Surviving in Blue Archive Chapter 205 26: The Light Fades from Himari’s Eyes

Seeing Aris's confused expression, Yuzu said awkwardly,

"S-s-sorry. Soone who can enjoy our gas this much, Aris, you're the first one besides Sensei. S-so, even if it's not just to satisfy President Rio's request, I truly hope you'll beco a mber of our club."

"Beco… a mber… understood. Bum bum bum! Aris has joined the party!" Aris imitated the party joining sound effect from the ga. "Is this correct?"

Yuzu froze for a mont. "Ah, y-yes, that's probably the feeling, I guess."

It seed Aris's way of speaking was still far from ideal.

"Ah, if you think RPGs are fun…" Yuzu leaned closer, her eyes shining with a brightness rarely seen. "I have lots of gas I can recomnd to you."

"Wait a second. I should be the one recomnding gas to Aris first."

Momoi cut in. "As long as she plays more high quality gas, her way of speaking will beco more natural, and that should satisfy the president's requirents, right?"

Then she began listing Kivotos's classic gas as if counting treasured possessions.

"Alright, first there's Hero Myth, Final Phantasm, Eternal Ys, and…"

"What are you talking about?" Midori spoke up to object. "Aris-chan is a beginner player, you know. Of course you should start with The Legend of Serna: Dream Island."

Even Yuzu showed an unyielding side. "On this point I absolutely can't back down. Next she has to play Romantic Story. Ah, though personally I think the third installnt can be skipped…"

Faced with their dispute, Aris still could not really understand.

But there was one thing she could be sure of.

The android girl revealed a smile. "Anticipation. Begin the ga again."

However, in the very next mont, I reached out, held her under the arms, and lifted her off .

Aris turned around, tilted her head, and looked at in confusion, then made an angry expression.

"Hero, have you betrayed the kingdom as well?"

I guessed she was protesting my sudden act of setting her down.

For so reason, Aris seed a little attached to .

If she truly possessed emotions… I strongly suspected she had fallen in love with at first sight.

No response from the card? Just another everyday bug. Who knows how much authority it's secretly withholding from instead of granting it. Truly a disgrace to cheat abilities.

I climbed up from the carpet and rubbed Aris's small head.

"Princess, my loyalty to you and the kingdom contains not the slightest falsehood."

Although I was just repeating a line from the Ga Developnt Club's ga, it was still a bit embarrassing.

Especially after the other three each showed reactions of eager excitent, quiet disappointnt, and blushing faces.

I coughed lightly. "It's getting late today, so I'll take my leave for now. I'll co by again in a day or two."

"Huh? Sensei is leaving already…"

Momoi's mood instantly dropped, and she tried to keep there. "Stay a bit longer. At this ti, it's perfect to eat takeout together before going back."

Normally in situations like this, soone would suggest cooking.

But, well, it was Momoi. One could not ask for too much.

I felt that after personally delivering such a torturous gaming experience, having her personally feed like last ti was already more than enough.

"That's right, Sensei, at least let us treat you to a al… even if it's just takeout…"

Midori and Yuzu nodded as well, all of them looking reluctant to part.

Clearly, within this tiny clubroom alone, there were three girls and one machine harboring affection for . How troubling…

Fortunately, I have always been firm of heart and noble of character, unmoved by feminine charms.

Suppressing the upward curve of my lips, I said seriously, "Sorry. I really do have sothing urgent to handle, and for now you don't need here anyway. So when you truly need my help, I'll co running right away."

Only then did the girls reluctantly give up.

"Then, please take care of Aris for ."

In theory, as the one with authorization to access where Aris was found, I was her official guardian.

But I did not know how to raise a child. The Ga Developnt Club's thods looked unreliable, yet they seed surprisingly effective, and Aris herself was happy.

For now, it was fine to let Aris stay with the Ga Developnt Club, with… peers?

At least in appearance, they were about the sa age.

In terms of intellect, Momoi probably counted too.

In any case, letting Aris spend ti with her future clubmates was better than taking her back to Schale.

Mainly because I was worried that driven by curiosity, Aris might rummage around the garbage cans and end up finding so treasures with unspeakable purposes…

Even though there were already rumors online that I did strange things with students, in reality I could say with a clear conscience that since taking office at Schale, I had never once proactively crossed the line.

Soone as upright as , could I explain those things to an innocent, blank slate like Aris? Absolutely not.

I had not fallen so low as to lay hands on a child like that.

So at the very least, Aris would have to be raised to maturity by the Ga Developnt Club first.

Hopefully she would not grow crooked.

After saying goodbye to the girls of the Ga Developnt Club, I left the clubroom.

But I did not manage to leave completely.

The mont one foot stepped outside the door, I felt my hand being grasped by an irresistible, inescapable, unimaginable force.

I turned around and was astonished to see Aris, who had reacted a mont too late. Her clear eyes were slightly moist as she looked at sadly.

"Unable to understand. Confirm withdrawal from the party?"

As expected of an android, her grip strength was impressive.

Fortunately, Aris knew her limits. Otherwise, my wrist might already have been broken.

After quickly thinking it through, I reached out and stroked the robot girl's head, saying softly,

"Hero, do not be sad. This is rely a temporary farewell. As long as you hold hope in your heart, one day we will surely et again in a distant place, will we not?"

Aris answered in a low voice. "So, Princess, please do not forget . Even then, when we are made anew, please hold my hand tightly, just like you do now."

By substituting with dialogue from the ga, Aris was able to understand, and she smiled as she let go of .

I lightly rotated my wrist.

"There is one more thing."

I smiled gently. "Just call Sensei."

Even if she was an android, it did not matter.

The Aris who held my hand, unwilling to let leave, was just as much my precious student.

