I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

"Ha ha……"

The girl, as elegant and noble as a Persian cat, chuckled softly, not responding to Serika's wary question.

Amidst the varying degrees of wary gazes of the girls on the countermeasures committee, she moved with a nimble and elegant gait, almost like a cat's, and silently approached Amamiya's side.

The fluffy tail climbed onto Amamiya's arm, and the girl then took out a piece of cardboard that looked like a business card from her shirt pocket using her index and middle fingers.

"You give me a sense of being 'one of us.' Shall we get to know each other?"

Seeing the other person's intimate reaction and realizing that the other person shared the same 'cat-like' personality as herself, Serika's vigilance pounded like a drum. She immediately bristled and went to Amamiya's side to take the business card that the girl handed over on Amamiya's behalf.

"N-I'm sorry... but he's a Sensei transferred from the 'Federal Investigation Department - Xia Lai' under the Federal Student Council... We can't accept someone like you with unknown origins, mingling in the black market... huh?"

With a 'whoosh', the card circled in the air, bypassing Serika's obstruction like some kind of card-throwing stunt, and struck Amamiya directly in the chest, where Amamiya caught it effortlessly.

"This is my personal number... Heh. Sensei from Xia Lai?... Interesting, interesting. Let's connect again sometime~"

She released her tail from Amamiya's arm, and then, under the watchful eyes of the girls on the countermeasures committee, she jumped back and landed on a billboard on a building.

Then, with a few leaps, she soared into the sky, leaving everyone with an elegant and glamorous figure before quickly disappearing into the black market.

Celery, who was seething with anger, was speechless.

Although she didn't know why, she was just particularly annoyed.

After letting out a heavy "humph," Serika glanced at the business card in Amamiya's hand with an ambiguous look, which seemed to be specially made and even carried the scent of a young girl. She then pouted slightly and retreated to the side of the girls on the countermeasures committee.

Serika's seemingly defeated reaction immediately drew teasing from Hoshino and Nomiya.

"Oh dear~ Serissa looks really angry... like a kitten that's gotten its fur standing on end after seeing its owner interacting with another cat~"

"Xiaoqinxiang seems quite agitated towards that student of unknown origin. Is it because her 'status' is threatened?"

Faced with her friends' teasing, Serika just drooped her cat ears indignantly, looking very upset, and didn't refute anything.

Amamiya casually put the business card into his pocket and looked at Hifumi, who had run up to him but was stopped by Shirako.

Shirako naturally heard and saw the entire interaction between Amamiya and Shirako.

"...Why are the students of Trinity here? And why were they attacked..."

Before Hifumi, who almost bumped into him, could even speak, Shirako had already taken the initiative and started asking questions.

Perhaps it was because of his expressionless face and voice, which revealed almost no emotion, that Bai Zi, who was simply asking a normal question, seemed to carry a powerful sense of pressure.

"Uh... I... I... that..."

Shirako's question caught Hifumi, who was about to say something, off guard and left her somewhat bewildered.

"Halt! You Trinity student over there!"

"Hehehehehe, if you don't want to get shot, stand there and don't move, and wait for us to tie you up!"

Hifumi, who was struggling to find the right words, suddenly jolted and explained in a weak, halting voice with a slight sob: "Basically... I came to the black market to find something... These... delinquent girls who found out I'm a Trinity student... want to kidnap me..."

Although Amamiya had learned about Trinity College through the [Déjà Vu] bond ability and had recently investigated it, he hadn't had time to go there yet, so he didn't know the specifics.

Looking at the 'fierce' delinquent girls in the distance, he asked curiously, "Why would you kidnap them just because you realized they were Trinity students?"

"Perhaps it's due to preconceived notions about those rich young ladies?"

The answer to his question came from Hoshino, who had already loaded a shotgun and was ready for battle.

"Uncle, although I've never been to Trinity College, I've heard that... the students living at Trinity College are the richest students on average in Giwatos..."

"Uncle, I've also heard that the students of Trinity are all rich young ladies who have received a good 'aristocratic education.' In short, in the eyes of bad people, they're like 'lambs without any power to resist,' right?"

Amamiya: "..."

That does seem to make a lot of sense.

Compared to the girls on the countermeasures committee, Hifumi's behavior clearly showed more of the panic that 'ordinary girls' tend to have when things happen.

After clapping his hands, Amamiya took off his glasses, and his imposing aura spread out with this action of 'removing his disguise'.

Amamiya, who suddenly became "sharp and outspoken", took out the Shitei no Hako as an on-site command and control device.

"To get Hifumi Ajitani out of danger... let these ungrateful delinquent girls experience what true 'royal-style combat' is all about."

Hifumi: "...?"

She looked up slightly, a little surprised, at the 'stranger' who had suddenly called her by her full name.

Who is this person... and which academy are the students next to him from?

Why should they help me?

What exactly is this so-called "royal-style battle"?

For a moment, Hifumi's mind was filled with many things that she couldn't understand at all—but despite not understanding them, she did know what she needed to do.

In short... all we need to do is cooperate with them to fight off these thugs, right?

After taking a deep breath, she picked up her rifle with renewed vigor and stood on the same side as these strangers who were fighting for her.

Little did she know, this was the beginning of her 'extraordinary' journey.

Chapter Twenty-One: Perolo? Not as cute as Jack Frost. (Half-month - Yiling 46, starting with Ba 2, 8 points)

Huh? What's with this command style?

