On the way from the annex back to the main campus, the dim yellow sky in the west gradually deepened into the color of night, and the lights began turning on one after another.
Some time ago, when the Make-Up Work Club wrapped up its activities, it was usually around this hour, or even later. Whenever I walked alone through the elegant campus with barely anyone lingering about, a strange feeling would always rise in my chest.
Today, although I was walking with Koharu, she had been silent ever since we left the annex, so the experience did not feel much different. It only carried a bit more anticipation.
"...Um," Koharu, who had been quiet for most of the way, finally could not hold back and hesitantly spoke to me. "I, I need to make this clear first. That really was completely a misunderstanding! I always hide it properly... no, I do not carry it around with me normally..."
Her voice grew softer and softer, until it was barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.
She said she wanted to clarify things, but was that not basically admitting she secretly read strange books?
Muttering to myself inwardly, I gave her a gentle smile. "Mm. Then make sure to hide it better from now on. Do not let it get discovered again."
Koharu jumped in shock. "W-what are you saying!? That makes it sound like it is fine to carry it around as long as no one finds out!"
Was that what I meant?
Perhaps someone wished that was what I meant.
Under my teasing gaze, Koharu's face flushed red and she raised her voice. "Y-you are a teacher, right!? What are you thinking!? Lewdness is forbidden! Death penalty!"
"If that is the case, then you should be executed too."
"Eh, n-no...!" Koharu stammered for a moment. "I-I told you, it was just a misunderstanding! So it does not count!"
I nodded indifferently. "Mm, let us just say that is how it is."
"...W-what is with that! Is this what adult composure looks like!?"
Clearly dissatisfied with my perfunctory response, Koharu even started speaking recklessly. "Because it was just a misunderstanding! S-so there was no need for you to speak up for me! That book was something I confiscated from someone else in the first place... even so, um, I guess... thanks..."
From where? A bookstore?
Besides, if I remembered correctly, when her little secret had been exposed and she was relentlessly pressed by an excited Hanako, she had almost burst into tears.
Fortunately, I already understood Koharu's shy yet stubborn personality. I would not take offense at her small verbal jabs. Instead, I found them rather endearing, which allowed me to maintain that so-called adult composure.
"I see. I understand. But still, I think Koharu does not need to suppress herself so much."
Koharu blinked. "Eh...?"
"After all, Koharu is Koharu. It is enough to just be yourself."
At once, a clear light shimmered in the girl's pink eyes.
She was probably about to fall for me. It could not be helped. After all, those seemingly cool lines had come from someone genuinely handsome like me. Combined with helping her out earlier, even if Koharu awakened a new authority on the spot, it would not have been strange at all.
Yet the next moment, I heard her mutter, "It feels like I understood... but also like I did not."
...Forget it. Koharu was still far from that level.
"Mm, but..." Koharu lowered her head, bit her lip, and shyly looked up at me. "At least I kind of understand that Sensei was thinking about me..."
In that case, where is the new authority?
As if pondering for a moment, she cleared her throat and put on a serious expression. "Th-then! As a return gift, I will tell you another secret of mine!"
I raised an eyebrow. "A secret?"
Koharu first looked around cautiously, then stepped closer and gestured for me to lean down. She moved near my ear and whispered,
"Actually, I... am a spy, assigned to monitor whether the Make-Up Work Club is functioning properly!"
"...A spy?"
"In other words, I am carrying out a secret mission. So even though I may look like an idiot right now, that is all part of my disguise!"
For a moment, I almost suspected that what Koharu said was true. But thinking carefully, with Koharu's usual performance, she probably could not act even if she tried.
Besides, although the Justice Task Force could in most situations be regarded as directly under Nagisa's authority, in reality they obeyed only the legitimate orders of the Tea Party host and Trinity's other senior leadership.
The Justice Task Force was not anyone's private army. As the name suggested, their fundamental purpose was to realize justice in their hearts. Maintaining order throughout the entire school was their true pursuit.
And given Nagisa's current condition, would she really entrust something so important so casually to a newcomer like Koharu?
Thinking of that, I directly asked Koharu, who had already stepped back a few paces and was wearing a smug expression. I already knew the answer.
"Then who assigned you this mission?"
"Eh, um..."
Caught off guard by the question, Koharu's eyes darted around as she struggled to think. After quite a while, she blurted out,
"I-it was Hasumi-senpai! That is right! Hasumi-senpai is very capable in Trinity, and she is also the vice pres of the Justice Task Force!"
Just as I thought. This child was once again putting on a brave front for the sake of her pride. Her thought process was far too easy to read.
As if feeling her claim was not convincing enough, Koharu hurriedly added, "A-and President Tsurugi too!"
"Tsurugi, hm..."
"That is right! P-President Tsurugi is, um, well, she is the President ... yes, she can do anything! Talented in both academics and combat... right! Probably! Even though I have only met her a few times... a-anyway, she is very amazing!"
Well, I was not sure about her academic abilities, but Tsurugi's martial prowess was certainly more than sufficient.
About ten days ago, when I carried out a mission alongside the Justice Task Force, Tsurugi's combat style left a deep impression on me.
And after the battle, when our eyes met, she let out a shrill scream, then for some reason fled in a panic. Even Hasumi could not stop her. That left just as strong an impression.
All in all, I could not help but suspect she might also have a crush on me.
"So that is how it is. I did not enter the Make-Up Work Club because my grades are really bad, so remember that. I am carrying out an important mission as a spy. An elite."
Looking at Koharu, who had suddenly become oddly proud, I could not help but wonder how she had arrived at such a conclusion, which had almost nothing to do with her earlier boasting about Hasumi and Tsurugi.
Still, the fact that she was trying so hard to prove she was not an idiot was rather cute.
"I see."
