I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Chapter 20: Yu Xiang's mother, top-level self-conquest strategy...?

“I sincerely invite Yuka... to join Xia Lai.”

After adjusting his tie and the armbands of his Xia Lai uniform, Amamiya calmly and firmly, and clearly and logically, grabbed Yuka's hand and explained his demands.

"Huh? Huh?!"

Yuka, caught off guard by the sudden attack, seemed unable to process what was happening immediately.

After blankly uttering two "ahs," a distinct look of panic flashed in the girl's clear, amethyst-like eyes.

So close...

As Amamiya approached with an almost 'affectionate' attitude, Yuka seemed to smell a faint fragrance that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but which felt very serene and gave her an incredible sense of peace.

Yuka, whose mind was temporarily blank, did something that would make her feel extremely ashamed after a very short period of lapse in memory—she subconsciously twitched her nose slightly and took a long, deep breath of the seemingly reassuring fragrance.

No... wait...

What am I even doing?!

'Well……'

After letting out a soft "ooh," Yuka, feeling ashamed and disgusted by her subconscious action, decisively and calmly pulled her hand away from Amamiya's grasp.

"Um... Sensei, I understand your request..."

"First of all, please refrain from making such... slightly overly intimate contact..."

Although her words were meant to express condemnation, they somehow carried a sense of shame and helplessness.

"You are, after all, an adult who is expected to set an example for the students... Please, pay attention to your manners..."

In fact, Yuka didn't even know what she was saying—she was just trying to ease her embarrassment based on her 'instinctive reaction'.

Sensei's 'persona', Sensei's unexpected 'super charm', and his 'natural body scent' that seems to be more than just perfume and is difficult to describe in words... these 'variables' were far beyond her 'calculation'.

It's as if... Sensei's existence is a natural "variable".

But thinking about it carefully, it doesn't seem like much... It actually fits the definition that the Federal Student Council might have given to the position of "Federal Investigation Department - Sharai" and the position of 'Sensei' when they established it...

"I see... So Yuka-san doesn't like this kind of 'slightly intimate contact'... I'll remember that from now on."

The sound that came to her ears again finally calmed Yuka's slightly chaotic thoughts for the time being.

Having eased her shyness and unease, Yuka looked up and observed Amamiya, who had said those words.

His expression was natural and serious, with a hint of guilt for being reprimanded.

This doesn't seem like the behavior of a liar at all... Perhaps Sensei really did just act impulsively for a moment, which is why he did something 'unexpected'...

Wow... Sensei seems surprisingly 'thoughtful'...?

【~???~】

No, no... While you've been very considerate in unexpected ways, there's no need to take this strange little misunderstanding so seriously.

"So... Yuuka, would you be willing to join Xia Lai and lend me a hand?"

"..."

Yuka did not immediately respond to Amamiya's 'sincere words'.

Join Xia Yi (Seven) Liu San Er q Jiu c Er Lai? ...

She had already read through the relevant regulations for Xia Lai several times after the Federal Student Association posted various notices about Xia Lai on its account.

The so-called "joining" of Xia Lai is actually just a nominal appointment within Xia Lai; it doesn't mean one actually needs to withdraw from the "seminar" they are currently in...

Joining the Sharai means that I can visit Sharai and see Sensei at any time as a Sharai member. However, in return, I will also need to take on some of the work that Sharai needs to handle—for example, helping Sensei with problems as a member on duty.

Or, if a security problem arises in Xialai, it is necessary to step forward to protect Xialai's safety.

Or... when Sensei needs to travel for extended periods due to other matters related to Abydos, the duty officer needs to be stationed in Shalai, or provide assistance when Sensei needs to work remotely, and so on.

It's easy to imagine that joining Xia Lai would make me, who was already relatively busy, even busier.

But Yuka still decided to join Xia Lai.

There is no other reason...

She still remembered the 'persona' ability that Sensei displayed not long ago when they attacked and recaptured the Xialai Building... and the 'unique charisma' that Sensei exuded in front of the Momoi and Midori sisters.

