Inside the top-floor conference room of Millennium.
Rio stood by the window, silently gazing down below, until the sound of mechanisms operating came from behind her.
"Madame Rio," Toki stepped out from the hidden door, her tone slightly puzzled. "Why didn't you let me stop them all?"
"…Now is not the time. 'That' has not been completed yet, and 'those' are not ready either. You are no match for Neru."
"I think I could try." Toki straightened her chest.
"I think you'd better not." Rio did not turn her head.
So Toki secretly pouted.
Reaching out to touch the cold glass with her fingertips, Rio murmured to herself, "Allowing Neru to stay was my biggest mistake tonight… no, even if Neru had stayed outside, Himari would still have stood on Sensei's side. There was never a foolproof way to keep them here… was failure inevitable from the very beginning?"
"Madame Rio, you need to rest."
"Toki." Rio turned around, her eyes bloodshot. "It feels like I've become weaker than I used to be. Is it because of Sensei?"
Toki was silent for a moment. "Madame Rio, you really need to rest."
"…Sorry. I asked something difficult for you to answer."
Rio shook her head. "You're right. Let's go back."
Toki bowed slightly. "As you command."
The seminar President and her personal bodyguard entered the secret chamber connected to the conference room one after the other and boarded their exclusive hidden elevator.
As the two left, the lighting system shut down automatically.
In the conference room, only the depth of the night remained.
.
Outside the Schale building, Neru and I got out of the self-driving taxi.
To be honest, if it were not for Kivotos's advanced transportation technology, with our current combination…
It was late at night. A fierce-looking student wearing a silk-adorned maid outfit, carrying a machine that looked like an unconscious young girl.
Even with me, a dignified adult who clearly looked like an upright gentleman, accompanying her, if the driver had seen us, we would probably have spent the night at the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau.
This was mainly Neru's problem.
As for Himari, she did not come with us because she needed to set up some preventive measures.
"Neru, thank you."
"It was nothing. What's there to thank me for? Easy." Neru paused, then added, "Besides, that Rio's way of thinking really ticked me off!"
I nodded noncommittally. "Do you have other plans tonight? If you do, dropping you off here is fine."
"Huh? If I'm not around, what if this little one's body gets taken over again?"
Every time I heard Neru, who as a senior had a height and build not much different from the girls in the Game Development Department, naturally call them little ones, I could not help but find it amusing.
As for Neru's concern, I simply replied, "I've got it covered."
"Hmm…" Neru hesitated for a bit. "I think I'll just stay over here tonight. Schale has spare guest rooms, right?"
What kind of question was that? Could it be that if all of Schale had only one bedroom and one bed, she could not squeeze in with me?
While thinking that inwardly, I still answered with a smile, "Of course. It's already quite late. Let's go in."
With that, I led Neru back into my Schale.
At this time, the living area of Schale was brightly lit.
As soon as we entered the living room, three gazes turned toward us.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
I said this as I looked around at the three students I had summoned, seated on the sofa.
"Hm? The Fox of Calamity?" Neru thought for a moment and recognized one of the Seven Prisoners, famous throughout Kivotos, by her fox mask.
"Oh? A Millennium maid agent?" Wakamo, well-informed as she was, easily identified Neru's identity.
"Uh-heh~"
The petite girl with pink hair and heterochromatic eyes spoke lazily. "What's going on? The atmosphere seems to have gotten a bit tense. New maid little sister, don't be so nervous. Wakamo here was also called over by Sensei to help, you know?"
If I remembered correctly, Hoshino was actually younger than Wakamo.
"Who are you calling a maid little sister!?" Neru flared up. "You little brat, I'm a third-year senior!"
Hoshino blinked. "Eh, but this uncle is also a third-year…"
"Huh? I-is that so?"
Neru froze for a moment. When she looked at Hoshino again, her gaze unconsciously carried a bit of recognition.
"Alright," I clapped my hands to draw the girls' attention and pointed at the AL-1S on Neru's back. "This student who hasn't woken up yet is Arisu, whom I mentioned on momotalk. I'll be relying on you for the next period of time."
Although Rio's resolute attitude had not been within my expectations, I had long since decided to temporarily bring AL-1S back to Schale.
For that purpose, I had gathered these three highly capable students to act as AL-1S's watchers.
"Mm-hmm, so that's her." Hoshino looked at AL-1S with interest and repeated what I had said on momotalk. "Once her eyes turn red, restrain her immediately, right? Simple enough."
"Please leave it to me, Sensei!" Wakamo said fervently. "As long as it's for you, Wakamo will give it her all!"
"…If that kind of situation really does occur."
The last student turned her gray-blue eyes toward me, her tone low and indifferent. "After suppression is complete, will interrogation be required?"
At once, the atmosphere became a little strange.
"Saori, that won't be necessary."
I said calmly.
Saori nodded slightly. "Understood."
I secretly let out a long breath, a growing sense of security filling my heart.
The strongest of Abydos, someone even the head of Gehenna's Prefect Team is wary of, Takanashi Hoshino.
On leave from Hyakkiyako, able to match SRT's most elite FOX squad on her own, Kosaka Wakamo.
Affiliation unknown, Beatrice's "gift," no less powerful than Wakamo, Joumae Saori.
With these three assisting during this period, Kei surely would not be able to stir up any more trouble.
…That said, Saori's proposal was rather interesting.
"In any case, I'll leave the rest to you." I instructed. "You can decide the specific schedule yourselves."
All three nodded to show they understood.
I then looked at Neru and politely asked, "May I use the bathroom first?"
"Ah, of course."
"Thank you."
A short while later, inside the bathroom, I recited the secret phrase and connected to the Shittim Chest.
Looking up at the star-filled sky, I could not help but spread my arms wide.
Then, at last.
I laughed out loud, without restraint, letting my voice ring freely…