[What can I do if Raphiel hides herself? She's an angel too. If she insists on hiding, it's not like I can easily catch her!]
Seeing Hachiman's suspicious look, Gabriel became furious.
Hachiman actually doubted her?
Was she that kind of person? How could she possibly dump the blame on Raphiel.
[Raphiel can't stay hidden forever, right? Can't you find where she's hiding?]
Hachiman thought for a moment and asked.
[It's not that I can't find her. No matter how Raphiel hides, she still has to attend class as usual. If she skips class, her living allowance will get reduced.]
[But I also have to attend class. We're not in the same class, and the only time our schedules overlap is maybe one or two P.E. periods. So trying to catch Raphiel during class time isn't going to work either.]
Seeing that Hachiman's aggression had shifted toward Raphiel, Gabriel hurriedly explained in her little notebook.
She and Vignette both wanted to catch Raphiel and make her face the same humiliating punishment they had gone through.
Logically speaking, with her and Vignette working together, catching Raphiel shouldn't be a problem. But as students, they were limited. They couldn't just camp out to ambush Raphiel.
As soon as class ended or school was over, Raphiel would disappear. Only when they went to class themselves would she show up again.
[Then I'll go catch Raphiel next period. But you're not allowed to run away either. You and Vignette are coming over to my house for dinner tonight.]
Hachiman muttered to himself, deciding to meet this mischievous angel Raphiel personally.
Gabriel, still trying to be a good angel, couldn't skip class. But for him, skipping class was already part of his daily routine.
He hadn't wanted to get involved with Raphiel, that teasing angel, since he didn't want to become her source of amusement.
But now that both Gabriel and Vignette had fallen victim to Raphiel's schemes, he believed they'd stand on his side this time, and together, they'd deal with her.
[You're definitely thinking something bad! I'm telling you, I'm never drinking that stuff again!]
Seeing that Hachiman was still relentless, trying to invite her and Vignette to his house for dinner, Gabriel immediately refused without hesitation.
She knew perfectly well that the current Hikigaya household wasn't the same as when she and Vignette had gone there before to help him cook.
Now, the Hikigaya home was a completely different story. She and Vignette didn't even dare set foot there anymore.
[If I can't get Raphiel over for questioning, then you and Vignette will have to settle it with rock-paper-scissors. The loser gets the "feeding punishment." If you two don't come over for dinner, I'll just visit your place instead. But in that case, I can't guarantee what I'll be feeding you.]
Unfazed, Hachiman directly laid out the punishment conditions.
Before, he'd never have dared say such things to an angel and a demon.
But now, he was on familiar terms with Gabriel and Vignette. Close enough that they could even play punishment games together.
[Hachiman, you're getting more and more corrupt!]
Gabriel was completely flustered and furious at his reply, but she didn't even know how to refuse him anymore. Somehow, without realizing it, her and Vignette's relationship with Hachiman had ended up like this.
'It is all Iris's fault. Always dragging Hachiman into those depraved games every day.'
She started to miss the old Hachiman. The one who used to cook together with Iris in the kitchen.
Even though back then she'd still accidentally overhear certain unholy sounds, at least they were restrained. She could just endure it. Not like now, where things were completely out of control.
She was honestly worried that during dinner at Hachiman's house, he and Iris wouldn't even bother using invisibility or soundproofing magic.
Normally, helping him and ensuring his safety as part of the aid arrangement was fine. But did she really have to use divine arts to conceal Hachiman and Iris's activities too?
Wasn't that going a bit too far?
"Hikigaya."
From the podium, Kirisu Mafuyu's face grew increasingly cold as she looked at Hachiman in the back row passing notebooks with Gabriel.
'Endure! Endure! Endure...'
Originally, she had planned to wait until the upcoming home visit to talk with Hachiman's parents about his behavior at school and discuss his career plans.
But she hadn't expected that after her previous warning, Hachiman would still act so brazenly, passing notes right under her nose.
Now, she couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Hikigaya! Come to the student guidance room after class!"
A problem student like Hachiman, she had to give him proper guidance.
———
After class, Hachiman didn't even get a chance to say a few words to Yuina, Ijichi Nijika, or the others, he was taken away on the spot by the expressionless Kirisu Mafuyu.
