It might be a bit obvious, but I was the one originally assigned to welcome the Gehenna students. Not just a little obvious; it would have been disrespectful if I didn’t do it.
However, our little ladies, who only have eyes for me and nothing else, weren’t about to let me off the hook. After finally satisfying them, I had to discuss the incident from last night with Sakurako.
…When I say “satisfied,” I don’t mean in a sexual way. Really.
Anyway, after dealing with that urgent matter, the welcoming of the Gehenna students had already been handled smoothly by Nagisa and the teacher. So my next task was practically predetermined.
In the original work, T-party half-baited Makoto, so I thought this much could be allowed… but that would be a big mistake.
That Makoto was brimming with the intent to betray, dismissing the Eden Treaty and all that jazz.
In my case, even if Makoto was thinking bad things behind my back, I had to make the Eden Treaty happen. So…
“I deeply apologize, Chairperson Makoto, for my rudeness due to a significant incident requiring my attention. I sincerely regret not being able to personally welcome you.”
“…Misono Mika, what the heck is this? As the only student I recognize as my equal, don’t bow your head over silly matters!”
…What now? Seriously.
Since when did she recognize me as her equal? Since when were we equals, Makoto?
That just makes me feel worse!
“Fine, then! Well, Chairperson Makoto, I’m actually not sorry at all☆”
“What?! I didn’t mean for you to be that brazen!”
“But the bus has already left. I made a clear apology, and the chairperson of the Manma Battle, being generous like a vast ocean, forgave me. Yup, this story’s over!”
Honestly, I was considering some appropriate compensation, but one little slip-up can ruin everything. Regardless, Makoto’s audacity… Well, I should at least thank her for it.
“…Sigh. Chairperson Makoto, you seemed so confident about demanding something from the T-party, but not even a minute after sitting at the table, you blew it.”
“That’s just how that person is, isn’t it?”
Makoto’s act of kicking an opportunity that was right at her feet didn’t provoke much reaction from the other people sitting at the table.
Aco calmly picked up a Madeleines as if there was nothing surprising about it. Iroha pretended it was a hassle but seemed not too concerned. I guess that meant they didn’t expect much anyway.
Hehehe.
“What is it now?”
“Probably acting all nonchalant about how great a person I am, right?”
“Well, if that’s the case! The greatest person in Kivotos, me, Makoto, will graciously forgive your rudeness—— What?!”
“Haha! That silly face of yours is hilarious!”
Silly? Yet still handsome? Truly impressive, the one-dimensional Hanuma Makoto!
By the way, having tea time with four devils is something else.
Wait, isn’t Aco a devil? I’m not so sure.
Anyway. Is this really the behavior of a proper angel of Trinity? Asking myself that would be too late; I’m already mingling with two devils. It’s already way past that point. At this rate, I’ve probably become a fallen angel.
“Hmph. Speaking of the Trinity curriculum…”
“Oh, why’s that?”
“It’s so lacking it’s pathetic. It’s not even worth comparing to Gehenna’s.”
“Oh, so that’s why I heard the exchange student Hanuma Makoto spent half of the first day’s class sleeping.”
When I said this to the smug Makoto with her arms crossed, she flinched and started adding excuses. But that doesn’t change the fact that she was sleeping soundly, Miss Makoto.
“…There’s no way that could be true! I was meditating to calm my dizzy head from the terror of Trinity’s classes!”
Heueng… Really?
What?
Makoto, looking flustered, asked back, but I didn’t really understand why she was reacting that way. Did she think I expected active participation from the Gehenna students?
I would never think that, no way.
“First of all, the answer was supposed to be 50 on the submitted roster, yet Gehenna showed an absence of 8 this time? Is there a particular reason?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“It’s an unexcused absence.”
“That’s the reality.”
sigh. Gehenna’s average.
“Honestly, I’m not at all surprised, so I might just let it slide. And more importantly, there were seven disputes between Trinity students and Gehenna students today. Two of them almost escalated into direct conflicts. Actual gunfire even happened once. Hmm, that’s less than I expected?”
“…Hey, Mika. You weren’t, from the beginning, expecting anything out of this exchange student week, were you?”
