Utaha had once offered a hypothesis: Arisu was an android born for battle.
"Why are all the blacksmith's of the Smithy hiding in the wardrobe?"
Arisu opened the wardrobe door. The great figures of the Engineering Departnt stood there, at a loss for words.
After fighting Arisu, Neru had concluded that as long as her missing combat experience was supplented, Arisu would be more than capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with her.
"Why are the maid seniors all on the balcony?"
Arisu pulled open the curtain between the balcony and the bedroom. The C&C maid agents all fell silent.
Wakamo, Saori, and Hoshino had been instructed by to monitor Arisu around the clock.
"And three seniors from other schools… two in the bathroom, one in the hallway."
"Ah, how sharp of you. But hey, this Oji-san was just curious about why little Arisu ca to see Sensei in the middle of the night without sleeping, that's all."
Hoshino spoke lazily as she pushed the door open, entering alongside the other two who erged from the bathroom.
Only now did I realize a lapse on my part.
I may have underestimated Arisu's perceptive abilities.
Finally, Arisu looked toward the bed, her gaze seeming to pierce through the bed fra itself, as though she could see the figures hiding underneath.
"And also…"
Before Arisu could finish speaking, the girls from the Ga Developnt Club crawled out on their own initiative.
Facing their companion, whose eyes shimred with tears and whose gaze carried a questioning tone, Midori lowered her head in sha. "Arisu-chan…"
Yuzu was trembling even more violently, her mouth opening as if to speak, yet no words ca out.
"Arisu, you've misunderstood!"
Only Momoi still had the courage to explain at this mont, even sounding rather confident about it.
"We were all just here to have secret rendezvous with Sensei!"
The mont her words fell, the room went completely silent. The heavy atmosphere instantly transford into a strange, awkward tension.
I had to admit that Momoi always managed to bring unexpected surprises, or shocks, just like right now.
Arisu, who had been on the verge of tears, blinked in confusion.
"Secret rendezvous… according to the aning registered in the Kivotos Dictionary, it refers to a private date conducted between mbers of the opposite sex who share an ambiguous relationship, usually involving one, and only one, couple."
As she spoke, she looked around the room, clearly questioning the number of people present.
"That's right," Momoi said, patting her chest proudly. "We all ca one by one! Probably!"
…So why does she look so smug about it?
I think Momoi has so issues.
Hearing this, Arisu turned to the others in the Ga Developnt Club.
"Midori and Yuzu too?"
The two who were addressed exchanged a glance and nodded repeatedly.
Arisu pondered for a mont. "Then the little maid senior and the other maid seniors as well?"
"That's right!" Asuna replied imdiately, smiling brightly. "We all ca to serve our master!"
"Hehe∼ that's exactly right."
"I'm about the sa."
Akane and Karin followed right after.
However, the head of C&C seed to hold a different opinion.
"Hah!?"
Neru's face alternated between red and pale. Under the dual pressure of Arisu's gaze and Akane's light cough, she finally clenched her teeth and, with tears in her eyes, admitted it.
"T-That's right."
Light appeared in Arisu's eyes as she continued asking, "Then the legendary blacksmiths as well?"
"Arisu," Utaha, who was also a departnt head, answered calmly, fully embodying the deanor of a master craftsman. "Obviously, we ca to discuss maintenance matters regarding the Sword of Light with Sensei."
Kotori hurriedly spoke up. "Yes! I was just explaining electromagnetic railgun theory to Sensei a mont ago!"
Hibiki replied weakly, "M- too."
This was precisely where the Engineering Departnt's advantage lay.
Looking to the side, Neru's face turned completely dark upon seeing the Engineering Departnt resort to such despicable tactics.
In the end, Arisu looked toward the doorway. After receiving my subtle signal, Wakamo and Saori both nodded in acknowledgnt.
As for Hoshino, she had already prepared her excuse from the start, silently observing Arisu with a aningful smile.
After receiving everyone's answers, Arisu finally let out a sigh of relief and revealed a reassured expression.
"So that ans… the reason Sensei has been distant toward Arisu is because Sensei has ford special relationships with everyone except Arisu…"
As soon as she said this, the girls' expressions once again varied.
Even Arisu herself adopted a pitiful look as she gazed at .
"Sensei, why is Arisu the only one who can't? Is the current affection level still not enough? Please tell Arisu how much is missing. Arisu also wants to participate in group activities."
If only I were the one being captured.
Sighing inwardly, I patted the android girl's head and said calmly,
"These things can't be rushed."
"Oh…"
Arisu nodded dejectedly.
"For tonight, go back and rest first. All of you as well."
"Yes, I understand," Arisu perked up and bid farewell sweetly. "In order to unlock CGs with Sensei sooner, Arisu will do her best. Good night, Sensei!"
With that, Arisu left the room. Hoshino gave a look and followed after her.
The conflict I had expected to occur was resolved so easily. Should I thank Momoi's blunt honesty for that?
No, there was clearly a more important factor at play.
Afterward, the other students greeted and returned to their rooms with their respective sacred relics.
After this farce, whether due to jealousy, embarrassnt at having been seen in an awkward state, sympathy for Arisu, or dissatisfaction with my attitude, many students did not look at kindly, especially Momoi and Neru.
Even Midori and Karin temporarily took back the gifts they had given .
In the blink of an eye, the spacious bedroom was left with only .
And Arona.
"Sensei, Arisu has already returned to her room."
"Mm, thank you."
"And also…" Arona added, "Hoshino has co over."
"Mm, I know."
I intended to leave the door open in advance, but instead bumped straight into Hoshino, who had just reached the door and was about to knock.
She waved her hand, still wearing her faint smile. "Uheee∼ Did you guess this Oji-san would co? We really are on the sa wavelength∼"
I neither confird nor denied it, rely shrugging as I stepped back.
Hoshino closed the door and entered the room.
"Mmm. That Arisu... She's pretty impressive, huh. No wonder you asked this Oji-san for help…"
At that point, Hoshino paused.
"So." The girl's heterochromatic eyes fixed on . "Just what did she do to you, that made soone who should be so gentle toward everyone co to fear a child who longs so desperately to believe in you, yet is so afraid of being hated by you?"
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