"...", Aegis blushed and didn't want to speak.
She wasn't sure whether Iris was slowly becoming corrupted or just finally letting out her true nature after long suppression, either way, Iris was getting more and more outrageous.
Iris knew what she was doing seemed strange to many people, but she didn't really care.
As long as everyone was happy, wasn't she doing this to make the president's one-sided assistance even more wonderful, so that everyone could be happy?
Unfortunately, Gabriel and Vignette only kept watch from afar and didn't really get involved.
Well, it was fine. After all, Lumilia and the others were coming soon, so there was no rush to have Gabriel and the others help block the peeping of other demi-humans.
———
Outside the student council office—
"Um... should we open the door and take another look?"
Usui Makoto and Shion, not seeing Rurikawa Tsubaki or Kaede and Suzu opening the door for a long time, even hearing some concerning noises from inside, glanced at each other uneasily, swallowing nervously in fear and hesitation.
The current situation was very similar to before. However, Rurikawa Tsubaki, who had been peeking with them, now seemed to be participating personally.
If they kept peeking, wouldn't they end up like Rurikawa Tsubaki too?
———
At the classroom door of Class 1-F, after school—
"Kotegawa, where's Hikigaya? Is he sick and went to the infirmary, or where did he go?"
"Hikigaya-san has been missing since this morning. He wasn't seen during afternoon volleyball class either. Oh, and class president Tsubaki-san took a sick leave."
"Uh... alright, got it. Kotegawa, you go ahead with your duties. Don't report this to the disciplinary committee, Kirisu-sensei and I will go talk to Hikigaya first."
"Understood, Hiratsuka-sensei. Goodbye, Kirisu-sensei. I'll go do my shift."
After questioning disciplinary committee member Kotegawa Yui, Hiratsuka Shizuka watched the pure-looking long black-haired girl leave, then awkwardly turned to the emotionless, pink long-haired Kirisu Mafuyu beside her.
She and Kirisu Mafuyu had come by at the end of the day just to make a round. Kirisu Mafuyu wanted to check whether Hachiman was slacking off in class or disturbing his neighbors' studies.
But who would've thought Hachiman, after leaving the student guidance room, would skip a whole day of class.
Now Kirisu Mafuyu and she waited until dismissal, but still didn't see a trace of Hachiman. This guy was seriously outrageous.
She had just been saying good things about him in front of Kirisu Mafuyu, saying he realized his mistakes and was studying hard, and immediately got slapped in the face.
"Hiratsuka-senpai, let me handle this problem student. If he keeps refusing to change, I'll go do a home visit," Kirisu Mafuyu took a deep breath, suppressing her inner frustration, and said seriously to Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Even though she was mad that Hachiman said all the right things in the guidance room, then skipped an entire day, and wanted to call the parents or give him disciplinary action, but she had never seen Hachiman this extreme before. A sudden shift like this could mean something big happened at home or elsewhere. She needed to understand the situation before taking any action.
"Well... fine. If you're doing a home visit, make sure to call me too. Don't go rushing over alone, Mafuyu," Seeing that, Hiratsuka Shizuka could only agree. She honestly couldn't control Hachiman anymore, maybe Kirisu Mafuyu's guidance might work.
Still, to avoid anything happening to the young, beautiful teacher Kirisu Mafuyu while she was at Hachiman's house, she figured she had to supervise personally.
"Mm. Hiratsuka-sensei, I'll go now," Kirisu Mafuyu nodded expressionlessly and turned to leave.
"She's not even calling me senpai anymore. Looks like she's got some resentment toward me," Hiratsuka Shizuka looked helplessly at Kirisu Mafuyu's high-heeled figure quickly walking away and sighed.
As the student guidance counselor, she had been in charge of Hachiman, so she was definitely responsible for his current issues.
She really wondered if Hachiman was acting cocky because he got close to the elf princess. He used to be pretty obedient, though he had weak subjects and some problems, at least he'd attend class properly. Not like now, skipping all day and running wild.
Forget it, thinking too much won't help. Better go find him at the Service Club and settle the score.
Though, that guy probably wouldn't be there either, after skipping a whole day, there's no way he'd stay for club activities. But Yukinoshita Yukino should still be around. She'd go talk to her and see if she could help correct the Service Club's biggest problem student.
