I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Lan Wu: "..."

It feels like venting your emotions at a wall...sigh.

Lying on the portable beach mat, she hesitated for a moment, then suddenly rolled over: "Hey, let me ask you a question..."

"ask."

Lan Wu: "..."

“I’d like to know,” Lan Wu said softly, after a moment’s hesitation, “do you… have any particular opinion about Sensei… or any special feelings toward it?”

"Have."

"Oh, I knew it..."

Lan Wu didn't immediately realize what was happening, and subconsciously echoed her words.

Halfway through agreeing, she suddenly realized something was off: "...Huh? There's...there's?!"

Her eyes widened, her wine-red pupils swirling violently in the flickering firelight.

After blinking blankly, Lan Wu looked up and down at her 'good friend' who was sitting on the tree stump chair, frantically typing on her tablet, with an exaggerated "new understanding" gaze.

"...Did I hear that right?"

Lanwu raised her voice slightly, asking again with a surprised tone as if she had misheard the answer: "...Yuriko, do you even understand what I'm asking?"

"I understand."

A "beep" sound came from the tablet, like the notification sound of a successful order from an online shopping website, and Yuriko finally stopped what she was doing.

She didn't look at Lan Wu or respond to Lan Wu's gaze, but instead looked up at her.

The night sky over Kivotos is already mysterious because of the 'sky-high' arc of light that covers the entire sky, and because it is mostly clear and cloudless with countless stars.

The night sky over the island is even more so—although the sky full of stars remains unchanged, it exudes a mysterious charm and a touch of island allure.

Looking up at the deep night sky, Yuriko continued, "It is precisely because I understand that I can give a definite answer."

Lan Wu: "..."

After a few seconds of silence, she sat up cross-legged and said, "May I ask... Yuriko, about your 'special emotions'..."

"Could it be that they're treating Sensei like an 'employer' or something..."

Yuriko interrupted bluntly: "No."

"Have you ever seen a weapons dealer with such a conscience, providing such dedicated service?"

Lan Wu fell silent.

—She knew.

Regarding the recent "aircraft overhaul" in Abydos.

Logically speaking, even if one were to actually hire someone to fix it, such a time-consuming and laborious task would probably not be something anyone would be willing to take on.

Another matter concerns Xia Lai's plan to establish a weapons workshop to provide him with necessary weapons support...

Lan Wu is the leader of a group of delinquent girls, so she understands the principle of 'keeping accounts clear even among close sisters' very well.

—For this kind of 'doing work for others for free,' Lan Wu really couldn't think of any other convincing reason other than pouring in special feelings.

"Then why..."

Lan Wu hesitated, wanting to ask a question instinctively.

But as she was about to say it, she suddenly realized it was meaningless.

However, this question, which was never intended to be answered, still received one.

Yuriko withdrew her gaze from the night sky and looked at Ranma, giving her seemingly irrelevant yet profound and perplexing answer to Ranma's question: "...because of certain 'special reasons'."

As a 'clumsy delinquent girl', Lan Wu is naturally bad at interpreting words that seem to have an artistic flair and are obviously full of profound meaning.

She scratched her head and casually said, "I see..."

Since her 'good friend' has her own plans, she'll just...

No, we still need to keep a close eye on it.

Just in case my good friend is overconfident and ends up regretting it for the rest of her life.

"So this helmet regiment of ours..."

Faced with Lanwu's doubts, Yuriko still gave a very suggestive response.

"At the beginning of the operation of 'Paradise Lost Resort,' the various factions (Hundred Nights Hall, Gehenna, Abydos, and Odyssey Ocean Academy) were in a period of adjustment... A stable way to resolve the chaos and a source of intelligence were needed."

"In addition, the resort's facilities also require daily maintenance and management."

Lanwu understood: "Security, routine operations, and intelligence gathering...?"

Putting aside whether the helmet team can handle security and daily operations well, they should at least have no problem with intelligence gathering.

As the 'big sister' of a helmet gang, Lan Wu knows all the active helmet gangs around the world, as well as some other delinquent girl groups—whether her intelligence network is accurate or not is another matter, but it is certainly extensive.

Lan Wu knows about any rumors or gossip faster than some of the core members of the academy.

"I understand……"

After a brief moment of thought, Lan Wu revealed a carefree smile typical of a rebellious young girl.

"From now on, I'll be working for the government. I can't promise to do this perfectly, but I will do my best."

'If possible... we might try to recruit a few other helmet-themed groups in the future...'

'And that way, Sensei will treat them better too...'

'So, in this way, I'd become the "boss of the delinquent girls' world in Giwatos," and Sensei would become the "black emperor who controls the underworld"?'

An absurd idea popped up on its own, but Lan Wu smiled and shook her head to extinguish it.

She wanted to say something more, but suddenly noticed that her 'good friend's' fox ears on her head stood up slightly as if they had sensed something.

Lan Wu paused, then subconsciously looked around—and soon she spotted the five-person group from Abydos's side, 'returning in high spirits' on the sea breeze.

Five girls of varying heights and builds, their faces slightly flushed, surrounded Amamiya in what appeared to be a 'crowd' or a semi-threatening manner.

"Hmm~ Sensei's cooking skills, the last time I experienced them was at the 'Shibasaki Ramen Victory Party,' right?"

"After a long time, I finally experienced that taste that lingers on my tongue again..."

