"Is Azusa-chan… a traitor?"
"Maybe. She wasn't always with Trinity. She's from Arius, a splinter faction that broke off long ago."
Arius—a name few know. Even Mash, who'd researched Kivotos extensively, hadn't heard of it.
"No way Azusa-chan's a traitor!"
"Figured you'd say that, Sensei. You're all about protecting students… though, can we even call her a student?"
"Why not?"
"Can someone who doesn't learn be called a student?"
"…Every kid here is my student."
"Oh, right, my bad!"
Mika makes a playful face, then continues.
"Shirasu Azusa—I want you to protect her, Sensei."
"Already planned to."
"Whoops, too blunt? Nagi-chan's rubbing off on me. Anyway, it's a long story, and standing's no fun."
Mika sits by the pool, dipping her feet in. Mash follows suit.
"I'm not as smart as Nagi-chan, but I'll try to explain clearly."
"Please do."
"What's your take on Trinity?"
"It's a massive academy, formed from multiple factions, right?"
"Yep. Pater, Filius, Sanctus—those three became Trinity's core."
"Cool names."
Mika draws three circles in the air, then more below—an abstract Trinity crest.
"But that's not the full picture. There are tons of factions, like the Relief Knights' predecessors and the Sisterhood."
"So many factions… doesn't that cause conflicts?"
"Exactly! Old Trinity was like Gehenna—constant feuds and rivalries!"
"Gehenna-level chaos…"
"Gehenna solves things with brawn; Trinity used diplomacy, schemes, negotiations. In Mash terms: Gehenna's muscle, Trinity's brains."
"But endless fighting couldn't last. They signed a treaty to stop the conflicts and unite as one academy—the First Ecumenical Council."
"So that's how Trinity was born?"
"Yep."
"The First Council united all factions under one banner, erasing disputes. Like the Eden Treaty, but they pulled it off back then."
"Most students now don't care about those old divides… except one school."
"Arius Branch."
"They refused peace, kept fighting. That's Arius."
"They were just like us, you know? Minor doctrinal differences, similar chapels, hated Gehenna… but they fiercely opposed the union."
"And then?"
"War. Trinity, now a united powerhouse, crushed Arius. One faction couldn't beat the collective. They were… a convenient enemy to test Trinity's strength."
Mika's voice grows heavy. Nobody enjoys this story.
"Arius was obliterated, exiled from Trinity's district. No one knows where they are now—not even the Tea Party or the Federal Student Council."
"Really?"
"It's ancient history to most students. A forgotten school, erased from memory. That's Arius—and Azusa's from there."
"Nagi-chan's pushing the Eden Treaty, a modern First Council. Sounds nice, right? Uniting Trinity and Gehenna."
"Joining hands is good."
"Sure, but… it's about merging their forces into the Eden Treaty Organization, ETO—a new military powerhouse."
Mash freezes. ETO could prevent Trinity-Gehenna clashes, but what if it's misused? Who's to say it won't spark new conflicts?
"What's Nagi-chan planning with that power? Maybe she'll attack the Federal Student Council while the president's missing. Or target Millennium. No one can prove she won't."
Mika locks eyes with Mash, dead serious.
"If someone so suspicious wields that power, they'll succumb to fear and paranoia, eliminating threats with force."
"ETO's massive. Trinity used that strength against Arius once. Who's next?"
"Or maybe, before that, Nagi-chan might end up like Seia-chan—"
Mika stops, shaking her head.
"Forget that. Slip of the tongue."
"Something bad?"
"Seia-chan's hospitalized, like I said."
"What happened?"
"Do you… want the truth?"
"Of course."
"Really?"
"Really."
Mika hesitates, then speaks, pained.
"Seia-chan's not hospitalized. Her halo… was destroyed."
"Her halo… destroyed?"
"It's true. No joke."
Halo destruction means death. A student died, unknown to Mash. The shock hits hard.
"Last year, she was attacked. Officially, she's 'hospitalized,' but only the Tea Party knows the truth. Maybe the Sisterhood too—their intel's insane."
"The culprit?"
"Unknown. Still investigating. Seia was secretive, so… we have guesses, but nothing solid."
Mika and Mash fall silent, the weight suffocating. She presses on.
"Back to Azusa. I'm the one who transferred her here."
"You?"
"Yeah, without telling Nagi-chan. Forged her records to enroll her."
"Why?"
"No grand reason. I just… wanted to reconcile with Arius."
"Reconcile?"
"Arius hates us. We live in luxury while they suffer, denied even education. They reject our help, the Federal Council's too, because of past grudges."
