Chapter 3: A Snake’s Smile, a Sister’s Shadow
After much effort, I finally managed to explain to Sensei about myself—or rather, about Itokonoue Kaoru, the student whose body I now inhabited.
Truthfully, I didn’t have much information to share, and thanks to this body’s peculiar speech patterns, I might have unintentionally raised Koharu and Hasumi’s suspicions.
How does “Sorry for using difficult words” get translated into something like “Want to study something fun with this big sister?”
Anyway, thanks to a few coincidences, including my encounter with Sensei, I was able to piece together the timeline of when I’d been thrust into this world, based on the original game’s events.
Hasumi’s comment about Koharu being busy with the Supplementary Lessons Department, combined with Sensei’s stiff reaction to Nagisa’s summons.
Putting it all together, this must be the introductory part of the Eden Treaty arc, right after Nagisa revealed the true purpose behind establishing the Supplementary Lessons Department.
With that in mind, I was now heading toward the Tea Party with Sensei, feeling somewhat confident.
Given the dangerous events awaiting Kivotos, it’s probably in my best interest to let Sensei resolve things as they did in the original story.
…Though, since I’ve already been thrown into this body, a lot has already gone off the rails, hasn’t it?
“Don’t worry, Kaoru. I’ll do my best to explain things to Nagisa.”
“Fufu, thank you, Master.”
Sensei’s continuous efforts to reassure me, despite my inner turmoil clashing with this body’s demeanor, helped calm my chaotic mind, if only a little.
Even though I was just a mysterious student she’d just met, Sensei’s attitude made it clear why the original story often described her as a “dependable adult.”
Despite being a woman and strikingly beautiful—unlike the Sensei I’d imagined—she lived up to that reputation.
“Th-This way, please…! Um… Nagisa-sama said, as a special exception, you may keep your belongings, including the sword, but please be careful to avoid any incidents…”
“Thank you for letting me know. You’re a good girl, fufu.”
“Ah…”
If we’re talking purely about appearances, it was obvious my looks were a bit more… extreme.
“…E-Excuse me!”
Even the unnamed Tea Party student tasked with escorting me and Sensei to the reception room was clearly flustered just from exchanging a few words with me.
“…Phew, you really have no self-awareness.”
Even Sensei muttered under her breath with a sigh, barely audible.
No, I am aware. It’s just that this body doesn’t cooperate at all.
Ultimately, all my actions and words were clearly tied to Kaoru’s character settings, but since the game itself had vanished, it was impossible to know what backstory this body was supposed to have.
“Thank you for accepting my sudden invitation despite the late hour. I am Kirifuji Nagisa, the current host of Trinity’s Tea Party.”
The person who summoned us, Nagisa, greeted us alone with a flawless smile, befitting the leader of a major academy.
“Fufu, in a world without promises, such meetings might indeed be called fortunate.”
“…A line from classical poetry, I see. You must enjoy reading quite a bit.”
My unintended poetic greeting was met with what was likely her own subtle verbal jab.
“Let me introduce her, Nagisa. This is…”
Sensei stepped in to briefly explain my situation to the light-brown-haired girl, who exuded a different kind of elegance beyond mere beauty.
“…That’s Kaoru’s situation. It may be hard to believe, but I don’t think she’s lying.”
After saying this, Sensei looked at me intently for a moment before adding with a slightly hardened expression.
“Nagisa, let me make one thing clear. Kaoru and I…”
“No need to worry, Sensei.”
Nagisa cut her off with a slight shake of her head, as if she already knew, and spoke again with a subtle smile.
“I’m not suspecting any ulterior motives. Having heard how you two met, I understand it was purely coincidental.”
“…I won’t ask how you found out about my meeting with Kaoru so quickly.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Sensei.”
Despite the clear displeasure in Sensei’s response, Nagisa sat gracefully in her chair, unshaken, responding with unwavering composure.
Her demeanor, leaving no room for vulnerability, was exactly what you’d expect from someone navigating the “snake pit” of Trinity’s political scene.
