Surviving in Blue Archive Chapter 297 118: The Second Holy Schale War (Continuation)

"Master."

Akane lay fully atop my back, soft and warm, carrying a pressure that was gentle enough not to be uncomfortable.

With slender fingers, the girl tilted my head slightly to the side and leaned close to my ear. In an extrely low voice, almost as intimate as usual yet tinged with sothing subtly different, she asked softly,

"The club president, where is she still hiding in your room right now? The bathroom, under the bed, the wardrobe, or the balcony?"

The drowsiness I had not fully shaken off vanished in an instant.

Before I could answer, Akane straightened up as if she had already received her answer, withdrawing the fingers that had been resting so naturally near my temple.

"Since you have other visitors," Akane said in her normal tone, "please allow to excuse myself for the ti being."

With that, she stepped off the bed, bowed to gracefully, and then walked naturally toward the balcony.

As I got up, I heard Neru's frightened, stifled cry and Asuna's bell-like laughter, both of which quickly faded away.

…Suddenly, I felt that among C&C, the one you really should not provoke might not be Neru, who appears the most short-tempered on the surface.

Still, when I glanced at the bed and saw the checkered wool shawl Akane had left behind, I felt certain that she did like , so there was nothing to worry about.

Next, I went to open the door again, only to find no one there.

Except for a tail.

Hearing the door open, the owner of the fluffy black dog tail, who had just been about to turn away after getting no response, stepped back to the threshold, clutching the hem of her clothes with both hands.

"S-sorry, Sensei, I thought you had already fallen asleep… did I wake you up?"

"Of course not. I should be the one apologizing. I could not spare my hands earlier to open the door right away. I am really sorry."

Smiling, I politely invited this new visitor. "Anyway, co in first and let's talk."

Hibiki nodded lightly, pressed her lips together, and showed a shy, gentle smile.

Like everyone else, her attention was imdiately drawn to the sacred relics spread across my bed. But perhaps because of her introverted nature, and because she was inside the bedroom of soone she liked, she only looked puzzled and did not ask rashly.

Since she didn't ask, I answered her myself.

"These were left behind by students who ca to visit earlier."

Facing the honest Nekozuka Hibiki, I chose to be straightforward.

I rely omitted the insignificant detail that everyone was still hiding sowhere in this very room.

"I see." Hibiki did not doubt it at all and said with feeling, "Sensei is really trusted by the students."

"Haha, does that include Hibiki as well?"

"Eh?"

After freezing for a mont, Hibiki stamred for quite a while before lowering her head. "Y-yes…"

As she admitted it, her tail swayed behind her along with her fluctuating emotions, making one want to reach out and pet it.

Unfortunately, now was not the ti.

"Alright, no more joking," I said seriously. "So, Hibiki, you ca so late. Is there sothing you needed?"

I had already noticed that Hibiki was carrying a rod-shaped object on her back and holding a bundle in her arms, both wrapped up tightly. I had no idea what they were ant to be used for.

So kind of mysterious gadget to be used later?

Hibiki nodded and went straight to the point. "Sensei, you ntioned to our Engineering Club before that you have been having so trouble sleeping recently."

That was true. It was when I had been exploring how to use Tsubaki's authority and consulted the Engineering Club about a machine I found online, ntioning it in passing.

"Sleep is a very important thing."

As Hibiki said that, I could not help but speak up.

"Hibiki, your dark circles seem to have gotten worse too."

"Ah… I just stayed up too late, that is all…"

She turned her gaze aside, and under my stare, her face gradually took on a blush. "D-do not stare at like that."

"Alright, alright." I readily complied.

When teasing an easily embarrassed heroine, one should know when to stop.

"So, Hibiki, did you co today because of this?"

"Yes. After learning about Sensei's troubles, I prepared two prototypes. The na of the first one is…"

As she spoke, Hibiki unwrapped the bundle in her arms, revealing its true form.

A pillow-shaped machine.

"The Fainting Device."

