Surviving in Blue Archive Chapter 428 2: Even Aru

A few days ago, while my attention was completely focused on handling the Make-Up Work Club crisis...

An event occurred far from Trinity, small enough that it could never compare to the vast conspiracy that had engulfed the academy.

Still, if you wanted to call it sothing, it had a faint connection to Mika and Arius's coup. And was also closely related to personally.

In short, a certain "diehard student who absolutely supports the Prefect Team" submitted an anonymous tip to the team.

The gist of it: In the slums recently cleared by the Prefect Team, new sprouts of cri were said to have erged.

So Hina, who happened to be nearby to deal with unruly students, decided to check it out.

An illegal club called Problem Solver 68 was consequently forced to move out of their cheap office and neighboring apartnt.

I strongly suspected this was linked to the ti I asked the Problem Solver girls to help drive away the local thugs during the Make-Up Work Club's second evaluation exam.

"Ku fufu∼" said the white-haired girl sitting beside , swinging her legs mischievously, "Sensei, you really overthink things∼ I think maybe Aru-chan ssed up on a lost-item request last ti, and the client's been holding a grudge∼?"

On the other side of the sofa, the red-haired beauty who had been wearing her usual dark and mysterious smile suddenly looked panicked, exposed by her companion:

"M-Mutsuki!? I just accidentally dropped the wallet down the drain… I—I did get it back later, right? The client wouldn't be that petty… would they?"

Aru's voice grew smaller and uncertain with each word, clearly feeling guilty.

I, surprised that this even happened, tried to control my grin.

"All right∼" Mutsuki said with a cheerful grin, "Anyway, we've already moved to the new office, and today is sensei's first visit, so let's not talk about anything unpleasant, okay?"

She looked at with a deliberately pitiful but utterly mischievous and irresistible expression.

I understood imdiately, Mutsuki had exposed her childhood friend's embarrassnt to spare from worrying over trivial details…

Truly, classic Kivotos-style childhood friends!

However, as I stepped inside and was enthusiastically ushered to sit by Mutsuki, a small doubt arose.

I glanced around and asked, "Where are Kayoko and Haruka?"

"Hehe, just like I ntioned on Momotalk," Aru perked up and answered, "Today's a day off. Coincidentally, Kayoko's favorite band released a new album, so she went to line up early in the morning!"

Mutsuki added, "Haruka too. After confirming there were no chores for her, she went out. Who knows if she went to collect weeds or sneak off for work again?"

I looked carefully at Aru, then at Mutsuki, and paused in thought.

"So that ans," I asked cautiously, summarizing my suspicion, "you two didn't tell them I was coming today?"

The expression of Problem Solver 68's president froze.

"Th-This…"

"Ku fufu∼ Aru-chan was just too excited, so she forgot to notify everyone, right?"

Mutsuki gave Aru a aningful look: "I was going to buy so gifts too, but when I saw Aru-chan so happy this early, I knew sothing good must have happened∼ Right, Aru-chan∼?"

What!? Could it be that even Aru finally got it!?

When I received the Momotalk invitation to the new office the night before, since it ca from Aru, I had completely failed to consider this possibility.

Now it seed I had underestimated her. After just a few days apart, she had already learned to sneak out.

Or maybe I had underestimated the consequences of the Mika-Dio brutal kiss incident…

Even Aru!

I stared at the blushing, stamring red-haired girl in shock, noticing more and more that her hair seed tinged with pink.

No wonder Mutsuki's teasing of Aru seed sharper than usual, there was this hidden context.

Misinterpreting the nuance in my expression, Aru buried her head lower and lower:

"N-No, it's not like that… I'm not that happy… no, it's not that I'm completely unhappy either…"

Confused and flustered, she could barely form coherent words.

I cleared my throat and said to Mutsuki seriously. "I think it's probably just that Aru's been overworked. After all, you've been busy moving, and as president of Problem Solver 68, Aru also has to plan the company's future. It's natural for her to be distracted sotis."

At this, Aru's golden eyes sparkled again and she regained her confident smile: "Hehe∼ That's right. But this mistake does show I'm not fully mature yet. Hehe, I'll rely on you as a business advisor, Sensei, to guide ."

I kept a straight face and nodded, eting her gaze: "Of course."

For a mont, the atmosphere grew solemn, yet I could almost hear Aru cheering silently inside.

Mutsuki, observing with interest, didn't interrupt imdiately. After a while, she spoke:

"Well, I think the prelude is long enough, right? So∼ next, the three of us will do sothing fun together∼"

Three of us? Sothing fun?

I felt a jolt, recalling two old acquaintances in Abydos, and felt a bit uneasy.

Mutsuki had known about and Hoshino for a long ti… Aru was the only one in Problem Solver 68 unaware.

Because of this, I often worried about being talked about when interacting with the club:

"Sensei, you don't want your situation with Hoshino-senpai to get out to the Valkyrie Police Academy, right?"

First, let clarify:

In Kivotos, as a sensei, I can freely date students without breaking the law.

Sauce

-Kirino

Yet, for Hoshino's reputation and to prevent Haruka, Mutsuki, and Kayoko from going astray, I willingly endured that embarrassnt, even if all three took turns tasting .

This is the responsibility I hold as a sensei.

But now, it seems I might need to watch out for one more person.

Even Aru, after spending so much ti with , could awaken naive feelings from my charm…

"Sensei, you've been thinking so very inappropriate things, haven't you?"

I coughed to hide my embarrassnt and asked Mutsuki eagerly: "So, what exactly is this fun thing we're going to do?"

"Ku fufu∼ This∼ of course∼"

Mutsuki laughed and reached into a black canvas bag, pulling out a small paper box.

"Ta-da∼" she announced enthusiastically, "Sensei, Aru-chan, it's playing cards∼"

"…Oh." I replied, unimpressed.