I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Under the girl's regretful gaze, as if to say, "You'd better eat it before I change my mind," Amamiya mimicked Fubuki's expression and movements as she savored the donut, slowly biting into the edge of the donut.

The outer layer has the unique creamy and crisp texture of chocolate, while the inside has an unusual sweetness that is slightly different from ordinary cakes...

That really is special.

"It was surprisingly delicious."

【~???~】(Fubuki)

"If Sensei likes it, that's fine... Well, that counts as recommending it to Sensei. Remember to treat me to it later, Sensei."

Sure enough...

From the moment he took the donut from Fubuki's hand, Amamiya knew what she was up to.

This is exactly what I wanted.

"Okay... but before that..."

"Can I ask you a question?"

Unusually, she agreed without any hesitation...

Fubuki felt a chill; the 'slacking off' radar made her acutely aware that this development was not a good thing.

"what is the problem?"

Taking a cautious half-step back, preparing to 'protect herself,' Fubuki then said ambiguously, 'Sensei, you can speak first, and I will decide whether to answer or not based on... my personal circumstances and the confidentiality agreement.'

They've even used the term 'confidentiality agreement'...

Fubuki's reaction was probably a result of spending too much time in the Bureau of Life Safety, which Amamiya found slightly amusing.

"Don't be nervous, Fubuki, my question is very simple..."

As Fubuki retreated, Amamiya moved forward without leaving a trace and placed his hand on Fubuki's head.

"Fubuki, I think you have great potential."

"Should we join Xia Lai...?"

"And what about becoming a 'phantom thief'?"

Chapter Fifty-Six: Snowflakes, soft, fragrant, tiny, and sweet.

"so……"

In Xia Lai's café.

Pick up the small metal spoon used for stirring coffee, scoop up a sugar cube and add it to the steaming coffee cup on your table, then casually put the sugar container back on.

Stirring her coffee with a small metal spoon, Fubuki's red eyes narrowed slightly, full of surprise: "Are you kidding me...Sensei?"

“Sensei, you know my lifestyle… I just stay in Valkyrie and coast along. You want a lazybones like me to join Charlemagne… and become a phantom thief?”

What can I possibly accomplish?

Amamiya stroked his chin, calmly accepting Fubuki's continued gaze.

He thought for a moment, then gave a serious answer that left Yukino feeling somewhat helpless: "I don't know."

After a pause, Amamiya changed the subject, saying seriously, "...However, I did indeed see in Fubuki...a special 'potential' that sets her apart from ordinary students."

Fubuki looked down in surprise at the coffee cup in her hand, then at her own flat, lifeless body, then back at the coffee cup…

After a brief silence, she suddenly asked suspiciously, "Sensei, are you a child lover?"

Amamiya was taken aback, then chuckled and asked, "Why do you ask that?"

After thinking for a moment, Fubuki drank half of the specially brewed "Lubran Ultimate Coffee" in one gulp.

After putting down her coffee cup, she started counting her 'flaws' on her fingers.

“You see… I’m only at the bottom of the rankings at the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau. Even in the area of ​​‘civil disputes’ that the Life Safety Bureau is mainly responsible for, I can barely manage… cough, I’m barely managing.”

"He's not good at paperwork, his physical training results are only average, and his shooting skills are also just so-so..."

"Unlike Kirino, who always takes on the dirty and tiring work, I usually just do things half-heartedly..."

"And then there's... well, anyway, they're very difficult to raise..."

"So, a lazy student like me, even if I joined Xia Lai or became a member of the 'Phantom Thieves,' would probably be of little use... more likely, I'd just be a hindrance."

After listing five 'reasons' on her fingers, Fubuki shrugged: "I don't think I'm anything special... You say I have 'potential,' then I can only think..."

"You think my body has a lot of potential... to explore... well... in some... less-than-proper aspects."

At this point, Fubuki's voice, which was usually lazy, became unusually hurried and shy.

After repeatedly correcting her wording, she crossed her arms and made a "no" gesture.

"While you, Sensei, are indeed very popular, your coffee is excellent, and you even know the wisdom of 'coffee should be paired with donuts,' but..."

"No, it just won't work."

Amamiya was helpless.

To evade 'responsibility,' even this kind of excuse is being used, Fubuki...

Although Fubuki was making lewd jokes, Amamiya was very aware of her "affection" for him.

She's slightly different from Kirino, who 'his actions subtly reveal his longing even when he's alone'...

Although Kirino can have divergent thinking and come up with some 'strange things', she basically just thinks nonsense to herself.

As for Fubuki... she made the lewd joke purely to escape from things that weren't her business and to change the subject.

Fubuki's Arcana is "Temperance".

This card symbolizes maturity, stability, and harmonious communication... but it also carries the meaning of 'moderation'.

The effort to find a balance between life and hobbies corresponds to the persona in Arcana. Attributes are average, or rather, moderate... Furthermore, there are usually no particularly prominent characteristics or weaknesses.

Think back to the assistants you met after arriving in Kivotos who possessed the 'Temperance' card...

Currently, the only one whose affection level is 'maxed out' is the 'cold-blooded calculator' - Yuka.

Akari from the Gastronomy Research Department, Julie from the Supply Department...

Alice from Trinity's Pastry Department...

And there's Otoaki from the Fox Squad.

A common characteristic of "temperance" type helpers is that they are very difficult to approach at first.

But once the relationship overcomes the initial hurdle, it can easily progress rapidly.

