After we stared at each other for several seconds, a faint smile finally appeared on Rio's usually cold and stern face.
"Then, I'll leave what comes next to you, Sensei."
Hearing such a completely off-topic answer, I was momentarily confused before it clicked.
I hesitated and asked, "Wait, Rio, don't tell me… you're trying to change the subject?"
The Seminar president did not reply, only stiffly turning her gaze aside.
That reaction was basically an admission, wasn't it?
This is bad. This girl seems to be dangerously cute.
"Just to be clear, I'm not here to interrogate you. I just want to talk openly."
"…I understand."
After a noticeably long breath, Rio nodded in acknowledgment. "You're right. Toki is a C&C member who belongs exclusively to me."
Then, Rio's gaze shifted past my shoulder.
I heard unmasked footsteps behind me, followed by a familiar, cool voice.
"As Lady Rio's maid and bodyguard, I serve her closely from morning until night. To ensure Lady Rio's safety, my existence has been classified. Even the upperclassmen within C&C, though aware that I exist, do not know my specific identity."
I turned around to see a girl with blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in a black and white maid outfit with a maid headband, brushing past me before stopping at Rio's rear side.
From Toki's almost expressionless face, I could vaguely sense confusion and… dissatisfaction?
"As a perfect maid agent, my disguise should have been flawless. I also confirmed that I was not followed and that no listening devices were planted." Toki looked at me in puzzlement. "Sensei, how did you figure it out?"
…Now that she mentioned it, looking back carefully at what she had done.
Wasn't Toki's disguise full of holes!?
Still, I did not want to crush her confidence, so I answered more tactfully.
"Actually, I just misunderstood a few things, so from the very beginning, I assumed Toki was an ordinary C&C member."
First was Toki's peculiar attitude toward maids, and second was the information I got from Neru.
Expressionless, blond hair and blue eyes, and aiming to become a perfect maid.
All three matched Toki perfectly. It turned out that in Neru's eyes, these referred to three different people.
During the earlier strategy meeting, when I heard that Toki was not among C&C, I realized something was subtly off.
After confirming that Kakudate Karin, whom I had never met, was someone who did not show emotions easily, and recalling Ichinose Asuna and Murokasa Akane whom I had already met, I finally noticed the issue.
But even if the process was flawed, did that mean the result had to be wrong too?
After hearing my rough explanation, Rio remained silent for a long while. "So, you were bluffing me?"
"Yeah, there was nothing to lose anyway."
"I see. Then this is entirely Lady Rio's mistake for losing her composure."
Between the lines, it meant that Toki herself was completely at faultless.
The self-proclaimed perfect maid seemed quite satisfied with this conclusion.
I gave Toki a somewhat strange look, suddenly recalling how she once complained to me about a "roommate" who had zero life skills, needed constant care, had a gloomy and heavy personality, always caused trouble, and possessed a bizarre sense of aesthetics.
And then there was Toki's earlier statement about serving Rio closely from morning until night.
The identity of that "roommate" was probably self-evident.
"Pfft."
I could not hold back a laugh, which earned me a glare from Rio tinged with embarrassment and anger.
"Sorry," I said, doing my best to control my expression. "The main reason is that I believe Rio would not lie to me."
"…Why?"
I answered honestly. "Because Rio believes in me too, doesn't she?"
This answer made a look of astonishment surface on Rio's face.
"What… haven't you already realized? I secretly sent Toki to approach you, Sensei. How can you still say something this unreasonable…"
"Is it that strange?"
I stroked my chin. "Hmm… maybe a little. Then, Rio, could you tell me the reason first?"
Rio looked deeply shaken. "If I say it… will you really believe me…?"
"Of course. Didn't I promise you that I would try to become someone who understands you?"
I smiled. "If I can't even do that much, wouldn't it just be empty talk?"
Standing behind Rio, Toki blinked. Though her face remained expressionless, the light flickering in her eyes suggested she was very interested in what would happen next.
What a trashy maid.
"…I just…" Rio lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's. "I also wanted to get along properly with you, Sensei, but I didn't know how… so… I had Toki approach you."
Hearing that, Toki proudly puffed out her chest.
Although I had prepared myself mentally, I still did not expect the reason to be this adorable.
"Hah… but looking at it now, my calculations this time were off."
Rio let out a light sigh, then smiled. "I now clearly understand that Sensei is a strange adult, just like me… no, even stranger than me. Based on this fact, I will not engage in such behavior again from now on."
Which meant… she would not send Toki to approach me anymore!?
The shock in Toki's wide eyes looked like she had just been betrayed.
"Mm. I'll also keep Toki's identity a secret for you."
I continued, "But in exchange, when it's convenient, could you let Toki serve as Schale's duty student once in a while?"
Rio frowned. "Why?"
Why ask? Why even ask?
Obviously because although Toki approached me with impure motives, she was deeply captivated by my charm during our brief interactions and did not want to lose a legitimate reason to see me!
"Of course because having such an excellent maid around would make work much easier."
I said calmly.
Toki nodded in agreement with a smug look, secretly mouthing words to me.
It's fine to praise me more, you know.
Rio, however, hesitated. "…I feel that it might not turn out the way you think… no, please forget I said that. Since Sensei has put it that way, I hope this can become a bridge to deepen our cooperation. Toki, don't cause trouble for Sensei when the time comes."
"Please rest assured, Ma'am. I am a perfect maid and agent. I will absolutely complete the task perfectly, serving Sensei just as I serve you."
For some reason, Rio fell silent again.
Gazing at this master and maid who were both clearly in love with me, moved by the sincerity of their bond, tears of emotion shimmered at the corners of my mouth.
"Back to the main topic," Rio said. "Due to Toki's special status, she cannot participate in this operation. I ask for your understanding, Sensei."
"Mm, I understand."
I nodded. "Leave what comes next to me."