Aris nodded. "Aris understands. Sensei will not withdraw from the party."

"Yes, exactly."

As I treated Aris gently, I glanced at the girls beside us, their faces filled with envy, and could not help but sigh inwardly.

Today was another day heavy with sin.

After parting with the Ga Developnt Club, I hurried to my next workplace.

However, sothing unexpected happened midway.

Accompanied by the sound of wind, a police drone stopped in front of , bobbing up and down as if signaling for to follow.

At first, I followed it with doubts in mind. After going so distance and confirming that its route matched my original plan, I understood the situation.

…Should I say it was a style that matched my impression?

Before long, the drone stopped in front of a clubroom I found rather familiar.

Then, from inside the door ca a soft female voice carrying a smile.

"I've been waiting for you for a long ti, Sensei. Please co in."

When I opened the door to the Veritas Club room, what entered my view was a girl with a pure and beautiful face, dreamlike like a fairy.

However, what caught my attention even more was what lay beneath her.

A wheelchair.

"Sensei, this is our first ti eting offline, isn't it? What's wrong? Hehe. As expected, compared to my actual self, the remote projection lacked so of that delicate, frail charm, right?"

That mouth, without a doubt, belonged to Himari.

I did not rashly ask about the reason she was in a wheelchair and closed the door behind . "That's true. Himari, you called here. Is there sothing you need?"

Although I had not added Himari as a Momotalk contact, she had suddenly appeared in my friends list and sent a ssage requesting a eting.

Using hacking techniques to do sothing so unnecessary, could it be that Himari had a crush on ?

"Huh, praising soone like that on our first eting… Even as Millennium's top super genius pure type frail beauty, being expressed interest in so directly still makes embarrassed, you know…"

…To be honest, what a cringe student.

No, perhaps Himari was deliberately using this thod to test my feelings?

And soone as experienced as naturally could remain composed and maintain a calm exterior.

Himari put on a shy expression, but the mischievous light in her eyes could not hide her amusent. "Well then, getting back on topic. I deliberately sent Chihiro and the others away and suddenly called you here at this ti for only one reason."

Hearing that, I was shocked. "Could it be a confession?"

"…Huh?"

Himari blinked, then forced a laugh. "Ahaha, Sensei, you're really funny. But as a lofty flower, I wouldn't do sothing that proactive, you know?"

It felt like she was hinting that she wanted to take the initiative.

"In short, even the seminar can't produce a complete, flawless profile in such a short ti. So for that Rio actually ca to for help."

At this point, Himari beca lively, looking proud as if she had won a battle. "And then I took a bit of ti to pay attention. That girl, Aris-chan, right? The one you brought out from the ruins? Such a cute na."

This situation was sothing I had anticipated.

Aris's existence could not be hidden from Rio. By the sa logic, it could not be hidden from Himari either, who had guided the Ga Developnt Club to the ruins and was paying even closer attention than Rio.

"So you want to talk about Aris?"

"Of course. Next, the three of us will chat a bit."

Three?

Himari smiled slightly. "Hey, you gloomy woman eavesdropping over there, stop playing mute and talk already."

The mont I realized who Himari was talking to, only admiration remained in my heart.

So you really dare to say it to her face.

After nearly ten seconds of silence, just as even suspicion appeared on Himari's face,

A cold and beautiful black haired girl pushed open the Veritas Club door and walked in expressionlessly.

"Good evening, Sensei."

Rio politely greeted , then darkened her face and coldly glared at Himari.

However, Himari raised her brows and even made a provocative expression. "What's wrong? Did I say sothing incorrect? Only soone truly eavesdropping on my private conversation with Sensei would be hurt by my evaluation just now, right?"

Why was Himari so aggressive?

Rio completely ignored Himari's mockery. "Why involve Sensei now?"

"Huh? What's the problem? That thing was personally brought out by Sensei. Or are you saying Sensei doesn't have the right to participate in the discussion?"

"…Before fully confirming its true nature, your actions will only add unnecessary trouble. Do you truly lack any awareness of your responsibilities and obligations?"

"What a lofty attitude, BIG SISTER."

The sll of gunpowder in the air grew thicker. The two of them practically started arguing the mont they t. Their relationship really did seem as incompatible as Himari had described.

In a situation like this, being caught between them made feel especially awkward.

However, I had a plan that might resolve the current predicant.

And it would also conveniently verify sothing I had been thinking about for a long ti.

"Both of you, please stop arguing," I said with a confident smile. "Give this super pacifist handso young Sensei, the pride of all Kivotos, so respect."

I blurted out the entire line I had been brewing for a long ti in one breath. Along with the embarrassnt, there was also a strange sense of liberation.

So this was how Himari usually felt?

Unfortunately, my lack of experience showed on my first attempt. I missed an adjective.

As I was reflecting on this, the atmosphere in the clubroom suddenly dropped to freezing.

Rio's lips parted slightly, her eyes vacant, showing a rare expression of shock.

And Himari, the light in her eyes had already disappeared, her expression utterly lifeless.

"…Um, actually, I just wanted to ease the atmosphere… and…" I asked carefully, "I don't think there's any problem with my self awareness, right?"

The two girls looked at each other and stiffly changed the subject.

"Rio, in front of Sensei, we should put our conflict aside for now."

"Himari, that's what I was about to say."

I fell silent, the earlier joy receding like a tide.

At least I had achieved the goal of stopping their pointless argunt, that was enough…

Forcing myself to cheer up, I asked, "So, you want to confirm Aris's true identity, right?"

Himari smiled. "That's right. Want to join us?"

Rio said coldly, "Sensei, you don't need to be involved in this matter."

I looked at the two of them, their attitudes completely opposite.

Then, I took a deep breath and made my decision.