I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

The reason why helmet-related groups have become less active recently...

Rumors on the black market seem to say that the helmet gangs active in the Abydos region have suddenly become 'friendly' and are preparing to repent and turn over a new leaf... as if the gangs have been 'brainwashed' as a whole.

How did they become so kind overnight...?

Saori, who felt as if she had grasped the key words, frowned, and her emotions began to fluctuate slightly.

"Saori-san, if you still don't believe me..."

After finishing her bowl of noodles, Amamiya put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth with a tissue, and said, "So, how about we make a bet?"

"……bet?"

Saori was a little confused and didn't quite understand why Sensei would suddenly do this.

"Hmm, let's make a bet. I'll bet... whether I can completely solve the problems that Abydos is currently facing."

"If I can solve the Abydos problem within seven days..."

At this point, Amamiya smiled slightly, displaying a very approachable demeanor: "Please trust me more, Saori-san."

Saori: "...Is that all?"

She thought there would be some strange bets or something.

But then she realized something was wrong—Sensei didn't seem to have said 'what he was supposed to do'.

"What if Sensei can't do that?"

“If I can’t do that…” Amamiya’s smile faded slightly, “then I will grant Saori-san a request that I can do.”

After a moment's consideration, Saori nodded gently.

Anyway, this bet doesn't require me to pay anything; I just need to witness everything that happens and how it ends...

If Sensei really does possess that 'fairytale power,' could it solve some of its predicaments?

Even if he fails... he might still be able to find a high-paying job that doesn't require legal status through the bet and Sensei's connections.

"...Since Sensei says so, then...I will keep an eye on Sensei's actions."

[...a promise was made with Saori.]

[Coopetition restrictions have been lifted!]

Chapter 55 Takanashi Hoshino Wants to Make a Change

"...Since Sensei says so, then...I will keep an eye on Sensei's actions."

As Saori nodded in agreement, the ethereal voice faded into the distance, accompanied by the clanging sound of chains being violently broken and the fluttering of butterfly wings.

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 bask in the light of hope and find blessing. You obtain a fragment of the ultimate mystery of the "Tower"...

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

-

[Coopetition restrictions have been lifted!]

【Spindle-front yarn weaving (high tower) ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

-

[Assistant: The weaver before the spindle / The sinner who lures misfortune]

Arcana: The Tower

[Assistant Profile: A member of Arius's elite squad, she seems to have connections in the black market. Working odd jobs here and there, does she also harbor many worries and secrets...?]

It was expected that I wouldn't immediately receive a synergy skill.

This means that... the person providing assistance has a certain degree of 'psychological defenses'.

After finishing her noodles, Amamiya went to the checkout counter, took out her credits, and paid for the two bowls of ramen.

"Thank you for coming, sir."

After giving Amamiya a deep look, Shiba Inu, who was smoking a pipe, suddenly said, "But since this is the guest's first time here... let's give him a 50% discount."

As it spoke, it rummaged through the cash register for a short while and returned half of the credits to Amamiya.

'Silently watching over these students preoccupied with other things... Interesting, it gives me the illusion that I'm seeing Sakura Sojiro.'

Amamiya did not refuse. After taking back the credits that had been collected, she nodded to General Shiba and thanked him for his kindness: "I will come often in the future."

On General Chai's extremely inhuman 'dog face,' a subtle, extremely human expectation gradually emerged.

"I look forward to it."

Amamiya then turned her gaze to Saori, and after a moment's hesitation, she went to the girl who was preparing to clear away the tableware and continue her work as a waitress.

He took out a gold card with a face value of "ten thousand" credits and handed it to the girl amidst her surprised and somewhat unnatural expression. At the same time, Amamiya said, "Saori-san, the first time I contacted you was hoping to hire you to help me complete some tasks."

As she spoke, Amamiya flipped her hand, and like a card magic trick, spread out ten "10,000 credits" cards in a fan shape.

“Saori…you’re very familiar with the situation here in the ‘black market,’ aren’t you?”

"I'm hiring you to gather information on the latest black market developments. This is the initial payment and operating funds. Collect various rumors and compile them for me."

Faced with the ten glittering gold cards, Saori hesitated for a few seconds before finally deciding not to refuse.

That's 100,000 credits...

Is it a lot? Of course not.

However, considering the effort required, the dangerous mercenary jobs, the labor that requires many times more physical strength and time, and the direct firefights with the enemy where a single misstep could result in serious injury, both the safety and the time consumed seem "too friendly."

It's like those fairy tale-like quests where you "fight ten slimes"... no, it should be "collect ten herbs," but the reward is "one hundred gold coins."

100,000 credits, if spent sparingly, are enough for a person's expenses for a month.