Listening to the suggestive words of the girls around him, Amamiya, who was being 'surrounded' by them, was sweating profusely.

Noticing Lanmai and Yuriko stationed by the beach, Amamiya quickly stepped forward and, under the pretext of greeting them and asking questions, broke free from the encirclement formed by the five girls from Abydos.

After handing the sushi bento and curry bento to Yuriko and Ranmai respectively, Amamiya lowered her head slightly and looked at Ranmai, who was sitting cross-legged on the beach blanket. Ranmai had long, straight red hair and the potential to be a 'literary girl', but instead became a delinquent.

"So, Lan Wu... have you made up your mind?"

Lan Wu chuckled softly and stood up nimbly.

She seemed to be about to pat Amamiya's shoulder when she realized something was wrong and instead grabbed Amamiya's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Sensei, what are you saying? You're asking me if I've made up my mind about the exam at this time?"

"Our 'bad girl gang' will finally have some backing from now on."

In the brisk evening breeze, the red-haired girl deftly and neatly grasped Amamiya's hand and shook it.

[...I felt the warmth emanating from Lanwu.]

[My bond with Lanwu has deepened...]

【River Horse Wind Orchid Dance (Chariot) ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

"Our squad's combat effectiveness and individual skills may be a little lacking... but don't worry."

Lan Wu withdrew her hand and patted her slightly heaving chest as she assured him, "As long as it's something we promise to do, we will never be ambiguous about it!"

Amamiya smiled and nodded: "Then I'll look forward to Ranmai's performance."

【~???~】(from Lanwu)

Then, he looked around at the girls gathered around the campfire on the beach.

"Time has come, it's time to go back."

Chapter 107 The Episode Where Ayane is Best at Sneaking Away

As the "nameless guardians" worked day and night, the hangar located in the Abydos resort islands gradually transformed from a desolate, dusty place into one with a distinct aroma of "a refreshing mix of sea breeze and engine oil."

Why does Amamiya know so much?

He was woken up early in the morning by a message from a girl wearing a blue and white bikini and beach shorts, who then summoned him here.

Following Ayane's request to "make as little noise as possible," Amamiya quietly entered the hangar through the back door. When she pushed open the rusty door that creaked open, a sleepy, dark-eyed, pitiful, and helpless black-haired girl was already waiting there.

“Sensei…excuse me, I need to borrow your time for a moment.”

As she put her glasses back on, Ayane couldn't help but let out a slight yawn.

Ayane's sleepy and adorable appearance clearly showed that she hadn't rested well, which amused Amamiya.

Walking over, Amamiya gently pinched the girl's elf ears, which swayed slightly with her fluctuating emotions, and teased, "Ayane-chan doesn't look like she's had enough rest?"

"Um……"

"The main problem is the memorization of knowledge related to the aircraft maintenance manual..."

After glancing at the various parts displayed in the warehouse, Amamiya had roughly guessed Ayane's 'main purpose' in summoning him.

The small warehouse was filled to the brim with various parts salvaged from helicopters.

These must be helicopter parts that Yuriko salvaged and salvaged from that almost-scrapped old plane.

Logically speaking, such 'scrapped' parts should be of no use.

Then why take them apart and carefully arrange them by category?

The answer is simple.

Leading Amamiya to a workbench covered in pipes, Ayane's forehead beaded with sweat, her golden-brown eyes filled with apprehension.

After much hesitation, Ayane tactfully explained her predicament.

"My classmate Yuriko not only made me memorize the textbooks on ground crew, fault detection and repair... but also specifically 'suggested' that I try to disassemble some helicopter parts from scratch to accumulate some experience."

For Ayane, who now possesses the "Book of the Dead," a "navigation" type Persona that allows her to easily collect and record information... if it were simply a matter of absorbing and recording knowledge, then for Ayane... no matter how much knowledge she has, she can absorb it like a sponge soaking in water.

Absorbing a lot of knowledge is one thing, but putting that theoretical knowledge into practice is another.

This is similar to seeing numerous online tutorials on "assembling a computer from scratch," reading them repeatedly until you know them by heart, but having absolutely no practical experience.

Ayane's 'tactful disclosure' made Amamiya cast a 'pity' look at her.

"Learning experience by disassembling helicopter parts... is indeed a difficult and tedious task."

Ayane: "..."

She pouted pitifully. Then, with a slightly resentful look, like a girlfriend venting her frustration, she gave Amamiya a light but not heavy glare.

'Sensei… I didn't call you here to hear your sarcastic remarks.'

Although Ayane didn't say anything, Amamiya had already understood the meaning from the slight displeasure she instantly revealed.

Because of the special relationship they had established, and in such a private setting where the two of them were alone...

In the past, she was seen as a 'serious and naturally naive girl', so she could comfortably vent her slight dissatisfaction.

Amamiya smiled gently and moved closer to Ayane, his thoughts barely visible on her face, as he could easily read them.

After a slight pause, he deliberately dragged out the tone and switched to a gentle, tolerant voice.

"But Ayane-chan, don't worry... I can accompany Ayane-chan on these kinds of difficult and tedious tasks."

Amamiya's sudden and unusually intimate actions, along with his actions such as "blowing hot air on the back of her neck" and "whispering in her ear," caused the well-behaved Ayane to "give up her resistance and surrender" on the spot.

【~???~】