“Fubuki is indeed small and fragrant, but the ‘potential’ I’m talking about doesn’t refer to those… strange aspects.”

【~??~】(Fubuki)

Under Fubuki's watchful gaze, who clearly thought, "Sensei is definitely planning this," Amamiya "thought for a moment" and finally chose to "come clean."

“Okay… Actually, I was entrusted by Director Ye Nagisa to ‘take care of the students of the Bureau of Life Safety,’ so I planned to give you and Kirino special attention.”

Oh……

Considering the current situation of the Valkyrie Police Department, Fubuki understood a little better.

If even a 'low-level student in the Bureau of Life Safety' could sense the unusual atmosphere, then Ye Zhu, as the director, must have already been aware of it as well.

Why did she specifically remind Sensei to take care of herself and Kirino, the students from the Bureau of Life Safety, without mentioning the Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau, Kinoka, or the other key students from the Public Security Bureau?

I've figured out some things, but figuring them out has created new and more questions... trouble.

Given the current situation, joining Xia Lai like Kirino would undoubtedly be a good way to 'protect oneself'.

But becoming a Masked Wielder and fighting against the shadows of another world goes a bit beyond the scope of this...

Holding a coffee cup, sitting on a high stool, swinging her legs, Fubuki quickly weighed the pros and cons between 'slacking off' and 'doing things seriously' in her mind.

Becoming a "masked messenger" is indeed a goal that many police officers aspire to—it means that they can use special methods to "eliminate violence and maintain order" and become the elite among the elite.

But Fubuki doesn't think so...

With great ability comes great responsibility.

Becoming a "Masked Persona" does indeed greatly enhance combat power and fighting style, thanks to the added bonuses from the Persona, but it also means...

The tasks assigned to you, the things you're given to do... all the "odd jobs and chores" you have to do have increased.

"It's such a difficult choice..."

Leaning back slightly, she looked up at the café chandelier overhead and murmured a sigh of relief.

I'm starting to have second thoughts...

。 ?印翅罒?捂就（四）就拔〒-月〒*漪/理所当然。

After taking away Fubuki's empty coffee cup, and then, to avoid having too much coffee and being unable to sleep, as well as the energizing effect and thirst that comes with drinking coffee, Amamiya turned around and took out a separate 'Sanichi Royal Black Tea' that Nagisa had given to her through Hasumi during the Akawa Grand Festival.

Perhaps considering that Xia Lai had absolutely no knowledge or equipment to brew black tea, even Zhu, who was extremely particular about black tea, had to settle for a tea bag that she personally found difficult to use, but which was convenient and easy to use for most people—just add hot water.

After making Fubuki a cup of tea, Amamiya suddenly asked, "Fubuki, what's your definition of 'slacking off'?"

How is "slacking off" defined?

Without a second thought, Fubuki blinked and replied, "I'm a police officer from the Bureau of Life Safety. I... or rather, if the students from the Bureau of Life Safety and the Public Security Bureau can have some free time, that means peace."

"So of course, the more leisurely the better."

It is similar to the doctrine of "turning swords into plowshares," but it is different.

It actually has quite a philosophical perspective.

"Um……"

After a moment's hesitation, Amamiya spoke with certainty: "Therefore... I can confirm that Fubuki's 'moderation' is special."

"Fubuki, do you know the difference between a 'lazy person' and a 'lazy dog'?"

Fubuki didn't understand the question for a moment, hesitated for a moment, and then answered with a puzzled look: "...The difference between a human and a dog?"

Amamiya shook her finger.

This concept was actually learned by him before he came to Kivotos from a book called "The Philosophy of Laziness," which he believed could increase "knowledge" and "consideration."

What's the difference between a lazy person and a lazy dog? It's human nature.

'Lazy and prone to slacking off, dislikes work, but never delays tasks; unmoved by money or fame; while uninterested in most things that don't concern him, he also possesses a responsible side.'

'Being lazy to the point of crossing the line, shirking responsibility, severe procrastination, being completely passive, and having no values... that's a lazy dog.'

'If a lazy person and a lazy dog ​​were both asked to save someone, the lazy person's choice would likely be to take action.'

'But a lazy dog ​​might be too lazy to take action, too lazy to save someone, or even too lazy to give them a second glance.'

So what is the philosophy of laziness?

The key lies in efficiency.

"Because they're too lazy to deal with long, aimless, and tedious tasks... lazy people will try every possible way to solve problems in the most efficient and effortless manner."

'This is the philosophy of the lazy, the way of survival for the lazy… Lazy people excel at utilizing everything around them, cleverly achieving their goals in the least effortless way. If this talent is developed to its fullest potential… it also constitutes a kind of 'ultimate genius.''

While waiting for the tea to cool to a drinkable temperature, Fubuki intermittently heard this extremely peculiar conceptual understanding.

Can "laziness"... such an ordinary, even negative, trait be understood and developed in this way?

That does seem to make a lot of sense...

Fubuki naturally recalled sleeping in late while on duty, and using the answering machine to get by with regular reports and other tasks.

At the time, I was only thinking about getting away with it, and the procedure was too simple. So I managed to get through a few times before I was caught... and I almost got a demerit.

If I had thought I could fool them a few dozen more times, I would have used an online program commission, which would have cost a little money but saved me a lot of time.

Could this be considered a special manifestation of what Sensei calls the "philosophy of laziness"?

Wait a moment.

Thinking in this way, we can solve various problems with the least possible cost and the highest possible efficiency...

Becoming a "Masked Wielder" certainly brings with it unavoidable dangers and missions...