I cannot understand what kind of feelings Hoshino had when she wrote such despairing words.
In my memory, I have only seen two sides of her: the lazy, carefree Hoshino, and the cold, irritable Hoshino. Even those two images have never completely overlapped in my mind.
Which one is the real Hoshino? Perhaps both, or perhaps neither.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that I have never truly known Hoshino. And she has never truly known me. It is this lack of understanding that has always stood between us.
But there is one thing I do know.
When Hoshino wrote those words, she was already calling out for help to whoever might find that page.
So, my reason for bringing Hoshino back… just gained another layer.
"Thanks, Haruka." I patted Haruka's head, and she immediately wore that shy yet pleased expression. "Go rest for today. Tomorrow, we depart."
"Y-Yes, Sensei. Good night."
After sending Haruka off, I placed the marine life encyclopedia on my desk. A strange, tangled feeling swelled inside me. When I closed my eyes, memories flooded back...
I had sworn to Hoshino's back: "I will definitely pull you out of that dark mire."
Seia's expression had been filled with pity. "In the Abydos of the future, there is no Student Council President."
My gaze shifted to the shotgun leaning against the corner wall.
Hoshino had looked at me with a complicated expression, making no move to take her gun back. "If you like it, you can have it."
The man in black in the office had smiled faintly. "The Kingship of Horus is shared only with His beloved."
I recalled that whale-shaped pillow, hidden under the blanket, faintly carrying Hoshino's scent.
Hoshino's cold voice echoed in my memory. "I never trusted you from the beginning."
During our patrol, Hoshino had stretched, yawned, then smiled at me. "You know, Nonomi's words… they kind of make sense."
Hoshino…
Back then, what were you really thinking?
I know I can never truly understand her.
So I must uphold the promise between us.
Bring that idiot back, and make her say what she really feels.
This isn't for Hoshino's sake. It's for my own.
A student who trusts neither her Sensei, her classmates, nor herself… As her Sensei, correcting such foolishness is my duty.
There's still so much left undone. I haven't visited the Seminar, haven't contacted the After-School Sweets Club, haven't even spoken with Haruna yet…
But Hoshino no longer has time to wait, does she?
Our current forces are already enough to take down the Kaiser PMC base. Any more waiting would only waste precious time.
And if we still fail…
I picked up Hoshino's gun, running my fingers along its cold surface, and murmured,
"I won't let that happen. For that…"
A long sigh escaped me.
"I will give everything I have."
The light in the room went out. After the long night, dawn awaited.
—
"According to the intel, the enemy forces of Kaiser PMC are concentrated in these locations."
Inside the Foreclosure Task Force's clubroom, I placed three markers on the map pinned to the whiteboard. "First, there are large concentrations both within the Kaiser PMC base itself and to the north. Second, there's a smaller detachment in the eastern region.
"As for our side, we have everyone present. The Foreclosure Task Force and Problem Solver 68. Then there's the reinforcements from the Trinity Tea Party brought by Hifumi, and finally…"
I glanced at the restless Aru. "Gehenna's Prefect Team. The President, the Field captain, and the Medic Officer will participate in combat, with the Administrator providing remote support."
"H-Hina, huh… Heh, since we're allies this time, this President will be generous and overlook our past grudges!"
Aru was, as always, Aru putting on her usual bravado.
But now was not the time for teasing her.
I addressed everyone with a serious tone. "To reiterate, the plan is as follows: we don't know what exactly is up north, but since so many troops are stationed there, there must be a reason. Therefore…
"We'll launch a full assault on the northern units first. Remember, hold back, just gain the upper hand. Once the main base dispatches reinforcements, the Prefect Team and Hifumi's group will stay behind to intercept, while we circle around to the rear.
"Don't worry about reinforcements from other areas; I've already arranged for acquaintances to delay them.
"So, we'll strike the now-defended Kaiser PMC base head-on. Problem Solver 68 will handle suppression, while the rest move swiftly to the designated coordinates to rescue Hoshino. That's the plan in full.
"Understood?"
After receiving a chorus of affirmations, I nodded in satisfaction.
"Then move out. Operation start! Our goal, rescue Hoshino!"
The girls shouted in unison. "Yes, Sensei!"
—
The last time we set foot in the Abydos desert, Hoshino left us behind.
This time, in the same desert, we will bring her back.
Schale's helicopter circled wide before landing far from the northern Kaiser PMC troops. There, we met up with the Prefect Team, who had arrived in advance.
"Good day, Sensei," Chinatsu greeted, her words stiff, her face expressionless.
"Tch." Iori shot me a glare before turning away, clearly unwilling to even look at me.
"Iori, that's rude."
After lightly scolding her subordinate, Hina turned to me with a nod.
"Sensei, shall we begin the operation?"
"The Trinity reinforcements will take a little longer to arrive," I replied after a pause. "But… let's start."
"Understood. Members of the Foreclosure Task Force, I look forward to working with you. As for the members of Problem Solver 68… sigh, I'll turn a blind eye to your antics this time."
I glanced at Aru, who had already pulled the bewildered Kayoko behind her protectively.
Through remote comms, Ako's voice came in, laughing. "Kayoko, try not to cause trouble, alright?"
"Ako, you really do love provoking others, don't you?"
"Enough," I cut in. "Let's move. We don't have time to argue."
The two, who clearly didn't get along, fell silent at last.
From there, the operation went almost too smoothly.
Hina's power was overwhelming, truly one against a hundred. Even though she was holding back, her results alone matched the combined efforts of all other participants.
I had no doubt that the Prefect Team alone could have completed the mission flawlessly. But if we did that, the Kaiser PMC base would never dispatch reinforcements.
"Sensei, large enemy forces detected approaching from the rear! They're coming from the Kaiser PMC base!"
"Excellent." I took cover behind debris while giving orders through the comms. "In that case, Ayane, begin the next phase."
"I know… wait, what?!"
Ayane's voice suddenly turned panicked, filled with confusion and alarm.
Something had gone wrong.
Could it be that Kaiser PMC had hidden additional troops? Or had they discovered our plan and sent an elite squad to ambush Ayane's helicopter?
I quickly asked through the comms, "Ayane? What's happening?"
"N-no, it's not me! There's a high-energy reading moving toward… Sensei?! Run!"
Before she could finish, I felt it too.
The ground beneath me began to tremble. The vibrations grew stronger, shaking so violently that I had to cling to a crumbled wall just to stay upright.
What's happening? An earthquake? No… this feels more like—
Something enormous moving underground?
The absurd thought had barely formed when, behind me, something erupted from the sand. A massive burst of dust and debris struck my back, nearly knocking me over.
Then came the roar, deafening and earth-shattering.
I turned, and what I saw left me frozen in awe.
A gigantic white mechanical serpent, several stories tall, emerged from the sand, its massive body burrowing in and out of the desert like a living mountain.
Then, the metal behemoth lowered its head.
Four glowing yellow eyes fixed their gaze on me.
"An…"
Maybe it was my imagination, but in those eyes I saw confusion, and hatred.
The serpent's jaw moved clumsily, like an infant struggling to speak.
"Anti…"
Its mouth closed, drawing in a deep, mechanical breath.
Then, with a roar filled with boundless fury, it bellowed,
"Ahn…ti…
CRYST!!!"
The mechanical serpent, burning with wrath, lunged straight at me.