Hiratsuka Shizuka gave one last look at the students packing up their books after school, then left in exasperation.
She and Kirisu Mafuyu were both only concerned about the frequently truant Hachiman. As for Rurikawa Tsubaki's absence, neither of them cared too much.
Girls sometimes took sick leave due to physical reasons, quite normal. And Rurikawa Tsubaki had always been a serious, obedient honor student. She'd never skip class just to slack off. Even if she was absent, it had to be for a valid reason.
———
[In Class 1-F]
"Where exactly did Hikigaya-kun go? Did he skip class often before? He's probably being watched by the teachers now—maybe they'll even contact his parents?", Ichinose Honami, sitting in the back row, withdrew her gaze after seeing Hiratsuka and Kirisu leave. She turned with concern to Gabriel.
She'd only recently transferred and didn't know what kind of student Hachiman was in the past.
But after spending some time together, she felt that aside from skipping class, Hachiman was quite decent, good personality, well-liked.
So even though skipping class violated student conduct and it was normal for teachers to act, she couldn't help but worry about Hachiman's situation.
"....", Gabriel's sweet and lovely smile froze a bit, she really couldn't answer Ichinose Honami's question.
Could she say that Hachiman was off playing with the elf princess Iris?
Not just Iris, but also Rurikawa Tsubaki, who was on sick leave, Kaede, the student council president, basically the whole student council skipped classes this afternoon.
But unlike Hachiman who just went AWOL, they had all contacted classmates through phone to help request leave, so nothing caused an uproar.
Otherwise, if the whole student council ditched class with Hachiman, it would obviously look suspicious. If someone came looking at the student council office, she and Vignette would have to cover for them.
Normally, Iris's invisibility magic was sufficient, people wouldn't notice them.
But recently, several powerful students had appeared in the demi-human classes at Sobu High. That demon clan girl Origamine Ouka, some shrine maiden, was skilled in exorcism and spiritual sensing. If she got drawn over and they didn't act, she'd definitely bust in on Iris and Hachiman's affairs.
Sigh... how could Iris be so reckless? It seemed like more elves had arrived in this world today, and clearly, they were also after Hachiman.
Gabriel could understand their desire to receive Hachiman's aid, but weren't they worried about his physical condition?
She couldn't help but use divine magic to peek into the student council office again, but discovered that Hachiman, who had just been enjoying the "best-friends-in-sync" treatment from Rurikawa Tsubaki and Kaede, had vanished.
Iris and the others were still there, she was tightly holding Kaede and Rurikawa Tsubaki's hands, earnestly assuring them that they'd all play together from now on, and that any household expenses in the future would be covered by her or Rurikawa Tsubaki.
Kaede twitched her mouth but could only accept Iris's goodwill, if she had to work part-time and support herself, wouldn't she be handing Hachiman over to Iris?
Rurikawa Tsubaki, though still awkward, had grown closer to Kaede after experiencing life's "three great certainties" together, so she wouldn't run from this kind of thing anymore.
Shion, being Rurikawa Tsubaki's personal maid, naturally had no need to worry, if Rurikawa Tsubaki wasn't well enough to satisfy Hachiman's needs, it'd be her turn.
Only Usui Makoto felt totally out of place and at a loss facing this topic. When she noticed Iris's gaze shift to her, she panicked and quickly excused herself to go do her duties.
"...", Not wanting to deal with the overly ambitious blonde princess Iris for now, Gabriel searched for Hachiman's whereabouts and found that he had gone to the indoor pool, specifically, the girls' swimming club.
This guy Hachiman... was his body really okay?
Gabriel, blushing furiously, resisted her shame and took a quick peek using divine magic, Hachiman was still full of energy, helping out excellent members of the girls' swimming club.
Seeing him so lively, she hastily cut the connection, her face red.
Hachiman was definitely not an ordinary person. Definitely not.
What kind of normal person could handle that many girls, including pressure from two elf princesses, and still have energy to help at the swimming club?
Even a demon couldn't keep up with that kind of constant drain.
If it weren't for the fact that the girls receiving Hachiman's help all looked healthier afterward instead of weakened, she might suspect he was a succubus disguised as a man, sucking life force.
