I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Momoi, unusually, didn't falter or do anything strange at crucial moments. She simply followed the script and repeated her speech, "We will produce better games in the future and present the true 'ninth art' to everyone."

After the awards ceremony for the game department, Amamiya waited a little while longer before the awards ceremony for the engineering department was held.

—As expected, the engineering department was also on the list of award winners.

Moreover, the awards won by the Engineering Department are far more prestigious than those won by the Games Department in a single category.

"The club that won this year's [Science and Technology Research Award], [Best Creation Award], and [Most Improved Award] is... the Engineering Department!"

"Their rapid progress this year has been evident to everyone."

"It is worth noting that after making significant progress in fields such as materials science, the engineering department did not become complacent... They gathered countless creative inspirations and technological ideas, and successfully developed a work that may change the future—"

"A masterpiece in the field of bionics, codenamed 'Erpis'!"

As Yuka and Noah took turns introducing themselves, Sophia skipped lightly onto the stage, energetically standing on tiptoe and waving to the students in the hall.

"Hello everyone~! I am the 'daughter' created by the entire Engineering Department! You can call me 'Sophia'~! From now on, I will be joining the Engineering Department as a special member! I would appreciate any guidance from my seniors!"

Sophia was eventually registered under the Engineering Department as a 'Special Creation of the Engineering Department'.

This "reasonable and legal" identity was quite effective for Sophia, making it easier for her to move between different colleges later on.

With the backing of the millennia-old Engineering Department, Sophia, like Alice, completely shed her "unregistered" status.

After the engineering department, even Beritas received the "Best Cybersecurity Award" on behalf of Chihiro's guild for his outstanding contributions to the millennium-old network firewall.

However, Beritas is, after all, a 'hacker' organization, and the awards it received were of comparable prestige to those received by the gaming division.

After focusing on a few clubs she was familiar with, Amamiya only occasionally paid attention to the subsequent awards ceremony.

There weren't many noteworthy clubs in the second half of the competition. Amamiya only noticed the "Fitness Club," which won the "Sports and Health Award." A club member named Sumire, with a ponytail, went on stage to accept the award.

Apart from that, there aren't any other clubs worth noting.

The maid club is, after all, a 'special agent organization,' so it's obviously inappropriate for them to accept awards at this kind of event.

The seminar had no intention of awarding them prizes—and even if they were, the maids wouldn't necessarily go on stage to accept them.

However, Amamiya did indeed spot maid club girls dressed in plain clothes, hiding nearby like undercover agents.

Needless to say, they were there specifically to guard against potential safety issues.

After briefly observing the maids hiding near the stands, Amamiya quietly waited for all the awards ceremony to end.

The awards ceremony has ended, but the Millennium Grand Prix is ​​clearly not over yet—or rather, it's just beginning its 'main event'.

After the awards were presented, Yuka and Noah quietly left the stage one after the other.

Then, the lights in the stands suddenly went out, and Rion, dressed in a black evening gown, walked onto the stage with rhythmic steps in the darkness and silence.

The lights gradually illuminated as high heels stepped onto the stairs, and the 'Lord of Black,' with a calm and reserved expression, stood alone in silence.

She walked forward, her lowered eyelashes casting shadows on her cheeks, as if she were holding a thousand words of repentance in her eyes.

With Rion's appearance, the once bustling venue fell into dead silence.

Thousands of eyes converged on the lone figure under the spotlight—nearly half of the students from thousands of years ago remained oblivious to the recent turmoil, while a small minority, though aware of the situation, remained indifferent.

However, a considerable number of students, while aware of the situation, were indignant about Rion's constant withholding of funds and her pressure on the club to shrink its operations.

The club members whose funds had been misappropriated whispered amongst themselves, their whispers gradually coalescing into a surging wave that could almost instantly crush those with weak willpower.

"Cough cough..."

Rion's knuckles turned pale as she gripped the microphone, her deep voice resonating throughout the room: "I am Rion Tsukigami, the chairperson of the seminar, and the student council president of Millennium Technology Academy... Of course, when introducing myself now, I should add a 'former' to these titles."

