I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

"This... is a student from the Arius branch campus~"

"How about we try acting in it?"

Chapter Thirty-Two: Iroha: What does "I'm lost" mean?!

The lights in the performance preparation room were magnificent, and the group of girls from the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons had already changed into old-fashioned clothes from the Edo period, which still carried the atmosphere of the era.

The girls from the Training Club, the Festival Operations Committee, and the Ninjutsu Research Club were all full of energy, waiting for the announcement of the upcoming performance.

'I heard that Sensei will be participating in the "Wagakuhime" performance this time...'

'And they'll even involve Gersena's students... Won't that cause some strange changes?'

'...Eh, is Sensei participating too?'

'Then, then we...'

'Will Sensei also play the role of the princess's savior and rescue her...?'

The girls in the Ninja Research Club, with their keen hearing, could easily pick up the sounds coming from the preparation room. They exchanged glances, but could only read a hint of unease in each other's eyes.

...Time rewinds to the Yin-Yang Department's conference room not long ago.

"How about we try acting in it?"

"This... is a student from the Arius branch campus~"

Nia's meaningful question roused Azuko from her own thoughts.

With a slight lift of her eyelashes, Ajinko's first reaction was not confusion, but a kind of 'bright and innocent expectation'.

He didn't say anything, but his intention was clearly to ask, "Is it really okay?"

"Nya... If it's Akiko-san, she should be able to improvise, right?"

Nia's classic line, "If it were you, there wouldn't be any problem," reached Amamiya's ears, making him want to sigh.

If you're judging her solely based on your basic investigation of Azuko and her personality during your interactions, then you've made a mistake this time, Nia.

As expected, Azuko, brimming with anticipation, did not immediately respond to Nia's inflammatory words, but instead silently expressed her inner conflict, thinking, "I'm afraid this will be a burden on everyone."

"..."

Nia's smile faded slightly as she tapped her folding fan, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

"Sensei, are you also planning to participate in this 'Wagakuhime' performance?"

Amamiya leaned back slightly and asked casually, "Why would Nia think that?"

"because……"

Nia maintained a cat-like, kind yet subtly cryptic smile: "Sensei, you've brought another 'princess'...it really gives me the impression that you're trying to bring 'your own princess' along for the show."

Nia, do you think that this kind of deliberate, roundabout way of emphasizing key words will win over Ajinko?

Obviously... our innocent yet playful, serious yet slightly devilish princess isn't buying it.

She neither blushed as Nia had expected from being teased, nor did she subconsciously shrink her body or make any other movements that seemed like she was about to back down.

Whether I have such intentions is another matter...

Amamiya let out a soft "heh," instantly activating her dual aura-type bond abilities: "Aura of a Noblewoman" (Nomiya) + "Charm of a Black Monarch" (Hizaki), bringing her "Aura of a Royal Thief" to its peak.

“Nia…”

With an air of elegance, Amamiya crossed her arms, leaned back on the sofa, and crossed her legs. This seemingly unrefined gesture, amplified by her dual aura-based bond skill, exuded an air of unfathomable mystery.

That was... the aura of a true leader.

Using the "Voices of the Stars" (Tama) bond skill, Amamiya softly asked, "And what are you thinking?"

In Makoto's brief moment of shock followed by a drooling, stunned silence, everyone present realized the difference between a cat and a tiger.

Cats are indeed fierce and cunning, able to manipulate mice at will.

But when faced with a tiger, the cat's ferocity and cunning become meaningless due to the difference in size and weight.

A tiger dozing off, even just opening its eyes briefly, is enough to make a fierce cat feel threatened and make its fur stand on end.

Nia maintained her almost unchanged smile, except for a few beads of sweat on her forehead.

"Sensei, what do you think I'm thinking?"

She did not back down, but instead unfolded her folding fan with a whoosh and fanned the heat that had unknowingly gathered on her cheeks.

Amamiya controlled the aura he had released with ease, completely withdrawing it back.

"I think... Nia originally wanted to cause trouble during the performance with Rakuhime, but had to give up for some reason?"

Nia's smile was awkward but polite.

"..."

Amamiya straightened her posture and continued, "I also think... perhaps Nia has already noticed some unpredictable anomalies in the performance with Rakuhime, which have gotten out of your control, so someone has to intervene to prevent the anomalies from escalating further and causing the situation to collapse completely?"

Nia lowered her head, looking slightly guilty.

"..."

Following the example of Iroha, whose whereabouts are currently unknown, Amamiya stood up with a sigh, looking like she was in trouble.

Makoto was still immersed in the mysterious and fierce aura that Amamiya had suddenly revealed, aura that made one's blood boil and heart race, and only then did she belatedly come back to her senses.

"Sensei, as expected of an ally recognized by my Makoto-sama, even a fleeting aura can so instantly capture the hearts of others!"

"This is what they call a good guy..."

"Cough cough!"

Realizing Makoto was about to quote a proverb, Nia coughed, sweating profusely, and quickly interjected, "Is this what they call 'a tiger in the heart, yet a rose in the hand'?"

