I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Through the glass observation window, she stared at the pink-haired man who had once been high and mighty but was now down and out.

The other party didn't show any particular expression—in fact, Ye Zhu could naturally sense the almost overwhelming sense of 'pity' emanating from Hua Ye's calm and indifferent expression.

She frowned slightly, showing no sympathy for Huaye.

She activated the communication device and attempted to communicate with Huaye inside the confinement room.

"Sinner - Shiranui Hana... Do you have any remorse for the mistakes you have made?"

Do you feel like crying?

Do you often feel anxious and restless?

This should actually be handled by psychologists, but unfortunately, none of the students in the defense office understand this, so Valkyrie's situation is also uncertain.

As for Ye Zhu... he doesn't know much about the other departments of the Federal Student Association yet, and it's even more difficult for him to get help from other departments.

Ye Zhu asked as usual, and Hua Ye answered as usual.

Throughout this question-and-answer session, Ye Zhu felt that... Hua Ye seemed noticeably different from when she was questioned a few days ago.

Even... Ye Zhu had a feeling as if he were talking to 'Hana, who had matured overnight'.

After all, until recently, Hua Ye was still his unfortunate boss. How could Ye Zhu not know her childish temperament, as well as her shortsightedness, recklessness, and lack of consideration for the consequences of her actions?

Today, Hua Ye was much more talkative, her enthusiasm for answering questions and the frequency of her speech had increased, and even her manner of speaking had matured by more than one level. Some of the opinions she expressed even made Ye Zhu feel somewhat incredulous—'Is this really something Hua Ye would say?'

After completing the question-and-answer session as scheduled, Ye Zhu prepared to leave.

Hua Ye suddenly spoke, expressing her question in a calm tone that seemed to accept reality: "...When do you plan to let me out?"

Ye Zhu paused and returned to the communicator.

"We need to wait for your mental state to recover, until it is confirmed that you are mentally normal and can accept treatment in a conscious state."

"I'm... back to normal now."

Mentally ill people cannot easily prove that they are mentally sound, and Ye Zhu did not intend to easily believe Hua Ye's words.

Whether it is normal or not... requires professional evaluation.

"Before applying for a mental health evaluation, I'd like to ask you a question..."

Ye Zhu tried to relax his tone and didn't use the intimidating aura he sometimes used during interrogations.

"...Shiranui Hikaru. What will you do after accepting your 'punishment'?"

"I...I plan to go and find my 'home,' the place where my soul belongs."

Ye Zhu: "?"

What is this guy saying?

Why the sudden philosophical turn?

oh……?

Slightly squinting, his tired, droopy animal ears perked up again. Ye Zhu casually uttered an "Oh?"

"Why do you say that?"

"I... I understand now."

Huaye said with devotion: "With my strength... it is simply impossible to achieve this unrealistic goal."

"From my brief tenure as the head of the Federal Student Council's Defense Office, I learned one thing..."

"Students' power has its limits. The more cunning they are, the easier it is for them to fall into unexpected predicaments."

Ye Zhu: "..."

His mental state appears to need further evaluation.

As she made her decision in her mind, Huaye continued, "I think... that Sensei, whom I previously 'looked down upon,' is actually the light I should truly rely on."

Well, at least he managed to say something sensible.

“I will upload today’s ‘conversation log’ to the Federal Student Union.”

"thanks for your cooperation."

Chapter Twenty: Angel's Feathers

At the beginning of October, Kivotos finally felt a touch of coolness.

As Amamiya walked through the streets and alleys, he saw more and more students wearing autumn clothes due to the changing season.

The skirt became slightly longer, and at the same time the pantyhose became noticeably thicker. Although it no longer had the unique ethereal quality of being semi-transparent, it gained a touch of jade-like tenderness, whether it was black, white, or other colors.

"It seems that Leader Mina has some objections regarding the black idol outfits, so..."

Walking down the streets of Millennium Science Academy, the pink-haired girl, now dressed in casual clothes, seemed a little reserved. She fidgeted with a feather dangling from the side of her hair and explained shyly, "...After Mary-san submitted her observations, Captain Mina..."

"Are you planning to have Qinna secretly 'go out and about' with me?"

Amamiya found it somewhat amusing, and at the same time, she understood why Serina seemed a little guilty and embarrassed today.

This behavior is practically tantamount to sneaking away, isn't it?

【~???~】(Serena)

Blushing and remaining silent for a long while, Qin Na finally responded in a muffled voice.

"……Um."

'Once I start working with Sensei... that feeling of 'not wanting to stop' will only grow stronger...'

'The students who used to roam around Sensei, who also formed deep bonds with Sensei...'

'Do they feel the same way?'

"Speaking of which... I'm very curious about the feather in Serena's hair."

"...?"

Senna, lost in thought, stopped fiddling with the feathers, a little apprehensive: "Sensei... what are you curious about?"

