I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Feeling the gentle pressure from the fluffy raccoon ears and the warm knuckles rubbing and kneading, the lovely girl who spoke as if singing squinted her eyes and fell into a serene stillness, her inner thoughts spreading and expanding uncontrollably like a spider web.

Curled up in an adult's arms, then quietly 'daydreaming'...

Why is this matter so attractive in itself, carrying a special fantasy element, and feeling a romance that is no less than the essence of 'ninja culture'?

Amamiya was momentarily speechless upon suddenly finding herself holding a 'fluffy and cute little animal' in her arms, and then fell silent.

They didn't tell me about this 'unexpected element' during filming.

Was this some kind of improvisation? Or... was it Xiaoman's 'personal motive'?

"Ah... Minister, you're too cunning!"

Izuna, who was a beat slower to react because of Xiaoman's 'unscripted action', suddenly swung his fox tail.

Immediately afterwards, she followed Xiaoman's example, 'not giving up', and moved closer to Amamiya with her back to him, waving her big tail in front of Amamiya's cheek.

"My lord! Please accept this heartfelt sincerity from Izuna—"

"Izuna-style Ninja Art: Fluffy Tail Technique!"

Amamiya barely had time to savor the delicate, floral fragrance of Izuna's fluffy tail and the warmth of the sunlight before she felt a pressing sensation on the top of her head.

The sensation originates from pressing two large, soft objects.

"Yue, Yue Ying-ryu Ninpo..."

"The art of tree shade protection!"

Amamiya tilted her head slightly and met Tsukuyomi's expression, which seemed reluctant, flustered and at a loss.

Clearly, she made this move in a panic in order to keep in line with the members of the Ninjutsu Research Club.

The camera was still flashing, and Amamiya couldn't make any obviously out-of-place stiff expression, so she could only maintain an 'awkward but polite smile' and wait for the girls from the Ninja Research Club to finish recording.

Surrounded by the 'little animals' in their most skilled and 'proud' way, Amamiya heard, in the silence, the voice of Michiru, transmitted from "mind reading...?" (Mimori Bond), which was very clear because of their close proximity.

'Hmm... even if the pose lasts for over ten seconds, and is repeatedly spliced ​​together, there shouldn't be any obvious abnormalities. It's enough to complement the later background music and sound effects editing...'

'But, in order to spend more time with His Highness Sensei…'

Realizing that if he didn't say anything more, the girls in the Ninjutsu Research Club might 'linger', Amamiya sighed helplessly after waiting for a while, picked up the blissful Koman, and gently placed her on the ground amidst the girl's expression that was somewhere between confusion and disappointment.

"It's getting late. Everyone in the Ninjutsu Research Club should be catching the last bus back to the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, right?"

"..."

As the warmth of the adult's sculpted, muscular, and long body gradually faded, Xiaoman couldn't help but pout.

“Your Highness Sensei is right… Although it is very hard to part, since we are ninjas, there will eventually be a time to say goodbye and a time to meet again.”

With a single sentence, Xiaoman regained her spirits. Her words, tinged with a strong sense of unease, began to address the two members of the Ninjutsu Research Club: "We've gathered enough intelligence today, so everyone in the Ninjutsu Research Club, prepare to retreat—"

"A true ninja should be out in the field, gathering intelligence and resolving dangers in advance for their lord!"

"Due to time constraints, this episode's recording will have to end here~ Please bear with us!"

Xiaoman's statement drew responses from both Izuna and Tsukuyomi.

"Be patient!"

"Bear with it..."

How come everyone in the Ninja Research Club has such strange yet adorable verbal tic...?

In order to maintain his 'mature and composed demeanor as an adult' and his 'cool and handsome phantom thief', Amamiya suppressed the urge to shout along.

After exchanging a strange verbal tic, Xiaoman led Izuna to the door with slow, almost hesitant movements, and pushed it open.

After realizing that no third footsteps were following, Xiaoman turned around and looked back in confusion.

"...Yueyong?"

Tsukuyomi stood still, making no real movement, her expression clearly showing hesitation.