"Hehe~"
Receiving my acknowledgment, Koharu's mood remained bright all the way until we reached the Justice Task Force headquarters, where her expression turned tense again.
Fortunately, luck was on our side. We encountered no trouble on the way to the confiscated items management room.
We did run into other Justice Task Force members, even several at once, but the one leading them was neither Hasumi nor Tsurugi. Instead, it was a relatively tall girl with waist-length hair and a gentle smile, her eyes curved shut.
This Justice Task Force member, addressed as Ichika-senpai, recognized Koharu and seemed aware that she was participating in the training camp. However, she did not ask much. She even reminded Koharu not to get caught, appearing friendly, cheerful, and magnanimous.
And seemingly not overly rigid about school rules.
"Ichika-senpai is also very amazing!" After parting with Ichika, Koharu excitedly introduced her to me, her eyes filled with admiration. "She is very trusted by everyone! If there are conflicts in the club, like someone accidentally eating their teammate's pudding or something... they always go to Ichika-senpai to mediate!"
Hearing that, she really did sound impressive. And quite overworked.
Whenever Koharu spoke of seniors she admired in the Justice Task Force, even though she herself was far from mature, she would wear an expression as if sharing in their glory.
After placing the contraband book back in its original spot, Koharu let out a heavy sigh of relief and smiled at me, who had been waiting nearby.
"Alright, that is done. We can relax for now."
At that moment, however, the sound of a door opening rang out. Immediately after, a familiar voice full of doubt followed, freezing Koharu's smile in place.
"...Koharu?"
"H-Hasumi-senpai!?"
At the very last moment before we were about to leave, the person Koharu admired most, and the one she feared running into the most this time, appeared abruptly.
"And Sensei as well...?" Hasumi looked at me, then at her junior. "I heard you should be at the annex for the training camp. What is going on? Until your grades improve, you are supposed to be restricted from entering here..."
"Th-that is not it, this is..."
Seeing Koharu begin to stutter nervously again, I cleared my throat and stepped forward to smooth things over.
"Actually, we needed a book for tutoring, so I asked Koharu to bring me here."
"I see. If that is the case, then it cannot be helped." Hasumi readily accepted the explanation.
But I noticed that beside me, Koharu's face turned even redder than before, her pupils shrinking like a cat's. She had clearly imagined something strange again.
...In a certain sense, Koharu was as admirable as Hanako.
"However, in a way, your timing is quite convenient," Hasumi said. "There is something I wanted to convey to Koharu again."
"Eh? M-me...?"
Hasumi nodded, then looked at me and politely requested, "Sensei, I am sorry, but could you excuse us for a moment? It is something I wish to say as a member of the Justice Task Force..."
Recalling what Koharu had said earlier about being a spy, I agreed without revealing anything. "Of course."
"Thank you very much."
I then went to the next room to wait.
To my surprise, someone was already there.
"Hm?" The girl leaning against the sofa, who seemed to have been resting, sat up and waved at me. "Hello, Sensei. We meet again."
Looking at Ichika's eyes, which made it impossible to tell whether they had been closed or were open now, I greeted her. "Hello, Ichika. What a coincidence."
"Haha! Sensei really has a sense of humor!"
...Was that an insult? Probably not.
As I wondered, Ichika sprang up and strode over to me, extending her hand generously.
"Let me introduce myself again. I am Nakamasa Ichika from Trinity General School's Justice Task Force. Please take care of me!"
My gaze fell on her slender hand clad in a black glove. I shook it naturally and lifted my eyes to meet her smiling face. "Likewise."
After our formal introduction, Ichika turned her head toward the wall and remarked, "So Koharu was caught by Hasumi-senpai, huh? Ah, that is really unlucky."
Not hard to guess. And right on cue, Hasumi's voice faintly carried over from next door.
"...Koharu... please..."
"By the way, since we have some time, would Sensei like to chat for a bit?"
Ichika's voice neatly drowned out Hasumi's and naturally guided me toward a sofa farther away.
Although I was somewhat curious about what Hasumi wanted to say, and could clearly see Ichika's rather obvious intention, there was no reason for me to refuse.
After all, it was not like I could not use my authority.
I sat beside Ichika on the sofa. While chatting with her under her lead, I distractedly activated my authority. Instantly, the conversation in the next room became clear in my ears.
"That is not acceptable!"
Hasumi's sudden shout was loud enough to hear even without my ability at this distance, making my ears ring. Ichika beside me looked briefly embarrassed.
However, she quickly adjusted and continued the conversation as if nothing had happened, displaying her social finesse. "Speaking of which, Sensei, did you know? Layered Coffee recently released a new dessert. Everyone quite likes it."
"I see."
Resisting the urge to rub my ears, I responded casually while continuing to listen.
"I am sorry for raising my voice just now..." I heard Hasumi say apologetically. "But Koharu, if you want us to stay together in the future, you have to work hard on your studies now. And Sensei will definitely help you. Think of it as doing it for Sensei. Studying hard is what you should be doing right now."
Koharu replied, moved, "Mm, I will work hard."
So that was all it was about.
Relieved, I laughed at my own overthinking, then canceled my authority and focused on chatting with Ichika.
A little while later, Koharu opened the door. "S-sorry to keep you waiting... Sensei... oh, Ichika-senpai is here too?"
"Mm, I happened to be slacking off here and chatted with Sensei for a bit. Do not mind me." Ichika stood up. "Well then, I will be going first. You two should hurry back as well."
With that, she stepped lightly through the doorway Koharu had opened and left.
...Was it really just a coincidence?
A faint suspicion rose again, but I did not linger. Koharu and I returned to the annex together.
On the way, I stopped by Layered Coffee and brought back several of the desserts Ichika had recommended.
They tasted quite good.
And just like that, another day passed.