To put it simply, Mika looks like nothing more than a pampered young lady at first glance, but in reality, she possesses incredible strength that completely contradicts that first impression.
So, when her emotions overflowed and she threw herself straight into my arms...
Even with the Shittim Chest reducing the impact, I still stumbled backward, then fell into a heap together with the two girls.
The culprit herself, Misono... no, Mika, showed no sign of remorse. She simply giggled foolishly while rubbing her head against me, even secretly taking a deep breath.
Combined with her hair color, the sense of déjà vu was especially strong.
I had intended to sternly reprimand her and tell her to keep a proper distance from me, but when I saw the disheveled wings happily fluttering behind her, my heart softened. All I could do was sigh inwardly and, with tears in my eyes, let her have her way.
To be honest, she really was... quite well-endowed, especially compared to Arisu, whose movements were much more modest.
Just as I was enjoy... *cough* enduring it, Mika suddenly stopped and asked hesitantly,
"Sensei, isn't there some strange sound coming from outside?"
I activated my authority, and sure enough, from the street outside the Basilica, a bizarre yet familiar laugh drifted faintly toward us.
"Kekehihihihihi..."
"...That voice... could it be Tsurugi?"
I made my decision immediately and headed outside to check.
Naturally, Mika and Arisu insisted on coming with me, and this time I agreed.
Unlike earlier, when I had Arius Squad stay behind to rest, if other students really had arrived as reinforcements, bringing them along would let them receive treatment sooner.
As we stepped outside the Basilica, we happened to see a ghostly black figure smash through a wall and charge into a nearby building. Another loud crash rang out immediately afterward, and the eerie laughter gradually faded into the distance.
"I-it's a ghost-type enemy!?"
Arisu spoke with both fear and excitement.
"Eh... Why is the Justice Task Force... here...?"
Mika murmured.
That had to be Tsurugi.
I withdrew my gaze from the hole in the wall and saw another member of the Justice Task Force I recognized walking briskly toward me. She raised a hand in greeting.
"Hello, Sensei. I'm from the Justice Task Force... Hmm, do you still remember my name?"
"How could I forget?"
Looking at the cheerful young woman with long black hair, narrowed eyes, and a bright smile, I returned a gentle smile.
"Ichika. So you've all arrived."
Within the Justice Task Force, she served as a middle-ranking officer. Thanks to her gentle personality, she was well liked and often acted as a bridge between the Justice Task Force and the other academies.
"Yep! Ehehe... I'm really happy that Sensei remembers me."
The corners of Ichika's lips lifted as she continued,
"Anyway, after fighting all night, we finally drove those robots back. For some reason, all the Justina Council of Saint copies occupying the Old Cathedral disappeared too. Apparently they might have simply run out of energy?"
So the converted Saint Council had also been dealt with?
Although that was undoubtedly good news, somehow it all felt a little too coincidental.
At that moment, Ichika continued,
"After that, using the route Sensei provided, Seia-sama's information, and the underground catacomb maps left behind by the ancient Saint Council in the old records, we confirmed the other entrances. Then we came here to support you and liberate the Arius School."
Seia had awakened safely as well.
Finally able to relax completely, I sincerely said,
"Thank you for your hard work."
"Hehe, it's only what we should do."
As she spoke, Ichika seemed to notice something and opened her eyes, allowing me to see her grayish blue irises for the first time.
"Come to think of it, Sensei... compared to the last time we met, haven't you gotten quite a few more white hairs...?"
I wasn't sure whether her powers of observation were simply that sharp, whether she'd been secretly paying close attention to me for a long time, or whether it had already become that obvious.
"Really?"
With mixed emotions, I calmly replied,
"I've probably just been staying up too much these past few days."
"I see. Then please make sure to take care of yourself and don't overwork."
After expressing her concern, Ichika didn't pursue the matter further. She picked up her radio.
