In terms of difficulty, barely lifting something and lifting something with ease are completely different matters.
There were students who could lift the Sword of Light. That was not unheard of.
However, at Millennium Science School, where the average physical ability was relatively on the lower side, a student as small and petite as Aris being able to hold the Sword of Light so steadily, without showing even the slightest strain, was truly a rare sight.
Even the symbol of Millennium's martial power, the head of C&C, whose code name [00] was regarded as a guarantee of victory, Mikamo Nero, probably did not reach this level of raw strength.
The Engineering Club, which frequently dealt with Nero due to her weapons requiring constant maintenance, naturally had a rough understanding of her physical condition.
Which meant that…
An unknown, mysterious transfer student, a newcomer to a small club like the Game Development Department, a girl who looked utterly ordinary aside from being especially cute, Aris, actually possessed monstrous strength comparable to, or even surpassing, Nero?
How could that not be shocking?
However, after successfully lifting the Sword of Light, Aris did not stop there.
"Um, the button I need to press is…"
Aris muttered to herself, quickly finding a suspicious spot. "This should be the B button…?"
As she spoke, she reached out and grasped the lever.
"W-wait…!"
Realizing Aris's intention, Hibiki hurriedly shouted in an attempt to stop her, but it was already too late.
Aris, who had absolutely no experience using firearms, had no awareness that the instant a round was fired from a firearm, an enormous recoil would inevitably follow.
That meant there was a high risk of injury.
But what actually happened was…
"O light—" Aris declared.
The barrel opened, light gathered, and with a thunderous roar, a shell like solidified radiance shot straight out.
Aris had indeed not anticipated the tremendous force transmitted to her wrist, and her body involuntarily leaned backward.
And then there was no then.
Not only was she uninjured, she did not even fall. Aris merely tilted back slightly, then quickly returned to balance as if nothing had happened, standing firmly in place!
This could no longer be explained by brute strength alone. It was a composite display of balance, reaction speed, and the density and strength of bones and muscles.
There was no doubt that beneath Aris's harmless exterior lay a body of steel, honed through countless trials…
Utaha suddenly narrowed her eyes, her gaze settling on the girl hugging the Sword of Light like a prized treasure, focusing on those spotless white hands, and fell into deep thought.
However, since Aris was unharmed, there was another issue that demanded attention.
"Ahhhhh!" Kotori let out a wail as she stared at the massive hole blasted open by the shell, through which the deep blue sky outside was plainly visible. "O-our club room ceiling!?"
I felt deep sympathy for the Engineering Club's misfortune. Looking at Aris, who had no awareness of having done anything wrong and wore a face full of pure smiles, I felt conflicted.
I would teach Aris what she should and should not do after we got back.
"I'm sorry, Utaha. I'll take responsibility for the damages."
Utaha shook her head. "It's fine. Similar things happen quite often during weapon development and testing. Please don't worry about it."
At the same time, Aris exclaimed happily, "Amazing. Aris will equip this weapon."
"She-she can actually use this weapon…"
Kotori, who clearly had not expected this possibility, looked even more troubled. "B-but this is still a bit…! Because of budget and various other issues, if possible, please choose something else…!"
"No."
At that moment, a cool and decisive voice came from the side. "It's fine. Let her take it."
Since Utaha, the club head and senior, had spoken, even though Kotori still seemed reluctant, she ultimately did not voice any further opposition.
Instead, Midori, as Aris's companion, asked uneasily, "Utaha-senpai, is it really okay?"
After all, without a doubt, the Sword of Light was a valuable item in every sense.
Utaha, however, was very generous. "Mm. There's no one else who can use it anyway, right?"
With that, she looked at Hibiki and instructed her. "Hibiki, so that it's easier for Aris to use later, make a strap and a handle for it."
"I understand." Hibiki nodded, then muttered, "Looking at it optimistically, getting real combat data isn't a bad thing either."
"Wow, it really feels like we got something incredible! Thank you!"
After Momoi, Aris hurriedly followed up. "Th-thank you very much!"
However, Utaha shook her head in refusal. "No. If you're going to thank us, it's still too early."
"Huh?"
"Next…" Utaha continued, turning to Hibiki again. "Hibiki, can you deploy all the drones and robots that were previously ordered to be scrapped?"
"…Yes."
After a brief moment of thought, Hibiki understood her club head's intention. After agreeing, she jogged off.
"Um… Utaha-senpai?" Midori asked tentatively. "This development feels a little strange, doesn't it…"
"Don't tell me this is the 'you can't just take the weapon that easily' scenario!?" Momoi exclaimed.
"Exactly."
Utaha nodded slightly, affirming Momoi's guess. "If you truly want to take this weapon with you…"
Kotori grew eager and finished the sentence. "Then please defeat us first!"
This kind of scenario was quite common in games.
I did not speak.
The Sword of Light could be considered the Engineering Club's labor of blood and sweat. They naturally had the right to decide its fate.
Although some of Schale's funds had been used, giving me a certain degree of say, Utaha clearly had her mind made up, so there was no need for me to interfere.
Besides, the most important point was that…
I was actually looking forward to what would happen next.
Momoi cried out, "Ehh!? How did it come to this, Utaha-senpai, why?"
Midori was also deeply puzzled. "D do we really have to go this far just for a weapon…?"
"If it were another weapon, I might happily give it to you…" Utaha paused. "But for this one, I need to make sure."
"M-make sure?"
"No… perhaps calling it a qualification would be more appropriate."
"Qualification? What is that—"
Before Utaha could continue answering Midori's question, Aris suddenly spoke up.
"Combat type drones and robots detected ahead. Hostile reactions confirmed. They're coming!"
Immediately afterward, an alloy door that had been tightly shut opened automatically, and a large number of mechanical constructs poured out from behind it.
