“So, the teacher is currently at Millennium, huh?”
“It seems like our Game Development Club requested help from Shalle. Ugh, if only I hadn’t meddled last year, we wouldn’t have to trouble the teacher like this.”
Upon my question, Yuuka nodded and replied. To escape from Noa’s attempts to steer the conversation towards her and the teacher’s relationship, Yuuka chose to mention the teacher’s visit to Millennium for the main story instead.
By the way, I’m glad I managed to find Aris and come back, and it doesn’t seem like the story here will turn into a mess like with Abydos.
But wait, is it really good news…? Honestly, I feel it might be best if I don’t get involved in this side of things, yet part of me wants to step in for Rion, leading to some internal conflict.
Rion was just preparing for an unknown downfall that no one else knew about, and his methods might be self-serving, but it’s hard to argue against what he was saying on its own merit.
To put it another way… he was a student with perspectives that directly clashed with the teacher’s values, so it was natural for him to taste bitter defeat.
That’s how I see Rion.
Calling Rion a kid… but thinking of him that way just feels weird because he looks just like a female teacher.
Anyway, from a rational perspective, my desire to help Rion stems from…
The fact that he finds himself in a situation where, despite not having fundamentally evil intentions, he is doomed to be branded as evil, leading him to be scorned by everyone and eventually choose to go into hiding.
I can somewhat understand why he chose to disappear, though it shouldn’t be the issue at hand.
“Should we have just left the Game Development Club disbanded…? Ugh, but if we really had left it alone, Yuzu might have dropped out entirely. So I gave them a grace period… but now we can’t even recruit members, the results are a mess, and they’re causing trouble with the budget…!”
“Okay, okay, Yuuka-chan. Take a deep breath. Personally, I don’t think that was the wrong choice. Why not hope that the teacher can show the Game Development Club a proper way forward? Long ago, travelers would look to the stars in the night sky to find their path, and maybe the teacher could become that guiding star. Hehehe.”
“…Right, speaking of which. Momo said something about submitting a new game for the Millennium Prize, claiming he would prove it with results. It sounds far-fetched, but it makes me more excited. I think it’s impossible, but if I’m proven wrong… I might actually feel pretty good about it.”
By the way, listening to Yuuka, I unexpectedly felt some affection for the Game Development Club. Was Yuzu in second year? I think she mentioned she liked games too.
This means that personally, Yuuka has no regrets regarding the Game Development Club, but from her perspective as the seminar’s accountant, it’s only natural for the club to be disbanded.
“Heueng. Games, huh.”
Since coming to Kivotos, I haven’t been close to games. The only time I play is when I briefly enjoy them with the other kids, especially during visits to arcades with Hina…
I absolutely haven’t touched mobile games since starting my life in Kivotos. Knowing they’re addictive, I didn’t even start playing them.
Honestly, I’ve spent more time playing chess with Nagisa than gaming…
“Come to think of it, I get the impression that Mika-san would strangely enjoy gaming.”
“…Me?”
I unknowingly repeated Yuuka’s words. Am I the type to enjoy games?
I don’t think so. No matter how you look at it, I fit better with friends at a café, chatting and shopping…
“Oh, I mean cute little games like… like, Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. I heard they’re pretty popular in Trinity.”
…Why does that title sound familiar?
After I replied that I haven’t played those games, Yuuka responded with, “Well, it’s no surprise. You’re such a busy person, you probably don’t have time to game.”
I distinctly remembered saying I’m not that busy—didn’t she believe me at all?
“Honestly, I’d prefer to spend time with close friends rather than play games. If they want to play, I’ll join in just to be nice.”
“Mika, then what about the time you dragged me to the arcade?”
“…What are you talking about, Hina-chan? That day, we had agreed to visit the arcade for the ‘first time.’ Yeah, it was surprisingly fun.”
That’s TMI, so you don’t need to bring it up, Hina. I have my image to maintain too.
“Then how about we all go to the arcade together this time?”
