I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

The prince hasn't assembled his own guard yet. But, could we invite Serika to become the princess who guards the castle?

Thump; thump...

"Damn you, sir...why did you have to use such cheesy language on purpose..."

After giving a weak, dismissive rebuke, Qinxiang still obediently pulled out the invitation from the envelope.

"...Just fill out this form, mail it to the designated address, and wait for a reply...and you can join Xia Lai..."

After reading the instructions on the back, Serika decisively signed her name on it.

If she hesitated even for a moment, it would be a desecration of the beliefs in her heart.

Sensei is right...

Even if she could never truly become a 'real princess,' but merely received the temporary treatment and privileges of a princess through the blessing of midnight magic…

Why not take this opportunity to experience 'princess treatment,' put on those glass slippers, and try dancing with the adult who sent the invitation...?

Before the midnight magic disappeared, she was the real "Princess," without any need to escape.

"Now that we've made up our minds, let's head over to the designated mailing address..."

"Since everyone knows I work odd jobs everywhere, it's perfectly normal to go out under the guise of 'looking for work,' and it shouldn't arouse any suspicion..."

Lost in thought, Qinxiang went out.

Then she bumped into Shiroko and Nomiya, who were also deep in thought, each seemingly preoccupied with their own thoughts, unsure of what they were thinking or preparing to do.

After exchanging glances, Serika, Nomiya, and Shirako all looked away—this was probably the first time they hadn't taken the initiative to greet each other or exchange a few words.

The situation was a little awkward, but fortunately, the three of them rang at the same time the next second, interrupting the potentially awkward atmosphere.

Celery took out her phone, opened the message, and was slightly surprised.

But the very next second, she felt a sense of helplessness, as if she was about to get busy.

Abydos has indeed been very busy lately...

But I must find an opportunity to send out my own 'invitation' as soon as possible...

While pondering this, Serika deliberately raised her voice and asked in surprise under the watchful eyes of Nomiya and Shirako, "Is it a message from Hoshino-senpai...?"

"It seems they want us to go to the club activity room... Looks like they're about to start doing something like the 'handover of the Abydos plot with the Caesar Group.'"

As soon as she finished speaking, Serika saw that Shirako's wolf ears, which had been standing up in excitement, drooped down noticeably, turning into airplane ears that looked like she was in a bad mood.

"Ah."

She gave a soft "hmm" to indicate her attitude. Although her expression remained unchanged, it was clear that she was not in a good mood.

"Oh dear... Although Sensei helped us solve most of the difficulties..."

Nomiya smiled, his eyes narrowed, but the smile seemed to carry a subtle, almost imperceptible hint of reluctance: "However... there are some things that only we can accomplish on our own."

"call……"

She sighed meaningfully, then said cheerfully, "Since it's Hoshino-senpai's request... let's all go to the club room together!"

And so, the girls, each with their own thoughts, still had to deal with the mess called "reality," and ultimately, "involuntarily" embarked on the road to the club activity room.

Therefore, the First Abydos War was about to begin.

Chapter Sixteen: The First War of the Abydos 'Golden Apple'

As evening approached in Abydos, a slightly chilly evening breeze began to blow.

After spending most of the day in the club activity room, and then running around checking and receiving various documents, the girls all felt an even more bitter sense of exhaustion than when they were fighting in the otherworldly palace.

"Is this what the 'adult world' is like... sigh~"

After letting out a long sigh, Ayane rubbed her eyes, which were a little sore from concentrating for so long.

"After all, these involve various documents related to Abydos, so they must be handled carefully."

Nomiya showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever, perhaps because she was used to it, or perhaps because her attention was completely elsewhere, not on her work that day.

Nomiya's statement resonated with the girls on the countermeasures committee, but also left them feeling somewhat helpless.

This is something that absolutely cannot be done carelessly... but precisely because of this, the workload is extremely high; just organizing various documents is already exhausting.

"Speaking of which... where did Sensei go? Why haven't we seen Sensei yet..."

Serika's words silenced the girls on the countermeasures committee.

From the moment they received the 'farewell letter prepared just for them', they already knew that Sensei had actually left without saying goodbye that morning...

And that 'honorary alumna' who helped a lot during the conquest of the Hall of Fame, Hifumi, had already boarded the train back to Trinity College at noon today and embarked on her journey back to her college.

It's only two people missing...

Yet, for some reason, there was an inexplicable sense of incompleteness, as if something was missing...

Celery, who had raised this question, suddenly realized that something seemed off about her 'question'; she shouldn't have acted as if she already knew the answer calmly...

This 'special farewell letter for myself,' and 'Xia Lai's invitation,' I can't reveal to anyone else...

After clearing her throat, Serika feigned nervousness and said, "I haven't seen Sensei in so long... I'm just... a little worried about him!"

Her 'change of attitude' made the rest of her companions 'suddenly realize' and they all followed suit.

Suppressing her guilt and the feeling that she didn't want her little secret to be discovered by her companions, Ayane calmly said, "Let's go look for Sensei's place first."

Nomiya followed up with a cheerful smile and raised her hand in agreement: "Agreed☆~ Then, let's take this opportunity to see if Sensei has left any strange traces or personal belongings after staying here for a few days..."

"So……"

Hoshino rummaged through his tactical backpack and pulled out a set of keys: "Uncle happens to have a spare key to Sensei's temporary residence. Since everyone's curious... let's go check out Sensei's room..."

