Humans are creatures of adaptation, so even when you drop them in unfamiliar places, they quickly adjust. But the longer you stay in a place, the more comfortable it feels—there’s just no way around it.
If you think about it, this seems to hold true not just for humans but for other things as well. Anyway…
Excluding my and Nagisa’s cozy nest, the place where I feel most comfortable is definitely the T-party office. Naturally, that makes sense since I spend so much time here.
So, in my office, it was quite rare to have two guests visiting simultaneously.
“Welcome, Teacher!”
“…Mika, who’s that kid?”
“Huh? This is Ibuki-chan.”
“No… I’ve already met Ibuki. What I’m curious about is why that kid is here.”
The Teacher’s question touched on something that anyone would find pretty curious. If someone called you over while holding a kid in their arms, I think anyone would be intrigued.
As for why Ibuki is here, the answer is surprisingly simple.
“I kidnapped her! ☆”
“…You’re joking, right?”
“Well, who knows~?”
From my expression alone, you could never tell if I was joking or serious. A mischievous grin like mine can easily make a joke sound serious and vice versa.
To get a bit serious, Ibuki’s presence here is entirely thanks to Iroha’s help.
She was being strict in following Makoto’s advice to not speak to me at all, but there was definitely a loophole in that.
“Ibuki. Mika is a good person, so there’s no need to be so wary.”
“But Makoto-senpai told me to be careful…”
“Senpai only said not to talk to her, so following Mika and playing together should be fine.”
“…Is that so?!”
Exactly. As long as you don’t talk, it’s all good.
Thanks, Iroha. You’re our hero.
Anyway, thanks to Iroha’s support, I was able to have Ibuki on my lap like this. Drawing Momo Friends on a sketchpad is a bit of a chaotic scene, but…
As long as I can catch Ibuki, the Eden Treaty will go smoothly. It’s only natural that I should take good care of her.
…Honestly, sometimes I feel a bit guilty, thinking I’m a bad adult for trying to use Ibuki just for the Eden Treaty. So, I’m just hanging out with her like an ordinary adult playing with a niece.
Despite whatever ulterior motives I might have, seeing Ibuki makes me wonder where I can get a little girl like her. It made me nod in understanding why people get married and have kids.
“Phew. If she really was kidnapped, Ibuki wouldn’t be playing so calmly.”
“Oh, it sounds like you’re really unaware of how our Kivotos kids are, Teacher. It’s not hard at all for them to laugh and play even if they are kidnapped.”
“…Surprisingly, it seems that Momo Friends is quite popular?”
“Eh? That’s not the case, Teacher.”
“Normally, if something is not popular, you’d still call it popular.”
“I just purely like the Wavecat because it reminds me of fond memories, Teacher. In reality, there are probably more people who dislike Momo Friends because they look weird.”
“…”
Wavecat is, as it sounds, that feeling when familiarity transforms into fondness. If it weren’t for that memorable meme, I probably wouldn’t like it as much now.
…Um, but why did everyone go silent right after I finished speaking?
“P-Pe, Peroro doesn’t look weird!”
“…Ahaha. Sorry, Ibuki-chan.”
Well, I feel a bit sorry, but I won’t take back what I said.
Besides, after just one roast of Momo Friends, Makoto’s no-talking rule is out the window. Momo Friends must really be something that messes with people’s heads. They are truly a mind-contaminating evil.
“Boo… Teacher, does Peroro really look weird?”
“Um, well… rather than weird, it’s unique.”
“Ehehe. See? Ibuki likes Peroro!”
Hifumi is really good at handling Ibuki’s affection on her own… but still, Peroro is a bit much.
The forced compliment from the Teacher that felt like it was squeezed out was… Ah, whatever.
“Ta-da! How about this, Ibuki-chan?”
“Wow! So cute!”
When I confidently showed her the Wavecat I had drawn on her sketchpad, she clapped excitedly in delight. It’s so cute! No wonder everyone gets smitten by Ibuki.
Even though I’m not particularly good at drawing, thankfully, Wavecat isn’t too hard to draw, so it came out decently.
“Ibuki’s turn! How’s the Peroro I drew?!”
“…Oh.”
The Teacher and I exchanged glances. A shared emotion passed between us.
“Ibuki-chan, were you perhaps from the Wild Hunt Art Academy?”
“Huh? Wild Hunt?”
“That’s a compliment saying you drew really well, Ibuki.”
“Oh! Is that so? Ehehe.”
