[Blue Archive / TS] The Teacher who had a Halo

by aurorastarsky

Summary:

There once was a teacher.
That teacher worked for the students, gave them counseling, and went around with them, listening to their worries-just your typical, ordinary teacher.
Except for the halo on their head.

"Ugh, life is f***ed."
"A cute kid shouldn't use such foul language."
"......"

...As always, that teacher was spending time with the students.

The cover image was made using Novel AI.

Original NovelPia: https://novelpia.com/novel/230027

Notes:

• A translation of [블루아카이브/TS]그 선생은 헤일로를 가지고 있었다 by ricksha

Chapter 1: Prologue 1: The Teacher who ended up in Kivotos

There Was a Teacher.

Like any other teacher, this teacher was kind to the students, listened to their worries, and dedicated themselves to their well-being.

The teacher liked the students, and the students liked the teacher.

“Ahaha! Sensei, you’re so cute~!”

“Don’t hug me! And don’t call me cute either, you dummy Mutsuki!”

But their relationship was a bit different from that of other teachers.

“Ehehe~ Sensei, this old man tried real hard, you know~ Wanna take a nap with me as a reward? I’ll treat you right.”

“Hoshino. I’ll say it again—I’m not your dakimakura.”

Maybe it was that they were a little closer than typical teachers and students. It felt… very familiar.

And the teacher themself was unusual.

“Sensei, I’m saying you don’t have to be at the very front in battle…”

“I mean, it just hurts when I get shot, that’s all? Plus, I’m a self-healing tank.”

“It’s weird for someone giving orders to also rush in first, usually.”

“Mmm... Sensei’s a footsoldier master.”

“Is that really the right term to use there, Shiroko? That sounded kinda off…”

That teacher was always standing at the front, ahead of the students.
It was something most adults could never do—but that teacher could.

“Sensei, you’re really a mysterious one. You look even younger than us, but you’re an adult… Could the gods have foreseen this?”

“Beats me. Physically, I’m probably a middle school girl at this point. Serina would probably know for sure.”

“Serena… you mean Ms. Serina?”

“Yeah. She’s always around me. I’m sure she’s here somewhere even now.”

“I-I see…”

Their appearance was different, too. The teacher looked smaller and more fragile than the students they led.

Even so, the teacher continued to lead them.

“Sensei! The Hot Spring Development Club planted explosives in Abydos to dig out a hot spring!”

“…F*** my life.”

“Sensei! A cute girl like you shouldn’t be saying such bad words!”

“Then give me a situation where I don’t have to! The Gourmet Research Club, the Hot Spring Club—why is everyone so obsessed with making trouble?! Ugh, damn it! Arona! Call Hina right now! I’m going to take care of those brats myself! Coordinate with Abydos, and everyone in the Disciplinary Committee, proceed as usual! Kasumi, Megu—if you two get caught, it’s 300 pages of written apology!”

The teacher stormed out of the Schale office. Hifumi, who had duty that day, sighed as she saw them off. Above the teacher’s head, a brilliant golden halo floated and shimmered.

The reason this teacher was seen as something special in Kivotos…

Was because, like the students, this teacher also had a halo.

This is the story of that teacher and the students they walk alongside.

(TL notes: If there's any errors, please comment so I can fix it! Thanks!)

Chapter 2: Prologue 2: The Teacher who ended up in Kivotos

It had been a truly exhausting day. I finished all the work that had to be done by today, and by the time I got out, it was 10:30 PM. After getting home and showering, the clock already pointed to midnight.

Tomorrow, I’d have to get up at 6 AM again and head to work by 8. It sounds insane, but that’s the daily weekday routine.

You might ask, “Is it one of those so-called black companies?” No, it was actually a civil service job, a profession people began to admire after the IMF crisis. Although the department is a bit… special.

I applied here thinking of work-life balance, believing I could have “evenings to myself,” but reality wasn’t that easy. I’ve thought of quitting more times than I can count, but it felt like a waste to throw away all the effort I put into passing the exam, so I kept going.

Still, there was one thing that gave me comfort in this life: games. Among them, I especially enjoyed military games. I like realism-based games, but most of those are PC-based, so I couldn’t play them often.

Instead, I chose mobile games. They were still military-themed, though the genre was very different from the PC ones I used to play.

At times like now, when I couldn’t play PC games, mobile games did a good enough job helping me relieve stress.

And they were fun, in their own way.
But not tonight. I’m just too tired. I want to sleep right now. It was peak workload season, and I’d been working overtime every day for over a week. I hadn’t had a proper outlet for stress, and my mental state was growing more and more fragile.

…Rather than dwell on it, I should just sleep.

I laid down on the bed. As if a weight had dropped on my eyelids, my eyes gently slid shut. Before I knew it, I was slipping deep into sleep, beyond any resistance.

------

We thirst.

...A sound.

For the seven wailings.

I can faintly sense a small light.

What the hell is this? Just let me sleep…

We bear.

Remember what…?

The koans of Jericho.

…That phrase sounds familiar.

But so what? More than that, right now, I just want to sleep.

For a moment, the light seemed to grow stronger. But I turned away, hoping to sleep even just a little longer.

Then, all at once, a blinding light forced its way through my shut eyelids.

What just happened? The moment the sudden light vanished, I opened my eyes. But there was no source of that overwhelming light.

Still, something was there. My smartphone was in my pocket, at least. And for some reason I couldn’t explain…

There was a rifle lying next to me.

“…What the f***?”

It was far too familiar to pretend I didn’t recognize it. It was the gun I’d spent two hellish years with. On closer inspection, this one was a slightly newer model, but the overall shape was enough to trigger my PTSD.

Out of all the guns possible… why a K2? Is someone trying to mess with me?

“And one more thing…”

Here’s where things go from bad to absurd: why the hell is this crystal-clear, girlish voice, like a glass bead from a novel,coming out of my mouth?

With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone. Hoping,praying,that it wasn’t what I feared, I turned on the camera. I cautiously switched to selfie mode, turned on the flash, and snapped a photo of my face.

On the screen was a girl with hair as white as snow,she couldn’t have been more than a middle schooler.

“…What the actual f**k”

And the moment I confirmed it, I let out a long string of curses.

Goddamn it.

I can’t think of a better word for this situation. It fits perfectly. After collapsing from exhaustion, I wake up to weird voices, only to find I’ve turned into a girl, a K2 rifle is next to me, and...

I hadn’t noticed earlier in the confusion, but now it was clear: above my head floated a geometric, glowing yellow disc.

A disc-shaped object radiating light. If I’m remembering correctly…

“A halo…?”

It looked just like the halos the students had in Blue Archive, the game I used to play.

White-haired girl. Halo. Gun.
Putting those three together could only lead to one conclusion:

“Am I in the world of Blue Archive…?”

As soon as that thought hit me, a memory returned to me.

“So even if it’s shameless, I’m asking you, Sensei…”

The voice of a girl.

“You’ll forget my words anyway,but that’s fine, right?”

I’d heard that voice once before.

“Even if you don’t remember anything, you’ll still make the same choice in this situation…”

It was a little hazy now,too long ago,but I’d seen this before.

“That’s why what matters isn’t the experience, but the choice. The choices only you can make.”

“A path that doesn’t lead to this twisted, broken ending…”

“You’ll find the choice that leads to it.”

As her words continued, I somehow understood,instinctively.

Yeah. It’s time to accept it.

“So please, Sensei…”

For some reason, I…

I had entered the world of Blue Archive.

Chapter 3: Prologue 3: The Teacher who ended up in Kivotos

The student looked startled when she saw the halo floating above my head, but quickly collected herself and led me to the upper floor of a building.

After confirming that no one else was around, she finally spoke.

“I’m just as confused, but… I’ll explain the situation. My name is Nanagami Rin. I’m an executive officer of the General Student Council of the academy city, Kivotos. And you… appear to be the teacher we summoned to this place.”

The student, who introduced herself as Rin, paused and scratched her cheek awkwardly. Understandable, after all, the so-called “teacher” in front of her looked younger than them and even had a halo floating above their head.

As for me suddenly getting pulled into this world… well, there’s no need to explain that now.

Since I had a rough idea of where this was, all I could do was assess the situation calmly. There was no way to change what had already happened.

“A teacher with a halo, it must be confusing for you.”

“...Yes. And we also don’t know how you ended up here.”

“I get it. I’m just as lost. So for now, let’s focus on what needs to be done.”

“Yes. Honestly, I’d like to ask a lot more, but that’ll have to wait. For now, please follow me.”

“There’s something more important right now,” she said, walking ahead.

I followed her into the elevator, and as we began descending, I looked out through the transparent glass walls.

“Wow…”

“Hehe. Welcome to Kivotos, Sensei.”

The scenery outside was breathtaking, an urban landscape far more beautiful and stylish than anything back on Earth.

As I continued to admire the view and listen to Rin’s explanation, the elevator arrived at our destination. We stepped out and walked into a large lobby, where groups of students were gathered and chattering noisily. From within the crowd, a student with purple hair and a circular halo spotted us and immediately rushed over.

“Wait! Deputy! I’ve been waiting! Call the student council president! ...Huh? Who’s the kid next to you? A middle schooler?”

“What did you just say?!”

Calling me a kid the moment she lays eyes on me? Some treasurer of the Seminar, you are, Yuuka!

“Chief Administrator. I’ve been wai, oh my, what a cute girl.”

“Hasumi?!”

“We’re here to see the president… and who might this child be?”

“...Even Chinatsu…”

This is hopeless. Even the others who came to see the president are calling me a kid. Sure, I wasn’t exactly muscular before, but I was at least seen as an ordinary guy. How did I end up like this?

God, I think I’m gonna cry.

...But this isn’t the time to fall apart. Swallowing back the tears welling up, I gently tugged on Rin’s sleeve.

“Rin. I need an explanation.”

"Ah... I’m sorry, Sensei. So, um..."

To summarize Rin’s explanation:
The current president of Kivotos' General Student Council is missing. Because of that, control of Sanctum Tower was lost, which in turn disrupted the entire control system of the academy city. The students gathered here had come in hopes of resolving that issue.

Before her disappearance, the Student Council President had said a “teacher” would be summoned, and apparently, that teacher is me. I’ve been entrusted with command over an extra-legal organization called Schale, and now I’m supposed to go to Schale’s clubroom to retrieve and activate a certain object.

...Right. This is that thing.

“So you're saying, I have to break through to the Schale clubroom about 30 kilometers away, find some item, and once I do, control over Sanctum Tower will transfer to me, then the city’s systems can go back to normal, right?”

This is just like the tutorial from when I created my account. The prologue of the main story.

Let’s take stock of what I’ve got. Right now, I have:
– A rifle.
– A body that presumably won’t go down from just a few bullets.
– A group of students to help me break through.

If memory serves me right, the party lineup is:
Hasumi (long-range DPS),
Yuuka (tank),
Suzumi (mid-range AoE DPS),
Me (possibly ranged DPS),
and Chinatsu (healer).

Not a bad team at all.

“Rin, can you project the target location as a hologram?”

“Yes, I can. But, Sensei… what do you plan to do?”

“If getting that object is the only way to solve this, then I’m going to get it. But how do we cover 30 kilometers? Is there transport?”

“We were planning to provide a Student Council helicopter.”

“Perfect. Then…”

I paused and looked at the students gathered around me. The ones who had come to confront me made eye contact, and I gave them a small, friendly smile.

“Sorry, but everyone… would you help me out?”

If they refused?
Well, then I’d just exercise my Schale authority.

“Why should we help you? You’re tiny! Are you even really a teacher?”

“Oh?”

Yuuka had objections. I guess she didn’t trust me. Understandable, if someone smaller and more childlike than you suddenly showed up and claimed to be your “teacher,” you’d probably question it too.

But if that’s how she wants to play it, I don’t really have many options left.

“Rin, when does my authority over Schale take effect?”

