The children from Heungsinso stared at me with enigmatic expressions as I held up the magic pass necklace. I guess it’s hard to understand me, a total stranger, casually dishing out a fortune in the hundreds of thousands of yen.
Honestly, my bank account keeps growing every month, and if I don’t spend it like this, the numbers just won’t budge. It’s a luxury that comes from being the Student Council President at an academy attended by rich girls.
I really think I’m getting way too much money for the workload I have. Most of my personal funds go toward supporting Abydos, yet I can still afford such extravagance.
“…Hey, is it really okay for us to accept something like this? No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem like something you’d just casually offer to someone you just met.”
“Hmm~? Who cares! If our angel-chan wants to, it would be rude to keep turning it down, right?”
“Ugh, 400,000 yen just vanishing like that… We haven’t even set up an office yet. What’s going on here?! This feels so unreal!”
“I-it’s not fair for someone like me to accept something like that… It must be too valuable for a useless person like me, so if I die, it’ll all just stop being a thing, right…?”
“Hey, what’s there to feel guilty about? Sure, I can’t just hand money directly to others, but… aside from that, I get way more than enough to spend for others. So, it’s no problem playing the benefactor!”
I snatched the necklace from Haruka, who was trembling as if about to faint, and fastened it around her neck myself. I figured if I didn’t do it, she’d just sit there wallowing in self-pity.
“So don’t stress too much about it! If you want to nitpick, I’m just flaunting money I got from others. And don’t throw around the whole ‘live or die’ talk carelessly. Haruka-chan really needs to value herself more☆”
By the way, why are there so many kids suffering mentally in Blue Archive, despite it being a place that promotes brightness and wholesomeness? Every time I see it, it makes me feel unnecessarily meddlesome. Though, I must admit, I really am a nosy person.
“Fufu. If you put it that way, I won’t refuse. Yeah, people who are just overly nice get used by lawbreakers like us and only then realize the world isn’t so easy!”
“Hey, boss, I think this woman has it too easy. She couldn’t even be seen as competition if someone wanted to manipulate her.”
“T-that’s just a small detail, right?! We’re just being used right now anyway…!”
“Kyaha! No waiting in line to enjoy the rides, this request is truly the best♪”
“I-it’s overwhelming… Aru-san, what should I do to make it better…?”
“Huh? Haruka-san, what did you just say?”
“Nothing! Talking about such things is a waste of time…!”
I always feel this way, but every time I meet new named students, it’s a variety of fun experiences. Watching kids I’ve only interacted with through a screen come to life in front of me sometimes brings on a strange feeling.
The kids I only knew from illustrations and a few lines of dialogue start to feel more three-dimensional. For example, when Mitsuki walked between Haruka and Aru, showing small consideration, or when Kayoko meticulously checked related information after I said I’d buy her a magic pass.
Every time I notice those small details, it dawns on me that these children aren’t mere characters beyond the screen, but real beings called ‘people.’ And I keep reminding myself that I’ve also become a part of the world these kids live in.
That’s not so bad… to be honest, I’d even say it feels great.
The fact that my favorite character became a different gender still isn’t a change I particularly liked, but being able to become friends with these kids from the perspective of a student instead of a teacher is a blessing greater than I thought it would be.
“Angel-chan, let’s hurry~♪ I want to ride the roller coaster first!”
“Ugh, could we do something a little less intense…?”
“Fufu, a roller coaster is perfect for me to show how to enjoy thrills! I liked it!”
“Eh, but Aru-chan~. You cried and made a fuss when you came with me last time, right?”
“…W-Whaaaat?! Director Mitsuki, we promised not to tell anyone that!!!”
“Did we? Ku~fufu♡”
At least for me, such a blessing is something you can’t find anywhere else in the world.
*
While it’s a bit obvious, hoping for a pleasant atmosphere at the first meeting of students from two academies with greatly conflicting aspects is a bit greedy. Comparing the existing relationship between Gehenna and Trinity, most would expect some incident would occur, and they wouldn’t find it strange.
Yet, the group of eight students, myself included, was quite unique.
First, there’s me, Hifumi, and Mitsuki, all three of whom have a suspiciously high affinity for making friends. With three people who can change the atmosphere in a group, the chances of someone being left out naturally decrease.
