Chapter 6: The Smile in the Mirror, the Angel at the Door

“Alright, go unpack your things, Kaoru. I told the kids to rest for a bit, so let’s head down in about 30 minutes to help with the cleaning.”

“Yes, Master. See you soon, then.”

“Uh, yeah…”

Watching Sensei enter her room with a slightly odd expression, I turned and opened the door to the bedroom where I’d be staying with the Supplementary Lessons Department students.

Creak.

“…Oh, how adorable.”

The words slipped out in this body’s awkward tone, but it was my genuine first impression of the room.

Unlike the vague in-game background, the real-life sight of the Supplementary Lessons Department’s bedroom truly felt like the word “adorable” fit perfectly.

Hifumi’s space was filled with all sorts of Peroro merchandise, Koharu and Hanako’s areas screamed high school girl vibes, and even Azusa’s meticulously organized spot somehow carried a subtle girlish charm.

Let’s see… my spot must be over there.

Taking a moment to admire the spacious room, I easily found my designated place among the empty beds.

As promised when Nagisa forced me into the Supplementary Lessons Department, a box of basic necessities was already waiting by the bedside.

The bedding, noticeably cleaner than the other empty beds, suggested the other students had tidied it up while arranging their own spaces.

“Fufu, such kind girls.”

Muttering my gratitude to the Supplementary Lessons Department, I stepped toward my spot.

Swish.

I placed the old, practically decorative revolver and the Japanese sword—whose use I didn’t know—on the bed, then reached for the pre-delivered supplies.

“Hmm…”

A set of Trinity’s designated gym clothes, various toiletries, stationery, a card that seemed to contain some spending money, and a media player likely for study BDs.

Despite the clear suspicion surrounding my situation, Nagisa had at least provided ample supplies as promised.

“…What a curious joke.”

But one thing stood out, likely Nagisa’s doing.

Every item, including the clearly school-issued clothing, had Trinity’s emblem removed.

It was as if to say, “Your status here is still undecided, so don’t forget.”

“Fufu, drawing a line, are we?”

What a pointless way to play mind games.

Doesn’t this kind of thing just make Trinity’s image weirder?

Though the almost sinister display of caution was absurd, unlike Nagisa’s likely intent, it didn’t worry me much.

With Sensei here, the upcoming events surrounding the Supplementary Lessons Department would surely resolve, and my situation would naturally sort itself out.

“Now, then…”

Finished inspecting the supply box, I turned to the contents of the bookbag I’d been carrying since waking up in this world.

I was a bit curious.

Since nothing was ever revealed about how students lived in Project KV’s Kapila, this was my first real chance to dig through the bag, beyond a quick peek last night.

“Hmm…”

Contrary to my quiet anticipation, Kaoru’s bag held mostly ordinary items.

A pencil case with various stationery like a mechanical pencil, a simple notebook, a student ID marked with the Manyoshu Dormitory logo, and a few worn poetry books—nothing special.

A bit old-fashioned for this day and age, but typical for a literature-loving high school girl.

“…This, though.”

One thing did catch my eye.

At the bottom of the bag was a small box containing a well-crafted whetstone, a vial of what seemed to be polishing oil, a thick cloth, and other small tools.

This must be… a sword maintenance kit, right?

Though I’d never seen or used such items in my life, I could easily guess their purpose.

The neatly organized kit showed clear signs of use, suggesting the original Kaoru regularly maintained her sword.

…But I can’t use it at all.

The only blades I’ve ever handled are kitchen knives.

If anything, I’d have better luck with a gun.

I could tie my hair with a hairpin like it was second nature, so why can’t I recall anything about using a sword?

“…”

Feeling a bit sulky about my uncertain future in this chaotic Kivotos, I reached for the weapon I’d placed on the bed.

The Japanese sword, slightly shorter than my roughly 170cm height, was still impressively long.

It’s probably made of steel, but it feels surprisingly light for its size.

With that thought, I brought the sword in front of me, gripped the handle with one hand, and carefully drew it upward.

Shing.

With a soft friction sound, the silver blade slowly emerged from its black scabbard.

The mirror-like blade, clearly well-maintained, reflected a beautiful girl with lavender hair and a gentle smile.

…No matter how many times I see it, this appearance is something else.

No wonder so many fans lamented Kaoru’s disappearance when the game was canceled.

As I gazed at my—or rather, Itokonoue Kaoru’s—reflection in the blade, recalling those small memories,

Step.

“…Oh.”

A sudden presence in the hallway made me hurriedly slide the half-drawn blade back into its scabbard.

Click.

Confirming the sword sheathed easily, I set it down on the bed, stood up, and called toward the door.

“Hmm… who’s there?”

For some reason, I had a feeling it wasn’t Sensei or the Supplementary Lessons Department girls.

“Ahaha, caught me!”

Sure enough, the playful laugh from behind the door was a voice I hadn’t heard since arriving in this world.

But… it sounds oddly familiar?

Before I could place the voice, the person opened the door without knocking and stepped inside.

“I heard Sensei just arrived, so I figured I’d find you here. Looks like I was right~”

“…”

…Huh?

The moment I saw the girl in a pristine white uniform giving me a meaningful smile, my thoughts froze.

Thankfully, even as my mind stalled, this body’s usual smile remained, letting me face her without looking fazed.

“Hmm, so it’s you? The ‘outsider’ Nagi-chan slipped into the Supplementary Lessons Department. Well… shall we say it’s our first meeting here?”

Long pink hair flowing down to her waist, a pair of white wings adorned with accessories reflecting her hobbies, a neatly decorated submachine gun with Trinity’s emblem in her pale hands, and a face—playful now, but undeniably as beautiful as mine.

This angelic girl, a central figure in the events soon to unfold, introduced herself with a mischievous yet not entirely friendly smile.

“Trinity Tea Party’s Pater Faction representative, Misono Mika. Nice to meet you, Outsider-chan~☆”

…Why are you here right now?