I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

"However, the repayment date is approaching recently, and Abydos's finances are a bit tight... If we could dispose of the resources we acquired from the other world in advance..."

【~???~】

Serika, the accountant for the countermeasures committee, carefully considered her options: "Sensei has helped us so much, we should definitely treat Sensei to a meal. So let's treat Sensei, hmm..."

She suddenly fell into a 'blind spot' in her thinking—she didn't know much about this Sensei and didn't know what he liked to eat.

What does Sensei like to eat?

The question wasn't asked by Qinxiang, but by Baizi.

The girl, who had somehow moved closer to Amamiya and was practically pressed against her, asked in her unusually calm tone.

"Ramen, curry, sushi... basically anything is fine."

Thinking about the food culture of this world, Amamiya didn't mention any special cuisines like 'Sichuan cuisine' that sounded particularly difficult to understand.

"Mmm...ramen...?"

Nomiya gave her a look that almost made Serika explode, then suddenly smiled and raised her hand, suggesting, "I know a really amazing ramen shop in Abydos! Want to go to 'Shiba Seki Ramen' together?"

"Hey?!"

Celery's cat ears immediately stood up, behaving like a cat in a stress response.

Just as she was about to say something, Hoshino, who had been feigning sleepiness, suddenly looked up and interjected, "Hmm~ Shibasaki Ramen... It seems like it's been a while since I've been there..."

Seeing Serika's dilemma, Ayane was too embarrassed to say directly whether she wanted to go or not, but instead expressed her "opinion" in a message-passing tone.

"The ramen there is really delicious..."

Her attitude could be considered a 'tacit agreement', so Nomiya, having obtained the consent of all the countermeasures committee members except Serika, turned her attention to Amamiya as Sensei.

"What do you think, Sensei?"

Amamiya noticed Serika's hesitant, unspoken words, and ultimately slightly resigned demeanor, and felt a little curious.

Does she have any connection with Chai Guan Ramen?

“I have no problem with it. If everyone agrees, we can hold the ‘victory celebration’ there.”

【?~】

Celery puffed out her cheeks slightly and let out a muffled 'humph'.

"Hehe~ I'll have to ask Sister Qinxiang to take good care of me then~"

"Well……"

After being repeatedly stabbed in the heart, Celery was sullen and looked like she was about to explode.

"Ah... speaking of which, are we about to arrive at the black market?"

Ayane, who was driving, suddenly noticed the change in the scenery in the distance and let out a sigh of surprise.

At the horizon, a region that looked to be the size of a city appeared—although it didn't have any exaggerated landmarks like the 'Tower of Babel' from another world, the feeling of its 'bustling prosperity' was still slightly shocking to everyone in the car.

“Regions with extrajudicial powers have developed to this scale.”

After expressing her feelings in a calm voice, Shirako added, "However... it's not as spectacular as the 'other world' we've seen."

Serika followed up with her own opinion: "Indeed... having already seen those bustling cities and towers in the 'other world,' the scale of the black market doesn't seem like much..."

"Mmm~ Celery-chan is absolutely right!" After her initial exclamation, as the slight swaying of the vehicle continued to 'squeeze' Amamiya's living space, the flaxen-haired girl asked curiously, "But... does this black market also harbor a 'dragon'?"

"Nomiya-senpai..."

Ayane, who was driving, tried to imagine what it would be like if a dragon suddenly flew in from afar and crashed in front of the car while they were driving. She then muttered to herself, "No matter what... there's no way that kind of 'dragon' fantasy creature could exist in the real world..."

After her initial reflection, Ayane slowed down and began looking for a nearby parking spot.

"It would be very dangerous to drive any further in."

"If the black market is indeed like the one in 'another world'... it's best not to drive the vehicle in."

Ayane's statement is not without merit.

After all... before officially arriving here, everyone had witnessed firsthand just how chaotic that sinful city in the 'other world' really was.

As Ayane brought the car to a stop, the other girls inside rubbed their hands together, eagerly picking up their weapons and beginning their 'pre-battle inspection'.

"The 'treasure' will be entrusted to Ayane-nee's care~"

Ayane, who was sitting in the driver's seat without moving, gave a "hmm" with a sense of mission.

"Don't worry, Hoshino-senpai... everyone. I will definitely take good care of the 'treasure'."

Hoshino, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around and his probing eyes swept over Amamiya.

"Then...shall we set off, Sensei?"

"Everyone, get ready."

Amamiya also wanted to see what this so-called 'black market' was all about.

According to the intelligence he obtained through Beritas, the "Black Market" is a gray area comprised of 'students' who left the academy for various reasons, as well as other 'Givotos natives'.

Many underground societies, unapproved by the Federal Council, are the size of several colleges, and various corporations vie for power and profit in this area...

Hmm... it should be considered the "Night City" within Kivotos.

Unlike the 'chaos' of Hehena.

Gehenna is chaotic, but it is simply 'chaotic'.

This area known as the Black Market is not only large in scale, but also involves the flow of funds in many gray areas. It is controlled by a behemoth-level power and harbors all kinds of dangers, both large and small.

"I wonder if I'll run into any interesting people here..."

Chapter 18 Nomiya Opens the Door to a New World

"I wonder if I'll run into any interesting people here..."

As Amamiya got off the bus with the girls and walked among them, she thought to herself, glancing at the black market in front of her.