"Hasumi-senpai, we've confirmed that Sensei and Mika-sama are safe. Oh, right, and this person is...?"
"This is Arisu from Millennium."
I introduced her.
"She's talented both academically and physically, and she's an exceptionally well-behaved girl."
Arisu puffed out her chest and greeted her sweetly.
"Hello, Ichika-senpai~"
"Ehehe, hello, Arisu-chan. You really are an adorable child. Hasumi-senpai, there's also a Millennium student here."
"Understood. In that case, let's hurry and withdraw to the secured area first... Bring Sensei and the others through the route we've already secured in the catacombs. The Seminar treasurer should be there as well."
So Yuuka had come too.
The instant Arisu heard that, she visibly shuddered, fear spreading across her face.
Noticing her reaction, Ichika tilted her head.
"Hm? What's wrong, Arisu-chan? Could it be..."
"N-no!"
Arisu answered with a miserable expression.
"Arisu isn't afraid of Yuuka-senpai at all!"
Never surrender to the Great Demon King Yuuka.
That was precisely the quality every proper member of the Game Development Department should possess.
"Is that so?"
Ichika didn't think much of it.
"Well then, let's get going. There are still people waiting to see both you and Mika-sama."
"Hm?"
Mika let out a puzzled sound, but I had already guessed who she meant.
After informing Hasumi that Arius Squad, including Azusa, was currently inside the innermost Holy of Holies of the Basilica, and asking her to let them know I'd join them shortly, I followed Ichika together with Mika and Arisu as we quickly evacuated the area.
At that moment, gunfire echoed throughout the Arius School.
Wherever I looked, organized battles were breaking out between the Justice Task Force, the Prefect Team, and Arius students.
One side was filled with morale, shouting slogans of "Liberate Arius!"
The other had been completely caught off guard. Panic had spread through their ranks, and they seemed unable to organize any effective resistance.
Combined with the overwhelming difference in combat strength, the battlefield had become entirely one-sided.
Along the way, I also spotted many students I knew, but this clearly wasn't the time to stop and catch up.
A short while later, we arrived inside a building that had apparently been converted into a temporary command center.
There were no shortage of familiar faces here.
Hanako and Mari from Trinity, Iroha and Ako from Gehenna, Yuuka, Noa, and Himari from Millennium...
Most of the senior administrative staff from the three academies had gathered here, along with Ayane from Abydos.
This was exactly what the bonds between my students and me should look like.
"Sensei! You..."
Yuuka was the first to notice me.
A delighted smile appeared on her face as she called out to me in a voice slightly louder than usual, but then her attention was stolen by the familiar figure trembling behind me, desperately trying to hide herself.
The smile on her face instantly turned into astonishment.
"Huh!? Arisu, why are you here?"
"A-Arisu sleepwalked here..."
In a certain sense, she really wasn't lying.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Why are you so filthy...? Come with me. I brought a spare uniform. We can't let you take a bath here, but there's hot water available, so at least you can wipe yourself down first..."
Muttering one concern after another like an overly worried mother, Yuuka greeted me before hurriedly dragging Arisu away.
Already surrounded by the other students and unable to attend to anything else, I could only ignore Arisu's pleading look for help.
After accepting everyone's warm concern, using overwork over the past few days as an excuse to brush aside the questions about my white hair and ease their worries, I stopped interrupting their work.
"Sorry for making you all wait."
"It's fine."
Mika smiled, then quietly added,
"You're really popular, Sensei..."
Led once more by Ichika, we entered a room farther inside.
There, a grayish blonde girl sat properly in her chair with a cup of black tea in hand. Before her was a tea table laid out with refreshments.
Looking at that familiar table and chairs, I suddenly understood why there was hot water available here.
That was just how Trinity was.
The moment Nagisa saw Mika and me arrive, she immediately set down her teacup.
"Sensei... Mika...! Are you both alright!?"
"Na-Nagi-chan...!?"