“It can be activated immediately, if you wish.”
“Then I’ll use it now. Hayase Yuuka, I hereby exercise Schale authority and request you, as a Schale member, to accompany me on this mission. I don’t believe you have the right to refuse, what do you say?”

“Wha, ?!”

You messed with the wrong person, Yuuka.

“As per the extra-legal rights granted to Schale, I’m now transferring your affiliation to Schale. No objections accepted. I genuinely need your support, so even if I have to do it this way, you’re coming with me.”

“This is ridiculous… Wait, it actually changed?!”

Yuuka checked her smartphone in a panic, then let out a horrified shout upon seeing her affiliation really had changed.

“No way any other school is going to let this kind of tyranny slide...!”

...Why does it hurt a little that she’s resisting this much?

“...Yuuka, do you not like me?”

I asked, my voice a bit gloomy.

“W-What’s with that all of a sudden?!”
Her face turned bright red, and she shouted in a fluster. I just looked at her silently, a bit teary-eyed. As I felt something warm well up from my eyes, Yuuka let out a pained groan and walked toward me.

Then, gently hugging me, she said:

“Aaaagh! Fine! I’ll go with you! Just please don’t cry! It breaks my heart to see I made you cry!”

“...Really?”

“Really! I’m going with you, so quit crying already!”

“Okay…”

In Yuuka’s arms, I smiled to myself, making sure no one saw.

Just as planned.

------

Once Yuuka gave in, everyone else quickly agreed to help. Yuuka, Chinatsu, Hasumi, and even Suzumi from the Trinity Vigilante Corps, all the members from the tutorial setup I remembered.

Under Rin’s guidance, we boarded the helicopter and flew toward Schale’s building.

To be continued.

Chapter 4: Prologue 4: The Teacher Who Ended Up in Kivotos

While we were flying aboard the helicopter, an alarm suddenly blared inside.

"Missile incoming!"

The pilot immediately executed evasive maneuvers, releasing flares to dodge the missile. Thankfully, we managed to avoid a direct hit—but the helicopter had lost too much speed to continue flying forward safely.

"We're landing! We'll have to proceed on foot from here!"

"But we're still at least 2 kilometers away!"

"And what are we supposed to do if we lose the heli? How are we going to get back?!"

"That's..."

"No time, just land it!"

With no other choice, the pilot brought us down. As soon as we landed, we disembarked and scanned the surroundings. Once we were clear, the helicopter lifted off again and flew back in the direction of the Student Council headquarters.

"Sensei, what now?"

"We walk. Honestly, that's probably safer at this point."

Judging from that missile, it's clear this battle won't be in our favor. But our mission isn't to win every skirmish, wit's just to get there. As long as we reach our destination, we have a chance.

"Rin, can you still hear me?"

- "Yes."

"Keep guiding us to the club room. We'll go on foot from here."

- "Understood. Please be careful."

"Thanks. Alright everyone, let's move. Still a long way to go."

Right after ending the call, a holographic map Rin sent popped up before us, pinpointing a building roughly five blocks ahead, with the fastest route highlighted.

With that, navigation became much easier—and I dashed forward, leading the group through the city.

After a short while, we encountered enemy resistance. Helmet-wearing students blocked our path and opened fire. We returned fire and eventually subdued them, but not without casualties, mainly on Yuuka's side.

"Aaaagh—it hurts! They're using illegal JHP rounds!"

...Though technically, hollow points aren't illegal in Kivotos.

Chinatsu stayed in the rear, so she didn't take hits. I, Suzumi, and Hasumi stayed back enough to avoid the bulk of the bullets. But Yuuka, wielding an SMG and taking point, had to be up front, naturally drawing most of the fire.

That's the tank's job, I guess.

"Use cover when you fight, Yuuka. And JHP rounds aren't illegal here."

"They are now at my school! Do you know how long these scars last?!"

See? She knows it's not illegal. She's just mad because she's getting hit so much.

I gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"Want to switch with me?"

I'd taken a hit earlier, and it hadn't been too bad.

"What are you saying?! If you go down, our whole operation fails!"

"I'm telling you, I can take it—"

"That's not normal! And that rifle! It's an AR! How does an adult have a Halo and immunity to bullets?! Stick to your assigned role!"

"......"

...I got scolded. I am the key to the mission, but still, that felt harsh. I also get hurt, you know.

But she's not wrong, so I'll let it slide—for now.

"Fine, I'll stick to my position. But from now on, follow my orders."

"W-What? Tactical commands?"

Yup. I'm taking command now. These kids might have raw power, but they're not trained soldiers. No covering fire, no priority targeting—just shooting whatever's in front of them. That's not gonna cut it.

"Trust me on this one."

"Well... you are the Sensei..."

"Understood. I'll follow your lead, Sensei."

"It's a student's duty to follow their teacher. Please guide us well."

They all nodded, with expressions like "just this once." I smiled to myself—now that I had command, things would go much more smoothly.

"Yuuka, stay on point. If enemies appear, dash to the nearest cover and return fire. Hasumi, provide overwatch from the rear. Suzumi, target enemies I engage. Chinatsu, support from the back as usual."

"R-Roger!"

"Understood."

"Alright! Go, Yukaemon! Full sprint to Schale!"

"Yukaemon?! Geez... fine. Let's go!"

With that, we reset target priorities and charged forward toward Schale's facility, Yuuka taking the lead.

"Chinatsu! Heal Yuuka! Yuuka, deploy your shield!"

"R-Roger!"

"Suzumi! Flashbang between those two over there!"

"On it!"

Suzumi's grenade went off perfectly, and the last two "Helmet Gang" members (I named them that) dropped. We finally had a moment to breathe. We regrouped near a building to reload and patch up.

"...Combat feels a lot smoother than usual."

Suzumi murmured as she reloaded. Yuuka and Hasumi nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I barely got hit this time."

"Thanks to your commands, Sensei. The fight went much more cleanly. And with you joining in..."

"I still have my complaints, but... is this your true capability? I guess the Student Council President made the right call... even if you're kinda small."

"Hey!"

Did you have to mention the 'small' part?

...Still, whatever. Even if the last part rubbed me the wrong way, they were finally looking at me with trust in their eyes—not just cautious observation.

If they believe in me, that's all I need.

"Everyone, ready? The club room is just 500 meters away. We're almost there. Let's push through!"

"Yes, Sensei!"

"Looking forward to your lead in the next battle, too!"

Only 500 meters to go. We've already made it 75% of the way. I made sure to point that out as I encouraged them, and hearing their energetic replies, I broke into a run again—straight down the road toward our goal.

Chapter 5: Prologue 5: The Teacher Who Ended Up in Kivotos

As we continued advancing while dealing with the Helmet Gang, the building of the Schale Clubroom finally came into view. Yuuka pointed at the building ahead with joy and shouted:

"Look! That's the Schale Clubroom! It's right there now!"

Just as she said, our destination was right in front of us. However, the screen Rin projected still showed a large number of red glowing dots, and among them, one was particularly big.

And if this is following the tutorial I know...

". There's probably someone behind all this, right?"

– Yes. I've just identified the student responsible.

It was about time for her to make her appearance.

"Wakamo. A student who was expelled from Hyakkiyako Alliance Academy and later escaped from the correctional bureau. She has a history of similar crimes and is considered a highly dangerous individual. Please be careful."

Wakamo. In the game, she was obsessed with the teacher. Fell in love at first sight, ran away, and then reappeared to try to pursue a one-sided romance with the teacher - while used to be a terrorist.

If that setting remains the same, then the moment she realizes I'm the teacher, she might fall for me too.

But right now, my appearance is... pretty young, isn't it? So what if a fully grown girl falls in love with this small, childlike version of me?

Hmm... I feel like I can hear lilies blooming somewhere...

"Teacher? What are you thinking?"

"...Nothing. Just had a bad feeling."

Mainly about my chastity.

Anyway, even knowing she'll appear, we still need to advance. She's dangerous in terms of combat strength too, so if we do encounter her, we should aim to avoid fighting if possible—

No, scratch that. Let's focus our firepower and take her down quickly. If we unload all our skills at once, she'll probably flee within three seconds.

I shared the plan with the students and resumed the battle. Unlike before, there were a lot more Helmet Gang members gathered this time, so it took a bit longer to break through.

After clearing out one group and turning the final corner, a woman wearing a fox mask stood in our path, accompanied by numerous enemies, including a tank.

The moment I saw that mask, I took immediate action.

"Suzumi."

"Yes! Flashbang going out!"

"Hasumi, snipe her. Yuuka, concentrate fire!"

"Understood."

"Got it!"

We immediately threw the flashbang we had been saving, and right after that, the three of us fired simultaneously at a single point.

"Isn't this cheating? ...I'll destroy whatever's in that building right now!"

Wakamo, clearly annoyed, shouted and retreated. All of this happened within three seconds of her appearance.

The Helmet Gang members left behind just stared in shock as Wakamo fled.

So, what now? You guys are next.

"You there."

"Y-Yes?"

"To the Room of Truth."

You're going to pay for standing in our way.

– Schale Clubroom successfully retaken... but what on earth did you do?

"...Ahaha. I just let off a bit of steam."

– Please be more restrained next time. We defeated all enemies, but... for them, it must have been sheer terror.

The battle ended easily. After Wakamo fled, it didn't even take 30 seconds to clean up the remaining enemies. The tank? That got destroyed with two of Hasumi's skills.

From their perspective... yeah, that must've been scary.

– Anyway, I'll be arriving shortly. Let's meet in the basement of the building.

"Got it. I'll head in first."

– Everyone else, please handle the cleanup.

"Leave it to us!"

The other girls stayed behind to tidy up the area. It looked like I'd be going in alone. Rin said she'd be nearby soon, so it wasn't too worrisome...

But Wakamo is definitely inside, right? Could I really win in a one-on-one match against her?

In the game, the teacher was an adult male, so it made sense Wakamo could fall for him...

Wait, I'm still the teacher, right? So maybe this could go the same way as before?

Am I really okay going in alone?

"...This feels kind of risky."

Still, I couldn't ask the others to come with me—they were busy with cleanup. And if Wakamo were to encounter them, who knows what she'd do? She might even blow up the whole building on a whim.

In the end, I had no choice but to go in alone. That seemed like the way to minimize casualties.

"Sigh..."

Putting aside my unease, I headed down into the basement alone.

With every step I took, only the sound of my own footsteps echoed in the hallway. I tried to be cautious, but in this quiet corridor, there was no way to hide the noise. The combat training I'd received was only basic infantry stuff—nothing like stealth training from a special forces unit.

Even though I knew all this, the thought that Wakamo might hear my footsteps made me nervous.

Hoping she wouldn't notice me, I continued down carefully. And then, right in front of my eyes...

"Hmm... I can't tell what this thing is at all. It's impossible to destroy it like this..."

There was Wakamo, still wandering around, unable to find the object she was looking for.

What should I do? Launch a surprise attack? Or go along with the way it played out in the tutorial and naturally start a conversation?

I hesitated and couldn't decide.

And in that brief moment of hesitation, Wakamo noticed me.

"...Huh?"

It seemed she hadn't realized who I was yet. The earlier battle had ended too quickly for her to get a good look.

She approached me. Like she'd found something rare. I didn't raise my weapon and just observed her.

"Huhhh?"

She looked like she was wondering why I was there. Should I talk to her now? Or keep watching silently? My indecision deepened.

"...Who is this kid? How did they get here? ...Wait, I've never seen this face before."

"Uh...?"

She muttered to herself as she reached out to touch my face. Her hand was so gentle it didn't seem like something a villain would do.

...Should I say something now? I gently took her hand.

"So... nice to meet you?"

"....."

"I'm the teacher in charge here... um, are you listening?"

She didn't respond at all. In fact, she didn't even move. She just stared at the hand I was holding, completely frozen.

I moved my face close to her mask and tried talking again.

"Hey...?"

"...S-s..."

Ah, finally a reaction. Maybe now we can talk?

"Hello?"

"Sorry for the intrusion—!!"

"...Huh?"

