I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Following Ye Zhu's hurried steps, Amamiya and his group arrived directly at a place that resembled a "large hall".

After saying "Sensei, please wait a moment," Ye Zhu quickened his pace and headed towards the preparation room.

Is Ye Zhu usually this busy...?

Amamiya didn't feel 'neglected' at all—in case of an emergency, the necessary formalities of hospitality could be omitted.

After observing the situation at the venue, Amamiya led Kirino and Miyu to sit in the second-to-last row of the venue, located in a dark corner.

As soon as he sat down, he looked at the white-haired girl next to him who seemed a little unsettled, but still obediently sat down with him.

"Kirino, what exactly happened?"

Although Kirino is very clumsy and often makes strange mistakes, which makes her increasingly distant from becoming a member of the "police station" responsible for counter-terrorism and riot control... she still has basic qualities.

At the very least, their ability to receive, summarize, and express information is absolutely up to standard.

She tilted her head and thought for a moment before answering, "Hmm... it seems like we received a 'special instruction' from the Federal Student Council..."

"When the chief sent me to see Sensei, he simply told me, 'If Sensei asks, just say it's about SRT.'"

Is it about SRT again...?

As Amamiya thought about it, she immediately felt a slight swaying sensation coming from the row of seats on the other side of her.

Miyu let out a soft "Eek" like a startled rabbit, then began to tremble, seemingly caught in a state of unease.

Sensing Miyu's unease, Amamiya gently patted her head in the darkness.

This is an action that can only be taken under the premise of a certain level of intimacy.

However, considering Miyu's timid and insecure personality, Amamiya went straight for it.

He speculated that it was unlikely that Miyu would resist his 'sudden move'.

And that was indeed the case... When Amamiya touched her, Miyu's slight trembling due to her inner unease abruptly stopped, and she froze like a rabbit that had stepped into a trap.

【~???~】(Miyu)

The information obtained from Kirino was limited, but it was enough for Amamiya to make a general judgment.

—If nothing unexpected happens, the Federal Student Union's order to the Valkyrie Police Department should be to suppress the students who participated in the demonstrations.

After SRT Academy disbands, a significant portion of its students will be assigned to the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau...

Now, is the Federal Student Council going to use the power of the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau to suppress the 'rebellious SRT Academy students'?

This is too...

That's a bit strange.

Rin... and the members of the Federation Student Council, don't they realize that this behavior is somewhat inappropriate?

After a moment's thought, Amamiya felt that they might be able to realize that something was wrong—but because the members of the Federation Student Council had been attacked by 'suspected SRT team members', everyone was still holding back their anger.

Having suffered a setback before, now that I have the chance, I'm bound to get my revenge.

As Amamiya pondered the intricate connections between SRT, the Federal Student Council, the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau, and other forces currently involved, he rubbed his temples.

Noticing that the students from the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau had all arrived, Amamiya realized that it would probably be Nagisa's turn to go on stage and announce something next.

He was just about to straighten his posture and sit up straight to listen to Ye Zhu, who was about to go on stage, explain the details, when suddenly a small hand landed on his shoulder.

"Ah~ I'm so sleepy..."

"Um... this 'Lord Xia Lai'... could you move in a little bit?"

With a sleepy voice, and a slightly slurred speech as if something was in his mouth, Amamiya turned her gaze to the figure that was shoving her shoulder.

In the dark corridor stood a blue-haired girl with half-closed eyes and a somewhat drowsy expression.

It was Fubuki, whom he had only met once before.

Not only Amamiya, but Kirino, who was sitting on the outermost side, also turned around at the sound.

"Hey... why are you ignoring me?" Kirino pouted, feeling ignored. "You need to make room for me, it's not like Sensei has to do all the work..."

"Moreover……"

"besides……"

Kirino was about to say something like, "It will also cause trouble for Miyu, who is sitting in the innermost part," but just before she could say it, she suddenly had a vague feeling of "not being able to remember a name."

Fubuki, munching on a donut, lazily half-closed her eyes and asked, "What else?"

Kirino's face flushed slightly as she tried to speak, but she couldn't recall anything about the student who had come with Sensei and was wearing rabbit earrings.

I should have heard the other person's name and heard a brief introduction not long ago... How could I have forgotten now?

Asking someone's name on the spot and then saying you've forgotten them and asking them to reintroduce you... seems too impolite.

While Kirino was still 'struggling with herself', Amamiya and Miyu got up at the same time and moved to a seat inside.

Upon seeing this, Kirino, though not yet recalling anything about Miyu, immediately moved to a slightly more comfortable spot.

Fubuki naturally took the newly vacated outermost seat.

Then she leaned on the table extending from the back of the seat in front of her and tried to doze off.

This series of reactions, reminiscent of "modern college students working 8 a.m.", surprised and amazed Amamiya.

Amamiya tried calling out, "...Fubuki?"

"Hmm~" Fubuki, who was resting her head on her arm, only raised her head slightly: "Sensei, what's wrong?"

"you……"

Amamiya considered for a moment: "Your movements seem very practiced... Is this how you usually do it?"

"Ah."

Instead of feeling guilty for 'being caught slacking off,' Fubuki replied matter-of-factly, 'I always do this...'

"After all, this is the darkest spot in the venue, close to the back door, making it easy to sneak away quietly, and it doesn't usually attract attention. If you're slacking off here, you'll likely not be caught most of the time."

Listening to Fubuki's series of "experiences in slacking off," Amamiya felt a pang of sympathy for Nagisa having such a "subordinate."

