I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

【psona - Horus (Arcana: the Sun)】

[Introduction: The ancient Egyptian sky god; sun god; guardian god of the pharaohs; symbol of royal power, and also a god of vengeance.]

In legend, the omnipotent sun god Ra was mocked by humans due to his old age and declining strength. Enraged, Ra unleashed divine punishment, sending his daughter Sekhmet to punish humanity. To save mankind, Horus embarked on a great journey using his strength and wisdom, ultimately resolving the crisis.

Perhaps because of this legend, Horus gradually acquired the attributes of a sun god.

There were no waves or fierce aura that would appear when summoning the Persona; the power of 'Horus' seemed to be like the warm sun, nourishing things silently.

An invisible hand traced the symbol "Anka" in the air. Then, specks of sunlight were drawn in—sunlight that didn't belong to the lamplight appeared in the brightly lit subway car, and no one noticed this momentary anomaly in the light source.

The light condensed and then quickly spread, enveloping the drowsy girl and giving her a warm halo.

Perhaps due to the sudden relaxation after a long period of tension, the girl, who had become exceptionally relaxed, was actually even more sleepy.

She had been nodding off due to drowsiness, but at least she hadn't fallen asleep.

After Amamiya used her "Sun Vitality" to restore her energy and strength, she peacefully closed her eyes.

Perhaps it was because the feeling of being nourished by the 'vitality of the sun' was like "sitting in the doorway, nestled against the fireplace, basking in the sun on a clear winter afternoon after a heavy snowfall"...

Soon, the 'Black Cat Girl' revealed a sweet and gentle demeanor, just like a cat.

After making a soft purring sound similar to that of a cat sleeping, she tilted her head slightly and leaned it against Amamiya's shoulder as if by instinct.

"Uh hey hey..."

"Today was a busy day, but I also received some extra bonuses..."

"This way... it should relieve some of the pressure on everyone in Abydos..."

Unconscious murmurs fell into Amamiya's ears, and the latter only remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

'...It seems we're going to miss our stop on this train.'

Why does Chapter Sixteen seem to have a special connection with black cats?

The nights in Kivotos are filled with stars—the sky seems exceptionally close to the brilliant Milky Way.

Even without any astronomical telescope, Amamiya could simply look up and observe the so-called "stars twinkling in the distant future" with the naked eye.

Hey... I have to say, this way of doing it actually has a kind of light novel feel to it, which is quite literary.

Kivotos's 'railway' appears to be automatically operated—well, at least the one Amamiya was on, which was operated by the Federation Student Council.

The lights inside the train carriages had been automatically turned off, but the train doors did not automatically lock because they detected that there were still passengers who had not disembarked.

Amamiya turned her head slightly to look out the window of the opposite carriage... The night view outside the window was exceptionally lonely and desolate. Amamiya could not see any ordinary vegetation or other tall buildings that were particularly common in the vicinity of the Federation Student Association's jurisdiction.

As far as the eye can see, there is a vast expanse of craggy rocks and withered grass dotting the 'Gobi Desert'...

Strange geometric arcs of light in the sky, a sky full of stars, a semi-arid zone of barren Gobi desert in the distance, and... this train that has stopped and is no longer making any noise.

All of this gives the impression of a "road movie in a fantasy world".

Amamiya sighed, and in the stillness, he saw the white breath he exhaled.

It is said that the temperature difference between day and night in the desert is very large, generally reaching 15 to 25 degrees Celsius... Amamiya had never been to the desert, and this time he experienced just how exaggerated this so-called 'alleged' really is.

'—psona.'

'Thoth.'

'A crescent veil.'

【psona-Thoth (Arcana: Emperor)】

[Introduction: Thoth, in Egyptian mythology, is the god symbolizing the moon and wisdom. He is the chief local god of Heliopolis, the inventor of writing, and the scribe of the gods. In the Book of the Dead, he is depicted as a standing judge.]

He is described as a 'baboon holding a crescent moon' because baboons are often nocturnal and quite intelligent.

[It is said that He invented incredible divine arts that isolated Him from the outside world. He also completed the legendary "Book of the Dead." In mythology, He mostly appears as a 'judge,' responsible for judging the dead.]

Clusters of eerie blue flames flashed by, and Thoth, holding a crescent moon, raised it high, releasing a layer of hazy veil.

This light veil fell over the entire train, creating an invisible barrier that protected the train from the nighttime winds and sandstorms as it stopped at the platform.

Seemingly sensing the change in wind speed, the 'black cat girl' who had slept the whole way frowned slightly, and then subconsciously tried to grab something—judging from her actions, Amamiya probably guessed that she wanted to check if her shoulder bag was missing.

Not finding anything immediately, her relaxed and peaceful sleeping face quickly turned 'anxious'.

Then... she jolted awake and opened her eyes.

"My bag..."

"Eh?!"

Before she could finish a sentence, Celery stood frozen in place.

Am I... am I still on the train?

This was her first thought.

Then her second thought was... Did I miss my stop? How long have I been on the train? And what time is it now?

Wait... where am I right now?

Before one's consciousness is fully awake, the brain is already forced to receive information from sensory perception—this is undoubtedly an extremely error-prone thing to do.

"are you awake."

A voice appeared just in time, temporarily halting Qinxiang's chaotic thoughts.

She looked in the direction of the sound—and saw a young man sitting next to her with his clothes drooping and wrinkled at the shoulders, and even with drool stains on them.

Uh-huh? !

I... I fell asleep on this stranger's shoulder without even realizing it? And instead of waking me up, he's stayed with me until now?

No, I can't keep up with my thinking speed.

What exactly happened?!

