(…I'm beat.)
Mash, overloaded with information, slumps in exhaustion.
His to-do list piles up:
Find and crush whoever attacked Seia. Trust every Trinity student, prove there's no traitor. Ensure the Remedial Class passes.
And more. The mounting tasks tighten his nerves, draining him further.
"…Hungry. Gave most of my breakfast away… eh, later."
He heads to reopen class for Hifumi and the others.
"Welcome back, Sensei!" Hifumi's bright smile greets him.
Instantly, Mash's fatigue drops from 90 to 70.
"Sorry for being late, everyone." (Fatigue: 70)
"No worries, we know you're busy."
"Perfect timing, Sensei! Let's eat choux cream together!"
"You didn't eat yet?"
"Ehe…" Hifumi giggles.
"?"
"We… waited for you," Koharu mumbles. "Azusa said choux cream's no good without you."
(Fatigue: 50)
"Koharu said the same," Azusa adds. "It feels… lacking without Sensei."
"N-No! That's not what I meant!" Koharu stammers.
"They're a bit cold now, but… want some?" Hifumi offers.
Hifumi, Azusa, Koharu, and Hanako saved the choux cream to share with Mash. Their thoughtfulness pierces his heart.
"I love you all." (Fatigue: 0)
His exhaustion vanishes, replaced by those impulsive words.
"Love!?"
"W-W-What're you saying!?" Koharu sputters. "Tch, you gotta ease into that stuff!"
"Oh my~♡" Hanako teases.
"I love you too," Azusa says flatly.
"Azusa-chan!? Wait, not that kind of love, right?" Hifumi panics.
"Huh?" Azusa tilts her head.
"I'll make sure you all pass. Promise."
Mash swears to make them happy, his resolve renewed.
"Oh, Sensei! Look at this!" Hifumi rushes over, handing him papers.
"Hm?"
"The second Remedial Class mock test results!"
"Oh, right, today was the second test. Thanks for starting without me."
"Forget that—look!"
Second Remedial Class Mock Test Results
Hanako: 8 points (Fail) Azusa: 58 points (Fail) Koharu: 49 points (Fail) Hifumi: 64 points (Pass)
"They're improving! Azusa's so close—just two points shy!"
Hifumi beams, practically bouncing.
"Look at mine too!" Koharu demands. "I went up a ton!"
"From 15 to 49 points!" Hifumi cheers. "Koharu's growth is insane!"
"Heh, told ya I was hiding my skills!" Koharu grins smugly. Her score's not stellar, but her progress is undeniable.
"You did amazing. I'm tearing up," Mash says.
"Who's whose dad!?" Koharu snaps.
"Maybe… big brother?" Azusa suggests.
"Oh, yeah!" Mash nods.
"Don't just agree!" Koharu yells.
"And Hanako…" Mash pauses.
Hanako's 8 points puzzle him and Hifumi, especially after Mika's revelations. Why?
"First test: 2 points. Second: 4. Now 8," Hifumi notes. "It's a sequence—2, 4, 8. Next is 16, then 32. Three more tests, and you're in passing range!♪"
"Uh, sure, mathematically… maybe?" Hanako falters.
"Everyone's improving visibly. The second special exam should be fine," Mash says.
"Yes! We might hit our goal sooner than expected!" Hifumi agrees.
"I'll complete this mission and claim that cute thing," Azusa declares. "It's why I'm here."
"Azusa-chan! Our goal is passing the exam, not… whatever that is!" Hifumi frets.
"Oh, right. That too," Azusa shrugs.
"'That too'!?" Hifumi groans. "As a Momo Friends fan, I'm torn…"
Mash smiles softly. "Adorable."
A sudden electronic beep interrupts them—someone's at the front entrance.
"Visitor?" Hifumi wonders.
"No deliveries scheduled…" Mash mutters.
"I'll check. Stay here."
"No need, Sensei," Azusa says.
"Why?"
"I set traps for intruders."
"…Traps?" Mash and Hifumi blink.
"Traps!?" Koharu and Hanako echo.
"Excuse me… anyone there?" a voice calls.
"Oh, that voice—" Hanako starts.
Bang! A girl's scream echoes with gunfire.
"It worked," Azusa says calmly.
"What did you do!?" Hifumi yelps.
"Bullet barrage for anyone who triggers it. Perfect setup."
"That's way too intense!" Koharu shouts.
"Uh, Azusa-chan? The gunfire's still going…" Hifumi says nervously.
"Until the ammo runs out."
"Eek!?" the girl screams again.
