I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

After quickly sizing up her senior, whose behavior seemed quite unusual, Miyako hesitated for a moment before narrowing her eyes, displaying the alertness of a rabbit spotting its predator.

"And... why are you wearing a Sensei uniform?"

Yukino's fox ears twitched rapidly, and she was speechless for a moment in the face of her junior's question.

How do you explain this...?

You can't exactly say that you were 'coveting' the sense of security that Sensei's clothing provided, so you 'smelled' the Sensei clothing before wearing it without permission, can you?

Her gaze darted around quickly, and Yukino suddenly noticed the moonlight streaming down the corridor.

……wrong.

Her gaze suddenly sharpened, and Yukino suddenly discovered the blind spot.

Why would this still immature 'junior' appear in Xia Lai at this time?

The fleeting moment of panic vanished, and Yukino crossed her arms, choosing to face the stare with composure and answer questions with questions.

"Rabbit Squad's Tsukiyuki Miyako junior... why are you appearing in Xia Lai at this time?"

When Yukino asked her that question, Miyako was speechless for a moment.

Why did you sneak off to Xia Lai at this time?

The answer is simple…

I want to use Xia Lai's bathroom, and...

Take this opportunity to deepen your relationship with Sensei.

But this is not something that can be said openly, especially not to seniors.

—In order to uphold the fairness and justice of SRT, this kind of thing must never be said.

"I……"

After stammering for a moment, Miyako felt a little uneasy and answered her senior's question guiltily: "I want to talk to Sensei about some things concerning the Rabbit team."

So... I hope the senior won't notice anything amiss...

After a fleeting moment of hope, Miyako, who had been hanging her head, slowly raised it again and asked in a casual tone, as if she were having a casual conversation with a senior, "What about Yukino-senpai?"

Fin three other seven y/*ue- already "I..."

Yukino, who briefly displayed the same reaction as Miyako, was speechless.

You can't exactly say that you were devastated by a breakdown of your beliefs, and then, in a daze, Sensei took you to Sharai for comfort...

And now he's venting his 'insecurity' on his Sensei outfit...

You can't say it like that, can you?

In order to maintain SRT's professionalism and sense of security, and to preserve Fox Team's public image, as the team leader, I absolutely cannot tarnish my reputation.

Yukino lowered her eyes and closed them, took a deep breath, and then opened her eyes with a gleam in them: "...A secret mission from the Federation Student Council Defense Office."

That should be enough to fool this still immature junior.

...A secret mission by the Federal Student Council?

Miyako frowned slightly, thinking of the "defense room" of the Federation Student Association, which was currently nominally affiliated with the Fox Squad.

Compared to the currently 'homeless' Rabbit Squad, the Fox Squad at least still maintains professional-level equipment and other supplies from the Federal Student Council.

Correspondingly, they also have to undertake various tasks and activities such as "suppressing riots" assigned by the defense office...

Miyako didn't think much of it and didn't intend to ask any more questions—after all, if it really was a mission from the Federal Student Council, then the level of confidentiality would be extremely high.

The secrecy and confidentiality of missions are fundamental learning items at SRT Academy.

"I understand."

Miyako offered her blessings to Yukino with eyes full of admiration for her senior: "...Good luck, senior."

Xue No: “…”

Come on...what kind of oil?

Feeling awkward under Miyako's admiring gaze, Yukino could only try her best to keep a straight face and nod calmly to Yukino.

Yukino was extremely embarrassed, but Miyako's interaction with her as a junior was not over yet.

After hesitating for a moment, Miyako tentatively asked, "Um...senpai?"

Yukino tilted her head slightly: "Hmm?"

"If...it's about a mission involving Sensei..."

"Please, and everyone in the Fox Squad... don't do anything to harm Sensei, and..."

Gongzi hesitated for a long time before speaking.

“Senior, you could… try relying on Sensei…”

After advising her to "stop when it's time," Miyako seemed to have no intention of continuing the negotiations.

She acted as if she knew the process well, and after entering the room, she ran to a cabinet that looked like a filing cabinet and checked her change of clothes and other personal belongings that she had left there.

'Moe and the others didn't come today...'

'It seems that proposing a temporary stay of a few days in the Millennium was the right thing to do.'

Yukino watched as Miyako checked the condition of her personal belongings, and then watched as she obediently sat down on the sofa and began to wait.

"..."

How come this 'junior' is so skilled?

While Yukino was secretly observing Miyako, Miyako was also secretly observing Yukino.

Unlike Yukino's curiosity... Miyako's attitude towards her 'senior' was one of wariness.

'What exactly are the seniors planning to do to Sensei...?'

The girl, pretending to check her phone while taking it out, was lost in thought.

'It seems I need to remind Sensei in advance...'

Chapter Ninety: Xia Lai, Night, Rabbit and Fox

When Amamiya finished reading Miyako's private message, she still felt a sense of unreality.

He had thought that tonight would be a night to comfort Yukino, a "sleepless night for the fox."

As a result, they launched a 'night raid' on Xia Lai, turning what was already an uncertain night into a 'night of rabbits and foxes'.

All I can say is that... in Kiwatos, 'miracles' and 'coincidences' are far too common.

These things, which should have been rare and precious, now happen equally every day, every night.

