I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

I inexplicably felt a sense of warmth and familiarity from her, like that of a junior...

Aside from this sense of familiarity, what puzzled Yuka the most was the feeling of 'strangeness' and 'discomfort' within herself.

As the accountant for the seminar and a member of the Millennium Technology Academy's clubs, Yuka had a lot of experience with Alice—in theory, she should have some knowledge of the character.

Even if she is a recent student in journalism and communication, she should have seen pictures of the student records when she was looking through them.

But Alice didn't give Yuuka that 'déjà vu' feeling...

"What's wrong, Yuka?"

Yuka, filled with suspicion, finally voiced her doubts.

“How strange…Sensei, a child as lovely as Alice…I should have seen her before, or at least have some recollection of her…”

Amamiya thought to herself, "It would be strange if you remembered me."

After all, the student records were all forged by Beritas, and even Beritas's real minister, Hijiri, was behind it all.

But it doesn't matter if you don't remember it now... you'll remember it soon.

"Does Yuuka also think Alice-chan is a very cute child?"

Yuka seemed surprised that Amamiya would suddenly ask such a strange question, and after a moment of surprise, she still answered.

"Huh? Ah... indeed."

"Take a closer look..."

"Alice is really cute..."

After pondering for a moment, Yuka began to carefully examine Alice again.

Amamiya, taking advantage of this opportunity, activated her bond skill.

"Determination to Protect" (Saori's Bond Skill) + "Déjà Vu" (The President's Bond Skill)

The determination to protect is a bond skill that can only be used on Amamiya herself, which can be 'shared' with one or more other targets.

While "déjà vu" is a bond skill for obtaining information, it just so happens to have the characteristic of "making the other person feel very familiar when observing."

"I seem to vaguely remember... Strange, is it just my imagination..."

Yuka stared at Alice for a while, and the more she looked at her, the more familiar she seemed, and she became a little uncertain.

Could it be that I've been under too much work pressure lately, causing my memory to become disordered?

After attributing the subtle sense of unease in her heart to "perhaps it was a hallucination or mistake caused by work pressure," Yuka breathed a sigh of relief and stopped putting on her extremely imposing "demon king" aura.

Under the tense, sweating gazes of Momoi, Midori, and Yuzu (in the cabinet), she announced with a relaxed smile, "Because the required number of participants has been met, we have re-established the Game Development Department as an official club activity and acknowledged your continued existence as a club."

The moment they received this result, Momoi and Midori, who had been on tenterhooks, breathed a sigh of relief.

Immediately, Momoi jumped up and pounced into Amamiya's arms.

"Great! Sensei, we did it! We weathered the crisis! Yay!"

"Sister...don't cling to Sensei like a cat, and don't scratch and bite Sensei in a fit of excitement...it's embarrassing..."

Little Green went over and grabbed her excited older sister.

After successfully stopping her sister's "impulsive actions," Midori smiled triumphantly, then looked at Yuka and asked the most pressing question.

"So, now that our game development department has met the operating standards... funding, and this club activity room..."

This club activity room... in a sense, is a 'place of memories' that holds great significance for every member of their game development department.

Even if the name of the game development department itself cannot become legendary...

Regardless, given their passion for the game and their own stories, they don't want all of this to just disappear.

"Huh?... Of course, if the conditions are met, then it's all fine."

A joyful expression appeared on Momoi's face—but before she could say anything, Yuka changed the subject and delivered a heavy blow to the game club members.

"It's possible... but only for this semester."

Momoi was horrified: "W-Why?!"

"We've already reached the required number of participants!"

Yuka naturally knew what Momoi was complaining about... She had discussed similar issues with other clubs that morning, and those clubs had also expressed varying degrees of complaints or resentment regarding the change in the regulations.

But this is, after all, a change in the system... so she can only comply.

"Don't you know?"

Yuka said helplessly, "Now, not only do we need to meet the required number of participants, but we also need 'achievements' as proof of our success."

"Of course, these are only recently revised regulations, so there will be a transition period..."

Behind Yuka, Amamiya frowned slightly as he listened.

This, combined with Rion's recent revelation of the 'fortress city of Ellido' plan and the briefly disclosed funding...

This is probably an action taken to further cut back on club activity funds, divert funds elsewhere, and build a more complete fortified city.

"As for the deadline... it ends with the post-match summary of the 'Millennium Grand Prix'."

Although she felt somewhat helpless and a little heartbroken at the children's pitiful eyes, Yuka hardened her heart and announced the result: "If... by the time of the Grand Prix's post-match summary, you still haven't produced any results..."

After closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to bolster her demonic aura, Yuka sharply scanned Momoi, Midori, and Alice, her gaze finally lingering briefly on the metal cabinet.

"Whether there are 4 people or 400 people, the club will eventually be disbanded."

Yuka's tone was calm, even carrying a hint of caring gentleness—but it was like a heavy hammer, driving a wedge deep into the hearts of the three little ones in the game club.

"How...how is this possible?!"

Momoi immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

If we want them to produce results...

Does that mean everyone's going to be working day and night to meet deadlines?!

During the day, they would explore other worlds to familiarize themselves with the Phantom Thief of Hearts' fighting style... and then at night, they would write their encounters in the Heart Palace into a game... The amount of time required was almost unimaginable!

"Of course it's possible!"