“…Uh? I did finish all my work today…”
“Sounds great! Let’s hang out until dinner, then eat at… Burger Emperor.”
Haruna casually decided on dinner, but no one among us disagreed.
Of course, saying “none of us” implies that someone not present might have something to say.
[Nagisa-chan, can we make it until 12 instead of 10? I’ll be taking a plane back.]
[…Mika-san, are you challenging me?]
[Umm, I could wear the stage costume once I return…]
[Have fun! No need to rush back. Seriously.]
Fortunately, that was no longer an issue.
Thanks to that, we had a great time without any hesitations. Seeing how well Yuuka performed at the arcade, perhaps the name starting with Yuzu means gaming genes are hardcoded in her!
At last, we enjoyed delicious burgers at Burger Emperor… And thankfully, there were no unpleasant incidents like before. Honestly, I think if I had come here with Neru, I would have felt quite strange.
And just as the day came to a close, miraculously, I managed to return home… feeling rather satisfied and full.
*
Aris’s retro gaming lingo was enough to suck the soul out of a person. Still, no one could disagree that her cuteness was undeniable.
Even the Engineer Department, who had a slightly odd view of her when they brought weapons for her, couldn’t deny her charm.
When Aris proudly claimed to have 27 instances of saving humanity, 46 battles against the Demon King’s army, and over a hundred dungeon explorations, Hibiki from the Engineer Department couldn’t hide his flabbergasted expression.
The main weapon Aris had taken from the Engineer Department was a colossal space battleship railgun. Weighing 140kg as a base, with recoil surpassing 200kg… It was clearly unsuitable as a personal weapon.
[Light Sword: Supernova]
This massive space battleship railgun was surprisingly lifted effortlessly by Aris’s fingertips. During the combat test, she displayed a shocking ability to withstand over 200kg of recoil without flinching.
“Boom boom! Aris’s role has changed to a lightning-fast dealer!”
The one destined to wield the Light Sword is none other than this monster disguised as a girl.
Now, if Yuuka recognizes Aris as a member of the Game Development Club, this quest will be cleared, and she can earn the laughter of the students as a reward.
Thinking it ended far more simply than initially expected, the teacher logged out of the ongoing game using Shidim’s box.
Had the students known that they were playing a mobile collection game with a high-ranking OP artifact comparable to Sanctum Tower… they would have had a lot to say, but ignorance is bliss…
Just then, the sound of a Momotalk notification reached the teacher’s ears.
Many students knew of his Momotalk, so with a bit of curiosity, he checked it, breaking into a chuckle.
[Misono Mika]
[Hey, teacher☆]
[Do you have a moment?]
After replying that he did indeed have time, the teacher noticed Mika’s profile picture had changed once more.
Among his registered students, Mika was undoubtedly the one whose profile picture changed the most frequently, making it familiar yet surprising.
[So, as it happens! The teacher is currently at Millennium.]
[I heard that from Yuuka-chan!]
[Oh, and could I ask you for a favor?]
A favor, huh? The teacher, who knew Mika as the kind of girl who wouldn’t need to ask for such things, wondered what kind of request she might have.
[It’s nothing specific.]
[There’s a hacker club called Veritas in Millennium, could you visit them and put in a request to attack the Trinity Bamboo Grove?]
[Oh, and of course, the requester should remain anonymous. Just making it inaccessible for a day should be enough!]
[Sorry, teacher. Ordinarily, I’d put in the request myself, but…]
[This could easily point back to me if things go wrong. I believe you can keep a girl’s secret☆]
[Thanks a lot, teacher! I’ll transfer the fee right away. Just pass it along.]
That day, the teacher was left in awe of Mika for reasons other than her usual charm.
Once for the request’s content. Twice for the amount of the request fee.
A student council president who would ask another school’s hacker club to hack her own school’s Bamboo Grove? The teacher sincerely hoped he wouldn’t see a student council president like this ever again.
