I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

"The gray area..."

The girl lowered her eyes slightly, appearing thoughtful.

However, her eyes flickered slightly, and she spoke meaningfully: "...'Black market'?"

"It seems Kayoko-san knows quite a bit about this," Amamiya said, feigning a sense of relief and slight pleasure at having been a great help. "If there's nothing to be ashamed of, Kayoko-san, could you share what you know?"

"Um……"

Seemingly surprised by the rumored approachable Xia Lai Sensei, the girl froze for half a second before belatedly responding.

"I do know something about the 'black market'... After all, Convenience Store 68 occasionally receives jobs and commissions from the black market. Usually, it involves escorting equipment, providing security in designated areas, or attacking specific areas... things like that."

"Furthermore, the black market is also a source of equipment for some students who operate on the fringes of the gray area. Since Sensei is familiar with the black market, he should know that it also sells various 'illegal devices' that are completely unavailable through conventional channels..."

Amamiya stroked his chin and nodded slowly.

"Is this so..."

Suddenly, he looked up at Kayoko, who had revealed this information, with a hint of surprise.

"...Could this involve some secrets of the convenience store? Is it okay to talk about it?"

"It's alright." The girl's lips curved slightly, and she tried to force a smile, taking the opportunity to observe Amamiya's reaction.

Amamiya noticed the inquisitive curiosity but didn't react in any particular way. She simply looked up and met her gaze, and quietly switched the Persona she was currently wearing.

'psona-Beret'

【psona-Berret (Arcana: Emperor)】

[Introduction: One of the seventy-two demons of Solomon, the thirteenth demon.]

[It is said that He was a Virtuous Angel who fought alongside Lucifer, the fallen angel and the morning star. When Lucifer was defeated and fell into Hell, some of the angels who pursued him suffered the same fate.]

[Byrete, who fell to the status of a demon god, longed to one day return to the heavens, but his wish remained unfulfilled. Perhaps for this reason, Byrete possessed an extremely volatile temper and abhorred being summoned by any being.]

Tragically, Beret can ignite the seeds of love between men and women, so no matter how much he hates appearing before humans, he is inevitably called upon frequently to act as the matchmaker. Perhaps this is partly why he always wears an angry expression.

"What's wrong, Kayoko-san? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"..."

After letting out a soft, ambiguous sound, the girl apologetically withdrew her gaze.

“I thought…Sensei would be frightened by my 'terrifying face'…”

Amamiya paused for a moment, then asked with a hint of curiosity, "'A terrifying face'...?"

“Hmm…” Kayoko nodded slowly with a hint of disappointment, “Everyone thinks my face is scary and misunderstands me as a delinquent girl…”

"Is it scary?"

Amamiya carefully examined the girl whose skin was as smooth as jade under the midday sun, with even the finest downy hairs on her cheeks clearly visible.

After a few seconds of silence, Amamiya exclaimed from the bottom of her heart, "Actually, I think Kayoko is quite cute."

Kayoko, who seemed never to have expected such a comment, was surprised: "...Cute?"

"Hmm... there's a kind of 'mature cuteness' about it."

"..."

After confirming that Amamiya was not joking but expressing his heartfelt feelings, Kayoko was completely stunned.

After standing there for several seconds, she resumed her movements, and at the same time, three eighth notes, symbolizing favorability, floated above her head.

【~???~】

I was about to say something like "Don't joke around," but then I swallowed it back.

“…Sensei, you…are very strange.”

After pausing for a second or two, Kayoko gave the word 'strange' as her assessment.

"Speaking of which... Kayoko-san, I noticed you seemed hesitant to speak earlier, and then you told me about the black market..."

Is there something you want to tell me?

Kayoko nodded, then sighed, looking slightly troubled.

"Yes...it's about the overall situation of the convenience stores and their recent developments..."

After glancing around the interior with a complicated expression, Kayoko calmly said, "Sensei, due to poor management and many other reasons... the convenience store seems to be on the verge of bankruptcy."

Amamiya: "..."

Business is not doing well?

After a moment of doubt, Amamiya became serious and waited for Kayoko to continue.

"Due to renting this 'luxurious' office, the convenience store's operating funds have 'shrunk' significantly recently... Due to severe cash flow problems, President Aru... plans to borrow money from a black market bank."

Kayoko's complex statement made Amamiya understand the current situation.

Good heavens... this is like jumping into a fire pit.

Judging from Kayoko's expression, she clearly knows, or at least has a general understanding of, just how deep the black market really is.

Do you want me to step in and help stop this situation?

Kayoko remained silent, offering no definite verbal response, but simply nodded slowly and firmly.

Amamiya stroked his chin, pretended to think for a moment, and then suddenly raised his index finger, making a suggestion with a 'flash of inspiration' expression.

"So, how about we make a deal?"

Chapter Thirty-Three: Is a life of poverty a characteristic of an "emperor"?

"……trade?"

Kayoko seemed completely taken aback by Amamiya's words and was momentarily surprised.

“Yeah… a deal.” Amamiya wagged his finger and smiled coolly. “Doesn’t it feel like a phantom thief making a deal with someone between gangsters, or a deal between 'phantom thieves'…?”

After he finished speaking, he couldn't help but laugh.

【?~】

Upon seeing the double eighth notes that appeared on the girl's head, signifying 'truly capturing the other person's heart,' Amamiya suppressed his extremely brief moment of frivolity, made a fist, and coughed lightly.

