Happy Birthday, Princess Mika!
*
There was a girl.
She was a child born to be loved.
I mean, where could you possibly find a child born not to be loved? Yet, amongst them, the girl seemed a bit more special.
From baby to child, and from child to girl. She grew up receiving everyone’s love as she passed through kindergarten and elementary school, all the way to Trinity General Academy’s middle and high school.
With a lot of love came a lot of spoiling. Because everyone kept pampering her for even the tiniest mistakes, her personality naturally became a bit spoiled.
Even if she was a bit clueless about the ways of the world, she didn’t face any disadvantages. Having grown up under the constant attention of others, she feared indifference more than anything else.
A flower in a greenhouse and a princess in a tower. Those were the most fitting words to describe the girl.
As the days went by, the girl’s beauty blossomed, and her friendly and playful nature helped her attract people around her.
However, the relationships she formed with the gathered people lacked depth.
The girl, naturally having a strong aversion towards the devils of Gehenna, flowed into the Pater Faction – the faction that most vehemently rejected Gehenna at Trinity. The atmosphere there further fueled her pathological hatred for Gehenna.
Her relationships were broad yet shallow, but she had no particular interest in that part. For someone used to receiving attention and love from everyone, it wasn’t something she needed to care about.
But that girl.
The moment Misono Mika first developed a genuine interest in others was when a conversation about Shalle’s teacher came up during tea time.
“Mika, how should we go about collecting the debt that Jin owes to Shalle’s teacher?”
“Huh? Shalle’s teacher, you say…”
“…Could it be you haven’t heard of them?”
“Come on! Nagi-chan, what do you think of me? Of course, I’ve heard about it! The stories about Shalle’s teacher are quite the popular topic among our kids, after all!”
Honestly, she had only heard about it but didn’t have any deep understanding of it.
She didn’t particularly need help with the usual student counseling or daily issues, so it was only natural that she’d be less interested.
Most importantly, her biggest current concern was the assassination case involving Yurizono Seiya, and revealing that to others would be a completely insane move.
“I see… Anyway, I’ve heard Shalle’s teacher is incredibly capable. So, I think it’s necessary to get your perspective too, Mika.”
“Heueng… I see. Then, how about this?”
After hearing Nagi’s story, Mika’s mischievous smile hinted that a fun thought had crossed her mind. She then shared her idea out loud.
“Let’s put that supplementary class club created by Nagi-chan in charge of the teacher!”
“…Huh? You want to use it for something so trivial?”
“A club that gathers those suspected of being traitors trying to undermine the Eden Treaty. If we hand that over to the teacher… then as Nagi-chan said, if Shalle’s teacher really is capable, they shouldn’t have any problem sifting out the traitors, right?”
“As I said, it’s a waste to use it for something so trivial, Mika. And above all, this is something we could solve ourselves, isn’t it?”
If Nagi-boo said that, then it would mean this person was probably extraordinary. While pondering that, Mika turned her mind over in thought.
How would the teacher’s existence influence the wind currently blowing around Trinity? Was there a way to use it to her advantage?
At the end of her contemplation, Mika concluded that it might be better to keep an unknown variable close and observe it.
She wanted to avoid the potential disruption this capable teacher could bring after her plan succeeded.
This was the process by which Misono Mika decided to draw the teacher into the supplementary class club.
“…No, it’s too precious a debt to use it this way.”
“Well, about this debt… doesn’t it relate to the artillery team you previously borrowed?”
“That’s correct…”
“Then, it wasn’t even an extraordinarily helpful debt to begin with, right? Instead of hoarding it for something so trivial… I think it might be better to build connections early on and move towards a better relationship.”
“That’s a point… Hmm, even so, I’m still not keen on the idea. From the beginning, gathering suspects like this means finding the culprit is just a matter of time.”
“Ahaha, I can’t deny that…”
While scratching her cheek, Mika was convinced that Nagi had already crossed the halfway point. Just one last push was needed…
A bitter expression crossed Mika’s face as she thought of a way to nudge Nagi further. The bitter taste of cocoa lingered on her tongue.
