Chapter 35: Simple Happening (4)

“Hmm… It seems like the story went off on a tangent… Yeah! Can I continue the explanation?”

Having regained her composure and calmness, Mika-sama started to speak in a bright voice again. I tried to subtly move away…

No, Mika-sama gently grabbed my wrist as I was trying to move away, so I couldn’t move away. It doesn’t matter much, but… Mika-sama’s sense of distance, which was originally narrow, seems to have become even narrower.

“…Wait, since we’ve come this far, it’s hard to back out, but why are you telling us this? Mika-san?”

Hanako’s question was valid. This matter is not something that a group of 4-5 students called the Supplementary Class Club should handle.

At most, Sensei, a person who possesses supra-legal authority, would be useful, but the absolute amount and quality of force would be insufficient. The answer to that was also a little unreasonable, but…

“It’s because… Azusa-chan is here. If it goes like this, it’ll be a bit harsh for Azusa-chan, right?”

“Mika-sama and I heard the story from Seia-sama to some extent, and we know the circumstances.

And if we just organize this matter between me and Mika-sama… Leaving aside the probability of success, Azusa-senpai won’t be able to come back, in many ways.”

Mika-sama and I continue to speak in turn. Considering the importance of the matter, it’s an unreasonable choice. There were probably more efficient methods, but if we did that, everything Azusa-senpai had done so far would be in vain.

That would be denying one person’s efforts in the worst way, so we had no choice but to choose this, even if we had to go around a bit.

And in fact, the Supplementary Class Club is the highest quality manpower that Mika-sama and I can move and persuade, so it’s a natural choice if it’s a natural choice.

[Haha, I was going to say that this happened because everyone didn’t trust each other… But now I can’t say that, can I? I feel good as a Sensei.]

“…That’s right… If we’re talking about a story where we have to trust the other person to do it, because it’s a story where we’re handing over the handle of our leash to others. Oh my? When I say it, it sounds like a pretty good play…?”

“Yes, please stop~”

“Oh~”

The atmosphere relaxed. Sensei and Hanako’s banter. Hanako was about to go on a rampage again, so I quickly stop her. With a look of disappointment, Hanako is pushed back, and Mika-sama begins to explain.

“A week later, you know that the last test of your Supplementary Class Club will start, right? On that day, the Justice Realization Committee will control the entire building.

Nominally, it’s to protect important documents of the Eden Treaty.

The main building will also be under martial law for security, and of course, as the Justice Realization Committee is concentrated, the security of the Tea Party will be empty, so Arius plans to attack Nagi-chan on this day...

Yeah, if I had turned back a little faster, this attack could have been prevented… Sorry…”

“Ma, martial law… I’ve never seen it before… Auuu….”

“There’s no way, the date given by Squad as a mission is too different…”

Azusa-senpai corrected this during Mika-sama’s explanation. Since it was a direct order, she was directly preparing for it, so she couldn’t just overlook this content.

However, Arius was also gradually losing trust in Azusa-senpai recently. I don’t think Azusa-senpai betrayed Arius, but complete trust and half-hearted trust would have a huge difference.

At the same time, even if this is excluded, Nagisa-sama herself gave Arius a perfect opportunity, so there was no reason not to choose this.

When I explained this, Azusa-senpai’s expression turned a little bad, but she quickly regained her composure.

“I see… Then we’ll just struggle in our own way.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea, Azusa-chan. And to continue the explanation, the lifting of martial law is… Before the conclusion of the Eden Treaty, that is, until the Eden Treaty is over, no one can enter or leave the building.”

I knew that Nagisa-sama was considerably cornered, but I didn’t know she would go this far.

Recently, the security of the Tea Party faction leaders was in charge of the Justice Realization Committee and other general attendants, and as the majority of the Justice Realization Committee entered the control of the building,

Nagisa-sama’s own security becomes weak.

If it were to stop just one member of the Supplementary Class Club, it wouldn’t be a big problem, but if it’s a group, it’ll be quickly broken through.

