Chapter 7: The Blade Between Us
…Wasn’t Misono Mika supposed to visit Sensei a bit later?
“…”
Staring at the pink-haired angel who entered the room with a wide grin, I was struck speechless, my mind reeling with confusion.
In the original story, Mika’s appearance during the Supplementary Lessons Department’s training camp came after the study sessions had progressed, and she met Sensei privately, not the other members…
“Eh, Outsider-chan, not even gonna return my greeting? If you just keep smiling like that, I might feel a bit hurt.”
Mika’s playful, mock-sad comment snapped me out of my daze, and I hurriedly responded.
“Oh, my apologies. It was a bit sudden. I’m Itokonoue Kaoru.”
“Hmm~ As expected, you’re super calm. No wonder Nagi-chan’s so suspicious of you. Not that I care, though! Anyway, I’ll make myself at home~”
Dismissing her own words as if they meant nothing, Mika rattled off her thoughts rapid-fire, closed the door behind her, and approached me by the bedside.
Click.
“Wow… you’re as gorgeous as the rumors say. I might just fall for you if I’m not careful~”
Stopping right in front of me, Mika examined me like a fascinating toy, looking me up and down.
Though I was noticeably taller, creating a slight downward angle, knowing the terrifying power this angelic girl wielded made me inwardly tense.
Fortunately—or unfortunately—my body maintained its usual enigmatic smile, keeping up the calm facade.
“Hahaha! What’s this? A real sword? You’re not some character from a historical novel—this is hilarious! So, this is your weapon?”
Spotting the sword on the bed, Mika burst into genuine laughter, teasing me.
“Fufu, yes. It’s a delicate child, so please don’t touch it.”
“Sorry, sorry, it’s just too tempting~ Oh, is this the stuff Nagi-chan sent?”
My composed response led Mika to notice the supply box, and as she inspected its contents—stripped of Trinity’s emblem—she muttered with a slight smirk.
“Hmm… she went this far, huh? Nagi-chan acts all generous, but she’s secretly so petty. Don’t you think so, Outsider-chan?”
…Coming from the real mastermind behind the upcoming events, I don’t even know how to respond.
Though her words left me dumbfounded, I kept my thoughts to myself.
Meeting Mika now was already an unexpected development, and I needed to avoid stirring up trouble.
Instead, I quickly tried to steer the conversation to end this uneasy encounter.
“So, what brought you to see me?”
“Wow, straight to the point?! Shouldn’t we do some ice-breaking or something first?”
Mika feigned surprise with an exaggerated pout, clearly insincere.
“Well, since Nagi-chan already told you the real purpose of the Supplementary Lessons Department, I won’t waste your time.”
Her playful expression vanished, replaced by her original sly smile, as she answered my question.
“I hate to say it now, but I agree with Nagi-chan that there’s probably someone behind you, Outsider-chan. I mean, showing up at this exact moment and getting tangled with Sensei? The timing and place are just too perfect, don’t you think?”
She shared the same suspicions as Nagisa.
“…”
Her point about the suspiciously perfect timing left me momentarily speechless, unable to come up with an immediate defense.
As I stayed silent, Mika fixed her amber eyes on me, continuing with a curious tone.
“So, Outsider-chan, who are you? Who sent you to Trinity? Gehenna, spying on us before the Eden Treaty? Millennium, wary of the balance between the major academies shifting? Maybe Hyakkiyako, whose leader plays innocent but is sly as they come? Or perhaps the General Student Council, securing an informant just in case? Hmm, that last one sounds the most plausible!”
…There’s no such thing! If there’s someone who sent me here, I’d like to meet them myself.
“Fufu, I’m sorry, but I just ended up in this world alone. There’s no mastermind behind me.”
“Haha, of course you’d say that. I didn’t expect you to admit anything.”
“Hmm… but if you came to see me despite that, you must have something specific to say?”
Though she clearly didn’t believe me, Mika didn’t seem hostile, so I probed further. The angelic girl nodded with a slightly enigmatic expression.
“…You’re definitely not ordinary. Yep, you’re right. I came to make a request.”
“A request?”
“Yeah, it’s not a big deal!”
Mika answered energetically, waving a finger as she explained why she’d come.
“All I want is one thing: for you, Outsider-chan, to stay a neutral observer and not interfere. Oh, and don’t worry—I won’t stop you from gathering info at Trinity either. Whoever’s behind you, you can contact them, report, do whatever you want. How’s that? Pretty tempting offer, right?”
“There’s no mastermind… but that’s all you want?”
“Haha, well, I barely know anything about you, Outsider-chan. If I tried ordering around someone I don’t understand, who knows what trouble that’d cause?”
She’d only come to warn me, ensuring her plans wouldn’t be disrupted by an unexpected variable like me.
Phew… at least she’s not here to cause me harm.
Relieved, I tried to agree to her proposal.
“Fufu, you’re right. That’s a wise choice.”
The problem was, I forgot this body often twists my words into metaphorical expressions against my will.
And, of course, this time it came out with an unnecessary flourish.
“When borrowing an unfamiliar blade, one might accidentally wound a dear friend.”
“…!!!”
A metaphor eerily fitting for the third Tea Party member, who’s currently faking her death and in hiding after Mika orchestrated an attack by Arius.
Oh…?!
Realizing the words that slipped out had struck precisely at the nerve Mika was guarding, her hand shot out like lightning, grabbing my slender wrist.
“Oh my.”
“…Itokonoue Kaoru.”
Blinking in surprise, I faced Mika, who had brought her face so close our noses nearly touched.
Her playful demeanor was gone, replaced by a chilling, dead-eyed stare as she looked up at me.
“What exactly do you know?”
Her voice, devoid of its earlier levity, carried a hint of menace.
…This is bad.