"Ah, seriously!"
Complaining, Midori and Momoi hurriedly pulled back the bolts of their rifles, dragged the dazed Aris along, and sought nearby cover to prepare for combat.
Meanwhile, Kotori took the opportunity to quietly slip out through a side door, seemingly preparing to support the robots.
As for Utaha, she said to me,
"Sensei, please come with me."
"Mm."
Since this was merely a trial, as an adult, it would not be appropriate for me to take command and favor either side as I would in a battle against external enemies.
So I followed Utaha up the stairs and observed the battle from above.
The fight quickly began in earnest.
With no intervention from me, Momoi took on the role of commander.
The twins' combat ability seemed to have declined… or perhaps this was simply their true level.
Regardless, with the tacit understanding between the two sisters, little Momoi and little Midori still displayed performance that could be called excellent.
But the true subject of the test, the one we needed to focus on most, was not the two of them...
To be honest, Aris's initial performance was hard to describe.
In stark contrast to the overwhelming power of her weapon, her combat experience was clearly blank, preventing her from drawing out the weapon's true strength at all.
Even while wielding a beam cannon with extremely high performance, even with the physical strength to withstand terrifying recoil without budging, able to fully neutralize it with just a slight twist or half step back, she still could not exert the absolute dominance she should have had.
If this continued, facing the overwhelming number of enemies, defeat was basically assured.
However, in the midst of battle, Aris began improving at a visibly rapid pace.
The disadvantage gradually reversed, the scales of victory slowly tilted, and before anyone realized it, the mechanical army had been reduced by more than half. Even when Kotori personally joined the front line, she could no longer contend with the Game Development Department.
At this point, the outcome was essentially decided.
"So amazing…"
The girl beside me had already voiced her praise in advance.
"Sensei." Utaha turned her head, her pale violet eyes filled with intense curiosity, and asked softly, "Aris… she's not a student, but an android, right?"
This was actually not difficult to notice. Even though Aris's appearance was nearly indistinguishable from an ordinary person and she bore a halo, careful observation would always reveal subtle clues.
I met Utaha's gaze and replied calmly. "Aris is my student, and also a student of Millennium."
"I'm sorry, I misspoke. I didn't mean it that way. Sensei, you do know Aris's origins, don't you?"
"Not completely."
"I see."
Lowering her head in thought for a moment, Utaha looked again at Aris, who showed no sign of fatigue, and murmured as she listed the various observations she had made.
"Grip strength estimated to exceed at least one ton, a stable torso that does not lose balance while firing, combining both strength and power. And a beautiful body with not a single scar… no, a chassis."
At that point, Utaha chose her words carefully. "In other words, from the very beginning, it was designed to operate in harsh environments, with self repair via nanomachines as a premise. The purpose of its creation must have been…"
And rather than learning, this looked more like recalling skills long forgotten, yet already ingrained as bodily instinct.
I gazed at Aris in silence, listening as Utaha spoke the same conclusion that had formed in my own mind.
"Combat."
The head of the Millennium Engineering Club, the foremost master whose achievements matched her title, let out a deep breath.
"Sensei, what exactly is Aris…?"
"Didn't I already tell you?"
Looking at Utaha, I smiled faintly. "Aris, just like you, is my important student."
Utaha froze for a moment, then smiled softly. "I understand. If you say so, sensei."
"Besides," I pointed upward, adding meaningfully, "Aris's enrollment went through the proper channels."
But Utaha's expression turned strange. "…When you put it like that, it actually makes me more worried."
Just what kind of image does Rio have at Millennium, anyway?
I cleared my throat awkwardly. "…Well, of course, there were also, how should I put it, some pure and innocent methods involved."
At this, Utaha leaned back tactically and sucked in a sharp breath. "Those two worked together!? Don't tell me Aris is actually a super ancient relic meant to destroy the world!? Or perhaps the opposite, a secret weapon to fight the apocalypse!?"
"There's no way it goes that far, no matter how you think about it!"
Your imagination is way too good!
Utaha scratched her cheek. "You're right… it's just that those two are… well. Anyway, sensei is trustworthy."
Thinking back on how those two usually interacted, I completely understood Utaha's feelings. Really, what exactly do Rio and Himari usually do…
Sigh. Why don't they learn a thing or two from me about proper conduct?
I could not help drifting into deep imagination, nearly shedding tears of frustration at their lack of restraint.
At that moment, Utaha reminded me, "Sensei, the battle is over. Let's go down."
Just as expected, the Game Development Department claimed final victory.
"Ugh, how frustrating…" Defeated, Kotori looked at the hand Aris extended to her, smiled, and grasped it, using the leverage to get up. "But this is the result! Aris, that Sword of Light is yours now!"
"Wow, wow…!"
Pure joy once again bloomed across Aris's face, but as if she suddenly remembered something, she began looking around.
Until she spotted me.
"Sensei, sensei!"
The girl raised the heavy Sword of Light high and waved it around. "Look, look!"
Warmth filled my chest as I raised my voice. "Yes, I see it."
Then Aris turned to Momoi and Midori, continuing to share her joy.
"To be able to use that weapon… that's incredible…"
Hibiki emerged from the corner, marveling at the scattered wreckage of machines on the floor. She then approached Aris. "Come here, Aris. I'll teach you some more usage techniques. And I'll reinforce the grip part for you as well."
Aris hurriedly replied, "O great artisan! Then I leave everything to you!"
"You don't have to be that formal."
In short, that was how Aris obtained the weapon most suited to her, and we brought her back to the Game Development Department in high spirits.
And then she received a full hour of education from me on various matters of common sense.
"Why do I have to sit through this too!?"
Of course, Momoi was dragged along as well.
Objections overruled.