Mika's fighting the disparity—Trinity's wealth, Arius's poverty.
"Their hatred's deep, their distrust heavier than I can bear alone."
"They think you're just playing the good guy?"
"Probably. That's why they won't take our hand. But I won't give up."
Mika clenches her fist, her resolve clear.
"Nagi-chan and Seia-chan opposed me, for political reasons. As Tea Party members, we can't risk the school for personal ideals."
Leaders can't act recklessly. It's a fair stance.
"I'm clumsy, not great with politics, but… is it so hard to share tea, laugh, study together? Normal school life—why's that impossible?"
"It's not impossible. Absolutely not."
Mash's firm words come from experience—building bonds, overcoming divides.
"I knew you'd say that, Sensei. That's why I wanted Azusa to be a symbol."
"Symbol?"
"Proof that even enemies can learn, laugh, live together. She's exceptional, even for Arius. I bet on her potential."
"Why not convince Nagi-chan properly?"
"She's been on edge since the Federal President vanished. She wouldn't listen. And if the Eden Treaty's signed, reconciliation with Arius might be impossible."
"I wanted to prove Arius students could thrive here, be happy. But then Nagi-chan started talking about a traitor in Trinity…"
"What sparked that?"
"No clue. Maybe I messed up somewhere. To protect the treaty, she gathered suspects—the Remedial Class."
And here we are. Mash's brain is overloaded, but he holds on.
"At first, I didn't get the 'traitor' talk. Do you know why they were chosen? Not grades—why Nagi-chan suspects them?"
"No."
"Okay, I'll break it down."
"Hanako-chan's brilliant, once a Tea Party candidate. Even the Sisterhood wanted her. But she suddenly changed, nearly failing. Why?"
"Student debut?"
"Probably not."
"Koharu-chan's pure, uninvolved in politics. Her selection's about her group—the Justice Task Force, especially Hasumi-chan, who hates Gehenna. Nagi-chan fears their unchecked power, so Koharu's like… a hostage."
"Hasumi-san hates Gehenna that much? Explains her face when I offered her Gehenna's choux cream."
"Probably not related."
"Then there's Hifumi-chan. Sweet, kind, Nagi-chan's favorite. But she's been sneaking out to sketchy places, like the black market, and there's talk of ties to a crime group."
Mash panics internally—he knows too much.
"Even Nagi-chan, who adores Hifumi, suspects her. That's Nagi-chan for you. Her suspicions grew, and now she thinks one of them's the traitor."
"Complicated…"
"Right? And Azusa fits Nagi-chan's 'traitor' profile—she's from Arius, our enemy. But she's caught in this mess because of me. I can't let her be expelled like this."
"Same here."
"So protect her. Only you can. That's everything I can say."
"My brain's… fried."
"Was it that bad?"
"Expelling them's too much."
"I agree. And… if we're talking real traitors, it could be Nagi-chan herself."
"The suspicious one's the most suspicious?"
"Sensei? You okay?"
"…Gonna lie down for a bit."
"Huh? (How's he survived this long?)"
Mash rests, overwhelmed by Trinity's past and truths. His brain's at its limit.
"A few things clicked."
"What?"
"First, you're kind, Mika-san."
"Kind? Me?"
"You're trying to help Arius, end Trinity's discrimination. That's amazing."
"Maybe…"
"You'll be a justice hero when this is resolved."
"Justice…"
Her face saddens, body tensing.
"Second, what I need to do."
"Prove there's no traitor?"
"That, but also… trust my students."
"Trust them?"
"All of Trinity's students—I'll believe in them."
"All!? Seriously?"
"Dead serious."
"Isn't it painful, suspecting everyone?"
"It is."
"Azusa-chan's no traitor. Neither's Nagisa-san. Or you, Mika-san."
"You're like a saint, Sensei."
"Just a softie."
Mash stretches, thanking Mika.
"Thanks for explaining. I won't let Azusa-chan get expelled."
"Glad to hear it! I enjoyed talking."
"Me too. See ya."
Mash turns to leave.
"Sensei!"
Mika grips her clothes, shouting.
"If a traitor betrays you… what then?"
"Even then, I won't abandon them. I'd bow my head with them."
Mika's stunned.
"When this is over, let's have a choux cream party."
Mash waves, leaving. Alone, Mika crouches, tears falling.
"Haha… believing all students, not abandoning betrayers, even bowing with them… you say it so easily."
Covering her face, she whispers.
"Sorry, Mash-kun… I'm no justice hero."
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