Before I could react, she disappeared. I thought we might be able to have a conversation, but she vanished like the wind.

...Wait, isn't this actually a good thing? The disaster fox just left without a fight, right? That's good, isn't it?

Then why do I feel a little sad? What is this strange feeling?

"You've been waiting. I just arrived—wait, what's wrong?"

"...Oh. Nothing."

Right then, Rin arrived. She noticed my expression and asked if something had happened.

I brushed it off, but Rin gently patted my head like she felt sorry for me.

...Why does Rin look older to me right now?

"Rin noona..."

"Wouldn't 'unnie' be more appropriate?"

"...."

Can't argue with that—it's true.

"Anyway, enough chit-chat. The student council president left something here. Thankfully, it's unharmed."

Rin pulled a box from the desk and handed me the item inside. I slowly examined what she gave me.

"A tablet PC?"

"Yes. This is the item the student council president left for you—The Shittim Chest."

She began to explain the device I had received.

"It looks like an ordinary tablet, but it's actually an unknown item. We can't determine its manufacturer, OS, system structure, or even how it works. The only thing we know is that the student council president said it's yours, and with it, you can regain control of the Tower."

"Hm..."

So even Kivotos's tech can't explain this thing? As expected of Arona. Amazing. It's basically lost technology at this point!

...Why am I cracking jokes in my head right now? Focus!

Without waiting for Rin's explanation to finish, I pressed the power button on the tablet.

*Beeeeeep*

"...I'll step out for a moment."

Seeing me turn on the screen, Rin quietly left the room. I watched her go, then turned my focus back to the tablet.

– Please enter the system access password.

The access password...

Actually, only one phrase came to mind. The one I heard clearly before I transformed into this body. It was a line that should have been partly redacted—but I remembered it in full.

I typed the sentence into the tablet.

– We thirst for the seven wailings. We bear the koan of Jericho..

– ...

– Access password approved.

– Current user recognized: Inori Shizuku.

...What? Inori Shizuku? What does that...

...Oh. I guess it could be read that way.

Seeing my 'name' displayed on the screen made me hesitate for a moment. It was different from my original name. But not entirely unrelated. My original name was Gijeok—"Miracle."

The characters for prayer (祈) and drop (滴). A name meaning "a drop of prayer."

When I once asked my mom why she gave me that name, she said... there was a reason it had to be that.

– Switching to the main operating system A.R.O.N.A. for biometric authentication and certificate generation.

At that moment, light burst out from the tablet along with the message. I had no time to resist as the light engulfed me.

Chapter 6: Prologue 6: The Teacher Who Ended Up in Kivotos

The light faded, and around me appeared a classroom from a collapsed school. It was a scene that gave off a lonely feeling, as if it had been abandoned after a war ended.

"Zzz..."

And in the middle of this scene, a girl was sleeping soundly with her head down on a perfectly intact desk.

She was a short-haired girl with a soft pink tint running through a transparently glowing blue, something you might see in the Coral Sea. Her face was undeniably cute, the kind that anyone would describe as adorable. From time to time, she murmured in her sleep with a voice so clear and gentle, it felt like it could wash away the listener's worries like morning dew rolling off a leaf.

"Castella... better than strawberry milk... banana..."

"Hehe... there's still plenty... left..."

"....."

What kind of dream is she having?

Watching her smile so happily in her sleep made me smile too.

But now, it's time to wake up, isn't it?

I pressed her cheek gently.

"Mmmnya... not yet... gotta chew thoroughly..."

So soft. Judging by the text that just came out of the Shittim Chest, this should be a VR world, and yet I could still feel her texture. Her slightly elevated body temperature, as fitting for a young student, and the sweet, milky scent from her swaying hair all felt real.

"Awh... but still..."

And her cheek had the addictive squishiness of poking a mochi. You know, that sensation where you just want to keep poking it?

That's why I couldn't stop myself.

Just one more poke, I thought, reaching out my hand...

The girl suddenly sat up.

"Nyuh... what keeps poking..."

She had woken up from the cheek poking, but still seemed half-asleep, disheveled. With a slightly wrinkled face and unfocused eyes, she looked around, and then made eye contact with me.

"...Huh?"

Her blurry eyes regained their original clarity. In those aquamarine eyes that looked like they could see right through me, my reflection was clearly visible.

"Wha? Whaaaat?"

Then her eyes widened—

"Se-Senseir?!"

She spun in confusion.

"Ah, Arona?!"

"Aaah?!"

She can't lose it here right now—!

There was a bit of chaos. Arona, who had been frozen in panic for a while, finally regained her composure.

"Ugh... if you've entered this space, then... could it be... are you Shizuku-sensei?"

Arona asked, her cheeks now bright red. Shizuku-sensei... that is technically correct, but hearing the Japanese pronunciation after being called a miracle for so long still felt awkward.

"Yeah... I guess that's right."

Well, it's me, after all.

"Then should I call you Sensei Kiseki instead?"

"That's definitely me, huh!?"

Phonetically, Kiseki is accurate! Yup, she's definitely referring to me!

"But Sensei, I think it's a lovely name, you know? 'Drop of a wish', it has such a nice meaning."

"...It's perfect for teasing, though."

"Ah, is that so? But I think it has a nice ring to it."

"....."

It wasn't a name with good memories for me, but hearing Arona say that warmed me a little.

"B-But anyway, if you're here now... does that mean... it's already that time?!"

Wait, Arona's panicking again?!

"Arona, deep breaths!"

"Y-Yes?! I have to stay calm! Inhale, exhale... inhale, exhale..."

Thank goodness. After finishing her breathing, Arona regained composure, stood before me, and straightened her posture.

"F-First things first! I'm Arona! I'm the system administrator and main OS residing in this

, and from now on, I'll be your secretary and assistant! I've been here waiting for you this whole time!"

"You weren't just sleeping?"

"Ah, ugh... I do doze off sometimes..."

A child who expresses her emotions so honestly. That was the impression I got from Arona—so pure, so adorable I wanted to make her my little sister.

Still, she probably wants to be seen as competent, so maybe I'll hold that thought.

I smiled at Arona and said,

"Looking forward to working with you, Arona."

"Yes! I'll do my best! My physical version is still a bit underdeveloped... especially my voice needs improvement, but I'll assist you in many ways!"

Arona beamed brightly with ambition. She gave a proud tap to her chest, as if saying "Leave it to me!"—it made me want to hug her right then and there, but I somehow resisted.

"Oh, right! Then let's proceed with a formal biometric authentication!"

Arona said, blushing slightly.

"...I-It's a little embarrassing, but it's procedure, so it can't be helped. Please come closer."

As requested, I approached her. Arona glanced at me shyly, waiting for me to close the gap.

When we were about a step apart, Arona held out her finger.

"Okay, please touch your fingertips to mine."

The authentication method was simply placing our fingertips together—to verify if the fingerprint matched what was on the tablet.

But I wanted to tease her a bit.

"Hmmm..."

"I'm not going to eat you, Sensei. It's just a pinky promise, that's all!"

"Hmm... but still..."

I grabbed her hand.

"Fueh?"

"Ei!"

And pulled her into a big hug.

"Fueeh?! S-Sensei?! W-What is this?! A hug?! Are you hugging me?!"

"Ehe—so warm."

"A-Aauh?! I-I mean, I'm happy you're hugging me, but it's still a little early, or maybe my heart is—wait no! Authentication! That's more important right now!"

"Well, I did touch your finger when I grabbed your hand?"

"That's not what I meant—!"

Arona began flailing in visible panic. But judging from her words, she wasn't upset—just shocked. Which probably meant she didn't dislike it.

In that case... just a little more indulgence.

"Then one hand like this, holding yours—"

"Hyaaaa?!"

And then, I thoroughly enjoyed Arona's reactions.

"Ughhh... I feel like Sensei's skin got even smoother..."

"Thanks for the meal."

After some time, I separated from Arona. Her face was red down to her neck, and she grumbled quietly—but she didn't let go of my hand.

A mark hovered over our hands, suggesting the authentication process was still ongoing.

"...Sensei, I feel like you're going to charm lots of students in the future. I'll have to keep an eye on you so you don't go around seducing everyone."

"That means you'll stay by my side, right?"

"Uuu—!!"

Arona puffed out her cheeks and started lightly pounding my shoulder with her free hand. It didn't hurt, but her irritation was loud and clear.

Still, she was adorable—so I figured it was fine.

Oh, and just then, the mark over our hands disappeared. Looks like the authentication was complete.

"There! Authentication complete, playboy Sensei!"

"Did you just call me a playboy out of nowhere?"

"I misspoke. Authentication complete, Kiseki-sensei! Hmph! I can already tell you're going to act like this with other students too!"

Yikes... that's not good. The authentication was over, but Arona's complaints weren't. Still puffing her cheeks, she scolded me like a wife catching her cheating husband.

'Maybe I teased her a bit too much.'

I had to spend a while comforting Arona and making her feel better.

Some time later, I was finally able to have a proper conversation with the now-calm Arona and grasp the current situation. Apparently, even she didn't know much about the student council president. But she said she might be able to regain control of Sanctum Tower.

She asked me to wait a bit—and within seconds, she took back control of the tower.

...How did she do that?

Well, I guess it doesn't really matter? Arona is the best super OS in Kivotos, after all. And I had planned to hand over control to the student council anyway.

"By the way, Sensei... are you sure it's okay to hand over Sanctum Tower's control to the student council?"

Arona seemed against the idea of relinquishing control. I suppose, since she was managing it, I could have run it through her. But realistically, it was way more efficient for the student council to take care of it.

I didn't know the administrative procedures, and I'd never managed any of the facilities here.

"It's fine. They know more than I do."

"Understood. Transferring control of Sanctum Tower to the student council now!"

"Thanks. I'm counting on you."

And with that, I was able to complete the purpose of coming to the club room without issue. Once Rin confirmed the control had been secured, she explained more about Schale to me before returning to her duties.

The students who had come with me also went back to their academies. Judging by how they asked me to visit their schools next time, it felt like they now trusted me quite a bit.

That's a good thing. I had planned to visit each academy eventually anyway. Now, I'd have students there who would welcome me.

Alright, now that today's to-do list is done... should I go play with Arona again?

"Arona."

"Yes! Sensei! Do you have a task? Is there anything I can help you with?"

"...Wanna be my little sister after all?"

"Aauaa?!"

And so, another peaceful day came to a close.

Chapter 7: Profile: Inori Shizuku (Revised December 10, 2023)

This profile will continue to be updated as the story progresses.

Name: Inori Shizuku (Real name: Han Gijeok) Age: 30 (Body: 13) Gender: Male (→ Female) Occupation: Government employee (→ Teacher) Height: 148cm Weight: 33kg Race: Human Main Weapon: ??? (k2c1) Type: Mystic / Heavy Armor Ex Skill: Wrath of the Fir...

 

Name: Inori Shizuku (Real name: Han Gijeok)
Age: 30 (Body: 13)
Gender: Male (→ Female)
Occupation: Government employee (→ Teacher)
Height: 148cm
Weight: 33kg
Race: Human
Main Weapon: ??? (k2c1)
Type: Mystic / Heavy Armor
Ex Skill: Wrath of the Firebird
Basic Skill: Better me than you...!
Enhanced Skill: ???
Sub Skill: ???
Hobbies: Gaming, conversations with students

Basic Information

A teacher and advisor of the Federal Investigation Club, affiliated with Schale. Officially, she is said to have been summoned by the Student Council President. Like the other students, she possesses a halo and takes part in combat directly, which is unusual. She often speaks in a manner that sounds like she is making advances, which sometimes leads to misunderstandings.

She generally likes students, and those who meet her tend to trust her deeply. However, since most of the students who show special affection toward her happen to look quite young, there are even rumors accusing her of being a lolicon.

Her combat abilities are outstanding. While she is skilled in handling personal firearms, she is also capable of using anti-tank weapons, grenades, and a variety of other arms. Since she stands at the frontlines to protect her students, her defensive capabilities are also said to be considerable.

