I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Amamiya didn't know much about this mysterious and unpredictable 'benevolent phantom thief' before.

Through the "Déjà Vu" (Guild Leader's Bond), I learned that the so-called "Seven Prisoners" are all extremely dangerous characters... and the one in front of me, Kiyosumi Akira, in terms of intimidation... should theoretically be comparable to Kitsaka Wakamo.

He has a unique and unwavering passion for art, and he steals constantly in order to uphold his own aesthetic...

This is all that Amamiya knows about her.

Because of the other person's 'artistic sense', Amamiya chose this slightly chuunibyou-ish way of communicating.

(The stereotype that artists are all a bit immature is a product of my poor background.)

After delivering what sounded like a character's entrance line when drawn, Amamiya quietly observed the 'kind-hearted phantom thief' girl's reaction—

The girl, whose breathing had suddenly stopped, only came to her senses slightly when Amamiya looked at her.

Subconsciously, she made a slight swallowing motion, and then lowered her head slightly as if to appear nonchalant.

【~???~】

At this moment, all the established synergy skills began to "shine".

The girl's natural curiosity and destructive urge towards beautiful and cute things are dominated by [Cute Destructive Temptation] and [Kindness and Affinity] (Hifumi's Bond Skill);

The mutual respect and care between the two fellow "phantom thieves" made her feel as if she were basking in warm sunshine, as if she could see the silhouette of her senior (Hoshino's bond skill)...

Under the cover of night, her phantom-like aura is equally possessed by [the charm of a high-mountain flower] (Himari's bond skill) + [the affinity of animals] (Kayoko's bond skill) + [the alluring aura] (Wakamo's bond skill);

The artistic sensibility evoked by the phantom thief's aesthetics and his yearning for 'unique aesthetics' were instantly overwhelmed by [Passion for Sublime Art] (Momoi's Bond Skill) and [Starry Memory]; [Twilight Dawn] (Noah's Bond Skill)...

What Akira consumed was a "special attack" from Amamiya. The sheer number of these attacks was staggering—

Feeling the slight warmth from the tip of her nose and the uncontrollable throbbing in her heart, Akira almost lost her composure and even abandoned her bottom line as a 'benevolent phantom thief' before realizing she couldn't delay any longer.

If I delayed even a second longer, I would probably fall completely in love—at which point I would have no say at all.

After clearing her throat, Jing temporarily put aside the chaotic thoughts that had suddenly come to her mind and slowly asked, "So... does Sensei have any 'special request' for coming here as arranged?"

As the saying goes, "No one visits the temple without a reason."

As a 'benevolent phantom thief', Akira would naturally not deliberately set aside several days to work for a 'corporate museum' that looks down on students—she certainly had her own reasons for doing so.

Using the plausible excuse of working, one can easily confirm the museum's security system and plan a reasonable infiltration and evacuation route.

Just like how one wouldn't casually seek out jobs at museums or art galleries—places with "high artistic value"—...

Amamiya suppressed all her 'phantom thief aura', minimized the impact of her bond skills, and stopped posing like a 'game character portrait'.

Meeting the gaze of the pink-haired girl, which held a hint of icy clarity under the moonlight, Amamiya spoke directly.

Have you played that recent game?

Jing didn't reply, but instead rested her chin on her hand and nodded with feigned curiosity and composure.

She was too embarrassed to say that she not only played the game, but also immediately became a die-hard fan of the work, buying and even handcrafting several special merchandise items.

"So... you should also know how the phantom thieves fight in other worlds, and their vision of taking away twisted desires, right?"

At this point, Amamiya let out a deep sigh.

"I hope... that you, as a fellow 'phantom thief,' can become my reliance, the most indispensable force to change this world."

Across the night breeze, Amamiya reached out his hand to the girl: "As my companion... let's change this world together."

"crystal."

【~???~】

[I sensed the willpower emanating from Jing...]

Coopation is now unblocked!

【Clear Crystal (Mobs' Order/The Moon) ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆】

Jing bit her lower lip, using the momentary pain to relieve the 'happiness' that almost overwhelmed her.

"Alright... since this is your invitation, Sensei..."

She touched her white mask and chuckled softly.

"Whether it's to practice one's own aesthetics or to glimpse the colors deep within the human heart... any one of these reasons is enough to make me walk alongside you."

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Hanako's Invitation to Battle

'Hoo... Nya~ woo...'

The sleepy girl smacked her lips, only to be abruptly awakened by a noisy ringing of a bell.

'...'

As her subconscious began to surface, the girl, who had been about to subconsciously get up and turn off the alarm clock on the cabinet, suddenly jolted awake and completely woke up.

"……Dream?!"

After a somersault to her feet, Hifumi instinctively covered her head with her hands, murmuring keywords with double meanings.

Was everything I just experienced a dream?!

I...entered...the velvet room?

I also saw... Yume-senpai, who appeared as the assistant in the Velvet Room?

Senior Dream seems to be one of the many "missing" students at Abydos Higher Academy. Although her file marks her as missing, it's almost certain she's dead...

Her consciousness gradually returned from that dreamlike and bizarre scene, and Hifumi took a long, unsettled breath.

While deftly changing out of her pajamas and into her familiar sailor-style uniform skirt, the girl stood in front of the full-length mirror, pondering and reviewing the various 'abnormal phenomena' she had witnessed in her dream...

If it's a dream, is it really possible for me to remember every detail so clearly after waking up?

The girl, filled with self-doubt, subconsciously focused her mind.

"What on earth is going on..."

As Hifumi focused her mind, something even more incredible happened before her eyes—

The world before my eyes seemed to have lost all color in an instant, turning into a sketch composed entirely of the three primary colors of black, white, and gray.