Yuka first firmly refuted Momoi's somewhat pitiful 'wailing,' then her tone softened slightly: "We recently explained the contents in detail at the all-member department meeting... I remember you also represented the game club at that meeting..."

"However, it seems you weren't really listening to what was going on at this meeting... Ultimately, that might be your own fault."

"If you had listened carefully to the meeting back then, you should be able to... be better prepared now, right?"

"Bitter..." Momoi let out a bitter sob, "It's so bitter..."

"Alright, alright... Momoi, Midori, and Alice, don't worry too much..."

Seeing that Yuka had finished playing the bad cop and had watched the show, Amamiya clapped his hands and came to the three little ones (Yuzu was hiding in the closet). He gently bowed and stroked their heads one by one.

"I'm still here."

"Don't worry, Yuka..."

Amamiya straightened up and, with an air of confidence, addressed Yuka as the head of the game club.

"I will definitely help everyone in the game club... to create a game that reflects this feeling."

Thinking about the wonders of another world, and how magnificent the story could be if she could turn what she saw and felt into a game... Momoi was the first to perk up, her eyes filled with a bright and excited look.

"That's right... Sensei is still here! We can't give up yet!"

Little Green chimed in, "Yes... Sister is right. We still have time... there's still room for negotiation."

Even Alice seemed to be 'ignited', expressing her emotions with great fighting spirit: "Alice... will also try her best!"

“That’s right…” Yuka nodded with a smug smile, “As a member of a club that’s been around for a thousand years… you have to show this kind of spirit.”

'Thank you Sensei for helping me "play the good cop" and encouraging these disheartened club members...'

【~???~】

[...I felt Yuka's gratitude.]

Coopation has been improved!

【Yuka Hayase (Temperance) ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆】

Noticing the gratitude in Yuka's eyes, Amamiya smiled and returned a reassuring look.

...Leave it to me.

I will... guide these children onto the right path.

Chapter Six: Himari: Alice, you are Key...!

Game Development Department, Club Activity Room.

Yuka's departing figure gave the three members of the game development department a strange feeling of relief.

Immediately afterwards, the cabinet door, which had been tightly closed, quietly opened. Yuzu peeked inside and looked around the room. After confirming that Yuka was not there, she slowly breathed a sigh of relief and stepped out of the room in her slippers.

After this commotion, everyone lost interest in playing the game and instead looked at Amamiya, who hadn't left with Yuka.

After a brief silence, Xiao Lü suddenly sighed and said, "In the end... we still haven't completely escaped the crisis of being 'abolished'."

Momoi also became somewhat frustrated: "Although there is indeed a path that we can take... it's just too difficult for us!"

Yuzu remained silent, her gaze wandering, lost in thought.

However, Amamiya knew very well that although Yuzu didn't seem to show any reaction...

But she is definitely the one who cares most about the survival of the game club.

Her expression was calm, even somewhat lost in thought... but only at this moment would her heart burn more intensely than anyone else's.

Amamiya straightened his back, just as he had when he was the leader of the Phantom Thieves in Shibuya, Tokyo, with one hand in his pocket.

"So... you just made a promise to Yuka, are you going to give up now?"

"How could we possibly give up... Even for the sake of everyone's memories in the game club, we can't give up!" Momoi gritted her teeth, her tone filled with resentment. "Since Yuka the Great Demon Queen needs to prove herself... then we'll prove it to them!"

"To forge a seemingly impossible path in the face of dire circumstances... even if the rule of the gods descends, to summon the Demon King to punish them... never giving up in adversity and desperate situations—that is the true mark of a 'Phantom Thieves' member."

After saying this meaningfully and earnestly, Amamiya clapped her hands, took out her phone, and opened the Isekai app.

"Everyone, are you ready...? Next, we're going to another world to 'gather information'..."

"Next up is an adventure about important news regarding the 'Demon King's Castle'..."

Perhaps because she had been holding back her anger, Momoi seemed unusually enthusiastic.

"Oh! Let's charge forward in one go!"

Amamiya said no more and opened the navigation of the [Another World App].

The familiar black and red fluctuations and dizziness appeared simultaneously, and the world was redrawn once again.

After being distorted and blurred, the world was reconstructed from a modern city into a fantastical city in another world that was all very familiar to the four members of the game club.

"Yo... Jok, and everyone from the game club, we've been waiting for you here for ages."

Sofia, who was squatting at the entrance of the 'evacuation point', immediately stood up and waved to Amamiya and the four members of the game club beside him.

After greeting the four members of the game club, Sophia immediately approached Amamiya and began asking about her schedule for the day.

"I've basically understood the specific details using Jok's phone's recording function... So, next, we're going to head to the 'Beritas Hero's Tavern,' right?"

Amamiya nodded to Sophia: "Okay, I'll leave the navigation to you as always, Sophie."

The map of another world... especially the Impression Space, is not actually static.

Because the collective unconscious of humankind is changing almost every moment... the space of impressions is also changing, basically changing every day.

Even the Impression Space can be affected by extreme weather... For example, a "cold wave" can cause the shadows in the Impression Space to "catch a cold" and fall into an abnormal state.

For example, the "heat island effect" can also cause shadows in impression space to become blurred.

Therefore... navigating in Impressionism is very difficult without a standard character with "Navi" capabilities.

As it happens, Sofia is naturally suited for this position.

"No problem~! Leave it all to me, Jok!"