After coming into contact with Gematria, she awakened her mystic powers. The only thing known is that her power is related to fire; the true source of her mysticism has yet to be identified.

She has resolved to change the future, even if only little by little. Since then, she has been working to preemptively address events that have yet to occur, altering the flow of fate.

Though the details remain unclear, it seems that due to her past experience as a soldier, she also suffers from PTSD.

Chapter 8: Chapter 0.5 (1): That teacher learns what a teacher should do

(TL notes: I've changed up the way titles are labeled because the original is rather confusing. So if you visit the original and see it a bit different then don't be confused!)

 

Since we began activities at Schale, nothing had really happened.

Yuuka or Chinatsu dropped by from time to time, but that was it—no one came looking for help or wanting a consultation. Even though that's exactly what our job was supposed to be.

...Is it just that no one knows about us yet? Like a newly opened shop that hasn't gotten any customers?

"What should we do, Arona?"

"Hmm... Since we don't have anything to do anyway, how about going around different places in Kivotos? It might help spread awareness of Sensei's existence too."

What Arona suggested was basically just like personally promoting a new store. I guess that's just how the world works—you need to advertise if you want to gain recognition.

But I don't think I should visit the schools directly just yet... unless it's the student council.

"Ah."

Right. I can go to the student council.

"Thanks, Arona. I know what I should do now."

"I'm glad I could help!"

Thanks to Arona, I had found something to do. I patted her head in appreciation and headed for the student council building.

"Ah, Sensei. Has everything been well?"

"Yeah. Long time no see, Rin."

When I arrived, Rin greeted me first. Since the system had been restored, the number of complaints had decreased, and things were a bit more manageable.

Of course, it's still the student council, so there's always tons of work... but compared to before, it's bearable now.

...Administrative work, huh. Come to think of it, isn't this something I should be able to do as well?

"Rin. If it's okay with you, can I try handling a few of the cases?"

"If it's you, Sensei... yes. Please, go ahead."

With her permission, I picked up a few documents from the top of the pile. Let's see, the title says...

"Please let me meet the Schale Sensei...?"

Why are you submitting this to the student council?

"Actually, that's why I wanted to ask you. It seems that students from all schools are curious about you, Sensei."

"Heh..."

"But this one has to be rejected."

"Huh? Why?"

If all it takes is me meeting them, I don't really mind... so why reject it?

The document itself had no issues. It looked fine...

"...Ah. Yeah, this one needs to be rejected."

"Right?"

"Yeah."

I found the problem. It wasn't a formal issue, but it was definitely a big problem. Enough of a reason to reject it.

"What the heck is Wakamo thinking?"

She was the applicant.

"...Well, understanding her might be harder than rebuilding Abydos."

"And the application form is completely flawless, which makes it even more annoying."

"...Hah."

Rin let out a long sigh without saying anything else. That alone told me how she felt.

I handed the document back to her and pulled out the next one. This time it was a request from Millennium. The subject... emergency funding due to partial destruction of their research facility.

...Oh. Oof...

"...Rin. If you ever want a consultation, feel free to let me know."

"....."

Yeah... the student council's got it rough. For real.

I spent some time with Rin going through a variety of documents—each with their own... colorful context. I got a feel for how administrative work functions and what kinds of tasks are involved.

Thankfully, a lot of the operations are on a school level, so I might be able to handle it.

"Rin. Could you give me access to help process some of these from Schale as well? Schale is part of the student council, after all—I want to help."

"Really? We'd appreciate it, but... it's student council work. You don't need to push yourself."

"You're all students, too."

"......"

At my words, Rin hesitated. She looked at me with slightly trembling eyes. I smiled softly and nodded gently.

Finally, she smiled back—pure and radiant.

"Thank you, Sensei Shizuku."

After that, I had lunch with the student council executives, visited the various departments, and spent time getting to know the members of the student council. By the time I returned to the Schale building, the sun was already setting.

It felt nice to have used my time so productively for once.

I sat down and took out the Shittim Chest. As I gazed at the screen and closed my eyes, I felt a bright light envelop me. When I opened them, I was seated once again in that blue classroom. Arona welcomed me with a smile.

"You worked hard today too, Sensei!"

"Thanks, Arona."

I walked over and patted her on the head. Arona blushed slightly and let out a shy giggle.

Ah, this is healing. I began to tell Arona about everything that happened today.

"I went to the student council today."

"Oh, really? How was it?"

"It's livelier than before. The kids seem like they're finally able to breathe a little."

"Heehee..."

"And..."

I shared with her everything: helping with their work, getting familiar with people beyond just Rin, and the day's events. Arona listened closely, nodding and reacting here and there.

When I finished, she looked at me warmly and asked:

"Did they like it?"

"Yeah. They did."

"Ehehe, that's our Sensei."

...Something felt off. The way she said that, and that soft giggle afterward.

It felt like she was genuinely concerned about the student council members. But that's strange. Arona is just an OS, and Rin said she couldn't even activate the Shittim Chest before. So there shouldn't have been much interaction between them.

And yet, she worried for them? Smiled in relief?

...If she's someone who'd care like that—

"Arona. You—"

"Ah! Sensei, I just finished syncing with the student council! Now we can process their work from Schale too!"

"Oh? That's great."

"Then let me start decorating the main lobby to be like an office!"

Just as I was about to ask, Arona finished syncing with the student council. The timing was too perfect—I missed my chance, and my question slipped away.

...Hmm. It's suspicious, but she didn't show any odd behavior. Maybe the student council president used to manage the Shittim Chest before handing it over to me, and she met the members during that time?

If that's true, then my suspicions really are just baseless.

I'll let it slide for now. I'll have another chance to ask.

"Arona. We could just process the work here in this classroom, you know?"

"Eh? Aaah?! But I already prepared most of the background! Sensei, you dummy!"

Hearing my words, Arona flailed her arms again. The half-changed background reverted to the classroom, and a pile of documents stacked up on the central desk.

By the time the mountain of paperwork covered half the classroom, Arona put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest.

"Tada! All ready, Sensei! I've implemented every electronic document coming from the student council!"

Wait. I didn't say I'd do everything, though?

"A-All of it?"

"Yes! All of it!"

"Arona... are you mad?"

"Me? Not at all! I'm simply proud to have fulfilled your request, Sensei!"

Arona gave a proud little ahem and patted her chest. She looked so satisfied as a secretary doing her job—how could I possibly complain?

"Sigh..."

...Our Arona can do whatever she wants.

Chapter 9: Chapter 0.5 (2): That teacher learns what a teacher should do

It had been several days since I started handling work at Schale, and in the end... I crashed out.

"Why is everything being sent to the student council—even stuff that could be handled within each district?!"

What kind of administrative mess are the other areas dealing with that every single complaint ends up here?

Even the Big Three academies—Gehenna, Trinity, and Millennium—were part of this flood.

Gehenna and Trinity, I could understand. Most of the complaints from them were about students from their schools getting into arguments and asking for mediation. Okay, fine.

But Millennium? That was something else. Just like that request I saw on the first day... only this time, the scale and intent were completely absurd.

Why was I holding a request for funding development of space fleet artillery?! Did they get rejected by their own academy and just forward it here?! That's what happened, right?!

"C-Calm down, Sensei! This is just daily life in Kivotos, remember?"

"This isn't the kind of daily life I wanted..."

Can I really handle this place...?

Eventually, I couldn't take any more paperwork, so I went outside with Arona. Since Schale was located on the outskirts of Kivotos, the air was fresh and clear. Just feeling the breeze was enough to melt away some of the stress.

"Sensei, since we're out, should we get lunch too?"

"Ooh, sounds good. Millennium is nearby—let's go there."

We decided to leave the Central District and head to Millennium. Being a large academy, it probably had plenty of places to eat. Plus, it'd be a good chance to see Yuuka again, even if just temporarily as part of Schale.

We boarded the train heading for Millennium. It crossed the bridge out of the D.U. district and headed toward a massive structure that looked like something out of MIT.

Millennium Science School—a city of advanced science and technology.

Though it's younger than Gehenna or Trinity, its incredible scientific prowess and thirst for knowledge earned it a spot as one of the Big Three academies.

True to its name, the buildings here were even more refined than those in D.U.

"Wow..."

"This place is full of interesting things! And so much food too! Ah, Sensei! Look over there—it's Yuuka!"

"Yuuka?"

Following Arona's pointing finger, I turned my head—and spotted Yuuka in a dessert café not far away, happily munching on a crepe with a blissful expression. Seeing her like that made me hungry.

Wouldn't this work as an appetizer before we go get lunch?

"Arona. Let's head there too."

"Agreed!"

We entered the café where Yuuka was. She was too focused on eating to notice us. I considered sneaking up behind her to surprise her, but... we weren't quite that close yet.

Let's just say hi normally.

"Hey, Yuuka."

"Pffft?!"

Yuuka choked like she saw something she wasn't supposed to. She coughed and grabbed a water cup to clear her throat, then looked at me pale-faced and pointed.

"W-Why are you here, Sensei?!"

"We came for fun?"

"We came to hang out!"

"I didn't mean why you're in Millennium! I mean how did you get here?!"

How? That's easy.

"Because you were here."

"W-What?!"

"And when I saw you eating, it just looked so delicious..."

"....."

Yuuka's face turned red, and she hung her head. I had said it on purpose, but I didn't expect that strong of a reaction.

...Meanwhile, Arona was glaring daggers at me from the screen.

"Sensei! Are you already trying to win over girls?! Am I not enough for you?! Are you cheating in front of my eyes?!"

"It's not cheating! I just said that because I saw someone I knew...!"

"Then why did you use such a cheesy pickup line?!"

Ah, chaos. Yuuka, having heard Arona's words, was now burying her face in the table, and passersby were giving me weird looks. Probably because my appearance didn't exactly scream "off-limits."

Ah, right—Kivotos is an all-girls city. So I guess yuri situations like this aren't rare?

"W-Wait! It's not what it looks like! Everyone, this is a misunderstanding!"

"Sensei, explain yourself now!"

"Can't we talk once you stop glaring at me like that, Arona?! And Yuuka, say something!"

"Ugh..."

...Too late. Yuuka was already out of commission. She'd need time to recover. I'd have to fix this mess on my own.

First, clear the misunderstanding...

"Arona. Yuuka's one of the students who helped me find you. She couldn't come into the room back then because she was securing the perimeter, but without her, I wouldn't have made it."

"...So she's a comrade who fought by our side?"

"Yes! That's exactly it!"

"Then what was with that pickup line you gave her earlier?"

Well, that was on purpose...

"As you can see, Yuuka responded really well. So I kind of said it just to tease her..."
"Heeh..."

Arona's eyes softened a bit. She seemed halfway convinced. Just a little more, and I could clear things up...

...Or so I thought—until I felt a cold chill behind me.

"Oh? So because I reacted well, you thought it'd be fun to tease me, huh?"

"...H-Huh?"

Yuuka was standing now. She smiled brightly—but there was a cold edge behind it. A cross-shaped vein throbbed on her forehead...

She was seriously mad.

"Y-Yuuka?"

"...Sensei is a dummy!!!"

"KYAAAAA?!"

I took a full auto spray at point-blank range.

"If you pull that kind of line again, I will get seriously mad!"

"Ugh..."

It hurt. If Yuuka wasn't using an SMG, my Halo might have shattered. It was hard to believe she once fought alongside me...

"Hmph! Serves you right!"

Meanwhile, Arona had cooled off and was snickering. So was Yuuka. The two of them high-fived through the screen.

"Phew, that was satisfying. So what really brings you here?"

"Escaping the mountain of paperwork! We came to Millennium to grab lunch!"

"Heh, I was wondering why you hadn't left that building lately. Been busy, huh?"

"Definitely! But we're getting through it fast!"

The two of them ignored me completely and started chatting happily. The people who had gathered out of curiosity returned to their routines.

I held my sore stomach and went to the counter to order. Then I sat beside Yuuka.