[Miyako: Is Sensei there?]

[Miyako: On summer nights, it's very uncomfortable if I don't take a bath.]

[Miyako: I'd like to borrow Xia Lai's bathroom...]

[Miyako: Also, I want to have a late-night chat with Sensei like we did not long ago...]

【…】

[Miyako: Sensei, I've arrived in Xialai. I'll come find you in the club room now.]

[Miyako: I saw a senior from Team Fox in the club room... She said she came to find you because she received a "secret mission from the Federation Student Council's Defense Office"...]

[Miyako: Sensei, please be careful if you need to contact the seniors of the Fox team.]

Miyako really has a lot of initiative...

However, sometimes being highly proactive can be a weakness that easily creates trouble.

Amamiya replied with a slightly teasing message: "I'm making dinner in the kitchen right now. Do you need me to make you something extra?" After that, Miyako's message box flashed a few times.

After repeatedly changing from "typing" to "no status," Miyako sent a cute emoticon and an "OK" bunny emoji.

【宫子：/(//o/ω/o//)/】

[Miyako: "Rabbit giving a thumbs up.jpg"]

[Miyako: Then... I'll leave it to Sensei.]

Because an extra portion of dinner was added at the last minute, Amamiya was a little late.

After pushing the food cart from the cafeteria to the corridor, and then to the door of the club activity room, Amamiya stood outside the activity room and observed the view inside through the glass door.

All I can say is that... even just a door away, one can vaguely sense an invisible awkwardness and low pressure coexisting, creating a subtle atmosphere.

After observing, Amamiya knocked on the door.

Almost immediately upon the first knock, the rabbit and the fox inside the room showed considerable urgency, rising simultaneously, followed by a brief moment of awkwardness due to the almost identical difference in their reactions.

After an awkward exchange of glances, Yukino, true to her 'senior' nature,' arrived at the door faster and carefully pushed it open.

The moment the fox-eared girl saw Amamiya wearing an apron and her glasses covered by a thick layer of kitchen fumes, exuding a sense of everyday life, her mature aura towards her junior melted away like ice and snow, transforming into equal shyness, naivety, and dependence.

'Sensei seems gentler like this compared to when she's wearing her everyday uniform…'

'But no matter what kind of Sensei it is, it's always someone you can rely on...'

At this moment, Yukino is in dire need of emotional support, at the very beginning of the "breaking of the ice in her heart".

After her flawed beliefs were destroyed and rebuilt by Amamiya in a 'not gentle' way, the icy fog that had long troubled her heart was also dispelled.

Using the famous novel "The Three-Body Problem" as an analogy, Yukino's current state of mind is somewhat like Luo Ji, who is walking on an icy lake in the dark, accidentally cracking the surface of the lake, being enveloped by the cold water, feeling like he is drowning, yet still able to look up at the starry sky and have his mind enlightened.

But after all... the SRT military education that Yukino received, which is called 'solidification' but is actually a kind of 'poisoning', did not allow Yukino to comprehend anything like the "dark forest law".

However, she did show signs of 'starphobia'—

Or rather, Yukino already has signs of a phobia of 'insufficient Sensei elements'.

More precisely, Yukino's inner world today can be described as [an ice lake that has been broken but then covered with a thin layer of ice crystals].

This layer of 'ice crystals' is made of 'complete trust in Sensei' and is formed invisibly.

The halo above my head flickered for a moment, like a light fixture malfunctioning, before returning to normal.

Yukino hesitated for a moment, seemingly unsure whether to continue maintaining her 'senior' demeanor or turn more towards Amamiya to express her dependence and apology.

"Sensei, I..."

"I think……"

Just then, Amamiya spoke up, interrupting Yukino's 'declaration of determination'.

After pushing the food cart into the club activity room, Amamiya parked the cart, laden with a dazzling array of dishes, next to the coffee table near the sofa and brought out each and every one of the delicious-looking dishes.

"Given Nicole's culinary skills, I adopted a classic 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' style for dinner..."

"This is the highest level of hospitality during the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons—'Kaiseki Ryori' (a type of Japanese cuisine)."

As she continuously brought various dishes from the food cart to the table, Amamiya continued to explain, "...However, due to limitations, the Zen-like quality, or rather the artistic conception, in the dishes could not be reproduced. Only the colors and flavors were reproduced. I hope Yukino...and Miyako, you will like them."

So delicious...

【~???~】(Yukino, Miyako)

Compared to Yukino's stunned reaction and subsequent reflections, Miyako accepted it quite naturally.

"Sensei, that's amazing..."

She sighed softly, her expression slightly dazed.

After setting out the plates and distributing the utensils to the girls, Amamiya began to weigh her actions for the evening.

Yukino chose to stay overnight in Shalai because she felt uncertain about the future of the Fox Squad.

The Fox Squad can no longer follow Hana—at least, they can no longer follow Hana wholeheartedly, acting as irrational tools to carry out even the most outrageous orders.

So what should the Fox Squad do?

How can we mitigate the damage caused by the already irreversible attack on the Federal Student Association?

As for Miyako... although she didn't say it directly, she 'ambushed Xia Lai alone late at night' and even needed to use the bathroom...

The intention is already clear.