No wonder the original Sensei once hurled the infamous “suspicious demon” insult at her—a phrase that sparked quite the controversy.
To think that someone as admirable as Sensei was driven to say such a thing in less than an hour of meeting her.
Talk about reaping what you sow.
While I was internally sympathizing with Sensei, Nagisa took a sip of her tea, turned to me, and spoke.
“And since Kaoru-san is clearly an outsider to Trinity, it would be absurd to suspect her of being a traitor plotting to sabotage the Eden Treaty.”
…That’s wordplay, isn’t it?
“Not a traitor, but you’re still leaving open the possibility she’s an invader?”
“Indeed, Kaoru-san. Either way, you’re someone who could threaten the Eden Treaty.”
When I pointed out the suspicion hidden in her words, Nagisa nodded candidly.
“Nagisa…!”
“I’m merely considering all possibilities, Sensei.”
Sensei’s voice rose slightly at Nagisa’s blunt treatment of me as a potential threat, but Trinity’s de facto leader maintained her unruffled demeanor and continued.
“As Trinity is now responsible for Kaoru-san’s custody, we have no choice but to be cautious about an outsider appearing at this time. I hope you understand.”
“…What?”
“Kaoru-san appeared within Trinity’s autonomous district. If you had records from another academy, it would be a different matter, but since no such records exist, Trinity holds primary authority over your custody. That’s the result of my prior review of the regulations.”
Hearing Nagisa’s calm explanation, Sensei frowned deeply, pulled out her tablet, and glanced at it, muttering softly as if to herself.
Though it looked like she was checking regulations, she was likely consulting Arona, the super AI residing in the “Shittim Chest” on her tablet, to verify Nagisa’s claims.
“…”
Though it could be seen as rude, Nagisa sipped her tea quietly, waiting for Sensei to finish with her tablet.
“…So, what are you trying to say?”
Whether Nagisa’s words were true or not, Sensei, unlike me who was still smiling against my will, asked with a tone tinged with quiet anger.
“Please don’t worry. As a token of gratitude for your efforts for Trinity, I only wish to offer Kaoru-san a small favor.”
“A favor…?”
Sensei raised an eyebrow at the response, and Nagisa smiled gently as she explained her proposal.
“Yes, using my personal authority as the Tea Party host, I’d like to offer Itokonoue Kaoru-san a temporary enrollment at Trinity General Academy, including a temporary residence and living expenses. It’s something I can arrange without difficulty.”
At first glance, it was an enticing offer, starkly contrasting the tense conversation thus far.
“…You want to keep Kaoru under your direct supervision, don’t you? Through joint responsibility with me and the other Supplementary Lessons Department students.”
“I can’t deny that.”
When Sensei narrowed her eyes, catching the hidden intent, Nagisa nodded without hesitation.
“But if Kaoru-san has no ill intentions, I believe this is a proposal with nothing to lose. I promise, in the name of the Tea Party host, to provide maximum support for Kaoru-san to transfer wherever she wishes after the Eden Treaty is signed.”
“…”
After Nagisa finished, Sensei bit her lip, clearly reluctant, but didn’t raise further objections.
Taking the silence as a form of agreement, Nagisa turned to me with a slightly less formal smile.
“However, I have one small request.”
‘What?’
“A first request between us? I’m curious to hear it.”
“…You’re quite bold, Kaoru-san.”
My thoughts, translated into an overly suggestive tone, made Nagisa’s expression falter slightly, though only for a moment.
“It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but Trinity is an academy that prides itself on prestige. Accepting a transfer student without any vetting would go against fairness.”
Nagisa took one final sip of her tea, then fixed me with a gaze laced with subtle pressure as she stated her condition.
“So, Kaoru-san, I’d like you to join the Supplementary Lessons Department. Like the other students, you’ll need to pass a test to have your identity guaranteed.”
A condition that, no matter how I thought about it, would inevitably drag me into the upcoming events.
…Is this really going to be okay?