"You're so mean, Yuuka... getting shot at point-blank range hurts, you know."

"You deserved it. That's what you get for teasing."

"...."

Okay, fair. I don't really have an excuse...

"Anyway, I'm glad to see you doing well, Sensei."

"Thanks, Yuuka."

Yuuka lowered her gaze as she spoke. I guess she was worried about me. Even her occasional visits to Schale when she was around the student council might've been because of that.

Her words might be rough, but her heart... is warm.

So I wanted to return the favor somehow. I remembered she still dropped by the student council from time to time.

"So, how are you doing, Yuuka? You still visit the student council—so I guess not everything is resolved yet?"

"...You really are a Sensei, huh? Yeah. Some functions are back, but public safety is still a mess. Some facilities are still shaky—like they could break any second. It's like we only patched things up temporarily. Even after helping you find that item, why isn't anything fixed?"

"....."

So things aren't completely back to normal.

Listening to her, I could tell the absence of the student council president still had a big impact. Even after regaining control of the Sanctum Tower, things were barely stitched together. Troublemakers ran wild, infrastructure was still recovering, and although the control was handed over to the student council, there was no one capable of handling it like the president had.

In other words, the problems were far from over.

"But since you're here, I believe it'll work out somehow. Because you're the one who gave us a reason to believe."

"Haha... That's a heavy kind of trust."

"Right? So do your best, Sensei. I won't speak for everyone, but at least I believe in you."

"...Yeah. I'll do my best, Yuuka."

We looked each other in the eyes as if making a silent vow. If I wanted to bring peace back to Kivotos, I had to push forward. Because there were students like her who believed in me.

...And I had to make sure they never fell into despair.

GROWL

"....."

But before I could do that, there was something more urgent to handle.

I quickly devoured the crepe in front of me and grabbed Yuuka's hand.

"Sensei?"

"Yuuka. I just remembered something very important and urgent. And I need your help."

"...My help? With what?"

I leaned in close. Yuuka's face turned red again, and I saw Arona's screen darken ominously—but I ignored that for now.

Then I whispered:

"Can you recommend some good places to eat in Millennium?"

"...Huh?"

...Ah. Come to think of it, maybe I didn't need to whisper that...

But just as I realized my mistake, a certain purple-haired demon descended in front of me.

The cross mark on her forehead glowing, she raised her gun...

"Sensei..."

"...Ehehe?"

"...You idiot!!!"

I grabbed Arona and made a run for it before Yuuka opened fire again.

But I still got caught by Yuuka... and took another full auto spray at point-blank range.

My body ended up even more battered than before.

Still, the fact that she left me with a list of restaurant recommendations... maybe Yuuka is an angel after all.

...Or not.

Chapter 10: Chapter 0.5 (3): That teacher learns what a teacher should do

Lately, the days seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye. I'd process just one line of paperwork, and suddenly four hours had gone by. Before I knew it, the sun had set, and the moon and stars were already greeting me.

...Right. By the time I stepped out of Schale, it was already midnight. With a mountain of unfinished work still waiting, it looked like I'd be working until 1 a.m. again.

So to make it that far, I needed to at least get something in my stomach.

But most restaurants were closed at this hour. There really wasn't anywhere left to eat.

"I guess I'll just grab something quick today and eat a proper meal tomorrow..."

I had no choice. I'd just fill my stomach with something light for now.

I went down to the first floor. There was a shop there I often used in the mornings to buy coffee. Well, I say coffee, but they really had everything.

Coffee, snacks, bread, miscellaneous goods, ammunition, and even—an adorable part-time worker.

...You're asking if the part-timer is the real reason I'm here? I don't know what you're talking about. The part-timer here is just special, that's all.

The moment the elevator doors opened, I stepped into the store. The "ding" sound greeted me along with a wave of sweets and sugary smells. At the counter was a radiant blonde girl with tiny angel wings on her back, fiddling with her smartphone. Our eyes met.

"...Eep?! W-Welcome! ...Sensei."

Her name was Sora, the cute part-timer I mentioned earlier.

"Hey, Sora. Working late again today?"

"Y-Yes! Angel 24 is a convenience store that's open 24 hours a day, so you can always count on us! ...My shift still has about two hours left."

I checked my phone—it was currently 9 p.m. So her shift ends at 11. Having a middle schooler work until 11 p.m. really made me question the labor laws around here...

...Then again, maybe it's actually lucky for me. I get to chat with Sora a bit longer. I haven't been to Trinity yet, so I haven't seen many of these adorable girls with angel wings.

As for the mountain of paperwork waiting for me back at Schale... well, I'll deal with it somehow.

"In that case, how about I keep you company so you don't get bored again today?"

"E-Eek!? P-Please just go home quickly—"

"Hm?"

"N-Nothing! Nothing at all!"

Alright, that was as good as permission. I picked out some snacks and bread for a late-night meal, grabbed drinks to share with Sora, and returned to the counter. After paying, I handed her a drink and sat at a table next to the counter.

I began eating and casually asked Sora a few questions.

"Sora, you go to the Trinity middle school, right? How's school life treating you?"

"Y-Yes! I'm studying hard every day to become a full-fledged Trinity student!"

"Wow, thanks for the textbook-perfect answer."

"A-Ah! Sorry!"

Sora froze like a statue. She always did, but it was still oddly charming.

I wasn't sure what kind of impression she had of me, but every time we met, she always got super nervous. It's not like I'd eat her or anything—wasn't she being a bit too wary?

The look in her eyes felt like she was afraid I might eat her.

...Am I really that dangerous? I'm just a Sensei, nothing more or less.

"Hmm..."

"Eek?! Did I do something wrong?!"

"No, not at all. Just relax. You're making me feel like a company president inspecting the store."

"Well, presidents are scary too, but..."

She mumbled something and blushed slightly, hugging herself and shrinking down a bit.

That reaction... no way.

"Sora. Are you... scared that I might eat you?"

"Eeep?! I-I'm not tasty!! I don't even have a good figure like that purple-haired lady who sometimes visits here!"

"......"

I knew it!!

"What kind of reputation do I even have...?"

"B-But that lady would always come down from the upper floors with a red face after visiting! So I thought maybe... something happened between you and her..."

"What do you think I did to her?!"

It seemed my image had devolved into that of a pervy Sensei who devours students. And even if I said I was the one getting devoured, not the other way around, how did this rumor spread in the first place?

...Wait. Purple hair? That's probably Yuuka... And she always returned with a red face after seeing me? I'll have to ask her about that next time.

Anyway... I needed to fix Sora's perception of me, urgently.

"Sora. Let's calm down and think this through. How do you really see your Sensei?"

"...A perverted old creep?"

"Ghk..."

Okay, I am technically old, but that "perverted" part really stings.

"L-Let's just skip over that. So who am I?"

"...A Sensei?"

"Then what do you feel when you look at me now?"

"...Like a cute but weirdly talkative member of the Justice Club?"

"And yet you're still nervous because?"

"Because you're a perverted old creep?"

"Crumble..."

Even looking like this, I still get called a pervy old man...

"S-Sensei?! Are you okay?!"

"My heart's taken critical emotional damage..."

This poor old man's HP is already zero—finished off by a pure, innocent girl.

"B-But it's not like I hate you or anything! I'm just afraid that someday I might end up like her...!"

"......"

Twisting the knife in, huh?

"Sensei?! Are you sure you're okay?"

"Sniff... You say all that and then ask if I'm okay..."

"Awawawa... W-What should I do?! I have to find a way to make it up to you somehow...!"

And with that, Sora spiraled into a panic. For about 20 minutes, we were stuck in this awkward dynamic of me moping and her trying to cheer me up.

When I finally came to my senses, I saw Sora half undressed. If I hadn't stopped her quickly, a whole new legend might've been born.

The pervy Sensei who undressed a middle schooler.

...Wow. Just imagining it gives me a headache. If rumors like that spread, I'd never be able to go out in public again.

I'm really glad I stopped her in time. Seriously...

Oh, right. After "talking" with Sora, I gained a new objective: clearing up the twisted rumors about me.

To do that, maybe I really should start going out more.

There was a request among the student council's work about handling a delinquent group in the D.U. district... Maybe I'll try taking care of that.

If I get into a proper fight, maybe people will finally stop calling me a perverted old man.

With that hope in mind, I buried myself in the mountain of paperwork once again.

Chapter 11: Chapter 0.5 (4): That teacher learns what a teacher should do

An alley near Schale.

In that narrow passage, flashes of light erupted as spent shell casings clattered to the ground.

Tudududududududu—!

"Stop them! Do whatever it takes!"

"Hiiieek!! D-Don't come any closer!"

Young students' screams echoed alongside gunfire. They were all firing at a single point deep within the alley. But there was no movement from that direction—just a trash can rattling as it took hit after hit.

Sensing something strange, they stopped firing. Silence, thick with tension, replaced the sound of gunfire. Cautiously, they began approaching the area they had just been unloading bullets into.

Weapons raised, nerves on edge—they crept closer.

But there was nothing there.

"What were we even shooting at...?" The thought chilled them to the bone.

And then, behind them, a grenade rolled in.

"...Huh?"

BOOM!!

A deafening explosion engulfed the alley in smoke. When the smoke cleared, all that remained were the collapsed delinquent girls.

"Phew... Definitely tough doing this alone."

I stepped down from the emergency stairs after confirming the last delinquent was down. They had never expected a grenade to come rolling in from two meters above them. Hiding for a night ambush had been a godsend—trying something like this during the day would've been impossible.

Still, taking on a group solo took a lot of time and resources. I brought around 300 rounds today and had only 50 left.

Enemies not going down from a single bullet... that's the problem. I'll need to adjust my strategy next time.

I gathered the fallen delinquents in one spot, contacted Valkyrie Police Academy to hand them over, and returned to Schale. I needed to resupply ammunition and also felt the lack of firepower more than ever.

If I had even just one more person—two at most—it would've been so much easier.

Not that Schale is short on members. Yuuka technically hasn't withdrawn yet, so she's still one of us. But she's swamped with work over at Millennium. She is the seminar treasurer, after all.

...Rio, was it? I get the feeling she's up to something shady. There are signs the funds are leaking somewhere, but Yuuka and the others haven't noticed yet.

How do I know? Well, Kivotos is divided into autonomous districts managed by each academy. Normally, those academies fund themselves. It's like a federation of states, kind of like the U.S.

So when one of those "states" keeps filing emergency funding requests to the central body—that is, the student council—it raises red flags. They're asking for help because they've lost control of their own budget.

Yuuka might not know, since she handles internal affairs. But I've got a higher-level perspective.

Why didn't they see the signs? I ask myself that, but for now, I have no choice but to wait.

I have no justification—no cause to act. And without it...

"Haa... politics is such a pain."

Even though Schale has extra-legal authority, acting without a valid cause would just stir resentment. So for now, I'll hold back.

"I'm back, Arona."

"Ah! Welcome back, Sensei! Thank you for your hard work today!"

When I returned to the office, Arona popped up as a hologram to greet me. I placed my gun on the desk and pulled off the hood that had been covering my face.

Then, while cleaning the barrel, I muttered:

"We're seriously lacking in firepower. If only you could fight in the real world, Arona..."

"Most people wouldn't think to take on a whole delinquent gang alone, Sensei."

"But I did, didn't I?"

"Are you trying to be one of Kivotos' top three strongest now?"

"At least in night ops, I think I might be."

"Whoa, that's a bold claim!"

With a bit more gear, I might even be able to take down Hina—definitely Hoshino.

"Now you're not just charming girls—you're physically overpowering them too!"

"That's got nothing to do with this! Anyway, that's not what matters..."

"Yes, yes. You need more Schale members, right?"

"Exactly."

Thankfully, Arona got straight to the point. She activated a box and invited me into a ruined classroom. Wrapped in a blue light, I was transported inside and naturally took my seat.

"Ehehe, I actually gathered all Schale-specific documents here just in case! I even posted the recruitment notice on day one, so I'll check to see if anyone applied!"

