I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Therefore, after thinking it over, Amamiya remained calm and said indifferently, "Hina... is an important student of mine who cannot be ignored."

【~???~】(Hina)

“Of course…” Amamiya paused briefly before continuing, “Hoshino is the same.”

【~??~】(Hoshino)

Amamiya took a half step forward, standing between Hoshino and Hina, and placed her hands on the tops of their heads.

"You are all my most important students, and you are people I can never abandon or compromise on!"

"..."

Hoshino's aura subsided, and a complex emotion flickered in his heterochromatic eyes.

Hina resisted slightly, but then awkwardly accepted Amamiya's pat on the head.

【~???~】(Hoshino, Hina)

"Even so..."

Hoshino slumped his shoulders, and his tone softened noticeably.

"But Sensei's level of attention towards me... is clearly not as high as that of the other juniors on the Strategy Committee..."

Amamiya naturally sensed the undisguised bitterness and resentment in Hoshino's voice.

But what could he say?

All I can say is... Hoshino was unlucky.

Several attempts were made to create the right atmosphere for a confession, but each time it was interrupted by various strange and unexpected events...

After all, it was an unexpected event, so we can't blame ourselves for it, can we?

On the other side, Hina, who was being patted on the head, quickly overcame the initial awkwardness of showing her vulnerable side in front of strangers and noticed the keywords that Hoshino mentioned unintentionally.

'A junior member of the countermeasures committee…'

Hina was certainly aware of the composition of the countermeasures committee due to the 'necessity of the matter'.

Compared to Hoshino's overwhelming advantage in combat power, the other four members of the countermeasures committee each have their own strengths.

In Hina's opinion, besides Hoshino, the most noteworthy people are Nomiya and Shirako.

Finally, there were Serika and Ayane.

"So... why did Sensei bring a student from another academy to Abydos...?"

Before Amamiya could speak, Hina took the initiative to explain and respond to Hoshino's rather hostile question.

“Sensei brought me here because I wanted to learn about Sensei’s experiences helping Abydos.”

"I want to know what exactly happened back then."

The reason Hina mentioned gave Hoshino a brief sense of dazedness born from nostalgia.

Speaking of this, Abydos really experienced a rather "special" adventure back then.

"..."

Hoshino's gaze lingered briefly on Hina's bat wings, which were still unintentionally draped over Amamiya's clothes, before his tone softened slightly: "Well, that's a long story..."

After a soft sigh, Hoshino half-closed his eyes, his heterochromatic pupils flashing with undisguised, burning emotion as he looked at Amamiya.

"However, it can be summarized in one sentence—'The entire Countermeasures Committee received 'light' and 'redemption' from Sensei.'"

"The time I spent with Sensei, though short and difficult... will be an invaluable treasure in retrospect."

After reading Hoshino's words, which seemed to contain only a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion or reflection), Hina felt a strange sense of envy for no apparent reason.

Compared to Hoshino, who was fortunate enough to experience something 'magnificent', it seems that all I've had is a mundane existence...

Apart from that, there is nothing.

However, she felt a sense of security from Sensei... at least in this respect, she and the students of Abydos were somewhat similar.

Unlike Hoshino...

From Hoshino's feelings for Sensei, Hina, as an outsider, perceives a dependence that is 'gradually becoming somewhat pathological'.

Hina asked herself honestly, carefully comparing her long-held perceptions and feelings towards Sensei...

What she sensed in Sensei was a similarity in their desire to "depend on each other".

Although she might not be able to help Sensei much... she occasionally hopes that while she can rely on Sensei, she can also be relied on by Sensei a little bit sometimes.

"Yeah."

Hina smiled nonchalantly and said sincerely, "In that case, I should be a little envious, envious of Takanashi-kun having the opportunity to experience the story with Sensei."

But then, her smile vanished, and her natural aura of authority began to clash with Hoshino's latent, menacing presence.

"...Takanashi-kun, didn't you ask me before what my relationship was with Sensei? |栮医叁吴+玖（六））衤三-月椅?"

Hina slowed her speech: "...I can answer now—for today only, I am Sensei's date."

'Om—'

Hoshino's expression froze, and he abruptly turned to look at Hina, who had suddenly uttered such a 'shocking statement'.

Then, as if confirming the news, she turned her head to look at Amamiya, trying to get any words or actions from him that seemed to indicate a denial.

"..."

Hoshino narrowed his eyes slightly, and his tone became a little unfriendly: "...Sora-san, right?"

What do you mean by that?

Facing Hoshino's still rising aura, Hina remained fearless, her eyes showing no ripples: "It doesn't mean anything in particular."

"Everyone's outlook on life, values... and everything else is different. I have no right to judge other people's lives."

After withdrawing her gaze, Hina looked at Amamiya, her eyes filled with apology: "From my own perspective... what I envision for Sensei's 'ideal life' is one of mutual support and reliance... even if it's just peaceful days like still water."

【~???~】(Hina)

Listening to Hina's 'unintentional outpouring of true feelings' and feeling the suffocating sense of being caught in the middle, Amamiya sighed inwardly.

Sensing that things were about to escalate further, Amamiya coughed lightly, interrupting Hoshino and Hina's heated exchange.