"Hmm? Tenma-san?", Seeing Gabriel fall into a daze instead of replying, Ichinose Honami looked puzzled.
But she didn't think much, Gabriel had been next to her all day, not knowing about Hachiman was normal.
Maybe Gabriel was even more worried about him than she was, just not showing it.
"Tenma-san, should we go to little Hiki's house now? Or hang out a bit before heading over?", At this time, Yuina, Minami, and Rin finished packing their books and walked over with their backpacks.
"Whichever you prefer. Hachiman's little sister is at home now anyway," Gabriel looked at the approaching gyaru trio, her gentle smile tinged with helplessness.
Hachiman was really busy. At school he had to deal with the student council and club girls, at home he played with gyarus, and when they left, he'd likely have to deal with Iris and the elves again.
Was this a laborious life? If he really started a harem and became a househusband to so many girls, his life would be busier than work, not much free time at all.
"Hikigaya-kun isn't home? Then where'd he go after skipping class?"
"Could he be sick? Vanished without a word."
"Hmph, if that penguin's scared, we can always visit another day."
Kitagawa Marin, Ijichi Nijika, and Miura Yumiko walked over at this moment too, concernedly looking at Gabriel, who was closest to Hachiman and lived next door.
They were surprised Hachiman, usually so quiet and well-behaved, would skip a full day. So they felt some concern and weren't eager to visit his house.
But Yumiko had a different idea.
She knew what Yuna and the others were planning at Hachiman's house, she'd participated before, giving him a little punishment for not respecting her.
Now she and Marin, Nijika were also heading over. If they didn't count Gabriel next door, that made six girls total.
Hachiman being scared and running away silently was understandable.
'Hmph, useless.'
She had even been planning to go help him with Marin and Nijika, hoping Yuna and the others would tone it down, but he got so scared he skipped class.
Now, even if he knelt and hugged her leg begging to be her little errand boy once a day, she'd have to think about it. He was too embarrassing.
"Hachiman hasn't left school. As the Service Club president, he still has to help those in need and fulfill their requests," Gabriel shook her head. Though she found his current life absurd, she still respected him. Even in depravity, he always responded to others' requests and never did evil.
Maybe that's why she couldn't let him fall.
"He skipped a whole day but stayed at school?"
"Was he called by the elf princess again?"
Kitagawa Marin and Ijichi Nijika exchanged looks. Iris had come looking for Hachiman several times before, and every time he disappeared for a few periods afterward.
So now they were all wondering if his disappearance was again related to the elf princess.
They had heard she was absent today too.
But with many students on leave, not just Iris and Hachiman, and given the impact on her reputation, nobody dared speak recklessly, just whispered gossip in private.
"Mm... Hachiman was called to help the elf princess...", Gabriel nodded quietly and vaguely.
As for what kind of help... she'd rather not say.
"I see, then we should properly ask him why he has such a good relationship with the Elf Princess."
Ijichi Nijika said with a grin, full of curiosity about the transfer student, let alone the Elf Princess. Before, the Elf Princess was in another class and hard to approach. Now that there's a chance to learn more, she naturally wouldn't let it go.
"Does the Elf Princess really have such a good relationship with Hikigaya-kun... I wonder if we could ask Hikigaya-kun for an introduction...", Kitagawa Marin's eyes lit up slightly, and she had a new expectation about visiting Hikigaya's house.
The Elf Princess and the Mermaid Diva were very popular among the public. Recently, many manga and novels had themes about elves, mermaids, and other demi-humans.
She had been thinking of coming up with an elf cosplay lately, if she could get some references from a real elf, that would be amazing.
"What about Honami-chan? We're about to go, are you sure you don't want to come with us to little Hikigaya's place?", Minami saw that the group had made their plans to leave and reached out to pat Ichinose Honami, who had been quietly watching them chat and hadn't left, and said with a cheerful smile.
"I haven't talked with Hikigaya-kun about it yet, it wouldn't be good to go bother him like this," Ichinose Honami shook her head slightly and said in a small, embarrassed voice.
She hadn't forgotten the purpose of her transfer arranged by her uncle Ichinose. On the Service Club side, the Elf Princess was being taken care of by Ichinose Ayano, her uncle's biological daughter.
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