I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

"Now that the hero has defeated the Demon King with his beautiful female teammates, shouldn't he be enjoying a 'happy' and 'shameless' life from now on?~"

With a seductive lick of her lips, Hanako hinted, "For example, starting a harem... taking us all in..."

Before Hanako could finish speaking, Koharu, her eyes now cat-like and her cheeks flushed red to her earlobes, suddenly jumped out, interrupting Hanako and "angrily rebuking" her: "W-what...what are you saying?!"

"No, no, no, no... No! H-related activities are forbidden! Erotic content is prohibited...!!"

However, Hanako, who would usually back down, did not back down this time. Instead, she ignored Haru with sharp eyes and asked, "Sensei... I have to ask this special question—of the four of us in the tutoring club, who do you like the most?"

"As the 'hero,' please give a definite answer~"

Faced with Hanako's words, which held a hidden meaning and even seemed to carry a hint of malice, Amamiya replied earnestly, "I... like..."

"I like Hifumi the most..."

Hifumi: "Huh?!"

Hifumi was stunned, her ears instantly flushing a delicate blush. She was completely taken aback by what sounded like a public confession.

Then, she heard Amamiya pause deliberately before adding, "And Koharu, Hanako, Azusa... that is, everyone in the cram school club."

Hifumi: "..."

So it was just some polite talk to smooth things over with Hanako-san's pointed question...

The girl immediately patted her chest gently and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

However, she was completely unaware that her unique behavior, so different from that of Koharu and Azusa, had already fallen under Hanako's sharp and discerning gaze.

"Then Sensei..."

Hanako, sensing something was amiss, was slightly 'unwilling' and wanted to ask again.

Amamiya suddenly clapped her hands, interrupting her.

He stood up, using the table for support, and quickly glanced around at the girls in the tutoring department. Then, he smiled gently and said, "Everyone put in a lot of effort to 'save the world' and defeat [Hall Master False God Beatrice] today. You must be very tired now, right?"

"It's getting late, everyone should get some rest."

Chapter 45 Arius's [Future]

As night deepens, the Holy Trinity area begins to light up with lights that will remain on all night.

The collective unconscious began to sink; after a long day, the girls lay down on their beds and drifted off to sleep.

This should be the case for the vast majority of students.

However... in the increasingly shorter nights that come with the arrival of spring, there are also many who stay up all night, waiting for the night to fall, or... doing something hurriedly.

"I see... The underground passage from the Holy Trinity to Arius is indeed so complex."

Following behind the four girls of Arius's squad, Amamiya, carrying a tactical flashlight, made her way through the dark underground passage, giving her a feeling of "like she was raiding a tomb."

The outside world is shrouded in darkness.

Although the passageway below does not block out the sky, it still gives people a cool feeling, similar to 'night,' which is unique to the alternation of day and night.

“Sensei… that’s the ‘Arius Region’ ahead… I hope you won’t find the scene before you unpleasant.”

The tall, blue-haired girl at the front of the group seemed to realize something. After a moment's hesitation, she slowed her pace and gave Amamiya a 'preemptive warning'.

Having grown up in the slums of the Arius self-governing district, Saori knew all too well just how terrible the environment here could be.

"Don't worry, that won't happen." Amamiya waved his hand gently and seriously. "If one were to judge someone solely based on their 'appearance,' how could one be called a 'role model for teachers'?"

Amamiya casually mentioned a few things he had learned from the world outside of Giwatos, the ancient sages' concept of "education for all."

【~???~】(from Saori)

Saori breathed a slight sigh of relief and opened the heavy door leading to the Arius self-governing district.

Contrary to Amamiya's expectations of a "dark and gloomy" underground world, the Ariane self-governing district, and its core [Ariane Branch School], are located not underground, but on the surface.

After emerging from the somewhat somber underground passage, Amamiya was greeted by a sky where a patch of lead-gray clouds was gradually dissipating, seemingly indicating that the sky was about to clear—and the Gothic-style spires that, though once magnificent, were now dilapidated.

Noticing that Amamiya's gaze lingered on the building, the girl with light purple hair, like a hyacinth, adjusted her words slightly and introduced softly: "That in front is the [Grand Plaza] of the Arios branch campus... The building that Sensei sees so far can be considered a landmark building."

Amamiya nodded, then looked around at all the buildings in sight.

The buildings here, without exception, all have a style similar to medieval Gothic spires—to put it another way, they are somewhat like Yharnam from Bloodborne.

The buildings are all dilapidated... as if they haven't been maintained at all.

As the temple's owner who has ruled this place for decades, Beatrice has clearly never cared about these things...

The living conditions of the Arius students living here are, as one can imagine, appalling.

As Amamiya strolled through the streets with Saori and her group of four, she felt a mix of emotions and curiosity—where exactly was the Arius branch campus located?

Since it's not underground, theoretically, modern technologies like aerial photography should be able to find traces...

If this area is right next to the Holy Trinity region, then how come there is no trace of Holy Trinity at all?

"Then... that's the old school building of the Arian branch."

Leading Amamiya to a building with obvious signs of collapse due to an explosion, Saori looked up and pointed to the collapsed section of the building: "That... used to be the office of the student council president of the Arius branch campus."

Amamiya nodded, closed her eyes, and used the search ability of [Prometheus] to search for Beatrice's remaining reactions here.

Beatrice herself has already escaped... escaped very quickly and decisively.

Her palace, the False Eden, was burned down, and the Rose Garden of the Misty City was destroyed. The treasures of both palaces were stolen—a significant impact on her will.