"Cough cough..."

"The reason I brought Hina to Abydos this time is mainly because Hina really wants to know what exactly happened to Abydos back then... So, I want to take Hina around the area around Abydos and then go to another world."

'...Strange Origins, Scattered L〈〥玲Z 〤师揪翅三『-飼?]World?'

Upon detecting a familiar keyword, Hoshino narrowed his eyes slightly and temporarily shifted his focus away from Hina.

Speaking of which... the members of Abydos haven't been exposed to anything from the other world for quite some time.

"Sensei is going to another world..."

The feeling of being relaxed vanished instantly. Hoshino's spirits lifted, and his words and energy became more powerful.

"It's been so long since I've been active in another world... I feel like my body is about to fall apart~~"

She stretched, and her whole demeanor instantly transformed.

"Should I call the other members of the countermeasures committee who are currently doing other things, and have everyone gather together?"

Amamiya waved his hand.

It's just a preliminary investigation; it hasn't actually reached the point where "everyone needs to gather."

"The situation in the black market seems to have changed recently. I want to check if there are any unusual problems in Impression Space."

"It's just preliminary reconnaissance and situation confirmation; there's no need to waste everyone's time."

After a pause, Amamiya added, "Of course, if Hoshino could participate in this 'reconnaissance mission'... I would feel much more at ease."

【~???~】(Hoshino)

Being praised in front of a 'competitor' can give one a strangely satisfying sense of victory.

Amamiya's 'praise' and dependence may have seemed 'light and airy', but it instantly gave Hoshino an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and superiority.

The pink-haired girl immediately straightened her chest and raised her head, letting out two hums like a victorious eagle.

"Since Sensei has said so..."

"Then, Uncle, I'll... accompany Sensei on this trip."

After calming Hoshino down with a single sentence, Amamiya took out her phone and opened the [Otherworld App] under Hina's curious gaze.

When Caesar controlled the black market, Abydos's impression space was "a city that never sleeps with the Tower of Babel standing tall."

Now... what will become of Abydos's space of impressions?

After switching the navigation to bookmarks and opening the keyword "Impression Space," Amamiya breathed a sigh of relief.

"……Set off."

"Go to 'Impression Space'."

Chapter 54 Phantom Thief Hina Makes Her Appearance...?

Kaiser Group.

Or……

This special group, which demonstrates a near-unrivaled dominance in many fields within Kivotos and whose tentacles extend throughout numerous academies...

In Amamiya's view, they have always been quite dangerous.

Their ambition and power destined them to gather desires, become distorted, and ultimately grow into a temple of power.

If possible... Amamiya would prefer to remove the Kaiser Group, this 'potential danger,' from Kivotos.

However, driving the Kaiser Group out of Kivotos is by no means an easy task.

After all... the Kaiser Group is simply too big—it's almost all over Kivotos, and it controls various infrastructures, the construction industry, and the flow of funds, which can be described as the 'lifeline of the world'.

The expulsion of the Kaiser Group was, for Kivotos, even a case of 'more bad than good'.

'After a considerable period of shutdown, what has become of the black market controlled by the Caesars Group?'

Driven by this curiosity, Amamiya, along with Hina and Hoshino, activated the [Otherworld App].

A black and red ripple began to spread from his phone, distorting the surrounding world like ripples on water.

"Well……"

Hina frowned slightly and subconsciously shielded her eyes with her hand to resist the dizziness brought on by the brief "cognitive distortion".

The sky reverses, the stars and moon hang upside down, day and night alternate—and then, the world is redrawn as if 'loading a game map'.

Everything happened miraculously before the girl's eyes.

Hina opened her mouth slightly in surprise, about to say something, but quickly frowned even more deeply.

Perhaps due to her "righteous judge" qualities... Hina naturally sensed a danger that she found repulsive.

It was a feeling I couldn't quite describe... but Hina knew it all too well.

She would have the same feeling when she learned that she was about to face the troublesome groups among the Gehenna, such as the "Hot Spring Development Department" and "Convenience Store 68".

"Oh..."

Having already gotten used to this dizziness, Hoshino immediately began to look around, then muttered a sigh: "The atmosphere... is completely different from when I came last time."

As he spoke, Hoshino tilted his head back and stood on tiptoe to look at the "City of Sin" located at the edge of the horizon, bathed in a hazy, cyberpunk-inspired neon light.

The Tower of Babylon, which once stood there as a symbol of the Caesars Group, has long since collapsed, but the ruins of the building still lie there decaying.

The cluster of buildings, though far smaller than the towering Tower of Babel once owned by the Caesars Group, still possessed a near-futuristic feel that required most people to look up at, suddenly reminded Hoshino of completely unrelated knowledge.

She recalled that not long ago, while flipping through a book about aquariums and looking for a 'date spot' with Sensei, she noticed illustrations and descriptions of whales.

The description begins with the poetic and poignant phrase, "When a whale falls, all things come to life," which succinctly summarizes the life of a whale.

Whales are undoubtedly the 'dominant species' in the marine biota.

These mammals, whose body length is the longest in the animal kingdom, are so powerful that they are almost never threatened by other competitors and can live for a very long time.