"Regarding ninja training... I... I still have some questions... I need to ask Sensei for guidance..."

"...?"

After a moment of confusion, Xiaoman realized what was going on.

During my exploration of another world this evening, I awakened the power of "Persona" and became a "Persona User".

As for Izuna... he became a Masked Manipulator a long time ago, and now he can even stand on his own.

Tsukuyomi is probably worried about the fact that she hasn't become a Masked Warrior yet... so she needs to ask Sensei about this, right?

Xiaoman, outwardly energetic but inwardly delicate, felt the unease from Yueyong at this moment.

After 'careful consideration,' she grabbed Izuna, who was about to do something, and said in a serious tone, 'I see...'

"Then, Tsukuyomi, let's stay in Xialai tonight."

Chapter Twenty-One: The Rabbit Squad and the Real Rabbits

After leaving Tsukuyomi with Xia Lai, Xiaoman took Izuna and chose to leave.

Meanwhile, Tsukuyomi... remained silent for a long time, nervously shrinking her neck and twisting her fingers. Despite her obvious unease, she couldn't help but glance at Amamiya from time to time, as if waiting for the right moment to speak, or perhaps simply hesitating whether to speak immediately.

The gaze from the 'timid little bunny' wasn't particularly intimidating, but it was certainly eye-catching.

Amamiya, who was rushing to finish her work for the day, was frequently distracted by Tsukuyomi's 'subtle' gaze.

Until all official business was completed, Amamiya felt the gazes directed at him grow stronger and more composed.

Let's make a cup of hot tea, and then talk in more detail...

Lost in thought, Amamiya got up to make a cup of tea in the break room outside her office, intending to have a 'life conversation' with the preoccupied purple-haired, bunny-eared girl.

However, just as he got up, there was a knock on the office door, as if by coincidence.

"Sensei, are you inside now~?"

...Moe's voice?

Amamiya immediately recognized the voice and took note of the time.

In the morning, I was 'ambushed and disturbed' by the girls from the Ninjutsu Research Club, then Ibuki and Iroha 'visited' me, and then I spent most of the day with them running around in the other world, collecting information that might affect the 'Academy Exchange Meeting' between Gehenna and the Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons)...

Back in Xia Lai, there's still the paperwork to handle, which has now become practically a 'daily task' assigned by the Federal Student Union.

The digital clock flashed "22:09:11," and outside the window above its location, the night was deep.

Amamiya didn't immediately answer Moe outside the door. Instead, she quickly pondered and speculated about Moe's intentions, as well as the intentions of the rabbit team members who were likely to have come with her to Xia Lai at this time.

'It's so late... Why are the members of the Rabbit Squad 'visiting' me? Is there some special reason?'

'Is it... that we've encountered another incident where the camp has been seized by the Valkyries, or...?'

'For the surveillance footage they intercepted during their previous infiltration of Xia Lai?'

Amamiya did not answer immediately, and Tsukuyo's plans were also disrupted by the sudden situation, making her a little flustered.

After a very brief moment of hesitation, the 1.8-meter-tall, enormous but cowardly 'giant ninja' tightened his long scarf and performed his usual actions in the other world—hiding behind Amamiya.

Sensing the silence in the office, Moe, who was knocking on the door, seemed to give up on continuing to call out.

But then, a long 'small card' was slipped in through the gap under the door.

Immediately afterwards, with a loud 'boom', accompanied by the smoke and dust kicked up by the explosion, the door was blown open.

Interspersed among the small explosions were the deliberately suppressed, orderly footsteps of the little rabbits, and the subsequent soft clicks of various weapons disengaging their safety mechanisms.

"SRT, Open the Door!"

"Sensei, may I have a moment? Regarding the senior and the issue of Usagi Park, we..."

"……Um?"

The three 'little rabbits' that burst through the door fell silent after seeing the situation before them.

Then, one by one, they all got angry.

Saki, who spoke first, quickly recovered from her disbelief and put on a look of 'as expected' disgust: "...No, no way...?! As expected, Sensei is the kind of person... rumored to seize the opportunity when students are at their most vulnerable and take advantage of them..."

