I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Upon hearing this title, which she had never heard before, Amamiya, hidden behind her mask, raised an eyebrow slightly.

Caesar's predecessor... perhaps it's necessary to investigate this 'numerical esoteric art'.

The shadows all turned to look at Hifumi, whose body was tense and seemed to be trembling slightly.

Amamiya stepped forward, blocking the shadows' view, and waved impatiently at them: "She's my secretary, bring her here to broaden her horizons."

"oh oh……"

The shadows completely lowered their guard, and then the one who looked like a minor leader asked cautiously, "Boss... is there any special instruction you have for us this time?"

"Yes, there are some..."

Amamiya gently stroked Hifumi's incredibly textured hair, stroking her head to comfort her, and said earnestly, "It's about Abydos."

"I heard... Abydos hasn't made its payment this month yet? They haven't paid the 7,883,250 Union Coins for this month?"

Upon hearing Amamiya accurately quote the repayment amount, the shadowy figure relaxed his guard considerably.

"Recently, the Federal Student Union sent a Sensei, and we're worried that Sensei might have some tricks up her sleeve, so we haven't sent anyone to urge them like we usually do... Don't worry, boss! Once we roughly figure out Sensei's background, we'll go and urge them to repay the loan!"

"Hehehe...those naive students, they can be easily exploited like money to be squeezed dry with that simple method..."

Amamiya raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to himself that he really was just like [Junya Kinjo].

Hifumi, who had been a little scared before, clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Bad stuff...

They actually treat students like money to be squeezed...

"How's it going with Trinity?"

Hifumi looked up slightly in surprise, but then she realized that Sensei was trying to find out the information she wanted to know.

Thinking of her companions, and filled with righteous indignation, Hifumi mustered her courage. She took a step forward, tilted her head slightly, and looked directly at the shadow.

"I...I heard...you want to do something to the Tea Party and its affiliated organization? Is that...true?"

Her heart pounded like a drum, and although she couldn't help but stutter due to nervousness, she still confidently asked the questions she wanted to know.

"Oh, this assistant is truly insightful. Indeed, as you said, we are planning to do something about the tea party and their affiliated organizations..."

"We've discovered that the Tea Party has a special club that specifically houses suspected 'traitors' or 'high-risk suspects,' something like a tutoring club...?"

"We've decided to try taking action against that club first... Hehe, even if that club, which is considered a traitor and is disliked, 'disappears,' those high-and-mighty tea party ladies won't say anything, right...?"

"They might even thank me for helping them 'clean up' the 'traitor'?"

The shadow speaks its mind, but its words only fuel the suppressed flames within Hifumi's heart.

'……forgive.'

"...Assistant, what did you say?"

"...Unforgivable."

Hifumi, her fists clenched, suddenly raised her head, her pupils glowing with a dazzling golden light.

"You wicked bunch...unforgivable!"

'call……'

A cluster of eerie blue flames blazed up, forming a half-face mask on her cheek that looked somewhat similar to Pellolo's.

Amamiya became excited upon seeing this scene.

'Oh... Is the Persona about to awaken?'

Chapter Twenty-Four: Oh no, I've really become Faust!

[BGM: Awakening-Meguro Shoji]

'Om—'

A sharp pain, seemingly emanating from the depths of her soul, surged forth. This "pain," unlike anything she had ever experienced in her life, caused the girl, whose face was now adorned with a mask, to stagger.

'Hehehe... My good child all this time, finally, finally...'

Have you realized it yet? Being constantly "obedient" and "tolerant" will only make you sink deeper into trouble!

Content with the status quo, mired in a quagmire, upon learning the truth, filled with righteous indignation, yet only hating that he was just an ordinary person…

"How beautiful...please stop"? Ha...those frivolous opera lyrics, are you... really going to adhere to them for the rest of your life?

The faint sound came from afar, or perhaps it came from within one's own heart.

My vision was completely blurred, and I even saw double images.

Only the adult who stood in front of him, protecting him, was so clear.

She struggled to her feet, instinctively reaching out to touch the mask on her face, and trying to tear it off, a mask that had appeared on her face without her noticing.

"What good is the devil's help... Power, I need power..."

"Give me the power to achieve extraordinary things, enough to embark on a journey to explore the meaning of life!"

"Give me... the power to protect my comrades and punish the wicked!"

'Very good...very good...'

As if all the stage lights had been turned off at once, the world suddenly went dark.

But then, a spotlight shone down from the sky and fell on Hifumi, who was struggling to hunch over and try to tear off her mask.

'I am you, you are me...'

'If you need power... then let's sign a contract.'

"Ah... signing... a contract..."

With a ripping sound, Hifumi exerted her strength and ripped the mask off her face, leaving it bloody and raw!

“W-What’s going on…”

"...!!"

