAL 'MOM'?!"
"...Correct."
Kana slowly released her shoulders.
Then dramatically stumbled backward.
"I've been eating lunch with the principal's daughter this whole time..."
She stared blankly into space.
"...I teased the principal's daughter..."
"...I stole french fries from the principal's daughter..."
"...I accidentally hit the principal's daughter with a volleyball once..."
She grabbed her own head.
"I'm doomed!"
Hikari quietly walked over.
She looked at Risa.
Then at Kana.
Then back again.
"...Honestly..."
She shrugged.
"...It explains a lot."
Kana pointed dramatically.
"HOW DOES THAT EXPLAIN ANYTHING?!"
Hikari folded her arms.
"...The scary aura."
Risa blinked.
"...Mother insists she smiles."
Kana slowly looked between Risa and the clubroom door.
Then whispered dramatically.
"...Does the principal secretly inspect us through you?"
"...No."
"...Do you report everything we say?"
"...No."
"...Did you tell her I skipped club cleanup last month?"
"...No."
"...Really?"
"...I forgot."
Kana immediately sighed in relief.
Then—
Risa added calmly,
"...However..."
"I remembered just now."
Kana's soul visibly left her body.
Ruko couldn't stop laughing.
Even Hikari covered her mouth to hide a smile.
The quiet clubroom quickly filled with cheerful voices.
For just a little while—
The pressure of the upcoming inspection.
The practice match against Ishika High.
The anxiety surrounding the Gaming Research Club's future.
All of it disappeared.
Replaced instead by Kana dramatically apologizing to Risa in advance...
In case the principal somehow found out about every embarrassing thing she'd ever done.
The atmosphere inside the Gaming Club had become noticeably heavier.
Just moments ago, the members had learned that their club was scheduled for an official inspection.
Not by an ordinary teacher.
Not by a faculty adviser.
But by someone whose standards had become almost legendary throughout the academy.
The room, usually filled with cheerful conversations and game sound effects, had fallen into an uneasy silence.
Even the clicking of controllers had stopped.
Hikari let out a long sigh before dropping onto one of the sofas.
"...We're doomed."
Kana looked equally discouraged.
"I knew the student council inspections were strict..."
She slowly looked toward Risa.
"...but I didn't know your mother was the one conducting them."
Across the room, Ruko sat cross-legged on the floor, quietly processing everything she had heard.
Kazuha leaned against one of the bookshelves with folded arms.
Only Risa remained perfectly composed.
She calmly sipped her tea.
As though none of this concerned her.
Which somehow made everyone even more nervous.
Hikari suddenly straightened.
"...Wait."
She snapped her fingers.
"I have an idea."
Kana looked up.
"...Already?"
Hikari confidently nodded.
"It'll definitely work."
She dramatically turned toward Risa.
The silver-haired girl quietly raised an eyebrow.
"Hm?"
Hikari leaned closer.
"...Can you ask your mom to cancel the inspection?"
Silence.
Risa stared at her.
Then calmly took another sip of tea.
"...No."
They all fell silent and speechless
"..."
"..."
"...That was fast."
"It was."
Hikari blinked.
"...You didn't even think about it."
"I did."
"You answered in less than a second."
"Because I already know the answer."
She gently placed her teacup onto the table.
"My mother would never agree."
Kana frowned.
"...Not even if you asked?"
Risa slowly shook her head.
"No."
Her voice remained as calm as ever.
"That devil shows no leniency."
The room became strangely quiet.
"...She won't cancel it."
"...Even if I ask."
Nobody laughed.
Mostly because...
Risa sounded completely serious.
Hikari leaned back into the sofa.
"...That's terrifying."
"It is."
Kana looked genuinely curious.
"...She's really that strict?"
Risa nodded once.
"My mother has never lowered her standards for anyone."
"Not for teachers."
"Not for students."
"Not even for me."
Ruko looked surprised.
"...Seriously?"
Risa calmly adjusted her glasses.
"Especially me."
Everyone blinked.
"...Especially you?"
She nodded.
"My presence in this club actually makes the inspection considerably more difficult."
Silence.
Kana tilted her head.
"...Wait."
"...What?"
Risa reached into her bag and casually pulled out a small notebook.
She flipped through several pages before stopping.
After scanning a few handwritten calculations, she spoke with complete confidence.
"Based on previous inspection data..."
"Our current probability of successfully satisfying my mother's evaluation criteria is..."
She paused.
"...11.81 percent."
The room froze.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Hikari slowly blinked.
"...Why..."
"...Do you know the exact percentage?"
Risa looked confused.
"...Because I calculated it."
"...Of course you did."
Kana buried her face in her hands.
"I don't even want to know how."
"It wasn't particularly difficult."
Ruko looked at the others.
"...Should we be impressed..."
"...or scared?"
"Both," Kazuha answered immediately.
Risa continued speaking as though nothing unusual had happened.
"Without me being a club member..."
"The success probability would increase to approximately twenty-nine percent."
"..."
"...So we actually have worse odds because you're here?"
"Correct."
Silence.
Nobody knew how to respond to that.