"We gotta move!" Mash says.
"I toned down the power…" Azusa mutters.
"How much?" Koharu demands.
"Minor scratches… probably."
"Let's hurry!"
They rush to the trap's location.
"Azusa-chan, next time, use non-lethal traps, okay?" Mash pleads.
"I'll consider it."
"Don't set any!" Koharu snaps.
"Ugh…"
"Are you okay!?" Hifumi cries.
They find a cat-eared, nun-like girl sprawled on the floor.
"May peace and… ouch… tranquility be with you…" she groans.
"Worry about your own tranquility!" Koharu retorts.
"Isn't that Marie-chan?" Hanako says.
"Hanako-san… and… Schale's Sensei?" the girl asks.
"Yep. Can you stand?" Mash offers a hand.
"Barely… didn't expect to get shot at."
"Sorry…" Azusa mumbles.
Marie smiles forgivingly. They guide her to the classroom to rest.
"Here's water."
"Thank you… I was shocked. Stepped in, and bullets everywhere…"
"I thought it was an attack," Azusa says.
"No harm done, really, don't worry…"
"As an apology," Azusa starts.
"No need!"
"Choux cream."
"Why choux cream!?"
(She's one of us, they all think.)
"Sorry I'm late," Mash says, returning after handling the bullets. "I'm Mash Burnedead, 16."
"Sixteen!?" Marie gasps.
"Fresh reaction," Mash chuckles.
"I'm Marie Ioroi, first-year, Sisterhood. Just call me Marie."
"Marie-chan it is."
(Chan already!?) Marie thinks.
"Why're you here, Marie-chan?"
"I came for Shirasu Azusa. Someone she helped wanted to thank her but couldn't come, so I'm here instead."
"Me?" Azusa tilts her head. "Don't recall."
"Maybe it was nothing to you, but it meant a lot to them. A classmate was being bullied, called to the schoolyard. Azusa happened to pass by and saved her."
"Seriously!?" Koharu gasps.
"Bullying!?" Hifumi exclaims.
"Bullying… in Trinity…" Hanako mutters, disgusted.
Mash radiates quiet anger.
"We only learned after she came to us," Marie continues. "Azusa stepped in that day."
"Azusa, that's amazing," Hifumi says.
"Just couldn't stand a group ganging up on someone weak," Azusa shrugs.
"Still a big deal," Mash says.
Azusa stays silent.
"But then, the bullies contacted the Justice Task Force. Somehow, it escalated into a huge fight between Azusa and them."
"Oh, right, Azusa got hauled off by them on day one," Koharu recalls.
"Something about not cracking under torture…" Hanako adds.
"And choux cream obsession," Mash notes.
"Azusa occupied a tear gas warehouse, using traps to fight the Justice Task Force for over three hours," Marie says.
"That's the one!" Koharu confirms.
"If I hadn't run out of ammo, I could've lasted longer and taken more down," Azusa says.
"Taken… down?" Marie falters.
"Fighting the Justice Task Force that long is impressive," Mash says, knowing their skill (and secretly outshining them).
"She reported to us, wanting to thank Azusa. Couldn't find her in school, so I came here."
"It's not worth thanks. I got caught anyway," Azusa says.
"That's beside the point…" Koharu mutters.
"Getting caught negates it," Azusa insists.
"Why!?" Koharu groans.
"But staying oppressed forever's no good," Azusa adds. "Even if it's futile, you shouldn't stop resisting."
Marie smiles. "I'll pass that along."
Mash nods, impressed.
"Azusa, the ice witch who worships violence? Just a rumor," Marie says.
"Hm?" Azusa blinks.
"She's got a bit of that vibe, though," Hanako teases. "Her face is hard to read."
"No way," Azusa protests.
"She's always stone-faced," Koharu agrees.
"Am I…?" Azusa wonders. "Then Sensei's the same."
"True, Sensei's always blank," Koharu says.
"Yeah," Hifumi nods.
"We rarely see you smile… can you even?" Koharu teases.
"I can smile—"
Mash turns to them.
"See?" Smile
A radiant grin, like one he flashed at Abydos long ago.
"!?"
"That shocking?" Mash deflates.
"It's back!" Koharu gasps.
"That's Sensei's smile… my brain's melting," Hifumi stammers.
"Such a lovely smile~♡" Hanako coos.
"It's… nice, but takes getting used to," Marie admits.
"My smile's that rare?" Mash wonders.
The Remedial Class relaxes, reassured—Mash can smile from the heart.
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