After failing to find Beatrice herself, Amamiya shook her head at Saori and the other three who were looking at her: "Beaterice... has completely left this place. You no longer need to worry that this place is under her control again."

Even though they already knew this outcome, Saori and her group couldn't help but feel uneasy until they heard Amamiya say it to them.

Upon hearing this, Saori immediately breathed a sigh of relief. (The rest of the text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)

The short-haired girl beside her looked into the gradually clearing sky with her dark, dull brown eyes.

'It's amazing...'

'This area, which was never seen by the sun, is finally clearing up today…'

The silvery moonlight poured down, draping a thin veil of pale moonlight over the girl who was looking up at the moon.

After the dark clouds dispersed, the only thing visible in the clear night sky was a solitary moon, accompanied by countless stars.

"...The moonlight is beautiful."

She murmured softly, sighing with emotion.

The feeling of relief at being freed from the shadow of Beatrice's control still didn't give Misaki any real hope.

Beatrice, as the "Master of the Hall," has dominated and seized power for ten years, causing pain to this land called the "Arias Region" that is truly beyond description in conventional words.

Even cold, hard data couldn't contain it—at this moment, only one four-character phrase came to mind to describe it: "Too numerous to record."

"After Beatrice leaves, this land... will gradually be reborn."

Amamiya gently approached Misaki and stood beside her. Taking advantage of the height difference, he gently stroked the girl's head and softly comforted her: "This place... was once 'dried up'. Everyone who lives on this land... may have also 'despaired' at some point."

"But now... just as the sky has cleared and the bright moon hangs high."

He could clearly feel the girl beside him slightly raise her head and cast her gaze at him.

Amamiya did not bow her head in response, but instead looked up at the moon, which had been imbued with many meanings since ancient times.

Under the influence of Ayane's bond skills [Hidden Moon and New Moon] and [Like Welcoming the New Moon], the girl who looked up felt only a sense of 'unpredictability', similar to the bright moon overhead.

“The new moon symbolizes new life—so it’s also called the new moon.” Amamiya slightly curved his lips before looking down at the girl. “The new moon also always gives people a feeling of ‘hope for the beginning’ and ‘the birth of a miracle’.”

After a brief eye contact, the girl slowly looked away.

If we have now become the 'new moon'... then Sensei, you should be considered...

“There’s nothing wrong with thinking of me as a ‘star orbiting the moon’.” Amamiya smiled, noticing the girl’s fleeting thought. “Inconspicuous—but to put it romantically, ‘it’s precisely because I can be everywhere that I can gently surround the lonely moon and become its good friend.’”

I sensed a sense of relief from Misaki.

Coopation has been improved!

【Misaki Kaino (Death) ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆】

[★3 Ability: 'Future Vision' is now unlocked!]

"...?"

Slightly startled, Misaki then quickly glanced at Amamiya with a slightly puzzled look.

The girl seemed to blush for a moment under the cover of night, but no one could notice it.

“Sensei, what you’re saying is really… strange.”

Amamiya smiled without saying a word.

Actually, what he was saying was a kind of cheesy pickup line he had learned from outside before coming to Chivotos.

Although it may be a bit corny, it does contain some life philosophy and is quite applicable to the current situation.

"Ugh~~"

Only now did the green-haired girl wearing a beret, who had barely spoken and was almost overlooked, finally speak up, looking distressed: "Even though I've seen so much... I still can't keep up with the atmosphere when interacting with Sensei..."

"I've tried so hard, but I still can't get close to Sensei. Is this my limit...? I guess so... I guess I have no reason to live anymore..."

Amamiya: "..."

Amused, Amamiya shook her head and moved closer to the green-haired girl who was usually a crybaby, insecure and weak... but who was surprisingly resolute in crucial moments.

“Hiyori, you want to get close to me…” Deliberately softening his tone, he gently murmured the girl’s name while helping her straighten the hair that covered her single eye and the slightly haphazardly tied side ponytail.

"If you want to get closer to me, you can express your needs at any time... If you keep your thoughts to yourself and don't speak them out, how will others understand?"

Seeing the girl's misty face, which seemed almost moved to tears, Amamiya continued, "Whether it's Hiyori... or everyone in Arios's squad, if you want to be cared for... you can do so anytime."

"The premise is... that you can express what you truly want."

【~???~】(From Hiyori; Misaki)

【~???~】(From Saori; Azuko)

"Hehehe...Really...?"

The readily available gentleness briefly captivated Hiyori—but then, she thought of…

Do I really have the courage to 'state my request'?

What will Sensei do if the demands are excessive? Will it refuse?

Will Sensei hate herself because she's too much of a hassle...?

She was "happy" for only a few seconds before she was almost "scared to tears" by her own thoughts.

[I felt a sense of longing emanating from Hiyori.]

Coopation is now unblocked!

【Tsuchi-ei Hiyori (Temple/Tower) ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Thinking about all this, Hiyori felt terrible, as if she was afraid that Amamiya would suddenly leave, and pitifully grabbed Amamiya's clothes.

Amamiya: "..."

It's really hard to say what he's capable of.

After sighing, Amamiya finally looked at Saori and Azuko.

"Let's get down to business..."

"Next, we'll discuss the problems in the Arius region after Beatrice's 'departure'..."

"And the 'future' of your squad."

Chapter 46 The Tragic Arios Squad

The aftermath of the Arius region – and the “final fate” of the Arius Special Squad.

These two core issues are the most critical problems that Amamiya needs to address after burning down Beatrice's false Eden.

Making Beatrice repent and relinquish control of the Arius region... this is only the beginning.