Mika's eyes widened in surprise.
"Huh? Why are you here...?"
Nagisa answered irritably,
"The command headquarters for the operation to liberate Arius and support Sensei is naturally where I, the Tea Party's host, should be. Besides..."
She glared at Mika.
"...When a certain self-righteous idiot charges alone into a place this dangerous, how could I possibly stay away?"
Nagisa certainly talked the talk, but why did she suddenly glance over at me halfway through?
Mika's eyes immediately reddened.
"Nagisa-chan..."
At that moment, another calm voice came from behind the curtain behind Nagisa.
"I'm here too."
With a swish, the curtain was pulled aside. As though she had just awakened from a short nap, the small blonde girl with fox ears sat up on the bed.
Mika's eyes widened.
"Se... Seia-chan..."
"Thank you, Sensei, for bringing Mika back."
After solemnly thanking me, Seia turned to Mika.
"What a fool you are, Mika."
She sighed, looking as though she were scolding someone for not living up to expectations.
"You always act on impulse and go too far. That's your bad habit."
But instead of getting angry at those words as she usually would, Mika's lips trembled.
"...Seia-chan... H-how...?"
"...There may not be enough time to weave the whole story."
Seia pondered for a moment.
"In my dream, it felt as though I encountered something, yet I can't remember it clearly. After waking, I only recall a soft, fluffy sensation lingering... Mm, to put it simply, I returned safely no matter what."
Seia smiled.
"After that, I came here together with everyone who had just finished fighting the Hieronymus. To fulfill Sensei's request, and to save you, Mika."
But Mika's reply was,
"...Seia-chan, you're still saying things nobody understands. You always act so high and mighty, it really gets on my nerves. There were so many times I wanted to make you suffer a little."
Hearing that, Seia immediately frowned, wearing a confused and displeased expression.
The next moment, however, Mika took a deep breath and smiled brightly.
"But even so, I love you the most, Seia-chan!"
"...Eh?"
Seia blinked in surprise. Then her expression softened slightly, tinged with helplessness.
"And Nagisa-chan too!"
Without missing a beat, Mika turned toward her.
"You're way too hysterical! Come to think of it, even in a place like this you still won't put down your tea. I seriously think there's something wrong with you. Are you addicted to caffeine? Or is it obsessive-compulsive disorder?"
Anger instantly appeared on Nagisa's face as well, but it quickly faded.
"That's because... whenever I get too nervous..."
Before she could finish, Mika spoke again from the bottom of her heart.
"But I love that side of you too, Nagisa-chan!"
"Mm... That's right. I love both of you the most."
"And finally, Sensei!"
So I was included after all.
Or rather, had she built all this up just to say that?
"For someone as selfish and rotten as me, saying I deserve to be saved is such a stupid thing to do. You're far too kind! You always act like being an adult makes you so amazing, and that's exactly why you're constantly surrounded by girls. You even got tricked by a bad woman like me without realizing it!"
Even though I had prepared myself and more or less guessed what she was going to say, I still had to admit that Mika was exceptionally talented at making people angry.
She actually ignored the role my handsome appearance and noble character played in my interpersonal relationships.
What poor judgment, Mika.
"But that's exactly why I love you most of all, Sensei! And it's... it's not the same kind of love I have for Nagisa-chan and Seia-chan..."
The moment those words left her mouth, a cold gleam flashed in Nagisa's narrowed eyes, while Seia slipped a hand into her clothes as though reaching for something.
But as she spoke, the smiling Mika suddenly sniffled, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
She choked back sobs as she said,
"Thank you, everyone... And... I'm sorry..."
"...No. If anyone should apologize, it's me. I'm sorry, Mika."
Seia spoke sincerely.
"I always wanted to apologize to you. But because I stubbornly clung to my childish pride, I never managed to... Mika, when you said you wanted to reconcile with Arius, I..."
Before she could continue, Mika interrupted her through tears.
