I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Amamiya nodded obediently, then opened the mobile app and sent a 24-hour video file to Ako.

Like someone who had done something wrong without realizing it, he hesitated for a moment before finally asking:

"Speaking of which... Ayako, why are you 'so angry'? Is it just because of the chairman's 'personal reputation'?"

Yako kept a straight face and didn't reply immediately, but instead gave her a sharp sidelong glance.

"...Mioki 8, resembling lacquer-like sulfur - Moonchair..."

Not entirely.

Sensei, why do you think I'm so 'angry'...?

It's all because I sent you messages to invite you several times, but you didn't respond at all... or you made all sorts of excuses and refusals.

But when the Chairman sent a message, you responded so 'efficiently'...

Furthermore, you've been recklessly displaying your charm within the Disciplinary Committee, causing everyone, including me, the Chairperson, Iori, and Chinatsu, to develop feelings for you and become increasingly emotionally confused...

Furthermore, your failure to respond to the messages from the Demon Hall has increased the pressure on the Disciplinary Committee from there...

It's all Sensei's fault!

With a jumble of chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind, Ako remained silent, deliberately putting on a sour face and giving Amamiya a cold shoulder.

'Clearly... I'm also a student that Sensei should pay attention to...'

After switching Persona to Hecate (Romance) and listening to Ako's chaotic thoughts, Amamiya understood what was going on.

It turns out that Ayako was also brought down by the 'Christmas incident,' like a camel being broken by the last straw, and her defenses crumbled completely.

Or rather, her stress level reached 100, and during the 'rational assessment,' instead of embracing virtue, she overwhelmed herself with stress and experienced 'torture.'

Amamiya removed the Persona equipment and replaced it with Astaroth (the Hanged One/the One Who Died).

Continuing to wear a slightly bewildered expression, as if she had done something wrong but was unaware of it, Amamiya silently waited for Ako to watch the entire recording of "Christmas Eve" and the following day at multiple speeds.

After dragging the progress bar several times with her cracked phone screen, Aya finally found what she wanted to watch.

On the screen, Amamiya carried Hina, who had changed out of her class president uniform and into pajamas, in a princess carry and gently placed her on the bed.

Then, she left the room and returned a short while later in her pajamas.

Hina had already curled up in the inner corner of the bed and was asleep.

Amamiya slept on the outside and soon fell asleep as well.

Then... Yako played the meaningless sleep segment at double speed.

She clearly saw the scene where the chairman turned over several times and suddenly 'touched the body pillow' and then hugged Amamiya in his arms like a human-shaped body pillow.

Amamiya woke up several times because of Hina's actions, but ultimately did not wake Hina.

'...Sensei really didn't do anything to the Chairman?'

After watching the video, which appeared to be completely unedited, Ayako's attitude shifted from one of intense excitement to one of deep suspicion.

Instead of drawing a conclusion immediately, she quickly played the video again, continuing until the end.

The video ends at noon, showing Amamiya pushing open the door to enter the bedroom.

Ako remained alert throughout, slowing down to carefully watch this part...

Then she realized that Amamiya had only touched Hina's cheek, wings, and horns while she was sleeping...

Apart from that, I really didn't do anything 'out of line'.

"See? I told you I didn't do anything..."

Before Amamiya could finish speaking, Ako glared at him resentfully.

“Then Sensei, let me ask you…”

After sorting out her thoughts, Ako continued, "Then let me ask you, Sensei, do you know anything about the horns of students in Gehenna...? Are there any related customs or meanings?"

Amamiya blinked, then answered blankly, "I don't know."

"I've only ever seen it in novels."

After a few seconds of silence, Ayako put on an expression that looked like she was laughing in exasperation.

"...Do you even know what the Chairperson would think if she were awake and heard what you said?"

"This……"

Amamiya glanced around nervously, feigning guilt: "I don't think Hina will misunderstand... After all, she's the greatest disciplinary committee chairperson in Gehenna."

【~???~】

"Actually... the Chairman has misunderstood!"

Ako puffed out her cheeks slightly, her tone gradually shifting from 'overbearing' to 'full of anger' and finally to 'half-tsundere and half-complaining': 'After returning to the Disciplinary Committee, the Chairperson is like a completely different person~!'

After stomping her foot to vent her dissatisfaction, Ako snorted again and crossed her arms: "Sensei... do you know how much trouble Hina's change has caused our Disciplinary Committee!"

Amamiya immediately adopted a posture of 'belated realization'.

He clasped his hands together and sincerely apologized to Ayako: "...Although I don't know what happened, I'm really sorry, Ayako."

Ako put one hand to her forehead: "..."

【~???~】

After a long silence, she said in a low voice, "...Sensei's current behavior gives me the feeling that 'the Sensei who initially controlled people' was a complete illusion...'"