She also remembered the "drip coffee" (Lubran Ultimate Coffee) that Sensei had personally prepared for her not long ago in Xia Lai, and the distress he showed after tasting the coffee, when he was relatively unfamiliar with everything.

'So it seems like the only person I can rely on... is you, Hayase Yuuka-san.'

To this day, those words still seem very clear, echoing in my ears from time to time.

Yuka raised her cheeks slightly and carefully observed the adult who seemed a little 'reckless' in her eyes with her unique, clear and beautiful hibiscus purple eyes.

Sensei, he's all alone...

Having only been in Kivotos for a short time, they were already tasked with various problems assigned by the Federal Student Council that were so difficult that even the other colleges found them unbelievable, and that the Federal Student Council itself might not be able to solve them...

But it was miraculously completed...

In addition, there was the 'belief' and 'dependence' that I had seen and felt from Sensei before, the kind of 'belief' and 'dependence' that made me feel like I didn't have to worry about anything as long as I relied on him...

Thinking of this, the girl lowered her eyes slightly, and the slight maternal instinct hidden in her heart was touched.

Sensei can be a source of support for everyone... but there probably aren't many people who can make Sensei feel a sense of reliance.

To do so much for an unfamiliar college and a group of unfamiliar children... what kind of belief does Sensei hold in his heart?

So, what kind of person is Sensei really?

I want to explore and try to understand it.

Such thoughts swirled and shifted in my mind.

Time ticked by, and amidst the unsettling ticking of the mechanical clock, Yuka, just like last time, slowly relaxed her furrowed brows and then gave Amamiya a bright smile.

"No problem... Leave it to me, Sensei."

Yuka held up her long, slender index finger and decisively signed her name on the contract's signature area, then pressed her fingerprint as proof.

After the Shiting Box popped open with a 'ding', Yuka looked at her own name, now ranked first and only in the 'Shalai Student Files,' and felt a strange, inexplicable sense of accomplishment welling up inside her.

She took off her gloves and extended her hand to Amamiya.

"The conditions have been met. At this very moment, we have obtained proof that can be defined as a bond."

【~???~】

Amamiya extended her right hand and grasped Yuka's outstretched left hand.

'Left-handed...or rather, your dominant hand is your left hand?'

The thought flashed through his mind, and he let out a long sigh of relief: "I still have a lot of things I don't understand about things like document processing... plus I'm really not good at financial matters. I'll need Yuka's help out a lot then."

"I...I will do my best to help Sensei..."

After a brief handshake, Yuka seemed to quickly slip into her role: "So, Sensei... regarding the various accounts that need to be calculated for Xia Lai, as well as other issues such as equipment acquisition, replacement, and cash flow..."

"Please provide me with an account statement, or some relevant information and data. — Right now, Xia Lai should still be in the stage where various facilities need to be added, changed, or renovated, right?"

As she spoke, under Amamiya's increasingly guilty gaze, she picked up a calculator that looked rather strange and began to estimate the initial cost of equipment purchases, repairs, and other aspects for Xia Lai based on the various equipment quotes in Kivotos.

Amamiya: "..."

For some reason, he suddenly had a feeling that he knew 'Makoto Niijima' again.

However, unlike 'Makoto Niijima'... it's obvious that Yuka lacks that overly serious and meticulous aura.

She exudes a strong sense of everyday life. Although her personality is somewhat similar to Makoto Niijima's, she seems at a loss when faced with things she's not good at. Her innocent and naive nature gives people a sense of 'first love' and a very unique, particularly endearing feeling of 'girl next door' or 'childhood friend'.

"...Sensei? Why did you suddenly laugh so strangely?"

"It's nothing, I just feel... with Yuka's help, Xia Lai's future plans suddenly seem much clearer."

【~???~】

Since he didn't know much about 'accounting', Amamiya could only describe to Yuka in his own way the equipment that Sharai needed to purchase, the security facilities to be added, and the construction of other living facilities that other students might need after joining Sharai.

During this time, Amamiya once again experienced Yuka's meticulousness in 'arguing over every penny' regarding accounting matters.

