Surviving in Blue Archive Chapter 243 64: They Must All Have a Crush on Me

After we stared at each other for several seconds, a faint smile finally appeared on Rio's usually cold and stern face.

"Then, I'll leave what cos next to you, Sensei."

Hearing such a completely off-topic answer, I was montarily confused before it clicked.

I hesitated and asked, "Wait, Rio, don't tell … you're trying to change the subject?"

The Seminar president did not reply, only stiffly turning her gaze aside.

That reaction was basically an admission, wasn't it?

This is bad. This girl seems to be dangerously cute.

"Just to be clear, I'm not here to interrogate you. I just want to talk openly."

"…I understand."

After a noticeably long breath, Rio nodded in acknowledgnt. "You're right. Toki is a C&C mber who belongs exclusively to ."

Then, Rio's gaze shifted past my shoulder.

I heard unmasked footsteps behind , followed by a familiar, cool voice.

"As Lady Rio's maid and bodyguard, I serve her closely from morning until night. To ensure Lady Rio's safety, my existence has been classified. Even the upperclassn within C&C, though aware that I exist, do not know my specific identity."

I turned around to see a girl with blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in a black and white maid outfit with a maid headband, brushing past before stopping at Rio's rear side.

From Toki's almost expressionless face, I could vaguely sense confusion and… dissatisfaction?

"As a perfect maid agent, my disguise should have been flawless. I also confird that I was not followed and that no listening devices were planted." Toki looked at in puzzlent. "Sensei, how did you figure it out?"

…Now that she ntioned it, looking back carefully at what she had done.

Wasn't Toki's disguise full of holes!?

Still, I did not want to crush her confidence, so I answered more tactfully.

"Actually, I just misunderstood a few things, so from the very beginning, I assud Toki was an ordinary C&C mber."

First was Toki's peculiar attitude toward maids, and second was the information I got from Neru.

Expressionless, blond hair and blue eyes, and aiming to beco a perfect maid.

All three matched Toki perfectly. It turned out that in Neru's eyes, these referred to three different people.

During the earlier strategy eting, when I heard that Toki was not among C&C, I realized sothing was subtly off.

After confirming that Kakudate Karin, whom I had never t, was soone who did not show emotions easily, and recalling Ichinose Asuna and Murokasa Akane whom I had already t, I finally noticed the issue.

But even if the process was flawed, did that an the result had to be wrong too?

After hearing my rough explanation, Rio remained silent for a long while. "So, you were bluffing ?"

"Yeah, there was nothing to lose anyway."

"I see. Then this is entirely Lady Rio's mistake for losing her composure."

Between the lines, it ant that Toki herself was completely at faultless.

The self-proclaid perfect maid seed quite satisfied with this conclusion.

I gave Toki a sowhat strange look, suddenly recalling how she once complained to about a "roommate" who had zero life skills, needed constant care, had a gloomy and heavy personality, always caused trouble, and possessed a bizarre sense of aesthetics.

And then there was Toki's earlier statent about serving Rio closely from morning until night.

The identity of that "roommate" was probably self-evident.

"Pfft."

I could not hold back a laugh, which earned a glare from Rio tinged with embarrassnt and anger.

"Sorry," I said, doing my best to control my expression. "The main reason is that I believe Rio would not lie to ."

"…Why?"

I answered honestly. "Because Rio believes in too, doesn't she?"

This answer made a look of astonishnt surface on Rio's face.

"What… haven't you already realized? I secretly sent Toki to approach you, Sensei. How can you still say sothing this unreasonable…"

"Is it that strange?"

I stroked my chin. "Hmm… maybe a little. Then, Rio, could you tell the reason first?"

Rio looked deeply shaken. "If I say it… will you really believe …?"

"Of course. Didn't I promise you that I would try to beco soone who understands you?"

I smiled. "If I can't even do that much, wouldn't it just be empty talk?"

Standing behind Rio, Toki blinked. Though her face remained expressionless, the light flickering in her eyes suggested she was very interested in what would happen next.

What a trashy maid.

"…I just…" Rio lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's. "I also wanted to get along properly with you, Sensei, but I didn't know how… so… I had Toki approach you."

Hearing that, Toki proudly puffed out her chest.

Although I had prepared myself ntally, I still did not expect the reason to be this adorable.

"Hah… but looking at it now, my calculations this ti were off."

Rio let out a light sigh, then smiled. "I now clearly understand that Sensei is a strange adult, just like … no, even stranger than . Based on this fact, I will not engage in such behavior again from now on."

Which ant… she would not send Toki to approach anymore!?

The shock in Toki's wide eyes looked like she had just been betrayed.

"Mm. I'll also keep Toki's identity a secret for you."

I continued, "But in exchange, when it's convenient, could you let Toki serve as Schale's duty student once in a while?"

Rio frowned. "Why?"

Why ask? Why even ask?

Obviously because although Toki approached with impure motives, she was deeply captivated by my charm during our brief interactions and did not want to lose a legitimate reason to see !

"Of course because having such an excellent maid around would make work much easier."

I said calmly.

Toki nodded in agreent with a smug look, secretly mouthing words to .

It's fine to praise more, you know.

Rio, however, hesitated. "…I feel that it might not turn out the way you think… no, please forget I said that. Since Sensei has put it that way, I hope this can beco a bridge to deepen our cooperation. Toki, don't cause trouble for Sensei when the ti cos."

"Please rest assured, Ma'am. I am a perfect maid and agent. I will absolutely complete the task perfectly, serving Sensei just as I serve you."

For so reason, Rio fell silent again.

Gazing at this master and maid who were both clearly in love with , moved by the sincerity of their bond, tears of emotion shimred at the corners of my mouth.

"Back to the main topic," Rio said. "Due to Toki's special status, she cannot participate in this operation. I ask for your understanding, Sensei."

"Mm, I understand."

I nodded. "Leave what cos next to ."