I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

"If the different works are due to cultural differences between Kiwatos and those outside Kiwatos, then it is indeed understandable..."

After a slight pause, she slowed her speech and began to explain solemnly: "The literary work I'm talking about is a niche bestseller published by a senior from the literature department of the Millennium Science Academy in Kiwatos."

As Noah narrated, Amamiya heard a story that was similar to, yet somewhat different from, "From Me to You".

Aside from the protagonist being replaced by a native of Giwatos, the overall structure of the story hasn't changed much enough to be noticeable.

However, it still raises blood pressure in the same way.

Amamiya smirked. "So, what Noah means is..."

"Marriage is too far away for Sensei and Yuka, isn't it?"

Noah seemed to sense what Amamiya was about to say and preemptively spoke up: "Then let's start with a romantic relationship, Sensei..."

'If Sensei and Yuka develop a special relationship, then I'll probably "back off"...'

With these thoughts in mind, Noah fell silent, waiting for Amamiya's response.

Noah, what other plans do you have?

【~???~】

[I felt the expectation from Noah.]

Coopation has been improved!

【Raw Salt Noah (Star) ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆】

[★3 Ability: 'Star Memory' has been unlocked!]

The sudden increase in bond level caught Amamiya off guard for a moment.

'How come Noah's bond with Yuuka deepened instead of mine after I agreed to strengthen it...'

Noah said in a serious tone, "Before the Millennium Grand Prix begins... let's create the 'most beautiful' and 'most special' memory for Yuka."

"So, let Yuka become your 'wife,' Sensei."

"The 'wife' who is recognized by 'all of Kiwatos'."

Who is the author of Chapter Eighteen, "Millennium Robot"?

The winner of the Millennium Grand Prix game prize is—

At the bustling Millennium Grand Prix exhibition, feeling the spotlight and expectant gazes of everyone present, Yuka composed herself.

After deliberately keeping everyone in suspense, she tried to listen carefully, trying to catch the whispers coming from the audience.

"Could it be 'Old Man's Ring: The Shadow of the Silver Tree'...?"

"Actually, I think awarding it to 'Black Wukong: The Myth' would be fine too..."

"At the very least, it would be fine to award it to the 'Shin Megami Tensei' series..."

After just that brief pause, she easily gleaned a great deal of anticipation from the audience members whose faces she couldn't quite make out.

Clearing her throat, she began to read her lines from the script in her hand, which seemed to be constantly shifting.

"The club that won the Ninth Art Award is... the Game Development Department!"

"The winning entry is... [Final Goddess Legend Sword]!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

For several minutes straight, not a single other sound came out of the venue.

Until—the game producer sitting below asked incredulously, "Huh?! What is 'Final Goddess Legend Blade'?"

The clamor of discussion turned into insults, and at that moment Yuka seemed to feel an endless chorus of boos and mockery.

Immediately, some spectators in the stands, dissatisfied, raised their guns and began firing indiscriminately. The students, who were already seething with anger, also pulled out various small-caliber and large-caliber weapons after being hit and started fighting back. The originally lively and harmonious Millennium Grand Prix instantly turned into a fiery inferno...

Standing blankly on the stage, watching the hail of bullets fly below, Yuka felt a sense of helplessness spreading through her heart.

As expected... with President Rion's repentance, Millennium Technology Academy ultimately succumbed to inevitable turmoil...

Everything will collapse...

Despite holding the crucial position of accountant and possessing authority second only to President Rion, I am utterly incapable of accomplishing anything...

A bone-chilling cold swept over me, spreading throughout my body.

Yuka shivered involuntarily, overwhelmed by a wave of despondency.

In the darkness, she seemed to sense a bullet, seemingly from nowhere, hurtling towards her, heading straight for her cheek.

She instinctively wanted to dodge, but just as Yuka was about to turn her head away, she suddenly felt a sense of relief, as if "no matter what," and "it doesn't matter what I do."

After letting out a deep sigh, Yuka resignedly lowered her head, letting the bullet that was heading straight for her land on her forehead.

'boom--'

The scene that I had imagined—a crimson flower of red and white splashing and spreading, then freezing the most beautiful moment of life—did not occur.

"..."

A feeling of weightlessness followed, and Yuka, feeling as if she had been hit hard on the forehead by something, sat up in bed in a cold sweat.

"Am I... having a nightmare?"

Yuka glanced uncertainly at the dawn light on the horizon outside the window, and briefly doubted herself.

It seems... I've been under too much pressure lately, to the point that I'm having nightmares and my mental state is starting to become unstable...

Sitting blankly on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a long while, Yuka let out a long sigh, then looked at the digital clock on the cabinet—

The constantly flashing time, 【07:59】, suddenly tightened her mind, which had just relaxed.

Oh no... I'm going to be late today!