As Hibiki spoke its na, my expression changed. "Fainting?"

"Mhm. I am not very confident in my ergonomics, but have you not heard people say that sotis, after fainting and waking up, it feels as comfortable as having slept for a long ti?"

Hibiki set down the ominously nad machine. "Anyway, could you please lie down on this pillow-shaped machine first, Sensei?"

"Uh… I think," I searched for the most tactful wording I could, "fainting does not sound like a good thing, no matter how you think about it."

"Mmm, perhaps. Well, this is just a prototype, after all."

Hibiki said earnestly, "I have other works… that can satisfy Sensei even more."

Next, she removed the item from her back and unwrapped the cloth wound around it, revealing a...

An iron pipe gleaming with cold light.

The instant I saw it, shock rose with ominous associations. Then I reassured myself it must be a misunderstanding, until I heard Hibiki's introduction.

"Its na is the Disorientation Iron Pipe."

…What are you trying to do!? The wolf tail is showing, is it!?

I never imagined that Hibiki, who looked so well-behaved and shy, had already beco so infatuated with my looks. After failing to lure , she even wanted to use violence to knock out and then do all sorts of things straight out of a book?

"Ah, it seems Sensei has misunderstood sothing again."

Seeing my delighted… shocked expression, Hibiki hurriedly explained. "Although the thod is a bit traditional… the effectiveness of this Disorientation Iron Pipe has been verified."

Yes, very traditional indeed.

I felt it was my duty to dispel the wolfish ambitions Hibiki had developed because of my uncontrollable charm.

For example, asking her to et privately in a few days. Even without such underhanded thods, I would be willing to accompany her for the sake of guiding a student back onto the right path.

So when is Hibiki going to awaken an authority?

"Ah, don't misunderstand. This is not used to strike Sensei on the back of the head."

Hibiki looked embarrassed as she continued explaining. "This iron pipe… is equipped with my favorite function."

"…Explosion?"

That is how you awaken an authority?

"It is a Bluetooth speaker. Inside this iron pipe, I installed ten physics lectures that you can fall asleep just by listening to… ahem… as well as about two hundred sleep-aid music tracks. You can choose freely."

I nodded thoughtfully.

…Then why make it in the shape of an iron pipe? For self-defense?

And like this, the value of certain authorities sohow felt even more tragic.

I really wanted to test the effect of Hibiki's invention, but now was not a ti when I could sleep peacefully.

Just as I was about to decline regretfully, the words reached my lips, and I suddenly had a new idea.

"Then let try it."

Hibiki brightened. "Really? Then I will help you clear the bed…"

"No need. Just leave it for now."

Stopping the dog-eared girl, I lay down on the unused portion of the bed. "Let try it like this. Also, if you hear knocking later, could you wake up?"

"Of course."

With Hibiki's assurance, I smiled slightly and closed my eyes.

If soone woke up after I fell asleep, that was fine. The others might not be so lucky.

"Alright, I am starting the music now. Disorientation Iron Pipe… activating."

As Hibiki's voice fell, soothing music filled the entire room.

Already drowsy from Akane's massage, after hearing the sleep-aid lody, I lost consciousness not long after. It felt as though not much ti had passed in my dream before I was pushed awake.

"Sensei, Sensei, soone is knocking."

I stretched and sat up, suddenly noticing a trace of sothing amiss.

Temporarily ignoring it, I said to Hibiki, who seed to have been watching the entire ti I slept,

"Thank you. Then, could you please hide for a bit? You can leave the iron pipe and the pillow on the bed."

"Eh? Alright. Then…"

Hibiki's gaze shifted toward my wardrobe.

While she was hiding, I walked to the door first, then took a deep breath and pulled out the card from my chest pocket, now burning hot.

—

Converted Authority: High Alchemy

Description: The holder may consu HP to perform one low-success-rate targeted alchemy through a ritual.

Source: Nekozuka Hibiki conquered.

—

It seed that the judgnt for a successful conquest was indeed not just affection.