Next, there’s Nagisa and Kayoko, both of whom have a strong tendency to be wary of others, showing a protective nature towards their group. While Kayoko may have the edge in intelligence, Nagisa’s political savvy allows her to skillfully mask her true intentions.
Once these two start to open up to each other, that’s when the two groups will truly start to blend together.
Azusa and Haruka are the sore spots in each group. Both receive a lot of consideration and care. Fortunately, Azusa’s hatred towards Gehenna, influenced by Arius, is still fairly minor, so it’s less of a problem.
The real issue is on Haruka’s side. Still, I recognize this problem well enough, so I figured if I put in a bit more effort, I could cover for it. As for Heungsinso… let’s not go there. It was Haruka who would often get into trouble whenever she was around them, and she has other people to rely on.
Lastly, Aru is…the group’s glue, if you had to pin it down.
If the atmosphere feels awkward, just talk to Aru. It’ll clear the tension a bit.
If you want to lighten the mood, tease Aru, and the response you get will brighten things up immensely.
Still, even if that’s not the case, Aru makes for a surprisingly decent conversation partner. So, you could say she’s bordered close to the center of this group of eight.
In summary, the group consists of three extroverts with high social skills, the playful extrovert, and three ordinary people dressed like extroverts, all connected around a punching bag.
The group might not start off in a pleasant atmosphere, but it naturally becomes friendlier over time, which makes sense.
Well, by my calculations, that’s how it should go.
But alas, Nagisa’s insistence on sitting next to me would stop that from happening.
After casually introducing ourselves, we resumed our quest to conquer all the rides at the amusement park. Even if we had ridden a particular attraction before, if someone from Heungsinso took an interest, we had enough time to check it out again.
After enjoying a few rides, we settled into pairs for a roller coaster that featured a steep drop section, unlike the 360-degree ride we had ridden previously.
Aru and Haruka.
Hifumi and Mitsuki.
Kayoko and Azusa.
Me and Nagisa.
Nagisa, determined to hold onto her “next to me” mantra, diligently stayed by my side. Azusa appeared to be unsatisfied with that and, surprisingly, Mitsuki kept trying to sit next to me.
Still, I was more surprised that Nagisa volunteered to ride this roller coaster with me. While the impending ear-splitting terror made me nervous, it was even more surprising to feel her desire to stay by my side shining through.
While we waited for the roller coaster to start, I overheard Kayoko and Azusa having a casual conversation while sitting next to each other for the first time today.
“I kept feeling eyes on me since this morning, and it was annoying. Was it you two?”
“…Yeah, your Junior was watching you as part of her mission. Got caught by that monster lady and ended up like this.”
“Mika is the strongest among the people I know. You’ll regret it if you try to turn her into an enemy.”
“Ha… I don’t know how easy that will be, but I’ll keep that in mind.”
Hearing this, Nagisa gently pinched my hand and leaned her head on my shoulder, whispering softly.
“Why are you so fearless?”
“Oh haha, well, I try to look for everyone’s good points, so maybe that’s why~?”
“Ugh, what’s with all these stray cats suddenly appearing? What do the Gehenna students find so appealing?”
“Huh? Stray cats? If you’re talking about Mitsuki-chan, she just wants to get close to me. Calling her a stray cat is stretching it…”
“…Oh, divine being of the beginning, please bestow even a fraction of your wisdom on this foolish person. I beg you… How can someone be so lacking in awareness…?”
“Ugh, that’s too much.”
Seriously, what did I ever do to Mitsuki for her to treat me like some competitor? Am I going insane trying to follow the conversation?
Click—
As we talked, the roller coaster started to move forward. The swiftly departing roller coaster soon ascended into the lift section and climbed endlessly into the sky along the track.
“…Wow, this is so high!”
At this point, we were probably over 50 meters up, and we just kept climbing. I’d anticipated it would be high, but I didn’t think it would go even higher.
When I glanced sideways, Nagisa had already tightly shut her eyes. Taking her hand, which was gripping the safety bar with a death grip, I squeezed it gently, and she briefly opened her eyes to flash a weak smile.
That was the last smile Nagisa would show until we got off the roller coaster.
Finally, as the roller coaster reached the summit, it entered a brief pause. The vague fear of the steep drop looming ahead multiplied during this short wait, intensifying my tension and anticipation. At last, the descent began.