The mirror is crystal clear, and the world it reflects looks completely different.

A bright blue aura emanated from the Perolo doll;

A pale yellow light flickered on the bed;

She herself... was filled and enveloped by a cloud of pale blue smoke.

"……?"

The change in perspective jolted Hifumi, who was deep in thought, into a sudden realization.

'Is it just my imagination...?'

'No, it shouldn't be my imagination...'

Recalling the games she had played before and some details from her exploration of the other world, the girl quickly calmed herself down and confirmed what had caused the changes happening to her—

"Velvet Room".

It must have been that room that granted me some 'special abilities' that I can also use in the real world...

For example, the "third eye".

After tying her bow tie and shoelaces, Hifumi tried to concentrate again... and sure enough.

As she gradually focused, the details in front of her were magnified dozens or even hundreds of times—the details that needed attention were marked immediately, while unnecessary details were turned into gray that blended into the background.

Everything around me seems to be conveying various messages in another form.

'Perolo doll: Because it's frequently hugged and rubbed after being eaten with cake or handled with other oily products, it has accumulated a lot of inconspicuous oil stains, although it looks fine at first glance.'

'The bed: a key item for rest, for ending one's day and restoring energy and strength; a place connecting to the collective unconscious. It still retains warmth.'

'My Necesty: A cute pink-painted sidearm. Note that the area around the barrel requires maintenance, otherwise its lifespan will be reduced.'

What a strange feeling...

Hifumi felt as if her perspective had suddenly changed from an 'ordinary viewpoint' to the viewpoint of an 'ultra-high magnification telescope'.

So clear it's indescribable...it feels like the whole world has become transparent.

Blinking, Hifumi, still experiencing this new sensation, subconsciously glanced at the clock on the bedside table.

The clock has already rung once; the second ring will occur after 03:59. Don't you think you're late?

The alarm clock was covered with a layer of orange-yellow spiritual energy, symbolizing great danger...

Oh wait... late?!

Oh no... wait a minute, if I keep procrastinating, I'll definitely be late!!

Realizing that she would definitely miss the important [Sensei's dispatch meeting to the tutoring club] if she didn't hurry up, Hifumi belatedly patted her cheeks, feeling ashamed of herself, and quickly sped up her preparations.

Having prepared her gear, the girl strode swiftly towards the setting sun, heading towards the tutoring center.

……

The winter dawn seems a little long.

Dragging her suitcase, Amamiya arrived early in the morning at the accommodation specially arranged by Nagisa. Having already finished her preparations, she stood outside the accommodation and glanced back at the luxurious medieval-style building, which resembled a small castle.

I have to say... the architectural style of Holy Trinity is really 'classical, bold and magnificent'... I feel like I've suddenly become a nobleman living in a medieval castle.

"Arona, has Rin replied yet?"

After a moment of reflection, Amamiya took out the Shittei no Hako and poked the AI ​​girl who was sitting on the tablet, seemingly in a great mood, gazing at the sea view.

"Hmm... Ah, Sensei! Good morning!"

Alona, ​​who was sitting on the side facing away from the sea view, felt a light poke from her back. She got up and jogged to the screen, waved to Amamiya, said good morning, and then began to answer Amamiya's question.

"Regarding Sensei's assignment to the Trinity region as a temporary advisor for the tutoring department, the Federal Student Council has already responded..."

The sentence structure gave Amamiya a sense of surprise and anger, as if the next sentence was going to be "I can't believe it!"

"The Federal Student Association has indicated that it will forward the latest official documents to you for remote work via the Shiting Box for your completion..."

As expected, necessary official business still couldn't be avoided...

Amamiya breathed a sigh of relief, then expressed her gratitude for Rin's generosity.

To this day, the Federal Student Council still maintains a workload of 'only half a day to complete', leaving ample time for 'phantom thieves' or to travel to other schools.

This is probably a 'compromise' made by the Federal Student Association to take into account its other identity.

"Sensei... don't be so down..." Alona, ​​watching Amamiya sigh through the screen, seemed to find it quite amusing, and then revealed a cheerful and gentle demeanor like an 'older sister,' "If you're working remotely... Alona will help, you know~?"

After exchanging a few words with Alona, ​​Amamiya felt it was about time to head to the tutoring club.

Perhaps because Amamiya's routine was so 'too regular' today, Amamiya didn't see many noteworthy people to help her along the way, as she faced the morning mist and rosy dawn.

After greeting some of the Justice Committee members who were patrolling early in the morning, as well as a few Sisters who were going to do morning prayers, Amamiya arrived at the tutoring department without incident.

'Alright, now we should think about how to train the remaining three members of the tutoring department into personality mask manipulators…'

'Let them accept the existence of another world...'

Although they've already had the experience of being 'accidentally' transported to another world before, they should find it much easier to accept...

But how exactly can the concept of "persona" be made understood and awakened in these women who already seem difficult to "deal with"?

While preparing the 'lesson plan', Amamiya pondered 'the priority awakening targets for the Persona'.

"Sensei..."

Amamiya, who was skillfully twirling a piece of chalk, paused and snapped it in two equal pieces.

"Ok?"

Amamiya turned his head to look at the pink-haired girl who was leaning against the door frame and looking at him with a complicated expression.

Her emerald eyes were like autumn water, seemingly unfathomable. Her beautiful face did not reveal the usual 'meaningful' or 'unfathomable' expression.

Amamiya felt that this girl, who seemed to always be full of jokes to outsiders, was looking at her with utmost seriousness at this moment.

"Sensei...could I...borrow a little bit of your time?"