Chapter 29: Light Rings and Kneeling Crowns
…Hnn.
Why is this kind of question on a high school exam?
I grumbled inwardly as I read the absurdly out-of-place question on the [Comprehensive Firearms Tactics – Q30: Describe the most effective ammunition type for the following targets and the reasons why].
Despite my frustration, I began writing down the answers I’d memorized to death with Azusa and Hanako’s help.
Sigh… I can’t even use this knowledge with my gun.
The thought of the worn-out antique pistol strapped to my bag alongside my sword—incapable of even selecting “ammunition types”—made me sigh internally.
Scritch, scritch.
Wow… is this really my handwriting?
I couldn’t help but marvel at Kaoru’s elegant script flowing effortlessly from my pale fingers.
It was something that still amazed me every time.
Anyway, I’ve gotten pretty used to this subject.
The others were never a problem for me, so today’s score should be decent.
“Fufufu, this one came up again~,” Hanako chirped.
“Oh… I remember this…!” Hifumi exclaimed.
“Ugh… so it’s…” Koharu mumbled.
“Alright, just as planned,” Azusa said.
Taking a moment to listen, it seemed the other Supplementary Lessons Department members were tackling the questions without much trouble, Hanako leading the charge as usual.
Some time later—
Ding-a-ling!
“Time’s up!”
The timer on the front desk rang, and Sensei, seated by the podium, clapped her hands and stood.
“Phew…!” Hifumi let out a sigh, joined by the others, as the tension of the exam melted away.
Sensei, smiling brightly as if she already knew the outcome, addressed us warmly.
“You all worked so hard.”
Today was the third and final makeup exam for our Supplementary Lessons Department—and the day the department would officially disband upon everyone’s passing.
The results were announced mere minutes after the exam ended.
With the traitor suspicions cleared and the exam conditions normalized, Sensei, as proctor, graded our papers on the spot, with scores immediately validated—a leniency Nagisa had granted.
“Here are the scores…” Sensei began, holding the papers with a beaming smile.
Even without her expression, we’d studied together until yesterday and had a good sense of everyone’s abilities, so we weren’t surprised.
The results were:
Urawa Hanako – 100
Ajitani Hifumi – 97
Shirasu Azusa – 94
Shimoe Koharu – 93
And me, Itokonoue Kaoru – 98.
“Everyone passed! Congratulations, all of you!” Sensei announced.
“Really…? I can go back to the Justice Task Force now…?” Koharu asked, stunned.
“Yes, Koharu. You did wonderfully,” Sensei assured her.
Phew, everyone passed with flying colors.
Even if Nagisa had kept the passing line at 90, we’d all have cleared it comfortably.
Relieved that the final hurdle was gone, I watched the celebrating members with a warm smile when Hanako sidled up, grinning.
“Fufufu, so this is the end of the Supplementary Lessons Department? I was hoping to spend more time with you, Kaoru-san~”
“Fufu, don’t be too disappointed. I’ll be staying at Trinity for a while,” I replied.
“Oh my, really? That’s delightful~♡” she said, her tone making me feel oddly uneasy.
As I’d told Hanako, I’d remain at Trinity under temporary enrollment even after the department’s disbandment.
Sensei had explained that transferring to another school would take time due to administrative processes.
A student without academic records appearing in the middle of the autonomous district was unprecedented in Kivotos, so the General Student Council and Trinity’s staff were scrambling to sort out the regulations.
I’ll probably be here at least until the next event in the Eden Treaty storyline…
That would make it easier to protect Sensei from any unexpected deviations from the original plot, which suited me just fine.
As I mulled over what might lie ahead, Sensei approached me after congratulating the others.
“Congratulations, Kaoru. You worked hard.”
“Fufu, all thanks to you, Master,” I replied.
But then, with a hesitant expression, Sensei added, “Um… Kaoru.”
“Yes, Master?” What’s this? She seems to have something specific to say.
“Maybe later, could we—”
Knock, knock.
Her words were cut off by a knock at the classroom door.
“Hm? Who’s… oh, it’s you,” Sensei said, opening the door with a slightly surprised look.
“Eek… hello, Sensei. Good to see you again…!” said a nervous Trinity student in a pristine white uniform, bowing shyly.
I recognized her—she was the low-ranking Tea Party member who’d first brought Sensei and me to Nagisa.
“…Hello. Did Nagisa send for us?” Sensei asked, her tone a touch guarded.
“N-No, absolutely not. It’s, um…” The girl waved her hands frantically, glancing to her side as if someone else was there.
…No way.
Click.
“Oh my,” I murmured.
As expected, the sound of heels announced the arrival of the very person I’d suspected.
“…”
A silent angelic girl with an unreadable expression stared at us.
“N-Nagisa-sama?!” Hifumi gasped.
Without her usual ornate chair, standing in the hallway as if waiting for us, was indeed Kirifuji Nagisa, the Tea Party’s host, as Hifumi said.
“T-The Tea Party’s Nagisa-sama? Why… why is she here? Our suspicions were cleared, weren’t they…?” Koharu stammered, panicking.
“Calm down, Koharu. This is our territory. I’ve secured a secret escape route just in case,” Azusa reassured her.
“Nagisa,” Sensei said, stepping forward protectively with a stern expression.
“As you can see, the exam just ended. May I ask why you’re here… uh?”
Swish.
Nagisa began moving silently, causing Sensei to trail off, her face shifting to confusion.
“Nagisa…?” Sensei repeated, her voice now tinged with shock.
“…Oh my.”
“Nagisa-sama?!”
“Eek?!”
“…”
The other members, watching Nagisa tensely, mirrored Sensei’s reaction.
Good heavens.
Even I couldn’t help but gape internally, staring at her.
Because—
Thud.
The proud host of the Tea Party had just knelt on the bare floor before us—a sight that would leave anyone speechless.