I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

"..."

The fox-eared girl sighed and opened her eyes.

“I’m sorry… Sensei, I apologize for ‘trespassing into your dream.’”

Ristina nodded in satisfaction: "This is the attitude prisoners should have when negotiating with us."

Then her gaze sharpened: "Prisoner, you'd better remember how you negotiated with us, or else..."

"..."

The fox-eared girl squinted, her expression gradually becoming more embarrassed.

"...Anyway, Sensei, could you please listen to my imperative request?"

Carolina frowned and retorted coldly, "If it's an unreasonable request, then don't say it."

Restina chimed in, "Yes, disturbing 'My Trickst's' rest, if it's just some trivial matter..."

As she spoke, she turned to open her scoreboard: "Megido..."

Amamiya was startled and quickly reached out to rub the heads of the two prison guards, finally managing to calm them down.

Ravenda is gentle, but her gentleness is only to Amamiya herself... and the same is true of the twins who were born from her.

Amamiya could somewhat understand why the twins were so angry… They were splits of Ravenda's will, which meant Ravenda was also angry. So why was Ravenda so angry? It must be because of Lily Garden Saintia's 'dream invasion,' which disrupted Ravenda's plans and, to some extent, provoked her.

“Sensei, I have something to say about the Holy Trinity.”

After the prison guards' constant irritating retorts and threats of violence, Saintia finally stopped telling riddles.

She spoke simply and directly: "I need you... to keep an eye on Trinity's recent activities. Trinity is currently in a precarious and unstable situation. If anything happens to Trinity, I might..."

"If something really happens to Trinity in the near future, I would appreciate it if Sensei could help me... uh, help Trinity get through this crisis."

Noticing Caroline's fierce expression, which seemed to suggest she was about to kill, Saintia spoke slightly faster.

"Also... I hope you'll keep an eye on those 'special individuals' at Trinity. The tutoring club, Mika Seizono, and that 'phantom thief' you recently encountered..."

That's all I wanted to say.

"Are you sure everything's alright? If everything's alright... Prisoner, you can leave now."

Christina took off the keychain hanging from her waist, unceremoniously unlocked Saintia's cell, went straight into the cell, and pushed her out.

"Hmph... Strange outsider. Remember to learn your lesson next time you invade my dreams."

After watching Saintia's figure fade and disappear in the cell, Carolina snorted angrily again.

After finishing his business, Amamiya watched helplessly as the two blonde lolis turned into a ball of light before his eyes, then merged back together, transforming back into the gentle and lovely Ravenda.

“Phew… the problem of the ‘strange intruder’ has been solved. Now, my dear ‘My Trickst’…”

"Since you have resumed your 'Otherworld Exploration' and acquired some 'special loot' from another world with entirely new characteristics, and considering your upcoming tasks... the Velvet Room will reopen."

'Jingle Bell--'

The piercing sound of the cell alarm made Ravenda, who was about to say something more, stop what she was doing and sigh helplessly.

"Please inquire about the specific services during your next official visit to the 'Velvet Room'..."

Chapter Twenty-Seven: What's the difference between excessively high and excessively low defensive power?

A ray of morning light shone through the gap in the curtains into the simple room, casting dappled patches of light on the bedside table, carrying a hint of warmth.

'Buzz-'

"Good morning, Sensei! Time to get up!"

"Get up and make food for Alona!!!"

The AI ​​girl's excessively loud and highly penetrating "wake-up alarm clock" punctually wakes Amamiya from her dream.

"Arona, don't shout so loudly next time..."

Yawning as he sat up, Amamiya casually reached into the space of the Shitei no Hako and pinched the AI ​​girl's chubby, delicate, and pink cheeks through the screen, amidst her adorable expression.

"Huh? Why is Sensei..."

Amamiya withdrew her hand, half-closed her eyes, picked up the Shiten Box, and then, while Alona was deep in thought with a 'loading.jpg' expression, casually put the Shiten Box into her shoulder bag.

I picked up my phone, which was charging on the bedside table, and sure enough, there were several new messages on it.

[Yuka: I heard Sensei recently went to Abydos to help the students there with their problems... Is there anything I can do to help?]

'...This seems like a good opportunity to get closer to Yuka.'

I also received messages from other people.

Noah: Sensei, may I have a moment of your time today? I have some questions I'd like to discuss with you.

'...'

Hina: Sensei... I've been under a lot of pressure lately, can we talk about it?

'...'

[Wakazama: Darling~ Are you free today? Wakazama misses you so much!]

'...'

[Chinatsu: Recently, Ako and Iori have been asking about Sensei... Sensei, could we talk more about your contact information and basic details?]

'...'

[Suzumi: I'd like to talk to Sensei about the recent issues with Trinity. I wonder if you have time...]

The messages were numerous, almost all of them invitations to events aimed at helping people 'deepen their bonds'.

After his gaze lingered on Wakazama's new message for a moment, Amamiya felt a rather subtle feeling.

Unexpectedly... that fox spirit known as the 'Crimson Calamity Fox', Wakamo Saka, actually fell in love with me at first sight...?

Logically speaking... shouldn't a 'special relationship' only officially develop when the star level reaches eight to nine stars?