"It's okay. You don't have to say it... It's fine. I'm sorry... It was all my fault... I'm sorry..."
Being able to apologize honestly to one another.
Everyone had grown.
Perhaps I had as well.
Just then, footsteps approached from nearby.
Only now realizing what was happening, Ichika spoke apologetically.
"Um... Sorry for interrupting such an emotional moment... I have something I'd like to give to Mika-sama."
"Eh? For me...?"
Mika wiped away her tears and looked at her in confusion.
"This."
Ichika took a handkerchief from her pocket and unfolded it.
Inside were several ribbons and accessories.
"These are..."
Mika accepted them with a puzzled look. After examining them carefully, her eyes widened.
"My... accessories...? Huh? Why...? They should have all been burned to ashes...!?"
"Ah, well... the person in charge of the confiscated items storage room..."
Scratching the back of her head awkwardly, Ichika continued,
"Um... It's a little hard to explain... That girl collected your accessories from what was left after the fire and kept them safe."
The person in charge of the confiscated items storage room...
Wouldn't that be...
Mika asked in surprise,
"Was it Koharu-chan...?"
"Yes, it was Koharu... Mm."
Only then did Ichika realize something, her beautiful eyes widening in surprise.
"W-wait!? You know Koharu?"
"...Yes."
Lowering her head, the pink-haired girl gazed silently at the accessories in her hands for a while before murmuring emotionally,
"Thank you, Koharu-chan... Even though I did something so terrible to you..."
Because of Mika's coup, the girls of the Make-Up Work Club had nearly become her scapegoats and been expelled from school.
In that matter, all three members of the Tea Party bore responsibility that they could never completely escape.
After quietly saying something to me, Ichika silently left the room, leaving the space entirely to us.
After gathering my thoughts, I said,
"When we have the time, we really should properly apologize to everyone in the Make-Up Work Club."
"Mhm...!"
Mika nodded vigorously.
"Indeed..."
Seia agreed.
"We should also find an opportunity to sit down and talk with one another..."
At that moment, Nagisa spoke.
"Then it's about time we returned. There isn't much time left before Mika's hearing."
Even after everything that had happened, the hearing was still going ahead as scheduled?
Mika, however, focused on something entirely different, as usual.
"Eh... Do I really have to go dressed like this? I'd like to change into something else... and get my injuries treated too. If I'm going to stand in front of everyone, I should at least fix my hair."
Nagisa and Seia both fell silent at the same time, utterly at a loss for what to do with her.
"...Haah."
At last, Seia let out a long sigh.
"Do as you like."
"Mhm."
Nagisa nodded.
"Besides, all three of us have been awake all night. Looking like this really is..."
I couldn't help but suggest,
"Instead of that, why not postpone the hearing?"
In response, all three girls stared at me in astonishment, as though I had said something completely bizarre.
"Sensei."
Nagisa spoke helplessly.
"If we want to change the date of the hearing, we have to go through an enormous number of complicated administrative procedures. Even if you were to exercise Schale's authority, there simply isn't enough time..."
So this was another one of Trinity's long-standing traditions that I simply didn't understand.
"In that case, I'll go with you."
"Of course you will, Sensei."
Nagisa smiled.
"After all, we agreed that everyone would attend the hearing together."
"But before that."
I said,
"There's one more thing I have to do."
After saying a temporary farewell to the three girls of the Tea Party, I stepped outside the room.
Accompanied by Ichika, who had been waiting for quite some time, I went to fulfill my promise with Arius Squad.
They had neither fled in advance nor offered any resistance.
They peacefully accepted arrest by the Justice Task Force.
Having committed their crimes, they would also face the judgment they deserved.
Even if they could never earn everyone's forgiveness, they would still be able to walk toward a new future.
Just like Mika, who was about to stand before her hearing.
Until then, I would remain by their side.
And there was one more thing.
Filled with anticipation, I took out the card.