Of course... Saori also knew very well that there is no such thing as a free lunch, and all the gifts in fate had already been secretly marked with a price.

But so what... She simply couldn't refuse the 'activity funds' that were so easy to obtain, even though she knew that the funds might have 'ulterior motives'.

However, "Federal Investigation Department - Sharai" is, after all, a direct organization of the Federal Student Association, so how bad could it be?

In addition to the goodwill that Sensei had previously shown...

Saori has reason to believe that this is truly a well-intentioned act, rather than something with ulterior motives.

【?~】

"Just investigating information... I understand."

"Then farewell, Saori."

As she reached the door, Amamiya suddenly seemed to remember something, and while still holding up the curtain, she waved to Shiba Taisho, who was standing by the cashier watching the scene.

"By the way, General Chai, I might bring those Abydos children over soon. Of course, the timing might be uncertain, so I'll have to trouble you then."

He left after saying that, without waiting for any reply.

……

For those 'night owls', the night is always both long and short.

Late at night, I returned to my temporary residence in Abydos, the Rain Palace, and the first thing I did after opening the door was to glance at the digital clock in the room.

'It's 11 PM... Don't stay up so late, go to sleep now.'

After yawning, Amamiya hastily changed into her pajamas and then promptly went to sleep.

But as we all know, if you start sleeping before the chapter is even finished, it's destined that you won't fall asleep immediately.

Almost as soon as Amamiya lay down, and while he was still staring blankly at the ceiling, he heard a soft knock on his door.

After snapping her fingers and changing clothes in a second, Amamiya quietly went to the door and listened to the sounds outside from the corner of the wall.

(It's a professional habit)

'Sensei...are you asleep...?'

'Sensei...? '

The sound was so faint that it was difficult to detect unless one had exceptional hearing; it carried a hint of hesitation and confusion.

Is that Hoshino's voice?

She came to see me? At this time of day?

Amamiya raised an eyebrow, disarmed himself in his phantom thief outfit, and opened the door in his black and white striped pajamas, which were somewhat similar to those worn by the 'prisoner'.

A bright pink halo, exceptionally dazzling in the darkness, appeared before Amamiya's eyes, accompanied by a pink-haired girl who barely reached his chest, her expression one of disbelief and astonishment.

"Eh……"

Before she could say anything pointless like, "So Sensei's still up so late," Amamiya interrupted, asking, "...What's wrong, Takanashi-san? Why are you still up so late, and why are you knocking on my door?"

Hoshino: "..."

She was about to laugh it off, but suddenly she was caught off guard and couldn't quite process what was happening.

Her eyes darted around, but she ultimately chose to lower her head and tell the truth.

"...I can't sleep a bit, I want to talk to Sensei."

"Aren't you going to keep using your lazy 'uncle' persona as a disguise?"

"a ha ha ha……"

In response to Amamiya was Hoshino's awkward smile, his head hanging lower and lower, and the halo of light that flickered like breathing, its brightness changing with his unstable emotions.

Amamiya didn't say much or try to provoke her further. Instead, she stepped aside, expressing her stance through silence.

Looking at the dormitory room that he had arranged, which he used to be very familiar with but now felt strange to him, Hoshino gradually felt a little uneasy.

Facing the overwhelming sense of unease, she steeled herself and stepped through the door, gently closing it behind her.

"What would you like to talk about, Takanashi-kun?"

Amamiya asked casually, turning on the room lights and starting to pour tea and water from the kettle.

"Um... first of all, it's about the title..."

Why is Sensei's 'attitude' completely different when addressing me and when addressing my juniors?

Amamiya poured herself a cup of tea and calmly replied, "Because... I feel that you have never trusted me, Takanashi-san."

'...'

Taking a sip of the hot tea in her cup, Amamiya's mirror was covered with a thin layer of mist amidst the rising steam and the faint aroma of tea.

He continued, "Trust is a relationship that requires genuine openness and communication between people to build."

"As I said before... there is no such thing as 'even one's innermost thoughts are deceiving,' and there is no relationship that can be built on 'one-sided wholehearted dedication.'"

"Relationships built on 'one-sided investment' are nothing more than fragile bonds maintained by some kind of interest or any other reason besides trust. And those never last long, and almost never develop into genuine mutual trust, do they?"

"..."

Looking at the steaming teacup in his hand and his 'mottled' reflection in the tea with floating tea leaves, Hoshino fell silent.

"I don't understand."

After a long silence, she spoke softly.

"Sensei..."

"Can you tell me... 峮;酒(企琉久依厁VI硫...)?"

"How to be a good... true 'senior'?"

Chapter Fifty-Six: The Bond Called "Senior"

How to be a good senior colleague?