And he was almost an hour late!

...Or, we could just go with the flow and accept the 'absence due to illness' excuse.

The thought flashed through my mind for a moment, then was quickly extinguished.

Softly murmuring to herself, the girl pinched her cheek to encourage herself: "Yuka... this is a crucial time, we can't give up..."

"Just hang in there a little longer, just a little bit more..."

"Once President Rion finishes her repentance, things might return to normal..."

After encouraging herself, Yuka hurriedly washed up, then, without even having breakfast, quickly changed into her seminar uniform and headed straight for the seminar headquarters.

The Millennium Grand Prix is ​​just around the corner, and the aftermath of President Rion's repentance continues at this crucial time...

We absolutely cannot fall...

We absolutely must take control of the entire situation...

It's not about trying to do it... it's about having to do it...

Therefore, even if...

My vision blurred for a moment, followed by a moment of complete stillness.

As if guided by fate, Yuka almost bumped into her familiar 'white-haired female colleague' while passing a street corner due to a lapse in attention.

"Aah~"

With a nimble sidestep, Noah dodged Yuka's 'collision' and reached out to stop her from crashing into a lamppost, letting out a small gasp.

"Yuka-chan... has been making more and more mistakes lately."

"This is not a good omen, is it?"

Realizing what she had done, Yuka pouted, then clasped her hands together in an apologetic gesture.

"Feel sorry……"

Yuka, looking deeply apologetic, lowered her head and continued, "I haven't been feeling too well lately..."

Sigh... If only these negative emotions of mine could be as simple as arithmetic, and could be easily resolved... If only that were the case.

"Instead of apologizing like this..."

Noah slowly paced around Yuka for a short distance, his brows slightly furrowed the entire time, scrutinizing her with a gaze that made Yuka feel uneasy.

"Yuka, you have far too many 'flaws'."

Noah predicted with great certainty: "If we continue to handle official business at the seminar in this exhausted state, Yuka's 'mistakes' will only gradually increase."

Yuka: "..."

That's really... impossible to refute.

"But... there's nothing we can do about it..."

Yuka squinted, expressing her helplessness about her situation.

But what can she do? She can't just conjure up some perfectly competent NPCs out of thin air to help her solve her problems.

Yuka knew exactly what students were like over the millennia—'normal people' really weren't that many.

As for involving other schools, that's even less likely.

After her initial reflection, Yuka waited silently for a while. Once she was sure Noah had nothing more to say, she prepared to pass by him, intending to head towards the Millennium Headquarters—she had reached her limit… but she could still contact Sensei.

Everything will be alright as long as Sensei comes to help...

Thinking this, Yuka's vision suddenly went white, and then Noah blocked her way again.

"Yuka, have you ever heard of the proverb, 'A thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole'?"

Noah, who was in her field of vision, smiled with narrowed eyes, but his entire body exuded a terrifying aura that Yuka could clearly detect as 'abnormal'—

As her best friend, Yuka instinctively realized that Noah's condition was very abnormal...

In the past, she would only show this kind of smile to Xiaoxue when she accidentally (or intentionally) made a mistake and Noah had to clean up the mess. After the cleanup was finished, she would smile at Xiaoxue.

"...Noah?"

A sudden, inexplicable jolt ran through her, and for a fleeting moment, Yuka even felt an urge to activate the shield.

She had a feeling that her best friend would knock her unconscious and make her rest, even if it meant hitting her.

Fortunately, Noah didn't do that. Instead, he opened his little notebook and pulled out two tickets that had been used as bookmarks and were thus flattened.

"Just for today, Yuuka-chan, why don't you take a break~?"

Noah, maintaining that 'horrifying smile,' stiffly shoved the two tickets in his hand into Yuka's hand, who was still somewhat bewildered, with an attitude you couldn't refuse.

"These are 'tickets' specially prepared for Yuuka-chan and Sensei~"

After leaving those words, Noah, whether in an extremely good or extremely bad mood, drifted away like a 'cyber ghost', surrounded by black mist and maintaining a smile.

"..."

"What's wrong with Noah today...?"

"Perhaps she is also under a special kind of pressure..."

After all, the impact on the seminar was obvious... and the majority of the impact was on Yuka.

As the scribe, Noah bore a slightly smaller impact, but smaller does not mean he was completely spared.

As she pondered this, Yuka looked at the two tickets that Noah had forcefully shoved into her hand.

The next second, a startled blush quickly rose on her cheeks.

Then, small circles, symbolizing confusion and bewilderment, appeared in the depths of his eyes.

"Huh... I didn't see that wrong, did I..."

The receipt in her hand didn't look like a formal receipt from any facility or institution; rather, it appeared to be created through a combination of meticulous hand-drawing and other techniques...

A 'handmade ticket'.

The contents of the ticket are...