“AAAAAH!!!”
Just as expected, Nagisa screamed her lungs out next to me. This time, it wasn’t easy for me to hold back my own scream—you know, it probably had something to do with how dizzyingly high we were, with the drop feeling endless.
“ARUUUUU!!!”
I could vaguely hear Haruka calling out to Aru not too far ahead. I couldn’t make out Aru’s voice.
“Woooohooo♪”
Mitsuki enthusiastically lifted her arms and shouted with joy. What a total departure from everyone else! Even Hifumi was raising her arms high in the air, making it clear she was having just as much fun, even if she wasn’t screaming.
The hellish incline came to an end, only for the track to twist a few more times before quickly climbing again. Though it wasn’t as high as the last peak, it was enough to present a considerable assault on my eardrums.
From the first steep drop to the third, Nagisa gripped my hand tightly, putting every ounce of strength she could muster into it. Though she was just an average girl in strength, I didn’t feel particularly hurt.
As the roller coaster returned to its starting point—a ride that was paradise for some and hell for others—I finally exhaled in relief.
Interestingly, at this roller coaster, there was a photo spot right at the first drop! Reading the description, it mentioned shooting photos with a high-speed camera attached to a drone that AI would then select and send the clearest images… but I couldn’t care less about that.
“Kyahaha~! Aru-chan, are you spacing out? You didn’t faint, did you?!”
“Ha…?! No way! Can’t you see I’m just bored with this? I was on the verge of yawning and dozing off! I could ride this all day long—”
“WOW! Aru-chan is amazing! Should we ride again? Kuhuuhu♡”
“T-that…”!!!
Seeing the photo revealed Aru with her eyes rolled back, looking completely out of it while being dragged by Haruka. But whether Haruka had called for her out of fear or concern remains a mystery.
Just as expected, Hifumi was quietly enjoying the breathtaking height of the incline with her hands held high alongside Mitsuki, perhaps reaching 70 meters. Seriously, what’s your deal, Ajitani Hifumi…?!
Surprisingly, Kayoko and Azusa held onto the safety bar as if they were twins, wide-eyed and visibly scared when we got off the ride. Neither spoke and they averted each other’s gaze, trying to ignore the reality.
“Hmm, Nagisa-chan must have had a tough time today…”
“…”
Finally, neither I nor Nagisa had removed our headbands and decorations, our hair waving frantically and ridiculously. While my expression managed to appear relatively happy in the photo, Nagisa looked up, mouth wide open in a full scream, which left me chuckling.
Clearly embarrassed, she covered her face and sank her head in shame, but to me, she looked only adorable.
“Why do I keep showing such embarrassing sides today…”
“Huh? I find it impressive how you’re so fearful, yet you don’t stop challenging yourself. I think it’s really cool☆”
“Really…?”
“Of course! You know I’m not the type to say empty praise, right? That’s why I can’t help but like you, Nagisa-chan!”
“Mika-san…”
Caught up in the atmosphere, Nagisa leaned lightly against me. Her face drew closer, making me imagine this could lead to something more, but—
“Ahem! You two, keep the sweet moments to a minimum! This delightful vibe is making us all mushy and that’s the worst!”
“What’s this?! When you flaunt such a pink atmosphere like this, you’re going to make Mitsuki-chan jealous too! ~♪”
“Mika, that’s too much.”
Our surroundings interrupted, softly killing the moment. Perhaps feeling regretful, Nagisa clicked her tongue and slowly withdrew.
But why isn’t my will being accounted for…? I was just a bit hopeful back there.
In this life, those who swallow their disappointments quietly tend to enjoy far less than those who get a little brazen when needed.
As I made my way over to Nagisa, conversations around us halted. The moment my lips met her cheek, her face lit up, and just like that, the earlier discussions erupted again.
Witnessing this made me realize my own karma. I had no clue what I did, but it seemed clear that Mitsuki had developed a crush on me. It was just recently I figured out that there were more kids who liked me than I initially realized, so why did the numbers keep rising?
It seems I really need to clarify my stance soon. To protect the blissful image of Nagisa next to me, even if it involves some apologetic chats, that’s necessary.
…Little did I know, I was underestimating the situation and failing to realize that my words and actions were like a disaster waiting to unfold.
