Mobilizing large-scale police forces first requires reporting the funding flow to the Finance Office, while the report to Rinny can be submitted later.
I told Kaya to come up with a reasonable excuse on her own. I didn't tell her about my agreement with Aoi.
Without wasting even a moment on Kaya's attempts to persuade me to stay, I headed straight for the next battlefield - Trinity General School, the Tea Party.
This time, the meeting place was different from before. It was held in a more private reception room.
The Tea Party's guards escorted me inside, then withdrew respectfully. As the thick, soundproof door closed, only two people remained in the room.
Myself, and the host of the Tea Party, someone I hadn't met in quite some time, Yurizono Seia.
That said, we had only been apart in person. Online, we still chatted from time to time.
Seia often forwarded me odd articles, such as "How to Quickly Understand Subtle Expressions,""One Hundred Reasons Why Quiet Students Are Cuter Than Noisy Ones," or "Shocking! Petite Women Are Actually More Popular."
Another Tea Party member, Nagisa, mostly sent me tea-related information. She had just recommended her favorite brand the other day, she sounded like one of those kids that scam money from adults.
In contrast, Mika, who was loud and energetic in real life, had gone completely silent after adding me on MomoTalk. Aside from our first encounter, not a single message since.
Back to the main topic. I sat down across from Seia, ready to get straight to the point...
"This matter is something I shouldn't be involved in."
Seia spoke before I could, her champagne yellow eyes filled with regret. "Sensei, you shouldn't have come to me, nor to anyone in the Tea Party.
"It's not that I or we, refuse to help you. It's that the future has already been set. You must go through Hifumi and, indirectly, seek assistance from Nagisa. Only that path will form a stronger bond and fulfill an essential prerequisite.
"I agreed to this meeting only to tell you that and to stop you from contacting Nagisa or even Mika, directly later on."
I frowned, uneasy with the thought forming in my mind.
"...Are you saying you can see the future?"
"Only fragments," she replied softly. "I don't know the details of what you're about to do. The cause, the process, or the result. I know none of it."
Seia admitted it herself, but it was still difficult to believe.
"It's something like a precognitive dream. It's the highest-level secret of Trinity, but I hope this can become a secret even above that, just between you and me."
I could temporarily rule out the possibility that Seia was lying about this.
But I couldn't rule out the possibility that she might lie about other things.
Even with Seia being so honest, I had to stay cautious...
Just like Hoshino always did toward me.
Suddenly, I understood something. Unconditional kindness can sometimes make people even more suspicious.
I couldn't help but ask, "Your trust in me... Is that also because you've seen something in the future?"
Seia gave a meaningful smile and shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. Let's just say it's the whim of a maiden's heart, one that can't be shown to anyone else."
I decided to leave it at that.
Instead, I returned to the earlier topic. "You said you don't know what I'm about to do. Then, if I tell you the details, could you guess something from your dreams, since they're related?"
"I can try, but I can't promise anything."
"Takanashi Hoshino, the Chairwoman of the Foreclosure Task Force in Abydos. What I'm going to do is save her."
"The Chairwoman...?"
Seia fell silent, deep in thought. After a long pause, she spoke softly.
"I haven't heard that name before, but in the future I know, there does exist a group called the Foreclosure Task Force. It should be Abydos' student council. However..."
Her eyes wavered with hesitation, then she finally spoke the cruel truth.
"In that future, Abydos has no student council president."
Or rather, in that future, the Foreclosure Task Force no longer has its Chairwoman.
Will I... fail?
The moment I realized that, I felt my heart twist painfully, as if gripped by an invisible hand. Even breathing became hard.
I stood frozen, staring at the fox girl sighing before me, unable to say a single word.
"Sensei, the future shown in prophetic dreams is absolute. However, because the information is fragmented, it can sometimes be misleading. Please, don't lose heart just yet."
Forcing a smile toward Seia's concerned face, I took a deep breath, pushing away the fear and confusion clawing at me.
"You're right," I murmured. "There's no time to be troubled over something uncertain."
I refused to believe in a destiny that couldn't be changed.
That's why, no matter what, I would move forward. Toward the future where Hoshino exists.
That was my promise to everyone, and to myself.
Seia smiled gently. "Besides, even knowing such a future, I doubt you'd truly be discouraged. No matter how desperate the situation, Sensei always finds a way to stand again."
"I'll accept that compliment gladly."
I rose to my feet, my eyes clear of hesitation.
"Thank you, Seia."
"This is my duty. Now, please contact Hifumi as soon as possible."
I nodded, taking out my phone right then to call Lady Faust. Then, after bidding Seia farewell, I set out for the next destination.
—
"I see. Thank you for explaining, Hifumi. I understand everything you said."
Nagisa closed her eyes, thinking. "Although that treaty is still pressing, we can't act recklessly right now... But that PMC corporation's presence does seem harmful to our students. I suppose this time, I can make a small exception."
"Th-thank you so much, Nagisa-senpai," Hifumi said gratefully.
"Oh right," Nagisa smiled, "I remember there's an outdoor class scheduled soon about a towed howitzer. Since it's a rare chance, why don't you take it along for a field trip?"
Hifumi blinked in surprise, about to speak...
"My, my∼ sounds like you're discussing something quite interesting~"
A girl came up behind Nagisa and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "If it's something that could make Schale's Sensei owe you a favor, would you mind letting me in on it too?"
Misono Mika looked very intrigued.