I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

"Could you please lend us a hand?"

A gathering of Gehenna and the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons...

This should be the last noteworthy 'special event' before the Akawa Grand Festival, right?

Amamiya squinted as she stood up, her eyes meeting Nia's.

"Yes, yes..."

Before Nia could show any subtle expressions of relief or that her plan had succeeded, Amamiya changed the subject: "But in return, Nia, you should grant me one special request, right?"

Nia seemed intrigued and let out a surprised "Oh~".

"Oh~?"

"Does Sensei want me... or rather, the Onmyo Department to do something?"

"Does it mean, like back on the resort islands, that you want to pet Chise-nyan?"

"Do not……"

Under the combined gazes of Kaho and Chise from the Onmyo Club, as well as the complex and multifaceted eyes of the 'Ninja Trio,' Amamiya remained unfazed and, with a hint of wicked amusement, requested, "Let's change the request a little this time."

"This time, I want to pet Nia, meow."

Nia paused, and the 'I'm in control' smile that was always on her face stiffened noticeably.

"Oops..."

Nia quietly opened her folding fan, her tone slightly somber: "Having tasted Chise-nyan's cuteness wasn't enough... Now, Sensei is going to extend her clutches to me... This is truly... a very troublesome request~"

Although his outward expression didn't change... he was probably panicking inside.

Amamiya gave a soft "heh".

He couldn't let this rare opportunity for "revenge" slip by.

“I can lower the requirement to ‘when we’re alone’ rather than ‘in public’ at this stage.”

Amamiya stepped forward, bowing slightly to meet Nia's barely suppressed, narrowed smile: "Nia, do you have anything else to say?"

"..."

Nia, her heart trembling violently and seemingly completely unprepared for this turn of events, remained silent.

Amamiya continued to press forward under the adoring and admiring gazes of the 'ninja trio'.

"... um~"

Nia, who was sweating profusely, felt a strange feeling rising in her heart.

Despite the surprised and strange look from Kaho and the supportive gaze from Chise, Amamiya remained calm and continued to move closer.

"Well……"

Nia, who was a little overwhelmed by the 'oppressive aura', eventually felt relieved.

"what."

[I sensed a change in Nia's emotions.]

[My bond with Nia has deepened...]

【Tenchi Nia (Demon/Evil) ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆】

"Since this is Sensei's request... although it's a bit of a headache, I'll reluctantly agree for the sake of the smooth running of the 'Academy Exchange'~"

Chapter Five: Surrender, Meow!

“Sensei…you mean, in the area of ​​the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons…”

"Training several students to serve as 'Masked Users'...?"

Nia put down the "Yin-Yang Department Tea Ceremony Cup" that was steaming and exuding the aroma of tea, and her smile slowly faded.

'It's rare for him to be serious...'

Noticing Nia's expression shifting as if she were about to open her eyes, Amamiya composed herself and nodded earnestly to the girl with the questioning look in her eyes.

"Is there a problem, Nia?"

What's the problem...?

Nia's cat-like upturned lips showed obvious signs of cracking.

This is a huge problem.

"Sensei... is it really okay for you to tell me something like this?"

Faced with Nia's 'hesitation', Amamiya's reply was remarkably frank: "Because I trust Nia—I don't want to repeat myself any longer."

【~???~】(Nia)

"Trust..."

With a 'whoosh,' she closed her folding fan, then touched her brow with the fan rib, the girl lowering her eyebrows as if deep in thought.

Occasionally, it can become a heavy, even troublesome, burden.

After muttering to herself, Nia gathered her thoughts and looked at the members of the Ninjutsu Research Club, who hadn't said much throughout.

"Hmm~ I roughly understand Sensei's intentions."

Nia tapped her palm repeatedly with the ribs of her fan, and in as casual a tone as possible, summarized her guesses about Amamiya's intentions: "...Sensei, you want the 'Ninjutsu Research Club' to become..."

"A 'special' club like the tutoring club at Trinity College?"

"From now on, I will be responsible for monitoring the 'other world' issues in the Hyakki Yagyō region..."

"...So, you're going to establish the Ninjutsu Research Department in such an almost irresistible way?"

After expressing her guess, Nia, still conflicted, maintained the action of tapping her palm with her fan bone, got up and paced back and forth in the Yin-Yang Department's room.

All I can say is... Amamiya did indeed offer a condition that was completely irresistible for the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.

This condition is indeed a reason why a club like the "Ninjutsu Research Club," which sounds and feels unreliable, is so stable that it "wouldn't collapse even if the sky were to fall and the earth were to collapse."

The 'ninjas' of the Ninja Research Department huddled together, their eyes nervously following Nia as she paced back and forth in the room.

The silence was so profound it was almost palpable, lasting for several minutes.

"If we want to apply according to the regular rules for establishing a club, the Ninjutsu Research Club needs three documents: 'proof of the club's achievements', 'guarantee of club activities issued by other clubs'..."

"The Ninjutsu Research Club... right now, it's just a truly 'three-no' club, isn't it?"

