Chapter 15: Sword and Seasoning

In the office of the Tea Party, the leadership steering the massive institution of Trinity General School:

“The entire Supplementary Lessons Department is expected to pass the next special exam?”

“Yes… As per your instructions, I collected and reviewed the discarded mock exam papers from the training camp. Even the members who were struggling have shown significant score improvements, enough to reach the passing threshold.”

“…Understood. Good work.”

Sitting alone at the table, Nagisa sipped her tea gracefully, nodding at the report from her direct subordinate.

“Um… Nagisa-sama.”

The officer from the Pater faction, having just finished her report with a thick dossier tucked under her arm, cautiously spoke again.

“Is it really necessary to go this far…?”

“…?”

“I-I’m sorry…!”

Nagisa’s slight frown as she lowered her teacup silenced the girl instantly, a stark reflection of Trinity’s reality: a free-spirited academic culture on the surface, but rigid hierarchies among its members.

Still, Nagisa respected the opinion enough not to press the unfortunate student further beyond the silent warning.

“Is the information about the temporary transfer student in the Supplementary Lessons Department being kept under wraps?”

Instead, Nagisa shifted to the topic of the high-priority individual she’d forcibly assigned to the department for monitoring.

“Y-Yes…! The Sisterhood and the Justice Task Force likely have some information through their own sources, but exposure to regular students and the outside world is still minimal.”

As the flustered girl answered promptly, Nagisa, the current host of the Tea Party, turned her gaze to the two empty seats at the table.

“…”

One seat vacant due to a mysterious attack, the other absent for unknown reasons—the empty spots of the other two Tea Party members.

‘With Seia gone and Mika’s whereabouts unclear, I’m the only host who can act right now.’

Grip.

Feeling the weight of her role as host, Nagisa unconsciously tightened her grip on her teacup.

‘If someone is still targeting the Tea Party, I’m likely next after Seia. I’ve arranged for Mika to take over as host if needed… but I must take action myself.’

Despite the turmoil in her seasoned political mind, Nagisa quickly made a decision and issued new orders to the still-nervous subordinate.

“Let’s… loosen security a bit going forward. Yes, stop controlling information about her. Being overly cautious isn’t ideal.”

She hid her troubled state behind her usual refined smile.

“D-Does that mean… you’ll make her presence public, Nagisa-sama?”

“No, that’s not necessary. For now, simply ceasing to restrict information will suffice. You may go.”

“Y-Yes! I’ll carry out your orders, Nagisa-sama.”

“…”

Watching the girl leave, slightly relieved by the apparent lowering of vigilance despite Nagisa’s true intentions, Nagisa couldn’t help but feel a tinge of bitterness.

‘…She only met you briefly, yet you managed to charm her in that short time. Quite an enviable talent.’

The student who’d just left was the one who, under Nagisa’s orders, had brought Kaoru and Schale’s Sensei to her that day in the heart of Trinity.

‘That’s exactly why I must remain wary of you, Itokonoue Kaoru.’

Recalling Kaoru’s enigmatic smile from that day, Nagisa turned to gaze at the blue sky outside, muttering inwardly.

‘…Now, let’s see how you move.’

Hanako – 100 points, pass.

Azusa – 78 points, pass.

Koharu – 72 points, pass.

Hifumi – 88 points, pass.

Me… 86 points, pass.

…My score’s way higher than I expected.

Looking at the results of the Supplementary Lessons Department’s fourth mock exam, I was impressed by everyone’s remarkable progress.

“You all did great! Especially Koharu, your score improved so much!”

“W-Well… for an ace of the Justice Task Force like me, this is nothing…!”

Sensei, handing out the exam papers, beamed with praise, and Koharu, equally excited, boasted in response.

Since my heartfelt talk with Hanako that night, our study sessions had been progressing smoothly.

“Haha… it’s thanks to Hanako-chan’s help!”

“She’s right, it was a huge help.”

After learning the truth about the Supplementary Lessons Department, Hanako apologized to Sensei and Hifumi for her antics and began fully cooperating, significantly boosting everyone’s study efficiency.

“Fufu, I’m just doing what I should’ve done. Right, Kaoru-san?”

“…Oh my.”

“You two! You’re too close! If you do anything weird, it’s execution, I say!”

On another note, Hanako’s growing comfort with me—perhaps due to our reduced psychological distance—sometimes made Koharu blush furiously.

Knowing Hanako’s bold personality from the game, I brushed it off easily.