“I feel like it’s very late to say this, but… Please help, let me make up for my mistakes, just a little…”

I won’t say the subsequent answer. I think everyone knows.

-One week later, Trinity Panic Room 48-

“Phew…..”

It’s a dark night. Today is the day when all the traitors of Trinity, at least as far as I know, will be purged. I have to keep my spirits up.

Because all of the Justice Realization Committee was dispatched to the suburbs, the anxiety increased, and I drank more black tea than usual.

Usually, I would savor the taste and aroma, but now I don’t feel any taste or aroma. It’s probably because of anxiety? I can only feel the sensation of hot, now lukewarm, liquid going down my throat.

…Since Seia-san’s attack, I’ve always been in this anxiety. Who harmed Seia-san… Who is targeting Trinity, am I also going to die? I was in deep fear and couldn’t get out…

-Knock knock-

Unable to overcome my anxiety, I brought in a few attendants to replace the Justice Realization Committee as guards for this panic room.

They’re all experienced personnel, and I couldn’t overcome my anxiety and asked for black tea, so I thought it was necessary, so I hear a knock on the door.

“….No. I’m fine with black tea now.”

Anyway, I’m not enjoying the taste or aroma properly, so I refuse. It would be harmful to my health to keep drinking tea meaninglessly. Let’s restrain ourselves.

-Creak-

“…”

“….Huh?”

What is it? The soundproofing of the panic room is definitely excellent, but it’s not to the extent that you can’t hear it right in front of the door… Was my voice small?

“You don’t seem to be sleeping.”

“?!”

A familiar voice, a voice that should never be heard, echoes in this panic room. Why…? They should be in the annex, unable to move, or heading to the main building, fighting with the Justice Realization Committee.

However, for some reason, that voice was heard from the entrance of the panic room.

“Well, you sent all of the Justice Realization Committee to the suburbs, so you must have been anxious….? Nagisa-san.”

“U, Urawa Hanako?! H, how did you, yo, you get in here….?!”

The owner of the voice I thought was standing in front of me. While cutting off the words I uttered in panic, Hanako-san starts the answer.

“How do you know this panic room? Well, I know all 87 rotation sequences of the Tea Party’s panic rooms… Fufu♡”

“….?!”

“I also know roughly how it’s operated in an irregular way. For example, like now, when you’re really anxious, you hide in a secret place above this attic♡”

That’s right. She’s a so-called genius. I put my foot in it for a very short time due to the previous recruitment application, and she memorized everything during that time, and she still remembers it perfectly…

Even that Sora couldn’t memorize everything, so I was relieved, but… I overlooked that Hanako is a non-standard existence.

“He, here….!!”

-Click-

“Don’t move.”

“….”

I was about to call the guards in a hurry, but at that moment, a slightly unfamiliar voice was heard from behind me, and a gun barrel was aimed at the back of my head.

It’s a little unfamiliar, but this voice is definitely Shirasu Azusa, it must be her…

-Tink…, click-

“The handling of all the guards is over, Hanako. I don’t know how you memorized the rotation sequence of the panic room that I couldn’t memorize?”

“Fufu… Sora-chan took care of the guards? That’s why I showed up, right?”

From the entrance of the panic room, the sound of a spent cartridge falling to the ground and the familiar sound of a cylinder being loaded are heard, and a familiar woman, stained from head to toe in pure white, enters.

Yumetsubasa Sora… It seems that even she, whom I trusted, wasn’t on my side from the beginning.

The panic that had subsided began to grab my ankles and legs and drag me into the abyss… In the end, I failed… I’m sorry… Seia…

“Shirasu Azusa…. Urawa Hanako…. And even Sora… It’s my defeat… I don’t know how you hid the past, but even Sora is a traitor….”

Nagisa… No, Kirifuji Nagisa, did you doubt why only I was fine when Yurizono Seia was attacked? Huh, isn’t it? You’re so simple…”

“…Fufufufu♡ That’s right… It’s simple. Me, Azusa-chan, and even Sora-chan are just pawns… The one who is really commanding us is someone else.”