Ignoring the 'each with their own thoughts' gazes from her juniors, Hoshino took the key to Amamiya's former room from the keychain and then, with practiced ease, arrived at Amamiya's temporary residence amidst the increasingly strange looks and micro-expressions from her juniors.

They opened and pushed the door open with practiced ease.

'Squeak—'

When the door was opened, what appeared before the girls' eyes was a very simple 'single dormitory room' that had been temporarily renovated and put into use.

Everything here, including the electrical appliances, belongs to the Abydos campus, but for some reason, it always gives people a sense of unfamiliarity, as if someone else has lived here.

The room was exceptionally clean, even cleaner than when it was assigned to Amamiya, clearly indicating that it had been thoroughly cleaned before her departure.

"It's just an ordinary room... but the thought that it's Sensei's room gives it a feeling of 'no longer ordinary'... It's really strange."

After trying to enter the room, Ayane closed her eyes, made a 'prayer' gesture, and tried to carefully feel the 'traces of life' left in the room.

...Strangely enough, it gives people a feeling of 'quite reassurance'.

"Eh...is this a special gift that Sensei left for us...?"

Nomiya's slightly surprised voice interrupted Ayane's 'meditation'.

She looked over and found the other members curiously gathered around the desk, examining five gift boxes that looked like they had been carefully prepared.

The gift boxes are painted in different colors and feature distinct chibi-style portraits representing different members. Combined with the unique gift tie, it's hard not to think of them as "farewell gifts."

Hoshino hugged her pink gift box and slowly read the message on the gift label.

"The 'parting gift' I'm leaving for everyone is a special accessory that I obtained after I went to another world alone and specifically sought out some 'special shadows'. It might be suitable for everyone on the Countermeasures Committee."

"Perhaps it can serve as proof that we once lived and fought together in another world."

"What exactly is it?"

Nomiya, also weighing his gift box, smiled with narrowed eyes and drawled out his words of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion or reflection).

However, despite saying she was curious, she didn't seem to have any intention of opening the gift box to check it out on the spot.

Not only Nomiya, but even Shirako, who usually likes to express herself directly, was unusually silent, holding her sky-blue gift box tightly with the seriousness of a 'wolf cub guarding its food,' showing no intention of opening it on the spot.

Since the other members' gift boxes were taken away immediately after they were discovered, Ayane didn't need to distinguish them at all and simply picked up the red gift box that represented her, which resembled her eyeglasses frame.

A brief silence fell over the room as the girls on the 'Intimate' Countermeasures Committee looked at each other, exchanging bewildered glances.

After a brief 'stalemate', Hoshino, holding her gift box, casually suggested, "...It's already quite late, and everyone must be tired after a long day."

"How about we just 'disband' here?"

The suggestion was met with enthusiastic support from the younger generation.

"How about we do as Hoshino-senpai suggested... and rest for now?"

"Mmm, I agree!"

"I have no opinion."

"That's true, everyone is already very tired..."

The echoes of his juniors, each with their own agenda, stirred a sense of unease within Hoshino.

Oh dear... Sensei, with your back-and-forth, the Countermeasures Committee's style seems to be getting even weirder~~

With a sigh in his heart, Hoshino turned his gaze to the sunset outside the window.

She waited for a while, but didn't hear anyone's footsteps leaving.

...?

Sensing something was amiss, Hoshino turned her gaze back to her juniors, who, despite being under the guise of a 'temporary disbandment,' had not left.

"...Wasn't the group already disbanded? Why are you all still gathered here?"

Faced with her question, these younger generation members remained silent, keeping their eyes closed.

Instead, they all stared intently at Hoshino... or more precisely, at the room key in her hand.

Feeling slightly guilty under that menacing gaze, Hoshino began to feel a little guilty.

"Hey~~ Why are you staring at me so intently? I haven't done anything, and I don't plan to do anything, okay?"

"I've never even thought about 'sleeping in the room where Sensei rested' before, have I?"

Just kidding, it actually happened.

Even just now, a thought suddenly came to her mind.

"Hoshino-senpai..."

After hesitating for a moment, Ayane finally mustered up her courage and suggested, "Considering that Sensei may return to Abydos in the future... I think the key to his room should be kept safe."

Shirako stared intently at the key clutched in Hoshino's hand with an unspoken, predatory gaze, uttering words of agreement that were completely at odds with her expression:

"I think this key should be kept in rotation."

"'Rotational storage'...that's certainly a very constructive suggestion..."

Nomiya supported her chest with her forearm, while rubbing her chin with her other hand.

"So... who should be the 'first' one?"

Her words were like a bombshell, making the already slightly tense atmosphere even more oppressive.

The first Battle of Abydos was being prepared invisibly, seemingly ready to begin at any moment.

"...Let's leave the matter of rotating Sensei rooms to Hoshino-senpai for now."

In the deathly silence, Ayane pushed up her glasses and made a suggestion in an indifferent manner.

Ownership of Sensei's rooms... is not important.

Anyway, after joining Xia Lai, she could use her status as a "duty student" or something similar to legitimately visit Sensei...

After Ayane started, Serika, who was about to say something, suddenly brightened up as if she had thought of something.

"That's right...!"

The qualification of "Duty Officer"... allows me to stay by Sensei's side all day in another way...

It was clearly stated on that invitation!

"Well... as for Sensei's room... let's just leave it as it is."

Then, as if realizing something, Hoshino suggested, "I'll leave the key in the club room. If any of you juniors need it, feel free to take it. Just remember to put it back after you're done..."

Hmph... juniors, never underestimate the wisdom of your elders!