Make up your mind! From this day forward, whether it's the devil's help or the angel's wings, they will all become your forces to rebel against reality!

call……

The fierce storm, centered on the delicious Japanese food, spread outwards and erupted.

The eerie blue flames ignited in clusters around the center beneath her feet, spreading and expanding behind her until they coalesced into an elegant figure dressed in a black gentleman's overcoat, resembling a red devil.

The girls who were in the distance, debating whether to rush over, were stunned by this sudden turn of events.

"That, that's..."

"The power of 'Persona' that Sensei used...?"

Should we go and help Sensei and the others?

Hoshino stopped her impatient juniors and shook her finger at them.

"We're at a crucial stage right now... let's not get involved."

The devil in black, dressed like a gentleman, laughed wildly, his long coat fluttering in the biting wind.

'Hehehehehe...'

'I am a spirit forever in denial! Everything that comes into being is destined to perish, so it is better for nothing to happen at all.'

'You call this destruction, sin, or simply evil; this is my essential attribute.'

"PSONA—!! Faust!"

【psona - Faust (Arcane: The Fool)】

[Introduction: The protagonist of Goethe's dramatic poem "Faust." Later legends say he achieved great things because he received help from the devil.]

Legend has it that he made a bet with the devil Mephistopheles, and with the devil's help, regained his youth and began to explore the meaning of life. He experienced the temptations of love, power, and glory, and ultimately awakened from worldly pursuits.

The devil "Mephistopheles," said to originate from Hebrew, means "destroyer" or "liar." He is cynical, tempting people to depravity, yet he is also calm, profound, humorous, and witty.

[Mephistopheles makes a bet with God, and then Faust makes a bet with Mephistopheles. The entire story revolves around these two "bets" and five acts of tragedy.]

[Personality Base Resistance (-- for Normal)]

[Physical/Shooting/Fire/Freeze/Lightning/Gale/Telekinesis/Nuclear Heat/Blessing/Judgment]

【----/Resistance/----/Weakness/----/----/----/----/Absorption/Weakness】

Amamiya was quite surprised to see the basic information about this brand-new Persona through the "Third Eye".

This basic stamina... is surprisingly good.

"Crush them, Faust!"

The blazing, dark blue flames, accompanied by the girl's high-pitched command, gathered around her and dressed her in a brand new outfit.

It was no longer that classic white sailor-like outfit, but a... highly designed idol outfit that looked like something only an idol would wear, an outfit that would make her stand out.

With her command, 'Red Devil' tossed the multifaceted bone die in her hand.

The die flew high into the air and landed steadily in its hand.

'Six hundred and sixty-six...that's not a lucky number, is it, ladies and gentlemen?'

The thick, almost tangible aura of curse spread out, then condensed into a beam that swept lightly across the shadows of the bank security personnel like a laser barrage.

'Yeha, a basic spell of the Curse attribute.'

The Ju-on's light bullets swept across the area like a laser barrage, instantly turning most of the security personnel to ash by the power of the curse.

"It's not over yet..."

Hifumi, whose eyes were still tinged with bright gold, was clearly not completely calm yet.

In accordance with her wishes, the 'Red Devil' behind her threw the bone die in his hand once again.

'777, a Grand Slam.'

A divine radiance followed closely behind, the dazzling holy light instantly evaporating the remaining shadows.

'Kuga, a basic spell with the Blessing attribute.'

'It's a dual-attribute personality mask... Interesting. Does this mean that this seemingly ordinary girl also has a dark side within her?'

"Huff...huff...you bad things..."

"Never forgive..."

The figure of the Red Devil faded as the girl weakened after her outburst, eventually transforming into a cluster of eerie blue flames that flew back to her cheek and became her mask once more.

"Phew... so tired..."

The exhaustion of not having slept for several days surged over her like a tidal wave, threatening to crush her instantly.

Amamiya stepped forward at the opportune moment, supporting Hifumi who was swaying and about to collapse to the ground. With his other hand, he hooked his index finger around the girl's nose amidst her exhaustion and weakness.

“Now, Hifumi looks ‘extraordinary.’ Like… the center of attention.”

……Why?

Only now, barely regaining her senses, did she belatedly realize what had happened.

Hifumi, who subconsciously looked down and discovered that her clothes had somehow changed from a regular school uniform to a performance outfit, froze for a second or two. Her mind went blank, and she let out a series of cute, bewildered cries.

"Huh...huh?! Eh—?!"

Am I... wearing this idol outfit?

Wait... what's with the mask on my face?

After another slight dizziness, before the girl could even comprehend the changes in her body, she suddenly found herself... seemingly being carried in a princess's arms again?

what is this……

My experience today was just too surreal...

First, they entered a fantasy world for an adventure, then learned the truth about the organization behind the scenes, awakened a strange power, and drove away the evil forces...

Then, just like a princess in a fairy tale, she was carried away from the battlefield by a handsome prince...?!