It made me a little flustered... but as long as I subconsciously followed along with the movements, I wouldn't get hurt at all?

Huh?! What... what's going on with this kind of tactical coordination?

Why was I able to perfectly coordinate with these 'strangers' who were fighting side by side for the first time under my command?

Wait... is fighting such a simple thing?

Why do I always feel like I haven't done anything, yet the enemy has been utterly defeated?

Gradually, Hifumi understood why that unfamiliar adult called his fighting style "Royal Style".

how to say……

Hifumi felt that she was not "fighting" but "expressing her art".

That's right... to express art.

It's incredible that it gives people this feeling.

Luxurious and elegant, continuous and unbroken, it's like an instrument that only needs to play at different times... It only needs the "conductor's baton" to give the command, to burst forth at the right moment, and to retreat at the right moment...

The enemies fell one after another, just like bamboo shoots being split open.

This makeshift team always presses its advantage when it takes down its target, and avoids direct confrontation when the opponent attempts to retaliate.

Even after the last thug fell, Hifumi was still somewhat dazed.

'Not shot...not even his clothes got dirty...'

'This battle... was so easy?!'

Hifumi even had a strange feeling, like, "How come you all collapsed before I even exerted any effort?"

Decisive and efficient, swift and decisive, seizing every opening, defeating enemies one by one before unleashing a massive all-out attack to take down a large number of them simultaneously, even managing to beat a drowning dog with utmost elegance... So this is the "Royal Style" of combat!

Putting away her weapon, Hifumi suddenly remembered a certain keyword that the young ladies of Trinity Church would occasionally mention.

'The aesthetics of war.'

"Hmm~ Being commanded by Sensei in battle like this is quite a treat... Ah. By the way... is Hifumi Ajitani alright?"

"No, it's okay..."

After hastily responding to the concern of others, Hifumi glanced at Amamiya, who had put away her tablet.

Is he the Sensei from Xia Lai that everyone's been talking about lately? He's amazing.

Little stars gradually lit up in her eyes, and her heart began to pound.

So... Sensei is such a 'radiant' person... just like a warm 'sun'.

"Gentlemen, we've engaged in a brief battle in the black market, a place teeming with people and eyes..."

Amamiya clapped her hands, attracting the attention of the girls who were originally planning to clean up the battlefield.

"This place is not safe to stay any longer, let's make our way back."

As soon as Amamiya finished speaking, the girls all boarded the bus in perfect unison and found their seats.

Amamiya, on the other hand, grabbed the still somewhat dazed Hifumi and, amidst her sweet and adorable exclamation of "Huh? ~!", deftly hooked open the back seat door with his foot and then carried Hifumi inside in a "princess carry".

After casually placing the bewildered Hifumi next to him, Amamiya decisively gave instructions to Ayane, who was in charge of piloting.

"Planning the route, getting ready to go back, Ayane."

The young man's voice rang in her ears, jolting Ayane, who was still slightly dazed from the battle just now, back to reality.

"Okay, okay! Hmm..."

After giving a hurried reply, Ayane's eyes instantly sharpened. Without hesitation, she started the vehicle, accelerated to full speed, and sped off from the outskirts of the black market.

Hifumi, sitting next to Amamiya: "..."

She suddenly had a feeling of 'escaping one danger only to fall into another'.

Although I've gotten rid of the trouble with the black market delinquent girls... it seems like I've been entangled with an even more troublesome group?

Additionally...

The posture just now...

Wow wow wow... It's definitely, absolutely a princess carry! That clear feeling, and the warmth of being held in someone's arms...

'laugh--'

In a corner where no one was paying attention, Hifumi stood blankly, cupping her cheeks in her hands, a puff of invisible steam rising from the top of her head.

……

A moment later, near a long-abandoned station.

The fully loaded off-road pickup truck slowly slowed down and finally stopped next to the station.

"call……"

Looking at the disappearing red dot on the map, Ayane pulled out a tissue from near the driver's seat and wiped the fine beads of sweat from her forehead. Then she leaned back slightly and told the others in the car the good news.

"We've shaken them off, and we've confirmed that those black market security personnel won't be chasing us anymore..."

"We're safe... temporarily."

Upon hearing Ayane's 'report,' Hifumi, who had been in a state of confusion, inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

The group got off the train and entered the station lounge, which had also been abandoned for a long time and whose glass windows were broken.

"Let's talk about Hifumi's situation first."

After Amamiya finished speaking, the girls on the countermeasures committee all focused their attention on Hifumi, who was twisting the hem of her skirt and looking very unnatural with her head slightly lowered.

However, although they were paying attention to Hifumi, they had no intention of speaking, and instead handed over the 'right to speak' to Amamiya.

This also means that Amamiya has gained the full trust of these girls on the countermeasures committee.

"What exactly happened? Hifumi-san, could you explain in detail?"

Hifumi gave a soft "hmm" and took out an even more comical and abstract doll from her rather ridiculous-looking bag.

"I'm looking for limited edition merchandise featuring Lady Perolo... but it's no longer available through normal channels. I heard it circulates on the black market, so..."

Looking at the doll she took out, whose art style was quite outlandish—it looked like a white bird-like creature with strange eyes eating ice cream—Amamiya was at a loss for words.

He suddenly remembered the strange toys he had caught in Akihabara.

But this... is too abstract.

I feel she's not as cute as Jack Frost...

Amamiya was speechless at the abstract nature of the doll and didn't speak immediately.