After calmly and somewhat darkly humorously completing her self-introduction, Rion began her concise self-presentation.

"I...at this moment, right now...repent for all the mistakes I have made."

Amamiya straightened up slightly in the stands, looking at Rion, who was standing with her head down.

The process of 'repentance' is about to begin...

Chapter Sixty: New Year's Worship Plan for the Seminar

No matter how noisy the students in the stands were, Rion's repentance continued.

She bowed in the direction of the loudest noise from the stands.

The hem of her black silk skirt rippled as she bowed. "Over the past few years, I've withheld funds under the pretext of rigorous censorship, leading to the dissolution of thirty-seven societies and the abortion of ninety-six research projects—numbers that should have been shining stars for a millennium."

His voice trembled like a candle flickering in the wind; the "Lord of Black," who was always known for his 'cold and aloof' demeanor, seemed to be choking up at this moment.

"I have no right to ask for forgiveness, but I implore you all to bear witness—" She suddenly looked up, her eyes bloodshot like cherry blossoms stained with blood, "From this day forward, the funds for all student organizations will be restored to the pre-withholding standards, with an additional 30% as compensation. All review regulations for the seminar…"

Before she could finish speaking, the stands, which had seemed to be laughing, teasing, mocking, and cursing, suddenly fell silent.

It seemed that the entire venue was stunned by Rion's sudden and shocking words.

Clearly... Rion's opening promise of lavish funding was something most Millennium Students hadn't anticipated.

But it must be said that Rion's opening lightning strike method was exceptionally effective—with just two short sentences, she silenced many of the millennium students who were already dissatisfied with her, and...

Before he finished speaking, the audience erupted in a thunderous cheer.

Amidst Yukana's wry smile as she rested her hand on her forehead and Noah's complex, indescribable expression, Rion's confession continued.

"The fortress city will not be demolished." Rion suddenly raised her voice. After the opening lightning strike, she began to 'get to the point'. "I will modify and correct the existing facilities based on the situation over the millennium, and do my best to make it a solid backing to protect the millennium in critical moments."

So, the conversation still turned to 'fortress cities'...

Amamiya sighed, agreeing with Rion's assessment.

Gazing at the dazzling figure under the spotlight, Amamiya thought to herself, "Rion truly lives up to her reputation as the master of the hall."

"Repentance" did indeed soften her long-standing distorted obsession, allowing her to get back on the right path and return to normalcy.

Rion is still the "big sister" whom most of the students admire, and still the "Dark Ruler" who plans ahead and takes precautions.

She may have chosen the wrong path in everything she did... but her initial purpose and intention were not wrong.

After a long period of self-reflection, Rion decided to 'start over'.

Leaving aside how much courage it takes to actually make that decision...

Just consider Rion's overall perspective of looking back at the past and looking forward to the future, and her thoughtful consideration and action—even if she really 'resigns' and gives up her important position as president of the Millennium Student Council.

Amamiya had every reason to believe that Rion had indeed done so, and that she would gradually 'shine' in another form.

After temporarily pausing her speech, Rion slightly raised her head and turned her gaze to Amamiya in the guest seats, seemingly waiting for Amamiya's response.

Amamiya nodded decisively to Rion and then gave her a fist bump from a distance.

"..."

The next moment, seemingly relieved of his last bit of anxiety, the 'Black Lord' put down the microphone and then slightly curled the corners of his lips, revealing a smile as if an iceberg had melted away.

She parted her lips slightly, moving them as she silently uttered a lip-reading phrase to Amamiya.

[...I sensed Rion's 'repentance'.]

The co-op arrangement has changed!

[Arcana - Judgment → World]

[My bond with Rion has deepened...]

【Tsukigami Rion (Human or Animal/World) ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

'Then... I look forward to working with you from now on.'

'Sensei...'

……

The Millennium Grand Prix awards ceremony came to a perfect close.

Amamiya, who had been stationed at the venue since dawn, did not return to the backstage area after the event ended until dusk.

As Rion's "declaration of repentance" echoed throughout the venue, the game of chess concerning the future of Millennium Academy finally came to an end, and everything was coming to a close.