"If you want to apply through the regular club process, the Ninjutsu Research Club can actually meet your basic needs."

Nia slowed her pace, focusing her attention primarily on the trembling 'ninjas'.

"Let's leave the certificates aside for now... Every member of this Ninjutsu Research Department has the basic qualifications to issue certificates."

"The guarantees issued by other clubs... with the Ninjutsu Research Club's 'connections,' they should be easy to obtain, right?"

"For example... if we get through to the 'Celebration Operations Committee,' they'll definitely be willing to issue a certificate."

"Hehe... if it really is a certificate issued by them~"

Nia sighed deeply, then burst into laughter.

She didn't say the second half of her sentence, but her exclamation clearly indicated her intention.

—If the certificate is issued by the celebration operation committee, then in terms of its 'value,' it is more than worth ten times as much.

Nia's 'analysis' left the girls in the Ninja Research Club looking at each other in bewilderment.

Since none of them were very knowledgeable about interpersonal relationships, they had no idea that their group possessed such great "power".

Nia didn't continue speaking.

In fact, if we really go on... once the festival operations committee takes the lead, it could actually create something similar to the previous "resort hunting"...

One move affects the whole situation...

No, it should be described as the "one call, a hundred responses" effect.

Given the importance of the festival's organizing committee to the Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons), other large and small clubs were very willing to cooperate on such a small matter.

"The establishment of the Ninjutsu Research Department, even without Sensei's suggestion, was practically a done deal."

After summarizing, Nia smiled slyly: "So...Sensei, maybe you shouldn't throw such difficult things at me for now?"

Amamiya understood Nia's intention.

—Regarding the suggestion to cultivate the Ninjutsu Research Club into a club that gathers "Masked Users"... Nia generally supports it.

However, in order to avoid becoming as well-known as the tutoring department of Trinity, the Yin-Yang Department needs to remove everything about itself.

This type of club can exist... but it cannot be publicized.

The reason for establishing a club should absolutely not be a bizarre reason like "training a masked squad," which is very likely to arouse suspicion.

Just casually get a certificate from the celebration operations committee, and then the Yin-Yang Department goes through the normal procedures and gets it approved in one go... Isn't that better?

After understanding Nia's intentions, Amamiya revealed a similar 'meaningful, squinting smile' to Nia.

Standing up, he adjusted his glasses, using the reflection from the lenses to shield himself from the gaze directed at him, and calmly replied, "In that case, it's settled."

Nia shrugged slightly, then crossed her arms and shook the folding fan she was holding.

"Okay~ It's settled."

After giving a vague and ambiguous answer, Nia suddenly seemed to remember something, and her expression gradually became somewhat... indescribable.

"Sensei..."

She suddenly asked cautiously, "The phantom thief's 'repentance' won't target me first, will it?"

Amamiya responded with a sullen but kind smile: "If Nia-nyan isn't honest, she might really."

Nia: "..."

She raised her hands awkwardly, making a gesture of 'surrender' that was completely inconsistent with her figure and personality.

"To avoid being 'repentant,' shall I admit my mistake first? Haha~"

Okay, okay, so you're just going to 'surrender, meow, meow' right now?

Although the process was somewhat tortuous, in the end, Amamiya's true purpose for coming to the Onmyo Club was settled.

...Although, Nia gave me a small request: 'to ensure that the exchange between Hyakki Yagyō and Gehenna proceeds smoothly.'

Once it was confirmed that there was nothing else to do, Amamiya gestured to the girls in the Ninjutsu Research Club who were still in a daze, though they didn't know what had happened.

"The problem has been largely resolved; it's time to leave."

Nia interjected at the opportune moment: "The Yin-Yang Department has other things to do right now, so we won't be seeing Sensei off."

She could tell that Amamiya would have to say something more to these 'immature but quirky' little ninjas later.

Thus, by saying "I will not participate in the farewell," she directly blocked Kaho and Chise's thoughts of "wanting to get to know Sensei better" and "wanting to spend more time with Sensei."

"Afterwards, I will visit the Temple of Ten Thousand Demons, and I will also frequently visit the Yin-Yang Department in the next few days to confirm matters related to the academy's exchange."

【~???~】(ear of fruit)

【~???~】（千世）

After bidding farewell to the members of the Yin-Yang Club, Amamiya, surrounded by the three members of the Ninjutsu Research Club—a fox, a tanuki, and a rabbit—led them back to the vicinity of the Shinki Observatory.

When I left the Yin-Yang Department, it was already close to the "twilight hour" of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons... which is dusk.

It is precisely during this period, when tourists are preparing to return to their colleges or looking for places to rest, that the number of tourists wandering around the various landmarks is actually quite small.

"My lord, do we consider this a success?!"

After not feeling any unusual gazes, Izuna swung his fox tail wildly and immediately raised his hand to ask.

"Sen (Lin Yiqi Siwu) Jiu is Jiu Yue/-Yi sei Dianxia..."

"Sensei..."

Amamiya sighed, and amidst the girls' apprehension, nodded and shook her head, giving an answer that only confused them more.

"It succeeded, but it wasn't a complete success."