After Fubuki briefly explained her "experience," while Kirino blinked, still pondering Miyu's expression, and Miyu looked slightly surprised, Fubuki gave Amamiya a look that seemed to say, "Any other questions? If not, I'm going to rest now."

Amamiya remained silent for a few seconds, then shook his head and sighed softly.

【~???~】(Fubuki)

Fubuki yawned slightly, then lay down on the table without moving.

Amamiya waited in the darkness for about a minute or two.

Soon, the lights in the front row were turned on, and Ye Zhu put on the headset that was synchronized with the loudspeaker. He walked up to the podium through the front door and began to fiddle with the projection screen in the conference hall.

"Gentlemen of the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau, just recently, the Federal Student Union issued us a new commission."

Ye Zhu cleared his throat on stage, paused briefly, and made a slow, sweeping gesture as he looked around the entire audience.

"The task assigned is to... suppress SRT students who are still organizing protests against the closure of SRT Academy..."

"Because they occupied Rabbit Park and used it as a base for demonstrations, it disrupted the Federal Student Association's plans and the daily lives of some students..."

"Due to various reasons, we have no choice but to take action."

Ye Zhu did not use the rhetoric of 'mixing a small amount of useful information into a lot of nonsense'.

After explaining the whole story in just a few words, Ye Zhu paused for a long time.

Suddenly, the lights overhead in the conference room changed as if spotlights were focusing on a target.

After a brief moment of confusion, the lights focused on Amamiya.

Ye Zhu's tone was more relaxed than ever before: "I suppose that since Sensei came to Kivotos and did a series of things... everyone has heard of Sensei to some extent and knows about Sensei's 'reputation'."

"This 'special operation' will be led by Sensei..."

As soon as Ye Zhu finished speaking, a deafening roar erupted in the conference room.

After the shouts lasted for several seconds, Ye Zhu on the stage pressed down with one hand to stop them from continuing.

Despite the great distance, Amamiya could sense the expectation and trust that Hagisa, who was gazing at her from afar, was trying to convey through her eyes.

'…Sensei, please.'

A desperate measure? A last resort?

Sensing the complex emotions emanating from Ye Zhu, which were almost palpable, Amamiya sighed softly, her sympathy for Ye Zhu growing even stronger.

I sensed Ye Zhu's complex emotions.

[My bond with Ye Zhu has deepened...]

【Oojima Haguru (Emperor) ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

[★2 Bond Ability "Guardian of Guilt" is now unlocked!]

Amamiya stood up, and after his gaze met Ye Zhu's from afar, he nodded to the group of Valkyrie students.

"...Leave it to me."

Chapter Twenty-Two: Arius's Squad - Warning!

The Little Rabbit Park, which was quiet in the early morning, was gradually becoming less peaceful as students from the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau gathered there.

"That's the temporary base occupied by the SRT students up ahead."

Ye Zhu, leaning against the door of a large pickup truck, held a cup of 'Millennium Style Iced Coffee' (iced Americano) that he had bought on the way. He shook the disposable coffee cup with a straw in his hand and gave a brief introduction to Amamiya next to him.

"They've taken over this place... In short, they've probably caused quite a bit of trouble for the Federal Student Association."

"Therefore, the Federal Student Council issued an order to 'detain the students occupying this place'..."

At this point, Ye Zhu's animal ears on his head swayed strangely, almost at a 90-degree angle.

She took a sip from the coffee straw in her hand.

The caffeine in the 'Millennium Style Iced Coffee', along with its icy coolness, provides a brief boost to a sluggish brain caused by intense work and lack of rest.

Ye Zhu looked helpless, his tone heavy with exhaustion, as if to say, "We're in a difficult position too."

She accused Amamiya, saying, "After receiving orders from the Federation Student Council... in fact, the first batch of Valkyrie students had already attempted a full-scale assault."

"..."

"It may be embarrassing to admit, but it's a fact: the average quality of the students from our Valkyrie Public Security Bureau is inferior to that of the SRT squad members. Therefore, our organized assault resulted in a crushing defeat."

After Ye Zhu finished speaking, Amamiya clearly sensed that... all the Valkyrie girls, including Kirino and Fubuki, showed expressions of shame or disappointment.

But Ye Zhu's narrative is not over yet.

She looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and then turned her gaze back to Amamiya: "...Out of desperation, I thought of you."

Amamiya could clearly sense the deep sense of helplessness in Ye Zhu who had been forced to take on a mission despite his obvious lack of strength.

Sometimes, the 'status quo' can be quite harsh.

"It might sound a bit narcissistic to say this... but I still have to say it."

Amamiya chuckled and waved her hand, refusing Ye Zhu's apology. She then lightened the atmosphere with a teasing remark: "Xia Lai was created to resolve issues between students... It can and is worthy of students' reliance under any circumstances."

"After all... relying on Xia Lai is much safer than relying on the 'Kaiser Group,' whose true nature is unknown and whoever it may be plotting, right?"

【~???~】(Yanagi, Miyu)

【~???~】(Kirino)

【~??~】(Fubuki)

The speaker has no intention and the listener has the intention.

Amamiya's seemingly lighthearted remark, intended to ease the tension, actually touched Miyu, who stood silently to the side, holding a standard-issue sniper rifle but utterly unnoticed.

'Sensei...'

'Xia Lai is a reliable organization... Linqi Niwa is a dead group...'

'It was created to solve problems among students...'

Recalling that night not long ago, and that past experience that now seems 'magical', Miyu nodded in deep agreement from an unnoticed corner.

'Sensei is clearly a reliable and good adult...'