Ijichi Nijika, Yuina, and Kitagawa Marin could only give him helpless looks as he was led away.
Who told him to be so brazen in class? He didn't even bother using invisibility magic, just openly passed notes with Gabriel right under Mafuyu's eyes.
Of course, Hachiman might slack off during class without using magic, but whenever he dragged them into his mischief, he would always use magic to hide them. Otherwise, they'd be following him to the student guidance room for "education" right now too.
Everyone felt sympathy and helplessness toward Hachiman. Only Gabriel let out a sigh of relief at his departure.
'Good. Hachiman being taken away by the teacher is for the best. Hopefully, he'll accept Teacher Kirisu's guidance properly and stop being so reckless at school.'
Hachiman had always been someone who listened to teachers. Like when Hiratsuka Shizuka asked him to help solve problems for certain girls, he never refused her requests.
Even if his "problem-solving methods" were a bit... unorthodox.
Still, Gabriel believed that Hachiman was only physically corrupted by Iris, the so-called "elf princess" who was actually a succubus. But mentally, he still held a certain respect for teachers like Kirisu Mafuyu.
In the hallway, Hachiman walked slowly behind Mafuyu toward the student guidance room.
Students on both sides of the corridor turned to stare. Behind the beautiful but notoriously strict and cold teacher Kirisu Mafuyu was Hachiman. The Service Club president rumored to have close relationships with many girls, repeatedly violating school conduct, and even listed on the Disciplinary Committee's personal blacklist.
Seeing him being taken by such a fearsome teacher, many couldn't help but wonder what terrible thing he'd done this time to get called in for "tea."
But Hachiman didn't care at all about the staring. Instead, he leisurely looked around, as if inspecting his own garden, searching for girls he'd triggered system notifications from before but hadn't yet interacted with.
Contrary to Gabriel's assumption, Hachiman didn't actually fear teachers. He simply respected them as educators.
Although Mafuyu often summoned him to the guidance room, or even insisted on home visits, it was because she genuinely cared and didn't want him going astray.
He didn't follow her "study hard and aim high" advice, but that didn't mean he disliked her.
After all, even if his dream was to become a stay-at-home husband, he'd still need to study hard to earn a high-quality soft life.
"Eh? Hiratsuka-senpai, what are you doing out here? Is the guidance room that busy today? Who's inside right now?", Mafuyu, still stern-faced, was surprised to see two people already waiting outside the guidance room: her senior Hiratsuka Shizuka, and a girl with a blue high ponytail, jacket tied around her waist, dressed like a delinquent gyaru.
Though the guidance room wasn't Hiratsuka's personal office, usually no other teachers needed to use it.
After all, most student issues weren't suitable for group discussion. To protect privacy, problem students were generally handled one-on-one by Hiratsuka.
So the room was practically hers alone, only a few other teachers ever borrowed it.
"Oh, Mafuyu and Hachiman. It's Hanamori-sensei inside right now," Hiratsuka said with a wry smile as she finished scolding the late, nap-prone delinquent girl beside her.
"Do you know about that convenience store incident from a while back? The student involved was suspended. That student is under Hanamori's supervision."
Hanamori was an art teacher and also a guidance counselor. But since she was new, inexperienced, and a bit too naive, she couldn't handle cases alone, so other teachers often worked alongside her.
"I see. I was still in charge of Furuhashi's class at the time, so I didn't pay much attention," Mafuyu nodded.
She was one of the few who regularly borrowed the guidance room since her class had several struggling students, not just Hachiman. Most of them had academic issues, but Hachiman was by far the most troublesome.
She had vaguely heard of the convenience store incident. Apparently, some delinquent student caused a disturbance off-campus. The details were kept confidential by the school, but she knew the culprit had been suspended.
If the demi-human transfer students led by the Elf Princess had already been enrolled back then, that delinquent probably would've been expelled to avoid bigger trouble.
Mafuyu's eyes followed the slightly ajar door into the room.
Inside sat Hanamori Kotomi, a young teacher with long vermilion hair tied in a high ponytail, her face gentle and pretty, her figure tall and curvy, speaking softly with a delinquent student.
The student sat facing away from the door, legs crossed, completely matching Mafuyu's mental image of a troublemaker.
