I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

"I like you the most."

It was that familiar, gentle yet sincere direct confession again...

Amamiya naturally pinched the girl's cheek, which was relatively cold compared to ordinary people.

While enjoying his tender moment with Lavenda, Amamiya also began checking if there were any changes to the room's decor...

Soon, she noticed that among the jars behind the bar that were originally used to store various coffee beans, one of the glass jars did not contain the otherworldly materials produced by the shadows, or coffee beans... but instead contained a tuft of golden 'special object' that looked like someone's hair or tail hair.

That is……

Amamiya was puzzled for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, he heard Ravenda's explanation, which was tinged with anger and coldness.

"That is a punishment for the offender."

Oh……

So, did Saintia's rash act of impersonating the 'Velvet Room Assistant' ultimately result in Lavenda teaching her a 'copyright lesson'?

Looking at that amount of hair... it looks pretty pathetic.

Amamiya clearly remembered that the fox-eared girl who appeared in the dream had a tuft of 'long hair' on her back that resembled a tail and could reach the ground.

Did Lavenda actually rip all of Saintia's hair out...?

For Ravenda, who readily resorts to chainsaws on strangers, this was already considered a relatively lenient punishment...

But Amamiya really didn't dare to imagine what Seiya would look like after Ravenda had pulled so much of her hair.

After shaking his head with a sigh, Amamiya spent some more time cuddling with Ravenda before getting down to business.

"Well... I'm here this time for the 'Velvet Room' assistant."

Ravenda had anticipated this, and with a leisurely air, she began to open the 'Devil's Book' that was placed on the table.

"We 'masters of power' (like the Velvet Assistants) are all special beings born from the sea of ​​the human heart..."

"Besides 'wielding power,' they usually also possess hope...or rather, they can give others a sense of 'hope.'"

As she spoke, Ravenda kept pulling out documents from the Book of Demons—looking like a company HR person reviewing job applicants' files.

“Jok… This time, we have several candidates for the new generation of assistants for the Velvet Room… You can make the choice.”

Amamiya hummed in agreement, took the 'personnel files' that Ravenda had compiled, and began to review them one by one.

These files are mostly of 'senior students' from Kivotos who have now graduated, whose deeds continue to inspire students... or 'disappeared' (died) for some other reason, but whose deeds continue to inspire current students.

—The files that Ravenda produced were undoubtedly numerous, but they all shared a common characteristic.

For Kivotos, these files were the files of students who were [deceased].

Amamiya frowned slightly as he searched through the items, and soon his gaze settled on a figure he had seen once before.

That was a student who appeared to be exceptionally plump and mature, and whose demeanor seemed to bear a slight resemblance to [Tsuchinaga Hiyori] of Arius's special squad.

In the photo on the yellowed archival page, she stands against a desert backdrop, smiling at the screen, taking a picture that resembles an 'ID photo'.

Amamiya recognized that figure very well.

Previously, when exploring the [Cesar's Group Hall] in Abydos, I had seen her statue.

After that... she temporarily 'came back to life' and became the Persona that temporarily made a contract with Hoshino.

【Osiris】.

Or……

"Gardenia Dream..."

Chapter Nineteen: Senior Meng Wins the Unbeatable Resurrection Match

Among the many student files selected by Lavenda as potential candidates for the 'Velvet Room Assistant'...

Of course, one thing made Amamiya stand out.

"Gardenia Dream..."

A former member of the Abydos student council, after Abydos was on the verge of being closed for some reason, he ventured alone into the desert for some other reason...

Subsequently, it "disappeared" and was lost in the desert.

It is speculated that it most likely encountered the [Binah] (the giant snake that players always fight), and subsequently died as a result.

Of course, there are also speculations that he may have died of thirst due to insufficient preparation of survival supplies in the extreme desert environment.

"Jok...are you curious about this document?"

Lavenda noticed Amamiya's unusually lingering gaze, and then pondered for a moment.

"Indeed... you have encountered similar or related special beings on your previous 'journey'."

How was this special file obtained?

Amamiya picked up the file, looked it over, and asked with some curiosity.

Although he possesses the resurrection magic - [Samarikam], as well as various other magics that can revive you from any ash, these are considered 'great supernatural' level spells.

But the prerequisite for casting a resurrection spell is... you really need to have some ashes left.

Amamiya had thought more than once about helping Hoshino resolve her inner conflict and revive Gardenia Dream... However, because there were so few things left in the dream.

Of course, Amamiya could even directly activate Sobi's powers to reverse time and space, or do this in other ways such as 'reversing cause and effect'...

However, once that happens, it will trigger all sorts of subsequent chain reactions.

Time, space, cause and effect... Amamiya is not bound by these, but whether for the sake of the world or for the past and future, he should not interfere excessively with them.

Any slight interference would turn the past and future into a mess, filled with all sorts of bizarre paradoxes—and if it really developed that way, fixing it would require hundreds or thousands of times more effort than disturbing it.

"Obtained from the 'divinity' in that boundless desert."

Ravenda's reply was simple: "Jok... those 'students' you've encountered could perhaps be called... 'gods' who have been 'abolished and thus degenerated' in some way."

"You've already tasted their 'flavor' (referring to their divinity), haven't you..."

"As beings akin to 'gods of the present world,' these 'human-god' beings possess certain unique characteristics that are almost imperceptible—for example, the dissipation of divinity."