Finally—
Hikari slowly raised her hand.
"...Can I ask something?"
"You already are."
"...Right."
She scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"...Does your mom..."
"...not like you being in the Gaming Club?"
The question echoed throughout the room.
Even Kazuha turned her head.
Ruko looked toward Risa with curiosity.
Kana quietly waited.
For the first time since the conversation began...
Risa didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she lowered her gaze toward her teacup.
"..."
"...It's complicated."
The room remained silent.
Finally—
She spoke.
"...She's against it."
A brief pause followed.
"...But she also supports it."
"..."
Confusion immediately spread across everyone's faces.
Kana frowned.
"...How does that even work?"
"Yeah," Hikari added.
"That sounds impossible."
Ruko slowly nodded.
"I'm confused too."
Even Kazuha quietly narrowed her eyes.
Risa noticed.
She sighed softly.
"...I suppose I should explain."
She gently folded her hands on top of the table.
"My mother believes..."
"...that I possess exceptional intellectual ability."
Nobody interrupted.
"Ever since I was little..."
"She invested enormous amounts of time into my education."
"Advanced mathematics."
"Classical literature."
"Science."
"Programming."
"Languages."
"Logic."
"Debate."
She listed each subject without changing her expression.
"It was never forced."
"She simply wanted me to have every opportunity available."
Kana quietly listened.
"So..."
"When I entered high school..."
"...she expected me to join a club that reflected those strengths."
"The Science Club."
"The Robotics Club."
"The Debate Society."
"The Mathematics Research Association."
She paused.
"...Something."
"...Academically prestigious."
Hikari slowly looked around the room.
Then toward the shelves filled with board games, consoles, card games, arcade sticks, and plush toys.
"...Instead..."
"You joined the Gaming Club."
"Correct."
Silence.
Risa gave a small nod.
"My mother believed..."
"...that I was wasting my potential."
Her voice never became emotional.
She simply stated the facts.
"She told me..."
"...that joining a club dedicated to games was an irresponsible use of my abilities."
Kana quietly lowered her eyes.
"...That must've hurt."
"It did."
For the first time—
Risa admitted it openly.
"But..."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"...I disagreed."
Everyone looked toward her.
"This club..."
She slowly looked around the room.
At the game consoles.
The board games.
The computers.
The posters decorating the walls.
"...is where I wanted to be."
"It wasn't because I disliked studying."
"It wasn't because I wanted to waste time."
"I simply enjoyed being here."
She looked toward Hikari.
"...With everyone."
The room became quiet.
"So I told her exactly that."
Her voice remained steady.
"I told her..."
"'This is what I want.'"
"'You don't need to worry.'"
"'I'm not wasting my abilities.'"
"'Nor am I wasting my time.'"
Silence.
Ruko smiled faintly.
"...You actually said that?"
"I did."
Hikari laughed.
"...You're braver than I thought."
Risa gave a tiny shrug.
"I was merely honest."
Kana smiled warmly.
"...Then what happened?"
Risa adjusted her glasses.
"My mother wasn't convinced."
"She believed..."
"...that eventually my academic performance would decline."
"So..."
"I made her a promise."
The room listened intently.
"I told her..."
"'If my grades fall...'"
"'I'll admit you were right.'"
"'But if they don't...'"
"'Then you'll acknowledge that joining this club was my decision to make.'"
Silence lingered.
"...And?"
Hikari asked.
Risa calmly answered.
"I maintained perfect scores."
The room stared.
She continued as though discussing the weather.
"One hundred percent."
"On nearly every examination."
"Mathematics."
"Physics."
"Chemistry."
"History."
"Literature."
"Computer Science."
"I consistently ranked first."
Nobody spoke.
Because...
What exactly could anyone say?
Ruko's mouth slowly fell open.
"...You..."
"...Actually did it."
"I did."
Kana blinked repeatedly.
"...You proved..."
"...playing games didn't make you any less of a genius."
Risa nodded.
"My intellect never diminished."
"My discipline never disappeared."
"My responsibilities remained fulfilled."
She smiled softly.
"So..."
"My mother honored our agreement."
The room became silent once more.
"She still believes..."
"...I could accomplish more elsewhere."
"But..."
A rare warmth entered Risa's voice.
"...She also respected my decision."
Hikari slowly leaned back against the sofa.
"...Your family is terrifying."
Kana nodded immediately.
"...Very terrifying."
Ruko gave an awkward laugh.
"...Mine just asks whether I've eaten dinner."
Even Kazuha, who had remained mostly silent, let out the smallest smile.
"...You're unbelievable."
Risa looked around at her clubmates.
Then quietly smiled.
"...Perhaps."
"...But this club..."
She looked around the room one more time.
"...is exactly where I want to be."
For a brief moment, nobody spoke.
The inspection was still coming.
The odds were still only 11.81 percent.
Nothing about their situation had changed.
And yet...
Somehow...
Everyone felt a little more determined than before.
If Risa was willing to stand against the expectations placed upon her just to protect the place she loved...
Then perhaps...
An impossible inspection wasn't quite so impossible after all.