After her 'sharp breakthrough', Miyako, who calmly explained her purpose, was a beat slow to react. Her voice gradually lowered as she focused her attention on Tsukuyomi, who was particularly noticeable behind Amamiya due to her large size, even more exaggerated than Moe.

More precisely, she noticed Tsukuyomi's rabbit ears hanging down on either side.

'A real... rabbit...'

The words that were meant to be spoken turned into unconsciously lowered 'questions'.

"...Sensei, what exactly is going on?"

Even Meng Hui immediately bit the lollipop she was holding in her mouth into pieces.

Moe didn't speak, but her expression towards Tsukuyomi gradually showed more obvious hostility.

As a 'rabbit,' the contrast between a 'fake rabbit' wearing rabbit earrings and a 'real rabbit' with rabbit ears... she felt especially pressured.

Not only is it smaller than others, it even lacks the natural rabbit-like qualities...

Under the gaze of three sharp eyes of varying degrees, Amamiya sighed calmly. (Three separate matters...)

As expected... my bad premonition came true.

In Chivotos, you never know whether tomorrow or an accident will come first.

Instead of dealing with the hostile gazes of the little rabbits that seemed to say, "The grass near my burrow has been stolen by a strange rabbit," Amamiya calmly and quickly pondered how to explain or change the subject.

"She is Tsukuyo Ohno from the Ninjutsu Research Club. There is a reason why she is still in Xia Lai at this time."

With Yukino's two bond skills - "Pure and Fierce Fox" + "Cunning and Helpless Fox" - activated to their maximum, Amamiya coughed lightly, and his expression at that moment could almost be described as 'pure and innocent that touches the heart'.

"Let's leave aside the reason why she was still in Xia Lai at this time..."

"The Rabbit Squad broke in at this particular time... what could be the 'special reason'?"

The best way to resolve a problem is to answer it with a question and to shift the focus away from the problem.

Amamiya, who was not facing a 'battleground' for the first time, already had some experience in dealing with it.

Dazzled and mesmerized by the overwhelming 'unusual charm,' the little rabbits momentarily forgot their hostility in 'protecting the grass near their burrow.'

After a brief moment of surprise, the little rabbits all turned their gazes away, each seemingly preoccupied with their own thoughts, avoiding direct eye contact with Amamiya in this state.

The little rabbits didn't say anything, so Amamiya naturally picked up on the topic that Miyako had mentioned when they broke in, which had a clear purpose.

"Regarding the senior and the Rabbit Park."

The senior's question... refers to the Fox team, and of course, most importantly, it refers to Yukino's question.

After all... based on the surveillance video 'intercepted' by the Rabbit Squad, Yukino secretly stayed overnight in Xia Lai, and her personality and behavior changed before and after that stay.

Amamiya naturally couldn't bring up this issue herself—otherwise, the atmosphere that had just been eased would immediately freeze again.

He waved his hand behind his back, signaling the girls in the Ninjutsu Research Club to quietly leave. At the same time, Amamiya pinched his chin with his other hand, pretending to consider his words, and said, "By the way, Miyako mentioned... about Usagi Park when she broke down the door."

"What happened at Rabbit Park?"

Chapter Twenty-Two Saki: What do you mean by "I'm about to start having regrets for the rest of my life"?

While waiting for the deliveryman to arrive, the little rabbits quickly exchanged glances and occasionally glanced at Tsukuyomi, who was sitting restlessly to the side.

Saki: 'It's such a big one...'

Saki: 'A student from the Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons) is developing this way...?'

Moe: 'Don't you guys think she looks a bit like Miyu?'

Saki: 'Now that you mention it, it does seem to make sense...'

Saki: 'Even though she looks quite large, she's actually more like Miyu, with a slightly...overly... soft and sweet aura?'

Moe: 'Hehe... A big, super soft and cuddly 'little bunny' must be Sensei's hunting target...'

Miyako: '...'

The white-haired girl, who hadn't participated in this 'intense exchange of glances,' was now staring intently at Amamiya, who had just put down her phone and ordered takeout, quickly analyzing the limited information Amamiya had gleaned from her few words.