Seemingly pleased with the compliment, Ibuki started humming and drawing another Peroro.
I was just trying to sound impressive about the art academy, but considering Ibuki’s age… it looks like she has a solid future if she chooses this path.
“Oh, Teacher. Speaking of which, where’s Saori-chan?”
“She said she’d wait outside, so she came in alone for now.”
“Heueng… Is that so? Well, it’s nothing urgent, so it should be fine.”
I do need to have a serious chat with Saori, but it’s not so urgent that it can’t be postponed a bit. Besides, there’s something more important at hand.
“First of all, regarding the incident the other day… I have nothing to say but I’m sorry, Teacher. I heard you used an adult’s card because of me…”
“Hmm? Why, Mika… no, this is complicated. For now, should I just keep calling you Mika? Also, there’s really no need to be so formal with me. It makes me feel awkward too.”
“…Okay, Teacher. For a while, it’s fine to call me Mika. Calling conventions should be determined by that kid’s opinion. We can think about it then.”
“Sure, then Mika. I don’t think everything that happened that day was entirely your fault. You had your own reasons for needing to deal with Gematria. They just made use of it.”
“Feeling reassured by your words makes me feel a bit better, but… I still did something wrong. Yeah. I’m sorry, Teacher.”
“Hmm. Like you said, it’s not that you did nothing wrong. You did hand over a fragment of your Shinpi to Gematria, which wasn’t a wise choice. But I think you, more than anyone, knows that already.”
“…Yeah.”
Honestly, if I had taken the lead in solving the issues, I wouldn’t feel so contemplative right now. The real problem is that I was sound asleep and couldn’t help at all.
Seeing Wakamo, who had a lot of injuries, and other kids who had minor wounds made me feel the weight of my wrongdoings, and learning that the Teacher had used an adult’s card made me realize something.
I thought maybe the Teacher would manage just fine, even though it might be a bit tougher for them.
The outcome of the Teacher using their life as a trade for an adult’s card was something I would absolutely never want.
“Haha… you really don’t need to beat yourself up like that. Let’s just put this subject to rest for now. Instead… I’d like to ask you one thing.”
When the Teacher said that, the question made me hesitate for a moment. It felt overwhelming. The existence of Ibuki, happily humming and engrossed in her drawing, felt inexplicably unfair.
“Mika, seriously tell me: should I treat you as an ‘adult’ or as a ‘student’?”
“…”
I couldn’t find my voice.
Normally, I would have cheekily said something like, “What makes me an adult?” But this time, I couldn’t speak.
“I’m…”
“No need to overthink it. Just say whatever comes to your mind.”
“…Hearing that just makes it more complicated.”
Adult. And student.
This is a matter of discussing responsibility.
If I define myself as a student, the Teacher would probably forgive me even if I made mistakes this time.
On the other hand, if I define myself as an adult, expecting the same understanding would be difficult. Adults should be aware of their responsibilities for their actions.
“I guess… it’s the adult side.”
“Hmm. That’s how it is, then. But Mika, just know this: you will always be my student, now and in the future. That will never change.”
“Um, Teacher. Then why did you just ask that?”
“Partly because I wanted to know your thoughts… and partly to lighten the mood a bit.”
“…Wow— Is this really my Teacher?”
“Oh ho! Mika, that’s a bit harsh.”
What on earth? I feel like the only fool for having thought so deeply.
But still… hearing that puts me somewhat at ease. I get it now, why the Teacher earns everyone’s trust.
In this indescribable atmosphere, I silently pulled Ibuki just a bit closer… Cute things really give the best energy.
“Actually, the real reason I brought it up isn’t that, Teacher. Yeah. That was just me doing what I had to do.”
“Then?”
“Next week, I need to go to Abydos. The sooner it’s resolved, the better, so I probably won’t be delaying it any longer. And…”
“You want to know if I can go with you.”
“For now, yeah.”
“Mika, I feel a bit uncomfortable saying this, but aren’t you overworking me this month?”
“Of course you’ll come along, you’re my Teacher!”
“Oh dear… I’m trapped in a corner. So, what are we supposed to do in Abydos?”
“We’re going to bring down Kaiser Corporation. Completely, so that they can never rise again.”
“…Please provide a bit more detailed explanation.”
The Kaiser President, who’s betting everything on this, will undoubtedly have an unfortunate fate. A precarious candle that would extinguish with just a slight puff of air. That would be the case for Shalle, Abydos, Trinity, and the Defense Office in opposition to this tin can’s words.