But something felt off.
Even though Hanamori was the teacher, her aura was weaker than the student's, her eyes red, tears faintly glimmering, as if she were the one being punished by the school.
Hachiman also glanced inside, and froze.
Because, at that moment, a familiar notification appeared.
[Ding~!]
["Character Card Detected — Hanamori Kotomi."]
["Character Quest Triggered — The Ruler of Education I."]
["A delinquent student was unfairly suspended by the school. Though such punishment means little to someone of poor conduct, teacher Hanamori Kotomi feels deep guilt for failing to ensure fairness."]
["Please resolve Hanamori Kotomi's distress. She will be willing to do anything for you."]
'Oh boy. Hanamori Kotomi... The Ruler of Education...'
Hachiman had thought he'd just get dragged along for a scolding and slip away afterward to go hunt down Raphiel.
But it looked like fate had other plans, he'd run into another key character.
Though, if he remembered right, aside from the overly kind Hanamori Kotomi, there should also be another young teacher who knew absolutely nothing about common sense.
"Kirisu-sensei, what did this guy do this time?", Hiratsuka asked, looking helplessly at Hachiman.
Between the hopeless delinquent inside and this shameless problem-solver outside, she honestly didn't know who was worse. Still, she worried less about Hachiman's antics and more about Kirisu Mafuyu's patience.
Both were truants, but unlike the real delinquents, Hachiman had solved countless issues for girls around campus, and somehow, despite being blacklisted by the Disciplinary Committee, his connections just kept expanding.
While she believed Hachiman wouldn't dare mess with Mafuyu, given his growing influence, she was worried that Mafuyu constantly picking fights with him might one day backfire.
If that happened, she'd be the one stuck between them, definitely not a fun place to be.
"Same as always, no improvement. Daydreaming in class and passing notes even after I warned him."
Mafuyu's tone was stern as ever, "I brought him here today to give him a proper lesson. If he doesn't start behaving, I'll have to bring this up with his parents personally."
She didn't know why Hiratsuka got along so well with this problematic student, but she wasn't going to go easy on Hachiman just because Hiratsuka was her senior.
"Uh... I'll try to talk some sense into him later. Don't overwork yourself, Kirisu-sensei," Hiratsuka said, sighing, glancing at Hachiman, who looked completely distracted and utterly unconcerned about standing before two teachers.
She wasn't worried for Hachiman, she was worried about Kirisu.
After all, Hachiman had relationships with demi-human girls, including the Elf Princess herself, each one a not-so-innocent connection.
Even if there were only a few, that alone would demand an iron liver. And it definitely wasn't just a few.
She was really worried about Kirisu Mafuyu... in more ways than one.
Noticing the noise outside, Hanamori Kotomi ended her session, holding a book against her ample chest as she stepped out in heels.
"Sorry for taking up the guidance room for so long, Kirisu-sensei, Hiratsuka-sensei."
Her face was full of apology.
She had wanted to use the break to talk with the wrongfully accused Sakashita-kun and find a fair resolution.
But she hadn't managed to change the school's decision. She couldn't stand up for him.
All she could do now was find a way to compensate him somehow.
Since the guidance room was now needed, she'd have to find another time to talk to him.
"It's fine, Hanamori-sensei. That's what the guidance room is for," Hiratsuka said, glancing between Hanamori, whose eyes were red from crying, and the delinquent boy behind her, Sakashita Yoshiyuki, who lazily had his hands behind his head and left without a care.
Hanamori looked like she was the one in trouble, not him.
Was it inexperience or just naivety?
Clearly, this delinquent didn't care about the suspension, and with such a weak attitude, Hanamori would never reach him.
Still, even if Hiratsuka took over, she'd have no better luck. Against a hopeless delinquent, not even an "iron fist of justice" worked anymore.
If nothing changed, the student council would eventually just expel him.
After all, Sobu High's discipline standards were extremely strict. Not everyone could get away with skipping class like Hachiman, who somehow managed to maintain good relations with everyone and end up untouchable by the Disciplinary Committee, merely listed as a top-priority watch case.
"Kirisu-sensei, you go ahead and deal with Hachiman first," Hiratsuka said, turning to them with a knowing look.