Inside Schale's hangar.
"Let explain it to you!"
Kotori grabbed onto , brimming with enthusiasm. "If we're talking about electromagnetic cannons, then we should start from the history of electrical engineering and the evolution of artillery weapons…"
Listening to her chatter away beside like a small bird with a clear, lively call, earnestly giving a science lesson, I secretly wiped the cold sweat from my temple.
To be honest, I did not mind listening to her explain so related knowledge, and I had indeed agreed quite happily earlier.
But normally speaking, would anyone really start from such an ancient point?
After talking nonstop for quite a long while, Kotori suddenly stopped.
I thought she had finally realized her explanation was getting overly long and complicated.
Who would have guessed she paused to gather her thoughts and then said, "After all, if we're going to talk about the evolution of artillery weapons, we can't avoid ntioning the developnt of materials science. Did you know, Sensei? Bronze was the earliest alloy in the history of tal casting…"
…Why did it go even further back!?
"I-Indeed."
The corner of my face twitched, and I felt like I was about to lose the smile I was forcing myself to maintain.
"Alright, Kotori." After being busy for quite so ti together with Hibiki, Utaha seed to have finally finished her work. She straightened up and interrupted her junior. "If you keep going like this, you won't finish even by nightfall. Save that enthusiasm for next ti."
Kotori looked reluctant, but still nodded helplessly. "Okay. Sensei, next ti there's a more suitable opportunity, I'll explain it to you then."
At first, I felt a bit troubled, but when I thought about it carefully, Kotori's talent for nonstop talking, if applied to certain other situations…
Suddenly, I felt that I had many doubts, urgently in need of her explanations.
Looking at this lively and adorable girl, all kinds of thirst for knowledge burned fiercely in my heart.
"Alright! Next ti for sure!"
I agreed imdiately.
"Hibiki, please explain it to Sensei," Utaha said.
"Okay."
The gloomy girl with dog ears and a dog tail, awkward in speech, showed a shy smile.
"According to Sensei's request… we carried out a reversible modification on [Sword of Light: Supernova]. By adding several detachable components, when the next charging cycle is about to complete and the weapon enters the launch preparation stage, it will automatically stop further power supply… in other words, the first shot will definitely be a 'dummy round.'"
I nodded in satisfaction, just about to thank her, but then I could not help recalling the Engineering Departnt's usual style. The words that reached my lips changed shape.
"This… it won't explode, right?"
"Um, b-because Sensei emphasized it repeatedly, we absolutely did not install such a function."
After hesitating for a mont, Hibiki looked away and muttered despite herself, "And besides, the Sword of Light is Arisu's weapon. We already did sothing like this behind her back, so there's no way we would go any further…"
From her words, I could hear her lack of understanding toward my request.
And she was not the only one who thought that way.
"…Sensei, please forgive my bluntness." Utaha, who had been thinking deeply with her eyes closed, opened her shining purple eyes. "Although asking this after completing the modification is a bit too late, may I ask if you can tell us your reason for doing this?"
I could understand their confusion.
In the academy city of Kivotos, weapons were standard equipnt that every student was assud to possess. Even if they were not regarded as life itself, they were not far from it.
This reminded of how I had seemingly easily taken Hoshino's shotgun from her back then. In reality, however, she had almost completely fallen into self-abandonnt at the ti, and had taken that opportunity to hand the gun over to herself.
Otherwise, given her actual grip strength… even if she truly had been intimidated, there was no way I could have seized it successfully.
In short, a personal firearm was extrely important to every student, and tampering with soone else's weapon without permission was also a very serious matter in Kivotos.
If it were not for my sufficiently good relationship with the Engineering Departnt, and the fact that this could still be considered harmless, plus my guarantee that I would contact them to remove this concealed chanism before returning the Sword of Light to Arisu, they would never have agreed to my request.
"It's very simple," I answered honestly. "It's to prevent Arisu from using the Sword of Light without permission during this period, nothing more. As for the deeper reasons, please forgive for not being able to tell you for now."
After a mont of contemplation, Utaha nodded. "I understand. Thank you for being willing to tell us the truth."
In an instant, the tense atmosphere caused by Hibiki's unintentional remark eased considerably.
"It's what I should do."
After that, I politely extended an invitation. "By the way, would you be willing to stay overnight at Schale?"
After a brief silence, three uncertain voices sounded at the sa ti.
Looking again, the cheeks of the three Engineering Departnt girls were all flushed red.
I then gave the reason I had already prepared. "I'm inviting you to try staying in the guest rooms. You see, Schale has so many guest rooms, most of which are unused for long periods. The Ga Developnt Departnt and C＆C are also planning to stay, along with a few other students…"
To be honest, this reason was sowhat forced.
But whether it was forced or not did not matter. As long as it barely passed, it was more than enough.
I saw Utaha, Kotori, and Hibiki look at one another, a hint of eager excitent gradually appearing in their eyes.
I knew it. These science girls who seed obsessed only with chanical engineering clearly harbored designs on my good looks.
Utaha spoke first. "Sensei, please take good care of us today."
Then Kotori said, "Don't worry, Sensei! After trying the stay, I'll properly explain the experience to you!"
Finally, Hibiki hesitated for a long ti before squeezing out, "M- too!"
Having obtained the expected result, I calculated quietly in my heart.
With this, the audience was fully prepared.
Arisu…
Were you really, as I feared, nothing more than "AL-1S" from the very beginning?
If that were the case, no matter how unwilling I might be,
I would have no choice but to end it with my own hands.
With a heavy heart and a faint glimr of hope, I shook my head and temporarily cast these worries aside.
Returning to the living room together with the Engineering Departnt, Arisu and the remaining mbers of the Ga Developnt Departnt were playing gas in trembling fear.
Because a certain tiny maid had forcibly joined in.
As for the other C＆C mbers, they were carrying out a major cleanup across all of Schale.
After confirming with Saori that Arisu had stayed here the entire ti and had not left, I took a deep breath.
And quietly waited for the mont to begin the plan.
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