Arona giggled as she dove into a pile of documents, flipping through them eagerly.

Eventually, she found something and walked over to me with tiny steps, hiding the document behind her back.

"Ehehe... We're in luck! Sensei, want to see?"

"Of course!"

I mean—it's basically a free ten-pull!

"Then please sign here~!"

Smiling sweetly, Arona handed me the document. I instinctively checked the cover first.

Wait—the seal on the folder is... purple?

"Oh?"

Did I hit some kind of beginner's luck? It looked like a rare student had applied. Excited to find out who, I boldly signed the form.

Once I did, Arona flipped it open with dramatic flair.

"Let's see... Wow! It's someone from Gehenna's Disciplinary Committee!"

The Disciplinary Committee?! If it's someone from there, maybe it's Chinatsu? We've already worked together once.

"Is it Chinatsu? We've teamed up before, after all."

"Hmm... No! ...Huh? Huhh? Seriously?!"

Arona stared at the application, then began frantically comparing it to other documents, like she couldn't believe it.

After several checks, she held it out to me with a stunned expression.

"S-Sensei. This is an application from Sorasaki Hina."

"...Huh?"

Wait. Who?

Hina? As in, that Hina?

"Did I hear that wrong?"

"Nope, you heard right."

"...Hina. Head of the Disciplinary Committee Hina?"

"Yes. That Hina."

...Is this real? Did I just get Hina on my first pull?

"And also, we have an application from Mikamo Neru."

"...Huh?!"

Why is she here?! How did I get this lucky?! I never pull 3-stars without hitting pity!

This has to be a dream. I'm exhausted and just dreaming. Yep. That's gotta be it. I need to wake up. Right now.

"Fuuu... Haa... Okay. Stay calm..."

I pulled a flashbang out of my pocket.

"S-Sensei? Why do you have a flashbang...?"

"If this is a dream, the flashbang won't hurt me. If it's real, well... I'll go blind."

Without hesitation, I yanked the pin and tossed it at the floor.

BANG!

...There was a brief commotion.

As my hearing and vision slowly returned, I grabbed Arona, who was spinning in place, dancing oddly. Her eyes were still spinning, but she seemed otherwise unharmed.

Yep. This is Kivotos. Of course things like this are normal here.

Anyway, at least now I know those applications are real.

"Arona. Arona? Snap out of it."

"Uegh... I can't see anything..."

"Just wait a little longer. You'll recover. Here, hold onto me."

"Nyehehe..."

She gripped my arm. I sat in a chair, holding Arona in my arms, waiting for her to recover. A few minutes later, her eyes returned to normal. Once she realized she was being held, her face instantly turned crimson and flared up.

Still, I hugged her tighter and nuzzled my face into hers.

You adorable thing! You've earned a full round of praise today!

"S-S-S-Sensei?! Are we entering the adult stage of our relationship?! You're advancing to the adult stage with Arona?!"

"Shush! Come here, you little gremlin!"

"Fnyaaaa?!"

After that, I patted her head nonstop until she completely calmed down.

For now, I've accepted all the students who submitted applications. From now on, I'll be able to fight alongside them.

Although... I still have no idea why Neru and Hina applied.

Why would they? It can't be just because they're 3-stars...

Well, I'll find out when they show up. For now, I'll be thankful they're willing to fight with me.

Chapter 12: Chapter 0.5 (5): That teacher learns what a teacher should do

After recruiting new Schale members, I exchanged contact information with them and began reaching out from time to time. Sure, Hina and Neru left a big impression, but all the others I'd fought alongside also submitted applications. Since I had worked with them before, coordinating was naturally easier.

They were no longer temporary allies—they were now full-fledged Schale members.

"W-What? Why that look? Are you unhappy I'm here?"

"No, it's just... You're so you, Yuuka."

"What's that supposed to mean?! Geez..."

Yeah. Like Yuuka here, some of them treat me comfortably and casually.

"Still, I'm your number one secretary, right, Sensei?"

"Arona, you can do anything you want..."

"Eh? That sounded like you just brushed me off because you're too lazy?! I am the best, right?! Right, Sensei?!"

Yes, yes. Our Arona is the absolute best.

While indulging Arona's antics, I finished up some paperwork and finally took a breather. Yuuka, ever the professional, had already brought out tea and started checking over the documents I had completed.

"Heh... Sensei. Have you done this kind of work before? You're pretty good at it."

"Well, I was a government worker."

The work I did was a bit different from your average bureaucrat, but still—being a civil servant meant I had experience with paperwork. The formats might be different, but I could manage things at this level.

"Huh... So what is a civil servant?"

You don't know...? Ah, right—this is Kivotos. I guess a simple comparison would be... like the student council.

"Something like the student council? It's pretty similar to what you do at Seminar."

"Sounds like a tough job."

"Definitely."

Endless paperwork, constant complaints. I rarely got home before 10 p.m., yet people who didn't understand the job just mocked it as an easy ride.

They only ever saw what was on the surface. Never cared what happened behind the scenes. That kind of attitude... it built up a lot of stress.

"But I was lucky enough to work in the field I wanted, so it was better for me. Others had it much worse."

"Really?"

"Sure. Imagine if someone told you to stop handling finances and start working in corrections, Yuuka."

"...Ugh..."

Yuuka grimaced, clearly disturbed. Then a hint of admiration crept into her eyes.

"What's with that look? It's like you're staring at a senior who's survived years in the same hellish industry."

"S-Shut up, idiot!"

Yuuka yelled and slammed the reviewed papers onto another desk. She had apparently finished her review. Seeing that, I reached for the next stack to prepare more tasks for her.

But Yuuka snatched them away.

"Stop. It's already dinner time. You need to eat first."

"...Already?"

"Look outside. The sun's setting—see? Dinner time."

So much time had already passed, huh?

As if on cue, my stomach growled loudly. It must've been audible to both Yuuka and Arona, because they both snorted at the same time. Embarrassed, I placed my hands over my stomach as I felt the heat rise to my face.

"W-Well then... shall we go eat?"

"Pfft! There's a great place nearby. Just follow me, Sensei."

Yuuka grinned and held out her hand. It felt like she was teasing me the whole time, but I let it slide just this once and took her hand.

As she led me out of the building toward some restaurant, I found myself quietly staring at the hand she held mine with.

Usually, I was the one teasing her, so I hadn't really noticed until now, but... Yuuka was actually taller than me. She had a great figure too.

Compared to her, I was... kind of petite. Maybe that's why—

"You two look like a cute senior-junior pair, Sensei~."

"....."

Maybe I did look like the junior in Arona's eyes...

"Well, Sensei's small, after all. With the halo and everything, you wouldn't look out of place as a student."

"Isn't that kind of bad for a teacher?"

"But you don't seem to dislike it?"

"......"

I silently tightened my grip on Yuuka's hand. She blinked in surprise, but I didn't let go. In fact, I held on even tighter.

I mean, having someone you can depend on... that's something really valuable.

Out of everyone I spent time with here, I was basically the only "adult" around.

"So even Sensei isn't perfect, huh?"

"I'm human too. I'm way weaker than you all probably think."

"Heh..."

Yuuka pulled me closer to her side and adjusted her grip. She gave me a warm, knowing smile.

She really did feel like an older sister in that moment. And so, I let her lead the way without resistance.

Just like she promised, Yuuka took me to a rice bowl shop for dinner. She called it a hidden gem, and it turned out she was absolutely right.

I ordered a 10,000-credit chashu rice bowl, but the dish that arrived looked like it could've easily cost 15,000 credits.

I stuffed myself and, for the first time in a while, felt like I was in peak condition.

Now that the sun had fully set, it was time to begin my night shift. On the way back, I stopped by Angel 24 and stocked up on supplies. Everything was ready.

Just before Yuuka could head off, I stopped her and used Momotalk to summon two more people.

"Yuuka."

"What now? Are we doing something again? Even at night?"

"Yep. We're doing something. A real hot battle, to be exact."

"A h-hot battle?"

Yep. A heated street brawl with a bunch of students in a dark alley. So intense, it might just catch fire.

"Sensei! You're making it sound so weird! You're just going out to suppress delinquents again, aren't you?!"

"I mean... am I wrong?"

"Ugh... Well, now that I think about it, if it's night ops in the city, you're not technically wrong..."

See? Even Arona agrees. I told you it's a hot battle.

"Stop making it sound weird! Ugh... Fine, who's going?"

"Me, you, Neru, and Serina as support."

"Haa... Fine. I'll go with you."

Yuuka sighed, but grabbed her firearm. So she had already decided to come along. That was a relief for me.

With her in front, I could move around freely.

...Not that I'll tell her that.

"I feel like Sensei's thinking something seriously suspicious and strangely mature right now!"

"Eh. Just your imagination."

Seriously, this girl's way too sharp sometimes.

"Alright, the others are supposed to meet nearby. Let's head over. Yuuka, you're taking point."

"Hmph... Fine. I'll follow your lead, Sensei."

Yuuka glared at me with suspicion, but reluctantly headed out first.

I picked up the Shittim Chest and followed after her.

As we stepped out... the city was slowly being enveloped in darkness.

Chapter 13: Chapter 0.5 (6): That teacher learns what a teacher should do

We headed toward the designated rendezvous point. Along the way, we spotted a few delinquent girls—Sukebans—but didn't engage.

We'd deal with them after linking up with the others. They were among today's targets anyway. Since we planned to take down three Sukeban groups tonight, we had to proceed carefully.

"Stay quiet as we move."

"Got it."

We avoided them and arrived at the meeting spot. But... no one was there.

Or rather—someone was definitely watching from somewhere. This was probably a test, and I was sure it was Neru's idea.

Time to send Yuuka out first.

"Yuuka. Step out first."

"...Are you sure this is okay? You said it was Neru, right?"

"She's probably trying to test us. Let's throw some bait."

"...I'm the bait, huh..."

Grumbling that it was unfair, she stepped forward.

As she emerged from the shadows of a building, a student in a nurse's uniform walked out to meet her.

"Hello, Yuuka. I came because Sensei called me, but I didn't think you'd be the first to show up."

"Hi, Serina. Looks like Neru isn't here yet?"

"Ahaha..."

The girl who introduced herself as Serina gave an awkward laugh. Neru was probably hiding somewhere nearby—either watching how I'd respond... or sneaking up behind me.

I turned and immediately raised my gun behind me.

"Oh? Hooh, so you noticed me right away? Not bad."

A husky voice echoed from the darkness. Two glowing gun barrels slowly emerged into view. I kept my eyes trained on them as I replied.

"I've read up on your personality. Nice to meet you, Neru."

"Ha! With all the rumors, I expected someone impressive... didn't think you'd be such a tiny shrimp."

"Heh, and yet that shrimp just caught you trying to sneak up on her."

"...Got guts, huh. Wanna go at it right now?"

Yep, she's the aggressive type. I bet she's the kind who reacts strongly when provoked.

But we couldn't afford unnecessary losses, so I lowered my gun first.

"No. I called you here, remember? So, did I pass your test?"

"...Hmph."

She reluctantly lowered her guns. But from the amused smirk tugging at her lips, she was clearly interested.

Yep. She liked me.

"Really now, we shouldn't be fighting among allies."

I turned around to see Serina frowning in frustration. She looked ready to scold us. Yuuka just let out a sigh, watching quietly behind her.

I stepped forward and addressed Serina.

"Hi, Serina. Looking forward to working with you. And since Neru seems to like me, we won't be fighting."

"Ha? When did I ever say that? Huh?"

"So you don't like me?"

"...Tch."

See? She does.

"Is this really the same Neru I know? She was super scary just a moment ago..."

"She's not a bad person. Just combative."

"Ahaha..."

People have different personalities. If you stress over all of them, you'll burn out fast. Best to let some things slide.

But anyway, that wasn't the issue right now.

"Let's focus. I'll go over the mission briefing."

We had to take care of the Sukeban groups now.

I explained the mission to everyone—how many targets we had, our main goals, locations, and ambush points. It had to be efficient and effective.

