A vacation is a truly wonderful thing. No one who has ever been buried in work would deny it.
And so, on the fourth day of Mika Misono's vacation-that-wasn't-really-a-vacation in Gehenna.
Nagisa found herself, for the first time in her life, tempted to abandon her paperwork, her studies, everything, and just go home early.
She wanted to grant herself a slightly different kind of vacation.
"…A stamina meal. Yes. Mika doesn't need to eat a stamina meal to the point of exhaustion, but I understand the sentiment of wanting to provide one.
Of course, she's the type to always take the lead on tasks despite seeming to dislike work, so how could one not want to take care of her?".
"Nagisa, if you don't mind, I'd like you to consider my plight, having had to listen to this exact story for the third time today, and the seventh time in total".
"But…! There was no mention of her sharing a bed with Hina! Eating a stamina meal, and then sharing a bed! This is, this is absolutely wrong. Of course, I can accept that it's a hundred, a thousand times better than her falling into the hands of the Pandemonium Society's chairperson, but…".
"Obsessing over virginity? I've told you time and again, that's not what I'm worried about. In the first place, Mika is the very picture of innocence and the epitome of purity, so I don't even need to worry about that. Seia, why can't you understand this simple logic…?".
"Yes, yes, it's a true shame that you were unable to be the one to pluck it. Now, could you please get back to work? You're not the only one struggling with this situation. So please…".
"…Oh, honestly! That's not what I'm talking about!".
It was exactly what she was talking about. It was just that when Seia pointed it out so bluntly, Nagisa lost her composure and piled denial upon denial.
causing the same conversation to repeat several times over.
"Sigh… yes, it's about time I accepted it. When Mika returns, she'll have been completely tainted by the demons and will have become a fallen angel.
She'll say she can no longer be satisfied by someone with no spice like me, and she'll have Hina and Kurosaki on either arm… hic".
"Wait a moment. You weren't going that far just a minute ago.
And that photo just looked like a normal meal together".
"No, I was just re-examining it and I found something… Kurosaki had her hand on Mika's wing, and Mika didn't even seem to mind.
What more definitive proof could there be?".
"…Let me see that".
Taking Nagisa's phone, Seia confirmed the scene in question, which was now set as Haruna's Momotalk profile picture. A moment later, she let out a deep sigh.
"My friend, you should just go home and get some rest today".
"So it's true—".
"Nagisa, this is clearly an optical illusion. It only looks that way in the photo; in reality, their hands aren't even touching. It seems you're not in the right state of mind to focus on work anyway, so go home before you cause an accident. I'll somehow manage today's work…".
"…I'm sorry, Seia. I overreacted. I'll be fine after a short break to calm my mind with some tea. Yes, let's focus and get through this work together".
"Yes, tea. I had an attendant buy some of Mika's favorite 'coffee,' but…".
"Oh, stop it! Just let that part go.
Why must you embarrass me so?".
"…Very well".
As Nagisa glared at Seia, who finally let out a small chuckle.
she too let out a soft, silly laugh a moment later.
"I didn't realize Mika's absence would feel this vast.
Perhaps I shouldn't let her go on business trips anymore…".
"Ah, on that point, I am in complete agreement".
"But what if Mika really does—".
"…Nagisa, please".
Nagisa smiled at the sighing Seia.
It was a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
It was a small mercy that she had heard Mika was busy with work even in Gehenna.
If not for that, Nagisa might have truly lost her mind.
'Come to think of it, wasn't the operation supposed to begin tonight? I do hope things go well…'.
After receiving a request from Arius Squad for helicopter transport, Nagisa had immediately contacted Mika. The reply she got was as follows.
'Ah, Nagisa! I was just about to call you. What great timing… Hmm, maybe we really are connected!.
Oh, by the way, we're planning to pop a few cans tonight. So, just grant whatever our girls request..
And someone from Millennium will be visiting today, so don't forget to give the equipment they bring to the girls, okay?.
I'm counting on my most beloved Nagisa☆'.
Thinking what a vexing person Mika was, Nagisa gave a wry smile.
A sip of her sweet and bitter cafe mocha soothed her frantic heart.
Right, no matter what they did over there, the fact that she was the one Mika loved most would not change. It was an absolute truth.
And so, Nagisa could return to her work with peace of mind, which was a great relief to Seia.
In the dead of night, when all should have been asleep.
And the Kaiser Industries 1st Factory, completely divorced from the slumber of the night, hummed without rest. Roughly five kilometers from that spot.
five figures dropped from a helicopter hovering just above the ground.
"Operation Can Opening will now commence".
`[Can Opening… Fufu, what a cute operation name.
Was it Mika's idea?]`.
"…Refrain from comments unrelated to the mission from this point forward".
"For the record, it was Mika's idea. I think it's cute".
"Sigh… We're not children. What kind of naming sense is that?".
`[Oh my, to think you cannot appreciate an operation name so carefully crafted by a pretty girl like Mika…
I suppose this is the weight of the slander that 'we' beautiful girls must endure.]`.
"Comments unrelated to the mission… sigh".
Announcing the start of the operation at one of Kaiser Industries' key facilities, the 1st Factory, was Arius Squad.
Supporting them was the president of Veritas, Akeboshi Himari.
And at the same time.
"Operator, this is FOX 1. Proceeding to the security console via the shortest route as planned. What is the estimated time required to hijack the factory's network?".
[Sigh… Cracking isn't really my thing. Since the target is Kaiser's security, it's hard to give a definite answer… but if I use
"Three minutes? Isn't that too long? I heard the other team has the best cracker as their operator. It's a little damaging to my pride that the best team doesn't have the best of everything".
"That's because the other side wouldn't even stand a chance.
if they didn't have the best cracker, Kurumi".
"…Who said I didn't know that? Otogi, you're just putting on a brave face because your pride is hurt, too".
`[…Do they think hacking is just a matter of tapping a keyboard a few times to automatically open a door?.
The only reason this is even possible in this timeframe is because Kaiser Corporation's security is based on a similar framework to what we designed at Veritas.]`.
"Fufu… Otogi-chan, Kurumi-chan. Let's focus on the mission for now, shall we? If you keep this up, Yukino-chan might get genuinely angry.
And if the mission goes awry, how will you explain it to Mika-ssi?".
Supported by the vice president of Veritas, Kagami Chihiro, FOX Squad infiltrated the 2nd Factory, a site they had turned upside down once before.
"…Ohoho, it is time for sweet revenge. I shall make this flashy and fiery.
Yes, they must have been prepared for the consequences when they so foolishly incurred the wrath of a fox, no?".
[Um, I hope my Athena prototype doesn't get destroyed in the process.].
`[How did I end up on a team with such a heinous criminal…
Also, there seems to be some noise on the comms.]`.
Finally, a lone, vengeful fox set foot in the Kaiser Industries headquarters.
Thus, her method of operation could only be described as indiscriminate destruction—literal terrorism.
The entire reason Wakamo had gone so far as to actively persuade Mika to let her join the operation was for this very purpose.
The ultimate goal here was to plant optical camouflage listening devices in key areas like the president's office.
while also accessing the network to install malware that would continuously leak information.
This was to ensure they could keep an eye on Kaiser's movements.
even as operations against other companies proceeded.
The moment the three-pronged attack by the best agents and the best support was launched simultaneously.
the only future awaiting Kaiser Industries was to be stripped clean, down to its very foundations.