Simply put... Ravenda accessed the 'collective unconscious' of the Abydos region, and may even have personally traveled to the desert... extracting a cognitive existence from the 'divinity' floating in the air.

"……I see."

After a little consideration, Amamiya decided to select Gardenia as the new generation of 'Velvet Room Assistant'.

"So...if this is your choice..."

After confirming that Amamiya had made her choice, Ravenda gently stood up, lifted her skirt, and went behind the bar, picking up Leblanc's bright yellow old-fashioned dial telephone.

Slightly awkwardly dialing the number, Ravenda made a 'call' and then put it down, standing behind the bar waiting for a while.

Before long, Amamiya heard a series of hurried footsteps.

As the footsteps approached, Amamiya clearly saw the figure of a young girl in green through the glass door of the cafe. She stopped abruptly in front of the glass door like a gust of wind, leaning against it and panting.

"...should, should..."

"Is this the place?"

"Huh...huh..."

After catching her breath, she straightened up, tried shaking the doorknob, and pushed the door open.

‘Dingling bell~’

The familiar ringing of the bell on the glass door of the coffee shop gave Amamiya a feeling that Sakura Sojiro was saying, "Oh, you're back..."

Amamiya crossed her legs and looked at the strange girl with great interest.

Her long, light green hair reached her knees, falling down to the inside of her knees, long yet not messy.

The simple white top seemed to exude an explosive figure that was about to burst forth.

Her figure was even slightly more exaggerated than Nomiya's... but she didn't have the extremely special profound temperament of a 'princess' hidden beneath Nomiya's peaceful appearance—on the contrary, her awkward yet polite smile made her seem somewhat 'natural'.

Or rather... not a characteristic that comes with this body type... cute and innocent?

"That, that..."

"Are you the 'recruiters' who posted this job opening?... I'm Gardenia Dream, and I'm here to apply for the 'Velvet Room Assistant' job...!"

Her thighs were covered with gauze or band-aids—odds and ends used to cover wounds or highlight her clumsy nature. Aside from that… her 'clean and refreshing' appearance was something even Amamiya found hard to believe.

Ravenda didn't say anything, clearly indicating that she had no intention of becoming the HR person.

So, the green-haired girl's gaze naturally fell on Amamiya, who was sitting with her legs crossed, her fingers clasped together, striking a pose like a 'big boss'.

Her pale gold or brown eyes seemed to hold a hint of unease, wondering if she could succeed, and a slight doubt about her own fate.

Qiuzaki's Wife 4 (V) yY Lu "Do you know what the assistants in the 'Velvet Room' do?"

Staring intently at the other person, maintaining a scrutinizing expression until Yume seemed increasingly unnatural, Amamiya finally asked slowly.

"Hmm..." The green-haired girl tilted her head and tapped her chin with her index finger. "I learned from the 'job posting' that the assistant's job is quite complicated. Basically, it involves helping the 'Unruly Messenger' complete all sorts of odd jobs..."

"Although I'm a bit clumsy..." She first scratched the back of her head sheepishly, then immediately became firm in her tone, "But I believe that 'practice makes up for lack of talent,' and even for the sake of everyone in Abydos... I can handle this 'special job'!"

Amamiya didn't reply, but silently activated the bond she had established with Hoshino.

Almost the instant he did so, the green-haired girl sitting cautiously opposite him sensed something.

After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke with some surprise:

"Are you the 'boss'...? There's something about you that's both familiar and strange, I'm not quite sure... Is it Hoshino-chan...?"

It really is the 'Yume-senpai' that Hoshino remembers.

Amamiya did not offer an explanation, but instead coughed lightly and drafted a contract.

"This special 'job' can be temporarily assigned to you... This is a special contract. If there are no problems, you can sign your name in the signature section."

Yume took the contract from Amamiya and flipped through it silently for a while.

After a moment's thought, she finally signed her name in the signature area.

"Next... 'Boss,' is there anything else I need to do?"

The girl, slightly delighted, asked with a cheerful smile as she returned the pen and contract together.

"Next, we will perform a 'special ceremony'."

Amamiya got up and went to Yume's side.

At the opportune moment, Lavenda, who was behind the counter, took out a stemmed glass and placed it on the bar.

Amamiya, without changing her expression, took the 'Velvet Assistant' style utility knife that Ravenda had handed her and slowly cut her index finger.

A drop of blood rich in the power of "Creation" was dripped into an empty glass. Immediately, this special "non-Newtonian fluid" rapidly spread and multiplied itself.

In a very short time, it increased in volume to a full glass, emitting a captivating aroma like that of fine wine.

Swirling the wine glass to gradually stabilize the liquid inside, which remained calm no matter how much he shook it, Amamiya then placed the glass on the table in front of Yume.

"Drink it; this is the final step to becoming an 'employee'."

Although Meng was a little confused, she still obediently followed this 'strange employee rule', picked up her glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

The next moment, she seemed to hear someone whispering in her ear.

That sounds like the boss's voice...?

"You are me, you are me."

"Here you have regained the true bond."

"As the saying goes, creation gives wings for a new life."

"You possess the aid of the Sky's Arcana."

"Bathed in the light of rebirth, I have a second life."

"To add momentum to our journey into the future..."