"The details of the transaction are quite simple... Kayoko, has the matter of Xia Lai been making headlines lately?"

Kayoko nodded calmly: "That's true... The matter concerning the Federal Student Council and 'Federal Investigation Department - Sharai' has been closely watched by various academies recently."

"So... you should also know that the 'Federal Investigation Department - Sharai' is still in its early stages of establishment... Although it has the right to recruit students, in reality, no students have joined except for me, right?"

Kayoko nodded in agreement.

They work at Convenience Store 68, and they frequently handle various escort and attack missions, so their information network is incredibly extensive.

Kayoko naturally knew more about Xia Lai's affairs than the other members of the Gehenna.

She even personally dissuaded her company president from accepting the anonymous commission to "investigate Xia Lai's background." Her "kind words of advice" ultimately convinced her president to abandon the task.

"The 'deal' I'm referring to is actually getting you to join Sharai."

Amamiya said sincerely, "In exchange, I will also help the convenience stores improve... at least not to the point where they are struggling to survive."

Kayoko knew what 'joining Sharai' meant.

In reality, joining Xia Lai does not excessively restrict students' 'autonomy'—this joining seems to be just a nominal formality.

Aside from certain tasks requiring quick responses, the only necessary tasks are to go to the vicinity of Xia Lai daily as a 'duty person' to help with some paperwork and simple assignments in Xia Lai.

Obviously, it's much safer than what Convenience Store 68, a gang that walks the line between gunfire and violence every day, is doing.

"...I will pass on the message to the president."

Kayoko didn't agree immediately because she knew that this wasn't something that could be resolved by her own agreement alone.

[...an agreement was reached with Kayoko.]

At midday in early autumn, the crisp sound of chains breaking and the fluttering of butterfly wings melted into the gaps in the light.

I am you...you are me.

Here you receive a new covenant.

[As the saying goes, "Break through destruction to find the wings of resistance."]

Here you are bathed in the light of hope and blessed. You have obtained a fragment of the ultimate mystery of the "Emperor"...

[To further propel us toward the future...]

-

[Coopetition restrictions have been lifted!]

【Kayoko Onikata (Emperor)★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆】

[★1 Ability Unlocked!]

-

[Assistant: Kayoko Onikata / The Misunderstood Smiling Devil]

[Arcana: The Emperor (.The Empor)]

【Assistance Ability: ★1·Adverse Charm】

[The allure of malice: Don't judge a book by its cover. Those who seem 'evil' are often the ones you can easily befriend, and the ones who will stand up for you without hesitation in crucial moments—these are the people you should befriend.]

[When engaging in assistance activities, this increases the amount of favorability gained from those activities. Negotiations become easier when the target has the 'evil' attribute, further increasing favorability gained.]

[Enhanced Aura: By enhancing your aura, you will more easily achieve your goals. (Increases the effectiveness of buff spells, and increases the probability of applying mental abnormalities such as fear, brainwashing, confusion, and charm.)]

[Helper's Profile: A member of the 68th branch of the Convenience Store, a girl who harbors no ill intentions but is misunderstood due to her 'terrifying face'. Unconcerned about the misunderstanding, she joins the strange Convenience Store 68... What kind of past does she harbor?]

'Another bond skill that increases the amount of affection gained...'

Amamiya raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to herself that she already had enough of these favorability buffs... If she got any more, would she really become a succubus who couldn't resist anyone she saw?

However, this skill is not simply a bond skill that only increases favorability; it also comes with an active ability called "strengthened aura," which is similar to "aura release."

By actively releasing one's aura to intimidate the target, it creates an effect similar to the kind of situation in novels where "the protagonist's imposing presence causes beautiful girls to willingly submit."

The slight feeling that a gap had been opened in their hearts was fleeting, but when Kayoko looked at Amamiya, this 'Sensei', again, she suddenly felt that even though it had only been a very brief contact, the 'distance' between her and him seemed to be different than before.

"Before I knew it, it was already noon... By the way, Kayoko, have you eaten yet?"

Kayoko was quickly dispelled by the casual tone of his conversation, which was as if they were just chatting.

"……not yet."

Does Sensei want to... invite me out to dinner?

Kayoko was puzzled, and then she heard Amamiya say, "Does the convenience store have a kitchen? I haven't eaten lunch yet... so I'd like to cook something."

"If you have a kitchen and ready-made ingredients, you can cook a meal and avoid spending a lot of money to buy ready-made food."

...So it was just because of this special kind of 'frugality'?

【~???~】

“The convenience store does have a kitchen and some basic ingredients… Let me take you there, Sensei.”

Kayoko didn't say much.

After all... it's embarrassing to be in a situation where you can barely afford to eat because of abnormal cash flow.

After checking the kitchen's food supplies, Amamiya remained silent for a moment before decisively having Kayoko take her to the nearest department store to buy a large quantity of various ingredients.

Back in the convenience store's kitchen, Amamiya, after being 'secretly observed' by Kayoko, skillfully prepared the ingredients by sorting them into categories, and then began to carefully select the ingredients she needed.

'It doesn't seem like showing off or having ulterior motives...'

Kayoko, who was observing, couldn't find a single fault with it.

Amamiya began to skillfully wash and chop vegetables, processing ingredients with such precision and speed that even Kayoko, who was helping out, was somewhat amazed.

'It seems Sensei isn't as badly associated with students as rumored...'