Without a doubt... Rion's "repentance" was very successful.

Her 'Arcana', from the 'Judgment' to the final 'World', is the most powerful proof.

【L'HOMME ET LES QUADRUPEDES】, this tarot card is the "World" of the 【etteilla Tarot】.

According to the interpretation of "The Fool's Journey", the Fool will arrive at the end of the world after undergoing the final "judgment" and experiencing the baptism and sublimation of his inner world, and truly complete himself.

But this doesn't mean the end—in fact, acquiring the "world" is just the beginning of another journey.

In the backstage lounge, Amamiya, who had been waiting for a long time, watched the seminar girls file in.

The atmosphere had just been maintained during Rion's repentance ceremony, and the girls' hair was still covered with confetti, left behind by firecrackers, whether by Beritas or other clubs.

Yuka, Noah, and Koyuki, who had been hosting the event for almost a whole day, were all exhausted. Their backs, which had been straight all day, were now slightly slouching.

When they returned, Amamiya handed them four bottles of energy drinks with different flavors and a little bit of 'Soma' divine wine, which she had prepared beforehand.

"This 'special event' went smoothly. Everyone must be tired, right?"

"Remember to get some rest when you get back."

Rion took the drink from Amamiya's hand, her slender fingers leaving a fleeting mist on the bottle.

As the slightly alcoholic, cool liquid slid down her throat, her long eyelashes trembled slightly. The restorative power of the [Soma Divine Wine] allowed the long-accumulated mental burden and physical fatigue to melt away layer by layer from her tense shoulders, like snow melting away.

After sealing the bottle that had been half-empty, the Black Lord, known for his cold and aloof demeanor, finally let down his guard and exhaled a breath of stale air.

"Thank you for your understanding and trust, Sensei."

After Rion set the first 'example', Koyuki, Yuka, and Noah also clearly relaxed.

Xiaoxue took the drink and gulped down several mouthfuls, a few strands of pale pink hair clinging to her flushed cheeks. Soon, her expression became somewhat dazed, as if she were drunk.

"Is this the 'Master's' victory celebration wine? How strange..."

Since she could indeed taste a rather subtle alcohol flavor in the beverage, Xiaoxue subconsciously made a description that sounded quite ambiguous.

【~???~】(from Xiaoxue, Liyin)

Xiaoxue's subtle metaphor caused Yuka and Noah to pause slightly. They stopped what they were doing and exchanged a knowing glance.

'It's a wonderful feeling of complete relaxation...'

'Is this... a special trophy from a phantom thief? A product of another world?'

【~???~】(From Yuka and Noah)

"After working so hard for so long, it's time for everyone to relax and enjoy a short holiday that symbolizes a new year."

Meeting the girls' gazes, Amamiya didn't explain what she had added to the drink, but simply smiled and said...

Noah suddenly raised a beverage can, a sly glint in his amethyst eyes: "Speaking of the New Year, how about we organize a hot spring shrine visit for the seminar?"

Seemingly still resentful because Yuka had rejected her previous proposal for a 'hot spring trip,' she deliberately dragged out the last syllable of her sentence. That peculiar tone, like a cat's claws scratching the air, startled Yuka so much that she almost dropped her drink.

Upon hearing Noah's words, Yuka immediately recalled the night not long ago when Sensei came to help, and Noah suddenly proposed the 'hot spring trip' plan...

(Note: Chapter 10 of this volume)

A sudden, inexplicable unease rose in Yuka's heart, and she looked at Noah with surprise and shock.

'This...this kind of request made on a whim...do I really have to say it out loud?!'

Shame, worry; anticipation; the youthful fantasies of a young girl... all sorts of thoughts surfaced in her mind.

"New Year's shrine visit..."

Noah's seemingly casual remark caused Rion to fall into a brief moment of contemplation.

The seminar probably wouldn't have proactively organized such an event in the past.

Before her repentance, Rion was a complete pragmatist, probably because she couldn't find the time to participate in such 'meaningless and time-wasting activities'.

But that's different now.

Although Rion felt that activities like New Year's shrine visits were not very meaningful... she felt it was necessary to participate in such activities nowadays.