They were trying to find the culprit in the wrong place. The real culprit, the traitor at Trinity, was sitting right next to her.
Someone who had more than enough motivation to stop the Eden Treaty. A person who hated Gehenna more than anyone else, and yet she was excluding them from her suspicions based on her judgment.
The realization made Mika feel a strange joy mixed with guilt as she took a sip of the tea placed before her, moistening her dry mouth.
“Ow! Hot…!”
“…Are you okay?”
“Uh, yeah! I’m fine! Um, more importantly…”
“…?”
“Hehe, it’s nothing…”
Mika felt herself unable to meet Nagi’s gaze and looked away. Exposing her vulnerabilities here was absolutely off the table.
She had her own skills at hiding her true feelings, but with Nagi, things would certainly be different. It was a relief that their long-standing relationship had allowed for a certain degree of relaxation between them.
Otherwise, this relationship could have plunged into chaos long ago.
“Teacher… I’m curious now. Just a little, but I have an interest.”
“Oh my, it seems I’ve brought up something unnecessary.”
“Heueng…? Hey, Nagi-chan, what do you mean by that? Huh?”
Upon hearing Mika’s unusually feeble and playful tone, Nagi simply raised her teacup in response.
“Anyway, to continue what I was saying…”
*
The girl’s first meeting with the woman went quite smoothly.
In this meeting with Nagi, the woman called “teacher” seemed completely oblivious to the girl’s true nature.
Mika, having first encountered the teacher, couldn’t help but admire her beauty. The alluring charm of an adult woman carried a special power that made one feel drawn in without realizing it.
However, she also thought there was a small chance this woman could create significant obstacles in her plan. Perhaps it was because the teacher’s demeanor was so kind and her voice so gentle.
In fact, she felt that entrusting a part of her plan to this person might lead to good results. Though she still lacked certainty.
And the teacher felt an unknown attraction when looking at Mika.
Was it something hidden beneath that playful face that caught her attention, or was she simply captivated by the girl’s beauty?
In any case, the conclusion was the same.
The meeting between the two would not be the last, and it certainly wouldn’t be the final one they’d share for a long time.
*
The second meeting was initiated by the girl.
She wanted to gauge the teacher’s thoughts on the overall situation regarding the traitor at Trinity after having spoken privately with Nagi.
To understand the teacher’s tendencies and to gain insight on how to proceed with her plans.
Contrary to common perception, Mika was no fool when it came to strategy. In fact, she was the type who did well when she put her mind to something.
She was a prime example that when your body is good, your mind doesn’t have to struggle. That was Misono Mika.
So when she approached the teacher who had just started her retreat at Trinity’s annex, she was fully prepared to sway her.
And Mika saw a definite possibility.
She recognized a chance in the teacher’s words, who said she was on the students’ side and was willing to be on Mika’s side if necessary.
However, that statement also pointed out that it essentially meant she wasn’t on anyone’s side, and Mika proposed a deal. It wasn’t the right time to depend on that possibility yet.
Taking full responsibility to express the sins she couldn’t be forgiven for was something she couldn’t do, especially based on an uncertain likelihood.
But she figured that revealing just a fragment of the truth would be fine.
With that judgment, Mika disclosed to the teacher who the traitor at Trinity was.
Shirase Azusa. A member of the supplementary class club who came from the Arius Faction that had broken away from Trinity long ago. She was the traitor at Trinity.
While hiding her true identity as a genuine traitor, Mika revealed the truth.
A lie that was not a lie, and a truth that was not wholly true.
And during the following third meeting, both the girl and the woman ended up making a critical mistake without knowing who initiated it.
With one unfortunate mishap on top, Kivotos found itself on a path to destruction.
Fairy-tale love stories always conclude with a happy ending.
However, the ending of a love story steeped in tragedy would be fittingly… nothing short of tragedy.