"Among the students of Trinity, there are quite a few who have 'wings' and therefore feathers. But I've never seen one as unique as Cinna before... I'm a little curious, will Cinna's feather change with the seasons and as she grows, just like other Trinity students?"

Serina didn't quite understand why Amamiya would ask that question, but it wasn't a completely unanswerable private question.

After recalling the details about her feathers, Cinna slowed her speech, saying as she thought, "My feathers do indeed grow like other Trinity students, and naturally fall off with the seasons..."

"Then, according to the traditions of Trinity, the fallen feathers are generally collected as much as possible. They are kept as 'proof of growth' or other special mementos..."

Why did Sensei suddenly ask about 'feathers'?

Amamiya thought to herself, "It's because Serina gets nervous and wants to touch her feathers, and that action reminds me of the 'promise' I made with Azusa."

(Chapter 32 of "Belief")

When Zi gave him her feather, it felt like she was giving him a solemn and sacred vow ring.

"Because I've been thinking about a question..."

Under the pink-haired girl's puzzled gaze, Amamiya stroked her chin and spoke with the same thoughtful expression as Natsumi: "...For the students of Trinity, does giving away their feathers have... um, some strange special meaning?"

"...?!"

【~???~】

Suddenly asked a strange question, Qinna froze on the spot.

After a brief moment of dazedness, the girl's already bright eyes became exceptionally moist, brimming with emotion.

Quietly quickening her pace to follow Amamiya, and observing the adult who seemed to have asked the question out of mere curiosity, Serina concluded that Sensei was simply asking a question out of nowhere, not for any other purpose.

"This...this...about Sensei, um..."

Twirling her own feathers, Qinna's thoughts went through a thousand twists and turns in an instant.

'If I were to give the feather to Sensei first, even if it was without Sensei's knowledge, it would still be...'

After considering it for a moment, she softened her tone and said, "Indeed, for students with feathers, 'feathers' are very important. They won't easily give their feathers to anyone—not even their best friends."

"But since it was given voluntarily... it symbolizes some kind of 'commitment,' right?"

"So, 'feathers'...are they that important to Trinity students?"

Serina's words were quite subtle, but Amamiya understood them and roughly grasped the determination that Azusa had shown when she plucked her own inner feathers to give to her.

This is... a solemn promise.

After a slight pause, Amamiya sighed, "I originally wanted one of Serina's feathers... Since the feather is so important, it's best not to say such things lightly."

【~???~】

"...?"

"...??!"

Qinna's pupils dilated in shock once again.

"Sensei...why do you want my...feather?"

Amamiya said in a serious tone: "The students of Trinity... their wings are either black or white, with only a very few being inky black or other colors."

“But Cinna is different from those students with wings.”

With the double bond of "Emotional Filter" (Little Green) + "Voice of the Stars" (Little Jade), Amamiya took a deep breath and suddenly said affectionately, "Seri Na has no wings... but she is like a 'guardian angel' who is always wandering around me and watching over me."

"Eh?! Ah...? That, that...sen, Seni...?!"

Ignoring the girl's flustered and bewildered expression, as well as her look of being watched by those around her, Amamiya continued, "Sena's feathers are also very different from those of other Trinity students... they are a unique pink."

"Perhaps... it's an angel's feather that can ward off illness and misfortune if worn on the body?"

Cinna's faith is being tested...

After her emotions surged like a torrent across a certain boundary, for some reason, Qin Na felt that the feelings of excitement, sweetness, and so on were all drifting away from her.

I don't want to think about anything anymore...

If only I could hug the adult who was saying these things right in front of me, who hadn't yet realized how dangerous it was, and release all the pent-up feelings of care I had for him...

'Haa...haa...'

That feeling has returned...

Exclusive desire!

【~???~】

She tilted her head slightly, suppressing all her excess emotions, and naturally revealed her angelic smile and aura.

"...Sensei, let's talk about today's 'schedule'?"

"You said that the custom-made clothing for the Knights of Rescue would require traveling back a thousand years, but... why is that?"

Seeing Serina's reaction and the blue favorability indicator he saw, Amamiya knew that Serina's favorability had probably been raised.

"It's because of the millennium-old engineering department."

Amamiya stopped and pointed in a direction to Serina, whose gaze was fixed on him: "Look over there."

Following the direction Amamiya pointed, Serina saw... a large building that looked like a 'temple for the inheritance of a fantasy world,' completely out of place with the atmosphere of the entire thousand-year-old school.

“That’s the engineering department building… If Serina or Mina don’t really like black-themed clothing, I know an engineering student…”

"In the special field of self-made clothing, she should be the master among masters."

Hmm...it does give you the feeling that 'you can tell someone is good at making clothes just by looking at their architecture'.

Logically speaking, this style of architecture shouldn't exist in a thousand years...

Is it also because of Sensei?

'...'

With Serina by her side, Amamiya headed straight for the engineering department building.