Chapter 17: Midnight Summons, Crimson Intent

On the bridge connecting the two massive autonomous districts of Trinity and Gehenna:

“Phew… looks like it’s finally wrapped up.”

By now, well into the dead of night, Sensei, who had accompanied me here, leaned against the railing with a weary sigh, looking exhausted.

As she untied her usual loosely bound hair, her brown locks flowed gently in the cool night breeze blowing across the bridge.

I hadn’t noticed much since she usually carries herself so casually, but in moments like this, Sensei’s mature beauty, undimmed by fatigue, was undeniable—not on my level, perhaps, but striking nonetheless.

Quietly admiring her, I sidled up and spoke.

“Fufu, you worked hard today, Master.”

“Haha, no way. I should be apologizing for dragging you out here, Kaoru.”

I shook my head at her words and replied.

“Not at all, I had fun. Thanks to you, this one got to spend a bit more time with us too.”

“Uh… me?”

I glanced at Fuuka, standing awkwardly beside me, the ropes that had bound her earlier long gone.

Meeting Fuuka in person for the first time today, I found her even kinder than in the original story—so much so that her constant victimization by the Gourmet Research Society felt all the more pitiable.

Still, now that we’d made this connection, maybe I could grab a meal if I ever visited Gehenna?

“Fufu, right. I hope this visit wasn’t too bad for you, Fuuka?”

“W-Well… I was kidnapped and dragged here, but… you all seem like good people…”

When I asked with a teasing smile, Fuuka blushed slightly, nodding despite her unease.

“Fufufu, well said, Kaoru-san. I, too, am having a rare experience, seeing things from Fuuka-san’s perspective~” came another lively voice nearby, prompting Fuuka to scowl instantly.

“Ugh…!”

Whipping around, Fuuka pointed accusingly at the speaker and shouted.

“…Start reflecting already!”

Beside us stood the catering department’s truck, its body wrecked by Azusa’s anti-tank mine but somehow still towable.

Inside, the four Gourmet Research Society members sat, thoroughly bound by the Justice Task Force, unable to move a finger.

“Phew… Fuuka’s right. Once you’re back and disciplined by the Disciplinary Committee, try to behave,” Sensei added with a sigh, having quickly learned how reckless these girls were.

“Discipline? Just another part of the experience, perhaps~ Fufu,” Haruna replied.

“I’m starving~ What’s on the menu for late-night snacks at the Disciplinary Committee’s lockup?” Izumi whined.

“…We came all this way and didn’t even get to taste the maguro!” Junko grumbled.

Their responses fell on deaf ears, as expected.

“Though we didn’t get to sample the Gold Maguro… it’s fine. Meeting you and Kaoru-san made this journey worthwhile, fufu,” Haruna said.

“Oh my, really?” I replied.

“Yes, come to Gehenna next time, and I’ll personally introduce you to new gourmet delights~”

Haruna, despite being tightly bound, looked genuinely delighted as she gazed at me.

…I’d exchanged MomoTalk IDs with her on the way here at her insistence, but now I’m wondering if that was a good idea.

Vroom.

As I pondered whether this connection with the elegant terrorist was safe, the sound of vehicles from Gehenna’s side echoed, signaling their arrival to take custody of the culprits.

True to the Gourmet Research Society’s infamy, nearly ten Disciplinary Committee vehicles approached, though most stopped at the bridge’s end. Only one black-painted truck drove up to us.

As in the original story, Sensei was here tonight because, with the Eden Treaty looming, Schale, a direct affiliate of the General Student Council, was mediating the handover of the Gourmet Research Society to avoid direct tension between the Justice Task Force and the Disciplinary Committee.

The only difference? I, a vaguely affiliated Trinity student, had tagged along instead of the others.

Skid.

A stern-looking girl in a nurse’s uniform stepped out of the truck that stopped before us.

“I’m Himuro Sena, head of Gehenna’s Emergency Medicine Department. Where are the… bodies, I mean, patients?”

True to her character, she used her peculiar term for people.

“Nice to meet you. I’m the Sensei from Schale, as requested. The students are over here,” Sensei replied.

“Understood.”

“Fufu, see you next time, Sensei, Kaoru-san,” Haruna said.

“Uh, could you maybe loosen the ropes a bit? My arms are tied too tight—” Akari added.

Thud.

Without responding to their carefree remarks, Sena mechanically tossed the Gourmet Research Society members into the truck like luggage, then turned to me and spoke quietly.

“…You must be the rumored outsider.”

“Hm?”

“Oh my, you know me?”

“I heard about you from Leader Mine. Despite the strained relations between Trinity and Gehenna, the Sisterhood and Emergency Medicine Department maintain minimal contact.”

…That’s a detail I didn’t know.

“Fufu, is that so? What did Mine say about me?”

Curious about this unfamiliar bit of lore, I casually asked about my reputation.

“She said you’re extremely erratic and to stay cautious. I thought it irrelevant since I don’t deal with non-bodies, but…”

“…Hmm.”

The not-so-flattering, if fact-based, response left me a bit deflated.

…Is she still holding a grudge about me wrecking her weapons?

But she attacked me first!

As I inwardly grumbled about my unintended scuffle with Mine, another figure approached.

“…So, you’re the one tasked with handing over the Gourmet Research Society, Sensei.”

“Oh, Hina! It’s been a while!” Sensei greeted warmly, recognizing the white-haired girl in a uniform approaching on foot from the other side of the bridge.

As Sensei called her name, I met the final figure of the night: Sorasaki Hina, head of Gehenna’s Disciplinary Committee.