"I saw you were sleeping very soundly, so I didn't wake you up right away... How was your rest? From Abydos... Kuromi Serika."

"How do you know my name... no... you know me... no, that's not right either..."

As she gradually regained consciousness, Celery was unable to put together any effective words or phrases. She quickly picked up her shoulder bag and left her seat, then stared at herself with the alertness of a feline.

Amamiya remained seated, not moving, because he had already noticed the girl's crimson eyes, which glowed slightly red in the darkness, and her alert demeanor, as if she were about to draw her gun at any moment.

As a "veteran cat owner," Amamiya, who may have a special affinity for "black cats," is well aware of a certain fact about felines.

—When a feline gets angry, it's very difficult to calm it down.

Seeing that Amamiya had no reaction at all, Serika, who was slightly hunched over in a defensive posture, began to observe her surroundings out of the corner of her eye...

The train was indeed one she frequently took for work; it was the one back to Abydos...

The outer platform was also a completely familiar sight... Once I got off the platform, it was only a kilometer or two away from the countermeasures committee.

So it seems... I wasn't kidnapped by some random person.

"……Who are you?"

Slightly relaxed her guard and temporarily abandoned her plan to "draw her gun directly".

She raised her voice slightly, giving it a sharp, oppressive quality.

"If you've been following the recent activities of the Federal Student Union, you should know... that the Federal Student Union recently established an organization called 'Shalai.' This organization is being planned and built by a Sensei from outside the union."

Serika carefully examined Amamiya, who had said those words... The exceptional night vision of the 'feline' gave her keen observation skills, which quickly convinced Serika of Amamiya's statement.

Although they weren't wearing uniforms to prove their identity... they could definitely spot a badge with the Commonwealth Student Council logo at a glance.

“Xia Lai’s…sensei…”

Feeling as if she had vaguely heard this name somewhere before, Serika began to recall carefully... Soon, she remembered where she had heard the name before.

When I was working at a convenience store, I overheard some students talking about it while they were shopping.

'...'

'Eh—so, unlike our SRT, "Shalai" is theoretically an organization without "real power"?'

'To unite the academy, mediate, and ease tensions...'

'...Miyako? What are you thinking about?'

'It's nothing... I was just wondering if the arrival of this Sensei might...'

'...'

It seems that a few students wearing rabbit earrings happened to talk about rumors related to 'sensei' while shopping.

The young man before them was undoubtedly an "adult" who had never appeared in Kivotos before... coupled with his Federal Student Council work ID and recent rumors...

That says a lot.

"You are... Xia Lai's Sensei?"

Unbeknownst to Qinxiang, as she spoke those words, her last bit of guard seemed to have been quietly discarded as her emotions were soothed.

Amamiya did not reply immediately, but quietly turned her head to look at Serika, who was standing near the car door.

One second, two seconds... seven seconds.

The black cat girl under the moonlight coughed lightly without realizing it and awkwardly turned her gaze in another direction.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she finally slowed down and sat back down in her seat on the train.

Only then did Amamiya calmly speak: "Well... but I haven't officially started fulfilling my duties as a Sensei yet—it takes time, time to get familiar with the situation of each academy."

"Abedos... I heard about it from that 'acting chairman' (Rin). She was talking about 'issues related to applying for material aid'."

Her once-proud cat ears drooped slightly, a sign of her downcast mood. Sitting 'obediently' near the car door, Serika unconsciously placed her hands on her knees, bowed slightly, and brought her knees together—

She looked like a 'girl who has done something wrong,' appearing both pitiful and uneasy.

If, due to some absurd 'misunderstanding,' I cause the people of Abydos to miss a great opportunity to receive material aid or even direct assistance...

Will I become a 'sinner of Abydos'...?

—Celery felt guilty.

But her guilt wasn't because of Amamiya, but because she realized that she might cause Abydos to miss out on crucial material support and other aid projects due to some foolish misunderstandings.

"It's already very late, there's no point in saying this anymore. It will only keep people up at night and won't get any other results."

As Amamiya spoke, under Serika's slightly nervous gaze, she slowly stood up and placed the copy of "The Mask of the Crimson Death" in her hand back where she had been sitting.

"Let's use this book as a 'token' for now. When you get back, you can verify my identity with the Federal Student Association through other means—or you can discuss it with your friends, whatever you prefer."

"Individual strength is insignificant... Why not seek help from your partners and let them help you overcome difficulties?"

……

"In this way, we should be able to find out the contact information of a new 'helper'... and perhaps there will be a chance to develop a bond."

Looking at the icy silver moonlight, Amamiya, walking alone through a nighttime alley, slowly let out a sigh of relief.

Creating chance encounters suitable for developing strong bonds... is no easy task.

After a wave of emotions washed over him, Amamiya wiped his face and switched to his Persona.

The blazing blue flames 'burned' his clothes, turning them into a black phantom thief's outfit, like a magician's—an outfit that seemed particularly conspicuous in the darkness... yet never attracted anyone's attention.

"The original plan was to build some nighttime bonds..."

"It's getting late, let's go back first..."

Chapter Seventeen: They didn't even spare Xiao Kong?

"Hey……"

The blonde girl behind the counter rested her cheek on one hand and fiddled with an old-fashioned flip phone that seemed outdated in both Kivotos and the world Amamiya knew.

Wearing a simple blue apron, and a uniform that might have been custom-made but still looked a bit loose, her chubby little face was filled with emotions that could be described as 'bored' or 'uninteresting'.

She fiddled with her phone, occasionally sighing, while the tiny, white wings behind her, like those of a little angel, drooped listlessly, revealing the rather dull state of mind of their owner.