“Hmph? You’re just realizing that now? Hmm? Why is everyone looking at me like that?”
How strange. I understand Makoto, but Aco and Iroha not knowing this fact is odd.
“It’s just absurd that the very one who pushed this through is saying such things.”
“I’m just not interested in anything that’s a hassle without any results…”
“Wait, I can’t help but wonder, did you all expect our two schools, like oil and water, to blend together without any conflict? Like, some scenario of peaceful coexistence?”
“I had zero expectations, you know? We didn’t put people in place just to prevent or intervene in egregious disputes with the student council and Justice Realization Department.”
Well, sure. Most discussions have happened between the two from the student council, me, and Hanako anyway. It’d be odd for Aco not to know that. But I didn’t expect Iroha and Makoto to respond that way.
“It’s only the first day. Expecting meaningful results is utterly ridiculous. Furthermore, the shared space is all we have on the first day… It’s only after going through various club activities at Trinity might we expect somewhat different results, you know?”
…However, I know that there’s a possibility that no meaningful results may emerge even after the experience week is done. I’m not naive enough to think everything will unfold in a good way.
In that sense, my main concern is the establishment of the Eden Treaty. It’s a safeguard ensuring that the relationship between the two academies doesn’t deteriorate significantly even after my graduation.
A more capable successor might sit in the T-party, or an incompetent one might take the role, but regardless, as long as the Eden Treaty exists, the relationship with Gehenna won’t significantly worsen.
…Probably. For now, I’m almost certain. Even if a radically radical student like the somewhat broken real Mika were to take the host position, they’d still have to grab power the same way I did to gain the level of authority I hold now.
That would essentially require strength on the level of Mika, and the likelihood of fulfilling all those conditions… is low.
In fact, I think there is a greater chance of problems arising on Gehenna’s side, but even in that case, I believe the Eden Treaty will pull us back significantly. That’s also why I’m pushing for the improvement of the relationship between the two schools, like now.
Thus, the Eden Treaty is crucial. It is important, but there’s one person I must persuade first and foremost to ensure it passes without incident.
“…Hmph, that’s true. The harmony of Trinity and Gehenna is, from the very beginning, nonsense. Only someone like me, the illustrious Makoto, and my recognized rival, Mika; anyone other than you would find it impossible.”
Hey, why does she keep putting me on the same level as her? Seriously, I feel like slapping her…
It would be easy to refute Makoto’s words right away, but doing so would inevitably lead to Hina’s story coming up. And when Hina gets mentioned, Makoto is destined to have a fit.
So instead of refuting her right now, I’ll just nod lightly as if to agree with her. After all, that’s not that important anyway.
Anyways, the push for this exchange student experience week was somewhat motivated by the hope for some accomplishments, but the most important reason was to keep Makoto from causing trouble for these two weeks by trying my best to rein her in.
And I knew the easiest and simplest way to change Makoto’s mind.
“By the way… Ibuki-chan, was it?”
“Yup? Did you call for Ibuki?”
The mascot of the Manma Battle, the name that comes up if you ask the Gehenna students who their chairperson is. I didn’t know her last name, but I found out while looking through personal information this time.
Tanga Ibuki, age 11. And she didn’t skip grades like Koko from Sanhaegyeong; she’s a true elementary school student.
…Why on earth is such a young girl even in the Manma Battle?
I briefly held that trivial question, but I couldn’t think of a proper possibility. A real mystery indeed.
But that’s not a crucial part either.
What truly matters is that capturing Ibuki’s heart is the easiest, simplest, and perfect way to soften Makoto’s heart.
If Ibuki shouts “I love Trinity!” then Makoto would have no choice but to shout “I love Trinity!” too; that’s how the structure works.
I looked at Ibuki, who was munching on the pudding I ordered, and smiled warmly.
For this week, I will make Ibuki into someone who can’t live without loving Trinity——
“Oh! The sister that Chairperson Makoto told me not to talk to at all!”
Huh…?
Wait, “not to talk at all…?”
Hanuma Makoto, what a confusing child you are. Just how far did you foresee this…?!