Three, not four, or more, were shocking mentions that they were gradually destroying Trinity. The reason she’s saying this is probably because this is my end… There’s even a wiretap installed in this panic room.

There are not one, but more than a dozen. Among them… There is one that only Seia, Mika, and I know about, which is shared only with the faction leaders of the Tea Party.

Sora might know the location of the wiretap, but she won’t know about that one, so I have to draw out as much information as possible and leave.

“Th, that’s…. Who….?!”

“Hanako, that’s enough. It would be better not to give any more information.”

“That’s right… You never know if there might be a bug or something…”

I act like I’m a little embarrassed and try to draw out information one last time, but it’s easily blocked by Sora.

That’s right… Knowing the existence of the wiretap, she would be able to fully reach the idea that there might be one or two wiretaps that she doesn’t know about. She… was quite smart…

“….Hmm, I’ll ask you one thing, Nagisa. Was it necessary to go this far?

It’s about the Supplementary Class Club. I know Nagisa’s worries, but was it necessary to use such a trick by mobilizing Schale?”

“Is there a reason to answer…?”

Then I also have no reason to answer properly…

-Bang!-

You’re going to die here anyway… If you don’t want the last moment to be painful, I think it’s better to answer obediently? Former Host?”

“…”

“…I’ll do it…”

A Type 99 with a bayonet that Sora had been carrying since sometime was slammed into the table, right in front of where I was sitting.

If I don’t speak obediently… It’s a threat that it will be painful after that… I’m sorry… I thought I was prepared… If I can postpone that pain a little…

I’ll answer the questions that are okay to answer… If a question that I really shouldn’t answer comes… Then I’ll really be prepared….

“I don’t think it was too much, even if I was suspicious of me and Azusa-chan from the beginning…. What about Hifumi-chan and Koharu-chan? Especially… Hifumi-chan was…. close to Nagisa.

Why did you treat her so harshly? Didn’t you think about the wounds Hifumi-chan would receive?”

The question is unexpectedly not important, it’s just a question of why she proceeded in such an inhuman way… Even in this situation, even in this terrifying situation, guilt is riding on my back and choking my neck.

“Yes…. Even if it’s for the greater good, I shouldn’t have done that to Hifumi…

I don’t regret my actions. Still, I wanted to protect her friendship until the end. I…”

As I continued to answer, I couldn’t continue speaking at some point. That’s right… Is this my fault…..

“Pfft… Hahahahaha!! It’s nothing but a comedy….”

“Fufufu…. Then I’ll deliver the message that our commander sent to Nagisa.”

Sora, no, Yumetsubasa, starts laughing for some reason. After that, Urawa’s subsequent words were enough to confuse me.

-Ahaha….. It was fun, the friendship game with Nagisa.-

‘….Yes?! Wh, what…?!’

-Bang!-

A familiar and… reliable gunshot is heard. That cold revolver is aimed at my forehead and fired. With that, my consciousness ends.

For some reason… Tears were falling from Sora’s eyes, which I saw in the closing eyes. I will never know the reason for that in my life… Ah… I’m sorry… Seia…

“….”

..Ugh….”

“…”

“…I’m sorry… I might not have been considerate enough…”

I held back until the very last moment, but in the end, tears burst out. I hear Hanako’s apology mixed with sorry.

I regain the composure that I almost lost.

“…It can’t be helped… Sob…. If this happens again, please leave me out… A little… Sob… It’s hard… Ugh…. Hua…”

I betrayed a precious person, even if temporarily, and cut off her spirit. It was endlessly painful to drive a nail into the heart of a precious person and wound her body… It felt like my heart was being torn apart….

“…I think I need time to compose my emotions, but I don’t have much time. Let’s move.”

“Yes… Let’s move…”

Yeah… This is to protect her… I have to carry this pain and move forward. If I want to apologize properly later, I have to protect her first…

Well, let’s start… For that damn thing that made this damn happening, it’s time to draw the sword that everyone has been sharpening together for a short time.