"Nayako, do you prefer the me who 'controlled people' back then, or the me now?"

"I like……"

Yako instinctively wanted to answer, but suddenly realized something was off and quickly changed her mind: "...I don't like any of them!"

"Sensei really is... she always exudes charm unconsciously, making it very difficult for us students..."

【~???~】

After realizing that she might have made a big blunder, Ako couldn't stay angry anymore.

"Um...Se群貳揪崎溜酒翼傘nsei, do you remember when we met not long ago...?"

(Note: The Collapse of the "Tower" - Chapter Thirty-Eight)

Regarding the question of 'how to relieve stress'...

Amamiya abruptly interrupted her intermittent speech, changed into the [Advisor] persona that Ako had first met, and revealed an unfathomable aura like that of a psychologist.

"Speaking of which... we did talk about that topic."

"Yako, I happen to have a 'stress relief method' tailored just for you. Would you... like to give it a try?"

Chapter Sixty: Yako: Will we win?

"Yako, I happen to have a 'stress relief method' tailored just for you. Would you... like to give it a try?"

...tailor-made?

Setting aside her long-standing prejudice against Sensei, Ayako frowned slightly, a sense of foreboding inexplicably creeping into her heart.

"Sensei..."

She raised her head sharply, exuding a powerful aura, and stared directly into Amamiya's eyes, which were gradually turning red.

She asked suspiciously, "...Could it be that you suddenly came up with some strange idea on a whim, to get back at me for misunderstanding you..."

Amamiya was completely unfazed by Ako's intimidating gaze. Instead, like Aizen Sousuke, he solemnly pushed up his glasses.

"What are you thinking about, Ayako?"

Amamiya said gently, "Does Ako think I'm that kind of person?"

Ako: "..."

She looked Amamiya up and down with a deadpan expression, then nodded firmly.

Unscrupulous, without any restraint...

Every move they make is making me anxious and irritable...

If you're not that kind of person, then I really can't think of anyone else who could be.

She was all smiles, but her demeanor gave off a feeling that... she was even more difficult to deal with than that short girl named Asahi Mutsuki from the convenience store 68.

Meeting Ako's slightly disdainful gaze, Amamiya continued calmly, "Based on my psychological analysis of Ako, I think there's a 'special game' that Ako would really enjoy—"

A special game...?

As expected, it's one of those games...

Amamiya's smile remained unchanged, and her affability only became more captivating.

He simply activated several bond abilities in an instant, and Ako felt as if 'Sensei in front of her had activated a strange beauty filter.'

Oh no... is it just my imagination?

Sensei seems to have suddenly become...more attractive...?!

My loyalty to Chairman Hina...

It seems to be... gradually wavering?

“Sen, Sensi… don’t come any closer…”

Suddenly feeling increasingly flustered, she realized that the 'strange adult' in front of her seemed to be wearing more than one 'beauty filter'. She retreated nervously, looking away.

"Yako, I have a question for you... Do you like to 'gamble'?"

Gambling on luck?

Yako, who had been feeling rather flustered, suddenly felt less tense. She stopped her small backstepping and stood there pondering the meaning of Amamiya's words.

The stress-relieving games Sensei is talking about... are they just boring games like 'betting on what happens when you flip a coin'?

"Does Sensei want to 'bet' with me? What kind of bet is it? What's the goal?"

With a confident yet disdainful flirtation, Ako tidied her slightly messy jellyfish-like hair, exuding an aura of 'I will never lose' in both her actions and demeanor.

"Let me state upfront... Sensei, if you are simply confident in your luck, then I do not recommend that you 'challenge' me."

"A 'bet' can be built on precise data collection and intelligence analysis—Sensei, if you think your illusory luck and behavioral psychology analysis can beat me, you're being naive."

Amamiya gave a noncommittal "heh": "Since Ako is so confident in herself... how about we make a bet?"

Yako got really excited right away.

Perhaps it was her competitive spirit that drove her, or perhaps she simply enjoyed the feeling of 'competing with others'.

"Okay... what does Sensei want to bet?"

"Let's bet on whether my upcoming 'game arrangement' can help Ayako relieve her stress."

Meeting the blue-haired girl's gaze, which was inexplicably 'full of fighting spirit', Amamiya paused meaningfully for a long while.

"...The game is a 'pet game'."

"Pets...games?"

Yako didn't immediately realize that the word sounded a bit off. Instead, she first reviewed the rules of various well-known and unknown games that she was familiar with.

I didn't expect there to be related games... wait, pet games?

Ayako was startled to realize that there was something wrong with Amamiya's statement, and then showed a look of disgust.

Could it be...

Sensei had...filthy thoughts about herself...

So they weren't targeting the Chairman, but rather me...?

With that thought in mind, Ako coughed lightly twice, trying to appear calm.

"So...Sensei, what are the rules of that so-called 'pet game'?"