At this rate, even with Nagisa’s scheme to raise the passing threshold to 90 points for the second special exam, we might pass if we can secure the test papers.

As I entertained such optimistic thoughts about the upcoming exam…

BOOM!

“…Hmm?”

“What was that…?”

A faint explosion from outside startled us, and we all looked around in confusion.

“Sounds like a trap went off, from the garden.”

“…Azusa, didn’t I tell you to disarm all the anti-personnel mines after Mari got caught in one last time?”

As Azusa calmly identified the sound, Sensei asked with an exasperated expression.

“Yes, Sensei. I removed all the anti-personnel mines. But that was an anti-tank mine—meaning an intruder tried to enter with heavy equipment.”

“Sigh… you didn’t remove those. Alright, everyone, let’s go check. Someone might be hurt.”

With a resigned sigh, Sensei led us to investigate the unknown “intruder.”

…Why are they here now?

That was my first thought upon seeing the “intruders” scattered across the chaotic annex garden, wrecked by the explosion.

“Ugh… our catering truck…! It was brand new this month…!”

“Fufufu, don’t worry too much, Fuuka-san. Some sacrifices are inevitable in the pursuit of divine flavors.”

“Who decided that?!”

A petite girl, inexplicably bound with rope, wailed at the sight of a half-destroyed truck, while a stunning silver-haired girl beside her offered absurd comfort with a calm smile.

“Fufufu, sorry. Looks like we drove the truck right into a minefield.”

“…Oh, right! Is the gold maguro okay?”

“Owow… worry about us first!”

Around them, several other Gehenna girls, likely passengers in the truck, were picking themselves up.

“What in the world…”

As Sensei muttered, bewildered by the incomprehensible scene, Azusa, maintaining her composure, stepped forward with her gun.

Click.

“You’ve trespassed into the Supplementary Lessons Department’s secure area. If you don’t want to be subdued, identify yourselves immediately.”

“Eek… Azusa-chan, you don’t have to sound that scary…”

Hifumi, startled by Azusa’s immediate weapon-drawing, tugged at her sleeve, whispering.

But the silver-haired leader of the intruders, her flowing hair striking, responded to Azusa’s demand with an unruffled, elegant demeanor.

“Fufu, yes, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Kurodate Haruna, president of Gehenna’s Gourmet Research Society.”

Her name, paired with her stunning beauty and notorious eccentricities, was one I remembered well.

“I’m Wanibuchi Akari~”

“I’m Shishidou Izumi!”

“…Akashi Junko.”

As the other Gourmet Research Society members introduced themselves, Haruna gestured to the apron-clad, still-bound girl beside her.

“And this is Aikiyo Fuuka-san, the culinary advisor for our Gourmet Research Society.”

“Advisor, my foot! Untie me already!”

“Fufufu, a kidnapping? What an interesting situation~”

Though none of us, including Hanako—who laughed with intrigue—bought Haruna’s shameless claim, Hanako tapped a finger to her lips as if recalling something and recited the group’s reputation.

“…The Gourmet Research Society. I’ve heard of you. You’re quite infamous as terrorists in Gehenna, aren’t you? Fufu.”

“T-Terrorists?! How did Gehenna students even get here?! I-If you’re planning something bad in Trinity, the Justice Task Force won’t let it slide…!”

Koharu, trembling with alarm, shouted at the intruders.

“Something bad? How rude. We’re simply here to meet someone.”

“Meet someone…?”

Sensei muttered, a strange expression crossing her face, as if she had a hunch.

I, too, had a sinking feeling about who they meant.

It’s definitely…

“Yes, we’ve come a long way after hearing a sword-wielder was staying here.”

…Yup, it’s me.

“Sword-wielder…?”

“Uuu…”

The highly specific term drew everyone’s eyes to me in unison.

With no way to dodge the obvious, I reluctantly stepped forward.

“…Oh my, could that be me?”

Spotting the sword on my back, Haruna’s eyes sparkled like a child seeing a coveted toy, and she took a step closer.

“Indeed, you’re really here. May I have your name?”

“I’m Itokonoue Kaoru. So, why did you come looking for me?”

“Fufufu, I’m delighted you seem easy to talk to. I’ll get straight to the point, Kaoru-san.”

The devilish girl, infamous even in the lawless Gehenna as a terrorist, looked at me with eager eyes and revealed her reason for coming.

“Would you lend your sword to our Gourmet Research Society?”