"Sensei is truly special... Is this the kind of phantom thief who is always 'still when he's at rest, but astonishing when he does'?"

Makoto was taken aback, then nodded repeatedly: "Not bad, not bad... Sensei, about this special aura..."

"If it could be learned..."

Amamiya: "..."

The adjective that Makoto almost uttered made him fall silent, which was unusual for him.

Is she... influenced by Nia's temperament, and now she wants to say something pretentious and literary too?

Nia may be a funny person, but she's a really good one.

Makoto... such a high EQ is actually "rough-witted," so please don't get involved in this kind of nonsense.

But it must be said that Makoto's interruption made the atmosphere much more cheerful and lighthearted.

To avoid being subjected to Makoto's strange comments like "a good dog that bites doesn't bark," Amamiya decided against creating any pressure on Nia, the "little naughty cat," to force her to "be a little more obedient."

He stopped pretending to be profound and said bluntly, "Nia, you involved Yajinzi because you couldn't control the situation, so you needed someone to intervene, to 'work' for you, and to 'solve your troubles'?"

Nia squinted, her gaze shifting as she nodded slightly.

"You should have made a request, instead of using this kind of inducement to lure the other party into the situation without their knowledge."

Nia: "..."

"nya haha~"

"..."

Nia glanced at Amamiya discreetly, then quickly lowered her head again.

"Sen, Sensei's expression is scary~ This kind of expression doesn't suit you~?"

"Haven't you always been tolerant and gentle towards students?"

Amamiya replied irritably, "There are limits to gentleness. Even a disobedient 'bad kid' like Nia sometimes needs to be treated seriously and disciplined."

"Sensei, could it be... that you're really angry?"

"Um... I actually know... This is a bit unfair to others... Hehe..."

Under Amamiya's increasingly serious gaze, Nia couldn't even muster a 'smile to ease the tension'.

After a long silence, she finally let out a sigh of resignation. Amidst the surprised and even astonished expressions of the Ninja Research Club and Makoto, she clasped her hands together, knelt on the cushion, and sincerely apologized: "Uh... um... I'm very sorry. I... I had some unavoidable reasons..."

Nia is a 'smiling strategist'; she can distinguish between what's important and what's not.

Compared to 'losing face as the nominal student council president in front of her juniors (Ninjutsu Research Club) and other student council presidents (Makoto)'... she felt that 'not really making Sensei angry' was more important.

As for the current predicament...

Later, I can always get back at Sensei by spending time alone with him and getting to know him better.

Even strategists must learn to be patient and patient.

Thinking of this, Nia raised her head and met Amamiya's gaze without any psychological burden: "So... can Sensei help me?"

Nia's gaze, which seemed to say, "Yes, I made a mistake, and I'll do it again next time," actually made Amamiya both amused and exasperated.

Amamiya didn't answer, but instead turned to ask Azuko for her opinion.

"What do you think, Azuko? Are you willing to risk everything and participate in this 'Wagakuhime' performance?"

Only after maintaining her composure did Ajinko finally stand up expectantly and nod in agreement.

"Hmm. Sensei, let me do it."

……

Time returns to the present.

Recalling the 'heroic spirit' that Amamiya displayed back then, the girls of the Ninja Research Club were still filled with excitement.

Xiaoman: "Princess Sensei's aura was so terrifying back then... I never expected that even President Nia would succumb to Sensei's pressure..."

Izuna: "My lord is so amazing!"

Tsukuyo: "Sensei is Sensei... because..."

After expressing their feelings, the girls became somewhat worried.

Is Ajinko, who agreed to participate in the film... really safe?

As the girls were filled with worry, the once magnificent performance preparation room suddenly clicked.

After a series of buzzing sounds from an electromagnetic short circuit, all the lights in the preparation room went out at once, plunging the room into darkness instantly.

"Huh? The performance with Rakuhime hasn't even started yet, right? What's going on..."

Halfway through her sentence, Xiaoman keenly sensed danger.

Oh no... I haven't had a chance to inform His Highness Sensei about the 'anomaly' I discovered earlier!

Could it be that the 'thieves' lurking in the shadows have already made their move?!

The tanuki's tail snapped straight up instantly, and Xiaoman, slightly startled, quickly exchanged glances with Izuna and Tsukuyomi.

"This matter is not simple; Izuna must inform the lord immediately!"

Izuna reacted quickly, already forming hand seals, about to unleash the 'Izuna-ryu Ninja Art: Flying Thunder God Technique'.

"Hey, wait, wait a minute..."

Tsukuyomi called a halt to Izuna, who was swaying his fox tail and looked puzzled and confused by the sudden stop.

The students' auras, which actually glow like glow sticks in various colors, are particularly conspicuous in the dark.

Although they couldn't tell who the aura corresponded to, the girls in the Ninjutsu Research Club were still able to notice the aura approaching them in the darkness immediately.

The girls from the Ninja Research Club froze as they watched the aura owner approach, gradually becoming clearer as he jogged closer.

"...Ibuki?"

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Smiling Professor's Criminal Premonition

A hundred demons parade at night, in the conference room of the Yin-Yang Department.

"Are you sure this will work, Nia?"