Her striking purple horns, halo, and imposing machine gun matched her game illustration perfectly.

Though a head shorter than me—definitely not using her own height as a reference—Hina exuded an indescribable aura despite her impassive expression.

As I studied the appearance of Gehenna’s unmatched powerhouse, she noticed my gaze and turned to me.

“…Itokonoue Kaoru, right?”

“Oh my.”

…When did I get this famous?

Surprised that my name came up without introduction, Sensei looked puzzled and asked Hina.

“Hina, how do you already know Kaoru?”

“Hmm… looks like neither of you knew,” Hina said, slightly widening her eyes before continuing in a low voice.

“No boast, but with the Eden Treaty approaching, Gehenna’s been closely monitoring Trinity’s internal affairs—key figures’ movements, Tea Party activities, and so on. At some point, there was a strangely blank gap in the intel, like someone erased it.”

That means…

“Fufu, someone’s been covering my tracks?” I said.

“Exactly. But as of yesterday, that information control suddenly stopped, and details about you flooded in. The Gourmet Research Society probably came looking for you after hearing those rumors.”

“…Someone was hiding Kaoru’s existence and then abruptly stopped? Why…” Sensei muttered, shocked.

Hina, with a slightly bitter expression, shared her theory.

“There are several possible reasons. Either they wanted to provoke a reaction by making us wary of this outsider, or they exposed you to push you into reckless action. Either way, someone in Trinity is deeply suspicious of you. Do you have any strained relationships with their leadership?”

Strained relationships… I can think of a few. And the one who’d use these tactics is obvious.

“…”

Sensei, too, seemed to realize who was behind this just from Hina’s words, biting her lip with a darkened expression.

“Fufu… looks like the host still doesn’t take kindly to me, Master,” I said.

“Nagisa…” Sensei murmured.

“…As expected, it’s her. Only the Tea Party has the authority to control information like that in Trinity,” Hina said, nodding slightly as we named the culprit.

The Tea Party isn’t just Nagisa, but from what I know, Mika wouldn’t resort to such schemes, and Seia, in hiding, has been friendly toward me.

“But because of that, Gehenna has no reason to be wary of you, Itokonoue Kaoru,” Hina added.

“Oh my, really?”

“Yes. Testing external reactions like this suggests you’re not a plant set up by Trinity for some scheme. Since we’re here with Sensei, I’ll offer some advice.”

Surprised by her words, I listened as Hina calmly explained and gave her counsel.

“Unlike our foolish Makoto, the Tea Party’s host is someone who’ll use dirty tactics if needed. Be careful not to give them any reason to pick a fight.”

Given the events awaiting the Supplementary Lessons Department, her advice felt far from realistic.

Nagisa’s misconceptions won’t clear up until the final third remedial exam next week. Do I just lay low until then?

“…”

As I mulled over my approach in silence, a warm voice came from beside me.

“…Kaoru, just focus on the upcoming second exam.”

“Master…?”

“That’s a student’s duty, after all. Dealing with Nagisa’s baseless suspicions comes later. If anyone tries to mess with you, I’ll be there to help.”

Sensei patted my shoulder with a reassuring smile.

Having experienced her kindness repeatedly since arriving in this world, I couldn’t help but think she’s truly remarkable.

“Fufu, thank you, Master.”

But despite my genuine gratitude for this endlessly kind adult, I couldn’t shake an uneasy thought.

Given Nagisa’s paranoid actions in the original story during this period, the real trouble hasn’t even started yet.

The next day:

“Fufufu… they’re going this far… interesting~”

Despite her words, Hanako’s eyes weren’t smiling as she led the Supplementary Lessons Department in collective shock.

The first reason, as expected from the original story, was the absurd changes to the second remedial exam scheduled for tomorrow:

– Exam scope tripled.

– Passing threshold raised from 60 to 90 points.

– Exam venue changed to Gehenna’s lawless zone.

– Exam time set for 3 a.m.

“What is this?! It’s cheating! A violation of school rules!” Koharu stomped furiously, outraged by changes that essentially screamed, “Don’t take the exam.”

“No choice. We do what we can. But there’s another issue,” Azusa said, looking at me with a worried expression.

“Uuu… thanks to Kaoru-san checking early, we found out in time, but…” Hifumi added, equally concerned.

Knowing these tactics from the original story, the exam changes didn’t shock me.

I’d even prompted Hifumi to check the notice early to give us a head start.

“…Fufu, this is a problem.”

The real issue was an unexpected notice posted right below the exam changes:

[Summons Order (Itokonoue Kaoru)]

…Addressed directly to me.

“…”

Sensei, who had reviewed it with me, glared at the screen with a genuinely furious expression this time.

Even I, somewhat prepared, couldn’t help but share her sentiment.

“Hmm…”

You’ll regret this later.

Muttering that inwardly toward the orchestrator, I reread the blatantly intentional notice.

—

[Summons Order (Itokonoue Kaoru)]

To: Itokonoue Kaoru

We hope this finds you well.

As of today, suspicions have been raised that you have made contact and collaborated with terrorists from Gehenna Academy who committed crimes by infiltrating Trinity’s autonomous district.

This poses a significant threat to the district’s safety and is a grave matter that could result in the detention and expulsion of all members of the Supplementary Lessons Department, where you are currently enrolled, per school regulations.

To verify these facts, please appear at the designated location at midnight today with your guardian.

Failure to comply without a pre-approved valid reason may be considered an admission of the aforementioned suspicions.

– Tea Party Host, Kirifuji Nagisa

—

…That’s a bit harsh.