This building complex appears to have been 'renovated' from a long-abandoned urban complex, with the nearby houses bearing the marks of time.

But the equipment here is very new, almost all of which are the latest models that Amamiya could see in areas like the Federation Student Council and the Millennium Technology Academy, which are filled with 'peace and tranquility'.

You know, just two years ago, the academy was practically the most technologically advanced... and now this kind of equipment has appeared on the black market, and has become so subtle and ubiquitous...

This is very unusual.

In addition...

Amamiya's gaze lingered for a moment on the equipment and the strange graffiti on the buildings, before he noticed some 'small advertisements' on the walls of nearby buildings.

"Kaiser PMC: If the money's right, nothing is impossible!"

"Want to engage in an epic card duel? Duel Academy cordially invites you!"

"We are elite members of Arius and can undertake some special escort missions. Those interested, please contact XXXX (account number)."

These kinds of 'small advertisements' may not be found on the main streets, but they are everywhere in those dark little corners.

Amamiya used his momotalk to search for the so-called 'Alios Squad' account and actually found an ID.

'The yarn weaves before the spindle...' The signature is "try harder and harder...?"

Amamiya raised an eyebrow slightly and noted down the contact information.

Let's find an opportunity to get in touch.

Hoshino 'floated' over, then suddenly grabbed Amamiya's free arm, shook it gently, and asked curiously in a way that looked like a spoiled little bird.

"Sensei, have you noticed anything unusual?"

Then, before Amamiya could answer, Serika's voice, raised eight octaves, rang out: "Hoshino-senpai?!"

"What's wrong, little sister Qinxiang?"

Hoshino appeared oblivious, but her half-closed heterochromatic eyes held a hint of teasing. She tilted her head slightly and asked in a 'pretending not to know' tone.

"...No, it's nothing."

"Hmm~ It seems like Serika is quite envious... How about trying to do what I do? Sensei has a kind of reliable charm, it's really great~?"

"what?!"

Serika immediately bristled, her cheeks flushed, and she quickly said, "Hoshino-senpai, please wake up! Do you even know what nonsense you're spouting..."

"Hehe~ Little Celery is just like a kitten who doesn't get any love, witnessing its owner being affectionate with other cats☆~"

"what??!"

Serika's voice rose so high it cracked: "N-No way! Nomiya-senpai, you too..."

"I understand how everyone feels..." Ayane's voice, sounding utterly helpless, came through the communication channel at just the right moment, "but this is the black market... everyone should try not to make too much noise, or we might attract attention..."

Only now did Amamiya, who hadn't reacted before, nod in agreement with Ayane's statement: "Ayane is right, everyone should be careful..."

Before he could finish speaking, his other arm was grabbed again.

“Hmm… Hoshino-senpai is right.”

The gray wolf girl, who was hugging and rubbing against Amamiya's other arm, squinted slightly, her expression seemingly carrying the satisfaction of a domesticated dog having its chin scratched.

"Sensei...gives me a very comfortable feeling..."

"White piece?!"

Almost simultaneously with Serika's surprised words, Amamiya felt a soft, chilling touch on his back.

Immediately afterwards, he felt his waist and abdomen being embraced from behind by a pair of hands as tender as lotus roots yet exceptionally strong.

"Hey~ Since everyone wants to hug Sensei, I can't be left out... Hehe~ How is it, Sensei... comfortable?"

After rubbing against it a couple of times on its own, Nomiya stopped what it was doing as if it had discovered a new continent and began to 'comment'.

"Huh? Hoshino-chan is right... Sensei has a strange feeling that can only be felt through contact... It's like I feel at ease just having her by my side."

"...Sensei feels so much better to hug than those fluffy plush toys or pillows!"

Amamiya: "..."

With the triple buffs of [Déjà Vu] (President's Bond Skill), [Twin Stars with the Moon] (Noah's Bond Skill), and [Shadow of the Past] (Hoshino's Bond Skill), Amamiya felt that even without doing anything, her ability to attract attention was top-notch.

If I acquire skills that increase my attractiveness or enhance my negotiation skills in the future, wouldn't I become a succubus?

As Amamiya imagined such a future, he felt a chill run down his spine.

The sudden initiation by Hoshino felt like a discovery of a new continent to them, bringing an unprecedented sense of wonder.

Even Hoshino himself didn't realize why he acted so subconsciously... It seemed like he just followed multiple factors, including the environment, and did it without thinking...

"Afterwards, Sensei will make it up to you with some celery sauce, okay?"

"Who, who wants this kind of special compensation?!"

"Hmm? Serika looks like she wants to say something but hesitates. Doesn't she want to touch Sensei like we do?"

"...No! That's not it!"

With Serika's stiff face and expression on the verge of exploding, the incident came to a complete end.

Following Ayane's directions, Amamiya led the girls deep into the black market.

Perhaps because of its proximity to the 'core of black market power,' the surrounding buildings have become much newer, and the sinister atmosphere of that 'lawless zone' has become increasingly intense.

"Stop. You have now arrived at the designated location mentioned by the buyer who wants to purchase the 'Pharaoh's Millennium Artifact'."

Amamiya looked around and found that this was a relatively open area.

It is indeed a suitable trading location because of its wide field of vision, making it easier to meet with counterparties.