After receiving Aoi's assurance, I stepped out of her office and let out a long sigh of relief.
I had been fully prepared to bleed dry for this, but to my surprise, everything had gone smoothly. I could only conclude that Aoi, despite her cool and aloof appearance, was warmhearted and surprisingly passionate beneath that calm surface.
Ah, how I longed for the day I could fool around with the other students outside, then file an "emergency" request with Aoi for extra funds, letting her scold me helplessly while still squeezing a bit more out of Schale's already strained budget.
Now that the Chief of Finance was taken care of, the next step was to secure military support.
Sigh… what a way to ruin a perfectly good morning.
Just as I reached the Defense Bureau's floor, I ran into Kaya in the hallway. She was humming to herself, leaning lazily on a long-handled umbrella, looking positively cheerful.
Seeing her in such a good mood instantly soured mine.
"Oh, Sensei, good mor-... ning…"
Kaya spotted me, smiling brightly, but as she raised her hand to greet me, something seemed to cross her mind. Her expression froze.
"Uh… well… excuse me just a moment, please…"
She turned on her heel and all but speed-walked into the Finance Office, slamming the door shut behind her. A few seconds later, she reappeared, wearing a polite, practiced smile, empty-handed.
"Sorry for the wait~ Were you looking specifically for me today, Sensei? My, my, I can't say I'm thrilled by the surprise. Oh, but you know, I actually didn't have anything urgent to do today. I was even thinking of getting off early. I mean, not that I have anywhere to go even if I did take the day off…"
With that, she lowered her head, staring at her toes with feigned embarrassment.
What kind of nonsense was this clown up to now?
Surely she wasn't trying to hint at wanting a date. No doubt there was some trick hidden behind it.
Such a poor performance, it was almost laughable. Kaya might have flawless looks, but I, with my unshakable heart, would never be swayed by mere beauty.
"I'm here on official business," I said righteously, rejecting her ploy. "So once this matter is done, we can go out and have fun some other day."
Fair is fair, even sugar-coated poison is still sugar. Kaya was still my student, after all.
And since I was the one who needed her help, I couldn't refuse her hospitality outright. It was also a good chance to see what she was really after.
Kaya lifted her face slightly, her eyes glinting with thinly veiled satisfaction. "Alright~ Then what brings you here today? If you'd like, we can talk in my office while enjoying some coffee. I brought my own setup, I can brew a fresh cup just for you, Sensei."
Not long after, I found myself seated on the sofa of the Defense Bureau Chief's office, tasting the coffee Kaya had just brewed by hand.
Unfortunately, I didn't like coffee. Nor did I like Kaya.
Honestly, the coffee Yuuka had served me back when I first arrived in Kivotos, amid all the chaos and paperwork, had tasted far better.
"So, how is it, Sensei?"
I replied halfheartedly, "It's great. Has that unique Kaya flavor."
"Hehehe~ Sensei, you sure know how to flatter a girl."
If you take that as a compliment, that's fine by me.
After the brief pleasantries, I got straight to the point.
"Kaya, you have a rather close relationship with the Kaiser Corporation, don't you?"
"…"
Her usual narrow smile faded as she opened her eyes slightly, revealing those goat-like pupils of hers.
"What are you implying? A senior official of the General Student Council, close to a private corporation?"
I lifted the cup, savoring a slow sip before replying casually.
"How strange, then. When I invoked the name of the General Student Council to pressure Kaiser Loans, who else but you stepped in to smooth things over for me?"
Kaya's gaze lingered on me, her lips curving upward.
"Heh. As expected of you, Sensei... your insight truly is remarkable."
You flatter me.
Though, truth be told, it was Yukino who'd told me.
When Kaya had first provided me with intel on the Kaiser Corporation, I'd made a mental note of it.
Later, after my plan against Kaiser Loans had succeeded, I'd gone to thank Rin for her swift action, only to learn that she hadn't even circulated the news yet.
So I reached out to Yukino for clarification, and she told me an amusing story.
Apparently, clever little Kaya, when extending her olive branch to Yukino, had proudly boasted about her "partnership" with the Kaiser Corporation.
"So, Sensei, that means you owe me a favor now, doesn't it?"
"Hmm. Would you mind if I made that two favors?"
"Ah~ Sensei, honestly!" Kaya pouted, smiling coyly. "Well, it depends on what you're asking for. If it's too troublesome, I might have to refuse."
"Don't worry, Kaya. My plan benefits everyone."
As I spoke, I took a stack of documents from my briefcase and handed them to her.
She flipped through them, murmuring, "This is…"
"Evidence of Kaiser Loan's involvement in illegal underground banking."
"…So that heist a few days ago, was that your doing?"
I leaned back in mock surprise.
"What? Of course not. Surely it was our noble Defense Bureau Chief that who, unable to bear seeing such a fine company slandered, went to great lengths to recover this… fabricated evidence from the black market?"
Even evidence that couldn't see the light of day still had its uses in the shadows.
Now that I knew about Kaya's hidden ties to Kaiser, this supposedly useless file had found the perfect destination.
Kaiser could use it to clean up their tracks. Kaya could use it to negotiate better terms.
And I could use it, when the time came, to make sure she kept Kaiser in check.
Everyone would walk away with something.
As I smiled faintly, Kaya's eyes widened, then softened with amusement as she looked down at the "forged" evidence.
"Yes, yes, that's exactly right. I'll personally deliver this to the Kaiser Corporation's president."
"Not quite," I corrected. "You'll personally destroy it in front of him at the right moment."
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. "You're right. So then… when will that be?"
"Soon. Within the next few days. I'll let you know beforehand."
"It's a promise, then!"
She quickly extended her hand. I hesitated for a moment before realizing, she wanted a pinky swear.
Seriously, what is she, a kid?
Speechless, I hooked my finger with hers anyway. Pinky promise, break it and swallow a thousand needles.
Kaya reluctantly released my hand, smiling softly. "Sensei, is there anything else you'd like me to do?"
"Well, actually… I'm a bit worried about your safety, Kaya."
I looked at her with feigned concern.
"What if, on your way to Kaiser's headquarters, you're ambushed by some unsavory types? It would be a problem if this false evidence were stolen."
Kaya nodded knowingly. "So you mean I should take a large escort of Public Security officers with me, right?"
"The criminals are far more powerful than you think. To ensure your safety, we'll have to create a diversion, send some officers to pretend they're headed for Kaiser's other branches."
Kaya sighed dramatically. "Oh my, how terrifying these criminals are~ Guess there's just no helping it then∼"
I sighed as well. "Exactly. What's happened to Kivotos these days? No helping it at all."
We looked at each other and laughed, partners in crime.
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