Feeling Yuka's focused perseverance, Amamiya even had a terrifying thought for a moment: "Why not just hand over all the funds to Yuka to manage from now on?"

But thinking about it carefully... that's unlikely.

If all the funds are misappropriated... that would be a truly terrifying situation.

Amamiya decided that the funds he needed would be carefully preserved based on the management experience he had accumulated when he was a phantom thief and the leader of the group managing the team's finances.

After chatting with Yuka until nightfall, Amamiya finally obtained a fairly cost-effective plan for the maintenance and replacement of Xia Lai's equipment.

"Thanks to Yuka... otherwise, I wouldn't be familiar with these intricacies, and I would have made a huge mistake, wasting a lot of event funds for nothing..."

After glancing at the sky outside the window, Amamiya scratched his head sheepishly, then clasped his hands together and sincerely thanked the girl sitting next to him who was also a little tired.

【~???~】

Yuka picked up the teacup beside her, took a small sip to moisten her parched throat, and put down the calculator and report in her hand. She felt a genuine sense of accomplishment about the planning scheme that she and Sensei had come up with after discussing it.

"I'm glad I could help Sensei."

"It's getting late... It's not good to keep bothering you like this."

Amamiya stood up and then took out a "little gift" that she had prepared beforehand from her shoulder bag.

"Ah... speaking of which, Yuka. I have a little ornament here that you might like. You can have it as a small accessory to wear with you."

Under the slightly curious and intrigued gaze of the girl, Amamiya took out the small box, no bigger than the palm of her hand, opened it, and pushed the small pendant, which exuded a faint fragrance and could calm the mind and help one concentrate, to Yuka.

Yuka did not refuse—after all, the custom of 'reluctantly accepting a gift after receiving it' is probably only found in the Classic of Mountains and Seas and in some regions that place great importance on human relationships.

A gift from someone is a token of their goodwill... so why refuse their goodwill?

“Sensei, this…this is…”

Yuka's gaze naturally fell on the small ornaments inside the wooden box, which gave people a sense of novelty and tranquility.

It looks to be only about eight to ten centimeters in size... a tiny piece, like a 'small cube' made up of wooden blocks of various shapes, which looks extremely interesting.

She tried taking the small ornament out of the box and held it in her hands to examine it carefully.

Yuka's mind, which had become slightly drowsy from concentrating for so long, suddenly became clear. Then, she seemed to feel a calming and fatigue-removing sensation coming from this strange little trinket.

As a well-informed accountant, Yuka had never seen such a gadget before, at least not in her knowledge.

Clearly, this is a rare handicraft that cannot be bought at all in Chivotosne.

"This is a 'handicraft' I made myself, called a 'Kongming Lock.' It's also a kind of exquisite wooden puzzle toy from an ancient world outside of Kiwatos."

Amamiya's gaze softened, and her tone was gentle: "It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a 'special Rubik's Cube'... This special craft is said to have been invented by a 'great strategist' named Zhuge Kongming, who was skilled in invention, as a small toy to inspire wisdom."

Invented by the strategist, a little toy that inspires wisdom...

Yuka seemed to understand where that feeling of peace of mind came from when she held it in her hand.

Did Sensei... take special time to make it...?

“I felt that Yuka might prefer accessories that bring peace or allow one to experience ‘wisdom’... so I spent about a morning handcrafting this.”

Especially for me... they spent a whole morning on crafts...

【~???~】

For a moment, a huge sense of happiness, the reward of being relied upon and the feeling of being understood further, almost overwhelmed Yuka on the spot.

"Thank you Sensei for the Kongming Lock... I will cherish it."

'...He firmly captured Yuka's heart!'

"Well... if I don't leave now, I'll miss the last bus. I'm sorry, Yuka, I have to go now."

After glancing at the sky one last time, Amamiya hurriedly picked up the Shittei no Hako, slung her shoulder bag over her shoulder, and rushed out the door under the girl's 'gradually becoming more friendly' gaze.

[...I sensed Yuka's emotions.]

Cooperative status has been improved!

【Yuka Hayase (Temperance) ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