After seeing my completely unguarded sleeping face, what kind of emotions had Hibiki developed to fulfill the card's conditions?

…Trust, perhaps?

Compared to fleeting fondness, sothing far more solid and unshakable. If that was the true standard, it was not surprising.

It was just much harder to obtain.

As I watched, the light screen changed again.

—

Authority rging in progress…

Primordial Alchemy and High Alchemy have been rged into a superior authority.

Converted Authority: Great Alchemy

Description: The holder may consu HP to perform one dium-success-rate targeted alchemy through a ritual.

Source: Okusora Ayane, Nekozuka Hibiki conquered.

—

The success rate had gone from extrely low, to low, and now to dium.

With a thought, I imdiately understood the most important impact this change in description had on right now.

The conversion efficiency of Pyroxene into Mystery.

Or rather, the lifespan I needed to consu when activating divine nas or using certain authorities.

This was undoubtedly good news for . Although the specific effects still required testing, it would certainly give more leeway when facing Kei or AL-1S.

And at present, there were more important matters for to handle.

With gratitude toward Hibiki filling my heart, when I heard her cry out in surprise after discovering Kotori in the wardrobe, I even felt a slight pang of guilt.

But it was not a big problem. I would try my best not to laugh out loud.

In any case, I opened the door and saw another reserved figure standing there.

I had thought Yuzu might not co.

"S-Sensei, um, may I co in?"

"Of course. Since it's Yuzu, I would be more than happy. Please, co in."

"Thank you…"

I welcod her into the room. "Are you also here, like the others, to check on ?"

Yuzu was startled. "Eh? Others?"

Then she saw the various items arranged on my bed and fell silent on the spot.

"Mm… Sensei is really popular…"

After collecting herself, Yuzu muttered, "Well, you are Sensei, after all."

Clearly, she had not expected that the others I ntioned had not actually left.

So, I smoothly led Yuzu to sit with at the edge of my bed.

"It is like Sensei said, but it does not really count as checking on you. I just, um, wanted to chat with you."

"Mm. What about?"

"…Actually, I have always been very grateful to you, Sensei."

Yuzu lowered her eyes and pulled up her collar to cover the lower half of her face, as if she did not want to see her expression.

"Sensei is actually not like Arisu-chan…

"You have never really thought Myth, Legends, Chronicles was fun, have you?"

She had noticed, and at a mont like this, she asked that question. I could not help but feel surprised.

"So it really is like that…"

Having gotten her answer from my reaction, Yuzu instead seed relieved.

"I actually know it. Our ga is still far from mature, and receiving so many bad reviews is only natural. Because Sensei is such a gentle person, you were willing to encourage us and serve as our club advisor…"

"…To be honest, I really had fun when playing with all of you. You don't need to praise like that."

"Is that so? Well, it's fine. What matters most is that thanks to Sensei…"

Yuzu lifted her face, revealing a smile that was still a little shy.

"I, who used to only dare to stay inside the school building, have started to gain the courage to change. E-even though I am still afraid of many things now, I want to shalessly believe that this already counts as progress…"

I nodded in agreent.

"Ehehe…" Yuzu's face reddened. She patted her burning cheeks to calm herself, then stared straight at with her purple eyes.

"So, I have always wanted to express my thanks to you face to face, just like this. Originally, last ti… um…"

ntioning what happened in the locker last ti made Yuzu shy all over again.

I smiled and reassured her. "It's alright. You don't have to thank right now."

"Huh?"

"Because I will continue to stay by your side in the future."

I t the stunned girl's gaze. "So, when you can say it honestly one day, tell all the thanks you have been holding onto properly."

Perhaps that was still too stimulating for the current Yuzu. She sat there with her face completely red, unable to co back to her senses for a long ti.

Until the knocking startled her.

Then, without even having ti to put on the slippers she had kicked off by the bed, Yuzu darted under the bed at a speed and montum far beyond my imagination.

Imdiately after, a suppressed, resentful, and miserable wail followed.