Amamiya did not reply to the message immediately, but continued scrolling down.

[Ayane: Sensei... Do you have time today? I'd like to talk to you about the situation in Abydos...]

'I haven't established a bond with Ayane yet... Shall I spend today with her?'

'...'

[Celery: I have some questions I'd like to ask...]

'...'

[Shiroko: Senshi, wanna go to another world for some fun?]

'...'

[Hoshino: Uncle, I have something to say in private...]

'...'

[Nomiya: Sensei, do you have time to talk about the handling of items from another world?]

Amamiya: "..."

After browsing through the Abydos chat group she had joined and finding it completely silent, Amamiya's gaze lingered on the messages sent by the girls from Abydos.

One or two of them want to ask me out for a private chat?

Since conducting intelligence gathering in the other world yesterday, the members of the Countermeasures Committee have changed their attitudes toward the debt issue quite a bit—they are no longer in a hurry to repay the debt.

Amamiya also obtained a keyword that he had to investigate—[Shukuji].

Although Amamiya had learned about this keyword beforehand through the president's ability "déjà vu," the understanding gained from that ability was still very limited.

Based on the information he had heard from the Shadows, Amamiya had a vague feeling that perhaps the Secret Arts were the mastermind behind achieving their true goals through the Caesar Group.

To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, after returning to the Abydos campus yesterday evening, Amamiya instructed Hoshino and Ayane, who were considered more reliable, to review the Abydos land deeds and other issues that might involve 'sovereignty'.

I don't know if they heard me...

Faced with so many invitations that they were giving her a slight headache, Amamiya did not reply immediately.

'Let's have breakfast first before deciding who to spend time with...'

After some thought, Amamiya skillfully made her way to the vicinity of the kitchen in the school building area and went inside to check the ingredients.

Previously, Abydos was relatively lacking in various daily necessities... However, this situation has been temporarily resolved since Amamiya invited material assistance from the Federation Student Association.

After finding some vegetables in the refrigerator and opening some seasonings as needed, Amamiya tied on her apron and began to busy herself at the stove, bathed in the first rays of dawn.

As Amamiya skillfully began preparing the ingredients, she casually asked, "What flavor does Alona want to eat?"

"Arona wants to eat... the best flavor!"

Amamiya: "...Whether it tastes good or not is a matter of personal opinion."

As Amamiya's gaze swept over the various ingredients she had prepared, she pondered what she should do.

Perhaps because of the time I spent living in a café in Shibuya, Tokyo, Amamiya's personal breakfast preference was actually Leblanc curry.

However, curry has a very strong flavor, and many people may not be used to it as a breakfast option.

"Refined rice, ginger slices, chopped green onions, salt... preserved eggs... oh, if I had these ingredients on hand, I might be able to make that dish..."

"Doesn't Sensei make curry?"

Alona, ​​seemingly sensing Amamiya's hesitation, made a muffled sound through the bag.

After a few seconds of silence, Amamiya replied helplessly, "Who eats curry for breakfast every day?"

"Hmm... I'll make this for breakfast today... a 'Century Egg and Lean Pork Congee' set meal. It's one of the essences of centuries-old culinary culture, delicious, nutritious, and invigorating, plus it's relatively mild compared to curry..."

Amamiya began to skillfully operate both machines simultaneously, preparing to cook porridge while setting up a drip coffee maker and a coffee grinder.

Before long, Amamiya smelled a refreshing, mouthwatering, and richly layered fragrance.

"I can already smell the aroma. At this rate, it'll be ready to serve soon..."

Just then, Amamiya heard someone quietly opening and closing a door.

'Haa…'

The girl yawned, her nose twitching slightly. Drawn to the aroma of breakfast, she seemed not yet fully awake.

This state continued until she approached the kitchen and slowly pushed open the kitchen door.

"Huh? sen, Sensei...?!"

A girl bathed in the morning light stood at the door, still in the posture of pushing the door open. The drowsiness in her expression did not seem to have completely dissipated, making her look adorably sleepy.

Amamiya turned around at the sound and saw that it was Hifumi who had opened the door. He then greeted her with a natural smile.

Good morning, Hifumi-chan.

【~???~】

……Why?!

Such an intimate way of addressing someone...?!

The girl, who was almost overwhelmed by Amamiya's light and affectionate nickname, was momentarily dazed.

For a fleeting moment, Hifumi felt as if she had fast-forwarded to a few years in the future... no, perhaps to her daily life in a parallel universe?

The 'Prince' took off his glasses, and in the view of the dining table bathed in morning light by the floor-to-ceiling windows, he took advantage of his height to pat his head, and then greeted him in a very affectionate tone...

"Hifumi-chan, what would you like to eat today?"

'Hifumi-chan, what would you like to eat today?'

The imagined scene and the actual event completely overlapped at this moment, and then the imagined scene shattered like a dream bubble.

"Awaa ...

Startled, she lowered her head in a panic and let out a strange cry that was hard to decipher, perhaps a sign of extreme emotional turmoil.

"Th-that...Sensei...I..."

My cheeks flushed and burned, my mind went completely blank—