Of course, that was just my take. I wanted input from someone with more field experience too.

"Neru. That's the plan. Got anything to add?"

"I'm sure you planned it well. I'll just smash everything in our way."

"...Right. Of course."

Typical C&C Millennium mentality. "Break everything first" strategy, huh?

Well, no objections then...

"Alright, we'll follow this plan. Let's start with the closest group."

"Yes!"

"Got it."

We immediately began the operation.

About an hour later, the mission was complete. We cleared out all three Sukeban groups and handed them over to Valkyrie PD. We also secured a large amount of ammo.

Numbers really do make the difference. When I was solo, it took an hour just to handle one group—tracking down another would have taken even longer. But this time, we mopped them up easily.

"Oh! You're better than I thought, Sensei."

Looks like I made a good impression on Neru too. She even patted me on the shoulder.

"It's all thanks to you guys for following the plan. Thanks, everyone—it went so smoothly."

"It's because of your leadership, Sensei."

"I'm exhausted! You had me distract them from the front like a tank—Sensei, you're a slave driver!"

Yuuka sounded upset, but it couldn't be helped. That's the fate of a tank.

Still, she did work the hardest... so she deserved a reward.

"I'll treat you to a good meal later. Thanks a lot, Yuuka."

"...Well, if that's the case..."

Yuuka seemed satisfied with my answer. With that, the mission really was over. We said our goodbyes and returned to our respective schools.

Back at Schale, the first thing I did was take a shower, then collapse onto the office couch. I figured I'd sleep there tonight and continue work tomorrow. If something urgent came up, Arona would wake me.

And tomorrow... I'll keep giving it my all... with the girls...

In the stillness of late night, after Sensei had fallen into a quiet sleep, the Shittim Chest lit up. A new message notification appeared, and Arona read it with a serious expression.

Hello. I am Ayane Okusora from Abydos High School.

I'm truly sorry to trouble you like this, but I have something to ask you, no matter how shameless it may seem.

To be frank...

...

...

So I'm writing to ask—

Sensei, could you help us?

"...Has the situation gotten even worse?"

Arona let out a small sigh after reading the letter. She thought about waking Sensei up and showing him the message, but... what could he do on his own?

Even with her own computation abilities, Arona knew solving Abydos High's problem quickly would be near impossible. Practically a miracle.

"...But if it's Sensei..."

She murmured as she looked at the sleeping teacher. Then, after a brief moment, the light from the Shittim Chest faded as if nothing had happened.

Chapter 14: Episode 1 (1): The Sensei gives his best, even in the middle of the desert.

The next day, just as I was about to start my work, Arona came in holding something.

"Sensei! There's something I'd like you to read today!"

"Something you want me to read?"

Arona placed what she brought on my desk. I picked it up right away and started reading from the top, slowly...

...No. This wasn't something to read slowly. This was...

"Arona. We're leaving immediately."

"Huh? Right now? Is this what they call adult decisiveness?!"

What adult decisiveness? Anyone would do the same in this situation.

"It's that urgent! We need to gather supplies and get support there right away!"

"Y-Yes!"

I grabbed all the ammunition I had on hand and dashed outside. While making an emergency call to the General Student Council, I leapt onto the subway.

To think I forgot about this because I was buried in work—can I even call myself a teacher? Just hang in there a little longer. Just a little!

Then, in a quiet residential area with not a soul in sight, I lost my way.

"What kind of autonomous district is this big?"

It was good that I managed to reach the Abydos district somehow. Normally, schools are located in the central area, so I thought if I just kept moving, I'd eventually find it.

But reality was much harsher than I expected.

I said it was a residential area, right? But if you step just a little outside, a desert unfolds for some unknown reason. Seeing the tilted buildings in that desert made it clear that place was once a city too, but I still couldn't believe how desertification had spread even over a fully paved urban area.

After wandering the residential outskirts for several days with no water or food, I was on the brink of collapse.

I kept walking at first, hoping someone would pass by. That hope only lasted two days. Now, I walk without any expectations—just endlessly.

"Ugh..."

I lost my balance and fell. I tried to get up again, but my legs had no strength. Looks like I've finally reached the point of exhaustion.

Is this the end of my journey? I haven't even helped Abydos yet...

I crawled to a spot that at least had some shade. And then, as if my energy had been completely drained, I collapsed.

Ding-ding

In my hazy consciousness, I heard what sounded like a bicycle bell.

Ring-ring

And that sound grew louder and louder, like the voice of an angel coming to take me to heaven.

...Haha... So I'm really going to die after all...

"...Um..."

I heard the voice of the angel. That must mean it's the end for me.

"...That's dangerous."

A slightly troubled murmur reached my ears as my consciousness slowly drifted downward...

Drip

Something cold touched me. Before I even realized what it was, my body reacted on its own, opening my mouth. A cool liquid poured in and began to restore my fading consciousness.

This... it's water!

"Haulp!"

I grabbed the metal canteen near my mouth, determined not to waste a single drop, and drank the contents feverishly.

"Haah!"

As moisture filled my whole body, I lowered the bottle from my lips. And in my now-clear vision, I saw a girl standing quietly.

Glossy silver hair. Upright animal ears. Eyes like emeralds and a muffler that gave off both a soft and chilly vibe.

...This combination feels familiar.

"...So you were just a lost traveler. Are you awake now?"

"...Y-Yeah. Thank you... You saved me."

I collected myself and bowed deeply to the one who rescued me. Then, as I lifted my head again, I noticed her name tag.

"Huh...?"

...Abydos... Countermeasures... Committee. Shiroko Sunaookami...?

"Ah...!"

"...What is it?"

Abydos? That's the place I was headed for!

"Aaaaah!"

I finally found it—!!

Overcome with joy, I hugged Shiroko. She looked flustered, so I quickly let go. After a bit of explanation, Shiroko seemed to grasp the situation and spoke again.

"So basically, you came to Abydos for something important?"

"Yeah. But I got lost along the way..."

"I see. It's been a while since we had a guest."

She looked at me as if surprised, then glanced at her bicycle before continuing.

"Abydos is just nearby. I'll guide you. But... my bike only has one seat."

Right. A one-seater can't carry two people. My legs were still shaky, but with some support, I could probably manage...

"Mm... just being escorted is enough, really..."

"That's why I'll carry you on the bike."

"...Huh?"

...Wait? Something feels off here?

"You're small enough that I can manage if I carry you."

"But still, two people on one bike is a bit much!"

"Then I'll just push the bike while you ride."

"....."

Is this really the right way...? Something about it feels a bit different...

But I was exhausted, and honestly, I had no energy left to walk...

Should I just accept her kindness?

"Then... sorry, but I'll take you up on that."

"Okay."

Accepting Shiroko's offer, I sat on the bike saddle. She checked that I was seated properly and began pedaling slowly. Whether it was the quality of the bike or her smooth control, the ride was incredibly stable and comfortable.

And that comfort lulled me into unconsciousness.

My mind was foggy. My body felt like it was gently rocking. Where am I? Where are we going? I couldn't make sense of anything.

Let me retrace my last memory. I arrived in the Abydos district, met someone, got some water from her...

...No. I can't remember anything after that.

Clack

I heard a door open. It seemed like we were entering somewhere.

"Welcome back, Shiroko sen...pai?"

And then... muffled voices began to surround me.

...Who is it? I don't recognize the voice.

"What the—? What are you carrying?!"

"Waaah—Shiroko-chan kidnapped a student from another school!"

And it's not just one person...?

"C-Calm down! Calm down. We need to find a place to hide the body! Bring the shovels and pickaxes from the P.E. storage room...!"

One of them thinks I'm a corpse...

...What on earth is happening here?

"No... she is just a regular student. Shiroko says she's a guest of the school."

"A guest, not a kidnap victim?"

"Whoa—what a surprise. It's been so long since we had a guest at our school!"

From the voices, I could tell there were at least three people. And for some reason, I sensed another presence—maybe a fourth.

I couldn't afford to stay passed out anymore. At the very least, I needed to identify them...

"Ugh..."

"Oh, she's awake."

Forcing my heavy eyes open, I saw blurry faces looking down at me. Four students... I think?

They focused their gazes on me as I woke up.

I cleared my throat and gathered what strength I could to greet them.

"Uh... hello? I'm Shizuku. I'm the teacher in charge of Schale."

"...Aaaah?! No way!?"

"What?! You're the Sensei from the Federal Investigation Club?!"

"Yaaay—our support request actually got approved!"

So they were the ones who sent the request after all.

The kids' faces lit up as they realized I was the Schale teacher. They began buzzing about getting ammo support and waking up their leader.

Just my presence seemed to give them hope.

But... just how bad had the situation gotten?

BOOM

RATATAT

...Okay. Maybe not the worst-case scenario, but definitely not good! There was gunfire just now!

"Wah?! A large armed group is approaching the school! It's the Kata-kata Helmet Gang!"

The situation was dire. These punks were bold enough to launch a direct attack on the school's main building. Supplies requested via Arona hadn't arrived yet, and I didn't bring enough ammo either.

At most, I could fight once, maybe twice before I'd run out.

"We brought Hoshino-senpai! Senpai, wake up! Come on, wake up!"

"Mmnya... It's not time to wake up yet..."

Just then, a cat-eared girl brought in a smaller, pink-haired girl who looked half-asleep. But I recognized her.

"...We might be able to pull this off."

The situation was dire. But we had the firepower. What a paradoxical turn of events.

"Abydos Countermeasures Committee. There are about 25 enemies. Including me, we only have six people. But we've got a chance. Gather all remaining ammo. We can't let them take the school!"

Still, I was confident. We had Hoshino.

Hoshino's eyes slowly opened as if surprised. She scanned me up and down and muttered, "Well, whatever," as she grabbed her gun. The others followed suit, grabbing their weapons and supplies.

Once everyone was ready, I raised my gun.

"Wipe them out!"

"Roger that—!"

Four kids, led by Hoshino, rushed ahead. I didn't follow them directly—instead, I matched pace with Ayane, who was running with a medical bag. When she noticed me beside her, she gasped.

"Sensei?! It's dangerous! I'll handle the situation, so you should stay here...!"

She tried to stop me, but I cut her off with a question.

"Ayane-chan. Got any emergency rations?"

"Eh? I have a chocolate bar, but..."

"Then give me that. I haven't eaten in days."

"Huh? O-Okay. Here. Then please, stay here and give orders...!"

Ayane handed me a chocolate bar and once again pleaded for me to stay. I didn't answer. I just tore the wrapper, stuffed it into my mouth, and ran forward.

Ayane sighed, realizing I wasn't going to listen—but so what? I'm a combatant too.

And so, we chased after the kids who had rushed ahead.

Chapter 15: Episode 1 (2): The Sensei gives his best, even in the middle of the desert.

The kids who had gone ahead were already engaged in combat. They were struggling to move forward due to a barrage of bullets pouring in through the windows and machine gun fire coming from the front. Hoshino was slowly advancing with her shield, but the enemy's firepower wasn't something to be taken lightly.

But that's only because they still had a machine gun. If we took that out first, things would change.

I took a deep breath and carefully aimed at the machine gunners. Inhale, exhale. I repeated that until even my trembling stopped.

Then I pulled the trigger.

Tatata! Tatata!

"Urgh?!"

"Guh!"

Three bullets per target, six shots in total. The enemy gunners dropped backward and collapsed in a heap. The kids who had been fighting up front turned back in surprise, and the delinquent "Sukebans" who noticed their gunners were down stared at me in shock.

Why are they looking at me like that? Was that so surprising?

"What? You've never seen a burst fire before?"

"No way?! Why is there another person?! That's not what we were told!"

"She's super skilled too, Captain!"

The Sukebans were thrown into confusion. Was it because of the unexpected reinforcement? Or because someone stronger than them had suddenly appeared?

Or maybe because the situation had deviated from what they were told beforehand?

Either way, it didn't matter to me. I wasn't on their side—I was with Abydos.

Taking advantage of their disorientation, I gave Nonomi an order.

"Now, Nonomi! Suppressive fire! They don't have their machine guns anymore!"

"Here I go~☆"

At her reply, Nonomi's minigun began spinning rapidly. As bright flashes erupted from the muzzle, a storm of bullets swept across my field of vision.

Yep. That's a minigun for you. Amazing suppressive power.

But since the enemy had cover, that alone wasn't enough. So now...

"Shiroko, deploy the drones. I know you've got ones with missiles."

We needed more firepower.

"...Okay. Deploying missile drone."

Shiroko followed my command and activated the drone. It soared overhead and launched rockets at the enemy. The explosions sent enemies flying into the air.

...Oh. This firepower is insane. Rockets really are something else.

"All targets neutralized."

"Alright, what about outside? Shiroko, got enough rockets?"

"Yeah. No problem."

...But I thought their supplies were supposed to be running low. Why do they have enough rockets?

Maybe she had a good supply base like Nonomi, or maybe she scavenged and gathered them while patrolling. Whatever the case, it didn't matter now.

More importantly, that firepower was incredible.

"Shiroko. Three enemies outside the window. Use area-of-effect rocket fire."

"...But they're guided rockets."

"You can do it manually."

"...You're asking for something tough. But I'll give it a shot."

Shiroko said it was difficult, but her hands were already busy on the controller. The drone flew through the corridor to a nearby window, opened it cautiously, and slipped outside. It circled behind the Sukebans and locked on.

The Sukebans, unaware of the drone, kept firing in our direction.

"Now."

"Okay. Firing."

I gave Shiroko the signal, and she pressed the fire button.

"Launching three."

As soon as she said it, the sound of explosions echoed from outside. I even heard youthful screams mixed in—it definitely hit.

Shiroko quickly pressed the button again, triggering more explosions. After two more launches, I cautiously peeked outside.

"...Wow."

The outside was filled with craters from the rockets. Smaller than an 80mm helicopter rocket, but still—it was a rocket.

Mmm. That firepower. Always the best.

"Target elimination complete. It was a bit of a pain... but a good strategy."

"Thanks for the praise."

Shiroko and I exchanged a light fist bump and stood up. The remaining Sukebans outside dragged their fallen comrades (?) away as they fled, leaving us victorious.

But I couldn't let it end like this. We still had ammo thanks to the rockets, so it was time for a follow-up strike.

"Kids, let's chase them. Let's make them understand what happens when they mess with us."

"Yes!"

"Waaah—time for a chase scene!"

Maybe they gained confidence after seeing how easily we beat the Sukebans—their voices were filled with energy. Serika, Nonomi, even Hoshino had a fiery glint in her eyes as they charged after the fleeing enemies.

"Then Sensei, I'll go ahead too."

"I'll stay with Ayane."

"Okay. Thank you, Sensei."

I sent Shiroko after them and returned to Ayane. She welcomed me with trusting eyes.

"You were amazing, Sensei. You took down all those Sukebans in an instant..."

"The rockets were the real MVP. But what about the others?"

"Ah, one moment. I'll show you."

In response, Ayane brought up a holographic map. I could see four blue dots—our kids—racing through the shopping district, with a decreasing number of red dots—the enemies—being chased down.

The red dots were still greater in number, but compared to the original 4-to-1 odds, the tables had turned. As more red dots disappeared, the blue ones soon outnumbered them.

"It's over."

"Yes. All thanks to your leadership, Sensei."

We had finished the defense battle without any major injuries.

Once they confirmed the Sukebans had retreated, the kids returned to school. Their faces looked like they couldn't believe how smoothly it had gone. And the way they looked at me had changed.

It was like I had gone from "the kind adult who responded to our request for help" to "someone they could trust and rely on."

That kind of look.

See? Even Hoshino is rushing toward me with shining heterochromatic eyes and her arms wide open. Then she lunged forward—

"Gweh?!"

—and hugged me tightly.

"Ehehe~ Sensei, you're amazing! So tiny but you gave such cool commands. This old man was so moved, I just had to hug you~!"

"Is that your reason?!"

"Totally, totally. I'm really glad we got such a capable Sensei to help us."

"Then don't hug me tighter while saying that!"

Despite my protests, Hoshino hugged me even more firmly and started... groping. She was only a high school senior, but her actions were indistinguishable from some creepy old guy harassing a girl.

I knew she called herself an old man, but did her behavior have to match too?!

"Hehehe, got caught? You're warm, soft, and squishy—makes you a perfect pillow."

So I am being treated like a dakimakura?! And her grip is so strong! I can't breathe!

"Let go! I can't breathe—!!"

"Sorry, sorry. But you'll let me sleep next to you tonight, right?"

If not, she said, she'd keep hugging me and go to bed like this. The mere sound of her whisper was enough to make my skin crawl. It was incredibly effective—I caved immediately.

"F-Fine! I'll sleep next to you tonight, just let go...!"

"You promised, okay?"

Only after I promised to sleep with her did she finally release me. As the tight pressure around my chest vanished, I escaped to Ayane's side.

As soon as I ran away, Serika jumped in with, "Senpai—!" and scolded Hoshino. But Hoshino barely acknowledged her, just swaying back and forth with a relaxed expression as Serika pushed her.

The other kids, seeing this, began to relax too. Anyone could tell they had finally let go of their tension.

...Hah. So this is what Abydos is normally like? In the game, it always felt like they were under constant pressure.

Well, for these kids, it must've been a long time since they could be this laid-back. It was a nice sight.

...If only the school hadn't just been attacked.

To prepare for what's to come, I needed to hear more about their situation.

"Okay, now that we've dealt with the enemy, let's head to the classroom and talk more about what's going on."

"...Right. Let's return to the Countermeasures Committee room."

Their relaxed expressions stiffened slightly again. The kids headed back toward the classroom where I had first regained consciousness.

Chapter 16: Episode 1 (3): The Sensei gives his best, even in the middle of the desert.

After returning to the classroom, I asked the girls to explain the current situation in as much detail as possible.

First, the immediate problem was the Helmet Gang. Due to ongoing desertification, the area was gradually becoming devastated. They had repeatedly requested aid from the General Student Council to do something about it, but no proper support had arrived.

As the issue piled up, about 70% of the autonomous district had turned into desert. Most residents had left, and new students no longer enrolled. With no remaining forces to defend the district, delinquents stormed in and wreaked havoc.

The remaining students tried various ways to stop them, but even basic supplies were hard to come by, and they'd reached a point where they couldn't even stop the Helmet Gang.

None of this had ever been reported to the General Student Council. But I knew why the Council hadn't acted.

It was because the former President's policy was to respect autonomy. Unless something threatened the entirety of Kivotos, the Council would hardly intervene, leaving each school to manage its own affairs.

Still, even accounting for that, there were too many gaps in the story. I had a strong feeling they were deliberately hiding something.

What bothered me most was their financial state. There must have been a desperate reason why they had to focus only on holding things off. The girls were clearly hiding it.

Of course, I knew what it was. They were trying to keep secrets, but who am I? I'm the teacher who already knows the whole story.

Naturally, I asked them about the debts they were trying to hide.

The current debt stood at 900 million yen. It had accumulated over the past few years, and they were struggling even to pay the interest.

And the creditor was Kaiser Corporation.

Hmm... Up to this point, it matched the original story.

"So then, what's the most urgent issue?"

"Well... none of it isn't urgent, but I guess the Helmet Gang is the biggest problem. Even if we try to raise funds to pay off the debt, they keep attacking us, so we can't safely secure money..."

"As expected, the Helmet Gang..."

Ayane cautiously offered her opinion. The others agreed, clenching their fists in frustration.

They had endured only because they lacked the strength. But if they could, they would've dealt with it all immediately.

Which meant—it was up to me, the teacher, to resolve it.

"First, let me tell you about our current situation. Honestly, we only have enough ammunition for one fight. Our total supplies might last a week—if we're really conservative. But, before I arrived here, I did submit a request for support, so supplies and ammo should be arriving soon."

"That's... a relief. If we can at least take care of supplies...!"

"But we don't know when they'll get here. It's likely the Helmet Gang will strike before then."

They knew best how often the enemy attacked.

"Th-then what should we do...?"

"Well? Sounds like someone already has a plan in mind."

I looked at Hoshino. Following my gaze, the other girls turned to her as well. Surprised to be singled out, she scratched her head and laughed awkwardly.

"Ahaha. I didn't expect to be called out."

"Senpai? You really have a plan?"

"Yeah. I've got a plan."

"No way?! Hoshino-senpai has a plan?!"

"You're kidding...!?"

"Wow—those reactions kind of hurt, you know? I might be lazy, but I can get serious when I have to."

Judging by their shocked reactions, the girls hadn't expected that at all. Hoshino smiled wryly, acting a bit dramatic. It clearly showed how she usually interacted with them.

After all, the real Hoshino was...

"Sensei-chan, you're thinking something weird, aren't you~?"

As if reading my thoughts, Hoshino spoke up. Her tone was as relaxed as ever, but her eyes had gone sharp. It was a clear warning: "Don't dig any deeper."

Yeah, I get it. She'd figured out what I was going to say and was warning me subtly.

That scary side of her hadn't gone anywhere. I averted my eyes slightly.

Her eyebrows twitched briefly, but she let it go and returned to her usual expression.

That's when Serika pressed her.

"So, what's the plan?"

"The Helmet Gang will probably strike again in a few days. It's a pattern. So, let's turn the tables and hit their forward base now. They've just retreated and are at their weakest."

Oh, that made sense. If we only had ammo for one fight, wiping out their base might be a smart move—especially since the enemy had just taken a big hit and fallen back.

But Ayane seemed unsure and asked Hoshino, flustered.

"R-right now?"

"Yep. With Sensei-chan here, we don't have to worry about supply logistics and all that annoying stuff."

She had a point. Supplies would arrive soon enough, so it wasn't unreasonable.

Other girls added their agreement:

"Hmm. Their forward base is within 30 kilometers. We could leave right now and make it."

"Good idea. They'd never expect a counterattack now."

"B-but... what about you, Sensei?"

With the others on board, even Ayane seemed to lean toward agreeing. Still unsure, she looked to me for the final word.

Before deciding, I had one last thing to confirm.

"Shiroko. How many enemies are at the forward base?"

I asked Shiroko, who had a drone. She likely had the best idea of the numbers—since she usually did daytime recon.

And she didn't disappoint.

"About 40 in total. But after that retreat, there should be far fewer now."

That was enough confirmation. With just that many, even Hoshino alone might be able to handle them.

"More than 20 should be out of commission. So we're only dealing with the rest. Don't you think we could win?"

"...I-It might be possible..."

"The enemy strength hasn't changed much since earlier. If we're okay with some injuries, Hoshino could take them down herself. So I'll go with her plan."

If one person could do it, then six absolutely could.

"Wha—? You really think that highly of me, Sensei-chan?"

Bothered by my assessment, Hoshino asked.

"I saw how you fought earlier. Also, don't call me 'Sensei-chan.' It's Sensei."

I responded plainly, correcting her affectionate nickname at the same time.

But Hoshino just grinned.

"Then how about Shizuku-chan? I could whisper it by your ear as you sleep~"

Oh, hell no. What did she just say? Whisper what by my ear?

"...Can't we just settle on hugging while sleeping?"

"Nope. Pick: Shizuku-chan or Sensei-chan. Sensei-chan."

"...Sensei-chan."

In the end, I gave in to Hoshino. Was this really okay? I'd officially become "Sensei-chan."

"Great! Sensei-chan's on board, so let's ride this momentum and wipe them out!"

Satisfied, Hoshino grinned and rallied the girls. Their spirits shot up in response.

"Yeah—let's go!"

With Nonomi's shout, the girls filed out of the classroom. Left alone, I sighed and followed after them.

...Wait. So "Sensei-chan" is really going to stick?

...Ah, whatever. If Hoshino insists, I'll just let her have her way...